Mr. & Ms. Connoisseur | #12

Out of this world: We spend the night at one of London’s most beautiful hotels, discover that all-inclusive luxury can actually be truly sublime, and, thanks to a new book, stumble upon a forgotten journalist. Bring on fall!

Loved.

A unique hotel experience in London

If you’re seeking a property that defies the uniformity of the international luxury hotel industry, choose The Milestone Hotel & Residencesfor your next visit to the Thames. You won’t find another British private residence quite like this one—designed for discerning, affluent guests: 43 Deluxe Rooms, 13 individually designed suites, and six residences welcome guests across from Kensington Gardens and the palace. The Milestone Hotel & Residences is housed there in three interconnected Victorian buildings dating from 1883. Marble floors, stained-glass windows, dark wood paneling, antiques, and original artwork have been preserved; no two rooms or suites are alike. While many new luxury hotels rely on earth tones, natural stone, and understated minimalism, The Milestone embraces high-contrast patterns, rich colours, heavy fabrics, mahogany, hand-selected paintings and prints—plus a generous dose of Anglo-Saxon eccentricity. Individuality and personal care are part of the DNA of the South African family that owns the hotel: the personal touch of the hotel’s founder and owner of Red Carnation Hotels, Bea Tollman, is still evident right down to the kitchen.




Ms. Tollman, now in her 90s, and her husband Stanley, who passed away in 2021, built the group from its humble beginnings in South African hotels. In 1986, she acquired The Milestone Hotel. Her recipes, her penchant for opulent interiors, and her vision of personal hospitality are in a class of their own. At the hotel’s in-house restaurant, Cheneston’s—with the atmosphere of a London club—British classics are served with a contemporary twist, executed with exceptional taste. They use Scottish salmon, for example—but only that from H. Forman & Son, London’s most traditional smokehouse. These are dishes that evoke memories and are specifically requested by regulars: Bea Tollman’s understanding of luxury cuisine was never academic or trend-driven. At The Milestone Hotel, family recipes are celebrated and personal preferences are honoured—this, combined with the exceptionally beautiful location in London’s Kensington neighbourhood, makes a stay here highly recommended and truly unique.

www.milestonehotel.com

Seen

Excellence on the Turkish Riviera

All-inclusive luxury is a delicate proposition. It is precisely in the finesse of food preparation at these properties’ à la carte restaurants that the wheat is separated from the chaff. On occasion, a resort succeeds in serving such sumptuous dishes that its restaurants would be worth a visit even beyond the idyllic confines of the all-inclusive realm. More often, however, this is not the case—a disappointment, given that the à la carte surcharges can sometimes be quite steep compared with the standard “buffet for all.”






At the Ela Excellence Resort Belek, a 5-star resort on the Turkish coast near Antalya, we were, however, pleasantly surprised: the resort breaks down the culinary world into a range of restaurant concepts that actually deliver remarkable flavour (!). Turkish, Mediterranean, Italian, Mexican, Far Eastern—diversity is the name of the game here. The experience is entertaining as well—particularly when the teppanyaki master at Akari displays his acrobatic prowess at the grill. Lobster, jumbo shrimp, lamb, chicken, and steaks sizzle on the hot griddle, while wonderfully fresh sushi and sashimi creations complete the evening. Premium ingredients and an appropriate ambiance also go hand in hand at La Sofa. Meals are served in a tranquil, nature-inspired setting by the sea, featuring abundant wood, wicker chairs, and subdued lighting. On the menu: an array of fire-grilled dishes, complemented by Turkish-inspired specialties. The Galata Tavern, meanwhile, draws inspiration from the Aegean and Mediterranean with mezze, fish, and seafood. With sirtaki and a fabulous troupe of dancers, even the most reluctant partygoers will find it impossible to remain seated. Within the most exclusive quarter of the Ela Excellence Resort, where the villas and apartments are situated, the specialty restaurant La Santé focuses on light Mediterranean cuisine—abundant in vegetables, fruits, and olive oil. As for the resort’s laid-back Italian outpost, La Perla, we would be delighted to seek it out in Berlin, Vienna, or Rome. Here, one can savour a selection of risottos, fresh grilled sea bass, and classic panna cotta in a relaxed setting. Each dish is crafted with artisanal precision—and rises far above typical resort fare. Hats off!
www.elahotels.com

Heard

Luxury Double Feature

Two resorts, one destination. In the Maldives, the Seychelles, and Los Cabos, Mexico, Four Seasonsdemonstrates just how valuable a change of perspective can be. Luxury remains. But it’s the contrast that makes it so appealing. Because sometimes two resorts are better than one.

