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31 Octhow awesome is brisbane?
I have – subconsciously I guess – always been drawn to cities by the water, cities with rivers running through them, mainly. I never really thought about it until recently, when I realized that the places I have been happiest at were all by a river.
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21 Octserendipity
My window seat was worthless. By the time we landed on Port Vila’s Bauerfield International Airport it was close to midnight and around us everything was pitch black.
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21 Mayhipódrom
One day, while driving across the island of Ibiza, I stumbled upon a vast, abandoned building complex: El Hipódromo de San Rafel. I could not resist but to explore it.
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28 Febit’s the end of the world as we know it
The remote archipelago of Tierra del Fuego, 14,000 kilometres from Europe off the tip of the South American mainland features the world’s southernmost airport and city, Ushuaia. It has thus every right to be considered el fin del mundo, the end of the world.
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27 Novfavourite five: buenos aires
This series is about my favourite five things to do in any given destination. Some are off the beaten track, some are a bit touristy, some will be difficult to replicate and some are not meant to be taken too seriously. They are what made my trip to that particular place an
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02 Febswinging back in time
I must have been six years old, maybe seven. It was a late summer afternoon in the garden of my Hungarian grandparents’ house and I was sitting on the swing my grandfather had built for me from a large truck tyre. As I sat there swinging in the afternoon sun I
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20 Aughappiness in myanmar
Sometimes a simple question, or rather, how a question is worded can make all the difference. A difference that can bring tears to your eyes.
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18 Julthe art of having time
Having time is a form of luxury but it can also be an art, something I learned by meeting a remarkable man on a remote beach in Colombia.
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03 Jula legend within a legend
I have slept in water towers, gunpowder factories, chateaus, and tree houses, but a monastery had been missing on my hotel bucket list so far. There are several former monasteries-cum-hotels, but probably only one can call itself a legend: Bienvenue au Sofitel Legend Santa Clara in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia.
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25 Juncerro brujo gourmet
Not many people would name their restaurant ‘Sorcerer Mountain’. But then not many people are quite like the rather exceptional Chef Patricia Miranda-Allen of Cerro Brujo Gourmet, a hideaway epicurean restaurant in Panama’s remote Volcán region in the Province of Chiriqui.
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19 Junfavourite five: el salvador
This series is about my favourite five things to do in any given destination. Some are off the beaten track, some are a bit touristy, some will be difficult to replicate and some are not meant to be taken too seriously. They are what made my trip to that particular place an
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12 Junel rosario
With it’s unusual shape the Iglesia El Rosario in San Salvador, El Salvador, looks more like an aircraft hangar than a place of worship. In fact, if it weren’t for the wrought iron gates and the signage, you wouldn’t realise it’s a church at all.
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04 Junla tortuga verde
Thmpp! It’s hard to describe the sound of a perfectly ripe mango falling from a tree into the sand. Thmpp! There it is again. It’s the sound I have been waking up to for the past week here at La Tortuga Verde, a hotel-cum-turtle sanctuary on El Salvador’s Intipuca beach.
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29 Mayfavourite five: nicaragua
This series is about my favourite five things to do in any given destination. Some are off the beaten track, some are a bit touristy, some will be difficult to replicate and some are not meant to be taken too seriously. They are what made my trip to that particular
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14 Mayof bulls and men
Dating back as far as the 16th century, jaripeo is a type of rodeo popular throughout Central America. Often held as part of ferias patronales, festivals in honour of a town’s local saint, these fiestas bravas are the social highlight of many small town communities.
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05 Mayfavourite five: little corn island
This series is about my favourite five things to do in any given destination. Some are off the beaten track, some are a bit touristy, some will be difficult to replicate and some are not meant to be taken too seriously. They are what made my trip to that particular
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26 Aprthe luxury of having time
It’s been about a week since I last wore shoes, looked into a mirror, or checked the time. I don’t even remember exactly which day I got here. All I know is that the moment I got off the panga and set foot onto Little Corn Island, everything slowed down
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15 Apra conversation with veronika sicher, co-owner of Bella Aventura Costa Rica
In this series I am catching up with hotel GMs, owners and suppliers. This time I sit down with Veronika Sicher de Cubero, co-owner of Costa Rican incoming agency Bella Aventura, a specialist in organising anything from a single adventure to bespoke trips and packages.
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08 Aprfavourite five: costa rica
This series is about my favourite five things to do in any given destination. Some are off the beaten track, some are a bit touristy, some will be difficult to replicate and some are not meant to be taken too seriously. They are what made my trip to that particular
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22 Marthe little tapir
Joost Wilms is not a small man. He also does not look like a tapir. Still that’s the nickname the Colombian Andoke tribe gave him while living among them in the Amazon during a research stint on the endangered mammals: Dantica, Little Tapir. He carries the name with pride and
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27 Febthe art of esencia
The duchess was not in. She hardly ever is these days as she only returns to her former estate rather seldomly. And since she sold it, Duchess Rosa D’Ferrari’s 50 acre beachfront property has become Esencia, a secluded and exclusive hideaway, a place of its own.
