The Cultured Traveller February 2017

UBUD • SAM McKNIGHT • LONDON'S MEMBERS' CLUBS • ARNAUD LARHER
KUALA LUMPUR
LANGKAWI • KOSRAE • JABAL AKHDAR
ISSUE 15
FEB-MAR 2017

36 JUNGLE METROPOLIS
Presided over by César Pelli's gleaming Petronas Towers, Nicholas
Chrisostomou explores Malaysia's energetic and multicultural city
in the jungle, KUALA LUMPUR, and is taken by its varied sights,
welcoming people, colonial past, modern architecture, and
charming fusion of Oriental traditions and European influences.
78 RUNNING IN THE FAMILY
Part of a family with a fine hospitality pedigree, it's little
surprise that Swiss-born hotelier, CHRIS K. FRANZEN, has
made such a name for himself in the hotel industry. The
seasoned operator chats with The Cultured Traveller about
his career, overseeing multiple properties and juggling his
schedule with a family and two rescue dogs.
108 FINE IRISH FARE
Dublin has become a mecca for food lovers, and a number of
renowned chefs have set up shop to cater to the maturing
taste buds of the Irish population. Merging fine Irish
ingredients with traditional French flair, Gordon Hickey finds
that L’ECRIVAIN caters to diners looking for a more
sophisticated culinary experience.
20 SEYCHELLOIS PARADISE
4° south of the equator, FREGATE ISLAND PRIVATE is a
sensitively developed verdant Seychellois paradise, which still
embodies the spirit of a primordial wildlife heaven. Completely
uninhabited with the exception of a stunning private lodge,
here you're more likely to run into a giant Aldabra tortoise
than another guest.
120 PASTRY PERFECTION
More than a century ago in 1910, a French pastry chef, Louis
Durand, created a dessert to resemble the wheel of a racing
bike, to commemorate the PARIS–BREST bicycle race. Arnaud
Larher gives us his recipe to recreate this great dessert at home.
10 PRESIDENTIAL PRIZE
Win a two-night stay in PARK HYATT ABU DHABI's magnificent
275m2
PRESIDENTIAL SUITE, boasting spectacular vistas of the
Arabian Sea, complete with sprawling balconies, personal
plunge pool and private outdoor massage area. This prize is
worth a whopping AED43,000 and includes breakfasts, Wi-Fi,
dinner for two at The Park Grill and a late checkout.
LORD MURUGAN STATUE AT BATU CAVES, MALAYSIA
FEB-MARFEB-MAR 20172017
HIGHLIGHTS
Feb-Mar 2017 The Cultured Traveller 05

08 EDITOR’S LETTER
12 NEWSFLASH
The Cultured Traveller’s rounds-up
the must see events, seasonal
happenings and festivals taking place
around the globe in February and
March 2017, including Taiwan’s
LANTERN FESTIVAL, the Swiss WORLD
SKI CHAMPIONSHIPS, ST. PATRICK’S
DAY in Ireland, ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL
in the States, and the DUBAI WORLD
CUP in the wealthy gulf emirate.
16 REST YOUR HEAD
Hotels featured in this issue include the
stunning new FOUR SEASONS HOTEL
LONDON AT TEN TRINITY SQUARE, the
luxurious Emirati AL WADI DESERT
resort sitting within a 250-acre nature
reserve in Ras Al Khaimah, THE
NOMAD in New York, the skilful
marriage of heritage and modernity at
CAPELLA SHANGHAI, JIAN YE LI, and the
historic KEMPINSKI SUMMERLAND
HOTEL & RESORT in Beirut.
70 SUITE ENVY
2,000-metres above sea level and 90
miles from the Omani capital of
Muscat, exists an unspoilt Arabic
haven of peace and tranquility, AL
JABAL AL AKHDAR. Here Nicholas
Chrisostomou experiences a unique
350m2
hotel villa, positioned in a
central section of the Al Hajar
Mountains, in the centre of the highest
range in the Eastern Arabian
Peninsula.
84 BOARDING PASS
MALAYSIA AIRLINES' fleet of six
double-decker superjumbos each have
494 seats in three classes, and are
amongst the most spacious in the sky
today. Alex Benasuli road tests the
airline’s A380 business class between
Heathrow and Kuala Lumpur, and
shares with The Cultured Traveller his
feedback about the Malaysian flag
carrier’s premium inflight product.
86 NO SHOES REQUIRED
With one beautifully manicured foot
rooted firmly in the architectural
modernity of the West and the other
equally pristine foot nestled deep in
the unwavering charm of the East,
THE ST. REGIS LANGKAWI provides
the perfect example of how a modern
hospitality fusion can exceed all
84
12
100 70
10
36
16 108
CCONTENTSONTENTS
06 The Cultured Traveller Feb-Mar 2017

expectations, including those of
Kelly Johnstone.
95 SPOTLIGHT
Ubud’s Indonesian charms have
attracted countless visitors over the
generations. Ten minutes from the
town centre and far from the madding
crowd, Alex Benasuli visits
MANDAPA, an enchanting
self-contained Balinese world of rice
paddies, rivers, rolling hills and
sweeping vistas, where he
experiences a whole new level of
hospitality.
100 TRAVELLER LOWDOWN
Situated 8 hours west of the Hawaiian
capital of Honolulu and 5 hours south
of American Guam, Samantha
Henderson drops anchor at an
unpretentious eco-resort on the
tranquil Polynesian island of KOSRAE,
a Micronesian jewel in the Western
Paciﬁc Ocean, known for its sparkling
coral reefs, lush vegetation, peaceful
islanders and relaxed pace of life.
112 TASTE & SIP
The Cultured Traveller chats with the
much celebrated Parisian pâtissier and
chocolatier, ARNAUD LARHER, about
his path to pastry success, his time
working at Fauchon, winning the
coveted Meilleurs Ouvriers de France
and his current collaboration with
Hellenic hospitality icon, Hotel Grande
Bretagne in the Athenian capital.
122 MUSIC & NIGHT LIFE
London's private members’ clubs may
have been around since the late 17th
century, but today they are more popular
than ever, with swanky new venues
regularly opening their veiled doors to the
privileged few. The Cultured Traveller
investigates this booming sector of the
British capital’s social scene, and reveals
London’s most popular members’ haunts.
144 STYLISH GLOBETROTTER
With a major exhibition and book
celebrating his four decades from the
late 70s to the present day, SAM
MCKNIGHT is still at the top of his
game, years after cutting oﬀ Princess
Diana's hair for a photoshoot and
styling more than 100 Vogue covers.
The famous hairdresser talks
exclusively to The Cultured Traveller
about his remarkable 40-year career.
86 120
78
122
144
95
112

Once the new year is well underway, the silly season is but a distant memory and at least one
slightly annoying person has already informed you that Christmas is X number of days away, I find
it a little perturbing to read the recommendations of travel magazines as to their “hot” hotels, “gold
standard” resorts and destinations you simply “must see”. There is a difference between being
pushed to visit a destination and covering one in print. It's my feeling that adventurous and
open-minded travellers like you, seeking a cultured and different vacation experience, are the
greatest diplomats of the global travel industry, not just for 2017 but for many years to come, and
you shouldn't follow the recommendations of publications which are largely driven by advertising
revenue. Beware of “gold lists” because hotels and resorts that spend the most money to advertise
in a publication often drive these. Instead follow your travel gut, keep your mind open, plan to visit a destination that interests you and
then look for a feature in a travel publication about the place you want to go. Not the other way round.
Our first full issue of 2017 leads with a cover story about the multicultural Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, a vibrant metropolis
bordered by jungle, which has been close to my heart for a decade. Sam Henderson drops anchor at an eco-resort on the tranquil
Polynesian island of Kosrae, a Micronesian jewel in the Western Pacific Ocean (p 100). Alex Benasuli visits an enchanting
self-contained micro Balinese world, where he experiences a whole new level of hospitality (p 92). The Cultured Traveller chats with
much celebrated Parisian pâtissier and chocolatier, Arnaud Larher, about his path to pastry success (p 112). Kelly Johnstone visits the
Malaysian island of Langkawi where a new resort exceeds all of her high expectations (p 86). And famed international hairdresser,
Sam McKnight, who is still at the top of his game many years after cutting off Princess Diana's hair for a photoshoot, talks exclusively
to The Cultured Traveller about his remarkable 40-year career (p 144). We also delve into the privileged world of the London members’
club and reveal which are currently making the biggest social waves (p 122).
I hope the fifteenth issue of The Cultured Traveller will stimulate you to explore some of the incredible destinations on our planet, rather
than follow the masses. If you have any ideas of
destinations for us to cover in TCT we want to hear
them – please email explore@theculturedtraveller.com
and we’ll do some research. After all, the real fun of
travelling is in the exploration, not following the
recommendations of others!
EDITOR’S LETTER
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@
@ @
Nicholas Chrisostomou
Editor-in-Chief
MANDAPAKOSRAEKUALA LUMPUR
THE ST. REGIS LANGKAWI SAM McKNIGHTNicholas Chrisostomou

CONTRIBUTORS
Travelling is a passion, hobby and way of life for born globetrotter Sam Henderson. She has lived in and
travelled throughout Germany, Ukraine and Japan, can speak their mother tongues, and is a pro at
setting-up home in foreign climes. In 2006 she ventured round the world to Canada, the States, Western
Samoa, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa with her husband and two children. Right now Sam is
again on the road, this time for a year with her three kids (aged 9, 11 and 13) driving across the USA from
coast to coast, then on to various Asia Pacific destinations.
Sam Henderson
Traveller Lowdown
Alex has been traveling the world his whole life. Growing up in New York City, he would accompany his
family every summer on visits to relatives in Spain, France and Germany. A successful two-decade
career in finance often took him to Brazil, Mexico, Turkey, Russia, India, Indonesia and all over the Far
East.
Today, as an avid yoga practitioner and part-time teacher, Alex has a keen appreciation for combining
luxury highbrow urban travels with off the beaten track alternative destinations and experiences.
Kelly Johnstone’s passion for writing has enabled her to enjoy some fabulous roles, including that of
lifestyle writer, spa and restaurant reviewer, celebrity magazine editor and travel PR guru.
Although Kelly originally hails from the UK, she has spent more of her life outside of Blighty than in,
having called Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Qatar and now Malaysia home. And while she is the first to admit
that being an expat has plenty going for it, Kelly’s longing for English seasons, long country walks, pub
fires and local libraries is unwavering.
Gordon Hickey hails from Dublin and whilst he is a proud Irish man at heart he’s also a child of the world.
Travelling has been his number one hobby since his parents put him on a Trans-European train at the age
of 10. Since then Gordon has travelled to 56 countries on 6 continents and savouring the local flavours of
every stop is always top of his agenda.
From freshly deep fried scorpions in Beijing, to foie gras in the French Alps, Gordon has tried it all. Eating is
one of Gordon’s greatest pleasures.
Gordon Hickey
Taste & Sip Review
Alex Benasuli
Spotlight
Dawn Gibson is a multi-tasking journalist who is passionate about travel, fashion, food, culture and the
arts. Never happier than when about to board a plane en route to a far-flung part of the globe, she is also a
keen scuba diver always in search of the perfect coral reef. Dawn has worked as a senior news reporter for
a leading city daily newspaper in Australia and as editor for a glossy lifestyle magazine in the Middle East.
Her work has appeared in numerous international print and online publications, including Qatar Airways’
first class magazine Oryx Premium.
Dawn Gibson
NewsFlash
Kelly Johnstone
No Shoes Required

