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La Petite Ecole at Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, England: Heaven’s Kitchen

 La Petite Ecole at Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, England: Heaven’s Kitchen

No one could accuse Raymond Blanc of not being passionate. In fact he’s about the most passionate man I’ve ever met – when it comes to cooking that is, or looking after his sumptuous Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons in Oxfordshire. ‘It’s my dream, my vision, my life’, Raymond enthused to the children – and at the end of the day it was their dream too. Just south of Oxford, in a fold of low hills overlooking rich water-meadows sits the secluded fifteenth-century house, and it was love at first sight for Raymond who bought the house from Lady Cromwell in 1984. He brought in twenty-five tonnes of compost, waged a war with the rabbits, cleared the jungle of Brussels sprouts and planted the seeds given to him by his father. Lovingly restored, each of the bedrooms has a different theme inspired by a painting or statue collected by Raymond during his travels around the world. The latest of which is the Lalique room, filled with exquisite pieces of bijou modern opalescent glass. Each room poses a surprise – resulting in a homely feel with devoted individual flair.

After a scrumptious dinner on the first evening, we were allowed a sneak back-of-house preview of what was to come. Walking round the kitchen at ten o’clock, we saw two commis-chefs plucking twitching langoustine from a huge tray and twisting off their heads. Rosie (my eleven-year-old daughter) winced, wondering if she was going to have to repeat the exercise. She had nothing to worry about. The next morning, donned in chef-whites, aprons and hats, the eight boys and girls (aged between nine and sixteen) began with a tour of the herb garden. ‘It’s essential you make the connection between eating and growing food’, enthused Raymond, wafting a sprig of rosemary under their noses.

If there’s a right place to awaken gastronomic senses, this English country garden is the equivalent of tasting vintage Krug as your first sip of champagne. Every which way you turn there’s countrified perfection: a church tower; circular dovecot; Jacobean chimneys peeping over the immaculate yew hedging; row upon row of neat organic vegetables; sculptures galore and a wildflower garden brimming with cornflowers and baby poppies from Flanders. It all serves as an appetising sight of where your meals are coming from. And Raymond’s motto, if he had one, would be ‘from garden to table’ for his kitchen is as much about raw produce as culinary transformation.

‘My hotel is not a temple’, explains the fast speaking Raymond ‘I want little people to trample through and feel at home.’ Still cautious, they began to pick and smell their way through the garden, tasting here, looking there, and fingering everything from the giant spiky artichoke to the humble carrot. .While Raymond regularly pops in to check on progress and enjoyment factors, his right-hand man, course director cum child entertainer Steve Bulmer, holds the fort. Like his maestro, Steve’s enthusiasm oozes from every pore.

Heaven’s kitchen

Lesson one was not to be afraid of the kitchen – translated in this case to an egg catching game and a talk on ‘happy chickens’. As they whipped their meringues into shape, both the egg whites and the little group consolidated. Lesson two was how to mix pasta with your right hand (so you’re free to pick your nose with your left, he joked). And so it went on until they’d produced an impressive array of foccaccia, pizza, pea puree, salmon fishcakes, chocolate mousse and Raymond’s favourite childhood dessert – Maman Blanc’s floating islands.

Forget Hell’s Kitchen, this is Heaven’s Kitchen. While every second is spent educating and inspiring the junior-chefs, parents are welcome to spectate or relax in the grounds. Most come and go as they wish, as their offspring confidently absorb the simple, rewarding and creative joy of cooking.

The pot of seeded basil the young epicureans took home was really about planting something that would germinate into a growing passion for food. Passion is contagious – and cook they will. Armed with a recipe book and hotline telephone number straight to the kitchen for any emergency questions they left grudgingly. Raymond smiled at his budding prodigies, adding a final note of wisdom, ‘the family that eats together, stays together.’

Ideal Age: 8–16

Day Highlight: An interactive demonstration tasting sweet raspberry jam, acidic lemon, bitter chicory and salty crisps which showed the Children how to use their tongue and not be fooled by deceptive appearances.

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Oman: A Fantastical Arabian Adventure for all the Family

Oman: A Fantastical Arabian Adventure for all the Family

Oman represents a treasure trove of experiences for families. Let’s get children’s priorities straight; swimming does come before souks and henna before history, but with careful planning, a fun balance is easily struck. Oman is sunny, clean, has next to no crime, is exceptionally friendly and over half the population speaks English. So much of Oman is familiar to little ears; tales of Sinbad and Ali Baba, treasure souks, Aladdin and his Genie and the Queen of Sheba. Children watch camels mingle with limousines; spotting satellite dishes on ancient forts and see how the past can live hand in hand with the present.

For millennia water was the Sultanate’s most precious commodity, but when oil was discovered in the 1970s, Oman enjoyed new prosperity. Keen to protect its culture, it moved at its own pace, slower than its neighbours, taking time to observe and learn. You could be left unaware of many modernisations; the telephone exchange looks like an old fort; new buildings are built in traditional style and the government has laid over 700 kilometres of pipelines under the sea, to preserve the views. Oil brought the car industry, which in turn meant roads. At the start of the Sandhurst-trained Sultan’s  reign there were only ten kilometres of tarmac anywhere in the land; today over 10,000 kilometres of treacle smooth surfaces stretch across Qaboos bin Said’s nation. And they love him for it.

