One of the luxurious five-bedroom residences at Rosewood Half Moon Bay in Antigua

Due to open in 2022, Half Moon Bay Antigua is set to offer luxury hotel accommodation and private beach-front residences by Rosewood. Here, Rosie Ellison-Balaam takes a first look at the residential designs

Sprawling a 132 acre plot on the Caribbean island of Antigua, Half Moon Bay Antigua comprises 47 pavilion-style suites and luxurious residences by Rosewood. Headed up by Amsterdam-based practice Piet Boon, the design across the resort focuses on incorporating natural materials and light to provide bright, large spaces. The residences, for example, range from two to five bedrooms and have direct access to the shore as well as en-suite facilities, and the option of a gym and wine cellar.

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Following the natural sloping landscape of the site, Piet Boon has also designed a series of private outdoor terraces for each of the homes, made from wood and soft yellowed stone. These platforms have a subtle division of space, creating a private dining area, a restful area with a panoramic view of the ocean, and two swimming pools. The space is also enclosed by tropical plants thanks to the project’s landscape designers VITA.

The outdoor terraces provide space for relaxation and al fresco dining

The interior design of the residences focuses on warm, natural materials such as stone-tiled and wooden floors, with exposed timber beams and a neutral colour palette. The communal spaces are large and light-filled with contemporary fittings including a long island in the kitchen for preparing and serving food.

One of the resort’s exclusive beach villas

For more information visit: halfmoonbayantigua.com

The Tongsai Bay is an eco-friendly luxury resort on the tropical island of Koh Samui

The Tongsai Bay is a family-owned luxury resort on the island of Koh Samui in Thailand. Set amidst acres of wild tropical landscape, the resort is dedicated to wildlife conservation and sustainable practices. Here, we speak to the resort’s owner Gob Thanakorn about continuing his father’s vision, the challenges of promoting sustainability and why Thailand needs to combat over-development

Gob Thanakorn with his wife Goya

1. How was the concept for The Tongsai Bay born?

Tongsai was a brain-child of my late father Akorn Hoontrakul. He was CEO of the Imperial group of hotels, which our family owned 100%. When he decided that it was time to grow and venture out of Bangkok, he surveyed Koh Samui because he thought that Phuket was already developed and Samui had a great potential even though there wasn’t an airport back then. A survey team was sent and I was lucky enough to be on that trip as a 12-year-old. We took the night train from Bkk to Poonpin district in Suratthani (you can still do this part today) and somehow got on a naval ship from Suratthani to Koh Samui. I remember Tongsai as a little piece of backpacker’s paradise. There were only 8 bungalows and a snack hut with green snake on the ceiling. There was a lady without anything on the bottom going for a swim in the sea. Out of all the beaches I saw on that trip, I liked Tongsai the least because of the deep water and course sand. As a 12-year-old, I didn’t think much about the fact that it was a private beach and how beautiful it was being a cove all to itself. This was back in 1986.

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My father then went on a separate trip and he bought the land of Tongsai (the bay and beach was called Tongsai Bay before we even bought the land) within 7 days of laying eyes on it from the sea. He later said to friends that “it was love at first sight”. My father spent 3 months planning how he wanted to develop his resort with an eye on making it his retirement home. He literally slept on the beach during this time. There’s a picture to prove it.

When Tongsai was opened in 1987, it was the first five star hotel on Koh Samui. My father used the tagline “….where mother nature was the architect”. So the concept always was that Tongsai would be a hotel nestled within existing natural beauty of Koh Samui where space is in abundant and privacy is key. Supporting evidence can be found in many of the guest rooms where cottages were built over rock formations instead of blowing it. We have two rooms that have rocks inside the room next to the bed. They used to be called Rock suites. Cottage 235 was taken out of inventory during the renovation years of 1995 because a large Banyan Tree would have to be taken down. Dad chose the tree over a room. According to him, he tried to save as many large trees as possible during the construction of the hotel. Going around them, leaving space for coconut trees to rise through terraces was how he avoided cutting trees. Tongsai Pool Villa 511 used to be called the Mango Villa because a twin wild mango trees are in the middle of the terrace. They still stand today – guests can have complimentary wild mangoes when it’s the season to bear fruit.

The terraces provide guests with large outdoor living spaces and stunning sea views

As we developed the Tongsai Grand Villas in 1998, the “great outdoor living” concept was used to promote the new villas because of the size of the terrace on each villa. We emphasised the outdoor area more than the indoor air-conditioned area because guests liked to be outside more than inside. So a gazebo was a main feature along with the “bathtub on the terrace” which later made Tongsai famous for being the hotel with a bathtub with sea views.

When dad died in 2002, my wife and I took over the responsibility We had lived and work at Tongsai for a few years and learnt that we used to appreciate nature, but we never thought about protecting it. We encountered a Slow Loris, a nocturnal mammal one night coming back from a late night out and we realised that Tongsai is a home for wild animals living freely and safely. So we put in place measures to protect all kind of animals in the hotel ground including firing staff who are caught killing or hurting animals. Any dead animal will have to be reported and sent for autopsy by a local vet to determine if it died of natural causes or by humans. If it was by human actions, further investigation will pursue. So far we have never fire anyone because of this reason yet. But the message was loud and clear for our staff who now act as eyes and ears for animal protection.

The bedroom of a Grand Villa

We have had bird watchers do a survey found 60 plus kinds of birds in a year. Monitor lizards could be seen swimming in the sea (and occasionally the main swimming pool!), climbing coconut trees or lazily walking the lawn. There are squirrels and tree shrews abound. The occasional fireflies can also be spotted at night around Sept  to Oct. In order to achieve this, we completely ban all chemical usage in natural space in the hotel so no pesticides, insecticides or chemical fertilisers are used at all.

