THE JOURNAL
Silversands Grenada. Photograph courtesy of Silversands
Add these five openings to your bucket list now.
Ms Jules Perowne is the woman to know in the travel industry today. She is the founder and CEO of Perowne International, a private travel consultancy, which, among many other things, organises holidays for the biggest wigs around. If a movie star or money man can dream it up, Ms Perowne can organise it. From heli-safaris in sub-Saharan Africa to bracing jaunts in the Arctic, she has seen it all and booked it all. She works with a host of travel operators and agents in far-flung corners of the globe, so we asked her to open her little black book and tell us the five best places worth knowing in travel this year.
Bawah Reserve, The Anambas Islands, Indonesia
Photograph courtesy of Bawah Reserve
“This group of islands in the South China Sea between the coasts of Malaysia and Borneo, comprises more than 250 dots of land and is almost unknown to even the hardiest and inquisitive travellers,” says Ms Perowne. “The reefs in the Anambas are 10 times more diverse than the Great Barrier Reef and breathtakingly beautiful. With travel companies now switched on to its many attractions, a ferry system to get visitors there from Singapore has been established. The recently opened Bawah Reserve is the place to stay. It is in a very beautiful archipelago and this is both luxurious and sustainable. The 35 suites are all built around large trees, roofs are thatched and all the chairs and tables are made from driftwood. If you do decide to leave the comfort of your villa you can enjoy one of the 13 pristine beaches, hike through the rainforest and swim with the turtles, all in the space of a day. Now that’s special.”
What to pack
Silversands, Grenada
Photograph courtesy of Silversands
“Grenada is a small, very charming Caribbean island that so many love, but it is has been known as a little staid, with hotels resolutely old-fashioned. But that is all about to change in a big way. The end of last year saw the opening of a sexy new hotel, Silversands, on the west coast of the southern tip of the island. Designed by Paris-based architects AW2 – who are also behind some of the Six Senses hotels – it is all pale marble, light woods and neutral, beachy colours. In short, it is a step change – and one aimed at a more youthful market. The nine villas and 43 suites are all low-slung and clearly meant to appeal to design-conscious, metropolitan travellers – basically, the people who would usually go for St Barts or Barbados. And to emphasise the point they have built the longest infinity pool on Grenada – 100 metres of shimmering aquamarine water that is eminently Instagrammable. Undoubtedly, the firing gun on big changes for the island.”
What to pack
Brach, Paris, France
Photograph by Mr Guillaume de Laubier, courtesy of Brach
“Paris has not had the easiest time the last few years, but of late, it has experienced something of a boom, with hotels popping up like daffodils, followed smartly by new nightclubs, bars and restaurants. It feels like a city on the move again; the latest hotel opening is emblematic of a new atmosphere. Brach recently opened in the smart 16th arrondissement, is housed in an old sorting office built in the 1970s and has been cleverly transformed by architect Mr Philippe Starck into a multi-level jewel box of endlessly photographable interiors. All the rooms have an outward-looking wall of glass, there’s a terrace that faces the Eiffel Tower, and the gold-hued restaurant full of locals comes with a dessert bar that the sweet-toothed can graze on. After all the eating, you can then retire to the vast basement spa with a 23-metre pool and an enormous gym to shed the excess pounds.”
What to pack
Singita Kwitonda Lodge, Rwanda
Photograph courtesy of Singita Kwitonda
“By this summer, the wilderness conservation company Singita will have Kwitonda Lodge up and running. Sitting on the edge of Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park on 178 acres of land bang in the middle of the gorilla conservation area, it is a naturalist’s dream. Why so exciting? Well, Singita Grumeti in Tanzania, its sister property, is thought to be one of the best African reserve hotels – and the opening in Rwanda looks to be even better. The real draw is that you will be able to cover both in a single trip: big game in East Africa and then gorillas in Rwanda, as Volcanoes National Park is home to more than a third of the world’s mountain gorilla population. The comfortable lodge offers eight suites and a four-bedroom villa and is designed in harmony with its natural surroundings, being built by local artisans, using traditional Rwandan materials and techniques.”
What to pack
The Dewberry, Charleston, US
Photograph courtesy of The Dewberry
“The collective name given to the US states of North and South Carolina, the Carolinas are suddenly on everyone’s radar this year. The reason? British Airways will be flying there directly from London starting in April this year. There is an amazing food scene and once you are sated with that you can rent a car and explore the old-world coastal charms of South Carolina and Georgia. Stay at the new Dewberry hotel in Charleston, a singular creation in the former federal building that has become one of our favourite hotels anywhere. Teaming up with design firm Workstead, owner Mr John Dewberry spent eight years renovating the space, adding a ton of personality into every detail – the wood beams laid into the floor of the lounge, The Living Room, salvaged from a tobacco farm in Virginia; the custom white marble on the floors and windows – to create a sum greater than its parts. Workstead’s signature brass details along with the Orient Express-style bar give the building – originally completed in 1965 – a Lowcountry Mad Men vibe. It is said that Charleston resident Mr Bill Murray loves the tiki-themed Citrus Club on the roof, an endorsement if ever we’ve heard one.”