&Beyond Phinda – South African Private Game Reserve

Posted on April 28, 2015 by Catherine Whitworth

View from the deck of &Beyond Phinda Vlei Lodge
Phinda Vlei cottage
&Beyond Phinda’s private game reserve measures 56,800 acres. It has 7 different habitats, and 6 vastly different lodges: Vlei, Forest, and Homestead on the upper part of the property and Zuka, Rock and Mountain in the more mountainous, western part of the reserve Phinda is know for it’s abundant wildlife- especially their pride of Lion and coalition of Cheetah.
What I recognized immediately was the heartfelt care of the staff. Katherine, Grateful, Happiness, Madu, Baby Jake, Mr M, France, and Essence embody what makes African service unforgettable. They mean it from their heart.

Phinda Lion

Travel is more than a destination in mind…

Posted on April 27, 2015 by Catherine Whitworth

It is discovering a place in your heart you’ve never been before.
Anon.

Four Seasons Westcliff – Johannesburg South Africa

Posted on April 25, 2015 by Catherine Whitworth

Brand new pool at the Four Seasons Joberg

Fabulous new rooftop bar.

Four Seasons fans will not be disappointed with the newly renovated Four Seasons Johannesburg, formerly the Orient Express Westcliff. 20-30 minutes from OR Tambo international airport, the Four Seasons displayed it’s usual outstanding service. I can attest to that personally. After coming off safari with “safari” hair, I emailed to see if I could get a simple wash and blow dry. The Spa manager, Julanda Marais responded by arranging for a beautician to come to my room! That was with one day’s notice!
Offering a spectacular new spa, five outstanding new restaurants, bars and lounges – the View restaurant opening with 1 Michelin star- the Four Seasons has a fun and lively buzz.

Usual Four Seasons Fab Flowers

Tswalu Kalahari -South Africa

Posted on April 24, 2015 by Catherine Whitworth

Top notch guide Warren and out tracker, Jackson

Top notch guide Warren and our tracker, Jackson

A few of the details that make Tswalu Kalahari so special are the shuttle flights: private jets like the Pilatus PC-12, the lounge for your transfer -Fireblade – is in a class all it’s own with day rooms a massage therapist, and private chef on call. Offering a small number of cottages on property, the resort suits both families and honeymooners. Most especially the best offering is the private vehicle , guide and tracker for each set of guests. If you booked singly or came with 4 friends, you get you own land rover, guide and tracker. That is the height of luxury on safari! They dedicate up to 9 vehicles, guides and trackers for their guests. The reserve is so large, you never seem to see more than one other vehicle when one is out on a game drive. Our guide, Warren, knew that reserve like the back of his hand. He even found a pack of wild dogs in a impossible to find location!! Wild dogs!! What a thrill!!! My first sighting in all my years of safari tracking.
Guides and trackers focus on what a guest wants to see, ie birds or predators- or both!! You see it all!!!

ultimate luxury – private vehicle, guide and tracker

Tswalu Kalahari – Motse Lodge

Posted on April 20, 2015 by Catherine Whitworth

Part of the villa – Motse Lodge , Tswalu

Tswalu Kalahari – Malaria Free Zone

Posted on April 20, 2015 by Catherine Whitworth

Lodge image courtesy of Tswalu Kalahari

My first safari experience this trip was to Tswalu Kalahari. The Kalahari is a desert, so I was amazed at the lush greeness of the preserve. The property encompasses 250,000 acres, yes I said 250,000 acres. The largest property I have ever seen, and vistas are stunning. Chosen as a National Geographic Unique safari lodge, Tswalu’s capacity is 30 people. Prime game viewing is black mane lion, meerkats, wild dog, giraffe, sable, oryx, giraffe. Owned by the Oppenheimer family, Tsawlu is dedicated to conservation. They use their own private planes so the experience starts with a bang. They offer the usual car and driver and also horseback. Formerly a Relais & Chateau the food is a cut above.

Unspoiled luxury!!

My transfer to Tswalu- awesome

Posted on April 16, 2015 by Catherine Whitworth

The iconic Mount Nelson Hotel- Cape Town

I stayed in the Mount Nelson and the Cape Grace, both fabulous properties where personal service is top notch.

ILTM Africa – a huge success!

