Maynards, Little Sampford, Essex

A 1670s, Grade II-listed former farmhouse with a moat that runs around three quarters of the grounds. It has exposed wall and ceiling timbers, oak floors, open fireplaces with wood-burning stoves and a bespoke kitchen. 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 receptions, 2-bed annexe, 5 acres.

Price: £1.5m Cheffins 01799 -23656

Pond Cottage, Wilton, Marlborough

This 17th-century thatched cottage is situated in an idyllic position overlooking the village pond. It is accessed by a private bridge and surrounded by gardens that include well-stocked borders and a vegetable garden. The cottage has beamed ceilings, inglenook fireplaces and a large dining kitchen. 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, office/bedroom 5, 2 receptions, utility, garage.

Price: £995,000. Hamptons 01672-837178

The Mill, Arnesby, Leicester, Leicestershire

A converted, Grade II-listed 19th-century windmill with a two-bedroom cottage and a range of outbuildings set in grounds that include a wildlife pond and a paddock. The mill has a double-height entrance hall, a bespoke staircase and a glass walkway on the first floor that connects the main accommodation with the former windmill. 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 2 receptions, 2 studies, balcony, motor house, 4.44 acres.

Price: £2.75m Fisher German 01858-410200

Bulkeley Grange, Malpas, Cheshire

A restored, Grade II-listed Victorian country house with a terrace with stone steps leading down to a sunken garden, wildflower meadow and a pond. It has oak floors and period fireplaces. 7 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 3 receptions, kitchen, library, stables, 9.7 acres.

Price: £2.25m Savills 01244-323232

Tinley Lodge, Shipbourne, Tonbridge, Kent

A country house surrounded by gardens that include a large pond with a pontoon, a Japanese garden with a wildlife pond, decking, multiple seating areas and an outdoor kitchen. It has an open-plan dining kitchen and living area with an Aga and French doors leading onto a courtyard garden. 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 2 receptions, study, 1-bed annexe, 2 studios, stables, paddocks, 8.01 acres.

Price: £4.95m Knight Frank 020-3967 7176

Barley Hill Farm, Combe St. Nicholas, Chard, Somerset

A Victorian former farmhouse with earlier origins set in large gardens that include two walled gardens, a wildlife garden with ponds, a wooden footbridge and wooded area adjoining a paddock and an orchard. 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 3 receptions, kitchen, 2-bed annexe, conservatory, office, dairy, 2-bed cottage, 1-bed coach house.

Price: £1.65m Knight Frank 01935-812236

Loughbrow House, Hexham, Northumberland

This late Victorian house is now in need of some renovation. The house is surrounded by landscaped gardens and set on a small estate that includes two cottages, a gate lodge, a pond, a sequence of small streams crossed by stone bridges, a walled garden with a greenhouse, woodland and a former quarry. 7 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 3 receptions, kitchen, reception hall, library, stables, grazing land, 31.4 acres.

Price: £2.1m+ Galbraith Group 01434-693693

Puddledock, Norden, Corfe, Dorset

Puddledock comprises a 200-year-old building incorporated into a contemporary state-of-the-art house with a deck running the length of the property that overlooks the wildlife ponds. It has vaulted, beamed ceilings and a modern wood-burning stove. 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, reception, 7.06 acres.

Price: £2.25m Savills 01202-856873

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

The writer Bret Easton Ellis once said that his advice to young artists was simple – marry someone rich. The line holds true because, well, it's true. Ellis may be biased towards seeing the uglier logic of money – the way it quietly shapes outcomes while pretending not to – but in this case, the bleak diagnosis is backed up by the numbers.

The art market does not reliably sort by talent. It sorts by who can keep going, stay visible, absorb unpaid years, access the right rooms, and remain legible to collectors and institutions long enough for momentum to build. A striking statistic from the most recent Frieze London art fair is that just 7% of exhibiting artists came from working-class families.

This statistic is not saying “talented working-class artists are being excluded” (which would be bad enough). It is saying something harder – the conditions for becoming an artist are already filtered by class before the market even gets to pretend it is judging talent. Talent is not the organising force. Survival is.

