Be wowed by luxury, tranquillity and action at these luxe gems, say Gustasp and Jeroo Irani
Domaine de la Tortinière
A neo-Gothic chateau rises above a sloping lawn at Domaine de la Tortinière, a luxe boutique castle-hotel in the heart of France's lush Loire valley. It is surrounded by 15 hectares of dense woodland; two fairy tale towers add to the aura of magic and enchantment.
Located just 15 km from the town of Tours in the Touraine region, where the most stunning chateaux are located, Domaine de la Tortinière has elegant Louis XVI public salons and chic guest rooms. Some are located in the turrets, others in the artfully converted stables and former staff quarters. The rooms are classic and kitted out with modern conveniences and command splendid views.
Quantum of the Seas
Sail in the lap of luxury aboard the Quantum of the Seas, one of the 10 biggest ocean liners to be built. The 169,666-ton vessel is the technologically smartest cruise ship afloat and has a number of firsts in terms of offering heart-pumping action, making this ship the destination.
Punch in your favourite cocktail on an iPad and have a robot concoct it for you at the Bionic Bar, take off on a column of air in the first sky dive simulator at sea, or lift off in the North Star – a glass bubble that takes you 300ft above the ocean. The ship even has the largest indoor sports and entertainment complex at sea.
The 5,000-passenger vessel has 2,090 tastefully decorated staterooms and 18 restaurants across 18 decks, boutiques, theatres and an old-world Music Hall. Talk about being spoilt for choice!
Royal Malewane
Revel in classic colonial bush-style elegance at Royal Malewane, a luxury safari lodge, in Greater Kruger National Park, South Africa, with its canopied, mahogany four-poster bed, a fire place that is lit every night, limestone bathrooms, free-standing tubs that overlook a sun deck and the wilderness, and a private plunge pool.
After our last game drive, on which we had a close encounter of the unplanned kind with charging elephants and black-maned lions, our ranger pulled up in a small clearing. A full service breakfast spread, complete with sterling silver cutlery and crystal glasses sparkling with wine had been laid out in the African veld.
Chittoor Kottaram
Located on the backwaters of Cochin, Chittoor Kottaram – a century-old palace, belonging to the Rajah of Cochin – is a world unto itself. A pillared, one-storeyed structure with a sloping red-tiled roof, back-dropped by groves of coconut palms, Chittoor Kottaram in Kerala is a single-key heritage hotel where only a couple or members of one family may stay, today.
The mini palace has two bedrooms on the ground level and one above. Our king's room, on the upper level, had expanses of polished wood, red hibiscus, spacious four posters draped with flowing mosquito nets, quaint writing desks and portraits of stern royalty. We would wake up to a pure dew-drenched world and the days slipped by – replete with cruises, temple visits, classical music recitals, and lamp-lit nights…
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