JAPAN
The first Sapporo Snow
Festival was held in 1950,
featuring just six snow statues made by
local high school students. Since then
the event has snowballed into a winter
wonderland, which attracts around two
million people from around the world to
the capital of the mountainous
northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, a
popular ski spot also known for its beer.
The annual festival, known as Yuki
Matsuri locally, is centered on Odori
Park in downtown Sapporo, where
giant sculptures of snow and ice are
erected alongside a 1.5km trail that is
illuminated at night. There are two
other sites: Tsudome, a community
dome with large snow slides and a
SAPPORO
SNOW FESTIVAL
VINTERJAZZ
TAIWAN
Dating back to traditional
agricultural celebrations
marking the arrival of spring after new
year, the Lantern Festival is one of the
most important and romantic dates on
the Taiwanese calendar. Thousands of
shining decorative lanterns, bearing
the wishes of their owners, illuminate
the sky over the Pingxi District while
firecrackers are set off at the Wumiao
Temple in Yanshui District, a ceremony
known as “fireworks in the south, sky
lanterns in the north.” Locals eat the
traditional fare of tangyuan, rice
dumplings with sweet and savoury
LANTERN FESTIVAL
DENMARK
Denmark’s winter jazz
festival has been thawing
the Scandinavian chill with smoking
tunes since 2001, mushrooming into
one of the biggest European festivals
of the genre. Taking place over 24 days
this February, it features around 600
concerts by Danish and international
musicians held at 100+ venues across
the country, including West African
fusion artist Richard Bona & the DR Big
Band, the Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts Trio from
SUPER BOWL LI
HOUSTON
USA
This is the most important
day of the professional
American football season, when
millions of fans who can’t make it to
the stadium are glued to the couch for
tobogganing zone, and Susukino Ice
World which features an ice sculpture
contest and show, the opportunity to
touch and ride the sculptures and an
ice bar serving hot drinks.
1-12 February 2017
www.snowfes.com
fillings, and take part in lion and
dragon dances, acrobatics and mock
battles. Giant high tech light
installations give the festival a
futuristic edge, while times past are
reflected in traditional handicraft
markets selling painted fans, Chinese
knotwork, snacks, paper craft and, of
course, lanterns.
4-17 February 2017
www.english.gov.taipei
USA, Danish jazz indie and urban folk
outfit Girls in Airports, and Brazilian
musician Ed Motta. There will also be a
session devoted to instrumentals of
1970s David Bowie songs and plenty of
jam sessions. A counterbalance to the
renowned Copenhagen Jazz Festival, a
fixture of the summer music calendar
for almost 40 years, Vinterjazz covers
the gamut from electronic to
experimental, funk to free jazz,
mainstream to modern.
3-26 February 2017
www.jazz.dk

SWITZERLAND
Held every two years and
the most important event
in Alpine ski racing, the FIS Alpine
World Ski Championships are held in
the exclusive Swiss lakeside resort of
St. Moritz. Winter athletes from more
than 70 nations will be competing in a
packed two week schedule of racing,
while away from the slopes visitors
will be entertained by a variety of
shows, DJs and live bands, including
Swiss folk rock group 77 Bombay
Street, rapper Knackeboul, not to
mention an Abba tribute band, as well
as aviation displays from Patrouille
WORLD SKI
CHAMPIONSHIPS
RIO CARNIVAL
BRAZIL
Riding on the coat-tails of
the 2016 Rio Olympics, this
year’s carnival is expected to be one of
the most glittering ever as an anticipated
500,000 visitors flock to Brazil for the
party of their lives. Get ready to samba
the day and night away, catch the action
of the main parade and revel in the
energy of this renowned five-day
celebration. While carnival is held in
traditionally Catholic communities
around the world in the lead-up to
Easter, Rio has long been regarded as
the biggest and the best. Beginning with
the crowning of King Momo (the Fat
THE OSCARS
USA
Hollywood’s night of nights
is a prime opportunity for
some serious star gazing. As the
celebrities walk the red carpet at the
Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles for the
89th
Academy Awards, those in the
know will have already set themselves
up in comfort and style at the Beverly
Wilshire hotel in the heart of Beverly
Hills, or The Polo Lounge of the Beverly
Hills Hotel, both favoured haunts of the
Hollywood elite for decades. This year
the musical La La Land is tipped for
best picture, Emma Stone for best
actress, Denzel Washington and Casey
Affleck are among the contenders for
best actor, and American comedian
ROSENCRANTZ &
GUILDENSTERN
ARE DEAD
UK
If you’re going to see one
London theatre production
this year, skip the musicals and see
this instead. Even without the draw of
Daniel Radcliffe in one of the lead roles,
Tom Stoppard’s fabulously witty take
on the story of Hamlet promises to be
as fresh as when it first debuted at the
The Old Vic theatre 50 years ago,
making the playwright’s name
overnight. Rosencrantz & Guildenstern
are Dead follows the fortunes of two
minor characters, played by Radcliffe
and Joshua McGuire, as they weave in
and out of the central narrative of
Suisse and the PC-7 TEAM. This is the
fifth time St. Moritz has hosted these
championships since first staging
them in 1934.
6-19 February 2017
www.stmoritz2017.ch
the duration of what is often the most
watched US television program of the
year. Super Bowl LI will be played at
Houston’s 72,000-capacity NRG
Stadium, home of the Houston Texans
and the venue where Janet Jackson had
her infamous wardrobe malfunction
during 2004’s half-time show.
Hopefully, Lady Gaga will be able to
avoid any such mishaps when she
headlines the entertainment this year,
perhaps playing it safe in a
buttoned-up suit like she did when
performing the national anthem at the
same event last year. Or perhaps not. In
its 51st
year, the Super Bowl LI reverts to
the National Football League’s tradition
of using Roman numerals, after they
were left off for Super Bowl 50 in 2016.
5 February 2017 www.nfl.com
Shakespeare’s famous tragedy. Made
into a movie starring Gary Oldman and
Tim Roth in 1990, the script is razor
sharp, funny and thought provoking.
25 February-29 April 2017
www.oldvictheatre.com
King), who is presented with a
over-sized silver and gold key by Rio’s
mayor, street bands, dancers and party
folk take over the squares and the streets
as the festivities get underway, led by
traditional samba schools hailing from
the city’s favelas. We recommend you
attend a samba school night rehearsal
plus at least one outrageous party - try
the Gala Gay Ball at the Scala where you
will see some of the wildest costumes.
24-28 February 2017
www.rio-carnival.net
and talk show host Jimmy Kimmel will
make his hosting debut at the acting
world’s biggest night of the year.
26 February 2017
www.oscars.org

ITB BERLIN
GERMANY
This could be just the ticket
if you need inspiration for
your next cultured travelling
experience. The world’s largest tourism
trade fair, ITB Berlin is billed as a trip
around the globe in just a few hours,
and an opportunity to explore
LAS FALLAS
SPAIN
Hundreds of thousands of
visitors from Spain and
around the world congregate in
Valencia for this very noisy, exuberant
celebration, which involves masses of
fireworks and the burning of giant
puppets. Held in honour of St. Joseph’s
IMPERIAL THREADS
QATAR
Doha’s breathtaking Museum of Islamic Art is worth a visit at any time,
but especially so from March, when a new exhibition opens
showcasing one of the best Persian carpet collections in existence. ‘Imperial
Threads: Motifs and artisans from Turkey, Iran and India’ will explain how carpets
and other valuable works of exquisite craftsmanship were at the heart of cultural
exchanges between the Ottoman, Safavid and Mughal empires between the 16th
and 18th
centuries. MIA is a wealth of historic treasures, housing one of the world’s
most complete collections of Islamic artifacts from across three continents, dating
back to the 7th
century. The building is a work of art in its own right, a
contemporary landmark drawing inspiration from centuries of Islamic architecture
and designed by IM Pei, most famous for the glass and steel pyramid entrance to
the Louvre in Paris.
15 March-4 November 2017 www.mia.org.qa
INDIA
Otherwise known as the
Festival of Colours due to
the bright powders participants throw
at each other, this ancient Hindu ritual
to mark the beginning of spring is a
two-day celebration of the triumph of
good over evil. The ceremonies begin
with the lighting of Holika bonfires –
symbolizing how the God Vishnu
helped burn the devil Holika according
to Hindu scriptures – and continue
with Rangwali Holi the next day,
which is when people delight in
covering their neighbours in water and
a rainbow of gulal, or paint powder
(apparently Lord Krishna, a
reincarnation of Lord Vishnu, liked to
prank village girls in this manner).
While Holi is observed throughout the
world, the best places to see the
festival are India and Nepal, especially
Delhi, Varanasi, Vrindavan and Jaipur.
HOLI
Day on 19th
March, Las Fallas is
believed to have originated in a pagan
celebration of the spring equinox, and
is recorded as first being held from the
late 15th
century. Each neighbourhood
in Valencia funds the construction of
its own ‘falla’ - the wood and
papiermâché sculptures at the heart of
the fiesta - which can reach up to 15
metres high and usually poke fun at
local and international politicians and
celebrities (expect at least one Donald
Trump this year!) The fallas are placed
at key points around the city, so
visitors can wander about and check
them out, before they are burned in a
ceremonial explosion accompanied by
a giant fireworks display at midnight of
the final day.
15-19 March 2017
www.visitvalencia.com
destinations in over 180 countries.
With more than 10,000 exhibitors it
might be a nightmare to navigate, but
thankfully it’s made easier by being
divided into regions and thematic
sections, such as cruises, cultural
tourism, adventure travel, medical
tourism, business travel, technology
and new trends. A map of the
exhibition layout is available online, so
you can plan what to see beforehand.
This annual event has surprises around
every corner – expect everything from
flamenco dancing to henna
hand-painting, massages to cooking
demonstrations, EDM to folk dancing.
For travel professionals there are also
press conferences, talks, product
presentations and networking events.
8-12 March 2017
www.itb-berlin.de
One note: women should avoid
walking about alone during Holi as
some men take it as an opportunity to
get a little too close for comfort.
12-13 March 2017
www.goindia.about.com