Making the market see emerging art

I founded New Blood Art, a gallery, in 2004, because I could see a gap the market had not built a mechanism for – the gap between serious artists leaving art school and buyers who wanted thoughtful original work by credible emerging artists, but who had no reliable way of finding it and needed a trusted filter.

New Blood Art did not simply spot artists before the market noticed them. Rather, it created visibility, credibility and access for collectors at the point when a market around them did not yet exist.

Take artist Georgia Dymock. We introduced her at New Blood Art in 2020, just after her graduate diploma in fine art at University of the Arts London. We listed her painting Purple Pinch at £1,700. In April 2022, it sold on the secondary market at Phillips' “New Now” auction for £23,940 – a fourteen-fold increase in under two years. The fourteen-fold increase is exceptional. The pattern is not.

Across 22 years, New Blood Art has had many examples of artists first shown or supported early on, who later gained serious market traction. Without that initial platform, credibility, access for collectors and market context, would the later traction have happened in the same way, or at the same speed?

We can't say for certain that those artists wouldn't have garnered attention without New Blood Art. But the pattern across 22 years makes the question legitimate, and it becomes reasonable to argue that early visibility, credibility and access for collectors materially affected the speed or likelihood of later traction, alongside my ability to identify serious artists early.

What 22 years at New Blood Art taught me

The artists who survive long enough to build meaningful careers are usually those with some form of material protection – financial stability, housing security, helpful geography and, above all, the capacity to absorb years of low or unpaid work. Most art students leave college with debt, need to earn, and cannot afford the years that an art career takes to build. And when only a small group can afford to keep going, only a small group get to tell the story of the world. Whose stories have we lost from the history of art?

The economics of early-stage work

The second realisation is commercial, and perhaps it has taken me this long to see it clearly because New Blood Art arose out of idealism as much as being a business interest. Consider where Dymock's £22,000 uplift went. A modest resale royalty may have returned to the artist under Artist's Resale Right, but the larger gain went to the auction house and the early seller. Nothing returned to the platform that showcased and launched her.

That is the economics of early-stage work – the identification, advocacy and development that actually forms careers carries sustained cost, while the rewards concentrate later, elsewhere in the market. Yet if nobody does this work of launching serious artists, then these artists don't gain visibility. The work is essential, while structurally unpaid. My gallery has, in effect, carried a public-interest function that the economics of the sector never reflected.

Splitting New Blood Art in two

There have been personal costs, too. Sustaining an independent gallery for 22 years without venture capital, while also carrying early-stage artists' development work the emerging art market does not properly pay for, had become unsustainable. Professionally and personally, I needed to step back. I downsized, spent time in a Cornish fishing village, and began asking myself a stark question: was it possible to operate profitably in the emerging art market, while holding on to the values that made the business worth building in the first place?

What has come back from this reflective 18-month period is clarity. New Blood Art had been carrying too much inside one structure and I decided to separate the two kinds of work so both can function properly. The gallery has now become smaller, sharper and more commercially focused, with a tighter roster of contemporary artists, many of whom we first came across years ago at their degree shows. The New Blood Art Foundation is now in formation and it will carry the public-interest and outreach work, including the Emerging Art Prize in collaboration with Fine Art departments across the UK, artists' development, mentoring and, I hope, studios and residencies.

The cost of independence

The route to charitable status has been thought-provoking and demanding. It has forced me to separate mission, governance, money and power. A foundation growing out of New Blood Art cannot simply be a more worthy arm of the gallery; it has to be able to protect its own public-interest purpose, especially where the commercial gallery and the Foundation sit close together. That raises an uncomfortable question. The Foundation is being created to support artists without financial cushioning, inherited networks, or easy access to the art world. But serious governance also requires time, confidence, independence and security. An unpaid independent chair is not just structurally complicated, it is also difficult to find.

The chair needs to be competent in a specialist field, independent, available, committed, financially secure enough to work unpaid, and not personally or financially entangled with me or with New Blood Art. That is a very narrow pool.

