During winter, snow-laden winds sweep across lakes and tundras of Finnish Lapland, freezing all in their wake. Reindeer forage for lichen in the chilled earth, and the brief minutes the sun rises above the horizon are bookended by a deep blue twilight that heralds the return of the polar night.

A thousand kilometres south, there’s no snow on the footpaths of the Finnish capital, Helsinki, but it retains its connection with the drama of the deep north. Bulevardi is the main street in the super-smart Kaampi district, and Lapland Hotels Bulevardi is one of the city’s newest hotel openings.

The Lapland Hotel group’s origins are – as the name suggests – from the frozen north, and it brings that land of ice and wilderness to the city, starting with its motif, reindeer antlers. They appear on the tableware and mugs, above bedheads and on cushions, adorning the reception, restaurant and bar. The ‘Do not disturb’ sign reads, ‘Counting Reindeer’.

The Lapland-based hotel group has teamed up with leading Lappish design company Pentik, founded by one of the country’s premier potters, Anu Pentik, whose ceramics factory operates from Posio, in Finnish Lapland. Stepping into the Kultá kitchen & bar for breakfast on a wintery December morning, my hands are filled with the warmth of Pentik’s grey, antler-embellished ‘Posio’ mug, filled with hot tea, as a prelude to the meal.

Let me predicate this next statement with the fact that, in this job, I’ve had a buffet breakfast or two. I know my way around the bain-maries of the world, from a Cambodian soup spread to an Irish fry-up or a Peruvian platter. But this: this is one of the most exciting breakfast buffets I’ve ever encountered.

I start with a healthful spruce sprout smoothie, before moving to the sea buckthorn smoothie, then cruise the cold cuts featuring hot-smoked and ice-pickled , set beside smoked cheeses from Kuusamo, 800km north on the Russian border in central Finland, which is my next destination.

In the hot section, reindeer blood sausage is teamed up with lingonberry jam, and I choose an omelette – with smoked reindeer and oyster mushroom. The chef on the breakfast shift admits that Lappish cuisine is protein-heavy. ‘Hearty,’ is his diplomatic word for the array of meats, fish, cheeses and cakes that line the buffet. Dove-grey bowls of fruits yield Lappish cloudberries, blackberries and blueberries, and this being Scandinavia, the warm korvapuusti (cinnamon scrolls) and hot chocolate lure younger guests.

‘We Laplanders eat what we see outside our window,’ says Tero Mäntykangas, executive chef of the hotel group. ‘It is fantastic to serve our guests food that we know exactly where it came from.’

But the standout dish is also its most humble: Finns are the masters of nurturing porridges, and on the buffet today is an organic oatmeal porridge with a dash of salt, slow-cooked in the oven for three hours. I embellish the dish with cherry jam and a swish of Lappish honey, and its goodness and honesty has me devising migration plans at the breakfast table.

The coffee is international espresso as well as Finland’s traditional brewed coffee, of which Finns typically drink – black and unsweetened – on average of four cups a day, making them the world’s largest consumers of coffee. Up in my room, a dreamily named Mystic Deluxe, the queen-sized bed is dressed in soft grey wool and crowned with a set of antlers above the headboard, while a glass window looks into the sauna, set for 80 degrees. It smells of pine wood and the hot stones sizzle as I practice my löyly throwing (tossing water onto the sauna rocks).

The 182-room hotel is an ode to everything beautiful and unique to Finnish Lapland, from the thick pelts thrown over dining seats to the forest mushrooms, the buckwheat blini, the salmon and rye bread on the menu.

At night, fire pots line the hotel entrance, where the long stone bar blends vodka with reindeer stock or spruce sprouts and pine wood tar; vermouth is paired with buckthorn and thyme I order the reindeer burger and a glass of warming red wine while my sauna heats up. As the long night closes in, it’s time to allow Lapland to seep a little further into my bones.

Lapland Hotels Bulevardi
From EUR $150 per night
Bulevardi 28, 00120 Helsinki, Finland
Tel +358 9 25251111
laplandhotels.com/EN/urban-hotels/helsinki

Built in 1554 during the reign of Grand Master Claude de la Sengle, the Maċina was originally used to hoist and fit ships’ masts. As 48th Grand Master of the Order of Malta, and a highly successful military leader of great influence, he initiated the development of the fortified city of Senglea in south-eastern Malta. The historic region is now being revitalised via the Cottonera Waterfront Rehabilitation Project – a regenerative concept designed to boost economic development and residential services in the area.

The Maċina’s sympathetic restoration and repurposing makes it a standout of the rehabilitation programme. The development included – fittingly, given the city’s maritime history – a new Grand Harbour Marina. All of the hotel’s 21 luxurious suites feature harbour and marina views, overlooking the yachts bobbing at their moorings.

Cugó Gran Maċina Grand Harbour’s suites are a glorious achievement, subtly transformed from medieval industrial quarters to comfortably cool, designer accommodation. The five-metre-high vaulted stone ceilings are jaw dropping. The poured concrete floors that root the structural design are a clever touch, as are the additional areas of laid slate, lava stone and Maltese hard stone – textural elements that are soft underfoot, and also present the spaces as cooling cocoons to protect guests from the warm climate.

