The team at Resource would like to wish all of our readers, contributors, colleagues, supporters and friends a very Happy New Year. We’re off to Thailand and Dubai for the month of January, to seek out the very best places to eat, stay and shop. Look out for our tweets and updates on our site, and we’ll see you in February with some exciting reviews, a new website (we’ve been working very hard over the last month on an exciting new project) and news from our travels.
Many thanks to our travel partners, including Emirates, Banyan Tree, The Metropolitan, Anantara, Cape Sienna, Zeavola and Jumeirah Private Island.

Our review of the excellent Hix Soho is now live. It’s where we’d be right now if we were lunching or dining in the Capital – beautifully executed classic British food washed down with a couple of coupe glasses of Champagne, naturally. Go here to read the full write-up.

Arguably one of our favourite hotel deals ever, The Metropolitan’s fabulous ‘buy a bottle of Cristal and stagger upstairs to your free hotel room’ (we’re paraphrasing here) is back.  All you have to do is order a bottle of Louis Roederer Cristal 2002 from one of the dashing members of staff and the hotel will throw in a free hotel room. You can choose to either sup your bubbles down in the perfectly-lit, ever-so-lovely Met Bar (pre-reserve a table so you can watch the world sashay by) or even take the bottle up to your free room. If a standard room’s not quite your thing, order a crate of Cristal and the much-coveted top-floor COMO suite (pictured) is all yours.
+DETAILS
This offer is available from 18th to 20th December. For further info, or to order your bottle(s) of Cristal, call:
020 7 447 1047

Haymarket-lobby

Our review of the breathtaking 50-room Haymarket Hotel in London is now live and online. Read all about it here.

SKI-Niseko

There’s not much that could put us off our annual trip to the slopes. Last year’s staff outing to Breckenridge in Colorado has whetted the apetite of even our most relunctant downhillers. Here are a few of the chalets we’d like to test out this season.

SKI-Niseko-Inside-Chaletsha

1. Higuma Chalet, Niseko, Japan
When it comes to chic, Japan is always up-to-the-minute and the Higuma chalet in Niseko is no exception. Fully self-contained, this high-end property features a gourmet kitchen, games room with home theatre system, spacious living and dining areas, a cosy fireplace, vaulted ceilings and cathedral windows. Located on the beautiful northern island of Hokkaido, which is fast becoming Asia’s winter playground, the chalet overlooks a snowy silver birch forest in the National Park. The quaint village of Hirafu, with its upmarket restaurants and bars, is just a short walk away, but we see no reason to leave. After a day in the world-acclaimed powder of Niseko, what could be better than retiring to a deluxe retreat with all the latest mod cons to rest your feet?
+DETAILS
Tel: +81 136 21 2226
ritz_carlton_1
2. Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch, Beaver Creek, Colorado
The grandiose Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch offers an unsurpassed ski-in ski-out experience, with sumptuous guest rooms and suites offering breathtaking panoramic views of The Rockies and surrounding national forest. With the Bachelor Gulch Express chairlift just a few steps away from the mountainside terrace of the resort, access to 1,625 acres of powder-white terrain on Beaver Creek Mountain couldn’t be easier. The resort’s ski concierge will store your skis and boots slope-side and will assist you with the latest ski conditions, the snow report and a helpful hand in decking you out so you can hit the slopes in style.
+DETAILS
The Bachelor Gulch Ski Package: any time between 8 and 31 January,
six nights accommodations with two five-day adult lift tickets from US$575 per night. Tel: +1 800 241 3333, www.ritzcarlton.com
016Madlein-DesignHotels
Hotel Madlein, Ischgl
From the outside, the Hotel Madlein looks deceptively like a traditional ski chalet, but step inside its Zen-like interior and it couldn’t be more chic: a light and airy space with simple clean lines, voguish furnishings and designer loft-style bedrooms featuring contemporary, original art. Along with a gym, sauna and spa, you can take a dip in the indoor pool and relax on a sun lounger admiring the spectacular view through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Relax in the tranquil Zen Garden or the Fire Room, a meditative area set around an ultra-modern open fireplace, or dance the night away in the famed Pacha nightclub. The fashionable Alpine village of Ischgl offers some of Austria’s best skiing, which you will be chauffeured to and from in a Hummer stretch limousine.
+DETAILS
Tel: +43 54444 5226
ConceptOne2
4. Concept One, Chamonix
Situated in the beautiful valley of Chamonix in France, Concept One is as unique as its name suggests. With room for ten to 12 people, the chalet is stylish and comfortable, combining glamour with escapism. A cascading icicle-style chandelier hangs in the open-plan living area, and the peaceful mood is captured through the calm white interior, deep sofas, glittering lighting, floaty
curtains and splashes of candy colour in each individually designed room. The dedicated sauna and spa room allows you to enjoy a range of relaxing massages and body treatments, while the outdoor hot tub with its spectacular views of Mont Blanc provides a tranquil spot to unwind after a day on the slopes. During your stay, six full-time staff, including a gourmet chef and two chauffeurs, will ensure your every need is catered for while you soak in the Alpine atmosphere.
+DETAILS
Tel: +44 1865 390 807
SKI-Chesa
5. Chesa Albertini, St. Moritz
Built on the bank of the River Inns in 1655, Chesa Albertini lacks for nothing when it comes to luxury. Set over 1,000 square metres, this magnificent nine-bedroom house is situated in the enchanting hamlet of La Punt, not far from the buzz of St Moritz. While many of its original features, such as wood panelling and 17th century frescoes remain, the entire house has been renovated over the past five years, adding a vast array of lavish details, including Philippe Starck bathrooms fittings. Sleeping up to 16 guests, it’s arguably more mansion than chalet, and offers a fully-equipped gym, Jacuzzi, plunge pool, sauna and gourmet meals prepared by your very own chef. After a day of husky-led sleighing, skiing or hot air ballooning, this is one the most idyllic places in the Alps to come home to.
+DETAILS
Tel: +44 207 384 3854
SKI-davos_ext_night
6. Chalet Davos, Val d’Isère
Set in the secluded hamlet of Le Crêt, Chalet Davos is one of the first and most charismatic ski lodges of Val d’Isère. The interior combines the ambience of an old stone village and traditional Alpine décor with chic design and absolute comfort. From the smooth stone fireplaces to the weathered oak floors and seasoned timbers, the veneer of cool continues through to designer bathrooms, original art and DVD plasma screens with cinema surround sound. Hand-made squashy sofas and goose-down duvets provide comfort, along with a glorious sun-drenched terrace and an outdoor sunken hot tub to soothe those aching muscles. If you become too relaxed to walk anywhere, a chauffeured 4×4 will deliver you to the village centre and pistes throughout the day.
+DETAILS
Tel: +44 8701 123 119
Riscal
7. Marqués de Riscal, Rioja
A left-field suggestion, but not too much of a stretch when you realise you’ll be basing yourself in the heart of Rioja country. The excellent Marqués de Riscal hotel, designed by Frank Gehry, is the perfect base for a week of food, snow and wine (read our review here) and is just an hour and 20-minute drive to the slopes of the ski resort of Estacion Valdezcaray – a rather intimate affair and very low key, but the skiing is great for a few days thanks to 22km of runs. And the best thing of all? After a tiring morning on the slopes, head downhill to the town of Ezcaray to Echaurran for a meal cooked by the Michelin starred chef Francis Paniegos.
+DETAILS
Hotel Marqués de Riscal, Calle Torrea 1, Elciego, Rioja
Tel: +34 945 180 880
www.starwoodhotels.com
Valdezcaray ski resort

