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HOTELCoutureThere are very few hotels which tick every box; for sleeping, shopping, spa-

going and sunbathing in ultimate style, test out one of these über-fashionable addresses. ANGELINA VILLA-CLARKE steps into their exceptional worlds,

created by world-renowned designers and housing talk-of-the-town restaurants, jaw-dropping rooms and chic in-house boutiques

Hotel ByblosHotel Lone

Delano HotelCapella Pedregal

Long Beach

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When it comes to unforgettable hotel entrances, Capella Pedregal wins hands down. Boasting a tunnel 300 metres long, carved through a mountain and illuminated by twinkling lights, guests emerge to find themselves in a stunning private retreat, away from the paparazzi’s prying lenses and overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Because of Cabo San Lucas’s close proximity to LA and its spectacular natural beauty – think pristine beaches, desert landscape and rugged mountains – this is the location of choice for many Hollywood A-listers. Jessica Alba, Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox and Gwyneth Paltrow all regularly settle down here, so it’s not surprising, then, given this starry clientele, that the offering is other-worldly. In fact, there’s an in-house astronomer in case anyone feels the need to discuss the stars (and not those found on screen). All guests have their own personal assistant, who is at their beck and call during their stay, as well as a personalised food journal, in which one can record each gastronomic experience.

Rooms are Mexican chic and utterly gorgeous; terracotta hues, rustic tiles and sleek wall-mounted fires combine to impressive effect. Traditional Mexican pieces are dotted around and if you like what you see, you can purchase many of them in the Capella store. A high-end boutique, it stocks luxury homeware, much of which was originally sourced for the hotel. The highlight, though, is the huge plunge pool found in each room (some with more than one) with picture windows offering a stunning vista over the ocean. Each room comes complete with

CAPELLA PEDREGAL, CABO SAN LUCAS, BAJA CALIFORNIA

One of the original trendsetting hotels, Hotel Byblos was first opened in 1967 and instantly attracted a jet-set crowd. Let’s face it; when Mick Jagger chooses somewhere as his wedding location – he married Bianca there in 1971 – they must know they’ve got something right. Purchased by the innovative Groupe Floriat in the 1980s, the hotel then doubled in size and, most importantly, has continued to keep one step ahead with what’s in vogue on the hotel scene.

These days the 97-room resort is still the epicentre of the Côte D’Azur’s summer party scene. Its glamorous devotees practically set up camp from April to October in the infamous Les Caves du Roy nightclub, in which George Clooney, Jack Nicholson and Beyoncé have all been known to throw some shapes. It’s a more sedate crowd that flocks to Alain Ducasse’s restaurant, Spoon By Byblos, but there’s still a buzz to be found in its plane-tree-shaded garden nonetheless. Here, you’ll see the beautiful ones tucking into Ducasse’s wonderful modern take on Provençal dishes: think sea bass with local artichokes and shellfish ravioli in a spicy tomato syrup.

Ironically, perhaps, Hotel Byblos was originally designed to emulate a simple Mediterranean village, charmingly rustic on the outside, with red and yellow stucco buildings surrounded by olive trees and eye-popping bougainvillea.

As you might expect, though, inside, attention to detail is second to none. Each of the rooms has been individually designed by Mireille Chevanne, the mother of the CEO of Groupe Floriat. No two rooms are the same, although most are light-flooded and spacious, with brightly coloured textiles, antiques and huge tubs. If you’re looking to make a statement, book the exclusive Riviera Suite, which was revamped in time for this summer.

Home to the first Sisley Spa, guests can also enjoy such gems (literally) as the Anti-Aging Hydrating Treatment, which uses malachite stones, said to help water circulation in the skin, leaving you radiant. Speaking of which, you couldn’t cater for the radiant crowd on this stretch of coastline without offering retail therapy and here Hotel Byblos comes into its own. Forget the humble hotel boutique; there’s a mini arcade of shops, featuring the Byblos Boutique that offers one-off collaborations with top-end brands.

New for this year; exclusive Champagne by Cristal, limited edition pens by Montblanc and specially designed luggage by Pinel&Pinel and Jaeger-LeCoultre. It doesn’t get more Byblos than that.

www.groupe-floriat.com

HOTEL BYBLOS ST. TROPEZ

binoculars so you can spot the passing humpback whales from the comfort of your tub.

The starry offering continues at the Auriga Apa. It’s designed around a pool so guests can swim to their treatments rooms, if they so wish (walking is so last year). Treatments include the Lunar session, based around the moon’s cycle, and a unique ancient, traditional healing with a Curandera (a Mexican folk healer). No doubt appealing to a New Age clientele is the suitably wacky Light of Sound Therapy, which uses chimes and the stimulation of acupressure points to promote positivity. Meanwhile, an A-list fitness trainer is on hand in case you overdo it at one of the three restaurants.

The highlight of these is El Farallon, an alfresco seafood restaurant built into the cliffs, offering picture-perfect panoramic views. However, culinary offerings also stretch to tequila tastings, organic farm tours (during which you can choose your ingredients for your evening meal) and authentic Mexican cuisine at the casual Su Cocina. It’s simply out of this world.

www.capellahotels.com/cabosanlucas

All Hotel Byblos Photography: Marcel Jolibois

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DELANO HOTEL SOUTH BEACH, MIAMI

Mauritius is known for its ultra-luxurious beach resorts and if you want an exotic idyll, this is the place to come. But, until the opening of Long Beach last year, many of these boltholes were largely of the same ilk – a ‘tropical’ design ethos, the prerequisite seafood restaurant and vaguely chintzy interiors. Long Beach, on the east coast of the island, has changed all that with a nod to more of an urban style.