Architect Dr Edwin Mintoff wisely chose to leave exposed many of the Maċina’s ample historical elements, including such oddities as the 3.5-metre walk to some of the windows that reveals the full depth of the impenetrable limestone fortifications. Complementing Mintoff’s structural design, the Milanese design team Daaa Haus contributed sleek Scandic aesthetics through the use of lacquered raw steel, limed oak, Carrara marble and custom-tinted glass and mirrors. The overall effect is pleasing to the eye, adding comfort and functionality without overcrowding.

CULTURAL HIGHLIGHTS

We suggest you beat the tourist high season (July-September) by visiting Malta in spring (April-June) – a time when the best annual events and festivals begin. May is also the month where swimmers usually start heading to the beaches. The Medieval Mdina Festival, on May 5-6 this year, is two days of pageantry that evoke Malta’s late medieval period (AD1200-1500). It’s held in the streets and main square of ancient Mdina city, once the island’s capital. The festival includes re-enactments of the slave market, medieval kitchens and taverns, sword fighting, archery, parades and flag throwing.

The International Fireworks Festival in Valletta’s Grand Harbour features the finest creations of international pyrotechnic companies as well as some of the best locally made fireworks (it’s a popular but dangerous cottage industry). The display of fireworks in Malta is a tradition that dates back to the time of the Order of the Knights of St John. The annual event now also commemorates Malta’s accession to the European Union on May 1, 2004.

GETTING THERE

Etihad Airlines has connections to Malta, flying ex Melbourne and Sydney via Abu Dhabi and Rome. Connections from Rome are with Alitalia. Return Economy Saver fares ex Melbourne, departing June 1, 2018, start at $1963* including taxes, fees and charges. Baggage limits apply. *Price, based on the return date of June 30, 2018, is accurate at the time of publishing. For more information: etihad.com

Cugó Gran Maċina Grand Harbour
Macina, Triq il-31 ta’ Marzu L-Isla (Senglea), Malta
Tel +356 2711 2711
designhotels.com/hotels/malta/senglea/cugo-gran-macina-grand-harbour/deals

Summer evenings for thousands of tourists are lit by the coloured high spraying waters of Font Màgica; and Gaudí’s La Sagrada Familia with its glory façade displays spires so high and pointy, they might be in danger of stabbing and injuring the sky. In Barcelona there is endless human adventure, pockets of romance, and a bustling city heart. Celebration of nature is everywhere, perhaps a biological mechanism that’s bred into each Catalonian person.

This sense of life and creativity can also be found within its many examples of expressively-intertwining Art Nuevo architecture. Many of these form a subtle basis to the city’s design structure from which no matter where you turn, you might feel as though you’re exploring an giant organism similar in scale to an Amazonian rainforest. While the beautifully preserved labyrinth of the gothic quarter with its maze of streets, historic buildings and squares lead summer tourists winding their way north towards the main city thoroughfare, La Rumbal; it is here that so many grand scale elaborate architectural gems begin to further express their natural intentions. Sure Barcelona’s most celebrated son, Antonia Gaudí’ crafted many stand out contributions to the Art Nuevo movement with unmistakably famous organically flowing building designs, however there are also brilliant examples of near-hidden architectural subtlety at work here also.

Take a closer look, perhaps at sections of decoratively carved building stone works, or maybe just a wrought iron gate – an entrance to a quiet city block. Blink and you’ll miss it, peer again and you’ll see a pattern emerging. These structures resemble twisted vines and other living things, all twirling and moving, growing and clutching. If you feel connected to this city, don’t be surprised, examples of organic flow are everywhere and it eventually manages to  connect you with its many historic layers.

For first time visitors, Barcelona’s fast-paced continuous complexity of design of movement, can, believe it or not become a little bit tiresome. To explore the city is a joy, but afterwards some rest and relaxation is a must. The solution to this rather perplexing holiday problem comes in the form of a clearing in the forest – a metaphorical oasis in huge sea of desert sands. With a swift whip of construction brilliance, in December 2013 architect Juli Capella and interior designers Sandra Tarruella and Isabel López completed work on one such place: take a step inside, and feel the free-flowing clean-lines and modern edge that is Hotel Omm. A uniquely modern boutique hotel boasting wide open spaces, bright natural light and fresh scandinavian inspired guest rooms. It’s ground level lobby, lounge, Bar Roca and Restaurant Roca Moo is seamlessly designed offering a clean depth of space. Here an open floor plan lightly connects the spaces and is lit by the restaurant floor to ceiling glass panels, young birch trees lining the panes growing within a Japanese-styled courtyard garden. More light is reflected in via a series of pearl-shell cutouts – a hanging mobile art-installation that sways and glimmers.

Omm is as the name suggest: a place for calm, and escapist uncomplicated body, a vessel that invites meditation for the soul. While there is light here, there is also pleasing use of inky blacks. When floating between guest rooms or into depths of the hotel’s lower-level ‘Spaciomm’ relaxation and personal care centre, Omm’s corridors are dark; so dark, secretive and quiet that one might feel hidden inside a underground cave. There is so much sense to this design, as safety is felt here; and just when it feels desired, surprise gifts of white-bright daylight filter in via skylights and strips of glass. the light beams in like fingers from above.

Spaciomm is a spa retreat, touched with a gentle sense of oriental beauty, yet retaining a form that is far more modern. Minimalism is the key, with functionality so cleverly hidden and perfected. This stripped-back, effortless presentation continues throughout all of the the hotel’s 91 harmonious rooms. And, if you’re still feeling the need to connect again with the city and its vibrant beat, simply head to the roof top terrance where you’ll have exclusive use of the swimming pool and bar/restaurant with nearby views to Gaudí’s Casa Milà, the Sagrada Familia and the lights of Montjuïc.

