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Hotels, restaurants and destinations worth a long way for.
From a Beirut townhouse dream to a global fine-dining benchmark, Em Sherif marries homestyle Lebanese hospitality, elevated Levantine flavours and gallery-worthy design, transforming restaurants into cultural ambassadors across the world.
Founded by Egyptian businessman Karim El Chiaty, Anandes announces itself with a whisper rather than a fanfare. Set into a Chora hillside, it is close enough to wander into Mykonos Town, far enough for serenity.
For decades, expedition cruising meant rugged ships and spartan comforts at the ends of the Earth. Now a new wave of purpose-built, eco-conscious vessels is redefining polar travel, led by Ponant’s trailblazing hybrid icebreaker, Le Commandant Charcot.
Editor's Pick
This place in Riyadh transforms a former equestrian club into a unique all-in-one MDLBeast destination encompassing a restaurant, club, lounge, pool concept and soon a boutique hotel too, with eclectic music and diverse culinary delights throughout.
Cee elevates Beirut nights with a fiery red rooftop sanctuary where the air feels lighter, the drinks taste better, and the views speak for themselves, capturing everything rooftop bars promise: escape, glamour, and perspective.
Gathering several artists and galleries in Cyprus – including many from the Arab world – Vima (which in Greek means platform) sought to form meaningful connections between the growing local art ecosystems of this little island nation and its neighbouring countries.
Once known for bare-bones hotels in a five-star setting, Seychelles has quietly reinvented itself. On remote Platte Island, the new Waldorf Astoria proves this emerald archipelago now rivals the Maldives for immersive, guilt-free luxury.
This year is the tenth anniversary of the Peninsula Classics Best of the Best, a concours d'élégance that crowns the world's most glorious classic car, and we got to go and witness first-hand the magic of it all.
Madrid’s ever popular ‘club-restaurant has arrived in Monte-Carlo, and in the most prime spot in town. This place is a riot of wild décor, punchy flavours and late-night salsa.
Built to host dignitaries and now a 390-room hotel, the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental commands its own private white-sand beach on the Gulf, moments from the capital's fashion stores and fine dining.
At a time when conflicts over religion, majority and power seem to be exponentially rising, The Abrahamic Family House extends a radical dialogue of rapprochement between three major monotheistic religions.
Launched in November and open till the end of April, the inaugural edition of the Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial has kicked off with an impressive collection of artworks and installations in an exciting celebration of creativity and culture.
Far away from the dense urban sprawl of Istanbul, Ankara or Turkey’s multitude of crowded coastal resorts, the northern Black Sea is a region that has much to offer, especially to those with a desire to explore some lesserknown spots in this diverse country. Blessed with a rich blend of…
In a city with as rich a legacy as Istanbul, it’s easy to forget that this gorgeous Turkish city is actually home to one of the fastest growing arts and culture scenes in the world. Amidst the iconic Byzantine and Ottoman-era architecture, there are new galleries and art initiatives app…
Perched atop The Peninsula London, Brooklands offers uninterrupted skyline views and a design inspired by the legendary racetrack. Chef Director Claude Bosi pairs creative European cuisine with the hotel's signature service and effortless style.
You’ve probably heard of slow food. Slow fashion too. But, while there’s no recognised subculture for slow travel, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express certainly fits the bill. Of course, the VSOE is not slow per se, but a ‘Slow Philosophy’ is not about doing everything at a snail’s …
After decades closed to travellers, Saudi Arabia is welcoming visitors under its Vision 2030 plan. Though e-visas have existed since 2020, cities such as Riyadh and Jeddah remain unknown to many curious global explorers.
Opened beside the World Trade Centre, the twin-tower complex suspends a 205-metre bridge a hundred metres above the city, housing two Kerzner hotels and the UAE's longest infinity pool.
Here are FIVE reasons why we love Section-B: 1. Section-B was created by Mansour Gadhi and five of his friends (Fahad, Mohammed, Mostafa, Faisal and Baraa) who shared a passion for timeless top-quality burgers. In 2013, they began inviting friends to a weekly Friday get together. “We wo…
Section-B began in 2013 as a Friday-only, pre-order venture. The founders listened to diners and refined their recipes through feedback until reaching the result now loved by everybody, opening their first Jeddah outlet in 2015.
Only the 12th Peninsula in 157 years, this Peter Marino-designed new-build delivers 190 rooms, a subterranean spa and chef Claude Bosi's Brooklands, three decades after Kadoorie began hunting for the perfect site.