Developed by Sun Resorts (the name behind the other stand-out addresses on the island – namely, Sugar Beach, Le Tousserok and La Pirogue), it aims to bring a new vision of contemporary chic to the popular holiday destination. The resort is centered around a European style piazza, with shops, bars and restaurants – perfect for an evening of people watching, while the 255 rooms are arranged in crescents, each with a sea view and their own section of beach. Architecture is unfussy and clean and interiors have a cool, retro 1950s feel with a fruity colour scheme – lime greens, tangerines, strawberry reds and melon yellows. Huge king-sized beds, WiFi, LCD flat screen TVs and spacious bathrooms offer the luxe factor while pretty lighting, fashionable furniture and well-thought out deck areas give a restrained elegance to the surroundings.

There’s an inventive approach to dining, too – with five different restaurants, ranging from casual Chinese at Chopsticks to fine cuisine, Japanese style, at Hasu. Le Marche has a theatrical approach to cooking with seven open kitchens and an inventive European menu while Italian eaterie I Sapori, with its sacks of flours, braids of garlic and baskets of fresh produce, could have been airlifted from a street in Bologna. Shopping also doesn’t stop at one offering with a beach boutique, jewellery store and a cute handicraft outlet with handmade items sourced from the local villages.

One thing that Mauritius is renowned for is its plethora of superb spas and the Equa Spa meets its competition head on with an intelligent approach to pampering. Destination treatments are developed around Thali’Sens – in which each two-hour session is made up of exfoliation or a body wrap (or both) and a massage. The outdoor spa pavilion overlooks the lagoon while inside the hammam is the best place to lose yourself for a while. It’s the perfect find.

www.longbeachmauritius.com

Competition is fierce in this city when it comes to trendy destination hotels but top of the list is the Delano Hotel South Beach, owned by the ultra-cool Morgans Group, and revamped earlier this year. The scene is set the minute you arrive and don your shades – they are a prerequisite here, not least because of Philippe Starck’s startling white-on-white interiors. Just be careful not to knock into any of the designer’s collection of art and furniture, from the likes of Antonio Gaudi, Man Ray, Salvador Dali and Mark Newson, strategically placed throughout the hotel.

With a sleek, urban appeal – public areas have a cute village-like feel – there is almost no separation between outdoor and indoor spaces. Witty touches include the Orchard, an outdoor salon filled with whimsical vignettes, including an antique daybed, an oversized chessboard and a pool that has chairs and tables planted in it. The whole

Sure to put Croatia on the map with the fashion cognoscenti, this sleek minimalist showboat, part of Design Hotels™, on the outskirts of the picturesque Mediterranean town of Rovinj, was built to resemble a white ocean liner floating along the coastline and it doesn’t disappoint.

Surrounded by an ancient forest, Hotel Lone’s natural location makes its futuristic Y-shaped architecture even more dramatic. While at first the design concept seems to nod towards an urban palette, with bespoke furnishings from the likes of Patricia Urquiola, Richard

LONG BEACH MAURITIUS

HOTEL LONE, CROATIA

effect is of a surreal stage set. In fact, the Delano must have one of the most iconic pools in the world, surrounded by towering palm trees and exquisitely styled day beds. Factor in direct access to the beach and the famous rooftop Agua spa (offering state-of-the-art SJAL treatments) and you have possibly the most stylish coastal retreat on the planet.

The Delano’s heart truly belongs, though, to the night. From the signature Italian restaurant Bianco (you guessed it; all white) and the subterranean bar FDR at Delano to communal dining at Umi Sushi and Sake Bar and the glam Rose Bar, with upholstered pink walls and Venetian chandeliers, this place is positively sizzling after-hours.

And hotel shopping? It doesn’t get any cooler than at Delano’s. It’s in-house shop Base World is a destination in itself, offering cutting-edge music, cult fragrances, hip jewellery, art, magazines and much, much more. Want to be in with the in-crowd? Then this is the place to be.

www.delano-hotel.com

Schultz and David Rowland, you realise that inspiration has in fact been taken from the area’s unique natural landscape. Large mirrors are hung at intervals to reflect forest greenery and brilliant ocean light into the public spaces. The airy lobby has creamy stone floors, sandy yellow furnishings and a bold leaf mural – to bring to mind the nearby beaches.

Rooms continue this theme – especially those on the first floor. Sunken spa baths are found on terraces edged by a shallow infinity pool that runs the length of the hotel. Bathrooms are connected to bedrooms by glass walls, allowing swathes of light to flood in, and corian, oak and terrazzo are used to give a pared-back yet luxurious feel. The mood is echoed in the spa, where natural tones of wood, stone, water and gold create the ultimate getaway and sunken rooms offer ocean-like hydrotherapy beds.

When it comes to dining, there’s traditional Croatian food at Restaurant L, contemporary dishes at ON and seafood and sushi at Bar E. The piece de resistance, though, is the concept store Prostor, dedicated to Croatian design. The huge shop offers designer clothes from up and coming Croatian designers, such as Madame Demode, design toys from Antiforms by Ivan Levak, contemporary art, jewellery and home accessories. It’s priceless.

www.designhotels.com

All Hotel Lone Images courtesy of Design Hotels™