It is also worth noting that we are resentful of animals in captivity and forced labour so therefore we do not help guests to book elephant rides, visit zoos/aquariums or circuses. We support the elephant sanctuary where “retired” elephants are fed and left to live a peaceful life in a larger confinement, but unchained. It’s a long answer but you could see how in 32 years the concept had grown but the core remains. That’s why we claim to be “natural to the Core”.

Read more: British model Anna Proffitt on the need for slow fashion

2. What are some of the challenges you face in providing a sustainable luxury service?

I’d put it down to the added work and steps that are required for staff to go to the length of being sustainable. It’s almost the opposite of being convenient for many people in Thailand. You talk about waste and people think cleaning the beach and putting rubbish in the bins. We say we have to know the rubbish first and then we can know how to treat it. Food waste, for example, can be mixed with organic garden waste to make fertilisers so it’s not too bad but the gardeners will say that it’s added work for them. Non-biodegradable waste can be sorted, but that’s not solving the problem at the root cause. It’s better to find substitutes and use recyclable or purely biodegradable. So we opt to buy drinks in glass bottles only – we won’t buy from brands that use plastic containers – but this adds extra work for our beverages staff who feel that glass bottles are heavier whereas a single use plastic bottle is much more convenient and less work. We use lemongrass straws instead of plastic straws too – it’s simple things like this that can reduce non-biodegradable waste. Auditing is also hard and can come across as unfriendly and potentially cause rift with some departments. Sometimes it costs more to source more environmentally friendly products in terms of money, but also time. Educating suppliers can also be draining. Thailand is a society where convenience is king. It’s very difficult to challenge this culture.

The main pool sits on the edge of the beach

3. What’s your proudest sustainability initiative at the resort?

I’d say the fact that we continue to find Slow Loris in the hotel ground speaks volume about how natural this place is and that can only be a result of the measures we have put in place to protect animals and the natural surrounding in the hotel. We didn’t expand in terms of number of rooms so we didn’t have to cut down trees to open ways for more buildings. I suppose we are proud to say that if you look up Google Earth you will see a patch of 25 acres that is greener than the surrounding pieces of land. We are an oasis for animals surrounded by developments dominated by concrete.

Read more: Inside Mandarin Oriental Geneva’s Royal Penthouse Suite

4. How would you like to see the hospitality industry change over the next few years?

I hope there are less developments since there’s already an over-supply of hotels and villas for sale on Koh Samui and in many other parts of Thailand. The ones that try to keep nature intact are more commendable than others whilst most who would clear all trees first then replant later, which destroys natural habitat for local animals and thus reduces the biodiversity tremendously. I guess it’s wishful thinking, but I think Thailand needs to exercise and enforce its regulations in order to combat overdevelopment fairly and equally. If the law says you need to have functioning waste water plants, then all hotels and restaurants must abide. Sadly, it’s not the case and the authorities don’t even check on a regular basis or follow up with action plan. If the law says you need to have 50% green area then they should be audited regularly and equally too. Ultimately, if mankind can realise that it’s of utmost importance to even just recognise the value of biodiversity (especially in the tropical zones where biodiversity is higher) and act to protect it, we may have a chance to live in a balanced world. If we do all we can to preserve or even increase the biodiversity of the natural world, we will be able to enjoy a quality of life equally. Nature conservation, in the end, is an effort to preserve that biodiversity since it’s the most important indicator of how healthy the natural world is. We have gone too far to destroy the earth and still many are refusing to accept the fact that humans are the cause of the imbalance. It’s time to be responsible humans, which applies to everything you do in the hospitality industry.

One of the resort’s luxurious pool villas

5. What are your 3 top tips for travelling sustainably?

Respect the nature and the culture wherever you go. Be responsible when it comes to littering or choose to consume wisely, considering what is biodegradable and what is not. Basically, try your best not to use single use products especially water. Also be aware of activities that involve animal forced labour and just don’t support them.

6. And finally – what’s your best kept secret on the island of Koh Samui?

It’s a secret!

Find out more: tongsaibay.co.th

Mandarin Oriental Geneva sits along the banks of the River Rhône

Mandarin Oriental Geneva is now home to one of the biggest and most luxurious suites in the city

Spanning 325 square metres across the hotel’s top floor, Mandarin Oriental Geneva’s Royal Penthouse is well placed for breath-taking views. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, guests can survey the city and the winding River Rhône with snow-capped mountains looming in the distance.

The master bathroom in the Royal Penthouse Suite

Designed by BUZ Design, the suite is open-plan with a master bedroom, hammam shower, two further en-suite bedrooms and a spacious living room with a fireplace. It also features a sound-proofed entertainment room with the latest audio-visual equipment.

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The interiors take inspiration from seasonal colours; the bedroom reflects spring with bright shades of yellow, whilst the other bedrooms favour a summery palette. The living room is filled with warm, autumnal hues and the cinema room is decorated with cool, winter colours.

The suite’s interiors are designed around the seasons

The terrace is one of the suite’s main draws for not just its views, but also for the laid-back ambience created by soft furnishings and flowerbeds.

The Royal Penthouse suite terrace boasts spectacular panoramic views

The Royal Penthouse can be converted into a one-bedroom suite or combined with the Royal Suite on the 6th floor, via a connecting private lift, to form the Imperial Residence, a sensational six-bedroom suite offering 577 square metres of luxurious living space.