In the Maldives, the journey into diverse concepts begins at Kuda Huraa. This tropical garden island exudes an almost village-like coziness. Families find their rhythm here just as easily as guests who want to ride the waves in the morning.

Landaa Giraavaru, also operated by Four Seasons, draws your gaze beneath the water’s surface. Within the UNESCO Baa Atoll Biosphere Reserve, a fascinating underwater world and seasonal encounters with manta rays beckon. One of the region’s most impressive spas—AyurMa—sees itself as an oasis of holistic well-being. Surfers here, a quieter, more introspective side there: the Indian Ocean, a dual experience.

The Seychelles, too,can be enjoyed as a well-curated duo. At the Four Seasons Resort Seychelles on Mahé, villas with private pools nestle into the green slopes above Petite Anse. At breakfast, your gaze wanders down to the bay. The beach can wait: the view alone is a good reason to stay put. Desroches, on the other hand, awakens the desire to set out. Four Seasons operates the only resort on this five-kilometer-long coral island. Guests may pedal along sandy paths to secluded beaches and into the turtle sanctuary aboard bicycles or e-fat bikes. While Mahé indulges with the panorama from a hillside villa, Desroches beckons to adventurers and those with a spirit of discovery. Compare the two; savour both—that is the motto.

In Los Cabos, the Four Seasons duo takes on a Mexican flair. Cabo Del Sol opens up the livelier Cabo corridor and is perfect for guests seeking to connect with the destination’s energy. Costa Palmas on the East Cape then leads out into a different, quieter coastal landscape. A long beach ideal for swimming invites you to let the afternoon slip away by the sea.





Naturally, switching resorts requires time, yet both properties deserve to be savored. In return, the journey offers two distinct rhythms and two beloved anchors within a single destination. True luxury lies in granting space to competing desires: a spirit of discovery today, a retreat tomorrow. In the end, the choice of which haven to revisit first remains yours.

Read.

Spotlight: Hans Habe

Hans Habe Who, please? With “Feindbegegnung. Hans Habe. Eine Biografie”(Molden Verlag), author Susanne Falk brings to light a journalist who was once among the best-known German-language novelists, essayists, and columnists. The bestselling author and combative intellectual—a personal friend of publisher Axel Springer and a co-architect of the German media landscape after the end of the Nazi regime—has somehow fallen into obscurity. Yet Hans Habe was a man whose life story itself reads like a 20th-century European novel. Born János Békessy in Budapest in 1911 and raised in Vienna, Habe became “Europe’s youngest editor-in-chief” (as he called himself) at the age of 23; later, as a correspondent for the *Prager Tagblatt*, he reported from Geneva on the League of Nations and participated in the 1938 Évian Refugee Conference. After the “Anschluss,” he was stripped of his citizenship, and his books were banned. He went to France, joined the French army, was taken prisoner by the Germans, escaped, and made his way to the U.S. via Spain and Portugal. Later, he returned to Europe as a soldier and press officer in the U.S. Army.

Hardly any journalist of his generation embodied the cosmopolitan spirit of his era so consistently. Vienna, Geneva, Paris, the United States, Hollywood, Munich, Salzburg, and finally Switzerland served as the backdrop for Habe’s work—as a police reporter, League of Nations correspondent, editor-in-chief, political columnist, and travel writer.

At Thalia in Vienna, Susanne Falk has just introduced us to the life of this restless and nearly forgotten European. His cosmopolitanism and journalistic curiosity make him a fascinating witness to his time—thank you for rediscovering him, Ms. Falk!