Eight years in the making, Atlantis, The Royal is unlike any resort before it. Having enjoyed the original Atlantis, The Palm, our writer wondered whether Dubai truly needed a second, then discovered something altogether different.
The Mandarin Oriental Doha is a hotel that seemingly took forever to open. First announced in 2005, its construction began back in 2006, only for the global economic downturn of 2008 to put a spanner in the works, halting the project until a little after Qatar had been awarded the 2022 …
On the edge of a town in South Tyrol's renowned wine region, MoDusArchitects' Casa Visibilio replaces an older structure, its hollowed, scooping southern volume drawing the elongated site inwards into a reciprocal relationship.
Amanresorts currently boasts 34 properties around the world, but for Aman Junkies looking for a getaway in Europe that’s got most of the flavour of the original Amanpuri of Phuket, then there’s only one place to go – the Amanzoe in Greece. Why? Because the group’s other two properties i…
Monaco is one of those places that I’d imagine most of you readers know rather well. I certainly thought I did, but – after a recent visit at the invitation of SBM – I realised there was still much for me to learn. For example, did you know that Monaco wasn’t always the petite two-squar…
1. Flamingo Room is the brainchild of Natasha Sideris, a South African of Greek descent whose rapidly growing group now owns 25 restaurants and cafés, including 17 in South Africa and eight in Dubai (six Tashas Cafés, a Greek taverna called Avli, Galaxy Bar, and its most successful conc…
Artists gathered from across the globe in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh this January for the beginning of the annual Tuwaiq Sculpture symposium, a month-long creative residency in which the participants create large-scale works in a public setting. Previously, the event was a comp…
What makes a hotel great? Clearly space, design, service and amenities all play their part but given the top tier of the industry is all too aware that they’re competing on these points, the difference – more often than not – comes down to details and the coalescence of all those import…
Al Maryah Island is fast becoming Abu Dhabi's hottest address, drawing LPM, the Four Seasons and Zuma. The latest arrival is a beautifully designed, modestly sized yet thoroughly impressive commercial space created for Apple.
Going to Disney World is a childhood rite of passage, no doubt about that. And you’re reminded of this as you drive in from Orlando’s international airport because there’s a huge and colourful gateway spread across the motorway that reads: “Walt Disney World, The Most Magical Place on E…
The second edition of Noor Riyadh (part of the Riyadh Art programme), ran from November 3rd to the 19th last year, transforming Saudi Arabia’s capital into a glittering gallery without walls. This festival, which was three times larger than the inaugural one, gathered over 130 artists from
No other sporting event can compete in significance to the FIFA World Cup. It is by far the most-watched programme in the world today with over half the globe tuning in to catch their favourite footballers and teams vie against one another. But there’s something about the game of footba…
When The Mercer opened in Manhattan on the corner of Prince and Mercer, 25 years ago – as the sister hotel to Hollywood’s legendary Chateau Marmont – it was groundbreaking in so many ways. Not only was it the first luxury hotel to open in SoHo, it also offered a very different concept o…
It’s funny but I have been reading about how amazing Baros is for years. Maybe it’s because I grew up in England or that I was an avid reader of magazines, but whether it was GQ, FT’s How to Spend it, The Daily Telegraph or Condé Nast Traveller, everyone, it seems, loved Baros. As if [&…
Built in the artist’s hometown and designed by architect Jawdat Arnouk, Mohtaraf Anachar Basbous (MAB), which translates as ‘workshop’ rather than ‘museum,’ opened last September, gathering around 50 artworks across Basbous’ career, from his first at the age of 10 to the very late…
What’s the point of travelling to some far-flung idyllic tropical getaway if you can’t share it on Instagram, right? I mean, if you don’t feel hashtag blessed in a dopamine-inducing paradise like Maldives, are you even alive? And if someone else doesn’t get jelly about it, can you even …
Sometimes, simply standing apart is enough to make you stand out. It’s certainly the case with The Dubai Edition, which purposefully eschews all of those Arabesque references and ornamentation that we see so often in other Dubai hotels to offer a travertine-and-timber vision of understa…
Marriott's newest luxury brand, conceived with Studio 54's Ian Schrager to make hotels that don't act like hotels, lands in Downtown Dubai with a soaring lobby, four restaurants and 275 rooms.
Once you set foot in the lobby of the Colony Hotel Palm Beach you are treated to an enchanting visual feast thanks to a remarkable collaboration between the iconic newly renovated and re-opened hotel and the artisan wallpaper brand de Gournay. The exquisite wallpaper has the feel of a h…
Oscar Wilde once said, “I’m a man of simple tastes. I’m always satisfied with the best.” And, after reflecting upon my stay at The Woodward, I’d imagine the owner of this property must live by a similar ethos. From the moment you’re met at the airport by a tailor-suited driv…
The ultra-luxe German group behind Hotel du Cap and Le Bristol makes its Italian debut on Capri, reviving the island's oldest property with two starry architects and a deliberately unhurried philosophy.
