The Globe Trotter: 1 February
A few days away in a fabulous hotel, being well fed and well looked after, is heavenly. It’s even more fun if there’s a furry friend on hand willing to go for walks with you. The following establishments all have darling doggies aching for you to notice them…
Jasper is a four-year-old whippet who loves to play fetch and dig holes. His owner, Nikki, who has had him since he was a puppy, says he was great for relieving the stress of opening a new hotel. ‘Just as it all started to get too much, Jasper would have a funny five minutes and make us all laugh,’ she says. Jasper can be ‘booked’ and loves walking with The Scarlet’s guests. Many have sent in photos of the fun times they had with him, and he is really quite famous now.
The Scarlet, overlooking the beach at Mawgan Porth in Cornwall, is the UK’s first eco-luxury hotel, serving locally sourced food. There are 37 rooms, all with their own outside space, ranging from private courtyard, garden terrace or balcony, with views of the ocean, an Ayurvedic-inspired spa and hot tubs overlooking the surf.
Rooms cost from £190 with breakfast. You can take your dog along with you to enjoy some fabulous walks along the dog-friendly beaches at no additional cost. She/he can sleep in your room, but please not on the bed with muddy paws.
01637-861800, www.scarlethotel.co.uk
Springer spaniels Suzie, eight, and her son Jasper, two, belong to the general manager of the Hell Bay hotel. Both dogs love going for long walks on the island, so you can borrow them to be your official Bryher guides. Suzie is especially well known for taking guests on her very own tours of the island of Bryher, leading them to stunning views and spots that they would never find on their own. Lots of her relatives live in the Scillies, so if you spot another springer spaniel while you are out and about, it is probably one of Jasper’s brothers or sisters.
Bryher is the smallest community in Scilly, an island measuring one mile by half a mile, which lies 30 miles due southwest of Land’s End. Hell Bay is on the southwest tip of Bryher, set in its own grounds on the edge of the rugged Atlantic coastline. There are 25 rooms and a great restaurant serving the freshest seafood.
Rooms cost from £135 per night, including bed, breakfast and threecourse dinner, and boat transfers from the main island. Canine companions are welcome at Hell Bay at no extra charge, although not in the bar, and the hotel provides water and food bowls for them.
01720-422947, www.hellbay.co.uk
Two-year-old Camber is a wonderful Weimaraner who has his very own Facebook page (Camber The Dog) and is even in the Guest Directory at The Gallivant on the edge of Camber, East Sussex, close to Dungeness. Opposite the hotel you’ll find five miles of glorious beach and Camber loves to head off into the dunes with guests and, well, gallivant around.
The Gallivant is an eclectic, shabby-chic coastal hideaway, with 18 cosy bedrooms, a New Englandstyle Beach Bistro serving locally sourced food and a variety of quirky outdoor spaces to sit out in.
The hotel offers a special Dog Lover’s Escape, from £195, Sunday to Friday, which includes two nights’ accommodation in a Coastal Deluxe bedroom with breakfast, three-course dinner on the first night, and dog basket and toy in the room. There is no extra cost for dogs.
01797-225057, www.thegallivanthotel.com
Jack, nine, is a thoroughbred of many different breeds who was found abandoned as a puppy by the side of the road. He becomes best friends with anyone who takes him for walks and trots happily along to watch guests playing tennis or swim in the river. He enjoys being part of the fun, and loves having his paw held gently, a reminder he is safe and loved.
Arbuthnott Holidays offers stays at Almuña, an eight-bedroom house near Gaucin, surrounded by garden and groves of olives, apricots and almonds. The holidays are for groups of 15 guests and you either join in with others on a set departure holiday or come with your own house party on a personally designed one, which can include walks, riding, bridge or painting. Prices from £1,000 per person per week, fully inclusive of all meals, both pre- and post-meal drinks and transfers, but not including flights from the UK to Spain.
020-7738 2032, www.arbuthnottholidays.com
Dogs are certainly welcome at Estancia Los Potreros, a familyowned estancia in the Sierra Chicas foothills, a short drive from Córdoba in Argentina. Each animal has its own personality – Harvey is an eversmiling Labrador, his mum is Pippa, the Dame Maggie Smith of the group, Delphie the collie only really loves her owner and Boomer is the wonderful stray whose story we told in The Lady in the 11 January edition.