For more information visit: mandarinoriental.com/geneva/rhone-river/luxury-hotel

British model Anna Proffitt. Instagram: @annaproffitt

LUX contributing editor and model at Models 1, Charlie Newman continues her online exclusive series, interviewing her peers about their creative pursuits, passions and politics

Charlie Newman

THIS MONTH: 22-year-old British model Anna Proffitt has appeared on the catwalk for top fashion houses and graced the pages of many glossy magazines all while juggling a university degree and setting up a platform to discuss slow fashion. Here, she talks to Charlie about escaping to the countryside, sustainable shopping habits and reintroducing a ‘mend-it’ mentality.

Charlie Newman: Firstly, can you tell me about your background? Where did you grow up?
Anna Proffitt: I actually just moved back to the village I grew up in, I missed the countryside and Derbyshire folk when I was in London full time! I’m from a tiny village near the Peak District that’s all hills, fields and forests. I love it now, but not so much when I was young, I thought it was very boring. Everything was very quiet, my primary school class only had nine students. I remember passing my driving test in about four months so I could have some freedom! Now I’m so happy to live in the quiet, I can hike, climb, run and see the horizon all the time. I’m much more productive when I’m here, it’s all the clean air.

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Charlie Newman: Were you always interested in fashion fashion?
Anna Proffitt: It’s the classic story of someone from the middle of nowhere seeing fashion as this glamorous escapism. I had a subscription to Vogue when I was 14 and fantasised about what it would be like to work in the industry. I did Fashion Design at College then Fashion Communication at University. Midway through studying I was scouted by an agency in Milan and went there in my summer break. When I came back I decided that I wanted to pursue it properly so applied to London agencies online and Models 1 signed me. Having worked for three years now experiencing the ups and downs, I am so grateful for the opportunities that have come out of it and know how to make it work for me. I have great respect for models, you have to be very strong and grounded to succeed.

Instagram: @annaproffitt

Charlie Newman: How easy was it to manage both modelling and studying?
Anna Proffitt: I studied at Nottingham Trent University so I was on the train to London pretty frequently. At times, it was hard to juggle as my course was very intensive. I am naturally organised and hard working so I made it happen, I wrote a lot of my dissertation in queues for Fashion Week castings! I don’t think I would have done it in a different order as my modelling career helped with my course, it inspired and influenced a lot of the projects I did. I had a real industry perspective so could tune my projects to what actually happens in fashion, not just what I read about. I’m lucky to have had truly supportive agency that respected my studies and asked how I was. The stress of third year really took its toll on me so I took a long break from modelling but with a great team, I came back and walked Celine in the September after graduation.

Charlie Newman: In my opinion, catwalk modelling is the most gruelling part of the industry. How do you get through fashion week?
Anna Proffitt: It really is! I’ve certainly not always thrived in it, you have to be so in tune with yourself and able to ignore a lot as the nature of the process strips away your self-worth very easily if you let it. But then you have to be in it to win it. It’s all about the balance of knowing what is right and safe for your physical and mental health whilst allowing your ego to take you into that model mentality. I have a much stronger sense of self now, I guess it comes with age. So fashion week wouldn’t be so gruelling for me now as I know how to keep myself level.

Read more: Truffle making & Michelin-star dining at St. James’s Hotel & Club

Charlie Newman: What has been your favourite show to walk in and why?
Anna Proffitt: Celine is the biggest show I’ve walked yet and it was amazing to be surrounded by some of the biggest names in the industry. It was fascinating to see how a big fashion house works and be a part of the hype around Hedi Slimane’s first season at Celine. As a dressmaker myself, it was a dream come true to see how expert tailors fit the garments and discuss fabrics. I love Paris so much too, being able to spend 3 weeks there was amazing. Travel is definitely the biggest perk of the job!

Charlie Newman: Other than Celine, what’s been a career highlight so far?
Anna Proffitt: I loved the shoot I did for Wonderland Magazine with Campaign for Wool. It was all about championing British industry and conscious consumption which I am extremely passionate about and it was also my first glossy magazine shoot. I ended up collaborating with Campaign for Wool on my final major project at University. It’s so fulfilling when you meet lovely people on a job that you get on with and can work with on other projects.

Charlie Newman: Who do you look up to within the industry?
Anna Proffitt: I look up to the Ateliers of Haute Couture, they are some of the most skilful and talented people on the planet. My favourite artists in the industry are Rei Kawakubo, Tim Walker, the late Alexander McQueen and Christopher Simmonds.

Instagram: @annaproffitt

Charlie Newman: How did you come up with the concept for The Idle Hands Collective?
Anna Proffitt: Idle Hands is a platform that discusses conscious consumption in the fashion industry. It started as a way I could visually explore the topic so more people can join the conversation. I am passionate about the craft of fashion and using what we already have, there are so many amazing clothes in the world we don’t need to make more, especially more that are made from plastic and fall apart after one wear. I want to champion quality over quantity and prove you don’t have to forfeit your aesthetic in the slightest to dress sustainably. The blog consists of think pieces about sustainable fashion and features people, makers and communities that are paving the way. It goes alongside my vintage and up-cycled business which I have on Depop and my Instagram.

Read more: Why Spain is best for cultural travelling by Geoffrey Kent

Charlie Newman: As consumers, how can we make our approach to fashion more sustainable?
Anna Proffitt: Stop buying crap clothes! Why would you want to put your hard-earned cash to something that you know will only last you about two months? I would love to see a massive shift in consumer mentality that champions quality items over anything the fast fashion brands give you (which are inherently made to be disposable). I would love for charity and second-hand shops to be destigmatized and a ‘make do and mend’ mentality to be reintroduced. In this consumerist society, we can vote with our wallet, so make your money count.

