Unique Island Escapes

And now… for Small Luxury Hotels unique island escapes!

Kokomo Island: Kadavu Islands, Fiji

Kokomo Island: Kadavu Islands, Fiji

Combining luxury, sustainably and unspoilt beauty, Kokomo Island is Fiji’s newest and most exclusive private island resort, situated on the edge of the celestial Kadavu Island group. Kokomo Island opened in March 2017 and is the first SLH hotel in Fiji. The boutique property is encircled by the untouched Great Astrolabe Reef so ideal for diving enthusiasts (the hotel has its own Dive Centre for guests). The 21 villas, owner’s beachfront residence and five hilltop residences are designed for privacy and comfort, featuring sustainable design and traditional Fijian touches, all alive with character. Guests can enjoy fresh, sustainably-sourced produce at the resort’s three restaurants, as well as a number of dining experiences including a chef BBQ and private island picnic. The Kokomo Island spa blends world-class Sodashi products with rejuvenating indigenous Fijian beauty rituals to create signature treatments. The hotel is a personal passion project for Australian billionaire property developer, Lang Walker, who, together with his family, has brought his vision for an island paradise like no other to life.

SLH Insider Tip:  Visit the nearby manta ray cleaning station, where manta rays come to get freshened up by wrasse fish, and take the opportunity to swim with the rays.

Rates: $1,795/night

www.slh.com/kokomo

Naxian Collection Luxury Villas and Suites: Naxos, Greece

Naxian Collection Luxury Villas and Suites: Naxos, Greece

Rates: $288/night

www.slh.com/naxian

Situated on the lesser known Greek island of Naxos, Naxian Collection is a chic hill-top retreat with ten sugar cube white villas and suites providing a serene sanctuary. The cave-like rooms are decked out with minimalist interiors, cream walls, bamboo screens and giant bathtubs. Each room offers stunning views over landscaped gardens, lagoons and nearby Naxos town, which is just two miles away. Pretty Agios Prokopios beach is just a ten minute walk from the property and there are plenty of walking or horse-riding trails to keep outdoorsy guests busy. The hotel’s kitchen boasts plenty of local organic ingredients and traditional Naxian recipes from the property’s own organic field, free-range chicken coop, nearby olive groves and the family vineyards. It also has its own wine cellar which is home to a formidable selection of local wine.

SLH Insider Tip: Try and time your stay with a classical music concert or violin recital at the Venetian Museum of Naxos in the Kastro which offers live entertainment year round.

Sikelia: Pantelleria, Italy

Sikelia: Pantelleria, Italy

Known as the ‘Black pearl of the Mediterranean’, Pantelleria is a perfect escape for adventurous travellers willing to voyage a little further to be rewarded by natural volcanic hot springs, a rugged coastline, spectacular caves surrounded by the bluest of seas and warm volcanic waters to swim in. The enigmatic owner, Giulia Pazienz, ensures all the service is personal, friendly and sincere. Built out of an ancient dammuso, designed by the island’s most famous resident architect – Gabriella Guintoli, the wild beauty of the island is reflected in the hotel itself. Ancient pottery, glazed painted tiles and predominantly dark shades throughout lend an air of drama to the property. The 20 rooms are unique yet share a stylish design with meticulous attention to the finer details, with Frette linens and Hermés products in every bathroom. At the hotel’s restaurant, Themá, the chef combines fresh fish and shellfish with vegetables grown in Sikelia’s own garden, serving bold flavours from Arabia, Africa and Southern Italy. This is all served with intense, aromatic wine from the owner’s estate, made from the Zibibbo grape, indigenous of the island.

SLH Insider Tip: For a more informal dining experience, guests can head to the owner’s Coste Ghirlanda Wine Laboratory which is flooded with candles and offers a rustic cosy vibe where guests eat under the stars on communal kitchen tables.

Rates: $360/night

www.slh.com/sikelia

To make a booking visit www.slh.com or call 1-877-234-7033

Italy’s Emilia Romagna

Lambrusco Grapes

The region of Emilia Romagna always reminds me of a beautiful woman nestled in the arms of her sultry Italian love. So, as a tribute to a region we hold dear, we wanted to share a few A, B, C’s to get you started dreaming about wandering through cobblestone streets, sipping Lambrusco, and dipping fresh bread into their version of black gold… also known as balsamic vinegar.