Posted on April 16, 2015 by Catherine Whitworth

Cape Town

Table Mountain -Cape Town South Africa

I visited Cape Town to attend the International Luxury Travel Market. Meeting with suppliers from the best hotels, safari camps, African resorts, tour companies, ground operators, flight companies from all over Africa gave me the opportunity to establish continued connections and find out about new exciting properties. Some of the highlights for me were Mount Rochelle, recently opened by Richard Branson near Franschoek (the wine lands), Grand Dedale- another beautiful bed & breakfast in the wine lands, Residence in Zanzibar, African Elite properties ( privately owned villas that are a cut above), Residence on the Rocks in the Seycelles. The most exciting new camp is Angama Mara, a new safari lodge being built on the edge of Africa’s Rift Valley and overlooking Kenya’s Maasai Mara. Set to open in a few months, this camp will be a must experience! Can’t wait to go!!
Another exciting opening is Royal Portfolio’s fabulous new hotel in Cape Town : the Silo. A completely new build. The Silo hotel will occupy an old Silo on the waterfront. The lower floors will house the new African Contemporary Art museum. The mock ups of the rooms and public areas are spectacular. All glass, the views will be unforgettable.
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Day 4 Hike Atacama Luna Valley – best one!

Posted on March 17, 2015 by Catherine Whitworth

Towering sand dunes and a straight up ascent. A 5K hike with stunning panoramic vistas that seemed to go forever. The best hike of all. Ending with a slide down a 200 foot dune

A gentle start that took a sharp turn upwards.

On the cliff edge – looking straight down into the Luna Valkey

Day 3 – Afternoon hike – Punta del Inca

Posted on March 14, 2015 by Catherine Whitworth

Cactus fields and a flowing river in the desert- novel experience.
The hike is climbing over the boulders beside the river, down a canyon and climbing out to a marvelous panoramic view of the mountain range.

Day 3 Morning Hike -Kari

Posted on March 13, 2015 by Catherine Whitworth

We started walking through a field of large stones, then continued trekking on the edge of a 200 foot cliff- scared the life out of me! Then walked down a giant sand dune, crossed a very wide salt flat and walked through the Kari Ravine. The Kari Ravine us a small canyon formed by water erosion and surrounded by enormous salt walls. We walked through a dry river bed covered with salt. There were two rock wall drops that required rock wall climbing skills. I made it, but it was terrifying.

The edge is on the right side of the image.

Explorer Excursions

Posted on March 12, 2015 by Catherine Whitworth

Explorer Atacama resort is a base for exploring some of the most extraordinary landscapes in the world. Enormous mountains and volcanos tower over geysers, multicolored lagoons, and salt flats in the midst of an ancient civilation. Think Canyon Ranch with all outdoor activities – stunning ever changing vistas. Hikes are for beginners to mountain climbing experts. Atacama is loaded with volcanos, canyons, salt flats, dry rivers, waterfalls wet and dry, enormous sand dunes, geysers, hot springs, and ancient petroglyphs. It reminds me a lot of Grand Canyon, and Brice Canyon to name a few. Everywhere one looks, the vistas are spectacular.
Day 1 hike: started with a walk straight up a dry waterfall- gulp! When we reached the top, the view of the volcanos were amazing. We then walked through a gorgeous salt wall canyon. Pictures below:

Explorer Atacama – philosophy

Posted on March 12, 2015 by Catherine Whitworth

At Explorer we are inspired to travel for the pleasure of the journey itself, and by the richness of the experiences it brings. They call their philosophy the Art of travel, and it is based on three pillars: remote areas, in depth explorations and luxury of the essentials.

Explorer Atacama offers 30 Hiking explorations- half and full day, 12biking explorations – half and full day and 15 horseback riding excursions.

Explorer – Atacama Desert, Chile

Posted on March 10, 2015 by Catherine Whitworth

Volcanos seen from the explorer lobby.

High contemporary decor- lots of whites. Explorer’s service is impeccable. Equate Explorer with activity: hiking, biking, and the only resort with horseback riding. Easy to extreme!

Excursion to the Atacama Salt Flats and Flamingos!

Posted on March 10, 2015 by Catherine Whitworth

We were driven to the Salt Flats at sunset and were introduced to the northern version of Chilean flamingos. Really incredible! They get their pink from organism that they eat in the water.