Strong traditions

Tradition still reigns strong in Omani society. It is commonplace to light frankincense and sprinkle rose water on the hands of guests in honour of their visit. Men are elegantly dressed in cool flowing white dishdasha with scented furakha or tassel and intricate filigree-worked silver khanjar hanging from the waist – purely for decoration our affable guide Hussain assured. In comparison women are predominantly dressed in black abayas and gold or indigo burkhas emphasising flamboyant eye make-up, colourful jewellery and diaphanous veils.

In a land made rich on trading there are plenty of shopping opportunities for local produce from each region. From the tenth century, dhows sailed to far reaching shores creating an Omani empire that stretched from exotic Zanzibar to the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, trading in everything from silks and spices, to warriors and slaves. Hussain knew how to hook the children’s attention as he engaged them in tales of Sinbad the Sailor and his travels in search of treasure across the globe.

Muscat’s a singularly sanitary city where you’re fined more for a dirty car than for speeding – the spotless roads are lined with whitewashed villas, manicured municipal gardens. Locals are particularly proud of their new mosque. Finished in 2001 and costing more than three hundred million dollars, its cool shiny marble exterior defies the intricate grandiosity that lies within. Home to the largest carpet in the world, an Iranian masterpiece, which took six hundred women three years to weave, not to mention the seven-tonne Swarovski crystal chandelier whose droplets radiate a golden light over the 6,000 all-male congregation – Islam is very much alive. Children over ten are allowed in but need to cover their heads with the scarves provided at the entrance. Muttrah’s fish market is a real eye-opener for children. Packed to the brim with white-robed men touting a ‘stinky’ array of giant gambas, waist high tuna and eponymous trumpet fish. The nearby souk is good for souvenir shopping and local produce such as pink rose buds, painted perfume bottles of precious frankincense, simple kunjas and cotton dishdasha (at a mere ten dollars an irresistible buy).

Dramatic and memorable

Muscat now has two luxury family-orientated hotels. The newest is the vast Shangri-La Barr al Jissah Resort, which is really three hotels rolled into one mega-resort. For families the best choice is the Al Waha section with its complex of interconnecting shallow pools where kids can let off steam to their hearts content without upsetting anyone. However, our favourite hotel was a little further down the coast. Arriving at the Al Bustan Palace Hotel at night was dramatic and memorable. It sits in an oasis between beach and mountains like a knight’s sanctuary, its opalescent dome, turrets and archways shimmering as searchlights criss-crossed the starry skies. The Chinese restaurant was particularly good and amazingly well set up for children, who decided that Chinese, eaten with chopsticks held together with elastic bands followed by novel fortune cookies, was their new favourite food.

Each day we snorkelled with the resident turtles, and, just as we despaired of seeing dolphins in the bay, we spotted three gracefully dipping and diving only metres from the shore. Al Bustan’s scenic beach is great for kids – hundreds of metres of private paradise. You literally walk the red carpet down to the shore, rolled and unrolled each day to save you from scorching your feet.

A two-hour drive from Muscat, through the dramatic Hajar Mountains, lies the fortified town of Nizwa, Oman’s old capital. Make sure you go early on a Friday morning, market day, when hectic scenes of cattle and goat trading display locals in full swing. Auction fever is everywhere.In the vegetable souk, blind men, not privy to eye-medication in the pre-oil days, handled knobbly green pumpkins, huge vats of fresh limes and mountains of coriander and garlic. Interestingly the Bedouin tribes, who spend all day working in the sun, have no eye problems due to the henna-like substance called Kyhal they paint on their faces.

After a wander around Nizwa we proceeded through the ruined village of Tanuf to Jabrin, one of hundreds of forts being restored throughout Oman. We wound our way through the lovely town of Bahla and its famous pottery factories stopping to stare at the old fort currently being renovated by UNESCO. In Jabrin we delved into a seventeenth-century castle with wonderful hideaways and painted ceilings. The children found some young Omanis to play hide and seek with, as they chased along the Falaj, the ancient irrigation system, which flows through its ramparts.

Aladdin and the Genie’s cave

Other overnight trips included four-wheel-drive Wadi bashing, camping under the stars on a hundred-metre-high wave of sand in the Wahiba Dunes in a tent made of goat’s hair; swimming in the Wadi Shab – a lush oasis of palm trees, mangos and bananas – and watching turtles hatch under a full moon. The second largest cave in the world has been discovered in Wadi Bani Jabir – the size of seven aircraft hangars – and is said to be the home of the Genie (think Aladdin). Covered in colourful stalactites and stalagmites it’s a thrilling sight.

At the other end of the country, Dhofar’s lush greenery, cascades and streams are unique in the Gulf, brought about by the hydrating Khareef monsoon. From the first to third centuries, this part of Oman was actually the wealthiest region in the world due to ancient trade in Arabian horses and pure frankincense. Situated on the coast, Salalah’s unspoiled beaches are ideal for a plethora of water sports and diving activities. Several luxury family-friendly resorts have opened along the stunning stretch of coast – and dozens more are planning to throw open their doors over the next few years. But this quiet land is wise to stay clear of pseudo tourism. Its charm lies in its subtle and rather unassumingly gentle way of introducing tourists to its natural wonders and age-old Islamic-cum-Bedouin culture, secure in the fact that once tasted it is never forgotten.