Carrer del Rosselló, 265, 08008 Barcelona, Spain
Tel. +34 934 45 40 00
www.hotelomm.com

Mexican-born mixologist and Ozone bar manager Oscar Mena explains his inspiration: ‘I have always been fascinated by how each element has its own place in this world, while interacting and complementing each other.’ Each of the five new cocktails resembles the essence, colour and most importantly flavour of each represented element. Difficult to source ingredients accompanied with striking visual presentation make Oscar’s new cocktail collection clear world leaders.

Water (HK$148), is decorated with pearl-like spherified yogurt pieces served in an oyster shell. With a vivid ocean-blue visual appeal it uses clever savoury hint of Japanese umami bitters to connect the drinker with flinty taste of fresh sea oysters. Coconut water is added to its vodka and sake base and strikes a neat balance.

Made with a base of Alipus Mezcal (spirit distilled from the agave plant hat’s aged in wooden barrels for a month before being served), Wood (HK$198) features a collection of smoky overtones and wild aromatics. Stirred with dashes of chocolate bitters and Fernet Hunter, a bitter liqueur with aromas of lavender and citrus, this rather complex cocktail is Oscar’s personal favourite. Served in a carved timber tumbler, it further showcases the beauty of this natural element.

Oscar says his sweeter styled Earth cocktail (HK$148) is reminiscent of the earthy scent of the forest after the rain and is a strong childhood memory. Shiitake mushroom-infused rum creates the essence of Earth, while one of Essentials’ favourite non-alcoholic spirits, Seedlip Garden 108 coupled with pandan syrup present additional delicate floral notes. It’s served in its very own garden housed in a ceramic mug.

Finally, there’s the crimson-colored Fire (HK$198), which includes a blend of hibiscus flower-infused whisky with a Thai chili tincture and carrot with blood orange liqueur. Visually elegant this designer drink is flavoursome and has a warming chili bite.

If you’re keen to work your way through a cocktails in one sitting, then Mena has this bit of advice: ‘If you taste the cocktails in the order of Water, Metal, Fire, Wood and Earth, you are going to have a taste of how these five distinct cocktails strike a perfect flavour balance.’

Ozone at The Ritz-Carlton
Floor 118, International Commerce Centre (ICC),
1 Austin Rd W, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
Open: Mon-Sat 5pm until late, Sun noon until midnight
Tel +852 2263 2270
ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/china/hong-kong/dining/ozone

Filled with power and energy, works like A View of the Two Lakes and Mountain House, Catskill Mountains, Morning, 1844 (pictured below), by Thomas Cole (1801-1848), typically depicted the Hudson River Valley and the surrounding area, including the Catskill, Adirondack, and White Mountains. Cole is generally acknowledged as the founder of the Hudson River School as he hiked west high into the eastern Catskill Mountains of New York to paint the first landscapes of the area. These were displayed in William Colman’s New York City bookstore window, before the artist was discovered.

Members the New York arts community were drawn to the paintings, noticing his skill in brushwork and emotive, powerful themes. According to the New York Post, two paintings were purchase by a Mr A. Seton who loaned the works to the American Academy of Fine Arts exhibition in 1826. This put the young artist’s works at front and centre within New York’s social elite; setting a solid foundation for his career. His works would influenced his peers and later a new group of painters, including several female. Susie M. Barstow (1836-1923), an avid mountain climber, painted the mountain scenery of the Catskills and the White Mountains. In recent times her works were included in the 2010 survey exhibition Remember the Ladies: Women of the Hudson River School at the Thomas Cole National Historic Site in Catskill, New York.

As well as exploring the art and the historic towns, today the Catskills region is a hugely popular hiking and recreation area. To explore the mountain peaks, deep forests and villages nestled among the rolling hills has become one of North America’s most enchanting pass times; and in more remote parts, can today still offer a very wild wilderness experience. Imagine therefore our excitement upon learning of the recent opening of Farmhouse Catskills, a 75 room, 3-suite meticulously renovated home, repurposed as a hotel, deep in the Catskill Mountains. Inviting explorative guests to slip into a sylvan haven set among the woods of Callicoon Center, New York. Farmhouse Catskills is worthy restoration project born of a generous mission statement: ‘to bring the glory of the Catskills to a new generation’.

Embodying the values of a traditional country inn, Farmhouse Catskills has been designed to serve as a hub for socialising and as a gathering spot for the community. Spaces include a paddock-to-plate inspired restaurant, a richly textured black-limestone bar complete with 12 plush velvet stools; and an inviting terrace and garden with fire pits that gaze upon richly textured forest views.

The design concept is inspired by tones of the encircling countryside and the the original structure has been respectfully restored with sympathetic renovations having taken place. A soft colour palette of grays and greens frame interiors; filled with predominantly with natural materials: wood casework, white oak floorboard, oil-rubbed bronze light fixtures, as well as textured rugs and a mix of warmly coloured velvet sofas and arm chairs. An eclectic collection of modernist furniture recalls the 1950s golden era of the Catskills; a time when the region became an intrinsic part of mid-century Americana thanks to its popularity as a vacation resort.