Heading off to the Atacama Desert

Posted on March 10, 2015 by Catherine Whitworth

We flew into Calama, Chile then made an hour and 15 minute drive to Explorer Atacama. Colors are so muted and serene. Blues, beiges and whites. Easy drive. Another world completely.

Rooftop Pool Ritz Carlton Santiago

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Off to Chile -flying the Divine Dreamliner on LAN

Posted on March 8, 2015 by Catherine Whitworth

Probably the most comfortable sleep on a plane in a long while. LAN offers a comforter inside a sheet- sort of like a sleeping bag. So you lie on the comforter under the sheet. The lighting is unusual prevelant pinks and blues and i am told the humidity is pumped up so one sleeps more comfortably. I did not wake up till 20 minutes before we landed in Santiago. We hardly felt the take off and landing. Huge plane!

We are guests of LAN Airlines, Ritz Carlton, A&K Chile and Explora Atacama. It is such a privilege to learn about new travel options.

Finest hotel in China – Peninsula Shanghai

Posted on March 7, 2015 by Catherine Whitworth

Spectacular flowers everywhere is just one small detail in the scheme of things at the formidable Peninsula Shanghai. Situated on the Bund, this hotel aims to please. They offer an airport pickup in their fabulous Rolls Royce, and the service just gets better from there. Large, spacious, comfortable rooms face the river and the colorful Pudong area across the street. The bathroom has a button the dims the lights slowly as soft music comes up and water fills the bathtub. Just incredible. Returning to the Peninsula Shanghai is a must.

Premier Room – Rosewood Beijing

Posted on October 31, 2014 by Catherine Whitworth

Images courtesy of Rosewood Beijing

I had the privilege of serving on the Virtuoso Preview Board of Advisors for Rosewood Beijing, so I was well briefed with the passion of the staff. They left no stone unturned in their focus on making all guests feel welcome. When I visited Beijing and saw the hotel in actuality, I was blown away. I met the GM Marc Brugger, and Head of Sales David Campbell. William Liu, Beijing head of Sales and Lori Zhang kindly showed me around. An exciting project, I caught the passion of the staff and loved the decor. Completely pleasant, the rooms evoke a wonderful sense of place and relaxation. Can’t wait to get back and sample the Peking Duck specialty in one of the restaurants, A Country Kitchen. You can read about the hotel in this issue of Virtuoso Life.

Now Open: The Fabulous Rosewood Beijing

Posted on October 31, 2014 by Catherine Whitworth

Sleek, glamorous, exciting are first three words that jump to mind after my visit to the brand new Rosewood Beijing.
The exterior is all hard edged and glossy, while the interior is soft and relaxed.
It incorporates a residential feel.
A Virtuoso property, it has jaw dropping views of Beijing out the floor to ceiling windows.

St. Regis Beijing

Posted on September 3, 2014 by Catherine Whitworth

Host to kings, princes, presidents and CEO’s, the St Regis Beijing lives up to it’s reputation. In a perfect central location on Embassy Row, we could walk to the Silk Market and one of the most luxurious underground malls I have ever seen. Every designer you could possibly think of, was represented. Beijing is the cultural capital of China, and getting to the sites and museums was an easy jump- mostly by car. The city is enormous.

Drama in the Entry – Amanoi, Vietnam

Posted on September 1, 2014 by Catherine Whitworth

Feast for your eyes wherever you turn.

Small details, beautifully placed- Amanoi, Vietnam

Posted on September 1, 2014 by Catherine Whitworth

Devil’s in the details.

Yoga Pavillion Amanoi – Vietnam

Posted on August 31, 2014 by Catherine Whitworth

Also great for a wedding celebration!!