A foundation built to address the fact that only the financially cushioned can sustain an art career finds that only the financially cushioned can afford to govern it. Unpaid governance, like unpaid studio years, is a filter.

Artists as infrastructure

The Foundation's long-term vision of permanent bases across the UK rests on a pattern MoneyWeek readers will recognise from the property sector. Developers have long used artists to warm up cold districts – King's Cross, Peckham, Hackney Wick, Deptford. Artists arrive. Creative presence generates cultural heat, footfall, interest from buyers and rising values. Then the studios close and the artists are priced out of the value they helped create.

That cycle is not only unfair; it is economically short-sighted. Artists are not decorative add-ons to regeneration. They are often the source of the atmosphere, identity and desirability that later becomes financial value – value which can dissipate once they are removed. Anchoring artists permanently, as cultural infrastructure, is the enlightened version of that trade – it holds the value where it was made. Housing artists is not philanthropy. It is investment.

This is the opportunity I want the Foundation to build towards – a structure where artists are held as part of the long-term cultural and economic life of a place. For philanthropists, developers, institutions and collectors, this is a chance to support practising emerging artists and bring live cultural energy into buildings and districts.

Artists shouldn't just be used to revive the discarded edges of cities. They should be embedded in places of existing power and value – Knightsbridge, the Square Mile, major corporate buildings, prime developments – because their presence is not remedial, but is inspiring and generative.

In an AI-shaped world, original human creation will become more valuable, not less. This is an invitation to philanthropists, developers and corporations to build with us the conditions where cultural life is visibly happening inside your buildings.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

It's 5.30pm and almost dusk as I sit by a lotus lake, sipping green tea and scribbling down some thoughts in a notebook. I'm writing a “Love letter to the Earth” – a few words of thanks and hope while a lady plays three large crystal singing bowls behind me. I fold the piece of paper carefully in four, place it into a lantern with a tea light, then gently lower it into the water. With a gentle push, I send it across the lake to float away into the night.

It's a simple, yet powerful, ritual. This small act of gratitude and acceptance is designed to connect guests with the “Interbeing” philosophy and Zen teachings of Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh. Part of the “Goodnight Kiss to the Earth” ceremony, it's a chance to pause, reflect and let go.

The Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai – on the outskirts of the Unesco town of Hoi An – has long championed wellness and finding a sense of calm. The award-winning Heart of the Earth Spa has become central to the guests' experience, drawing on local traditions and ritual-based practices. Its programme of alternative therapies, ceremonies and expert-led workshops is underpinned by Thich Nhat Hanh's teachings, and takes place in the main spa building or in independent lakeside pavilions overlooking the water, where each treatment begins with a salt foot scrub and a cup of herbal tea. It's a real sanctuary and, for me, a welcome retreat from the noise and crowds of Hoi An.

The tranquillity extends into the villas. Each night after dinner, I return to a candle flickering by my front door, and two more on either side of my bathtub. With no traffic noise around to disturb the peace, this is a rare luxury in a country that is seldom quiet. There's even a small singing bowl sitting on my desk.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the resort's Four Seasons rebrand. The resort was originally created according to the principles of phong thuy (Vietnamese feng shui). Entrances sit to the side rather than the front, huge vases containing water represent the feminine, and sit on square bases that represent the masculine. A series of stepping platforms – tiered swimming pools, stairs and pavilions – cascade down toward the beach. Nothing follows a straight line, everything is flowing.

Sixty suites and 45 standalone villas are spaced across 67 ares, arranged in U-shape clusters to catch the sea breeze. The style references the country's vernacular architecture – dark wood interiors, plenty of stone and local handicrafts. My one-bedroom villa has a back garden with outdoor shower, an open-plan living area, marble bathroom, and bedroom with handcrafted furniture and colourful textiles. The bed – a four-poster in the centre of the room on a raised platform – is surrounded by silk curtains.

