CONTENTS
WHAT’S INSIDE SEPTEMBER 2014
EDITOR’S LETTER
SIMPLY THE BEST 67 COVER STORY
NEW ZEALAND IS HOME TO HOBBITS, HELI-GOLF AND A WHOLE LOT MORE, DISCOVERS RUPERT MURRAY
6 THE CLUB
WIN A dressing gown for your dog
8 NEWS LATEST Auberge, Inkaterra, Emirates, Singita, Melia and more 30 SPA GODDESS
PAMPER Leo Bear shares the latest from the spa and wellness sector
42
BEST FROM THE BEST FEATURE Ten agents share their 5
favourite places to stay and top 5 wish list FRONT COVER PICTURE: GETTY IMAGES (C) MIKE POWELL aspire september 2014 — 3
are always ‘Who wrote this?’ and ‘Does it hold any weight?’ More often than not the list lacks clout.
E ELSEWHERE IN ASPIRE
BREAKFAST (P23) Photos and news from our second Aspire Breakfast
INTERVIEW (P39) Reggae Reggae sauce creator Levi Roots
REVIEWS (P57)
Japan, Oman, Scotland, Marrakech, Maldives
FIJI (P64)
Martin Ferguson reports from the Fijian Tourism Expo
GALAPAGOS (P76) Joanna Booth swims with – and gets a kiss from – a sealion
GREECE (P83)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
ITV Weather’s Lucy Verasamy checks out two Greek islands
RUPERT MURRAY EDITOR, ASPIRE
So when I was considering what to do to celebrate this 100-page issue of Aspire – our biggest-ever – I knew I wanted a list but couldn’t decide who should write it to ensure it was worth something and had weight. In the end it was an easy decision. The value of Aspire is its members, so I asked 10 of you to share the top-5 places you’ve stayed at and your top-5 wish list. With ever-increasing numbers of extraordinary places to stay, the battle for your attention – and, ultimately, your clients’ money – has never been more interesting. So it’s fascinating to hear which places impressed you and which are on your wish list. Have a look at Best from the Best (page 42) and see if you agree with the places chosen. And look out for future Best from the Bests as we will be doing more next year to celebrate excellence in other parts of the luxury travel sector.
veryone loves a list. The internet is rammed full of ‘Top 10s’ and ‘Five reasons to’. But my questions
PICTURE: IAN BRODIE
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