Black Lab Trumpet and the playful Haggis are the youngsters and like nothing more than accompanying guests on walks or horse rides. They especially like crossing streams and rivers – perfect for a muddy swim and splash. They have also been known to join guests in their rooms for a siesta.
Estancia Los Potreros, an exclusive, 6,500-acre organic working cattle farm, offers nine beautiful rooms – all with log-burning stoves and roll-top baths – from $405 (approximately £251) per night, including all food, transfers and activities (including riding and polo) on the estancia, but not international flights.
+ 54 (0) 11 6091 2692, www.estancialospotreros.com
Contact Wendy at wendy.gomersall@lady.co.uk
Downton mini-break
Fans of Downton Abbey can book a three-day Tour And Experience, taking in all the main locations, including the real Downton Abbey – Highclere Castle. From May, it costs from £747 per person. Hire Edwardian costumes at an additional cost. 0844-247 1007, www.britmovietours.com
www.visitengland.com
Antarctic expedition
Book by 1 March and you could save more than £2,000 per person on Abercrombie & Kent’s fantastic 20-night In The Wake Of Shackleton cruise to Antarctica, aboard the luxury ship, Le Boreal. This journey of a lifetime costs from £10,445 per person including accommodation, domestic flights, transfers and most meals. 0845–485 1140, www.abercrombiekent.co.uk
Hot hotels
New places to stay in the UK include Heckfield Place, a 60- room, refurbished Georgian manor house opening in March in 330 acres of Hampshire farmland. www.heckfieldplace.com
Tall story
The 200-room Shangri-La, The Shard, London, also opens in March, occupying floors 34 to 52 of this iconic building and with views across the capital’s skyline. www.shangri-la.com
JASPER, THE WHIPPET
The Scarlet, Mawgan Porth, CornwallJasper is a four-year-old whippet who loves to play fetch and dig holes. His owner, Nikki, who has had him since he was a puppy, says he was great for relieving the stress of opening a new hotel. ‘Just as it all started to get too much, Jasper would have a funny five minutes and make us all laugh,’ she says. Jasper can be ‘booked’ and loves walking with The Scarlet’s guests. Many have sent in photos of the fun times they had with him, and he is really quite famous now.
The Scarlet, overlooking the beach at Mawgan Porth in Cornwall, is the UK’s first eco-luxury hotel, serving locally sourced food. There are 37 rooms, all with their own outside space, ranging from private courtyard, garden terrace or balcony, with views of the ocean, an Ayurvedic-inspired spa and hot tubs overlooking the surf.
Rooms cost from £190 with breakfast. You can take your dog along with you to enjoy some fabulous walks along the dog-friendly beaches at no additional cost. She/he can sleep in your room, but please not on the bed with muddy paws.
01637-861800, www.scarlethotel.co.uk
SUZIE AND JASPER, THE SPRINGER SPANIELS
Hell Bay, Bryher, Isles of ScillySpringer spaniels Suzie, eight, and her son Jasper, two, belong to the general manager of the Hell Bay hotel. Both dogs love going for long walks on the island, so you can borrow them to be your official Bryher guides. Suzie is especially well known for taking guests on her very own tours of the island of Bryher, leading them to stunning views and spots that they would never find on their own. Lots of her relatives live in the Scillies, so if you spot another springer spaniel while you are out and about, it is probably one of Jasper’s brothers or sisters.
Bryher is the smallest community in Scilly, an island measuring one mile by half a mile, which lies 30 miles due southwest of Land’s End. Hell Bay is on the southwest tip of Bryher, set in its own grounds on the edge of the rugged Atlantic coastline. There are 25 rooms and a great restaurant serving the freshest seafood.
Rooms cost from £135 per night, including bed, breakfast and threecourse dinner, and boat transfers from the main island. Canine companions are welcome at Hell Bay at no extra charge, although not in the bar, and the hotel provides water and food bowls for them.