Instagram: @annaproffitt

Charlie Newman: Who are your favourite sustainable brands?
Anna Proffitt: My favourite sustainable fashion brands are: Paloma Wool which is ethically made in Barcelona, Girls of Mars, FARA Charity shops because they are usually nicely presented and Rokit Vintage (my favourite is the Covent Garden branch). I am currently using a face oil by an independent maker called Lovely Skincare based in Sheffield and I use Neal’s Yard too as their green credentials are to be envied.  The Body Shop and L’Occitane have recently teamed up with TerraCycle so you can recycle all beauty empties in store, which is quite revolutionary. The best places to shop are always local; support your local community. Shop your local markets, greengrocers, hardware stores, charity shops and book shops.

Charlie Newman: Lastly who is your role model of the month and why?
Anna Proffitt: My role model of the month is the climber Nina Williams. I watched her documentary at the Reel Rock Film Festival and I am in awe of her mindset and strength. Go check her out!

Follow Anna on Instagram: @annaproffitt

Untitled (2019) by Henrik Aa. Uldalen

Jean-David Malat is part of a new wave of art dealers. Clients include Bono, Kate Moss and Lily Allen, you can buy his art on Instagram, and you’re as likely to run into fashion types as the art crowd at one of his parties. Torri Mundell discovers what makes him tick so fast

From his glitzy Mayfair gallery, Jean-David Malat, a tall, suave Frenchman, discovers and promotes new artists from around the world using social media, a fast-paced schedule of shows and events, and an air of inclusivity. Malat hunts for contemporary artists from ‘outside the box’ to represent from all corners of the world, uses Instagram and innovative events to generate interest, sales and loyalty outside the conventional art crowd, and welcomes new buyers venturing into his gallery. Coming from a fashion background, Malat has been a Mayfair gallerist, first with another gallery, now, since last year, his own, for more than a decade but still palpably mixes the two worlds.

LUX: What do your artists have in common?
Jean-David Malat: The first thing is the relationship that I have with each of them. In the art world, this is important. I believe in them, I collect them personally, and I push them and support them through a network of collectors. And all of them share a kind of energy. At our summer show, we exhibited a mix of our artists, including Li Tianbing, Santiago Parra and Conrad Jon Godly, all of whom are very different artists but who all share this energy.

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LUX: Your approach to marketing is very different to the norm in the gallery world.
Jean-David Malat: Instagram is a really successful, really important strategy for the gallery. We sell
through social media. Many of our clients are following us on Instagram so we can post a photograph of a piece and they will call or WhatsApp us directly and say, “I like this one”. The gallery now has more than 30K followers. It’s good for the artists, too.

LUX: Has this changed the art audience?
Jean-David Malat: Yes, a lot. I think Instagram is more democratic. It is easier to show the world what you do and what you’re exhibiting. I would say more than half of our buyers may never have set foot in a gallery before. We have a strong website that offers a virtual tour, where you can zoom right into the artworks. And if a potential buyer likes a piece, we can create a virtual room to show how it will look. It works well – we do business in Iceland, China, Singapore…

LUX: Will this replace the gallery experience?
Jean-David Malat: Seeing art face to face is still important. People want to see it physically. And the gallery is open to everyone. It’s important to share the space with art students, with art lovers.

Untitled (2019) by Santiago Parra

LUX: How do know you’ve come across an artist you want to represent?
Jean-David Malat: I trust my instinct. When I took on Santiago Parra, not as many people believed in him but now he’s very successful. But we take our time before we sign an artist. The gallery is a whole team. We discuss by committee which artists we can help and how. Henrik Uldalen is the only artist I have discovered on Instagram – it’s a great platform for art, but Instagram is not doing my job for me. I still do a lot of travelling.

LUX: What are you looking for in an artist?
Jean-David Malat: I need something that talks to me. The first time I saw Henrik’s work [in 2015], I could see that his work is very emotional. When you look at the portraits, they make you think – and feel. I was intrigued and I went to visit him in his studio in East London. We kept in touch and eventually I started to represent him. Everywhere we go, it sells. At his 2018 exhibition, some people came to the show five times. Some of them cried in front of his paintings. I’ve been in the art world for many years and haven’t often seen emotion like that.

Read more: Pedro Rodriguez of Sierra Blanca Estates on Málaga’s luxury future

LUX: Can you say more about your relationship with your artists?
Jean-David Malat: You need to support them. You need to give them attention, solo exhibitions, press and more. We spend time together, we have meals together and travel together. When you are part of JD Malat, you are part of a family. Sometimes, we just need to give our artists some direction in size and subject. You try to guide them, mix commercial with non-commercial advice.

LUX: How did you come across Zümrütoğlu?
Jean-David Malat: He’s a Turkish artist I discovered at an art fair in Istanbul. I loved his work straight away and I approached him a few months later because I couldn’t forget him. He is one of my
strongest artists. His work is very political and not easy. It’s dark, not decorative, and it was a challenge to show his work in London. But we sold to a museum and to some powerful collectors, and David Bellingham from Sotheby’s Institute wrote a lovely essay about his work.

Angel of history-III (2019) by Zümrütoğlu

LUX: Have you known Katrin Fridriks long?
Jean-David Malat: For many years – she was one of the first artists I collected. Her work is a bit different; it’s about power, colour, explosion. We had a beautiful show together in March which was very well received and we are doing a new collaboration with Jack Barclay Bentley.

