Design, Travel

Flying high in Hong Kong

Flying high in Hong Kong

Presenting some stiff competition to the glut of high-luxe hotels in Central Hong Kong, the recently opened Upper House – sister property to Beijing’s already legendary Opposite House – is the city’s hottest new property. [Read more...]

Motoring, Travel

On a road trip with Harley

On a road trip with Harley

Bikers must be among those with special reason to dislike the winter’s promise of snow and sub-zero temperatures. With the launch of Harley Davidson’s new Western Cape Experience Tour however, frozen bikers can now swap numb, wet feet for the balmy heat of South Africa. [Read more...]

Behind the scenes, Travel

We’re all off to Iceland

We’re all off to Iceland

In this month’s issue of Esquire, contributing editor Richard Johnson visited Iceland in search of its elves. To find out whether he managed to find any of the country’s fabled ‘little people’ you’ll need to buy the January issue (on sale now). Here, Richard recalls the unusual assignment that first took him to the land of glaciers and volcanic craters… [Read more...]

Hotels, Travel

We love Paris in the winter

We love Paris in the winter

Paris is our kind of town any time of year — yes, even when it drizzles — but it helps when you have a good excuse (leftover holiday quota to use up), a reasonably priced train fare (thank you Eurostar) and a great place to stay. [Read more...]

Design, Travel

Comeback of the month – La Mamounia

Comeback of the month – La Mamounia

The reopening of the newly refurbished La Mamounia hotel in Marrakech – once a favourite of Winston Churchill, Alfred Hitchcook and Charlie Chaplin – gets the thumbs up from Esquire. The redesign, by Jacques Garcia (the man behind Paris’s Hotel Costes), is a finely-tuned balance of Moroccan aesthetics and Western sensibilities. After only a three and a half hour flight, you can be lying in the sun under an orange tree on a rose-festooned terrace drinking mint tea and listening to calls to prayer. When we were there, Gywneth Paltrow could be spotted walking through the hotel’s lush gardens and Adrien Brody tinkling on the piano in the red velvet salon. Good times. 00 212 524 388 600, mamounia.com

Books, Design, Travel

The insider’s guide to the Alps

The insider’s guide to the Alps

Since 2002 Linde Werdelin has been making high-end sports watches for skiers and divers but as of this winter is about to launch these great-looking alpine ski guides. Owners Jorn Werdelin and Morten Linde have been skiing together since they were six and on their travels have accumulated a personal database of the best slopes, runs, bars, restaurants, hotels and other favourites in each of their chosen resorts. Available for France, Italy and Switzerland. 35€ for all three at www.lindewerdelin.com

Sport, Travel

Celebrating 125 years of lunacy

Celebrating 125 years of lunacy

Earlier this week, Esquire enjoyed the hospitality of the Swiss Embassy. We mingled, we accepted a refreshing beverage or two and wondered (silently) where the pyramid of Ferrero Rocher chocolates had got to. The primary reason for our visit, however, was to meet the engaging eccentrics who operate the fabled Cresta Run. [Read more...]

Hotels, Travel

Up and away

Up and away

In Esquire’s humble opinion, the best way to enjoy Hong Kong island is at altitude, which might explain why we like the sound of new boutique hotel The Upper House so much. [Read more...]