ST. PATRICK’S DAY
IRELAND
Celebrated in more
countries than any other
national festival, St. Patrick’s Day is a
tribute to the far-reaching influence of
the Emerald Isle’s expatriate
population. However, there’s nothing
like experiencing 17 March in Ireland
itself, where the public holiday is the
climax of a week-long party. The
official St. Patrick’s Festival,
established by the Irish government
22 years ago, will this year include
four days of street parades, concerts,
céilithe (traditional music sessions),
theatre performances and fireworks.
The best place to join the revelry is
Dublin, but cities, towns and villages
throughout Ireland hold their own
parades and festivals. Held to
commemorate Ireland’s patron saint
and the arrival of Christianity, St.
Patrick’s Day has been an official
AUSTRALIA
The upcoming Formula
One season is being tipped
to be the fastest yet, with Mercedes,
Red Bull and Ferrari all working on
new wider cars that could shave up to
five seconds off a lap. The first round of
the season, the 2017 F1 Rolex
Australian Grand Prix, will be the first
opportunity fans have to catch a
2017 F1
CHAMPIONSHIP
OPENER
UAE
Get the hatbox down from the top of the wardrobe and dry clean your
best designer outfit – the world’s richest horse race is on again.
Attracting the cream of Dubai society as well as a fair few international glitterati,
the region’s leading equestrian event is as much about being seen as a tribute to
the beauty of the Arabian horse. The culmination of Dubai’s World Cup carnival, the
event at Meydan Racecourse will see USD30 million of prizes presented to the
winners of the day’s nine races, which include eight thoroughbred contests and
one for purebred Arabians. The after-race concert typically draws some of the
biggest names in pop – the past three years have seen Jennifer Lopez, Kylie
Minogue and Janet Jackson take to the stage – and the day concludes with a
spectacular fireworks extravaganza.
25 March 2017
www.dubaiworldcup.com
DUBAI WORLD CUP
ULTRA MUSIC
FESTIVAL
USA
Major Lazer, Ice Cube and
Tiesto will be among the
headliners when one of the world’s
favourite electronic music festivals
gets cranking across beautiful
Bayfront Park in downtown Miami this
March. Last year’s edition of Ultra,
featuring performances from
deadmau5, Eric Prydz and Pendulum,
was voted the world’s best festival by
a DJ Mag survey, so the 2017 show is
expected to be pretty special, to put it
mildly. For its 19th
incarnation, the
line-up across seven stages includes
Justice, Underworld, David Guetta,
Dubfire, DJ Snake, The Prodigy,
Afrojack, Alesso, Above & Beyond, Tale
of Us and Jamie Jones. British DJ Carl
Cox has been named as the
ambassador of the Resistance phase
of Ultra, which will for the first time
span two stages, the Arcadia
Spectacular ‘Spider’ and the
‘Megastructure’. Meanwhile, Dutch
megastar Armin van Buuren will
orchestrate the A State of Trance
arena for the seventh year in a row.
24-26 March 2017
www.ultramusicfestival.com
Christian feast day since the early 17th
century. Legend has it that the
association with shamrocks and the
"wearing of the green” stems back to
Saint Patrick’s use of the three-leaved
plant to explain the Holy Trinity to the
pagan Irish.
17 March 2017
www.stpatricksfestival.ie
glimpse of the new supercars, driven
by the likes of three-time champion
Lewis Hamilton and his new Mercedes
team-mate Valtteri Bottas (who has
replaced retired world champion Nico
Rosberg), and Australian Daniel
Ricciardo with his Dutch team-mate
Max Verstappen for Red Bull.
Melbourne’s famous Albert Park circuit
is an exhilarating setting for drivers
and spectators alike, a thrilling
combination of fast straights and
demanding slow speed turns with
multiple overtaking opportunities.
23-26 March 2017
www.tickets.formula1.com

With 28 rooms and one expansive penthouse suite, all designed and decorated by Liz Biden, industrial architectural motifs are
interspersed with carefully cultivated furnishing for a pop of colour and eclecticism. All rooms will be vertically spacious due to the
composition of the building’s structure, and will boast ample views across the city, mountains, harbour and coastline. Meanwhile
The Silo’s central location will make it an ideal nucleus for guests, oﬀering easy access to city site-seeing routes or, for those who
prefer to make the most of this striking home base, the chance to unwind with a glass of bubbly on the hotel’s rooftop terrace, a
private tour of the adjacent museum, or a comforting treatment in the complex’s plush spa.
ASHLEE STARRATT
www.theroyalportfolio.com/the-silo

MONTREAL, CANADAMONTREAL, CANADA

HOTEL WILLIAM GRAYHOTEL WILLIAM GRAY
The aptly named Old Montreal neighbourhood is the
best place to discover the rich history of Montreal, one
of North America's most stylish and forward-thinking
cities, and also one of its oldest. The French-speaking
city is considered the cultural capital of Canada, and is
a veritable cosmopolitan celebration of Québécois
style. In the center of town, all within just a few
blocks, quaint cobblestone streets, early architecture
and fascinating historical sites blend with trendy
shops, ultramodern art galleries and exceptional
restaurants stirring up magnificent culinary inventions
in their kitchens. Montreal is very much a city of deep
historical roots, unbridled creativity and contemporary
cool, and nowhere is this more skillfully brought to life
than Hôtel William Gray which opened last year.
A progressive fusion of two 18th
century stone
houses, plus a glass atrium and an eight-storey tower
of 21st
century design, the hotel opens onto Montreal’s
famed pedestrian-friendly Place Jacques Cartier,
where vibrant street life brings together locals and
tourists alike, complete with buskers and curiosity
stalls. Whilst William Gray looks and feels like a
boutique hotel, in reality it is everything but, and
offers travellers a complete and well considered
package via 127 rooms offering stylish abodes laden
with modern day creature comforts. A warm,
residential atmosphere abounds, courtesy of wood,
brick, leather, stone and bookshelves filled with
unique finds. Glass walls and roofs provide bags of
light, whilst bold artworks add splashes of colour. The
devil is in the details and here there is detailing
everywhere. The Living Room has an über-cool
high-top Scandinavian-style communal table, but
also low chairs and sofas for traditionalists. The bijou
bar serves exceptional handcrafted cocktails. The
stylish 180-seat restaurant, Maggie Oakes, facing
bustling Place Jacques Cartier, serves terrific food.
A supremely successful marriage of old and new, if
the hotel feels smaller than it really is, this is likely to
be due to the personable ground floor staff, who are
super keen to help guests enjoy all that the city offers.
Topping the property like an al fresco crown is its
rooftop wow factor, a 180-degree panoramic terrace,
offering vistas of the St-Lawrence River, Marché
Bonsecours, the Old Port and the Casino de Montréal.
If design really matters to you then Hôtel William Gray
is basically the coolest place to currently rest your
head in Old Montreal.
NICHOLAS CHRISOSTOMOU
www.hotelwilliamgray.com

GROSVENOR HOUSE SUITESGROSVENOR HOUSE SUITES
For generations a townhouse in fashionable Mayfair has been a symbol of high society, a place where one could spend the
London season entertaining friends and making enemies green with envy. A short stroll from both the bustle of Oxford Street and
the serenity of Hyde Park, Mayfair has endured as one of London’s most elite addresses.
Named after the annual ‘may fair’, which took place in the area from 1686 to 1764, the suburb began to take shape from the
early 18th
century, through the development of land owned by a cluster of wealthy British families, including the Grosvenors and
the Burlingtons. While several thousand well-heeled residents still call Mayfair home, it is best known for some of the world’s
most prestigious luxury hotels, and as a backdrop for retailers of the wares of top international and British designers. A walk
along Bond or Mount streets is an exercise in self-restraint: each shop window is exquisitely set out and glittering with the latest
offerings from the likes of Chanel, Bvlgari, Louis Vuitton and Dior.
Fronting Park Lane, overlooking Hyde Park and less than five minutes on foot from the temptations of the boutiques, Grosvenor
House Suites by Jumeirah Living is the next best thing to owning your own Mayfair pad. Each of the 130 suites is sumptuously spacious
and designed in the style of a chic high-end apartment. The sleek kitchen designed by B&B Italia is coupled with a large dining room
just in case you fancy throwing a dinner party. High-tech features include touch-screen room controls and electronic blackout blinds.
And after a long day of retail therapy, you can look forward to unwinding in the oversized tub in the under-floor-heated bathroom.
As part of the international Jumeirah group, which also includes Dubai’s iconic Burj Al Arab, Grosvenor House Suites prides itself
on offering personalised experiences, under the guise of ‘At Home with Jumeirah Living’. For example, along with standard luxury
offerings such as in-room spa treatments, Grosvenor House holds regular events to give guests unique opportunities to meet
famous authors, Michelin-starred chefs or West End theatre stars. The property also offers access to bespoke personal shopping
services, and the use of its exclusive contacts at top stores like Harrods and Selfridges to help track down that hard to find item.
DAWN GIBSON
www.jumeirah.com
LONDON, UKLONDON, UK

KUALA LUMPURKUALA LUMPURNICHOLAS CHRISOSTOMOU EXPLORES MALAYSIA'S ENERGETICNICHOLAS CHRISOSTOMOU EXPLORES MALAYSIA'S ENERGETIC
AND MULTICULTURAL METROPOLITAN HUB IN THE JUNGLEAND MULTICULTURAL METROPOLITAN HUB IN THE JUNGLE
KUALA LUMPURNICHOLAS CHRISOSTOMOU EXPLORES MALAYSIA'S ENERGETIC
AND MULTICULTURAL METROPOLITAN HUB IN THE JUNGLE

Long before the world's current tallest building, Burj Khalifa, was even an
idea in the minds of Dubai's turbo-charged urban planners, César Pelli's
gleaming Petronas Towers were some of the tallest buildings on the planet,
and have shined above the multicultural city of Kuala Lumpur for two
decades. With its varied sights, range of languages, mix of old colonial past
and modern architecture of today, and charming fusion of Oriental
traditions and European inﬂuences, Malaysia's capital city is unique
amongst its metropolitan contemporaries, in that it is more culturally
diverse, welcoming and accessible than many of its Asian peers

ou get an inkling about the Malaysian capital's unique
juxtapositon between the tropics and a metropolitan
hub way before you exit the country's largest airport.
At the centre of Kuala Lumpur International Airport is a
section of rainforest transplanted from the jungle. Is it an
airport in the forest or a forest in the airport? Either way, this
lushness in the midst of one of the most prominent airports in
the region, coupled with a striking combination of sleek
architecture, futuristic technology and rich local culture, sets
the tone for visitors arriving for the first time in the country's
financial heart. Bedecked with tumbling planting and
surrounded by lush botanicals, the proliferation of greenery
hints at the tropical climate and warm Malaysian welcome
awaiting you past the arrivals hall.
Once much more shy and self-contained, when it was
basically a central trading post for merchants from all over the
globe, KL has really come into its own in the past decade,
shaped by everyone from British colonists and Indian
migrants to Chinese tin miners and rich oil barons. All helped
to fashion this sultry, noisy capital in the jungle, and each has
left its indelible mark on its streets, from crumbling
architecture and soaring skyscrapers, to sparkling shopping
malls and historic museums brimming with antiquities. I've
noticed considerable advances since first visiting KL ten years
ago, all of which have contributed to the city's 21st
century
status as one of Asia's biggest crossroads for tourists. The
arrival of Malaysian Airlines' fleet of A380 superjumbo jets
five years ago saw the country's national flag carrier, together
You
jux
hu
At the centAt the
Y
KL has really come into its own in theKL has really come into its own in the
past decade, shaped by everyone frompast decade, shaped by everyone from
British colonists and Indian migrants toBritish colonists and Indian migrants to
Chinese tin miners and rich oil baronsChinese tin miners and rich oil barons