LUX: You’re not against setting up commercial relationships with your artists?
Jean-David Malat: It’s important to have them, but of course we are very careful. We have many offers for collaborations – especially for trainers! – but you need to be picky. I have seen many
disasters between artists and brands. Katrin was perfect for this project because her work is all about natural energy, so there was an elegant connection between her and the brand. She spent months getting it right. It was never going to be simply an image transferred onto a car.

Mirage #38 (2019) by Masayoshi Nojo

LUX: How was your move from the secondary to the primary market?
Jean-David Malat: The primary market is much more exciting. I love having direct contact with my artists. And it is always more interesting to sell artists who you support. I haven’t given up on the secondary market – I still get requests from collectors who know me and prefer to go through me for my knowledge and experience.

LUX: Have you encountered any snobbery towards your gallery from the establishment?
Jean-David Malat: Yes, there’s a lot of snobbery in this industry, but I don’t look or pay attention to it and I don’t really care. I just think I am here today in Davies Street and I work passionately with the artists whose work I love. I think that in all industries, there are people who don’t want you to succeed or believe you can. People in the art industry can be arrogant. But we have a different approach to our public – we welcome everyone to the gallery, and I meet them all.

Find out more: jdmalat.com

The comfort of the club suites has been improved by the recent introduction of bed linen by the White Company. Image by Nick Morrish/British Airways

British Airways has had a hard time from business travellers, some of it justified. But LUX Editor-in-Chief Darius Sanai rediscovered his fondness for the airline on a recent long-haul trip

In the world of the affluent intercontinental business traveller, there are various unwritten rules. One regards jet lag affecting your schedule: it doesn’t. (We recently found an HR manual from the early 2000s which specified a full rest and recovery day for employees on landing after any long-haul flight, which seems as antiquated as exchanging telegrams now.) 14 hour flight, straight into meetings whatever time zone your head is on, followed by dinner and an all nighter as you catch up with everyone in your original timezone. The next morning, kick off at 7 and work through until, and on, whatever flight comes next.

Follow LUX on Instagram: luxthemagazine

Another rule regards local customs and language. For a while, pre-globalisation and social media, it was considered polite to learn a little about the country you are doing business in, and perhaps a few key phrases of language. Now, when any four year old can have instagram friends in Bolivia and Vietnam, local customs are for kids. As for language, speak English and just ask Siri. (An important exception to this appears to be China, which is gearing up for the reverse, its own global cultural expansion).

BA’s Club World has previously received criticism for its seat layout, but the new flatbed units are more private than in other airlines, says Darius Sanai

Both of these rules seems to have seeped into general business culture from the all-work-no-play USA, and specifically from companies like McKinsey and Bain, where a staff member who sleeps at all is an unproductive staff member with spare capacity.

And finally, if you come from or have anything to do with the UK, there’s the British Airways bashing. It seems to be de rigueur to use one fo the following stock phrases: “I had to fly BA, everything else was full,” “I actually prefer the service in (fill in airline) economy class to BA Club” or “(Fill in airline) business class is way better than even BA First”.

Well, after a period of flying long-haul business class on a number of other, acclaimed, airlines, LUX returned to the BA fold for a recent flight from London to Hong Kong and back from Singapore, and whisper it, but we beg to differ. (We should also state here that we paid full fare for all our flights, including the BA ones, and that LUX has, despite our top-tier Gold frequent flyer status, not taken any flights comped or subsidised by BA, or any favours at all from the airline, over the past five years).

Read more: Parisian tailoring house Cifonelli sets up shop in Mayfair

For starters, there is the pre-flight routine. Take any other airline out of London, and you have to either go through the normal security scrum or, in a handful of cases, get chauffeured to a dedicated check in. Given the traffic in London and around Heathrow and concomitant stress about arrival time, we would take our BA option any day: a 20 minute, tranquil Heathrow Express (always upgrade to Business First class), followed by dedicated security at the BA Wing of Terminal Five, which sees you walk from train station to lounge in three minutes (record) and six minutes (average), without having to deal with the main security melee or the crowds of shoppers on the other side. The First lounge itself is spacious and comfortable with open views and the wines and food are good (though not exceptional) – although the cleanliness (simple table wiping, hello??) still needs attention.

British Airways’ Concorde Room at Terminal 5, London Heathrow. Image by Nick Morrish/British Airways

Then, on the plane. BA’s Club World has received some flak over the years for its seat layout, where passengers in their seat-bed pods sit awkwardly facing each other in opposite directions at takeoff and landing, and where passengers in one row need to step over the feet of sleeping passengers in the next to access the aisle. I think this is partly justified, and have been known to deliver a hefty kick to one fellow passenger who kept waking me up by repeatedly whacking into my feet as he stepped over me to access the aisle (seriously, if you’re under 70 and can’t step over an obstacle 50cm high, you need to do something about your fitness).

The flip side is that the flatbed units are actually less exposed to the aisles than in other airlines, and that your head and upper body lie very cosily in the unit when you are asleep.

A big improvement was the recent introduction of bed linen by The White Company; I had thought this would be a superficial gesture, but the soft bottom mattress protector, smooth duvet and puffy pillow are superior to the offerings on any other airline I have flown. Meanwhile, all-new Club World suites are being rolled out shortly, promising a step change (excuse the pun) in quality.

