Journey into the secret Algarve: Anantara Vilamoura Algarve Resort
Set in a picturesque spot on Portugal’s southern coast, Anantara Vilamoura Algarve Resort is a hotspot for well-heeled visitors heading to the marinas, golf courses and vibrant nightlife of Vilamoura. But for anyone who wants to immerse themself in the more traditional side of the region, the resort’s ‘Journey into the secret Algarve’ package promises a flavour of life in southern Portugal. During the course of a three-night stay, guests will explore the hillside villages with the resort’s Experience Guru and have a chance to meet with local farmers, basket weavers and distillers.
Foodies will love taking a tour of the Loule food market with a chef during Anantara’s Signature Spoons culinary masterclass, then helping to create a menu from a collection of traditional recipes with the ingredients they bought. The next day, take a boat ride down the languid Ria Formosa, and explore the islands and inlets where the river meets the Med, and learn how local fishermen harvest oysters, clams and other shellfish from the rich waters before tucking into a freshly caught lunch. Add in a dinner for two at the resort’s contemporary Portuguese restaurant EMO and a signature Anantara massage, and this has all the makings of a truly unforgettable escape.
PRICE: from US $1,411 per person
AVAILABLE: now
Wind back the clock in Mauritius: LUX* Grand Gaube
Fresh from a US $32 million makeover at the hands of renowned creative duo Kelly Hoppen and Mauritian architect Jean-Francois Adam, LUX* Grand Gaube is putting a new (dare we say millennial) spin on Mauritian hospitality. Understated, eclectic, lived-in glamour is the underlying design ethos here: think street art murals, East London style barber shop and gardens designed by Chelsea Flower Show winner Stephen Woodhams.
Other playful touches such as indoor cinema, treehouse rum bar and the largest selection of Prosecco and cider in Mauritius provide plenty of reason to say cheers to another day in paradise. Book your two-night stay in a Junior Romantic Suite and enjoy a wine pairing dinner at Le Tastevin or a rum degustation at Tree House, then treat yourself to top to toe pampering the following morning with his and hers treatments at The Murdock Barber Shop and Kérastase Salon.
PRICE: from AED 7,700 (US $2,096) per couple
AVAILABLE: now
Art attack in Amsterdam: Conservatorium Hotel
Amsterdam’s art-centric Conservatorium Hotel has teamed up with the city’s Hermitage Museum to create the ultimate short-stay package for art buffs, celebrating the launch of the new exhibition entitled ‘Dutch Masters from the Hermitage, a treasure of the Tsars’. The exhibition brings together for the first time in 350 years a collection of 63 works by 50 different Dutch Masters during the so called Golden Age of Dutch painting, including six works by the most masterful of them all, Rembrandt.
Pairing such a gathering of greats with Conservatorium’s own unique art collection and spectacular neo-Gothic architecture presents a wonderful opportunity for enthusiasts, who will enjoy two nights in one of the hotel’s signature suites, daily breakfast in the Brasserie for two, tickets to the exhibition and an exclusive tour of the collection with a private guide. If all the art proves too much, you could always wind down with a visit to the hotel’s Akasha Hollistic Wellbeing Centre, cocktails at Tunes Bar or contemporary Asian dining at Taiko.
PRICE: from US $2,636 per night, plus 5 per cent city tax
AVAILABLE: until May 27
Sail away in Saint Lucia: Marigot Bay Resort & Marina by Capella
If you really feel like getting away from it all this month, there’s nowhere better than Saint Lucia for a serene escape. Dial up the romance with Marigot Bay Resort & Marina by Capella, where 124 rooms and suites look out onto the turquoise Caribbean Sea and yachts jostle for space in the adjacent marina. Set in a natural harbour and surrounded by the lush vegetation of Saint Lucia, the postcard perfect bay is perfect for a private escape for two.
Check in for four nights of bliss in your choice of room or suite, and make the most of an all-include meal plan giving you access to modern Caribbean cuisine at The Grill at 14° 61°, light bites and ocean breezes at Hurricane Hole or a number of local restaurants in the vicinity of the resort and marina. You’ll also enjoy a couple’s massage at Auriga Spa, a chocolate tasting dinner for two, and a decadent tasting experience in the resort’s Rum Cave.
PRICE: from US $3,180 per couple
AVAILABLE: now