IDEAL AGE: 2–17

 

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Feather Down Farms, England: Wholesome free range fun

Feather Down Farms, England: Wholesome free range fun

The Feather Down concept is a simple one. Guests, predominantly urban couples with young children and a vaguely eco-friendly consciousness, get back to nature on a small, working farm in a ‘tented cottage’. We’re talking canvas, but with wooden floors, real beds and duvets, and even a flushing loo – although there’s no electricity or hot water. The farmer goes about his or her daily work, and guests can get involved, or enjoy the great outdoors in their own way. Being on a real working farm, the children get to go semi-feral for a while. And, for a slummy mummy, it’s fun to wear the same clothes day after day, not put on make-up – a rare break from Nappy Valley of the Dolls where immaculate mums push equally immaculate children around all day.

Manor Farm in Hampshire, run by thirtysomethings Anna and Will Brock, is the first of ten Feather Down Farms planned around the UK. Ferrying our luggage in a wheelbarrow across the field, our tent, one of five, looked worryingly primitive. But inside it had a charming Little-House-on-the-Prairie-meets-Heidi vibe. A collection of mismatched wooden chairs sits around a huge table, and the focal point is a wood-burning stove. There’s a sink, enamel crockery and glasses (no plastic here), framed photographs of cute animals straight from central casting, and a vintage toy or two. Beds are in three sleeping areas: a double room (two singles pulled together), a room with bunks and a ‘canopy bed’ – a cupboard with mattress. The latter, with hinged doors and heart-shaped cut-outs, was a huge hit with the four children in our party, who rolled around in it like puppies.

Don’t be misled Feather Down’s cutesy good looks, because a stay here is surprisingly hard work. You cook on top of a wood-burning stove that’s easy to light but takes a while to get going. It also goes out overnight. Washing up is a nightmare in the tiny sink, and nights with real darkness are a shock to urbanites. Cooking, even with the help of Anna’s Kitchen, an established business selling ready meals (we had excellent lamb tagine and beef stroganoff), took imagination.  But it’s these ‘hardships’ that make staying in a Feather Down Farm such a worthwhile experience. Basically, you’re forced to relax into a slower pace of life, because there isn’t any choice. When it takes an hour to make a cup of coffee, you appreciate drinking it all the more.

Get away from Nappy Valley

Getting into this way of thinking at the beginning is a fairly tortuous process, especially when you wake up in a freezing tent and aren’t able to flick on a radiator or have a bath. But by the end you’re more organised and try not to let the fire go out and, more importantly, you learn not to get so stressed about stupid things like the pasta taking an extra half hour to make. You also find yourself with more time on your hands, despite being busy keeping the fire stoked and endlessly hosing mud off the children.

I stayed with my sister-in-law (a first-time camper, who didn’t find even the halfway house of a Feather Down experience the most relaxing holiday of her life), her seventeen-month-old son and his three male cousins aged seven to eleven. The children loved it, they climbed on to enormous combine harvesters, were chased across a field by llama, and the little one fell face first into a dung-filled puddle (admittedly, he didn’t like that bit much). The older boys churned up fields on hired bikes. Little girls in neighbouring tents made friends with the chickens and sheep housed in a pen in front of the tents and swung on rope swings. It was good old-fashioned fun. The Feather Down Farm concept is idealistic, not necessarily for everyone, but you return looking at your electric kettle in a new way, and proud at having ‘survived’. And if survival means a real duvet, then I say carry on camping.

Ideal Age: 2–16

Top Tip: Feather Down Farms are a little too cold for comfort at the beginning and end of the season. Take thick, warm socks.

N.B: There are also farms in Somerset, Cornwall, Wiltshire, Herefordshire, Lincolnshire, Lancashire, Warwickshire and Scotland. There are five tents at each site. Accommodation is in tents sleeping up to six people

 

 

 

 

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Stuff Your Rucksack

Stuff Your Rucksack – It’s so easy to make a difference.

‘How many times have you been travelling and visited a school or community or local charity that you would love to help? The school needs books, or a map or pencils; an orphanage needs children’s clothes or toys. All things that, if only you’d known, you could have stuffed in your rucksack but once you get home you forget, or you’ve lost the address, or worry that whatever you send will be stolen before it even gets there…’ Kate Humble

What does Stuff Your Rucksack do?

If you mean the founding members of Stuff Your Rucksack (SYR), then very little. The members of SYR are either very busy with their day jobs, or in the case of BBC’s Kate Humble, never at home.

SYR is driven by travellers who take the time to give a little feedback about charities and organisations they’ve found while travelling or on holiday, or in some cases, by the organisations themselves. It’s a user-driven site where simple, but very real needs can reach a wider audience.

The idea has two facets: the first – a person who has found an organisation that needs stuff can leave the details of that organisation on the SYR website; the second – potential visitors can visit the site to find out what simple things are needed that will make a big difference.

There is some degree of vetting that goes into deciding whether to list organisations, however SYR is clearly not able to have people ‘on the ground’ in all these countries so advises travellers to use discretion and care when visiting an organisation found through their website. The site also offers a facility to allow any users to leave feedback and a picture of their visit to encourage other people.