Eat well at Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai

The resort's wellness-led approach is found in the dining options, too. Lunch at Lá Sen is a relaxed, open-air affair, where dishes span Vietnamese and French cuisines. I enjoy the “Buddha bowls”, which come with either salmon or tuna, and make for a refreshingly light lunch on a hot day, especially with a chilled glass of local kombucha. I try all the flavours – turmeric, spirulina, ginger and beetroot. I take a tour of the orchid house and the vast vegetable and herb gardens. Much of the produce makes its way to the resort's kitchens (a surplus of mangoes goes to the staff).

Afternoons pass in a rhythm of sea-swims and cycling – each villa comes with its own bikes and the resort's car-free paths make for unhurried pedalling between pool, spa and beach. Come dinner time, lanterns are glowing, candles are lit and the resort takes on a romantic atmosphere. I dine at Cafe Nam Hai, which is piloting a set menu of Indian dishes inspired by the royal Mughlai cuisine – aromatic pickles and sambals, delicately spiced salmon tikka, Cham Island prawn komar with coconut rice and a cooling buttermilk lassi. The tandoori pineapple for dessert is unmissable. It's one of the most memorable meals of the trip.

Another night, I sample the Japanese omakase counter at NAYUU, where chef Alex Moranda and his team prepare exquisite dishes according to the principles of gomi – the five elemental tastes of Japanese cuisine. Sushi and sashimi are prepared with fish and seafood from Tokyo's Toyosu Market, and paired with tea that balances the flavours perfectly.

A new addition to the dining scene is Sol & Sao, which houses the largest collection of sherries in Vietnam. As I sip a dry fino, I chat to Maryia Kryshko, the resort's assistant director of food and beverage. Our conversation drifts from sherry production to wine-tasting in Santorini and the rigours of the industry's exams.

A regular shuttle runs from the resort into the old town of Hoi An, famous for its centuries-old architecture, tailoring shops and the Japanese Bridge. It's particularly atmospheric in the evenings when traffic is limited and the town is more pedestrian-friendly. After a few hours of wandering the night market, eating gelati and soaking up the thrum of pottering tourists and puttering lantern boats on the river, the calm and stillness of the resort feels even more pronounced when I return. I run a candlelit bath and soak in the silence. My love letter is still out there somewhere, floating on the lotus lake. Thich Nhat Hanh wrote that the present moment is the only one available to us. Here, at least, that feels true.

Katie was a guest of Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai. From around £500 a night, visit fourseasons.com/hoian for details.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

Indigo Point, Great Camanoe, British Virgin Islands

A modern estate with three properties surrounded by landscaped gardens. There are no corporate or personal income taxes, or capital gains or inheritance taxes to pay. 2-bedroom main villa, 1-bedroom owner’s cottage, 1-bedroom guest cottage, pool, 2 boat slips, 4.4 acres.

Price: $5.5m Hamptons 020-8618 4551

Bolivia Mount, The Dhoor, Lezayre, Isle of Man

A distinctive property built in 1820 and surrounded by formal gardens and woodland. The Isle of Man operates a low-tax regime with low fixed income-tax rates and no capital gains, inheritance or wealth taxes. 6 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 3 receptions, 42.3 acres.

Price: £6.95m Knight Frank 020-7861 1065

Seaside Drive, Guana Cay, Abaco, Bahamas

An ocean-side residence featuring bright interiors with vaulted beamed ceilings, wood floors, floor-to -ceiling windows and an open-plan living area. The Bahamas operates a zero-tax jurisdiction with no personal or corporate income taxes, capital gains, wealth or inheritance taxes. 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, gardens, tennis court, 2.1 acres.

Price: $4.8m Bahamas Sotheby’s International Realty +1 242 367 5046

Courtil Brock, St Peter Port, Guernsey

A fine Regency villa built in 1810, surrounded by landscaped gardens that include an English oak planted by the first owner in 1812. It has 12-foot high ceilings, grand fireplaces, shuttered sash windows, panelled walls and French doors leading onto the south-facing terrace. Guernsey levies a flat 20% personal income tax, and there are no corporate, capital gains, inheritance or wealth taxes to pay. 5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, 3 receptions, library, cinema.