Read more: Jetcraft’s owner & chairman Jahid Fazal-Karim on global trading

BA also seems to have made an effort to address an old gripe from long haul travellers, the service. This isn’t yet at the levels of the top Asian airlines, but staff have made a step change in service, willingness, and helpfulness, and, call me American, but it’s rather nice dealing with people who speak English as a native language and who have the same cultural references – a call for a late night KitKat brought the requisite chocolate bar, not a cuddly toy.

The accoutrements of the flights are also excellent: tablecloths, proper cutlery, nicely printed menus, a good choice of food and a cute snack bar with an array of fruit and snacks. The wines are still not up to the celebrated standards they were before the previous round of cost-cutting, but at least they are not getting any worse and contacts at the airline say there are plans to reinvest in them. (Tip: always drink the champagne. Although BA Club World no longer serves prestige Cuvée champagnes as standard, they are always good and you are drinking a much more expensive product than the wines, which typically cost a third of the price per bottle, or less, of the champagnes. This applies to almost all airlines.).

Club Class onboard dining choices are excellent, but the wine is still not up to previous BA standards

And while the BA Arrivals Lounge at Heathrow may not have the quality of bathroom as the American Airlines one, it serves a killer English breakfast with particularly superb mushrooms, in a tranquil post-flight atmosphere, and also has free massages available in its Elemis spa.

After my latest round trip, I asked myself if I would insist to my travel bookers on trying another long-haul airline first next time; and my conclusion was that I would ask them to try BA first of all, for a combination of the reasons above. As long as the airline doesn’t let things slip again as it did when current CEO Alex Cruz first took over (note to Alex: reinvest in the wines. People care and it’s important for your brand). And now comes the hard part: getting the long-haul business travel warrior community to talk about flying BA as a boast, not an excuse. You heard it first here.

For more information visit: BA.com

Picasso Towers is a €225m residential development including luxury penthouses and apartments

Picasso Towers is Málaga’s latest luxury residential development, featuring 213 apartments on the seafront. Conceived by Sierra Blanca Estates in collaboration with Metrovacesa – and with endorsement from Antonio Banderas – the project aims to transform the Spanish city into more than just a holiday destination. Here, LUX Editor-in-Chief Darius Sanai speaks to Pedro Rodriguez, the founder of Sierra Blanca Estates, about the challenges of the project, creating demand and Málaga’s future

Pedro Rodriguez

LUX: Can you tell us your story and how you came to work in development?
Pedro Rodriguez:  I studied tourism and I was the top producer of tourism to Spain from the United States for more than 10 years. I actually worked for Thomas Cook more than 40 years ago. And even though I was very successful as a tour operator there was something that made me consider making a change. It was actually two or three things I think. Number one and most important, was when Spain joined the European Union back in ’85. At that point, I was reading a book that was about Megatrends, which was written by a sociologist, and he came to predict what was happening already in the USA. People and companies establishing the North Industrial coal estates were moving to the Sunbelt, especially to California and Florida, looking more than anything for quality of life – obviously in Florida, as you know, they have a tax advantage also. This transformed Florida into one of the most successful states in the USA. Well, I didn’t have to be a genius to think that if I was going to make an investment back in ’85 it should be in Spanish real estate, because the same thing [that happened in Florida] was probably going to happen in Spain. So that was how I started. I invested in real estate, but from day one, I invested in only what I considered was going to be the best project for the future.

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LUX: When did you decide that Málaga would be a focus with Picasso Towers?
Pedro Rodriguez:  We started to buy the project five or six years ago. At that time, people were very sceptical that we could even build this type of project. Almost everyone was sceptical, but when we explained the idea to Antonio Banderas, who is our ambassador, he agreed because he is somebody that will do anything to promote the city where he was born. So we explained the philosophy behind the project and how we wanted to contribute to Málaga as a residential destination.

Successful people want to enjoy the fruit of their success and as these people are looking to invest in real estate, they are thinking about where they want to live, but also where they want to establish their own startups, their own companies. That is what is going to help to transform Málaga not just as a vacation or residential destination, but as a community of all nationalities.

A render of an apartment’s interiors inside Picasso Towers

LUX: Is it a challenge that people do not tend to think of Málaga as a location where you’d buy a very high-end holiday home?
Pedro Rodriguez: Málaga has been projected as a cultural destination in the last 10 years, and it has been celebrated in many interesting films. Also, as you know, it’s an old city – it’s more than 2-3,000 years old. It has not only the old town, but also the Roman area. We invested and started to look at Málaga with great interest because of the way it was growing already, the attention that it was getting from entrepreneurs from Spain and all over Europe. We thought that the interest was going to bring a demand for a higher quality product, and the kinds of apartments that we are building did not exist before in Málaga. You are right that Málaga doesn’t at this point offer housing or apartments with the design or the quality that Marbella offers already, and that is what we realised.

We can already see that the demand is increasing from a variety of interesting people, who are part of the new society that it is coming to the city. It has always been my philosophy to create an end product that would be of a design and quality that will exceed whatever is on the market. There is always a demand for something very special, and the quality of the project is what generates the attention, and desire of people. I think that we are contributing a very singular, unique product with Picasso Towers, and it is helping the city to project itself as a residential destination with a quality product that didn’t exist before.

One of the towers is dedicated to luxury lifestyle amenities including three swimming pools, a premium spa, fitness centre, private cinema, playroom, co-working area and nursery, as well as incorporating the latest technology and security.