Without further ado… the first five letters of the alphabet of Emilia from the top!

• A for Art: The regions of Emilia Romagna, Tuscany, Le Marche and Umbria are celebrating the one year anniversary of their collaboration on the Terre di Piero, a unique trail following the work of 15th century painter Piero della Francesca visiting the four regions that inspired his work. The new year will bring two updates to the route. The first is a new exhibit at the San Domenico Museum Complex comparing the works of painters who came after Piero and were inspired by his work. The second will be that restorations to The Resurrection, which has been called the most beautiful painting in the world, are scheduled to be completed in August 2016. The process is currently in progress in a way that allows visitors to still view the masterpiece.

• B for Black Gold: While balsamic vinegar is often thought of as a dressing, traditional balsamic vinegar is far too rich in flavor with a production process that is time-intensive to use it on salads. In order to receive recognition as a maker of traditional balsamic, the producer must follow a strict set of guidelines and practices. Visitors to the Modena area will find a number of tradition balsamic vinegar producers who are happy to share their knowledge and passion.

• C for Competition: This year, Emilia Romagna’s Lambrusco Wine Competition showcased over 90 Lambrusco wine producers. Special to Emilia-Romagna, Lambrusco grapes create a semi-sweet, fresh and light wine that has been produced since the Roman period. This wine can be found in most Emilian kitchens and consistently enhancing the flavors of any traditional meal. When Lambrusco is not being used to enhance the meal it can be ideal in making a Sangria or Spritz.

• D for Delicious: Parmigiano Reggiano cheese has been a culinary staple for ages to enhance flavor and, of course, top-off our favorite pasta dishes. The process of boiling, stirring and shaping the cow’s milk requires deep concentration to form the perfect block before aging to form the “King of Cheese.” Travelers visiting the Parma area will come across numerous Parmigiano Reggiano farms where they can see first-hand the steps that go into creating this beloved food.

• E for Eat Up: Emilia Romagna boasts itself as the “breadbasket” of Italy. It is here that many pasta varieties we have all come to know, love and crave were created. From lasagna to tortellini, tagliatelle to ravioli, gnocci and more – Emilian’s throughout history have perfected the art of pasta-making. While visiting the region, sign up for an authentic Italian cooking class and toast these new-found skills!

For more information on places to stay, have a look at: http://www.emiliaromagnaturismo.it/en/where-to-stay

The Best Hostel Food Around the World

Tapas at the Oasis Granada Hostel – Lisbon, Portugal

Our friends at The Daily Meal love to keep us informed on the best of the best when it comes to food around the world. This time, they’ve done a great 20 best hostels around the world for food (since we know hostels can get a bad rap, and most of the time, that reputation isn’t unfounded). If a hostel serves any food at all, the best most backpackers can expect to find is some cheap white bread and bad coffee. For many travelers, this lack of decent food is hardly a point of contention. After all, eating pricey gourmet meals often isn’t an option for those traveling on a budget, and as long as the hostel is well located, safe, and free of bedbug sightings, what more could a backpacker ask for? A lot more, apparently, according to recent research.

Plus Berlin All-You-Can-Eat Buffet

A hostel meal will likely never reach the ranks of Michelin-starred dining or compare to the breakfast buffet at the St. Regis. However, some establishments are offering culinary delights such as barbecue, ceviche, poutine, and a burger that even the locals clamor over, and these are just a sampling of some of the excellent dishes found in hostel dining rooms around the world.  

Ceviche at La Hamaca Hostel – San Pedro Sula, Honduras

For a minimal fee, guests at PLUS Berlin Hostel can enjoy an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet and dinner in the hostel restaurant.  The restaurant’s manager, Diego, is Italian and takes pride in the quality of the food. Options range from pizza and pasta dishes to German specialties. The hostel’s well-stocked bar also serves cocktails to get you ready for a night exploring the neighborhood’s nightclubs.