Stuff Your Rucksack’s ethos was very much Kate Humble’s idea. Inspired by years of travelling, particularly in poorer parts of the world, she found it frustrating to visit a school that desperately needed something as simple and easy to pack as A4 lined paper. If only she had known a few days previously, she could have slipped some in her luggage. As such, it’s always been about one-to-one help. SYR offers no fulfilment service of its own and doesn’t pretend to have all the answers or to be experts in the issues surrounding global poverty. It simply wants to connect people’s needs with other people’s thoughtfulness and generosity.

Where do they reach?

SYR’s database of organisations currently covers 64 countries spread across the world. As you’d expect, most organisations are to be found in developing countries. There are a few in places you may not expect though, so wherever you’re travelling it’s worth a quick look on the site before you leave. I was able to drop some toys in at a children’s home in Sri Lanka last Christmas, literally five minutes’ walk from the city centre. Ultimately, they are hoping to have listings in every country. Wherever people travel, there is an opportunity to help the communities.

What can people do?

Anyone travelling in the near future can help by looking at the website to see what they can take. If not, then SYR asks you to keep your eyes peeled while you’re away to see if there are any organisations that future visitors can help. Sign up at SYR on your return and list the details.

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Heaven on Earth

Heaven on Earth

As long as I can remember, I’ve had a passion for travelling, which has taken me all around the world from Antarctica to Zululand, staying in everything from tents and boats to lodges and grand palaces. The question I’m most often asked is, ‘What is your favourite place?’ – rapidly followed by, ‘What is the best hotel to stay in?’ For me, the irresistible hotel is one that embodies the essence of its location, combining indigenous authenticity with individual flair and excellent personal service.

My favourite hotels are those that meet these exacting standards, and Heaven on Earth is a collection of the crème de la crème. Some of them are well-known classics; others are little gems that hardly feature in magazines or brochures. All of them are worthy ambassadors for their countries, guaranteeing an authentic and unforgettable experience. I know that finding the right holiday can often be an exasperating and arduous process, spending hours deciphering dozens of brochures, gambling which will live up to expectations. Most of us have only a few precious weeks a year to escape – which makes a reliable recommendation all the more valuable. In my quest for excellence, I have stayed at hundreds of hotels all around the world, and can assure you that Heaven on Earth will help you discover the paradise of your dreams.

Because we generally choose our holidays around what time of year we want to go, followed by which type of activity or part of the world we want to explore, it makes sense to check out the weather before you go – choose your destination around the best month to visit, thus avoiding bad weather (guaranteed to ruin any holiday) but incorporating any unmissable cultural events.

My books include chapters organised in calendar months, beginning with a hotel in one of the world’s most enchanting cities followed by at least two hotels located in areas of outstanding natural beauty. The Kids book is a collection of hotels that will keep both parents and children happy, during each of the main school holidays. No compromises have been made with adult creature comforts, while encompassing all the desires that will keep children blissfully content for days on end.

Heaven on Earth continues to be a labour of love to research and write – now with a dedicated team to book your favourite holidays – thanks to all the wonderful people I have met who give every day of their lives to making our holiday experiences memorable for all the right reasons. Where is your Heaven on Earth?

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Cape Town

The Mount Nelson Hotel, Cape Town

Dominated by the scenic wonder of Table Mountain, Cape Town has it all: long, empty, white sandy beaches, exotic botanical gardens, ancient and contemporary culture, gastronomic excellence, world-class wine and heavenly shopping. And its natural setting is breathtakingly beautiful. At the very tip of the African continent, where the warm waters of the Indian Ocean meet the chill of the Atlantic, it was justly described by Sir Francis Drake as ‘the fairest cape in the whole circumference of the earth’.

Lying at the foot of Table Mountain, but within reach of the buzzing hub of downtown, The Mount Nelson Hotel has been the key symbol of Cape hospitality since 1899. Affectionately known as the ‘Nellie’ by locals and regular patrons, this grand old lady has certainly seen some life over the years – and she’s wearing well! Originally opened to provide luxurious accommodation for passengers of the old Union and Castle shipping lines, the Nellie has lived her own tale of adventure, survival and endurance during the tumultuous events of South African – and world – history. Reputed for her elegance, luxury and service, the colonial Nellie feels like a cocktail combination of London’s Hurlingham, the Beverly Hills pink palace in Los Angeles and Nairobi’s Maithaga Club.

Resting in nine acres of mature landscaped grounds, the ‘English’ gardens are awash with the pastel colours and fragrance of roses, agapanthus, oleanders, honeysuckle and the curious Brunfelsia pauciflora – better known as the yesterday, today and tomorrow plant. Most of the 201 rooms and suites are based in the elegant main residence. The remainder are found in four architecturally significant buildings along the driveway, itself graced with giant canary palm trees, and are linked by a series of paths and sheltered courtyards.

All rooms enjoy views overlooking the magnificent gardens, with some facing the cloud-draped ‘Tablecloth’ Mountain. One of the most charming annexes is the cream-walled Edwardian Helmsley Building; a national monument today and originally built as a synagogue. Each room is named after an illustrious vessel, and the walls are chock-a-block with photographs of grand liners and military battleships – a curiously apt link between its owners, Sea Containers, and its heritage. Generously-sized suites in this wing have a refined country decor with chintzy fabrics and floral carpets in neutral cream and greens. Each suite benefits from a separate living and dining area, a walk-in dressing room and small kitchenette. The chestnut-brown marble bathrooms, liberally supplied with Ken Turner unguents, are well designed, incorporating a double vanity and separately enclosed loo and shower.