Ranging from 65 to 165 square feet, the hotel’s 75 guest rooms and suites mirror the open flow and forms found in the public spaces. Bookended by oak floors and reclaimed timber accents, the rooms showcase more mid-century furniture items alongside artisan custom-made pieces. King beds, luxurious bathrooms and signature lighting is a feature, presenting a comforting warmth and refreshing contemporary charm.

Located at the heart of the property, The Farmhouse Café & Bistro describes itself as a celebration of Upstate New York’s impressive natural bounty. We couldn’t help but notice however chef Jodi Cummings’ (former owner of Caffè Macchiato, Newburgh, NY) keen inclusion of premium Spanish ingredients that broaden the menu. Their use is include in starters like: Charcuterie Espana – serrano jamón, xistora, manchego cheese, quince, olives; pan con tomate – Spanish-style grilled bread with tomato; and patatas bravas –  Spanish-style fried potato with pimento sauce – each quality offerings designed to share with friends. Other starters include: a chicken liver pate with housemate blackberry jam; burrata and roasted grape salad with basil, balsamic and honey; plus an iceberg wedge salad with crumbled blue cheese, pancetta and buttermilk dressing – a simple summer classic that we feel is highly underrated and seriously moorish.

In terms of larger plates that make use of seasonal local ingredients it’s hard to pass on the Beaverkill (local hatchery) trout en papillote with lemon, olive oil, poached leeks and carrot; and there’s a 225g grilled hanger steak with béarnaise sauce, creamed spinach and shoestring fries – a new world American standard that sings the praises of New York State’s robust cattle industry. Making fine pairing, the drinks list features wine from neighbouring vineyards, beer sourced from local microbreweries plus traditional farmhouse ciders.

Breakfast offerings include a changing daily, fresh omelet with venison sausage; toasted cinnamon waffles; granola with fruit and yoghurt and the in-house hero: Catskill salmon plate, comprising a smoked salmon toasted sesame bagel with dill-chive cream cheese, pickled red onions, capers, two eggs and fresh greens. Such a meal can be enjoyed on thee expansive ipe wood-decked terrace – just the spot for soaking up the morning sun during the warmer months. Upon dusk the hotel’s bar offers an altogether more intimate atmosphere with its decadent black-limestone counter and generously creative cocktail list elevating the moods of visiting guests.

Farmhouse Catskills’ restoration of the heritage-marked home respects building’s history, yet designer contemporary touches present it with a fresh visual identity and strong emotional presence. Many of the spaces take advantage of the open-plan concept, incorporating oversized windows that flood the guest areas with natural sunlight, also showcasing the hotel’s spectacular natural surroundings. The use of organic, natural materials such as ipe wood and reclaimed shiplap creates a link between indoors and out. And the inclusion of a range of glass, tile, and polished concrete textures adds a contemporary edge.

Neighbouring the farmhouse, the estate’s architectural pinnacle – a hand-hewn British hay-press barn dating back to 1869. Originally built in Indiana, the barn was transported to Sullivan County and painstakingly reconstructed piece-by-piece to create the hotel’s social space for events, exhibitions, collaborations, and retreats.

Set amid rolling hills, mountains, forests, rivers, and lakes, Farmhouse Catskills is a gateway to a natural wonderland with hiking, kayaking, golf, horse-riding, fishing, biking, running, and skiing, all on the doorstep. Considered the heart of the Catskills, the surrounding villages including Jeffersonville, Youngsville, Livingston Manor, Bethel Woods, and Roscoe, are characterised by antique stores, microbreweries, gin and whiskey distilleries, art galleries, and eclectic boutiques. The nearby Callicoon Theatre – the oldest continuous operating theatre in Sullivan County – offers a varied film program and hosts the Catskills International Film Festival. Closer to home, the hotel has a private bass-stocked fishing pond, swimming pool and a concept store showcasing the wares of local designers and producers.

Farmhouse Catskills
1630 Gulf Road (16,490.46 km)
12724 Callicoon Center, New York
+1 845-482-2420
farmhousecatskills.com
www.designhotels.com/farmhouse-catskills

Chinese folklore tells – there are several versions – how Chang’e, a young palace servant who broke a precious porcelain jar, was banished from heaven for angering the Jade Emperor. Condemned to live on Earth, Chang’e found herself a member of a rich farming family. She grew up to become a beautiful young woman who caught the eye of Houyi, an expert archer from a nearby village.

When 10 suns unexpectedly rose in the sky, threatening to burn up the earth, Houyi saved the world by shooting down nine of the suns. For his efforts he became an overnight hero and, eventually, was made king. Of course, he married our heroine, Chang’e.

In a further twist of the parable, mortal greed and desperation took hold of Houyi, who sought immortality by ordering an elixir to be created to prolong his life. But Chang’e thwarted him by swallowing the single dose of the elixir, either accidentally or, in some versions, deliberately. Houyi, angered, chased his wife to catch and punish her. Chang’e, fearing for her safety, leapt from a window but instead of falling to her death she had become immortal and floated away to the moon, where she still lives with her only companion, a jade rabbit. The jade rabbit’s outline can be made out in the clusters of the moon’s craters.

Houyi tried to shoot Chang’e down with his arrows, but he had lost his touch and failed. Bereft and devastated, knowing his wife would live for eternity, he died alone.

Today, when Chinese folk celebrate the mid-autumn harvest moon festival late in September, it is customary to light lanterns at night so Chang’e can see them on the Earth.