Price: £4.9m Savills 01481-713463

Ordino, Andorra

A mountain home in Ordino in the Pyrenees. Although not strictly a tax haven, there are no wealth, inheritance or capital gains taxes to pay. The house has beamed ceilings and a partly covered terrace for outdoor dining. 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, wine cellar.

Price: €3.15m Lucas Fox +376 775 077

Derry Farm, La Route Du Francfief, St Brelade, Jersey

A restored country house with modern bright interiors that retain original features, including marble fireplaces. The gardens include a stream and a swimming pool. Jersey imposes no capital gains, inheritance or corporate taxes, and has a fixed income-tax rate of 20%. 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 receptions, library, 2-bedroom self-contained cottage, 1-bedroom flat.

Price: £7.75m Knight Frank 01534-877977

Shoreview Point, West Bay, Cayman Islands

A renovated home in a gated community, with its own dock on a canal leading out to the ocean. The interiors have marble floors, large picture windows and French doors leading onto the garden and pool. The Cayman Islands has a “tax neutral” status and levies no corporate, income, capital gains or property taxes. 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, reception.

Price: $3.75m Savills 020-7016 3740

Lorne House, Castletown, Isle of Man

A grand Georgian estate, which was originally the official residence of the island’s lieutenant governor. The property has landscaped gardens, orchards and paddocks and a restored walled garden overlooking Castle Rushen, a medieval coastal castle. The Isle of Man operates a low-tax regime with low fixed income-tax rates and no capital gains, inheritance or wealth taxes. 8 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 4 receptions, 6.5 acres.

Price: £6.85m The London Broker 020-7193 9969

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

Three years ago, Chanel chose Manchester over London for its Métiers D'Art fashion show. Soho House opened its doors in November on the site of the former Granada Studios. And for the first time, the Brit Awards ventured beyond the capital for their star-studded ceremony earlier this year. For a city with industry at its heart, Manchester is certainly holding its own in the glamour and style stakes.

As you approach 100 King Street – the address of The Rex, Edwin Lutyens's white Portland stone Art-Deco masterpiece, opposite a Vivienne Westwood boutique – you know you're in for a treat.

The Grade II*-listed building that once housed Midland Bank's Manchester headquarters isn't nicknamed “The King of King Street” for nothing. Once among the city's tallest buildings, it still stands proud and majestic. The Rex is now a five-star luxury hotel and private members' club, formerly known as Hotel Gotham, having opened in April after a refurbishment.

No feature feels accidental, from period details to quirky eclectic touches that nod to the building's history. There is, for example, a ceiling of umbrellas hanging upside down in the foyer, a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Manchester weather. You're greeted on the fifth-floor reception by “Albert”, a life-size cardboard sculpture created by artist James Lake (and now the hotel's mascot). Elsewhere, vintage typewriters adorn a wall in one of the dining areas, having been discovered in the building's bank vaults during the renovation.

We sat down to afternoon tea (£35 per person), while a piano played in the background. The pretty wildflower and butterfly-patterned tea service was a bright and uplifting diversion from the overcast Sunday outside. From a 12-strong Ceylon tea menu, I chose a refreshing yet subtly distinctive white tea called “Silver Tips”, tempted as I was by “Planters' Mistress”, “a scandalous take on a much-cherished aristocratic classic”.

Walking down the hotel's iconic stairwell (which is as popular with bridal photographers as TV and film location scouts), you'll spot the initials “MB” for “Midland Bank” in the original ironwork – a stylish reminder of the building's origins.

As a lifelong Smiths fan, I couldn't help but smile on seeing that my room was called “The Morrissey”. Other rooms were called “The Burgess” and “The Sumner” – all named for iconic Mancunians who shaped the city's cultural scene. These rooms have toiletries by Urban Apothecary, retro-inspired Roberts radios and handmade biscuits, chocolate-covered strawberries and truffles from Slattery, a local, family-run chocolatier.

Deep in the foundations of the building are two rather special event spaces. “Treasury” is a sophisticated area, hidden in the former bank vaults, complete with a stage, a bar and its original tiling. It lends an air of exclusivity and character to any occasion. You can hire the former counting room for a private screening or cabaret performance, party or conference with a twist. The “Strongroom” is the other gem, secreted away behind the bank's original vault doors. The centrepiece of this playfully stylish interior is a dining table that seats 20 people and converts into a full-size snooker table.

