Lambeth Palace The Archbishop of Canterbury’s official London residence is a famous riverside landmark. It dates from the 13th century, but it is the red-brick Tudor Gatehouse, dating from 1490, that gives the palace a distinctive appearance. Lambeth Palace Road SE1 Closed to the public Tudor gatehouse, Lambeth Palace Houses of Parliament Savoy Hotel London’s … Read more

Paris was born on the Ile de la Cité. The first settlers came to this island on the Seine in 300 BC  and it has remained a focus of church and state power through the centuries, with the great cathedral of Notre-Dame and the law courts of the Palais de Justice commanding the island. This … Read more

A Day on the Islands Morning Arrive at Notre-Dame by 8am to beat the crowds and appreciate its magnificence, then head for the fragrant Marché aux Fleurs. As well as flowers, you can buy all kinds of garden accessories and seeds. Return to Notre-Dame if you want to ascend the towers, which open at 10am. … Read more

Places to Eat Isami One of the best Japanese restaurants in the city, but tiny so book ahead. Good choice of sushi. 4 quai d’Orléans, 75004 01 40 46 06 97 Closed Sun, Mon, Aug (3 wks) No disabled access Le Fin Gourmet Excellent bistro in a 17th-century building. Expect dishes such as scallops with … Read more

Elizabeth Gilbert could have saved herself a lot of Travelling if she’s gone to Ethiopia. In fact, it is a country with its own calendar (it’s 2004 there) and clock, which means she could have added time travel to her list of Experiences Eat At Kuriftu resort & Spa at Debre Zeit The biggest eye-opener … Read more

Pray Religion is part and parcel of daily life here. To really feel part of it, you need to get up early. In Bahir Dar I was up and out by 5am, in time to hear the call to prayer from the mosque and to see the Orthodox Christians appear, wrapped in white muslin, in … Read more

Love There is a lot to love about Ethiopia but do not expect it to be love at first sight. It is not a country for the faint-hearted, although I’d most certainly be able to escape to the fabulous Kuriftu Resort & Spa for a week or so. (I still pine for my room’s balcony … Read more

Muscat is a delightfully beautiful city endowed with many natural and man-made wonders Muscat is the starting point of any tour in Oman. It is a city of hills, forts, sands and beaches. Unlike in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the skyline here is not cluttered with skyscrapers competing with each other to touch the sky, … Read more

Stunning structures Qurum Beach The Muscat Opera House demands attention with its beauty. The palm trees swaying around and the hills enhance its charm. This attractive white complex witnesses many concerts and ballet shows and is one of the favourite tourist hang-outs. A little further is the Qurum Beach with a large stretch of sand … Read more

Wondering where to holiday at home this summer? Head to the south- west, says Emily Mathieson, and rent one of these 10 houses for a classic British beach break in style. Marver House, Mawgan Porth  Marver House luxury 6 bedroom holiday house in Cornwall Two years ago, Marver House was in a dilapidated state. Half … Read more

The Village, Watergate Bay The Village, Watergate Bay Watergate Bay is justly renowned for its beachside hotel and Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen restaurant, both of which are packed for much of the year. Until recently, there has been a lack of decent seft- catering accommodation in the immediate vicinity, but a couple of smart new developments … Read more

Compass House, St Ives Not many places combine coast and culture with the aplomb of St Ives. The best thing about staying here is that, after ticking off sights such as the Tate, you have time to enjoy the town’s other charms- eating freshly caught crab, exploring artists’ studios among the cobbled streets- when the … Read more

Culture is more boom than bust in Spain with a flurry of exciting new and revamped museums opening nationwide. For lovers of museums, Spain is surely one of the world’s happiest hunting- grounds. The range is enormous: the Ministry of Culture can only estimate that there are ‘more than a thousand’ museums nationwide. Even the … Read more

Malaga: Carmen Thyssen Museum Carmen Thyssen Museum, Malaga Baroness Carmen Thyssen- bornemisza already had one museum to her name, the Museo Thyssen- Bornemisza in Madrid, but that was full up with her late husband’s collection and she needed somewhere to show her own. For Malaga, the prospect of Dona Carmen’s artworks residing in the city, … Read more

This year’s Hot List vovers 29 countries from Argentina to Vietnam. The 60 hotels in our final selection were chosen from hundreds of suggestions from our correspondents worldwide. Despite the economic climate there were many strong contenders; and the best vary from futuristic towers to ocean- edge villas and revamped grandees dames. Plus, in this … Read more

Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund, Shanghai Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund, Shanghai Looking to the future rather than feeling nostalgic for the past. Shanghai is luxury hotels tend towards sky tower modernism, but Asia’s first Wladorf Astoria adroitly rewinds the stylistic clock. The setting is pure theatre: a colonnaded 1911 mansion on the … Read more

Wildman Wilderness Lodge – Mary River Wetlands Northern Territory the World Heritage Site of Kakadu National Park A comfortable two- hour drive from Darwin, Wildman Wilderness Lodge is a gateway to the raw, compelling beauty of Australia’s tropical north at a reasonable, half- board price. Its mission is to give travelers an insight into the … Read more

China – Banyan Tree Macau Cool off at the “beach resort deck” and pool at the Banyan Tree Macau There is an old primary- school teachers’ trick: if children get rowdy, do not raise your voice- lower it. The kids will instinctively quiet down to listen. The same goes for luxury. Its does not have … Read more

India – Alila Bangalore Hotel and Residence Alila Bangalore Hotel and Residence South India is first urban resort is in the hi- tech hub of Whitefield, 20km from Bangalore’s city centre and home or world- class technology parks, impressive corporate campuses and exclusive residential enclaves to house the multinational workforce. With its South- East Asian … Read more

Vivanta By Taj – Bekal, Kerala Life is tough at this new, 71- room spa resort in undiscovered north Kerala. Should I order a Mojito or a Mai- Tai cocktail? Take a spa treatment go for a walk on the beach, or a have a gentle kayak on the serene backwaters? Set on 30 acres … Read more