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13 Febthe new sublimity in tulum
We have all heard about pop-ups by now, how could we have not. Ten years since this trend first appeared it has virtually taken over every industry, whether it’s pop-up retail shops or entire malls, pop-up restaurants, art galleries, bars or night clubs. So why not a pop-up hotel? That
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07 Febme cancun – literally
After following the pre-opening of ME by Melia’s flag ship property in London I was looking forward to experiencing their adult oriented resort in Cancun, Mexico.
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31 Janmilton keynes – home of f1’s finest
The small town of Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, home to 200’000 people and over 300 roundabouts, is one like many others; except for one detail: it is home to Red Bull Racing, the current Formula One triple world constructors and drivers champion. With the new season about to kick off (14-17
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29 Jansocial highlights in kitzbühel – part 2: hahnenkamm race
I am back in Kitzbühel after last week’s Snow Polo World Cup to watch one of the most fascinating ski races on the calendar: the Hahnenkamm race. The legendary race down one of the world’s most notorious ski runs, the Streif, is the ultimate challenge for any professional skier and
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22 Jansocial highlights in kitzbühel – part 1: snow polo world cup
For the eleventh consecutive year the international polo community descended on the picturesque village of Kitzbühel last weekend to enjoy a fabulous four-day snow polo tournament.
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07 Deca conversation with louis sailer, gm of hotel café royal
In Kiwi Collection‘s General Manager series, I catch up with heads of hotels for some unique insight and perspective. This time I sat down with Louis Sailer of Café Royal before it opened this week.
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29 Octone night in… Abu Dhabi
This was going to be a short night: my flight from London was delayed, rather unusual for Etihad, and by the time I got to the Viceroy Abu Dhabi it was 2 in the morning.
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23 Octa conversation with fabio gallo, gm of ME london
In the General Manager series I am doing for Kiwi Collection, I am catching up with heads of hotels for some unique insight and perspective. For my first post, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Fabio Gallo of ME London, which is set to open November 8.
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20 Augone night in… Quinta do Lago
A short ride from Faro airport, the Hotel Quinta do Lago has been the area’s most famous hotel since the 1970s. When it was taken over by local do Adro family in 2003, there was skepticism about whether the new owners would be able to keep up the hotel’s excellent
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03 Augthere is only one ritz
Last weekend, just days before its closure to commence an “unprecedented” 27+ month renovation on 1 August 2012 I had the exclusive opportunity of experiencing the legendary Ritz Paris one last time.
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29 Mayan afternoon in the medina
Mastering the Medina in Marrakech is an art form. The secret is panta rhei, let yourself go, swim with the flow instead against the stream, immerse yourself and let the river of people wash you through the maze.
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13 Maygrandmaster flash up on the roof
Few people had more influence on hip hop DJing than the man known as Grandmaster Flash, one of the genre’s most innovate pioneers. Growing up with his music I was naturally excited to hear about his gig in London and looking forward to seeing him in action behind the turntables.
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24 Aprchecking in – hotel missoni edinburgh
I recently stayed at the Hotel Missoni Edinburgh. It’s all graphic shapes, colors and forms at the Italian fashion label’s foray into Scottish hospitality. At this hotel, it’s all in the details.
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28 Augi know what you (probably) didn’t do this summer
Whether it’s hiking, dining or driving, here are three things you shouldn’t miss this summer.
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20 Julwaltzing through vienna
The Wiener Walzer or Viennese waltz is certainly the most Austrian of all dances. It’s also the opening dance at the annual Vienna Opera Ball, held at the prestigious Vienna State Opera. The ball marks the pinnacle of the Austrian capital’s social calendar as 180 dance school debutants dance the
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21 Sepwhy you should go to zurich
I love Zurich! But if you’ve never been you probably wonder why you should go in the first place?
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17 Augrecipe for a big bang
I’ve slept in water towers, chateaus, tree houses and tents, so a hotel that used to be a gunpowder factory sounded promising.
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12 Julmastering the medina
Before I headed to Marrakech I did my usual research. I researched on what to see, where to eat, what not to miss and of course where to stay. I pulled up my GoogleEarth map to get an overview of the medina, the old town of Marrakech. Unfortunately, the map
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16 Aprich bin ein berliner
Berlin, mother of all German cities. Diverse as it can be. An amazing melting pot, combining the old charm of formerly communist East Berlin with the modern developments of a city striving to be at the forefront of architectural recognition.
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12 Janthe heart of munich
My very first time at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof was more than decade ago years ago when I attended a party in the hotel’s impressive ballroom. When I left the glamorous event that night I remember stepping out into a mild summer night with clear, star filled skies.
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01 Sepcuba
With Fidel becoming older and older the time to see and experience Cuba as it is today is slowly but surely running out. I believe that this is the last chance to see the real Cuba before it will change. At the same time somebody told me the other day