Sample gin from the Western Isles

A highlight of my stay was the gin tasting, showcasing the sustainable practices and focus on craft that defines North Uist Distillery, a three-time Scottish Gin Distillery of the Year winner, based in the Outer Hebrides. Sara, our “ambassador”, explained the founders Jonny Ingledew and Kate Macdonald's philosophy as she talked us through their Downpour range of gins.

We sampled the Scottish Dry, featuring wild Hebridean heather that islanders forage and exchange for gin via the team's barter system. We tried the more citrus Coast & Croft, which relies on hand-gathered pepper-dulse seaweed to give it an umami flavour (great in a dirty martini). We also tasted a pink-grapefruit option and a delicious sloe gin, ideal for Christmas, or a negroni – or a drizzly Sunday evening.

Our evening feast still awaited us – a five-course tasting menu at Reign, The Rex's two-AA Rosette fine-dining restaurant (£65 per person, food only). Standout dishes included the Argentinian prawn with white crab and spicy Kewpie (Japanese mayonnaise), served with a delicious La Marimorena albariño wine from Galicia in northwest Spain; and a gorgeous lamb cannon on spinach, with barbecued grapes. Never really “a dessert person”, I was converted by the Fabergé yoghurt mousse, covered in finely sliced kumquat, with a delicate crushed almond crumb and red-berry coulis.

Upon waking up to a brighter morning, I took some fresh air on one of the three heated roof terraces. Each extends out from Reserve, a sixth-floor private members' club, and offers a different vantage point over the city. Ours looked out to the rolling hills of the Peak District.

The Rex is conveniently located, irrespective of your reason for visiting Manchester. Many high-end boutiques and jewellers are on the doorstep, with the high street a few blocks away. If business draws you here, the financial district in Spinningfields is just around the corner. If you want to visit the boutiques of the Northern Quarter, or the trendy coffee shops and bars of Ancoats, or the various cultural must-sees, you can easily take a short walk to get there – 15 minutes or so – and you will arrive at one of the city centre's distinctive neighbourhoods.

Sam was a guest of The Rex. Private club membership starts from £900 a year. Nightly rates start from £179 on a B&B basis, visit rexhotel.co.uk.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

The market in Old Masters paintings has been given a new lease of life. In the first half of this year, Christie's made $183 million from the sale of paintings created before 1850 – a 232% year-on-year increase after a long period of declining sales.

That's partly thanks to a new, younger cohort of collectors. Of the new clients of Christie's attending all sales in the first six months of 2026, the auction house described 47% as “millennial/Gen Z”, up from 45% a year earlier. At rivals Phillips, “nearly one-third” of new buyers were “millennial and Gen Z collectors”.

Earlier this month, Old Master artworks sold for a combined £51.3 million at Sotheby's in London, including £8 million for a rare, early Rembrandt. The “results represent a resounding endorsement of the power of Old Masters to captivate collectors across generations”, said Elisabeth Lobkowicz, head of Old Masters at Sotheby's.

Until recently, Old Masters paintings had been a “backwater for scholarly private collectors and institutions seeking to fill gaps”, says Emma Crichton-Miller in the Financial Times. Most of the “best pictures by all the best artists” had already been snapped up by museums and the market entered a lull due to the dearth of exciting, big-name artworks. Younger buyers are helping to solve that problem, because they are, as Crichton-Miller puts it, “untrammelled by tradition”. They are often seeking works by lesser-known or overlooked Old Masters, such as the 17th-century female painter Artemisia Gentileschi.

Why are Old Masters so popular?

Another attraction is that many of these artworks are relatively more affordable compared with modern and contemporary art. “For $250,000, you can buy a painting that could hang in the Louvre, but $10 million gets you a bad Picasso,” Patrick Williams, a gallerist in New York, tells The Economist. “Portraits and figurative art [in particular] are in vogue, because they are Instagrammable,” notes the paper. “People spend so much time looking at pictures of other people on social media that they are primed to connect to painted ones.” These younger buyers are attracted to the authenticity and simplicity of a bygone age – notwithstanding the “revolutions, plagues and awful dentistry”.