In many cultures’ teachings on moral codes, human transgression attracts punishment that lasts for eternity. Moon worship is likewise a common thread in ancient times, even appearing in northern Australian Aboriginal dreamtime stories. Versions of such teachings from the ancient tales often surface in popular culture. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, for instance, recording the dramatic effects and influence of a magic potion and even introducing a rabbit into the mix, could be seen to have been influenced by the story of Chang’e.

Building on both ancient myth and modern story, the interior design of Hong Kong’s Mira Moon proves an equally enthralling magical mystery tour, intriguing in its luxuriant decadence and eccentricity. Painstakingly crafted by Dutch designer Marcel Wanders in conjunction with London’s yoo Studio, it features layer upon layer of decoration exploring a fantastical world painted in celebratory symbols arising from a fervently joyful and seamlessly inspired imagination.

Plush floral custom-designed carpets and shards of crystal offer unexpected prickly-textured visuals as you enter the semi-formal and very exclusive foyer. Shades of carrot, coffee and avocado highlight and warm an otherwise very limited palette of high-gloss white, chrome/silver and tulip red. Leave the hectic world outside as you check in and enjoy the more relaxed atmosphere. You may even find yourself  teased into a smile at the sight of several highly glazed ceramic red rabbits with wings flying above the reception desk.

The hotel unashamedly describes the rooms as ‘unworldly’, ‘intergalactic’ and ‘modern’.

It’s worth taking a seat in this mad-hatter’s tea party of an entry lounge: it can take a little while to absorb and come to terms with the detail woven into its unconventional and super-playful surroundings.

Polished white marble floors are interspersed with kaleidoscopic carpet cutouts. A long wavering sofa winds its way around the room in an uncertain and confused direction. Other more formal seating areas seem like apparitions that have been teleported in from a child’s doll’s-house mind. Lights reflecting from mirrors lead the eye around a corner to a hidden, private champagne cocktail bar. The room, surrounded by crystal and mirrored glass, is so clear cut and fragile it seems to float in mid-air.

The richness of design continues to impress and astonish through the hotel’s 91 rooms. Decorated halls feature individually designed  tapestry carpets, each worthy of an art gallery wall. At the far end, the eye is beguiled by moon-themed, back-lit timber-carved screens. The theme continues throughout… a plethora of companion jade rabbit motifs seem to spy on you every which way you turn. Rippling white-polished walls bend the mind just a little when you enter the rooms, categorised as half moon, full moon or new moon suites.

Soft furnishings provide the necessary comfort and luxury but, integrated as they are with such fantastically absurd fairy-tale styling, you have to wonder … will those visuals actually promote or enhance dreams? Will they even encourage slumber? The premier high-rise Victoria Harbour views and the symphony of lights dancing in the sky each night certainly lend the suites at Mira Moon a powerful waking energy.

The hotel unashamedly describes the rooms as ‘unworldly’, ‘intergalactic’ and ‘modern’. Guests, equipped with in-room wifi and ‘do everything’ flight controls, can virtually command their complete hotel experience from the convenience of bedside iPads. It must be said these opulent space capsules, equipped with touch-button high-tech convenience, are perhaps a flight of fancy designed for the fashion-conscious rather than the merely adventurous traveller.

But it’s not all rocket fuel and anti-gravity. You can come back to earth with a bang at the hotel’s Super Giant restaurant and bar. Here you’ll find a limousine-stretched indoor white-polished counter that continues through a plate-glass window and out to a rooftop evergreen garden. Inside, the dining room snaps to with a layout that is as clean and stylish as it masterful and bold. This is clearly no add-on afterthought.

Super Giant’s management say its aim is to become known as one of Hong Kong’s finest restaurants, and confidently promises to meet the highest standards. The international wine list, featuring hand-selected gems from Italy, France, Chili and Argentina, certainly does that.

The food, however, although well-balanced and cleverly created, does have just a little way to go. The themed Duck cigar, Havana style is a fun way to plate up an otherwise standard spring roll, but unfortunately failed to deliver any real flavour. The Beef tartare with beetroot, crisp parmesan and condiments, however, arrived on the palate brilliantly seasoned, delicately smooth in texture and satisfyingly more-ish. So too, the Fish veloute, which was as good as it gets, bursting with the clean-cut flavour of just-made fish stock, and comprising soft flesh bites that were delicate and inviting.

It was obvious that time-honoured Chinese culinary skills were being put to good use because the Crispy slow-cooked suckling pig was a stand-out calling card. So would I be back again? Yes, and very happily so because it is well worth a visit. But I’d suggest that, for the moment, Super Giant is more of an easygoing creature comfort than a culinary marvel. Not to be too harsh, it demonstrates the potential to live up to its aspirations.

Mira Moon is situated in the bustling Wang Chai district, within easy walking distance of Hong Kong’s brilliant metro system, and connects directly to the Airport Express. Its easy-to-get-to drop-in location makes Mira Moon an ideal escape for a night or two.

Like the Mira Hong Kong, its sister hotel in Kowloon, Mira Moon melds traditional Asian hospitality with technological wizardry that begs you to be hands-on. With its unlikely but intriguing mix of ancient Chinese myth and a dash of Ziggy Stardust meets Alice in Wonderland, it’s a truly unique place to catch a glimpse of the changing face of the city while connecting with like-minded souls.