with Tourism Malaysia (www.tourism.gov.my), drive to grow
KL into a metropolitan destination in its own right, and a
worthy stopover for travellers en route to the tropical islands
of Penang, Langkawi and Borneo, or on to Australasia. And it's
working. The Malaysian capital now hosts vastly more tourists
stopping off for a city break or longer urban immersion, since
there is so much to keep visitors occupied. Kuala Lumpur
being hot and humid most months also means that the city is
ideal to visit year round. Since the climate is tropical KL
experiences occasional rainfall, the intensity of which varies
throughout the year. But shielded by mountainous valleys in
several directions, the weather in Kuala Lumpur is relatively
cooler than most other places in Malaysia, with temperatures
that fluctuate between 29°C -35°C during the day, and
26°C -29°C at night. It sometimes gets a little chilly after
heavy rains, but on the whole KL is one of the least affected
by monsoon winds. National Day on 31st
August and the F1
Grand Prix (29 Sep-1 Oct 2017) at the Hermann
Tilke-designed Sepang International Circuit - one of the most
technical in Formula One - are good times to visit the loud
and vibrant Malaysian capital.
If you're flying light the KLIA Ekspres is undoubtedly the most
convenient way of travelling into the city centre. The journey
takes just 28 minutes, operating at 15-minute intervals
during peak hours and 20 minutes off-peak, and with free 4G
Wi-Fi onboard you're immediately connected. Even if like me
you don't travel light, the train's VIP service costing MYR210
BUKIT BINTANG
The Malaysian capital now hosts vastlyThe Malaysian capital now hosts vastly
more tourists stopping off for a city breakmore tourists stopping off for a city break
or longer urban immersion, since there isor longer urban immersion, since there is
so much to keep visitors occupiedso much to keep visitors occupied

(EUR45) includes meet-and-greet in
the airport baggage hall, a dedicated
porter accompanying you onboard the
KLIA Ekspres, and a Mercedes E-Class
to take you onwards to your final
destination
(www.kliaekspres.com/vipservice).
With Kuala Lumpur's streets often
gridlocked with traffic, especially
during paralysing rush hours, the KLIA
Ekspres is by far the fastest way to
make the 75-kilometre journey into
the city centre. Moreover, in the past
year or so, not only is KL Sentral
(where the KLIA Ekspres arrives into) a
hub for the city's transit network, but
the area surrounding the station has
morphed into a happening
neighbourhood brimming with bars,
restaurants and new hotels. These
include a swanky St. Regis unveiled in
July 2016 and built from the
ground-up at immense expense, and a
hip and funky Aloft offering fun and
functional hotel accommodation at
exceptional value for a major capital.
In fact, you can bag a 60m2
Breezy
Suite at Aloft for just MYR700
(EUR150) per night and be 10 mins by
taxi from downtown KL
(www.aloftkualalumpursentral.com).
This time next year, another of
Starwood's successful hospitality
brands is set to debut in the Malaysian
capital, when W Kuala Lumpur throws
open it's designer doors on Jalan
Ampang, just across from the Petronas
Towers. Since the unveiling of any new
W hotel is a blatant hospitality
acknowledgement that the host city is
hip and happening, this opening is
surely one to watch in March 2018.
When visiting a city for the first time, I
almost always recommend purchasing a
24-hour hop-on-hop-off bus ticket to
get your basic bearings on day one. KL
has a few of these operating, the best of
which is www.myhoponhopoff.com/kl,
but the traffic is so often congested, my
advice is to get above the city and see it LAKE GARDENS
SURIA KLCC

42
for the first time from up high. From KL Sentral you can hop
on the city's monorail system, which zips to Bukit Bintang and
Bukit Nanas (serving the Golden Triangle of malls, markets
and skyscrapers), the Petronas Towers and KL Tower. Of
these latter two options, the most dramatic is to ascend the
452m-high Petronas Towers that utterly dominate KL's
skyline (www.petronastwintowers.com.my). The view from
the Skybridge that links the towers is breathtaking, and will
give you an immediate feel for the sprawling and varied (if not
altogether pretty!) cityscape beneath you, and where all the
major areas lie. These include Little India to the north near
Chow Kit station, Merdeka Square in the old colonial quarter,
and Chinatown east of the vast Lake Gardens area. All of the
city's main neighbourhoods are visible from atop the Petronas
Towers, making KLCC, the heart of Kuala Lumpur, the perfect
place to kick-off your KL experience. For a close-up view of
the twin towers, grab lunch or Sky-High Tea at Nobu KL,
famed Japanese chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa's Malaysian
outpost, on the 56th
floor of the third (much shorter) Petronas
tower, adjacent to its famous siblings. For a different,
altogether kitsch experience, a visit to Atmosphere 360
revolving restaurant, complete with galactic-inspired décor
and more twinkling lights than a Xmas tree, 282-metres up
KL Tower, makes for a fun and eye-opening afternoon. Even
better if you visit the tower towards the end of September,
when adrenalin junkies base jump off the top, during the
annual Sitting On The Ledge extreme sports fest
(www.menarakl.com.my).
MERDEKA SQUARE

After lunch you really should have a wander around one of
the city's vast refrigerated malls, to get a sense of how much
global commerce is pivotal to the economy of the Malaysian
capital. The biggest is Suria KLCC, at the base of the Petronas
Towers, which is home to a cinema and concert hall as well
as hoards of shops and food outlets
(www.suriaklcc.com.my/shopping). But I much prefer to blow
my ringgits at Pavilion, an altogether more pleasurable and
refined retail experience, in the heart of stylish Bukit Bintang
district (www.pavilion-kl.com). Excellent people watching
opportunities abound at the many juice bars and cafés on
street level outside Pavilion mall. Stop for a coffee and
observe Kuala Lumpans rushing about their hectic business.
It can often be exhausting just watching them!
To enjoy the sun setting on the Petronas Towers from the
city's best vantage point, stroll over to Traders Hotel (within
walking distance of both Suria KLCC and Bukit Bintang
district) and head up to the 33rd
floor SkyBar. You'll need to
reserve to get a good table for sundowners, but it will be
worth the tiny amount of forward planning
(www.skybar.com.my). Once night has fallen and if you've
feasted on a fancy lunch, amble towards Jalan Alor in Bukit
Bintang for a down-to-earth culinary experience in the
evening.
As a melting pot of vibrant Asian cultures and traditions,
eating-out in Kuala Lumpur is diverse to say the least. Jalan
Alor is one of the most famous food roads in Kuala Lumpur,
Merdeka Square is at the core of KL's past and isMerdeka Square is at the core of KL's past and is
bordered by a number of notable buildings, includingbordered by a number of notable buildings, including
the Royal Selangor Club and the beautiful Moorishthe Royal Selangor Club and the beautiful Moorish
copper-dome-topped Sultan Abdul Samad Buildingcopper-dome-topped Sultan Abdul Samad Building

and is home a multitude of street stalls
serving many dishes that cannot be
found in the city's fashion-conscious
eateries. KL being an immigrant city,
the variety of food available in Jalan Alor
is astonishing. Start with some skewers
of octopus and chicken at Fat Brother
Satay, and then move along to Cu Cha
for some scrumptious Chinese pork
belly. The vast array of barbecued
meats, noodles and desserts prepared
in Jalan Alor are some of the tastiest in
the city, and there is usually something
for everyone.
Despite being a Muslim country, for
those whose appetites for fun rise once
the sun has well and truly set, Kuala
Lumpur has plenty of late night venues.
Ranging from cocktail bars, swishy
rooftops and speakeasies, to DJ bars
and world-class nightclubs, KL boasts
an array of lively nocturnal options.
From Bangsar's bars to Bukit Bintang's
see-and-be-seen nightclubs, there's
no shortage of happening haunts to
frequent on a night out in Kuala
Lumpur. One of the best is Elysium
Bar+Terrace, in the heart of the city
centre, offering two different nightlife
venues under one roof. Lounge outside
on the 32nd
floor terrace and sip on a
hand crafted cocktail, to a backdrop of
beautifully mixed soulful house music.
Or let your hair down inside where the
music is deeper, the temperature is
hotter and the party often rages until
dawn. Either way, Elysium is a cool
place to end a hot night in the
Malaysian capital
(www.facebook.com/pg/elysiumkl).
In the tropical heat and amidst the
chaotic roads and three-lane highways
(which often appear to spring from
nowhere), you'll need patience and
plenty of chilled beverages to do any
walking in KL. But if you keep things
simple, stay hydrated and hop in and
out of taxis from time-to-time to
regroup, a day out and about in the city,
JALAN ALOR
JALAN ALOR

JAMEK MOSQUE

42
BIBLIOTEKSGATAN
STADSHUSET
with no fixed agenda, can be fun. SIM
cards are easy to buy and Uber is a
godsend for tourists visiting the
Malaysian capital, so if you're
connected before leaving the comfort
of your hotel you'll not get lost. Start at
Merdeka Square in the centre of the
city. Close to the Gombak River,
Central Market, China Town and Jamek
Mosque (one of the city's oldest
mosques, built in 1909), the square is
at the core of KL's past and is bordered
by a number of notable buildings,
including the Royal Selangor Club,
National History Museum and the
beautiful Moorish
copper-dome-topped Sultan Abdul
Samad Building. A 100m flagpole,
close to the museum, marks the spot
where the Malayan flag was hoisted
on 31st
August 1957, signifying the
country's independence from British
rule. Learn about the city's history at
the excellent City Gallery at the
southern end of the square
(www.klcitygallery.com), then head
east, over the Klang River, to the Art
Deco façade of the covered Central
Market. Here you can peruse local
handicrafts and tourist trinkets, before
making your way to KL's Chinatown on
Jalan Petaling. Unless you're in the
market for fake goods, most of what's
on sale here won't interest you, but
some of the hawker stalls serve
yummy street food if you're peckish.
From Petaling Street jump in a taxi for
the 10-15-minute ride to KL's central
Lake Gardens, a vast verdant relic of
British rule, and a haven devoid of
concrete and steel. After a leisurely
turn around Perdana Lake, walk on to
KL Bird Park, a gigantic walk-through
20.9-acre free-flight public aviary
billed as the world's biggest
(www.klbirdpark.com). Five minutes
away, the city's largest and most
peaceful place of worship, Masjid
Negara, the country's 15,000-capacity
National Mosque, is worth seeing for
its stunning modernist architecture

alone. In between prayers,
appropriately dressed tourists can
explore this monument to modern
Malaysian religion, where Buddhism,
Christianity and Hinduism thrive
side-by-side. End your day in airy
white splendour, in the peaceful
surroundings of the much under
visited Islamic Arts Museum, 5
minutes up the hill from the National
Mosque. The museum is a divine
showpiece for the culture and
artisanship that have unified the
Muslim world, and the permanent
collection of vessels, embroidery,
jewels and dazzling bejeweled
swords is super
(www.iamm.org.my).
I've rarely had time to explore out of
the centre, despite visiting KL on
more than half a dozen occasions,
but for the more determined and
organised amongst you, a visit to the
Batu Caves, seven miles north of the
city, is a spectacular way to end your
time in Kuala Lumpur. Watch native
monkeys make light work of the
cliffs, as you climb the 272 steps
towards the entrance to a truly
magnificent series of limestone caves
and gorgeous temples. Presided over
by a giant 42-metre golden statue of
deity Lord Murugan, the site is one of
the most popular Hindu shrines
outside India, and the focal point of
the annual festival of Thaipusam,
when celebrations take place on a
supremely grand scale.
In a city where monkeys scamper
close to skyscrapers and a boa
constrictor can just as easily slither
across a palm-lined six-lane
highway as a Rolls Royce, Kuala
Lumpur is unique in that it not only
offers something for everyone in its
vivacious concoction of cultures, but
also provides space to breathe,
contemplate and relish in amongst
its exotic urban mélange.