As for desired themes, religious and, as the FT puts it, examples of “Dutch Protestant domesticity” are out; the weird and wonderful are in – “‘difficult subjects' such as beheadings or martyrdoms,” for instance. On 30 June, a 17th-century Dutch painting by an unknown artist of two skulls sold for £431,000 with Christie's in London – 440% more than the low pre-sale estimate. Many wealthy younger collectors made their money in the ever-changing world of technology, and they have shown a propensity to mix and match eras and styles. As art advisor Evan Beard tells Margaret Carrigan on Artnet, “I can see the skull painting very at home in a collection with some [modern skull paintings by Gerhard Richter]”.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

Barton Olivers, Burton Bradstock, Bridport, Dorset

A Victorian villa with uninterrupted views over the sea and a garden with a gate opening onto the coastal path. It has open fireplaces and a kitchen with French doors leading onto a terrace. 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 2 receptions, indoor swimming pool, 2.96 acres.

Price: £3m Knight Frank 01935-810064

Harbour Island, Crinan, Lochgilphead, Argyll & Bute

A renovated, contemporary house and cabin on a private island off the coast of Lochgilphead. It has floor-to-ceiling windows, an open-plan dining kitchen and a raised deck. 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, office, 2 receptions, conservatory, 9.7 acres.

Price: £1.25m+ Savills 0141-222 5875

Mount Severn, Freshwater East, Pembrokeshire

A modernist house situated in the woods above Freshwater East Beach. It has floor-to-ceiling windows, wood-burning stoves, an open-plan dining kitchen and living area with bi-fold doors leading onto a terrace and a two-bedroomroom apartment. 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, receptiontion, office, garden room, studio, heated swimming pool.

Price: £1.5m Country Living Group 01437-616101

Rosebank, Dartmouth, Devon

A renovated house in a commanding position on the banks of the River Dart. It comes with its own boat house. The house has vaulted, beamed ceilings, arched sash windows, wood floors, period fireplace and a sun room with far-reaching views over the Dart Estuary. The gardens include a terrace and a decked area. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, dining kitchen/living area, sun room, porch, balcony, boat house, terraces, gardens.

Price: £1.75m Savills 01548-800462

Malindi, Eastcliff, Cornwall

An energy-efficient house surrounded by gardens that include steps leading down to Porthtowan Beach. It has floor-to-ceiling windows, bi-fold doors, polished concrete floors and an open-plan kitchen. 2 bedrooms, bathroom, dressing room.

Price: £1.55m The Modern House 020-3795 5920

Aline Estate, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides

An 18th-century lodge on a sporting estate overlooking Loch Seaforth and the Isle of Skye. It comes with its own island, fishing rights and red-deer stalking. 6 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 2 receptions, study, staff bedroom, kitchen, sunroom, 3 cottages, cottage occupied by the estate gamekeeper, outbuildings, boathouse and slipway, industrial pier, woodland, 8,202 acres.

Price: £4m+ Strutt & Parker 0131-226 2500

King Street, Aldeburgh, Suffolk

A renovated, four-storey townhouse situated on the seafront overlooking the beach. It has exposed brickwork, arched windows, period fireplaces, modern wood-burning stoves, a plywood staircase, bespoke kitchen and a balcony on the top floor that commands wide-ranging views over the North Sea. 2 bedrooms, bathroom, receptiontion, dining kitchen, study.

Price: £775,000 The Modern House 020-3795 5920

Sea Road, Westgate-on-Sea, Kent

A four-storey, New England-style house situated on the seafront on the North Kent coast in the centre of West Bay, overlooking the sandy beach. The house has a central oak staircase, a large dining kitchen and a south-facing garden with a heated swimming pool and pool house with bi-fold doors and a kitchen area. 6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 3 receptions, cinema room, laundry, gym, double garage, terraces, heated swimming pool.