388 Jaffe Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong Island, HK
Tel [Australia Toll Free] 1800 054 132
www.miramoonhotel.com

The Prix Versailles World Architecture and Design Awards are compiled at the headquarters of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris, and encompasses several categories, with the winners being selected by an independent judges panel. Awards are given in recognition of the best projects around the world and winners are rewarded for their extraordinary architecture and design.

Built in 1554 during the reign of Grand Master Claude de la Sengle, the Maċina was originally used to hoist and fit ships’ masts; and was a focal point of the development of the fortified city of Senglea in south-eastern Malta. The Maċina’s sympathetic restoration and repurposing makes it a standout with all of the hotel’s 21 luxurious suites featuring harbour and marina views.

Architect Dr Edwin Mintoff wisely chose to leave exposed many of the Maċina’s ample historical elements, including such oddities as the 3.5-metre walk to some of the windows that reveals the full depth of the impenetrable limestone fortifications. The firm was already awarded both the National Trust of Malta, Din l’Art Helwa prize for the rehabilitation and re-use of buildings and the Malta Architect Award in the category of Hospitality, Tourism Accommodation and Leisure for the project. The Cugó Gran Macina Grand Harbour forms part of the luxury Cugo Gran sub brand of international IBB Hotel Collection, with 13 hotels in Germany, Spain, Poland and Malta.

Cugó Gran Maċina Grand Harbour’s suites are a glorious achievement, subtly transformed from medieval industrial quarters to comfortably cool, designer accommodation. The five-metre-high vaulted stone ceilings are jaw dropping. The poured concrete floors that root the structural design are a clever touch, as are the additional areas of laid slate, lava stone and Maltese hard stone – textural elements that are soft underfoot, and also present the spaces as cooling cocoons to protect guests from the warm climate.

Cugó Gran Maċina Grand Harbour
Macina, Triq il-31 ta’ Marzu L-Isla (Senglea), Malta
Tel +356 2711 2711
designhotels.com/hotels/malta/senglea/cugo-gran-macina-grand-harbour/deals

One has high expectations travelling on Qatar Airways’ multiple award winning ‘World’s Best Business Class’. With a focus on putting the passenger’s travel experience first, Qatar has certainly set the benchmark high, with its unparalleled level of service, spacious suites, and the ‘dine on demand’ approach which lets you order anything from the extensive menu at any time during your flight.

Pictured above: Mondrian Doha’a domed fantasia pool and indoor garden. Designer Marcel Wanders’ takes visitors through a kaleidoscopic flow of colour and textures reflecting local Qatari patterns.

DOHA STOPOVER

If you’re simply transiting in Doha, the Al Mourjan Business Lounge at Hamad International Airport is something out of the ordinary. Its contemporary, sleek design feels like indulging in a luxury hotel, complete with two restaurants, conference rooms, quiet areas to relax, cocktails bars; plus multiple shower suites to help you freshen up – believe it or not it’s difficult to leave behind.

But in our case, we chose to make Doha a more lengthy stop over, and for good reason. If travelling from Australia to any of Qatar Airways’ more than 160 destinations worldwide (including over 55 European cities), Doha offers a great wealth of experiences allowing visitors to connect with nomadic Bedouin culture and vast collections of global art. The city is one of the most progressively modern hubs in the Middle East and exudes a sophisticated attitude, while acknowledging and displaying its rich and at times very controversial cultural past.

CULTURAL SITES

The stunning I.M. Pei designed, Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) should be the first stop. Standing just off the Doha Corniche’s popular waterfront promenade, the monolithic limestone structure overlooks the Dhow Harbour. It embodies Qatar’s future – capturing traditional inspiration within modern architecture as the foundation for Doha’s burgeoning cultural scene. The diverse collection includes paintings, sculpture, textiles and jewellery, representing the diversity of the Islamic world dating from the seventh through the twentieth centuries. Take time to wander through the exquisitely curated and displayed exhibitions presented over four floors. While you’re there break for lunch at IDAM – Alan Ducasse’s first restaurant in the Middle East. It offers contemporary French-Mediterranean cuisine, and views that take in Doha’s rapidly expanding skyline.

Situated in Education City on the outskirts of Doha is the Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art – the contemporary sister to MIA. It celebrates modern and contemporary art from across the Arab World. Or discover emerging artists by dropping by The Fire Station, an art gallery housed in former Civil Defence headquarters which displays contemporary art exhibitions through its Artist in Residence program. While you’re there, sample the chicken musakhan rolls or a falafel at the converted food truck take-away or dine-in CAFÉ #999.

The Katara Cultural Village is the place to catch the latest theatre, opera, film and festivals. Centred around a large amphitheatre overlooking one of Qatar’s most beautiful natural beaches, this multidimensional cultural precinct combines theatres, concert halls, exhibition galleries and restaurants.

To really appreciate and understand the Qatari culture and past, a visit to four restored historic houses, collectively referred to as the Msheireb Museums is a must. Located within the oldest part of city, they reveal Qatar’s social and cultural development, from the once enslaved pearl divers to pioneering Qatari petroleum industry workers.

A walk around the antique and spice markets of the Souq Waqif is best visited late in the afternoon or the early evening hours, when locals and visitors are out enjoying the local Qatari cuisine and ‘shisha time’ at one of the many cafés and restaurants within the souq. Also keep an eye out for the Falcon Souq and Arabian Horse Stables, both a short walk from the main souk. The falcons are deeply revered and respected by Qataris, and can be seen proudly displayed on the wrists of the young men.