For George Bernard Shaw, who once remarked that ‘There is no love sincerer than the love of food’, Cape Town cuisine would be a gastronomic paradise. Locals evidently revel in their abundant supply of fresh produce, and healthy eating is de rigueur across the Cape. Throughout the day the Nellie has a spoiling choice of dining options, encapsulating the new food and wine culture of the country. Breakfast is best taken al fresco on the calm lavender-edged terrace of the elegant Oasis Restaurant. Overlooking the pool and gardens, you can sit back and watch the entertainment from the resident ibis, Guinea fowl and squirrels. Lunch is a lavish Mediterranean buffet in the same location after which – if you can still move – a beltbusting tea is served in the commodious flower-filled conservatory and terrace. Dinner at the chef’s table in the Cape Colony kitchen is both an education and an entertaining novelty. Recently introduced by the renowned Stephen Templeton – a leader in the field of culinary innovation – it reflects the chef’s and the hotel’s confidence to allow up to ten diners to indulge themselves with a peek behind the scenes. Stephen enthuses that, ‘Modern cuisine is not just about mixing different influences. It is more about an approach to food – the style of preparation, seasonality and freshness of ingredients.’ He believes that food must express its personality by allowing its true flavour to emerge. The influences used to enhance the principal flavour are considerable but are never too overpowering or confusing. He starts the menu with a shot glass of mango and chilli to awaken the taste buds. Then one of the dishes of the five-course extravaganza, such as an entrée of tuna pancetta, is prepared in front of you as a demonstration dish. All this against a backdrop of sous and commis chefs completing orders coming in from expectant diners in the Cape Colony Restaurant – and not a swearword to be heard all evening.

The Restaurant itself is the place for you if the heat and excitement of the kitchen are all too much – a serene oasis where the atmospheric centrepiece is an expansive trompe l’oeil landscape of Table Mountain and Devil’s Peak. Regional gourmet delights such as smoked crocodile, Karoo lamb and ostrich fillets are typical of the fine dining choices, matched with the flavours of wellendowed wines from the local Stellenbosch and Constantia wineries.

A perfect siesta spot is on one of the thickmattressed sun-loungers in a quiet corner of the luscious gardens by the main swimming pool, where you can enjoy one of the Cape’s best views of Table Mountain without straining your neck. If you’re feeling energetic, there’s a well-equipped gymnasium and two pristine floodlit tennis courts next to the drive. If not, indulge in a massage or treatment in the body care centre. The last decade has proved to be one of the most challenging periods in the country’s turbulent political history. Much of the hotel’s success today is credited to the unfailing optimism of Swiss-born managing director Nick Seewer, who has steered the Nellie through by means of a passionate hands-on management style. In his unstinting concern for guest comfort he has slept in every one of the hotel’s rooms – when vacated, he assures me – and is treasured as a benevolent father figure and mentor by staff and guests alike.

The hotel offers a huge range of excursions all within an hour’s drive, that will surely tempt you out of the gates. The most popular sightseeing trip is perhaps the romantic cable car ride up Table Mountain at sunset. High above the roar of the city, you can gaze down at the panoramic view towards Cape Point and the jutting peaks known as the Twelve Apostles.

As the fresh south-easterly breeze known as the ‘Cape Doctor’ brings in fresh sea air and blows away the old stale air, it cascades over the mountain, refreshing walkers. It is hardly surprising that this spot is celebrated as one of the world’s top ten places for marriage proposals! Down below, the vibrant Victoria and Alfred waterfront has undergone a complete facelift over the last decade. It’s been transformed from industrial dockland to the leisure heart of the city, buzzing with shops, restaurants, museums and an aquarium.

Wine-lovers shouldn’t miss a tour of Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschhoek and Constantia with their ubiquitous vineyards. Interestingly, today’s grape cultivars are leaning towards fresher and lighter Sauvignon Blancs and spicy Gewürztraminers. Combining a trip with a delicious lunch in one of the stunning Dutch Cape homes such as Lars Maack’s Buitenverwachtching – appropriately translated as ‘beyond expectations’ – makes for a truly heavenly experience. Artists will be happy to know that Dr Shirley Sherwood, wife of the Chairman of Orient- Express Hotels, recognised for her worldrenowned botanical art collection, has organised a special course of botanical and flower painting master classes in the hotel, with visits to nearby Kirstenbosch gardens.

The Nellie will always hold a little extra affection in my memories, as it was here that I watched and then toasted the triumphant English rugby team on that sunny November day in 2003. The chivalrous support from the native Springbok crowd in the champagne bar was a boon to every nail-biting England supporter who agonised throughout the match.

When to Go?

January is midsummer in Cape Town and brings with it long hot days and balmy evenings. The New Year starts with a parade through the city centre on 2 January (an informal public holiday) known as the Kaapse Klopse or Minstrels Carnival. There are dozens of food, wine and flower festivals throughout the summer, and the popular open-air Maynardville Shakespeare Season held in Maynardville Park. The Jazz Festival is held in the middle of the month down on the waterfront, which also sees the start of the Cape to Rio Yacht Race – all in all, a busy month with something to suit everyone.

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How green is your holiday?

How green is your holiday?

