James de Givenchy
JEWELRY DESIGNER
"In the summer, I usually visit Saint-Briac sur Mer, a little town in Brittany, France, where my mother lives. It is very much a town that time has forgotten. Its weathered granite buildings give you the feeling of having stepped back into the Middle Ages. Some of its streets are so tiny that you can touch the walls on either side with your outstretched arms. I spent several holidays there as a child, and when I return now to visit my mother, we always stop at the local crêperie and eat a special dessert—a butter cake called kouign amann. The boulangerie near the church on the corner fills the air each morning with the scent of freshly baked bread. The coast is dotted with bridges from which I watch the tide rush in and out, and the countryside roads wind past fields of artichokes and cows. In the spring, the whole village is filled with flowering rhododendrons and blooming lilacs. During the summer, the days seem endless, because the sun doesn't set until nearly 11:00 P.M." For information, contact the local tourist office at 011-33-2-99-88-32-47; www.tourisme-saint-briac.fr. According to de Givenchy's mother, Patricia de Givenchy, one of the best hotels in the area is Grand Hôtel Barrière, in the town of Dinard, about four miles away. Open April 15 through October 31. Doubles from $396. 011-33-2-99-88-26-26; 800-745-8883; lhw.com.
Anya Hindmarch
ACCESSORIES DESIGNER
"Small places are an escape from all the big cities in which I spend so much time, and I love the simplicity and the bit of peace they bring to a holiday. I spend a lot of time at a friend's home on the Caribbean island of Mustique, which is one and a half miles wide and three miles long. While far from simple, the island has the advantages of being tiny: golf buggies instead of cars; no parking hassles; not having to choose among loads of restaurants. Everything is close at hand and accessible—very important for those with children." Many visitors to the island choose to rent villas; the Mustique Company offers weekly rentals starting at $6,000. 800-747-9214; mustique-island.com. The twenty-room Cotton House hotel has doubles from $850 during high season. 800-223-1108; www.cottonhouse.net.
Alicia V. Stevens
DIRECTOR, AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY EXPEDITIONS
"My favorite small hotel is the seventeen-room Dalmunzie, in the Scottish Highland town of Glenshee. This breathtakingly beautiful and secluded Scots Baronial hunting manor is the best-kept secret in the United Kingdom. It dates back to the 1500s and is nestled in a high glen in the scenic Grampian Mountains at Highland Perthshire, twenty miles from the famous Balmoral Castle. In her 1848 diary, Queen Victoria wrote of Dalmunzie, which she would visit en route to Balmoral: '[Dalmunzie] was so calm and so solitary....All seemed to breathe freedom and peace, and to make one forget the world and its sad turmoils.' Today it has the same effect—I love to hike the peaceful grounds for hours. Dalmunzie sits on 6,500 acres of family-owned land, so there are precious few cars or people around. I prefer to stay in the Birkmyre Room, in one of the towers, with rich oak paneling and Highland views in three directions. It is pure joy after a day of hiking or fishing or skiing [the Glenshee Ski Centre resort is nearby] to return to the comfort of the stately castle aglow with burning fireplaces and alive with the chatter of happy guests sharing pints over a game of billiards." Doubles from $188 per night.011-44-1-250-885-224; www.dalmunzie.com.
William L. Bryan Jr.
CHAIRMAN, OFF THE BEATEN PATH
"Teton Ridge Ranch is a wonderful, luxurious property in eastern Idaho, bordering Wyoming. It's fifteen minutes from the main highway, and with only five suites, it's extremely intimate. I celebrated my fiftieth birthday there with friends; we took it over, and all had a great time. Each spacious room has views of the Grand Tetons and a Jacuzzi that easily fits two people. My wife, Pam, and I prefer the large corner rooms, but for the most privacy, stay in the back room of the Aspen Lodge, a two-bedroom home that's separate from the main lodge. At Teton Ridge, you can hike, fish, ride horseback, cross-country ski, read a book or just plain relax. We like hiking there not only because of the views but also because of the rolling terrain. And it's more than likely that you'll have a moose join you on the trail! The food is outstanding and tailored to guests' particular needs. You're allowed to bring your own wine to dinner if you have a special bottle and a special occasion." Doubles from $545. 208-456-2650; tetonridge.com.
Collette Dinnigan
FASHION DESIGNER
"No cars are allowed on Panarea, one of the Aeolian Islands, near Sicily, and it has the feel of a petite village—a bit like Capri might have been twenty or thirty years ago. However, its beaches aren't great, so pack a lunch, take a boat out, and swim in the clear blue water. In the evenings you can dine at a hotel or the excellent local restaurants. When I visit Panarea, I stay at Hotel Raya, a cherished place because of its charm and privacy. Its thirty whitewashed bungalows, covered in bougainvillea, have a Grecian air and are located on a hillside overlooking Stromboli and the Tyrrhenian Sea. Inside, the rooms are white and simple." Be sure to book one of the thirty hillside Raya Alto rooms, since the hotel also manages six less desirable rooms in town.Doubles from $427. 011-39-090-983-013; www.hotelraya.it.
Adam D. Tihany
ARCHITECT AND INTERIOR DESIGNER
"Torre di Bellosguardo, in Tuscany, sits on top of a hill with spectacular views of Florence. This incredible house-turned-hotel is the embodiment of Tuscan grand living. With its authentic and haunting salons with original frescoes, its verandas and pools, its amazingly perfumed gardens and its collection of sixteen guest rooms, all of which respect the building's 14th-century design, the hotel is an unforgettable experience." Doubles from $365 per night. 011-39-055-229-8145; www.torrebellosguardo.com.
Tee Faircloth
OWNER, F.M. ALLEN SAFARI OUTFITTERS
"I like to begin or end a visit to South Africa with a stay at one of the two safari camp lodges that make up the Ant Collection, located on adjacent game reserves in the Waterberg region of the Limpopo province, three hours northwest of Johannesburg. These hidden lodges, called Ant's Nest and Ant's Hill, are stylish private homes that the owner, Ant [short for Anthony] Baber, built by hand. He and his wife, Tessa, manage every aspect of the properties, from a horseback safari with Ant as your guide to the simple yet elegant cuisine. Their eland carpaccio is the best thing I've ever had. Because the lodges are in a malaria-free area, they are ideal destinations for families with children, and a bush walk with Ant is an incredible learning experience for all. With exclusive access to more than 100,000 acres and accommodations for parties of up to twelve at each lodge, the Ant Collection gives visitors the chance to explore the magnificence of Africa in an absolutely pristine setting." From $800 per night for two people. 011-27-14-755-3584; www.waterberg.net.
LOG-IN TO POST A COMMENT
POST A COMMENT