From wine tasting in the vineyards to some proper hard-core trecking, if you are after a holiday that's as different as it is luxurious, we have it covered, right here.
Fancy a holiday that’s about more than just flopping on the beach? Whether it’s learning a top chef’s kitchen secrets, walking the hills with an expert guide or wine tasting as you gaze at the grapes on the vine, there are plenty of memorable experiences awaiting adventurous travellers. So, we asked Charlotte Heyman, travel consultant for boutique-hotel experts Mr & Mrs Smith, for her pick of the the best experiential holidays.
Sri Lanka Amangalla’s just a steps from the Unesco-recognised Galle Fort, first constructed way back in 1588 – if you like your holidays heritage-filled, this is the place for you. Take a self-guided trip (you’ll find maps in your room at Amangalla) or enlist your personal butler as tour guide to help you explore the spectacular surroundings.
Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
Celebrated chef Raymond Blanc’s grand old house in a secluded Oxfordshire village is picture-perfect throughout, from the front desk to the dining table. The gleaming kitchens house an acclaimed cooking school, and the impressive walled garden manages to be both slightly magical and entirely practical: many of the vegetables and herbs you’ll dine on in the the Michelin-starred restaurant are plucked from the earth right outside. Plan your culinary classes far in advance: places are limited, and fantastically popular.
Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco, Tuscany, Italy
Where better to glug your way – in an increasingly educated manner – through some lush reds than at an 800-year old Tuscan estate set on 4,000-plus acres? A Brunello di Montalcino winery, two restaurants, a spa and a beautiful pool are all on site: check in, chill out, then embark on your guided winery tour and tasting session.
Azur Lodge, Queenstown, New Zealand
How does waking up to a knock-out view of New Zealand’s epic wilderness sound? Set on a steep hillside just west of Queenstown, Azur Lodge and its nine private villas command uninterrupted vistas of Lake Wakatipu and some majestic mountains. It’s activity hub New Zealand, though, so you know it’s not all just sitting around admiring the view: world-class adventures await, from skiing to bungee jumping to white-water rafting.
COMO Shambhala Estate, Ubud Bali
Just outside Ubud, in Begawan Village, this sumptuous stay is renowned for its back-to-nature approach: you’ll be simultaneously soothed and revived during your stay, and all in totally tropical, thatched-pavilion, wall-to-wall-waterfall luxury. The spa’s thorough wellness programmes are tailored to your length of stay—three, five or seven nights—with varied therapies focused curing your personal ills.