 

Before I started researching Heaven on Earth GREEN, I had a limited idea about what eco-friendly meant when it came to tourism. I was familiar with certain practices at home, like recycling our used plastic, glass and paper and was already using low energy light bulbs and eco-tricity. I walked to the shops when I could and generally avoided unnecessary car journeys. Other than that, it didn’t really affect my life and it certainly didn’t occur to me to investigate a hotel’s green policy.

 

Since then, the issues around global warming and, in particular, CO2 emissions, have amassed and are rarely out of our daily news bulletins. We are all aware of what is happening but in many respects feel we have little control over what we can actually do.

 

I was shocked to find out that deforestation accounts for 24 per cent of CO2 emissions and … aviation, by comparison, counts for 3 per cent. I believe that travel, and flying in particular, has been made a scapegoat in this debate and that we should be looking at other issues more critically. In a global world, flying is often the only way to reach far-flung corners of the Earth – many of which depend on tourism as their primary source of income.

 

It seems it’s all about going back to traditional standards and good old-fashioned common sense. When I was growing up in the 1970s it was common practice to finish everything on my plate (‘think of those starving people’), close a door (‘were you born in a barn?’), turn out a light when leaving a room and be expected to look after my belongings, which were meant to last a lifetime. The extremes of disposable living in the late 1980s and 1990s subliminally rankled with my conscience – I knew it wasn’t right to ‘chuck it out’ the moment it no longer held a use but I, like everyone else, was a child of our time and soon got used to convenient plastic bags, perfect looking fruit and vegetables, a new phone every time I renewed my mobile contract and began to take it all for granted.

 

But taking everything for granted is something we can no longer do with the Earth – icebergs are melting, the air is polluted and the unhealthy balance we triggered a quarter of century ago has now tipped the balance.

 

So should we carry on travelling? The answer in short is yes. But sensitively. Much of the tourism industry offers exemplary examples of responsible living. Being in the limelight has meant that no stone has been left unturned and hotels around the world are doing their bit to neutralise their carbon footprint and to offer sustainable tourism that benefits the community and protects the environment.

 

Green is about recognising that buildings should be built to last, ideally made from locally sourced materials, fitting in sympathetically with their surroundings. Wind, sun and hydro are incredible, natural sources of energy – clean, renewable and free of pollutants. The best food is always the local produce that has come fresh from field, river or sea to plate in under a day, that doesn’t need wrapping in cellophane to preserve or enhance. Combine this with sharing time with indigenous people who know their country best and you are on to a winner.

 

So should we travel? I repeat, yes. It’s innate in our psyche to find out how others live and what their landscape looks like. It helps us to grow. It gives us understanding and the desire to preserve ways of life that are centuries old. Heaven on Earth Green is a book about the world’s best eco tourism, ranging from conventional hotels that have taken environmental concerns on board, to inspirational outdoor adventures that leave no trace.

 

It includes everything from urban stalwarts of hospitality to unknown rural gems. Whether it’s city, beach, mountain, skiing, safari, camping, pampering, sailing, or adventure – we have personally vetted each of our favourite eco places from all over the world.

 

I hope you’ll be empowered by the choice of green experiences. Every chapter features a menu of evironmentally friendly activities inimitable to each destination. I also hope you’ll take time to find a computer and log onto stuffyourrucksack before you travel and see where you can make a difference.

 

Enjoy your travelling, but remember to give something back and to be grateful for the opportunity. How green is your holiday?

Categories
Blog

Cancun Food and Wine Festival 2014

Cancun Food and Wine Festival 2014 promises satisfaction for gourmets

I was unsure about what to expect from my first visit to Mexico and had preconceived images of Cancun – all incorrect as it turns out. It’s fresh, airy, spacious and fun. Locals are sophisticated, helpful and ever friendly. In its own way it’s like a mini Miami and an ideal location for Mexico’s most prestigious Food and Wine Festival – with over 25 foodie events spanning four days hosted by a line-up of some 33 celebrity chefs from around the world accompanied by 50 wine and spirit producers. Guests indulge in interactive wine seminars, tastings, cooking demonstrations, and partying at the American Express Gourmet Tasting Village.

The festival was the brain-child of Canadian entrepreneur David Amar, president and founder of what he hopes will become the best food and wine festival in Latin America.  After experiencing food events, in Miami’s South Beach and Aspen, Amar declared Cancun’s pairing of delicious local produce and stunning location a no brainer.

The festival’s front runner featured Massimo Bottura, an Italian chef who owns the San Pellegrino’s Top 50 Award winner Osteria Francescana in Modena. Bottura broke all taboos, and spoke about his desire to modernise Italian cuisine, simply because it makes sense. While traditionalists find this idea an abomination, more open minded contemporaries welcome his passion to move on from outdated culinary methods.

Cancun’s pick of the bunch for dining out include: Le Chique, which specialises in molecular gastronomy skilfully fusing flavours into something unexpected and delicious; Paradisus Tempo, where the six star Michelin chef Martin Berasategui has brought his world-renowned cooking to Cancun with a retro-glamorous vibe perfect for long dinners; and Le Basilic offering a cultural dining experience featuring art coming to life with the works of Mexican artist Leon Alva created against the backdrop of live jazz and French Mediterranean styled cuisine created by Chef Henri Charvet.

Indeed the whole of the Mayan Riviera is rich in both produce and culture.  Endless sandy beaches and azure waters teaming with tropical fish attract visitors from around the world. When you’re not thinking about your stomach there’s some of the best scuba in the world on your doorstep, the ancient Mayan sites of Coba, Tulum and Chichen Itza, and local markets chocabloc with Mexican arts and crafts.