STAY
THE ST. REGIS KUALA LUMPUR
Shortly after its Langkawi property was the first of the St. Regis brand's to debut in
Malaysia, its larger high-rise 48-storey parent, located in the heart of the nation's bustling
capital, swung open its glitzy glazed doors, instantly setting a new luxury hospitality
benchmark in Kuala Lumpur. Such is the richness and attention to detail with which St.
Regis KL has been festooned, that the rest of the Malaysian hospitality industry is going to
find it very difficult to exceed.
Elegant and sophisticated yet airy and accessible all at the same stroke, St. Regis KL is
positioned at the heart of the fast-growing KL Sentral district, directly opposite the station.
Within walking distance are Lake Gardens, Brickfields (Little India), the National Mosque,
the Islamic Arts Museum and a handful of interesting historic architectural gems, including
the Moorish-inspired Kuala Lumpur Railway Station and the Houses of Parliament. And the
KLIA express train, just across the road, can whisk passengers directly to and from the
airport in half an hour.
Once inside the hotel's grand soaring lobby, presided over by a huge specially commissioned
diptych of two 4.9-metre hand-etched leather murals by Mark Evans, depicting a powerful
polo charge, the full scale of the property's lavishness and size become apparent, and it is
immediately obvious that literally no expense has been spared in the construction of St.
Regis KL. Not least, the Mark Evans artworks are the tip of the hotel's extensive collection,
which also includes a spectacular 3.5-metre 'Botero Horse' bronze sculpture, by famed
Colombian artist Fernando Botero, all 2.5 tones of its weight resting on a bespoke floor slab.
In fact it’s rumoured that the hotel was actually erected around this monumental piece of
art. A three-dimensional birds and butterflies artwork by Barnaby Hosking also vies for
attention with acres of marble and granite, rich woodwork, polished metal finishes and
countless sparkling Austrian crystal chandeliers. The lobby ceilings even contain
hand-painted gold tiles. Unsurprisingly the overall effect is regal and impressive, and the
smartly dressed staff are amongst the best in KL – chirpy, attentive and eager to assist.
Upstairs the hotel's 208 rooms including 56 suites are amongst the largest in Asia,
decorated in a palette of cream, gray and teal, and brightened by full-height windows. Even
an entry-level room of 63m2
features a walk-in wardrobe, dressing room and swish marble
bathroom, complete with concealed TV, rainforest shower and Remède amenities. And every
room category – from the least expensive right up to the mammoth 353m2
Royal Suite –
benefits from St. Regis' signature butler service, providing discreet, personalised and
anticipatory attention, including complimentary pressing, unpacking and packing and
in-room hot beverages on demand, including morning tea and coffee service. The Cultured
Traveller spent the weekend in an outstandingly comfortable 138m2
St. Regis Suite,
reminiscent of a deluxe Manhattan apartment, the finishing and exactness throughout
second to none, complete with a private massage room that was put to good use.
Add to the generously proportioned guest rooms six food and beverage outlets – including
Taka by Sushi Saito, courtesy of 3 Michelin-starred Japanese chef Takashi Saito – multiple
palatial ballrooms, a sixth-floor swimming pool with deluxe cabanas, 24-hour fitness centre,
a yoga studio and a first-class Iridium Spa, and it's little wonder that St. Regis KL has already
been repeatedly name-checked as the best hotel in the city, attracting a cosmopolitan crowd
of international business people, affluent locals and relaxed moneyed tourists.
www.stregiskualalumpur.com

STAY
VILLA SAMADHI
In Sanskrit 'samadhi' is the highest state of meditation, the moment when the mind
achieves stillness, akin to a state of meditative consciousness. All Samadhi Retreats
group's boutique properties are designed and built within this philosophy, with the
aim of delivering a transcendental experience, where the anxieties of daily life are
surrendered at the door and guests transition to a relaxed state of mind. The
complete antithesis to KL's shiny and high-rise urban core, and the center's big
business corporate hotels, staying at Villa Samadhi in the heart of the upmarket
diplomatic area, is a breath of sub-tropical air in the shadow of the Malaysian
capital. Once through the villa's gates, guests find themselves in a rarely experienced
city oasis, where one can truly switch off in between bouts of frenetic Malaysian
metropolitan activity, recover in a veritable paradise after a night on the town, or find
the antidote to restore one’s soul after a period of urban over-immersion.
Surrounded by embassies and lavish private residences, on the leafy edges of the
city centre, even KL’s taxi drivers have trouble finding this bijou boutique hotel of just
21 rustic luxe rooms and suites, all of which ooze character and charming attention
to detail. Staffed by a resident team that is both polite and super-friendly, which
appears to invisibly glide around the property attending to the needs of guests,
almost nothing is too much trouble. Essentially, staying at Villa Samadhi is akin to
feeling like a guest at a friend's rather large and lovely home, and is the perfect
juxtaposition to a city break in KL.
Inspired by traditional Malay architecture while preserving the sanctity of its natural
surroundings, each room and suite at Villa Samadhi offers a deluxe sanctuary, with
plenty of space to spread out and relax. Local accents married with a collage of
natural elements, create a raw yet sophisticated Asian dwelling. The extensive use of
wood, glass, black cement, stone and bamboo render a simplistic and modest design
foundation to Villa Samadhi semi-minimalistic style. The embossing, layering and
composition of these raw and natural materials, together with colourful Southeast
Asian hill-tribe fabrics and complemented by landscapes of water and fire, really
create a unique sense of place. And by using bamboo and other local elements
sourced from Malaysia's indigenous tribes, together with wooden furnishings
handmade by Villa Samadhi’s own craftsmen, both conservation and community are
integrated into a distinctive hospitality environment, resulting in a supremely
balanced and relaxed stay experience for guests.
The Cultured Traveller stayed in a ground floor Luxe Sarang room at Villa Samadhi, of
which there were only four. These combine a bijou private walled garden, trickling
waterfall and soothing fish ponds, with a private secluded heated al fresco jacuzzi,
together with direct pool access to the villa’s central lagoon. The delightful overall
effect was that of staying in an unpretentious, yet super comfy, urban nest.
www.samadhiretreats.com

SEE
MAP
When enlightened developers decided to
creatively jazz up the Solaris Dutamas housing
complex, the result was an instant arts district.
Still very much a work in progress, MAP is an arts
and cultural platform that serves as a catalyst for
producers and creative types from
multidisciplinary backgrounds, to develop their
ideas while promoting compelling encounters to a
broad audience. Comprising a public piazza
surrounded by several exhibition venues, plus
rows of arty shops, MAP and adjacent Publika
play host to a diverse range of activities, including
fashion shows, music gigs, community bazaars,
lectures, seminars and workshops. There's almost
always something worth checking-out at MAP
when you're in KL.
www.instagram.com/mapkl_publika/
KL FOREST ECO-PARK
Kuala Lumpur is the only city in the world that has
a natural rainforest situated right at its centre.
Back in 1906, the KL Forest Eco Park (formerly
known as the Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve) was
gazetted as a reserve, and is now the only
remaining stretch of tropical rainforest within the
city limits. Located in the heart of the city, next to
KL Tower, expert guides escort visitors along
fascinating nature trails and eagerly talk about the
huge range of ﬂora and fauna that grows in the
forest. Meanwhile a 200-metre canopy walk
provides an aerial view of the treetops and the city
beyond. www.menarakl.com.my
LITTLE INDIA & JAMEK MOSQUE
The Indian community accounts for around 10%
of the nation's total population. When they came
to Malaysia, not only did they bring their culture
but also unique temples, delicious cuisine and
colourful garments. One of the oldest parts of the
city, Jalan Masjid India, or Little India as it is
aﬀectionately known, is the community's original
shopping centre that dates back to more than a
century ago. Grotty steam-table joints alternate
with groceries peddling papaya-tomato soap,
while spices waft along with tabla rhythms and
the range of stacked embroidered textiles easily
outdoes any tropical sunset. Think of it as Madras
without the madness! Don't miss the
eye-catching Masjid Jamek Mosque built in 1870. BATU CAVES
KL FOREST ECO-PARK

CENTRAL MARKET
Erected in 1928 and just a short 100m walk from
China Town's Petaling Street, along Jalan Hang
Kasturi, KL's Art Deco-façaded Central Market,
also known as Pasar Seni, is one of the city's most
familiar landmarks. The building used to be a
simple wet market until it was revamped in the
early 1980s into a handicraft centre. Now the
focal point for the city’s artistic community, inside
the building is a rabbit warren of boutiques,
handicraft and souvenir stalls, with traders selling
local merchandise including Malaysian batik
prints, alongside portraitists and street artists, a
smattering of eateries and an alternative free
space for the arts in the annex.
www.centralmarket.com.my
BATU CAVES
One of Malaysia's most distinctive geographical
features is the labyrinth of awe-inspiring natural
caverns, found within the country's limestone
abutments, some of which are located on the
outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. KL's biggest blasts of
nature and a popular spot for rock climbing
enthusiasts are the Batu Caves, estimated to be
400 million years old. A total of 272 steps lead
up to the main caves and temple and obviously
the climb is not for the faint hearted! Batu
consists of three big caves, plus the world’s
tallest statue of Murugan, a Hindu deity,
standing at some 130 feet high at the foot of the
steps. The view from the top, of KL's skyline, is
simply stunning.
www.batucaves.com
ISLAMIC ARTS MUSEUM
Situated in airy white splendour ﬁve minutes up
the hill from the nation's beautiful Modernist
National Mosque, and housing ancient artifacts
from China, Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East
and Iran, this outstanding museum is home to
one of the best collections of Islamic decorative
arts in the world. Aside from the quality of the
exhibits which include fabulous textiles, carpets,
jewellery and calligraphy-inscribed pottery, the
building itself is absolutely stunning inside, with
beautifully decorated domes and glazed tile work
in abundance. There's also a rather good Middle
Eastern restaurant and probably Kuala Lumpur's
best museum gift shop.
www.iamm.org.my
CENTRAL MARKET
ISLAMIC ARTS MUSEUM

TASTE
NOBU KL
Nobuyuki Matsuhisa is responsible for the modern wave of Japanese fusion
cuisine, which updated classic sushi and other traditional dishes with global
and South American influences. Next time you bite into a piece of sushi topped
with mango or jalapeño, or dig into an entrée of black cod with miso sauce,
you have chef Nobu to thank for the marriage of flavours exploding in your
mouth. Designed by French architect Severine Tatangelo, Nobu KL is unique in
that it’s located on the 56th
floor of Menara Petronas 3, offering diners a
spectacular close-up view of the Petronas Towers and a 360-degree vista of
the surrounding cityscape. Unique to Nobu's Malaysian outpost, don't miss
executive head chef Philip Leong's new-style salmon sashimi - thinly sliced
salmon combined with heated olive oil, a sauce that together with thin slivers
of ginger, spring onion and sesame seeds, subtly alters the qualities of the raw
fish in a unique way. www.noburestaurants.com/kuala-lumpur