Villa 2 Amanoi- Vinh Hy Bay, Vietnam

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Aman heaven again- Amanoi Vinh Hy, Vietnam

Posted on August 31, 2014 by Catherine Whitworth

Aman heaven again. And you will be too!
Aman is a Sanskrit-derived word for peace and Noi means “place”
This property personifies that ethic.
With the launch of Amanoi, Amanresorts adds Vietnam to its Southeast Asian circuit, with Amanpuri in Thailand, Amantaka in Laos and Amansara in Cambodia already on everyone’s must travel list
Impossible to describe the serenity, sense of place, and spectacular decor.
A fabulous spot to wind down after a tour of SE Asia, Amanoi is perfect for a honeymoon and divine for a destination wedding.
The designer, Jean-Michel Gathy also did the spectacular Amanyara in Turks &Caicos
Not a “palm tree” resort. Amanoi is set on the coast in beautiful Vinh Hy Bay in the middle of the Nui Chua National park. Vegetation is subtropical, and incredible rock formations are everywhere. There is a wonderful beach with unusual shells and a darling fishing village on the other side of Vinh Hy bay. Landing in Na Trang, the drive is about an hour and 15minutes on an amazing coastal drive. The good news is that the car has WIFI so you can catch up on emails or track your progress on google maps.
Food was fabulous. Beef was flown in from Australia, all vegetables and fruits are local and organic, seafood was right out of the local waters. Couldn’t be more fresh.
I want to move into our villa- it is that comfortable. The beyond fab Spa has the only Pilates equipment and set up in Vietnam. They also boast hydrotherapy equipment.

Sea View Villa – Nam Hai Hoi An, Vietnam

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Our view from the Nam Hai – Hoi An Vietnam

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Main Lodge- Nam Hai, Hoi An Vietnam

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Nam Hai- Hoi An Vietnam

Posted on August 29, 2014 by Catherine Whitworth

Some of the best food we encountered was in Vietnam. Fresh and vibrant. one of the best restaurants was at the Nam Hai. Near Danang, an elegant, glamorous addition to the middle coast of Vietnam. Gorgeous pool and public areas! Service was wonderful.
Beware if you are not happy with lots of steps. The elegant villa is set as rectangle facing the sea- with a step down from the entry area, a step down beside the bed then another step to the living room. steps are lit but you want to be cautious.
Innovative and beautiful. It is the place to be in Hoi An Vietnam.

Hong Kong Skyline

Posted on August 28, 2014 by Catherine Whitworth

Impossible to capture the magic of Hong Kong in lights. You have to see it for yourself!

Upper House Harbor View

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Cool Hotel in Hong Kong- Upper House

Posted on August 28, 2014 by Catherine Whitworth

Upper House – COOL hotel in Hong Kong Central.
There is a special type of client looking for cool new slick spaces – You know who you are.
Upper House is going to fill the bill in Hong Kong. Minimal, contemporary, intime and totally cool.
Three room types: Peak view 70 CM/Harbor view 70CM and harbor or peak view suite 80CM
A great addition to the services of Upper House is that they allow early arrivals. So if your flight arrives in the morning, they will move you right into your room. They check you in there. No lines -No waiting.
Upper House’s restaurant is Café Gray Deluxe, a 21st century ‘grand café’, located on the 49th floor overlooking Victoria Harbor, marks the return to Hong Kong of Chef Gray Kunz and his cuisine – a unique style of European classics and signature dishes from a lifetime leading the very finest kitchens in Europe, Asia and America.
Hotel facts:
The hotel’s 117 rooms (including 21 suites and 2 penthouses) start at 730sq ft – the largest in Hong Kong. They feature wonderfully spacious bathrooms and dressing areas, and offer either scenic harbor or island views. Calming and contemporary, the rooms are designed to provide a sense of relaxation, warmth and understated luxury. Room features Luxury down bedding Complimentary in-room bar Dual temperature wine fridge Complimentary espresso machine and selection of teas and infusions LCD TV with 2.1 surround sound with simple connectivity for PC, camcorder and MP3 Interactive hotel information, music and games via in room iTouch Complimentary wired and wireless high speed internet access Spacious bathrooms with TV, dressing area, walk-in rain shower and limestone clad bath

Chi Lin Gardens -Hong Kong

Posted on August 28, 2014 by Catherine Whitworth

We are looking for new sites in Hong Kong and my friend Devin suggested we see Chi Lin Nunnery and Gardens. Just opened a year ago, the gardens are a beautiful depiction of a Tang Dynasty garden and has amazing replicas of Tang Dynasty structures, built in teak wood. A beautiful oasis smack in the middle of Kowloon. If you are in Hong Kong, you should add it to your list.

