1. The art of wellbeing
Cademario, Switzerland
Dedicated to wellbeing, Kurhaus Cademario Hotel & Spa is an idyllic location for those wishing to better their health whilst in beautiful surroundings. Situated on Lake Lugano in Switzerland, this retreat is tonic for mind, body and soul. To take advantage of all it has to offer, the hotel’s Autumn Escape will keep you in perfect harmony. Book it and check in for two nights in one of its stunning rooms replete with sweeping views, the Autumn Escape package also affords you a three-course dinner, a relaxing antioxidant autumn massage, buffet breakfast, a daily activity programme and access to DOT Spa’s sauna and both indoor and outdoor pools. Heaven sent.
2. An urban escape
Conservatorium Hotel, Amsterdam
Whilst Amsterdam is renowned for its easy appeal to those looking for an urban escape, Conservatorium Hotel is widening the wanderlust by whisking guests away from the city centre, to visit less touristy but equally interesting areas, such as the Beemster Polder, a UNESCO World Heritage site, the National Park De Hoge Veluwe, where the Kröller-Müller Museum houses the second-largest Van Gogh collection in the world, or to picturesque fishing or windmill villages that give you a true slice of countryside living. The hotel itself is an architectural masterpiece, so you’ll enjoy a two-night stay in an uber-contemporary deluxe guestroom for two, with complimentary breakfast and an ‘Escape the City’ day-trip itinerary. Available until April next year, this really is a unique way to explore Amsterdam’s culture the insider’s way.
3. Out-of-africa odyssey
The Royal Livingstone Hotel by Anantara, Zambia
Nestled on the Zambian side of the Zambezi River, The Royal Livingstone Hotel by Anantara is true explorer luxury where graceful safari style sits just steps away from one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World, Victoria Falls. This month, the hotel’s Wellness Retreat, running from November 14-17, allows guests to savour Mother Nature’s splendour even more, with a three-night stay, daily breakfast, lunch and dinner, sunrise and sunset yoga sessions, daily walks to Victoria Falls, a treatment at Anantara Spa in the newly-launched riverside gazebos, a healthy cuisine masterclass with Parkinson – Cape Town’s well-known plant-based chef and health coach – and a beautiful dinner with food and wine pairing. Utterly unique and supremely restorative, few places rival this kind of wellness experience.
4. Walk on the wild side
Fairmont Kenya, Africa
While a safari adventure in itself is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience, Fairmont Hotels & Resort is upping the ante with its ‘Return of the King of the Jungle’ safari package, inspired by this year’s Disney live-action retelling of The Lion King. Fairmont Kenya is offering guests a three-stop destination circuit of its three properties, The Norfolk in Nairobi, Mount Kenya Safari Club overlooking Mount Kenya, and Mara Safari Club within the plains of Masai Mara. Your trip will start with a visit to Nairobi National Park, followed by a visit to Giraffe Centre to get up, close and personal with some Rothschild giraffes, and a trip to the David Sheldrick Wildlife trust, famed for its elephant orphanage. Next up, is the Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club, which as its own onsite animal orphanage, and where you’re likely to see pygmy hippos, leopards and cheetahs. And lastly, Fairmont Mara Safari Club in the Ol-Choro Oiroua Conservancy, which is one of the best locations to spot the Big Five. Truly wild at heart.
5. Tropical adventures
Meliá Zanzibar, Tanzania
A thousand sunrises on the island of spices, Meliá Zanzibar is an all-inclusive beach resort on the northeast coast of the unique coral island of Zanzibar. Just 45 minutes from the international airport and capital city Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and with 300 metres of pristine pearlescent sandy beach, lapped by the Indian Ocean, it’s a beautiful retreat for those looking for nature-filled downtime. With city tours, visits to Jozani Forest, boat cruises and deep-sea fishing on the itinerary, there’s plenty to keep you culturally occupied, while the spa will indulge your RnR requirements.
The hotel’s autumn special rates, mean that if you book directly online at www.melia.com before November 24, you’ll receive 45 per cent discount and children stay for free for holidays taken before April 19, 2020. Surely too good an opportunity to turn down...
A thousand sunrises on the island of spices, zanzibar is pure magic
6. From London with LOVE
Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites & Residences, London
Fall in love with London this autumn, as Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites & Residences is inviting guests to step into the gates of love with your choice of Cinema, Jaguar or Presidential Suite experiences. For a minimum of two nights’ stay, you’ll receive a complimentary Jaguar chauffeur service to and from Heathrow Airport, an exclusive tasting menu at Michelin-starred Quilon, a 120-minute Somã Nectar of God treatment at the property’s divine award-winning Jiva Spa, complimentary happy hour drinks every evening, an on-call male/female personal butler service, a sumptuous à la carte breakfast, an Alice-themed afternoon tea for two, and hands-free shopping at Bicester Village, including 10 per cent VIP card and access to The Apartment, the by-appointment-only space for VIP clients.
With all this at your beck and call, this is a quintessential 5-star luxury London experience, courtesy of Taj 51 Buckingham Gate.