STAY

There is certainly no shortage of world class hotels in Doha, from luxury beach resorts from the world’s most renowned hotel brands, to small luxury boutique hotels converted from existing historic buildings within the Souq Waqif. New to the city is the Mondrian Doha – a destination hotel with fantastical explorative interiors designed by famed Dutch designer Marcel Wanders, also designer of Hong Kong’s Alice’s Rabbit meets China’s Moon Goddess fairytale-inspired Mira Moon Hotel.In Marcel’s signature style, oversized lamps and giant columns topped with golden falcon eggs greet you in the lobby. There’s an extravagant spiral ‘staircase to nowhere’, a lounge featuring a forest of glossy white fibreglass trees with pillow-like canopies and an array of intricate timber lacework wall panels that dazzle and delight.

Within the hotel complex is New York’s iconic Magnolia Bakery serving up freshly baked artisan cupcakes, tortes and coffee. American celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck’s award-winning steak restaurant CUT is also on-site; and Morimoto – the first Middle Eastern restaurant by Japanese Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto. Inspired by ancient Japan and featuring extensive and detailed interior timber design work, Morimoto walls are also adorned with energetic and graceful artworks of Japanese painter, Hiroshi Senju.

For authentic Qatari hospitality and Middle Eastern cuisine, book dinner at the contemporary Arabian restaurant Walima, or watch the sun set from its outdoor terrace, complete with Arabian tents and oversized shishas. Finish with a nightcap at the sky bar Rise, overlooking the hotel’s fantasia pool and indoor garden; or simply enjoy the view of the city lights on the terrace.

Marcel Wanders’ manages to take visitors Mondrian Doha through a kaleidoscopic flow of colour and textures reflecting local Qatari patterns, stories and landscape: his dreamscape of Arabian design leaps from ornate stained glass, intricate mosaic tiling to sand patterned carpet. The fantasy illusion continues in the award-winning ESPA Spa, with separate spas for men and woman; a ‘garden’ of varying heat experiences, traditional Turkish Hamman (bath) and spa café. The only reason to leave the hotel is to pop next door (literally) to the conveniently located Lagoona Mall for some last minute shopping before you head back home or your onward journey.

GETTING THERE

Qatar flies twice-daily from Sydney, and daily from Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, and Canberra to over 160 destinations via Hamad International Airport in Doha. By combining a masterpiece of aeronautic engineering with refined on-board hospitality, Qatar Airways offers a flight experience like no other. Its recent awards from Skytrax 2018 include: Best Business Class for the fifth time, Best Business Class Seat, and Best First Class Airline Lounge: all honours that complement its 2017 World’s Best Airline award. Whether you’re seeking a superior experience for business or leisure travel, Qatar Airways can connect you to the world’s leading cities in superior comfort.

For more information, see also:
In-flight:Flight-testing Qatar Airways’ Business Class

Benalla Travel was a guest of Qatar Airways and Discover Qatar.
benallatravel.com.au
qatarairways.com
discoverqatar.qa

If you’ve ever watched a YouTube video of the extreme aviation flight-path approach Paro Airport, Bhutan, then you’ll understand why we feel a luxury holiday stay in Bhutan might also be considered adventure tourism. However once happily grounded on Paro’s valley floor, feelings of peace, tranquility and happiness are sure to help guide you to your chosen villa.

Comprising five lodges spread over the west and central valleys of Bhutan, Six Senses offers guests a range of uplifting experiences including: sunrise meditations and holistic spa treatments, private astrology readings, butter lamp lighting ceremonies; plus epic hikes through pristine forests – each designed to leave guests enriched and reconnected.

The lodges, which vary in style, showcase the diversity and special character of each valley, and integrate with the surrounding landscape in a pleasing way. Offering sweeping views framed by beautiful large floor-to-ceiling windows, spacious interiors share subtle references with traditional Bhutanese architecture, seen mostly in the simple lines of the natural timbers and the presence of locally-inspired touches: such as bukharis (traditional wood-burning stoves) and vegetable-dyed, antique-washed Himalayan rugs.

‘We are delighted to welcome guests to Six Senses Bhutan. As we open our doors, guests can experience the transformative power of this magical destination through adventure, culture, serenity, cultural and enriching experiences,’ explains General Manager Sally Baughen. ‘Six Senses Bhutan offers endless options for every kind of traveler to explore: from architecture and art, to birdwatching, botany, history, meditation, spirituality, sports, wellness and more.’

Sustainability lives at the foundation of Six Senses Bhutan and is reflected through active management of energy, water, waste, purchasing and chemical usage. The Kingdom of Bhutan keeps 60 percent of its land under forest cover, as mandated by its constitution. The four pillars of Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness (GNH) philosophy are: Sustainable Development, Environmental Protection, Cultural Preservation, and Good Governance, all of which are carefully woven into the design, operations and identity of Six Senses Bhutan.

Getting There:

Bhutan is served by Druk Air and Bhutan Airlines. International destinations on scheduled flights are Bangkok, New Delhi, Kolkata, Singapore, Kathmandu, Dhaka, Bagdogra, Guwahati and Gaya. Domestic flights are available between Paro and Bumthang. Helicopter charters are available from Paro airport and private jet assistance is offered by Bhutan Air Services.

