Travel expert Rob Arrow has picked his favourite luxury destinations for a long weekend or bank holiday escape. All of the cities below take less than four hours to fly to, and our travel team can arrange transport, hotel bookings and restaurant reservations. We can also hire tour guides or create bespoke travel itineraries for the destinations, tailored to your interests. Call us to find out more about any of the destinations below, and see Rob's tips on European city breaks for more ideas on where to go this year.
Marrakech
Explore bustling souks, the expanse of the Atlas Mountains and 16th-century desert Kasbahs – and then retreat into tranquil tropical gardens secluded within ancient city walls. Marrakech is a short flight from London but offers experiences that are a world away. Many of the city's grand, palatial hotels have been renovated and reopened recently, but though it's now home to some of the globe's greatest luxury properties, it's still something of an undiscovered location for premium travel. ‘Go now,' says Rob, ‘because soon the secret will be out.'
The Royal Mansour, a traditional riad in the heart of the city's Medina, launched in 2010 as a six-star hotel, while Naoura Barrière offers modern luxury within the city walls. Rob says: ‘Both are prestigious hotels, but the Mansour is very much steeped in tradition, while Naoura Barrière, part of a small French chain of sought-after properties, is a chic, futuristic take on the riad.'
Berlin
‘Berlin has two of everything,' says Rob. ‘The wall that once divided the German capital has created two culturally distinct areas in one city, complete with two opera houses, two concert halls and two major shopping districts.'
Walk from west to east along the iconic Unter den Linden and the city's history will unravel in the architecture of the buildings along the length of this leafy boulevard, charting its story from monarchy to republic, fascism to communism, division to reunification. This distinction is even evident in the city's five-star hotels. Rob says: ‘The Hotel De Rome is housed in what was once the headquarters of the national bank and it retains a sense of the opulence of the Kaisers, while the Ritz Carlton is a modern, trendy property in a new skyscraper.'
Our travel team recommends a four-night stay in Berlin to experience the best of both sides of the city. Rob says: ‘Never arrive unprepared: the wealth of historical sites is overwhelming, and though well-meaning Berliners will be happy to offer tips on where to visit, it's likely you'll be left bewildered by the sheer choice. Ask your lifestyle manager to put together a travel guide featuring the must-see destinations.'
Paris
‘With its fashion, culture and food, the French capital is a classic destination for a luxury break,' Rob says. Paris has some of the world's best restaurants, an unrivalled cultural calendar and famous museums – as well as some lesser-known gems – but the City of Light is also home to Europe's finest, most iconic, hotels.
In the past we've booked members into the Four Seasons George V and the Hotel Lancaster, which Rob says offers a ‘modern, relaxed take on Parisian chic.'
The classic Hotel Royal Monceau in Champs Elysees has been completely overhauled and given a new look from designer Philippe Starck. Rob says: ‘Starck has blended his signature style of bold minimalism with that of a traditional French chateau, and the hotel aims to recapture the decadence and creativity of the roaring 1920s, when Paris was a magnet for artists, writers and musicians.' There's even a guitar in every room so members can unleash their own inner artist – fortunately, the walls are soundproofed so they don't have to put up with anyone else's.
Istanbul
2010's capital of culture, and one of our favourite worldwide destinations, is, Rob says, ‘a metropolis that's waking up to the 21st century'.
‘Istanbul is reclaiming its rightful place as one of the great cities of the world, and its imminent induction into the EU, coupled with its growing status as a cultural hub, has given it a new-found confidence,' he adds.
Fashion, art, design and gastronomy are all coming to the fore in the Turkish capital, and large-scale renovations to many of the city's great palaces have ushered in a new era of luxury hotels. US hotel collection W has opened a fashionable property in the city, its first in Europe, and Istanbul is the only city on the continent to have two Four Seasons, both of which, Rob says, ‘exude absolute luxury'.
‘The Sultanahmet, housed in a converted prison on the Bosphorus, has rooms overlooking the river and is steps away from the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace, while the Pera Palace was built in the 19th century to accommodate travellers on the Orient Express. It reopened in February after extensive renovations restored it to its former glory, and it feels like something torn from the pages of a classic Agatha Christie novel,' he explains.
Call us to make bookings or to find out about our ‘preferred partner' status with the Four Seasons and how we can secure complimentary benefits for members at the collection's properties across the globe.
Barcelona
‘This city has an extraordinary vibe that defies explanation: you have to breathe it, see it and be a part of it,' says Rob. The Catalan capital offers a heady, ever-evolving mix of fashion, architecture, culture, history, gastronomy, art and music, contained in a single city by the sea. Rob says: ‘You can be browsing the latest from top designers one moment and strolling arm in arm alongside the Mediterranean 10 minutes later. You can have seafood in the modern Port Olympic for lunch, then sample Iberico ham in a 100-year-old tapas bar later that evening.'
The Hotel Claris is a modern, intimate property in the centre of Barcelona, while the palatial Hotel Casa Fuster, designed by influential architect Lluís Domenech i Montaner, has a rooftop pool and bar with views across the city to Gaudi's Sagrada Familia. ‘We can put together a guide to Barcelona's singular architecture, including a walking tour of Gaudi sites that will culminate in his surreal Park Guell, which leave you feeling like Alice after a wander through Wonderland.'
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