In the virgin desert of north-west Saudi Arabia, French starchitect Jean Nouvel is carving a luxury resort into ancient cliffs, building not around the rock but hidden deep within it.
Damien Hirst has turned an entire two-floor Las Vegas suite into a living artwork, complete with formaldehyde sharks and a cantilevered Jacuzzi. At 100,000 USD a night, it is decadence on an industrial scale.
Heritage and Museum Director Sébastien Vivas reflects on showcasing Audemars Piguet's historic timepieces in Le Brassus, recalling how the idea took shape, how the architect was chosen, and how the hairspring-like design evolved.
Taking pride of place in Dubai’s Business Bay district, which cradles the record-breaking sights of Downtown Dubai and waterside charms of Dubai Canal, ME Dubai by Meliá is a striking work of art by the late Dame Zaha Hadid. It’s the only existing hotel in the world to have had both its…
Set on Norway's east coast some two-and-a-half hours from Oslo, beside the country's largest national park, Spacegroup's Movikheien Cabin Resort was conceived as a quick-build answer to soaring demand for staycations.
OETKER COLLECTION HAS TODAY ANNOUNCED A NEW MASTERPIECE HOTEL IN CAPRI, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT IT? Together with our owner partners, the Reuben brothers, we will transform and reimagine Hotel La Palma, the first and oldest hotel on the island, which dates back to the beginning of th…
Florian Boje of Giò Forma — the studio behind AlUla’s mirror-clad Maraya, the world’s largest mirrored building — on designing an epic landmark that reflects its UNESCO surroundings and all but vanishes.
The fifth cycle of Dubai Chamber's Smartpreneur Competition exceeded expectations, attracting high-potential start-ups. Revealed in August, the three finalists were ProvenMed Global in first place, Callix in second and PlasticFri in third.
After the catastrophic explosion of 4 August 2020, we return to Fairuz's lament for a city destroyed eight times over, and ask how much more Beirut and its people must endure.
Madrid's storied Hotel Ritz was set to reopen as a Mandarin Oriental this summer after its most extensive restoration in 110 years, but the pandemic has pushed the grand unveiling to 2021.
Monique and Staffan Tollgård on swapping film for design, their guiding "red thread" philosophy and conjuring a flexible family villa in Amman against a backdrop of Jordanian limestone.
From Madrid's Belle Époque Ritz to Tokyo's rebuilt Okura and Singapore's gutted Raffles, the world's grandest hotels have spent fortunes reinventing themselves. Here is where to book once travel resumes.
On the Hawaiian island of Lāna'i, the Four Seasons Resort at Kōʻele, A Sensei Retreat, offers a serene garden of Eden. Cool mountain breezes and warming sun set the scene for genuine restoration and renewal.
In a remote Palestinian town south of Hebron, an international consortium has reclaimed Roman, Byzantine and Crusader vestiges, restoring centuries-old courtyards and turning a place left for ruin into something resembling renewal.
From an 18th-century coral watchtower to a thriving cultural quarter, Abu Dhabi's oldest building has been reborn — crowned by CEBRA's award-winning Musallah, a prayer hall that rises from the water like rock.
Clarens, Switzerland, April 2020: Boosting our immune system has rarely felt more urgent, especially with the current pandemic swept across the world. Maintaining a healthy immune system can help protect your body from foreign invaders and is paramount for your body in becoming and stay…
With a display that lasted from January 31st till March 7th, Desert X helped shed light on how self-expression is a hot new topic in the Kingdom. The desert sands are slowly slipping through the hourglass, bringing change to the long-cloistered Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Nowhere is this m…
One of Dubai's oldest malls weathered the rise of glossier rivals, then quietly reinvented itself. A new southern walkway lined with Middle Eastern debuts marks Burjuman's return to the fashion conversation.
If ever there was a perfect hotel to visit in time for our Born Again issue then it is Schloss Elmau in the Bavarian Alps. [Oh, and speaking of timing, it’s nice to know Lady Luck is on our side, as our visit took place in early-February 2020, just a few weeks before the coronavirus [&h…
Tucked away in a residential neighbourhood, Brach Paris is an eclectic and unpretentious new hotel by Philippe Starck that’s shaking up the city’s straitlaced 16th arrondissement. YOU’RE KNOWN TO DISLIKE TALKING ABOUT DESIGN, AS JUST DESIGN, SO WHAT WERE YOUR STARTING POINT…
From the Shard to the Burj Khalifa, a tour of the rooftop and tower restaurants where vertiginous panoramas justify eye-watering tasting menus, and a bird's-eye view trumps everything else on the plate.