Reservations are being accepted now for the lodges in Thimphu, Paro and Punakha with introductory rates available through March 31. Full rates will be applied for stays from April 1 onwards. The lodges in Gangtey and Bumthang are targeted to open in the summer (northern hemisphere) of 2019.

Six Senses Bhutan
For more details, reservations and travel arrangements, visit:
sixsenses.com/resorts/bhutan/destination

Saint Petersburg’s oldest restaurant, L’Europe, opened in 1905 within the Belmond Grand Hotel Europe. The hotel today retains several unique historic suites that evoke classic turn-of-the-century Tsarist elegance and explain why the hotel once attracted Russia’s aristocracy and well-to-do, including the composer Tchaikovsky.

When the Siege of Leningrad began in September 1941 the restaurant was turned into an army hospital surgical ward, but later resumed serving classic haute cuisine, and has done so ever since.

Its magnificent centrepiece, a stained-glass window depicting Apollo in his chariot, survived the upheaval of revolution and war and still casts its magic over diners.

‘It’s a fascinating story; there’s so much history and romance here,’ says Alexander Dmitriev, Saint Petersburg’s first vodka and caviar sommelier.

Alexander started work at L’Europe six years ago, his knowledge and passion for the much-loved spirit earning him the title of vodka and caviar ‘master’. He believes vodka reflects the heart and soul of his homeland, Russia, and that great vodka evokes good dreams while poor vodka brings only bad dreams and a headache if you overindulge.

‘It’s when you drink bad vodka – even a little – that the reputation and romance of the spirit is destroyed,’ he says.

Alexander is keen to dispel what he calls unkind myths about the often-misunderstood spirit. ‘Sometimes producers use some marketing tricks to increase the price of vodka such as a very expensive bottle, for example,’ he says. ‘Cheap vodka can be filtered in the incorrect way and it can greatly influence how you feel the next day. That’s often why people blame vodka for bad headaches.’

Alexander loves to guide guests through the subtleties of vodka tastes, accompanied by a caviar degustation, in the designated caviar and vodka bar while explaining the spirit’s heritage.

The bar, close to L’Europe, is an intimate art deco dining room where 50 icy-cold vodkas and more than a dozen varieties of fresh malossol caviar are served. It features an unusual collection of home-infused liqueurs, the symbol of Russian gastronomic culture.

‘This collection was accumulated over the years from a variety of sources including recipes from old books and family recipes,’ Alexander says. He has created some of the tinctures in the restaurant and at home, including pear brandy, orange vodka liqueur, raspberry and plum brandy, fruity, berry and citrus vodka.

The best for hangovers, he says, is a Far-Eastern recipe: vodka infused with pine nuts, garlic and peppers. There’s also one that’s good for colds – ginger vodka with lemon and honey.

‘My favourite is a vodka I distilled myself at home from apples and plums,’ he says. He also likes Imperial Collection Gold, filtered with honey, and the Imperia and Beluga vodkas from Siberia.

Alexander can still recall the magical moment when he fell in love with vodka: ‘I tried homemade vodka, a type of distillate, when I was 15 in the countryside in the middle part of Russia and it was very good and since then I have been fascinated by its history and the stories that go with it.

Vodka is a very special drink and plays a very important part in traditional Russian life and is present at all important ceremonies where it is drunk each time in one mouthful from tiny glasses.

We toast to health, family, love and one for the road and it is always taken with tasty snacks – you need to deeply exhale and then drink it in one gulp and, if you drink it correctly, half a minute later you will feel a wonderful heat in your chest.’

The accompanying caviar degustation starts with the signature dish Egg in Egg, a truffle-flavoured scrambled egg topped with Ossetra caviar. Alexander points out the taste nuances of three different caviars, Beluga, Astrakhan and Sevruga, that are served with blinis, sour cream and finely grated hard-boiled egg.

He is also passionate about his home town and says visitors always want to stay longer in historic Saint Petersburg than planned. You need stamina to discover the many treasures of a city that lives up to its name as a grand Russian diva.

Taking centre stage is the magnificent State Hermitage Museum, mainly located in the Winter Palace where Catherine the Great started her extensive art collection in 1764. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to walk, for there are 360 rooms in the palace and adjoining buildings. Must-sees include magnificent work by Da Vinci, Rembrandt and Caravaggio, Greek and Roman antiquities, jewellery that dazzles and architecture that evokes awe and admiration.

But it’s not only Saint Petersburg’s sense of history, golden domes, glittering spires, gilded palaces and fountains that seduce travellers; there are surprises around every corner. Home to five million people, the city was once the imperial capital of Russia and has endured a bloody background of revolution and change.

To get a real feel for the city, stride out along its most famous street, Nevsky Prospekt, where you will pass the Russian Library, churches, shopping malls and souvenir shops full of matryoshka nesting dolls, painted umbrellas depicting tourist attractions, and embroidered shawls.

A canal cruise is a great way to see the sights and give your feet a break and, if you are a night owl, watch the city’s many bridges across the River Neva rise at 1.30am to let ships through.

Back at the hotel, I head to the heritage-listed Lobby Bar with its exquisite art nouveau decor, sink into a leather chair and order a cocktail worthy of any diamond-clad diva from the past.

Belmond Grand Hotel Europe
1/7 Mikhailovskaya Ulitsa, Saint Petersburg
www.belmond.com/grandhoteleurope