Spectacular FS Club Lounge – Hong Kong

Posted on August 16, 2014 by Catherine Whitworth

Situated on the top floor of FS Hong Kong, the Club lounge serves breakfast privately in the morning and drinks and snacks/drinks all day. Complimentary to all suites.

Pool – Four Seasons Hong Kong

Posted on August 16, 2014 by Catherine Whitworth

One of the two pools at Four Seasons. I noticed they have special bathrobes for children – darling. Overlooking Hong Kong Bay

Four Seasons Hong Kong – one of the Best!

Posted on August 16, 2014 by Catherine Whitworth

View from my room
Four Seasons Hong Kong

Opened in 2009 with not one but two Michelin rated restaurants, the Four Seasons Hong Kong lives up to it’s impeccable reputation. An example of attention to detail: we arrived at midnight and found in our room a mound of finger sandwiches with a card saying “in anticipation of your late arrival we prepared a light snack for you”. I left my camera on the desk and when I returned, the cleaning service had left a packed lense cleaning cloth. Everyone seemed to know our name. Adapters in each nightstand. Little details that mount to flawless service. At 399 rooms, 54 of them suites, the hotel did not come off as a large hotel, there was a sense of space and peace. Located on the Central side of HKG the location was convenient and easy to reach for walking. We sampled their amazing Cantonese Restaurant, Lung King Heen and agreed it deserved it’s stars. The hotel has 2 pools and a club level on the top(45th) floor- Club lounge is open to all who book a suite.

Dispatch Hong Kong

Posted on August 15, 2014 by Catherine Whitworth

Peking Garden Hong Kong

Back in one of my favorite cities: the divine Hong Kong. Ever changing, the city seems to be thriving- cranes and bamboo scaffolding everywhere. Still retaining it’s soul of exotic British outpost, it is delightful to be poking into my old haunts. I am checking out the fabulous Four Seasons Hong Kong. I also visited the spectacular Upper House. Reviews to follow.

Dock entry to LPI- a little bit of heaven

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Situated on 5.5 Acres of private island, in the lower Florida Keys. It is about 40 minutes from Key West Airport. You are taken to their main admission Lodge, then transferred by boat to the Island. It is a favored enclave for luxury travelers. 15 thatched roof bungalows, featuring 30 suites-ranging from 550 SF to 1000SF -offer ultimate privacy and romance. The island is never inhabited by more than 60 guests.

View from Little Palm Island

Posted on July 3, 2014 by Catherine Whitworth

Sunsets from the Keys are dynamite!

Sitting at the bar with a nice glass of champagne- ahhhh…

Another Small Resort Gem- Little Palm Island

Posted on July 3, 2014 by Catherine Whitworth

Easy jump to paradise

The flight from Atlanta took an hour and a half. Poof! Before I knew it, I had landed in another bit of paradise. Tropical bungalows, recently updated with a Caribbean Colonial feel- lots of shutters – were a haven. Breezes blowing, palm fronds moving gently in the wind, I couldn’t believe how quickly one could just stop, kick back and relax.

Spaghetti with Pomodoro Sauce – just like my Sicilian Grandmother’s

Posted on June 21, 2014 by Catherine Whitworth

There is no denying that the cuisine of Dubrovnik is heavily influenced by their Italian neighbors across the Adriatic. I was pleasantly surprised at the level of Croatian cuisine. A beautiful influence of Italian mixed with their proximity to the sea makes for a high level of quality and innovative offerings.

Posted on June 21, 2014 by Catherine Whitworth

Two of Pucic Palace’s fine staff, Sanja and Nermin. The tone is set by their terrific manager Mirjana Kovacevic and all members of the staff I came in contact with were above par. From darling Pia the guest relations manager, Alem the day duty receptionist, Zrinka the night duty receptionist, and Stribor the guest doorman. Enthusiastic, engaged and always helpful. They made my stay a memorable experience, and I want to visit again.

View from my window – Pucic Palace, Dubrovnik Croatia

Posted on June 20, 2014 by Catherine Whitworth

Set in the middle of Old Town Dubrovnik, Pucic Palace is a little gem. They have 19 rooms and suites decorated in a traditional style. A divine restaurant provides an imaginative menu and wine list with both indoor and outside seating.

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