Checking into the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park feels like one of those moments when you should count your lucky stars. The hotel, which is located on the south side of Hyde Park, at 66 Knightsbridge, is an imposing Edwardian-era structure with a pedigree to match, not to mention a tumult…
With its great views inside and out, Perianth Hotel is just the place you’d want to stay in order to gain a fresh perspective on Athens, a city in full revival mode. Smack-dab in the heart of Agia Irini, one of Athens’ liveliest squares, is a low-slung 1930s building that houses Periant…
Privacy and natural beauty merge at Al Faya Lodge & Spa, an eco-retreat in Sharjah’s historic Mleiha desert designed by Anarchitect. Drive down the UAE’s Al Batayeh-Al Faya Road fast enough and you might miss the five-room Al Faya Lodge & Spa, set at the foot of Sharjah’s Mount …
Why do so many of the world’s ultra high net worth individuals continue to visit Clinique La Prairie? Because it’s quite simply one of most sophisticated and advanced medical centres in the world. We have become addicted to the concept of buying stuff. Indeed, consumerism isn’t just uni…
Supported since its inception by Official Bespoke and now in its fifth year, Haute Grandeur has become a benchmark in the luxury hospitality industry, offering awards based on an unbiased algorithm of paid customer reviews. When Haute Grandeur began in 2014, it had an uphill task of est…
Following last year’s first edition of the music and culture festival at the Mada’in Saleh, Saudi Arabia is now betting big on cultural tourism with a handful of luxury hotels and a Jean Nouvel-designed resort due to emerge in the Al-Ula governorate. Pick any major publication fro…
Since opening in 2003, Noma has pushed into uncharted culinary territory. Founded by a young René Redzepi, the Copenhagen restaurant won two Michelin stars, was repeatedly crowned the world's best and made its chef a star.
Philippe Jabre’s imposing art collection will soon have a new home in the mountains above Beirut. Gaby Daher and Jean-Louis Mainguy, art dealer and interior architect, are remodelling Jabre’s summer residence, a 19th century traditional Lebanese house, and adjacent bell foundry in Beit …
Located in Stockholm’s archipelago, 30 minutes from the city centre, Yasuragi is not something you’d expect to find in Sweden. That’s because it’s essentially a Japanese ryokan (inn), which was even originally designed (albeit as conference centre) in 1970 by a Japanese architect, Yoji …
Can one man’s dump ever be another one’s Eden? Apparently so. The Wasit Natural Reserve Visitor Centre in Sharjah boasts eco-friendly credentials that make it the ultimate haven for migratory birds. The UAE emirate of Sharjah is showing the way when it comes to eco-friendly projec…
Launched in 2015, the Four Seasons Private Jet Experience pairs the thrill of around-the-world travel with the hotelier's renowned luxury. For a considerable sum, guests enjoy a curated three-week adventure spanning multiple countries and continents.
Opened this past May, Cheetah Plains is the newest addition to the Sabi Sabi Game Reserve that borders Kruger National Park. Remarkably, it takes the safari to a whole new level of sophistication with a set up that comprises three unconventionally modern, even vaguely brutalist, exclusi…
Paris’ first digital art museum, the Atelier des Lumières, opened last year in a disused 19th century foundry in the city’s 11th arrondissement. And, following sold-out shows on Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele and the history of the Vienna Secession, they’ve outdone themselves this yea…
The late Iraqi-British architect's final airport opened in September at a cost of eleven billion dollars, claiming the title of world's largest and arguably its most advanced and greenest.
Amid wildfires, conflict and hardship, the human spirit clings instinctively to optimism. This piece explores how art and playfulness offer a vital antidote, helping us take in the chaos while still finding room for joy.
You might expect robots in lieu of bellboys and motion–activated air conditioning in a high-tech hotel, but Hotel Ottilia has opted to invest in cleanliness, instead. The hotel opened early this year and has partnered with Danish company ACT.Global in order to use its proprietary ACT Cl…
With more than thirty galleries serving fewer than three million residents, Kuwait appears to boast a thriving art scene. Dig deeper, however, and questions arise about how much of that work is truly homegrown.