LUX: A few years ago, you published an article about how people were opposed to one of your projects in Marbella because they thought it was too big, too sophisticated for the location. Have you had similar challenges with this project in Málaga?
Pedro Rodriguez: When you are creating something unique or special that the city’s society is not familiar with, you have to accept that you will have people who don’t really believe in it. But that is normal. If you create – in whatever area or industry – something that’s special, you cannot expect the majority of people to agree and understand what you are creating otherwise it would not be original, it would not be special. That was my idea in Marbella, yes, when we began to build the Sierra Blanca. It is a special destination in Marbella, and people were thinking that it was crazy because we were investing 20 or 30 million euros of today’s money [the project was 30 years ago]. In Málaga, when I was conceiving the idea for Picasso Towers, people were sceptical as to whether Málaga was ready for that kind of project. They were proven – and we are still proving – that they were wrong. Fortunately, there is a growing number of local and international successful entrepreneurs that are changing Málaga day by day.

Read more: Why you should go to St Moritz now for perfect snow

LUX: Is it true that Málaga is becoming a tech and business destination as well?
Pedro Rodriguez:  Absolutely. New and important international companies are being established quite frequently in Málaga. It is happening almost everyday.

LUX: Are you expecting the buyers of Picasso Towers to be international?
Pedro Rodriguez:  We haven’t really started the international promotion yet, but right now, we already have Swedish or Finnish investors, but mainly Spanish. We have Real Madrid soccer players that have invested in at least four or six apartments. Eventually, it will be home to a great variety of people from almost anywhere.

LUX: Finally, what other developments do you have planned for the future?
Pedro Rodriguez: We have an excellent project under construction right now in Marbella that it is without question, the best apartment project to be built in the city in the last 20 or 30 years at least. We are really proud to say that we have come to an agreement of doing branding with Fendi Casa, and the apartments are excellent alternatives to luxury villas. It is obviously a nice apartment, but at the same time, we want to create a country club lifestyle.

The first phase of Picasso Towers apartments will be ready by the end of 2021, and the whole resort is expected to be completed by 2023. For more information visit: sierrablancaqualityestates.com; metrovacesa.com

Number 16 Clifford Street in Mayfair, Cifonelli’s new residence

One of Paris’ most illustrious tailoring houses has opened the doors to its a new London boutique. LUX takes a look inside

It’s not often mannequins are intimidating, but the three standing in the shopfront windows of Number 16 Clifford Street are enough to make most men question their wardrobe. This is the new London residence of Cifonelli, a tailoring house renowned for its distinctive details and sharp lines. Karl Lagerfeld was famously quoted as exclaiming that he “could recognise a Cifonelli shoulder from a distance of a hundred metres.”

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The brand was established in Rome in 1880 by Giuseppe Cifonelli before settling in Paris via a short stint in London, and now it’s back in Britain’s capital with fourth-generation cousins Lorenzo and Massimo at the helm.

Cifonelli’s boutique has been designed to offer clients a space to relax and shop

Read more: Truffle making & Michelin-star dining at St. James’s Hotel & Club

On a wintery evening earlier this month, LUX joined a crowd of handsomely dressed men to celebrate the opening with a glass or two of champagne, and dancing to tunes from the in-house DJ. Not the kind of scene you’d necessarily expect from a traditional tailors, but Cifonelli despite its heritage remains very much on the pulse.

The shop itself, for example, is luxurious, but welcoming with plush velvet seats and flattering lighting, the idea being that customers can come in to relax as well as buy. It’s well worth a visit, if only to admire those well-dressed mannequins.

For more information visit: cifonelli.com

The Alpine village of St. Moritz offers more than just an exclusive social scene; the winter sports are first rate too, say Darius Sanai

With snow already falling in the Swiss Alps, LUX Editor-in-Chief Darius Sanai looks forward to another first-class ski season in St Mortiz

The first Alpine snowfall of the season has already happened – there is up to 30cm of fresh powder across Switzerland, particularly in the south of the country, due to a weather system recently pushing up from Italy. So naturally our thoughts are turning to St Moritz. Think St Moritz, and you probably think lavish New Year’s Eve parties, long evenings drinking Masseto in friends’ houses, and early evening aperitifs at Pavarotti’s.

It’s easy to overlook the winter sports when you’re so familiar with the social element – and St Moritz has such an engrossing social, cultural and artistic life that you’d be forgiven for never having snapped on a pair of Rossignols while there. Forgiven, but mistaken.

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So here’s a snapshot of what you could, and should, be doing as soon as the lifts open in a few days: it’s our perfect day in St Moritz. We started our day on the slopes at Piz Nair, the top station on the Corviglia mountain, one of three big ski mountains in the area, and the one directly above the village.

It was snowing lightly when we entered the funicular station in St Moritz; we travelled through a layer of thick cloud, fearing a whiteout day, and then, suddenly, we emerged upwards into a blue and white high mountain peaky wonderland.

The Signal cable car is the first stage of the journey towards Piz Nair, the peak at the top of Corviglia, the most celebrated of the many ski mountains around St Moritz

At Piz Nair I shuffled over to a snow shelf to look at the view properly. In every direction, triangular peaks were poking out of a soft, uniform blanket of cloud below us. There was no end to the sea of peaks: St Moritz is famous for its “champagne air”, supposedly the purest in the Alps, as it is so well surrounded by high peaks on every side.

Read more: Why now is the time to book into the Bulgari Resort Dubai

The mountain has a superb selection of mainly red runs, suited to good intermediates; we particularly liked the long run all the way from Piz Nair down to Celerina, below St Moritz, which ran through two valleys and finally descended through the trees, with fantastic views of the Piz Bernina mountains, higher than 4000m, opposite. The clouds melted away during the morning, with more panoramas revealing themselves.