01720-422947, www.hellbay.co.uk
CAMBER, THE WEIMARANER
The Gallivant, Camber, East SussexTwo-year-old Camber is a wonderful Weimaraner who has his very own Facebook page (Camber The Dog) and is even in the Guest Directory at The Gallivant on the edge of Camber, East Sussex, close to Dungeness. Opposite the hotel you’ll find five miles of glorious beach and Camber loves to head off into the dunes with guests and, well, gallivant around.
The Gallivant is an eclectic, shabby-chic coastal hideaway, with 18 cosy bedrooms, a New Englandstyle Beach Bistro serving locally sourced food and a variety of quirky outdoor spaces to sit out in.
The hotel offers a special Dog Lover’s Escape, from £195, Sunday to Friday, which includes two nights’ accommodation in a Coastal Deluxe bedroom with breakfast, three-course dinner on the first night, and dog basket and toy in the room. There is no extra cost for dogs.
01797-225057, www.thegallivanthotel.com
JACK, THOROUGHBRED OF MANY BREEDS
Almuña, Arbuthnott Holidays, AndaluciaJack, nine, is a thoroughbred of many different breeds who was found abandoned as a puppy by the side of the road. He becomes best friends with anyone who takes him for walks and trots happily along to watch guests playing tennis or swim in the river. He enjoys being part of the fun, and loves having his paw held gently, a reminder he is safe and loved.
Arbuthnott Holidays offers stays at Almuña, an eight-bedroom house near Gaucin, surrounded by garden and groves of olives, apricots and almonds. The holidays are for groups of 15 guests and you either join in with others on a set departure holiday or come with your own house party on a personally designed one, which can include walks, riding, bridge or painting. Prices from £1,000 per person per week, fully inclusive of all meals, both pre- and post-meal drinks and transfers, but not including flights from the UK to Spain.
020-7738 2032, www.arbuthnottholidays.com
HARVEY, DELPHIE, TRUMPET, HAGGIS, PIPPA AND BOOMER
Estancia Los Potreros, ArgentinaDogs are certainly welcome at Estancia Los Potreros, a familyowned estancia in the Sierra Chicas foothills, a short drive from Córdoba in Argentina. Each animal has its own personality – Harvey is an eversmiling Labrador, his mum is Pippa, the Dame Maggie Smith of the group, Delphie the collie only really loves her owner and Boomer is the wonderful stray whose story we told in The Lady in the 11 January edition.
Black Lab Trumpet and the playful Haggis are the youngsters and like nothing more than accompanying guests on walks or horse rides. They especially like crossing streams and rivers – perfect for a muddy swim and splash. They have also been known to join guests in their rooms for a siesta.
Estancia Los Potreros, an exclusive, 6,500-acre organic working cattle farm, offers nine beautiful rooms – all with log-burning stoves and roll-top baths – from $405 (approximately £251) per night, including all food, transfers and activities (including riding and polo) on the estancia, but not international flights.
+ 54 (0) 11 6091 2692, www.estancialospotreros.com
Contact Wendy at wendy.gomersall@lady.co.uk
Downton mini-break
Fans of Downton Abbey can book a three-day Tour And Experience, taking in all the main locations, including the real Downton Abbey – Highclere Castle. From May, it costs from £747 per person. Hire Edwardian costumes at an additional cost. 0844-247 1007, www.britmovietours.com
www.visitengland.com
Antarctic expedition
Book by 1 March and you could save more than £2,000 per person on Abercrombie & Kent’s fantastic 20-night In The Wake Of Shackleton cruise to Antarctica, aboard the luxury ship, Le Boreal. This journey of a lifetime costs from £10,445 per person including accommodation, domestic flights, transfers and most meals. 0845–485 1140, www.abercrombiekent.co.uk
Hot hotels
New places to stay in the UK include Heckfield Place, a 60- room, refurbished Georgian manor house opening in March in 330 acres of Hampshire farmland. www.heckfieldplace.com
Tall story
The 200-room Shangri-La, The Shard, London, also opens in March, occupying floors 34 to 52 of this iconic building and with views across the capital’s skyline. www.shangri-la.com