FIVE SEN5ES
Home to an authentic array of Cantonese cuisine, from simple tasty dim sum to decadent abalone, Five Sen5es at the city
center’s Westin KL hotel, delivers expertly prepared and beautifully presented dishes in a serene and refined environment. A Koi
pond sets the calming tone of this tranquil eatery, where the well-constructed and broad menu features an extensive selection
of true local Cantonese dishes, each paying homage to the five human senses of sight, taste, scent, touch and sound. The
presence of these five elements is evident in the preparation, cooking and presentation of the restaurant's five excellent
signature dishes, complemented by a selection of well-executed Chinese delicacies. Together with the restaurant's open
kitchen’ concept, and five private rooms named after the Tang, Qing, Zhou, Han and Ming dynasties of China, a visit to Five
Sen5es is a veritable modern day culinary adventure rich in the culture and heritage of Asia. Don't miss the Portuguese egg
tarts, flaky char siew pastries with parmesan and wok-fried Hong Kong soft noodles.
www.westindining.com.my/fivesen5es
LAFITE
Located just off the grand lobby of Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur, Lafite is one of the Malaysian capital's most enduring fine-dining
establishments. Right from the start, a large amount of space between tables sets the elegant dining room apart from KL's
other top end restaurants. Diners are seated in over-sized armchairs to enjoy the delectable farm to table dishes expertly
prepared by globally-inspired French chef de cuisine, Rémy Lefebvre, who hand picks his fresh vegetables from the Cameron
Highlands district in Malaysia’s most extensive hill station, together with seafood from sustainable sources and seasonal farm

FIVE SEN5ES LAFITE
produce. Guests can choose from an eight-course tasting menu, seasonal tasting menu of 4 courses or dine à la carte. Lunch
guests can partake of a very good value two-course menu at RM98, or three courses at RM145. Lefebvre's classic lobster
thermidor main course - served in a mustard and béchamel sauce and grilled with emmental cheese - is a gastronomic
triumph. www.shangri-la.com/kualalumpur
NEO TAMARIND
IIn the heart of Kuala Lumpur's city centre, Neo Tamarind brings together the best elements of a relaxing garden oasis, stylish
club, and professional kitchen under one sleek roof. After stepping off the bustling streets of Malaysia's capital, ascending a
stone staircase lined with lush botanicals lends the feeling of leaving behind the city and entering a tropical retreat. After
crossing a small wooden bridge at the top of the stairs to enter the main venue, guests are treated to Neo Tamarind kitchen's
eclectic and creative dishes, each assembled with love and attention to detail. The Asian European fusion cuisine is ingenious
and tasty, blending countless elements in each plate. The bar continues the fusion theme with a refreshing ‘East meets West'
cocktail menu. At the weekends local DJs take over and shake-up the atmosphere with luxe-lounge sounds until the early
hours. Whilst many of KL's dining and drinking venues often struggle to balance food, cocktails and music, Neo Tamarind
somehow manages to find just the right balance. www.tamarindrestaurants.com
THE BRASSERIE
Located within the city’s most sumptuous hotel, the sophisticated brasserie at The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur offers a modern

European café experience by day, and transforms into a contemporary French restaurant by night. Soaring high ceilings,
elegant decor and an extremely comfortable dining room, populated with high-end beautifully finished furnishings and laden
with expensive classic tableware, are hallmarks of the brasserie's stylish environs that exude pure luxury. The excellent menu
offers a variety of fine fare, including Hokkaido Scallops Carpaccio (RM101) to start, pastas including Gnocchi Beef Stew
(RM64) and a variety of fish and meat including Australian Lamb Rack (RM165). The evening offering is dominated by
delicious French-Mediterranean sharing-styled plates. Every dish produced throughout the day, from breakfast through to
dinner, is cooked to perfection and expertly served. For an intimate special occasion, there's also a plush private dining room
that seats up to 14 guests in decadent comfort. www.stregiskualalumpur.com
MADAME KWAN
KL culinary legend, Madame Kwan, has been serving her customers Malaysian cuisine since 1977 and has dedicated her life to
this culinary cause, delivering hawker and wok themed dishes in the comfort of a café-style restaurant. Located within the
bustling food court of the Bukit Bintang's Pavilion shopping centre, Madam Kwan offers a variety of local favourites, all
reasonably priced and delivered to the table quickly and efficiently, making this restaurant just perfect for a lunchtime pit stop.
From Madame Kwan's signature nasi lemak, to her wok style hokkien mee, there’s something for everyone on the huge
Malaysian menu. Madame Kwan is the perfect place to explore this most eclectic of cuisines without breaking the bank.
www.madamkwans.com.my
NEO TAMARIND

Stay Exquisite
Experience the modern day glamour combines with old-world elegance,
The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur comprises of 208 elegantly furnished accomodations,
featuring the largest guest rooms in the city. The signature St. Regis Butler Service
provide discreet and anticipatory attention, every need is catered to.
The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur
No. 6, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2 Kuala Lumpur Sentral, 50470 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia t. +603 2727 1111 stregis.com/kualalumpur
©2016MarriottInternational,Inc.AllRightsReserved.PreferredGuest,SPG,St.RegisandtheirlogosarethetrademarksofMarriottInternational,Inc.,oritsaffiliates.
Stay exquisite at more than 40 St. Regis hotels and resorts worldwide.
@stregishotels

SIP
MAI BAR
Located in the heart of fast-rising Sentral district,
considered by many to be KL's new CBD, is the funky
buzzing Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral, a 465-room
fun-filled hotel, filling 25 floors of a glistening modern
tower. Up on the 30th
floor, boasting sweeping views of
Kuala Lumpur and set around an sleek elongated
central bar, is Tiki-themed rooftop destination venue,
Mai Bar, where international DJs lay down groovy tunes
and the city's young and hip drop in to gather post
work for tasty cocktails courtesy of Aloft's talented
mixologists. The perfect place to kick-off a night out,
this sprawling attitude-free VENUE also offers a variety
of gourmet tapas which is exceptionally tasty and great
value. Don't leave without sampling Mai Bar's signature
concoction, the Malaysian Princess Mai Tai.
www.aloftkualalumpursentral.com
BLUE ELEPHANT
If you're looking for a stylish bar that combines a fun
and glitzy ambience with original cocktails and
imported single malt whiskies, then you need to find
Blue Elephant within the Plaza Damansara commercial
building. But popular amongst locals and expats alike
who’ve grown weary of overcrowded bars and
congested traffic in the city centre, this hidden bar
makes you work for your post-work tipple by being
hidden. Follow a trail of posters up the walls of the
staircase and you’ll find it. Once inside the decor is
decidedly Hollywood inspired. The bar's signature Blue
Elephant is made with vodka, Australian Chardonnay,
passion fruit syrup, apple juice, grapefruit juice and
blue curacao. Scrummy bar snacks come by way of A
Li Yaa, the Sri Lankan restaurant located behind the
bar. www.facebook.com/blueelephantkl
ASTOR BAR
Past a huge pair of imposing floor-to-ceiling entrance
doors which gracefully glide open to swish guests
inside, The Astor Bar at The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur is
such a sophisticated space, literally exuding class from
every pore, that once inside you may think you've been
teleported into an uptown Manhattan gentleman’s
club. All dark wood-clad walls, polished brass,
horsehair seats, velvet sofas, leather wingback chairs
and glittering gold accents, a hugely impressive long
bar is presided over by Austrian crystal chandeliers for
a touch of shimmer and sparkle. Here cocktails are
lovingly hand-crafted and exquisitely presented, more
ASTOR BAR

MR BROOKS
than 650 wine vintages are poured into crystal goblets and
fine single malt whiskies are served in weighty engraved
tumblers. If you order a Rat Pack Rusty Nail, made with
Maker’s Mark bourbon, Drambuie and triple sec, your
potent cocktail will be delivered to your table smoking.
www.stregiskualalumpur.com
TATE BAR
Private and discreet, and one of the pioneers of secret
1920s prohibition-style bars in Kuala Lumpur, is the
upmarlet Tate Bar at the Intermark KL, about 15 minutes’
walk from Petronas Twin Towers. Its wall-camouflaged
entrance is quite a challenge to find - you need to look
for a light fixture that’s shaped like a top hat, give it a
push and you'll find yourself in the company of
well-dressed patrons and waiters dressed in
retro-inspired uniforms. Emulating the style of an
expensive speakeasy, cocktails are presented in
crystal-cut glasses while straight pours are served in fat
heavy tumblers, perfect for a well aged bourbon.
www.thebiggroup.co/tate/
NO BLACK TIE
The expat nightlife strip of Bukit Ceylon features an ever
changing selection of venues offering everything from
English ale to Cuban mojitos. The scene is small enough
that you can table-hop until dawn, but the only place that
delivers consistently is No Black Tie, the city's singular spot
for jazz, Brazilian funk, poetry and the occasional dose of
Chopin. Founded in 1998 by Sarawakian born classical
pianist, Evelyn Hii, this once humble establishment located
five doors from it’s original home has now become
something of a KL institution, routinely hosts some of
Malaysia’s top singers and musicians, and is the watering
hole of choice for many of the city's cultural and social
bunnies. www.noblacktie.com.my
MR BROOKS
Primarily a gin and cocktail bar, although its entrance is far
easier to find compared to other speakeasies in Kuala
Lumpur, Mr Brooks’s witty cocktail offerings and discreet
and sophisticated ambience makes it one of the best
nightlife spots in the city. Located on the third floor of
Bangsar Shopping Centre, where you’ll find a makeshift
garage with a purple Sunbeam Alpine Car parked inside,
visitors need to look for the tool panels on the wall and
push through to reveal the bar's entrance. Defiantly
decorated in the manner of a gentleman’s den, the decor is
classy and the glassware is vintage. Be sure to order a
Margarita Thatcher cocktail and nibble on some of Nan’s
Carrot Cake. A wide selection of cigars is also available.
www.thebiggroup.co/mr-brooks/

