Author Archives: wanderluxe1

La Maison Haute, Brussels

While Belgium may not enjoy the same worldwide renown as its European neighbours, it’s a country with a rich tradition of bold architecture and cutting-edge design. From links to the beginnings of Surrealism to hidden Art Nouveau flourishes at every turn, the country’s designers display an innovative flair (for good and for bad – we’veContinue reading “La Maison Haute, Brussels”

Boubalé, Paris

One Saturday evening, we arrive at a quintessentially French 14th-century building in Paris’s Jewish quarter to visit a restaurant that serves Ashkenazi cuisine from Eastern Europe in a setting designed to look like a Russian summer house. Still with us? It’s a niche concept, granted, but one that has every table full and the airwavesContinue reading “Boubalé, Paris”

Le Grand Mazarin

Last autumn, the Le Marais district of Paris was illuminated in shades of purple and circus performers roamed the cobbled streets – unusual even in a part of the city that has always been synonymous with coexisting bourgeois and bohème. The celebrations were to mark the opening of Le Grand Mazarin, the most eagerly-awaited newContinue reading “Le Grand Mazarin”

Loisium Wine & Spa Hotel, Champagne

Are there any words that, when put together, evoke such feelings of joy as “wine”, “spa”, “hotel” and “Champagne”? Nestled among some of the most valuable real estate in the area of Champagne, France – vineyards belonging to the most renowned champagne houses where world-class bottles begin their life before being shipped all over theContinue reading “Loisium Wine & Spa Hotel, Champagne”

Château de la Resle, Burgundy

Just fifteen minutes outside the town of Auxerre, and surrounded by vineyards and chocolate box towns of Burgundy, sits Château de la Resle – an intoxicating blend of bold modernity and old world charm. On arrival, it has all the hallmarks of a classic French mansion: wooden shutters, turreted roofs, oeils-de-boeuf windows, and façades drapedContinue reading “Château de la Resle, Burgundy”

EALA My Lakeside Dream, Lake Garda

Imagine a hotel where every corner elicits amazement, and where every turn features a different picture-perfect landscape. Add a rooftop bar, a private beach, a Michelin-recommended restaurant, and a full-sized spa, and you’ve just about conjured up EALA My Lakeside Dream, located near the northern tip of Italy’s Lake Garda. EALA is found inside aContinue reading “EALA My Lakeside Dream, Lake Garda”

Palazzo Segreti, Milan

Rarely is something that calls itself a ‘secret’ actually a secret. But in the case of Palazzo Segreti, an 18-room boutique hotel right in the centre of Milan’s fashion district, we really have found a hidden gem. Located between the Sforza Castle and the Duomo – less than ten minutes walk from both – PalazzoContinue reading “Palazzo Segreti, Milan”

Jacqueline, Barcelona

If you’re looking to discover the splendour of Barcelona’s art nouveau architecture scene, and to try some excellent local cuisine, we’ve found the perfect place that kills two birds with one beautifully-designed stone: Jacqueline. This recently-opened gem in Eixample has already played host to numerous well-known brands and celebrity guests, all enamoured by its strikingContinue reading “Jacqueline, Barcelona”

Boulevard, Barcelona

Nowhere does day-to-night quite like Spain, a country where a liqueur coffee in the morning is perfectly acceptable, and where a night out can comfortably begin at 2am. We travelled to Barcelona to test the unique hybrid of a sit-down three-course meal that melts into a dance party. Boulevard is one of the city’s newerContinue reading “Boulevard, Barcelona”