As the Beirut Institute Summit convenes in Abu Dhabi, a moderator and five designers debate the circular economy, craft heritage and whether the Arab world can finally be seen as a creator rather than merely a buyer.
Having retained his coveted Michelin star for a second consecutive year, the forty-four-year-old chef has joined the world's culinary elite, a remarkable feat for a Lebanese immigrant who arrived in Paris during the Civil War.
It took a few confused U-turns before we finally pinpointed the small road leading to Beit Al Batroun, a quaint property in the hills of northern Lebanon. Barely visible from the main thoroughfare, it turns sharply downwards as if on the side of a precipice that might lead to a much lon…
The Italian architect behind Milan's celebrated Bosco Verticale is now bringing his greenery-clad vision to Egypt's New Administrative Capital, building three structures that promise to transform the architectural essence of the region.
The Four Seasons Hotel Beirut has a new rooftop playground. The best part is it’s open year round, so you can keep that summer feeling going even when the clouds roll in. Just because autumn is rolling in doesn’t mean you have to concede summer’s over. The pool, bar and lounge ato…
A weekend at the Raffles-run palace hotel off the Champs-Elysees, where Starck's whimsical mirrored interiors, an art concierge and Nobu's only Paris outpost combine to lift the spirits.
Qatar is readying for a defining moment in its young history. In just over three years, football fans worldwide will descend on its shores for the 2022 World Cup, the region's first ever.
Chaps & Co’s motto of “bringing back the old-school traditions” of the barbershop may be great and all but it’s the approachable staff, stylish décor and affordable prices that’ll have you coming back for more. A trip to the local barber has the power to be rejuvenative.…
From design to gastronomy, there are no stones left unturned at The Bodrum Edition. It is a fabulous escape by Marriott’s hippest hotel chain. Great music? Check. Great lighting? Check. Amazing 130 square-metre villa suite replete with fresh orchids, a sleek, standalone tub and a …
From Blade Runner's replicants to emotionally intelligent robot dogs, as we imagine, so we build. The Barbican's arresting AI: More Than Human surveys the creative and scientific evolution of artificial intelligence to date.
Looking to escape electronic screens, urban riff-raff and maybe even (GASP!) Wi-Fi? Then this little bed & breakfast nestled in trees overlooking the Mediterranean Sea may be just the place. It took a few confused U-turns before we finally pinpointed the small road leading to Beit A…
Arriving at Charles de Gaulle at five in the morning after twelve hours from Abu Dhabi, our writer was utterly shattered. Yet, as the saying goes, there would be no rest for the weary.
It’s hard to think of anything as simple in Dubai. You might even call the glitzy city a Babylon for our era: built to wow the world and endowed with the world’s tallest tower, man-made islands shaped like palm trees and marble everything, ideally inlaid with gold. Ferraris and Rolls Ro…
Amsterdam may be small and easy to navigate by bike, but it’s never dull. A prime example of progressive living, bottled inside a charming 17th century city, it offers art, culture and gastronomic delights in spades. For decades, Amsterdam was characterised as a drug-dealing, sex-crazed…
Let’s begin with the 46-suite MERCHANT HOUSE in Manama, which is Bahrain’s first five-star boutique hotel and just the second Middle Eastern property for Campbell Gray Hotels (after Le Gray in Beirut). Highlights include an abundance of art, an impressive library and a delig…
Discretely built into volcanic rock and surrounded by the curative waters of Iceland’s most popular tourist attraction, The Retreat at Blue Lagoon is the country’s first five-star resort and a perfect way to brave the Arctic Circle. Winter can take its toll on even the hardiest of Canad…
The V&A's sold-out Designer of Dreams exhibition celebrates Christian Dior's couture as ephemeral architecture devoted to the female form, an exquisitely curated journey across light and dark that confirms his enduring influence.
They say size doesn’t matter but in the case of Hong Kong, it’s all about going big. From the world’s largest bridge to having the most Michelin stars under one roof, this city in China is raising the bar. Change is afoot in Hong Kong. And by change, I mean an unrivalled level of creati…
Saint-Barth’s glamorous sailing regatta returns once again in April and we caught up with its chief sponsor, Peter Harrison – CEO of Richard Mille Europe, Middle East and Africa. WHEN DID RICHARD MILLE FIRST GET INVOLVED IN THE REGATTA? – This year marks the tenth anniversary of t…
It was a seminal moment for Dubai when in November 2018, the Emirate’s first non-governmental contemporary art institution opened on the Jaddaf Waterfront. Designed by London-based Serie Architects, which is led by Principal and co-founder Christopher Lee, the new Jameel Arts Centre spr…