TATE BARMAI BAR

SPEND
From massive refrigerated malls of 500+ stores, to the
arts and crafts of Central Market, the backstreet stalls
of Petaling Street and the city's most renowned
shopping district of Bukit Bintang, for many visitors
Kuala Lumpur is nothing short of a shopaholic’s
dream. And what the city's retail sector lacks in
independent stand-alone boutiques is more than
made up for by the sheer range and variety of what's
for sale in the vastly differing shopping environments.
But if you're only in town for a few days and you're on
a mission to spend, deciding where to start is not
easy. So here are The Cultured Traveller's suggestions
for some top places to hit in KL to indulge in some
serious retail therapy:
ARIZALI
Within three-storey Parkson department store inside
Pavilion mall, on the 4th
level you will find Arizali, where
you can buy flowing garments and chic accessories
unique to KL. Fashioned from beautiful hand-dyed batik
fabrics in fine cotton voile, linen, silk and chiffon, Arizali's
founder and designer, French-Lebanese Nashka
Solotareff, produces an original resort collection featuring
a large range of sarongs and kaftans, tops and dresses,
scarves and shawls, plus a superb capsule collection of
menswear including shirts and casual trousers, all
perfect for gifts and super light to carry.
www.arizali.com
PAVILION
Open since 2007 with close to 500 outlets in the heart of
Bukit Bintang, this haute couture shopping mecca
provides a winning mix of luxury boutiques and
high-street stores, together with a superb food court in
the basement, where Madam Kwan’s is perfect for a
Malaysian lunch pit stop (www.madamkwans.com.my).
Upstairs you'll find high-end designers such as Celine,
Salvatore Ferragamo, Burberry and Gucci, as well as a
slew of well-known international chains including
Topshop and Zara. If you're looking for unique Asian
fashion visit Pavilion's Tokyo Street, where
Kawaii-Kawaii and Kenji Corner amongst others retail
their on-trend wares. www.pavilion-kl.com
LOT 10
Around since the early 90s, Lot 10 in the heart of Bukit
Bintang is enjoying something of a renaissance, since
Swedish retail giant H&M opened its biggest south-east
Asia store within the complex - a three-floor behemoth
brimming with affordable, on-trend fashion. In total LotPAVILION

STARHILL GALLERY

10 contains around 40 fashion labels, running the gamut
from international luxury brands such as Calvin Klein, Ed
Hardy and Versace, to the more affordable Braun Buffel,
Nike and Timberland. By comparison to the massive
malls, Lot 10 provides visitors with a fairly intimate
shopping experience, akin to visiting Bloomingdales. A
bridge on the first floor connects Lot 10 to Bukit Bintang
monorail station. www.lot10.com.my
STARHILL GALLERY
Just across from Pavilion, Starhill Gallery is an upscale
luxury retail mall, almost exclusively populated by
premium labels including Dior, Fendi, Louis Vuitton,
Missoni and Alexander McQueen. Perfect for big spenders
and label queens and fun for window shoppers, the main
concourse is a spacious open-concept area, which plays
host to a stage as well as a variety of exclusive cafés that
surround it. The first floor is KL's go-to place for jewellery
and LUXURY watch brands, whilst the third floor is home
to a 50,000ft2
spa and relaxation zone boasting almost
100 treatment rooms and offering pampering services by
some of the city's best therapists.
www.starhillgallery.com
SUNGEI WANG PLAZA
Packed to the brim with a heady combination of cult
brands, local designers, street style stalwarts and
independent stores selling everything from
fashion-related products and electronics to at affordable
prices, Sungei Wang Plaza is a haven for bargain hunters
but a complete nightmare for the claustrophobic. Some
of the center's quirky and often wacky stalls can suck
you in for hours, as you sift through racks looking for
something's that's right. When you tire of the bargain
shops on the lower levels, head up to the sixth floor
where you'll find everything from cutting-edge fashion to
eccentric vintage wear. www.sungeiwang.com
PATTERN STORE
Subang Jaya, located approximately 20km from the city
centre, has transitioned from a humble suburban city to
a neatly self-contained hub of education institutions,
eateries and independent retail stores. SS15 (Section 15),
Subang Jaya's central business area, is most definitely a
go to place for visiting shoppers, featuring a variety of
funky independent shops including Pattern Store. Here
you'll find a great selection of clothing from local labels
like The Deciders and Obliq, Voluspa candles produced by
the now-defunct Thimble, plus stationery, specialist
magazines and even vintage Polaroid cameras. Well
worth heading a little out of town for.
www.facebook.com/patternstore.coPATTERN STORE
ARIZALI

Villa Rummanah, Alila Jabal AkhdarVilla Rummanah, Alila Jabal Akhdar

revel in the incredible vistas, his royal highness even
pausing to paint.
Alila Jabal Akhdar was groundbreaking when it opened
almost three years ago. It was the Alila brand's first project
outside its tropical Southeast Asian base, and made the
Green Mountain area accessible to luxury travellers for the
very first time, opening-up a once-hidden corner of Oman.
My high-altitude Arabic adventure began when I landed in
Muscat, still a relatively unrefined arrival experience for the
Middle East, until the new airport finally opens – soon
apparently. There’s something romantic about a long quiet
journey in a 4WD, on the way to a much-anticipated
destination. Like the wistful calm before a hospitality
storm, albeit my endpoint was to be a sanctuary. After
passing through a checkpoint near Izki, a couple of hours
drive southwest of Muscat, I was awoken from an
impromptu post-flight snooze by our vehicle commencing
a rather steep climb. Our ascent suddenly became
something of an eye-opener. Peering out of the windows
my eyes were met with glimpses of a virtually lunar
landscape, not to mention the incredible feat of highway
engineering upon which we were travelling. As we
progressed onwards and upwards the journey was
igher above sea level than the famed Swiss
alpine resort of St. Moritz, some 90 miles from
the Omani capital of Muscat, exists an unspoilt
mountainous Arabic haven of utter peace and
tranquility, which relatively few seasoned global travellers
have yet to discover. Particularly if you live and work in one
of the Gulf countries, and you haven't yet escaped the
ridiculous heat of the summer months to the Sultanate's
milder peaks, you my friends really are missing out.
In 2011, Qaboos bin Said Al Said, ruler of Oman, issued a
decree establishing Al Jabal Al Akhdar (Arabic for Green
Mountain), as a designated nature reserve. This was done
in a bid to conserve the region's unique yet fragile
biodiversity and exceptional natural beauty. The measure
effectively conferred protected status on the mountainous
swathe, popular for its dramatic massifs, plunging ravines
and temperate summertime climate. Located in the interior
of the nation, Al Jabal Al Akhdar had long been a draw for
nature lovers and tourists, attracted by its unique setting
plus locally grown grapes, pears, apricots and a variety of
other fruits. Even Prince Charles and the late Princess
Diana had sought out its breathtaking heights in 1986,
alighting from their helicopter for the best part of a day to
H

increasingly more remarkable, both for the spectacular
views and the tremendous variety of flora and fauna on
display. I was dead tired but what I observed kept me
awake. We were told that the pomegranates growing here
are amongst the finest in the world. At such a high altitude,
the villages we passed enjoyed an almost Mediterranean
climate, with orchards and fields sustained by ingenious
irrigation systems and terraces dug out to grow crops.
Some 2,000 metres above sea level, Alila Jabal Akhdar is
located in a central section of the Al Hajar Mountains in
northeastern Oman, in the epicentre of the highest range in
the Eastern Arabian Peninsula. The resort lies very much at
the end of the road by Hayl ad Diyar, perched on the edge
of a ravine overlooking a dramatic gorge. A new cave 100
metres long and 40 metres deep was recently discovered in
Hayl Al Diyar, and as soon as I stepped out of the 4WD I
realised that I was in a location of rich natural geology.
Vacationing at Alila Jabal Akhdar is most certainly not a
run-of-the-mill experience, and with just 78 suites plus
two villas, it is also a rather private and boutique affair,
which adds to the allure and exclusivity of the place. You
won't see a coach here and you certainly won't see crowds
of people either. In a world that is becoming more
connected and intense by the day, a stay at Al Jabal Al
Akhdar is a breath of fresh mountain air and imbues a real
sense of vitality in oneself.
Designed by UK-based architects Atkins, with interiors by
Thailand’s P49 Deesign, the LEED-designed green building
certified complex was constructed using local materials and
traditional techniques, inspired by ancient forts. The
resulting resort is interesting and understated, authentically
reflecting Omani history with subtle contemporary hints.
Local stone sourced on-site during the project’s excavation
clads the buildings' exterior façades, enabling the sprawling,
eco-friendly resort to blend gently and seamlessly into the
landscape without upsetting the rocky setting. This
restrained construction style is at the very heart and feel of
the hotel, rendering the entire site virtually invisible at night
when the lights are out, allowing the stars up above to truly
shine down onto the raw landscape below.
Spread out between the main building and half a dozen
low-rise clusters dotted around the grounds, guest rooms are
calm and uncluttered, with neutral tones, dark woods and
locally crafted accessories prevailing. All benefit from

spectacular vistas across the main gorge or towards the ridge.
Of the seventy-odd rooms, those with the best views are the
standard Mountain View category in the main building, and
the Jabal Terrace suites, of which there are eight featuring
large outside terraces with oodles of space to spread out.
Alila Jabal Akhdar's crowning glory (aside from the
inimitable views, of course) are two enormous private
villas, set away from the main complex, quite apart from
the rest of the resort's accommodation. Named Rummanah
and Jowz after the pomegranates and walnuts the region is
famed for, these exclusive two-bedroom villas offer plush
and spacious surroundings, each large enough for a family
or a select group of friends.
At the end of a private carriage driveway with it's own
covered parking area, behind a dramatic pair of huge
dark-wooden front doors, Villa Rummanah was to be my
home for the next four days. In a world where first
impressions tend to matter Villa Rummanah does not
disappoint. Once past the unpretentious exterior, inside the
surroundings were truly wow and it was immediately
obvious that no expense had been spared furnishing and
accessorising the massive 350m2 villa. The interior was
decorated in soft nutmeg, rich chocolate tones and dotted
with sprigs of colour, with hand-carved furniture and
individual statement pieces in abundance and original
artworks adorning the walls. The detailing was literally
everywhere, from vintage trunks and handmade woolen
rugs, to colourful woven curtains and antique coach
lanterns, and artisanal works and original artifacts. What I
especially enjoyed about the space was that everything
was on one level, with the master suite at one end of the
building and the guest bedroom at least forty metres away,
offering plenty of privacy within the villa as well as from
the outside world. In between the bedrooms were a
collection of large interconnected rooms all deferring to
walls of floor-to-ceiling windows, including a large lounge,
separate formal dining room, and a salon cum office with
enough seating for more than a dozen people, behind its
desk a impressive statement wall brimming with pots,
boxes, dishes, glassware and other objet d'art.
Out back and running the length of three rooms, was a
show-stopping infinity pool facing the gorge, with an open
untamed space of indigenous rocks and botanicals beyond.
At one end the curtains surrounding a massive double
daybed, laden with cushions and pillows, danced in the
mountain breezes. At the other end of the heated pool, a