The Green Tortoise – San Francisco, CA

So what makes a hostel’s food stand above the fray? “Food is part of the cultural experience you get when you visit a foreign country,” explains Andres Poveda Solano, co-owner of Hostel Pangea in Costa Rica, while Green Tortoise Hostel in San Francisco provides hearty and healthy free breakfast every day of organic oatmeal and fresh fruit, and free dinner three times per week including dishes like pasta primavera and Thai curry.

The Menaggio Youth Hostel’s Cooking Classes – Lake Como, Italy

Good food at a hostel enhances the backpacker’s experience. One of the charms of staying in a hostel is the opportunity it offers to meet people from all over the world, and for these hostels, the dining room is one place where the magic happens. Whether you’re enjoying a hearty breakfast on a terrace overlooking the scenic French countryside or participating in a free tour with fellow travelers of a Spanish city’s tapas bars, the food at these top 20 hostels will create memories you won’t quickly forget.

The 20 Best Hotels Around the World For Food

What hostels have you stayed in that had great food?

By Michelle Kiefer

Milan’s Discount Shopping Treasure

Milan’s Galleria

While Paris may hold the title of ‘Fashion Capital of the World’, Milan is her runner-up (if not her better understudy). Considered one of the chicest, sophisticated and fashion conscious cities in all of Italy, every big name fashion brand has a store in Milan, displaying the latest clothing and accessories direct from the catwalk – trends that won’t reach the rest of the world for months. The style in Milan is decidedly cutting-edge, which is why we’re so much in love with it, changing constantly to reflect the newest trends and fads amongst fashionistas.

Milan is also a big city with plenty of attractions and sights, but the primary designer shopping district is remarkably compact, making it dangerously simple to flit from store to store with credit card in hand, even if you’re just visiting for a few hours as part of a European cruise to nearby Genoa. Known as Quadrilatero d’Oro – directly translated as Golden Quadrilateral – the district connects four streets in the city lined with designer stores which span almost one mile: Via della Spiga, Via Sant’Andrea, Via Alessandro Manzoni and Via Montenapoleone. Along these streets shoppers can discover the delights of Hermes, Miu Miu, Chanel, Giorgio Armani, Versace, Stella McCartney, Tiffany and Gucci, to name just a select few. There’s even Armani Junior for young fashion lovers, but it’s really all about the bespoke shoe designers and stores like Mario Leoni, Barbara Beryl (La Vetrina di Beryl), Berluti, and Le Solferine.

However, Milan’s big name brands aren’t restricted solely to this Quadrilatero d’Oro, and a few of the world-renowned fashion labels have spread out into some of the city’s shopping malls. Shopping malls can be found all over Milan, and Italy’s oldest mall is actually located right in the heart of the city. Built in 1877, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II made news in 2012 for making the somewhat controversial decision not to renew the lease of the McDonalds fast food restaurant that had been serving up burgers and fries for 20 years. The store’s replacement? The mall’s second Prada store. This emphasizes just how much Milan is striving to remain at the top of its game.

Fidenza Village

These designer stores are fascinating to look round and view the unique and gorgeous creations, but the price tags can be downright terrifying, we must admit. Fortunately, Milan caters to everyone, and the quick-moving trends within the ever-changing fashion world particularly lend themselves to outlet malls and stores. Travelers looking for a day excursion from their cruise and who love fashion but hate the prices should consider a trip to Fidenza Village, located 70 miles south of Milan, close to Parma. Boasting ‘chic outlet shopping’, Fidenza Village is like the Disneyland of fashion. The village has been purpose-built to display older, yet still current, trends at hugely reduced prices. The village operates a ‘Shopping Express’ bus from Milan, leaving at 10 a.m. and departing the village at 6.30 p.m., giving shoppers a full three hours to browse through hot trends at discount prices.

Whether you’re a fashion lover or not, if you’re in Milan then the shopping district just isn’t to be missed. Beautiful and sophisticated designs are interspersed with the most bizarre creations you can imagine. Although some believe that Milan has been trumped by Paris in terms of fashion and style, the city is without a doubt the best place in Italy for picking up gifts and treats from the biggest fashion houses in the world. Just be sure to take a credit card… or two!

www.fidenzavillage.com