The White Marmot restaurant with panoramic views of the mountains

And then – lunch. Lunch on the slopes in St Moritz is almost a religion: you are judged by where you go, and where you sit, so here’s some advice: book a table, as soon as you know when you’re going, at White Marmot. This is the restaurant at the Corviglia mountain station, three quarters of the way up the slopes and directly above the town itself. You can easily access White Marmot without skis, by taking the funicular train up, and many people do. Huge picture windows give you an unremitting panorama, and the decor – bare wooden tables fully dressed with huge Riedel wine glasses, 20th century modern design elements, colourful throws, magnums of Dom Perignon sitting on ice – makes White Marmot look like there’s a party going on even before the party has started. The cuisine is beautiful too, varying from Swiss mountain specialities with a contemporary twist to modern Italian haute cuisine.

The Suvretta House is a palace hotel overlooking forests and lakes, with its own ski lift

After lunch, we took a final lift up to Piz Nair to take in the view of what seemed like all of Switzerland again, and headed down, via a series of lifts, to Suvretta House. One of St Moritz’s classic luxury palace hotels, it sits amid a forest on its own ski slope, with its own ski lift. Having skied to the door, we sat in its grand drawing room, looking out over the forest and the valley, sipping on local Pinot Noir, and preparing for the second feast of the day, at Suvretta House’s celebrated Stube restaurant.

The Stube has an informal atmosphere, plenty of Alpine pine, and serves a perfected selection of Swiss, Asian and contemporary American specialities. The chicken wrap is to die for. And all you have to do after dinner is wander up to your room, with a view over the forests and frozen lakes, and prepare for a reprise the next day. Book for early December, and you’ll have fresh snow this year and no crowds.

For more information visit: engadin.ch
Book your stay: suvrettahouse.ch

St. James’s Hotel and Club is tucked into a quiet corner of Mayfair

London might seem spoilt for hotels, but if you’re looking for small-scale, intimate luxury it’s not so easy to find – especially in Central. This is where St. James’s Hotel and Club comes in with a Michelin-starred restaurant and hands-on masterclasses

Tucked in a quiet residential street on the edge of Green Park, almost directly behind The Ritz, St. James’s Hotel and Club benefits from proximity to Piccadilly and Regent’s Street, whilst also offering a sense of relative seclusion. The building itself was originally a members’ club for travelling diplomats, founded in 1857 by English aristocrat and the Sardinian minister. It played host to the likes of Winston Churchill, Henry James and Ian Fleming, among others, until it closed in the 1970s. In 1980, the doors were reopened by Peter de Savary (owner of The Cary Arms in Devon) as a hotel and a club. Now owned by German hotel group Althoff, the hotel has been refurbished with contemporary touches, whilst still preserving a sense old-world charm.

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Our room is the Westminster Suite on the seventh floor. The ambience leans slightly towards the corporate side, but it’s elegantly furnished and features a private terrace, large enough to host a cocktail party. On a less drizzly evening than ours, it would be a very pleasant place for a warming glass of mulled wine whilst admiring the rooftop views. As it is, we have a chocolate masterclass to get attend.

Rooms are decorated with elegant, contemporary furnishings

The Westminster Suite’s private terrace

The masterclass is just one of the hotel’s offerings for guests, alongside cheese and wine pairing, and cocktail mixing. Our class is held in a smart basement meeting room and is led by the convivial pastry chef, who shows us how to make and roll truffles whist we sip on glasses of champagne. The class, unlike those at many five-star hotels, is very hands-on, and whilst our truffles come out oddly shaped (some collapsing completely) it’s a lot more fun making than watching. Better yet, our truffles are whisked away to solidify and then returned to our room in ribbon tied bags with a kit containing ingredients and recipes so that we can make more at home. White chocolate passion fruit truffles are a revelation.

Read more: Oceania Cruises’ Managing Director on luxury hospitality at sea

The hotel offers a series of masterclasses including chocolate truffle making with the restaurant’s pastry chef

Pre-dinner drinks are served in William’s Bar and Bistro – a cosy and eccentric cocktail bar with a particularly impressive collection of paintings. These are part of the Rosenstein Collection, which includes more than 450 artworks in total, many of which are portraits and can be found dotted around the hotel. We thoroughly enjoy discussing the work whilst sipping cocktails and nibbling on British tapas plates. Guests can also dine here if they choose.

Read more: Panerai x Bucherer launch their latest BLUE collection timepiece

Tonight, though, we have a table booked at the hotel’s Michelin-starred Seven Park Place restaurant. The dining room is comprised of only a handful of tables tucked into a curved room with elaborately patterned walls and soft velvet seats. The menu – here and in the bar – is overseen by Head Chef William Drabble with a focus on the best of British produce which means seasonal plates and locally sourced ingredients. During our stay, the emphasis is on fresh fish and seafood, which, as pescetarian diners, suits us perfectly. Our favourites include the poached lobster tail with a buttery truffle sauce, and the seabass with braised Jerusalem artichokes, wild mushrooms and a red wine and tarragon sauce. Since the wine menu is nearly fifty pages long, we’re more than grateful for the sommelier’s assistance who pairs our courses perfectly to suit our individual tastes.

The service, in general, is friendly and relaxed, which makes for a very welcoming atmosphere. It’s perhaps not the most family-orientated hotel as noise levels are kept to a low hum, and the property itself is small, but for a luxurious city-break or staycation, it ticks all the boxes.

Book your stay: stjameshotelandclub.com

Note: Seven Park Place restaurant closed for refurbishment after our stay, but has recently reopened with a new look. For more information visit: stjameshotelandclub.com/en/restaurant-seven-park-place