NYCopener

Our luxe guide to New York City is now live. Click here to get inspired. Book yourself a flight and head to Manhattan for inspiring views, wallet-breaking shopping and some of the world’s finest hotels. Have a safe trip!

Haymarket2

We’ve fallen in love all over again with London. After three glorious days in the Capital, with positively balmy temperatures (well, for November), an inspiring stay in one of the city’s hottest hotel properties, and a lunch-to-remember at Hix Soho, we’ve come away convinced that London is one of the world’s most stylish, exciting cities and we’re utterly smitten. From milling around galleries and museums, to spending far too much time (and money) in Selfridge’s; from watching the world go by in Soho, to getting starstruck at the sight of a passing celebrity, we’ve immersed ourselves in the city and loved every minute of it.
Full reviews of the stunning Haymarket Hotel (its basement pool bar is pictured above) and Hix Soho (pictured below) are coming soon, along with a luxe guide to the capital.

Hix

airport

What to pack, how to get to the airport, what to wear and how to make sure your trip – whether it’s business or pleasure, or a delicious mixture of the two – is stress-free and one to remember.
As you may have guessed, we love to travel at Resource. Despite the low-cost airlines trying to take the fun out our favourite pursuit, we’re very old-fashioned in our thinking when it comes to globetrotting. Whether it’s a cheeky weekend away to the Continent or a far-flung adventure, we like to travel in style and without stress. Here are just a few of things we do before departure to make sure our journey is glamorous and trouble-free… CLICK HERE for the article in full.

Anantara

Thoughts of blue skies and blue waters are what keep us going now that the nights are drawing in and the temperature is dropping. Two of our team are preparing for a press trip to Thailand in the new year, and are hoovering up information about the country and its superlative five-star beach escapes – regaling us with tales of white, sandy beaches, still-jumping seafood and five star island luxury. Anantara are one of our favourite luxury resort destinations out east and their most remote spot, Anantara Si Kao Resort & Spa (just south of Krabi), is now offering its guests day trips to the Koh Kradan Beach Club, located on one of the most beautiful stretches of sand in the region. Take an exhilerating speedboat trip out to the 240-acre Koh Kradan island, which belongs to the Chao Mai National Park. While you’re there, as well as taking in the solitude and beauty, you can kayak and windsurf in the crystal clear waters, go snorkelling, or just indulge in delicious food cooked on-site. Lie back, let the wonderful staff cool you with chilled towels and feel the water lapping around your toes.
+DETAILS
The beach club is for the exclusive use of Anantara Si Kao guests and is available from November to April, and from May to October, weather permitting.
www.anantara.com

MarioC

100% Design is up there on our calendar of must-attend events, whether that be the event in London or Tokyo. With the London event now over, we’re looking forward to Tokyo’s turn at the end of this month. One of this year’s excellent spin-offs in London was the opening of design workshops and pop-up stores around the UK capital for the Icon Design Trail. We spent an entire afternoon, after a quick couple of glasses of Champagne on Boundary’s roof terrace, pounding the streets of Shoreditch. Offices and studios normally with their doors closed to passing punters had thrown their shutters wide, so we could go in for a good old nose: from architecture firms to design offices, from pop-up galleries, to renowned stores opening their doors to their Stateside pals. We’re petitioning to make sure that the canary yellow signs are kept permanently in place.
Tokyo’s 100% Design event takes place between 30 October and 3 November and exhibitors include Taschen Japan, Italian eco-flooring specialists Tribalia, quirky modular furniture designers Peli Design, Florence-based glassmakers Mario Cioni & C (their beautiful Harry glasses are pictured above). The event takes place, handily, at Jingu Gaien-mae in the heart of Tokyo
Tickets are available here.

Next Page »