2014’s Festival, will pair The Americas with a tribute to France including Montreal’s star Normand Laprise along with New York’s Daniel Boulud. A melange of Mexican, Canadian and French master-chefs promise taste tingling extravaganzas. See you there.

13-16 March 2014 Cancun Food Festival hosted at Secrets The Vine

For further information on Cancun and its environs click here or contact us to arrange your travel to the festival.

 

 

Categories
Blog Travelling with Kids

Travelling with Kids – How best to Travel with Kids

From Heaven on Earth: KIDS by Sarah Siese

My rule of thumb when travelling with Kids is that ‘getting there’ is far harder than ‘being there’. The more thought I have put into how to travel with my three in tow – often an equation between the age of the child and the distance to travel – the easier the holiday has been. As babies, my twins flew on our laps across Europe to Greece without a sound. At two years old, I would strap them into a familiar car seat and drive them across the Continent to avoid departure lounges. When toddlers, with airlines insisting on keeping everyone in their seats at all times and making legroom a thing of a past, a trip on Eurostar – during which a walk up and down the corridor would keep the children happier that being told to belt up at the back – always proved to be a better bet.

To help you prepare for the necessary evil of taking the tribe across the globe, we have compiled the following list of dos and don’ts. The list begins with the not-so-obvious suggestion of talking to the customer services department of your chosen airline before flying out. Without you knowing it, many airlines and tour operators do offer families special provision to pre-book seats together, or – in the case of BA for example – to order a healthy child’s meal online, or book one of their special Britax child seats on board. When The Times undertook two comprehensive surveys to rate twelve airlines on how they catered for families, the ratings included everything from charges for infants, pre-bookable seats, provision of cots and bassinets, along with nappies, formula milk, baby food, bottled water and beakers and bottles in emergency situations. Airlines were also graded on what entertainment and entertainment packs were offered to make the flight as hassle-free as possible for parents. As someone who has experienced the horror of boarding a plane to find the baby change bag had been left on the back seat of the car, I would argue that paying a little extra for a decent airline is worth its weight in nappy bags.

Finally, what rings true for a mother of a baby, will not necessarily register on the Richter scale for a mother with a pre-schooler. For this reason, we have divided up the list of dos and don’ts to cover the most difficult ages. After the age of six, when the wonderful world of books, Game Boys, iPods and in-car/flight entertainment kick in, you are on your own – free to open a book and read yourself, perhaps for the first time that year.

From hard experience, it is also better to travel pessimistically than optimistically. Having suffered a delay on a trip to Spain on my own with a bored eighteen-month-old son who seemed intent on clearing the bottles and packets from the bottom shelf of Boots and diving into the Disney store’s pile of Pooh Bears, I later became obsessed with checking what airport authorities provided in the way of a ‘family’ area once parents had checked in. Copenhagen airport, for example, has a fabulous replica of an airplane with peekaboo windows, a slide down the back and endless tables of Lego for small children to play on. Some terminals in Heathrow, however, have nothing but shops and won’t even let you sit at the oyster bar for a restorative glass of wine with a child if you have a child in tow.

Again, preparation can be the key. A quick look at the Internet, or a call to the airport before you book might make you choose a regional airport over Gatwick or Heathrow because with little ones, size does matter. Little things please little minds, and when it comes to travelling with kids, bigger is not always better.

Dos and Don’ts

Babies – up to eight months

Dos

  • Do check with the customer services of the airline to find out what provision is made for families with babies. For example, whether you can take a pushchair to the boarding gate, where they are checked into the hold and reclaimed at the other end, either at the aircraft door (ideal) or the carousel (not so ideal). Regulations vary between different airports and airlines.
  • Do request bulkhead seats if your child is under two, where the cot/child seat is attached after take-off. These seats are often near the loo, and also offer a little more legroom.
  • Do take all baby essentials as hand luggage – you may get delayed taking off.
  • Do take a wet flannel in a plastic bag as well as wipes. Babies hate the taste of chemicals on their fingers.
  • Do feed your baby on take-off and landing to stop discomfort as the cabin pressure changes.
  • Do offer frequent feeds, including water, because flying is an especially dehydrating experience for an infant.

Don’ts

  • Don’t forget to take a change of clothes, as well as nappies and wipes. The law of gravity demands that the cup of water will find its way down the baby’s front.
  • Don’t forget to take the food your baby is used to, and ask for it to be warmed. Many airlines do not carry baby food, and on board is not the place to acquaint your baby with new tastes.
  • Don’t plan for your baby to sleep throughout the journey. Even if the baby does sleep, if there is any turbulence, the cabin crew will disturb them so that their seatbelt can be attached, according to regulations.
  • Don’t forget to take your baby’s favourite teddy. Airlines do provide sheets and blankets for cots but the familiarity of a teddy can make the difference between sleep or no sleep.

Infants – aged between nine months and two years

This is the most challenging age, when children are crawling, walking, demanding constant entertainment, and the rest of the passengers tend to scowl rather than coo over your little angels.