separate jacuzzi was sunk in the flagstone terrace outside the master
bathroom. Together with a steam room and a mammoth oval bathtub
carved from one piece of pale marble (which resembled one half of a
giant ostrich egg and weighed more than two tons), the master suite
basically had its own private spa. The bathroom alone was larger
than most hotel rooms. I could see, in that instant, that I wouldn't
want to leave when the time came, such were the warmth and
usability of the place. With the exception of the kitchen door, (which
when open prevented easy access to the fridge/freezer to prepare
drinks quickly!), everything throughout Villa Rummanah functioned
beautifully, and settling-in was easy and pretty much immediate.
Subsequent days were spent lazing around the pool on
thick-mattressed teak loungers, soaking-up the sun, reading,
listening to music and gazing out across the incredible sight in front
of us, whilst sipping on wines selected from the hotel's perfectly
adequate cellar. One day we took a day-trip to a deserted Omani
village, and on the way back I picked juniper berries for my gin and
tonics than night. Evenings were spent dining privately in the villa
on exquisite cuisine prepared by the hotel's executive chef, Alex
Ensor, or feasting at the very good onsite Juniper Restaurant in the
main building. Watching movies and sitting on the terrace gazing up
at the stars also featured nightly, because staying at Alila Jabal
Akhdar felt tantamount to being told by the universe to stop for a
moment, a suggestion it was difficult to resist. After a couple of
astonishingly good nights sleep, coupled with some excellent
treatments at the in-house Asian-influenced spa, at the hands of
Balinese therapists practicing age-old traditional techniques, it was
nigh on impossible to persuade me to leave my luxe surroundings,
even for a few hours. When it was eventually the day to depart my
mountain retreat I was genuinely sad to leave, nothing having been
too much trouble throughout my stay. In my business I can honestly
say that this is something of a rarity these days.
Alila’s first Middle Eastern property successfully provides a true
escape from urban life and all its complexities. Despite a fast-moving
hospitality industry and new larger and flashier hotels opening in
the vicinity, Alila Jabal Akhdar is still unique in numerous ways that
resolutely set it apart. The beauty of this hotel lies not only in its
splendid location, but the intimacy and exclusivity of the property.
After a few days guests know many of the friendly staff, and this is
where true hospitality and the essence of Alila Jabal Akhdar shine
through. If your budget can stretch to one of the hotel's gorgeous
villas, your stay at Alila Jabal Akhdar will undoubtedly be an
experience you are unlikely to ever forget. I know I won't.
Nicholas Chrisostomou visited Alila Jabal Akhdar in October 2016
In February and March 2017 the average nightly
rate for Villa Rummanah is OMR915 plus taxes
www.alilahotels.com/jabalakhdar

PART OF A FAMILY WITH A FINE HOSPITALITY PEDIGREE, IT'S LITTLE SURPRISE
THAT SWISS-BORN HOTELIER, CHRIS FRANZEN, HAS MADE SUCH A NAME
FOR HIMSELF IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY. THE SEASONED HYATT HOTEL
OPERATOR CHATS WITH THE CULTURED TRAVELLER ABOUT HIS CAREER,
OVERSEEING MULTIPLE PROPERTIES IN TWO COUNTRIES, AND JUGGLING HIS
HECTIC SCHEDULE WITH A DEVOTED FAMILY AND TWO RESCUE DOGS
CULTUREDCHAT
CHRIS K. FRANZEN
WITH

you are doing something you enjoy and I’m definitely not in
it for the money!
Before heading off to hotel school in Australia you
qualified as a chef and sommelier in Switzerland.
How would you say that this training prepared you
for the future?
Switzerland has an almost unique apprenticeship system; I
think only Austria and Germany have similar schemes,
which basically ensure that you’re working in your chosen
profession as a chef or sommelier while being educated at
the same time. Even before I entered hotel school I had
worked for several years. Work experience combined with a
Cornell School of Hotel Administration education prepared
me extraordinarily well for my future. I have also been
fortunate to have some exceptional mentors over the years.
You held various managerial positions in different
hotels until joining Hyatt. How important was it for
you to work your way up through the ranks, and
which experiences had the most positive impact
during the early years of your working life?
You can’t replace experience with education - both are very
important. No single experience had the biggest impact on
me, but overall having been a chef was probably the
toughest though most rewarding part of my career. It helps
tremendously when you understand the challenges and
problems that your colleagues face. You’ve been in their
position and it makes problem solving that much easier. An
added bonus is that they can’t get away with anything!
What persuaded you to join Hyatt in 1999 when you
were on the verge of joining InterContinental?
I had two offers of which InterContinental’s was for a more
senior and much better paid position. But after speaking
with directors of both hotels it was clear I would take my
chances. Josef Kral, a Hyatt hospitality legend, simply said,
“You are a chef, you know how to work hard. If you are as
good as you think you are, you will have a career with
Hyatt”. The InterCon director basically offered a job and said,
“There will be no opportunity for promotion or transfer for
two years”. So Hyatt it was and I’ve never looked back since.
Which hoteliers do you most admire and why, and
did anyone in particular influence your early
hospitality career?
My Dad was the first to inspire me since he was a very
passionate host. The other two people, who still answer my
Were there any indications during your youth that
hospitality was to be your calling?
Coming from the small alpine village of Zermatt, in the heart
of the Swiss Alps, I had nothing else in mind other than to be
a hotelier. Having built a hotel in Zermatt in the middle of
the 20th
century, my grandfather and father were hoteliers.
The resort has barely 5,000 year-round residents but more
than 120 hotels, so I grew up immersed in the culture of
tourism. Visitors to Zermatt are lured by the famous
Matterhorn, of course.
The hours are long and, unless you make it to the top,
the pay is not amazing. So what persuaded you to
follow the family tradition?
Growing-up in a hospitality environment all I saw was the
glitz and glamour of the industry. Since our guests included
Audrey Hepburn, Roger Moore and Madame Cartier, hotels
had a certain attraction! Charles Bronson also stayed in our
hotel while shooting a movie in Zermatt. These were just a
few of many fabulous guests, and we still have long lasting
friendships with some who regularly visited us for decades. In
some cases we now have the second and third generation of
families returning to Zermatt each year. The long hours were
never something I thought about. Time passes easily when

biggest operation in Europe, Africa and the Middle
East. Please tell us about this experience.
Dubai was a different place in those days. There were a
handful of 5-star hotels and everyone knew each other.
There was great camaraderie in the hotel. We would not only
spend our long working hours together, but we would also
get together on our days off. In many ways even the guests
were different. There was not as much leisure tourism as
there is today and many business travellers were returning
guests who became friends over the years. As in any hotel,
we had exciting days and terrible days. Work was tough and
we worked hard but it all paid off.
After a 4-year stint at Grand Hyatt Muscat, your next
posting was Director of Rooms at Ararat Park Hyatt
Moscow in 2005. How did working in the capital of
the world's largest nation differ from the Middle East
and what did you glean from your time in Russia?
We left beautiful 30°C blue-skied Muscat and landed in cold
grey -30°C Moscow! The guest profile was completely
different, and the colleagues I worked with were mainly
Russian, whereas the work environment in Dubai was very
multicultural. We had a tremendous time in Moscow. It is a
fantastic albeit expensive city to live in, with people who
have a lot to offer, combined with a fascinating history.
You returned to the Middle East as Executive Assistant
Manager at Grand Hyatt Dubai, and then General
Manager of Grand Hyatt Muscat. Please tell us about
your years in the Omani capital?
Returning to Oman was simply a dream come true. The
Sultanate holds a very special place in my family’s hearts. The
country is simply breathtaking, with the sea, mountains and
fjord-like wadis in and around Muscat. As a passionate motor
biker I also enjoyed Oman’s beautiful mountain and coastal
scenery from the back of my BMW adventure bike. Most
importantly we treasure our Omani friends who are the more
kind and warm people. We had two 4-year postings in Oman
and our kids absolutely loved the place. They still miss it and
often ask to visit friends there. On a professional level, for me
Grand Hyatt Muscat is an Arabic hospitality gem. Its unique
architecture, superb location and variety of restaurants are
amongst my favourites of any hotel on the planet.
How would you describe your management style, and
what sets apart Chris Franzen from the thousands of
other hotel GMs around the world?
Being approachable and hands-on. I work alongside my
GROWING-UP IN A HOSPITALITY
ENVIRONMENT ALL I SAW WAS
THE GLITZ AND GLAMOUR OF
THE INDUSTRY. SINCE OUR
GUESTS INCLUDED AUDREY
HEPBURN, ROGER MOORE AND
MADAME CARTIER, HOTELS HAD
A CERTAIN ATTRACTION!
calls today when I need advice, are Josef Kral and Ashwini
Kumar. Josef was the General Manager of Hyatt Regency
Dubai. Ashwini is currently the General Manager of Park
Hyatt Jeddah, has been an invaluable mentor and I speak to
him almost daily.
Your first post for Hyatt was assistant revenue
manager followed by front office manager at Hyatt
Regency Dubai, which, back then, was the brand's

and colleagues through social media and be constantly
present. We have also moved away from traditional job
listings and changed the way we hire - producing videos of
our staff that explain roles to potential employees.
Since you took over as GM four years ago, Grand
Hyatt Doha has become a hospitality landmark in the
Qatari capital. How do you keep its service, offerings
and ethos fresh in a city where brand new five-star
hotels open regularly, and provide a unique and
memorable guest experience?
Being present, interacting with guests, evaluating and trying
out new ideas and trends. Basically listening to the needs of
guests help us to craft a unique experience and ensure we
constantly evolve in what we do, how we do it and whom
we want to touch. There was great potential when I arrived
in Qatar, since I felt we had neglected people living in Doha
and were too focused on too few elite hotel guests. We have
changed this with great success.
A year ago you were promoted to a regional role,
looking after Hyatt's properties in Oman and Qatar.
What is the difference as far as your challenges are
concerned?
As the Area Vice President for Qatar and Oman I travel a lot
more and am involved to a greater degree with our owners. I
also interact more frequently on a corporate level within Hyatt.
These are all areas I tremendously enjoy being exposed to, since
it gives me an opportunity to influence our hotels’ directions
and how we manage and improve guest and colleague
experiences. Exploring new food and beverage concepts with
my colleagues from Dubai regional office I also greatly enjoy.
When a TripAdvisor review can often make or break a
hotel's reputation, how have hoteliers adapted their
marketing and customer service strategies to
accommodate the digital deluge of today?
There is no question that this technology has fundamentally
changed the way guests book and travel. Guests are no
longer gullible and can see, differentiate and make an
educated decision as to whether a hotel will suit them or
not. Both hoteliers and travellers have grown-up and
learned to live with guest feedback via social media. We
have processes in place to collect guest feedback, analyze it
and pinpoint areas in a hotel for improvement. At the same
time we also use these tools to see where we are excelling.
We still come across guests who are unreasonable in their
teams and make swift decisions. There is nothing worse
than managers who drag out processes because they are
afraid to make decisions and take responsibility. I also enjoy
forming relationships with guests – looking after many of
them personally. At all times I always strive to add an extra
touch of personal service.
You’ve amassed a wealth of experience after two
decades in the industry. How have you seen the role
of a GM evolve over the years?
We have to be careful that we, as GMs, are not moving from
being guest centric to process driven. I sometimes feel that
we are tangled up in administrative processes that keep us
office bound instead of being visible in the hotel operation.
As we all try to keep up with the Instagram era, is the
convenience of touch-of-the-button technology
beginning to surpass millennial travellers' needs for
one-to-one interaction, or do guests still enjoy the
personal touch?
I do not believe so. On the contrary, it allows us to interact
with our guests and fans even when they are not in the
property. We can even stimulate a desire to travel if tools are
used properly. We can emotionally engage with our guests

The Cultured Traveller February 2017

The Cultured Traveller February 2017

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The Cultured Traveller February 2017