Dos

  • Do book airline seats well in advance so you can all sit together, and order children’s meals at the same time.
  • Do take a supply of healthy snacks (rather than sweet ones, which will result in the inevitable sugar rush) such as raisins, bread sticks and rice cakes. Just the conjuror’s trick of pulling something new out of the bag will be a distraction for a few minutes.
  • Do take reins for toddlers. It is often a long walk from the aircraft through passport control to the carousel, and reins can keep a toddler upright.
  • Do ask if the swimming pool (if there is one) is attended full-time.

Don’ts

  • Don’t forget that although children under two pay ten per cent of the adult fare, they are often provided with no food and no baggage allowance, so check ahead about weight allowance and number of bags admitted. Some airlines, such as BA, do offer twenty-three kilos of luggage allowance for under twos.
  • Don’t take overnight flights if you can possibly avoid it. Children without the familiar routine of bedtime often do not sleep at all, so neither will you.
  • Don’t be tempted to drug your child with Piriton or Vallergan (over-the-counter and prescription antihistamines sometimes prescribed by doctors for jetlag), unless you are able to try out the medication before flying. It can result in hyperactivity (as my twelve-hour flight to America with a lively four-year-old proved). Camomile tea, on the other hand, is harmless and may bring on sleep.
  • Don’t put off the trip to the loo until landing. Just before descent is normally the ideal time, and prevents a crisis in the long wait to disembark.

Up to the age of six

Children at this age usually love the excitement of flying, the main problem is stopping them watching videos for ten hours non-stop often washed down with the unlimited fizzy drinks that come free from the trolley.

Dos

  • Do put a bracelet tag on your child with your mobile phone number if they are prone to running away in crowds.
  • Do get your children to pack a small backpack with Lego, magazines, colouring pencils to carry on board. Ask ahead whether entertainment packs are offered.
  • Do buy one new thing to do with the child as a treat to save for a fractious moment, a new book to read together or a game of travel Scrabble.
  • Do remember to take blindfolds if your child will only sleep in the pitch black

Don’ts

  • Don’t forget to have some boiled sweets in your bag to help ears pop on the final descent.
  • Don’t forget to ask at check-in whether you can sit with other families. The best entertainment can be a like-minded child with new magazines and toys in their backpack, and thankful parents looking for respite.

Kids’ Clubs

There are no universal regulations for kids clubs in hotels so standards do vary depending on your destination and your hotel. Clubs should offer a safe and stimulating play environment and provide activities that appeal to and inspire children, regardless of the length or frequency of their visits. If they are biased towards the local area, so much the better.

The following checklist is not a comprehensive tick-the-box guide, but should give you enough basic information to assess the club’s suitability depending on the age of your children.

Checklist

  • How safe is the environment? Gleneagles, for example, has an ingenious tagging system, like a clothing security device, for keeping track of children.
  • How engaging is it for children? Do they offer a daily timetable of activities
  • How well managed is the service? What is the ratio of staff to children?
  • How cheerful, kind and patient are the staff? Ask to meet a couple.
  • Parents should feel welcome to stay with their children if they want to, especially at mealtimes.
  • Location, location, location: is the club bright and airy or tucked away in a dead-end zone, dark and uninviting?
  • What are the resources like? Are staff able to use other areas of the hotel e.g. the ballroom, or the grounds, access to fresh air should be a pre-requisite. It’s no holiday for the child if they are confined to some chilled air-con zone or pen.

The clubs should comply with all relevant legislation, including the screening of PlayStation games, administration of medication, infection control, accident and fire procedures and very comprehensive written risk assessments, all of which you are entitled to enquire about if you have any concerns.

Staff should also be suitably trained in first aid, anaphylaxis and have EpiPen training.

Healthy drinks and snacks should be available throughout the day as part of promoting a healthy lifestyle and avoiding dehydration, and you should be asked whether your child has any special dietary requirements or nut allergies.

Staff should interact enthusiastically and purposefully with children in play activities building their confidence and self-esteem. You should expect an appropriate balance between activities children can choose for themselves and those inspired by adults, which will enable them to plan, negotiate, take decisions and be independent.

Activities

A constantly changing theme in the kids clubs renews energy for both staff and children. Although the focus is on fun and relaxation rather than learning, activities in a seaside location, for example, should always feature the local wildlife to show thought has gone into the structure of the day.

Often kids clubs’ activities are divided into different age groups, but there should be flexibility for the age groups to interact, or for siblings to stay together if they want.

Examples of Activities at the Best Clubs

  • Outdoor activities, such as dog walking at Fairmont Waterfront in Vancouver
  • Bird watching, such as at Hell Bay in the Scillies
  • A well equipped club with have a huge number of props for imaginative play such as dressing-up, a grocery shop, a playhouse with dolls, Brio train set, castles and farmyards, dolls house, ethnic dolls, board games like snakes and ladders, such as at Gleneagles
  • Artistic play: T-shirt painting, painting art for the walls, mask making, such as Reethi Rah
  • Indigenous crafts, such as weaving with local Rastafarians at Round Hill, Jamaica

In the twenty-first century it is becoming increasingly commonplace for children to be an inclusive part of guest hospitality. Although you don’t expect to see signs saying, ‘Only well behaved children are welcome’, it is important to remember to be considerate to other guests who may not have little ones in tow.

Click here for guidance on foreign travel insurance

Click here on what you need to do when entering or returning to the UK.

Holiday: Heaven on Earth
12 West End Road
Mortimer
Berkshire
RG7 3SY