Price: £1.75m Miles & Barr 01843-844899

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

Travel firm Expedia has experienced the rough and the smooth of recent turbulence in the travel industry.

America’s war on Iran has raised the price of jet fuel, and higher prices at the pumps have compounded a cost-of-living crisis that has prompted many to wonder whether they can even afford to take a holiday.

More broadly, however, the industry continues to enjoy a post-pandemic boom, while a further tailwind is the increasing propensity (among younger people in particular) to prioritise experiences over possessions.

Expedia (Nasdaq: EXPE) has two main businesses. Around two-thirds of the group's revenues come from a range of consumer-facing websites that help customers book hotel rooms and car rentals, including Expedia.com, Hotels.com, Vrbo.com and CarRentals.com. However, in recent years, a growing proportion of its revenue has come from supplying the technical infrastructure that allows hotels, car-hire companies and other firms to manage their bookings.

Expedia isn't threatened by AI

After tripling in three years, Expedia's shares swooned at the start of this year. Markets were buffeted by the current conflict in the Gulf and concerned that AI could carry out much of Expedia's work automatically. In the worst-case scenario, developments in “agentic AI” would allow people to type a few prompts into a chatbot, which would then automatically book a holiday with the best prices, completely bypassing the need for comparison websites such as the one Expedia runs.

However, such fears seem overblown. While an increasing number of people seem willing to rely on chatbots to provide advice about what to see, few would trust it enough to allow it to book hotel rooms on their behalf, even if such software merged. Large companies are even less likely to trust a chatbot to oversee the distribution of hotel rooms and flights for their staff. At the same time, Expedia's exclusivity agreements with several hotel chains and airlines such as no-frills carrier Allegiant Travel provide a degree of security. Expedia is also examining how it can use AI to enhance its own operations.

The group has a strong record, with profits more than quadrupling since 2022. Expedia also has strong operating margins, with a return on capital employed of more than 30%, allowing it to raise dividends and buy back $5 billion of shares while growing sales at a double-digit pace. Despite this fast growth, Expedia appears relatively cheap, with the shares on only 12 times 2027 earnings.

Investors' confidence in Expedia seems to have recovered: the stock is up 33% from its low of early 2026, and is now close to its 52-week high. It is are also above both its 50-and 200-day moving averages. I would therefore go long on Expedia at the current price of $268 at £9 per $1. Put the stop-loss at $168, giving you a total downside of £900.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

“These mountains to the right are the northern tip of the Alps, and they are actually in Germany. And over there is the Eagle's Nest, a chalet perched on a mountaintop, which was Hitler's 50th birthday present.” We are getting a history and geography lesson from our taxi driver as we set off from Salzburg airport. Our children, aged seven and nine, have never seen the Alps before or visited Austria or Germany, so this is a triple whammy of excitement. The scenery and clean mountain air as our people carrier climbs ever higher is a welcome break from the London heatwave we have escaped.

Our destination is Moar Gut, a family resort an hour from Salzburg, set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Hohe Tauern National Park. It's early summer, and my husband and I take in the big blue sky, lush green mountains, traditional chalets, the sound of cow bells as livestock wander around, and pretty wildflowers. Look closer and you'll spot ponies, tractors, rivers and waterfalls – a rural idyll if you will.

The hotel continues this theme with its swimming lake, riding stable and organic farm. Family-run by the Kendlbacher family since 1995, Moar Gut is a ten-hectare, car-free resort, blending luxury with nature. It offers activities all year round. In the warmer months, that means swimming, cycling, hiking, archery, horse riding and tennis.

We check into our stylish suite, which has a Scandinavian feel with wooden ceiling and floor, and a kids' bedroom with bunk beds. And then, we're off to explore. First, a swim. We jump into the lake. It's certainly refreshing. Our daughter spots tadpoles, and I take a moment to admire the yellow irises, woodland geraniums and sea thrifts growing nearby.

To warm up, there are two heated pools – one inside and one outside. Our son enjoys the family sauna and the steep, metal wasserrutsche – a pure adrenaline rush of a water slide. Later, we sign the kids up for archery, and my husband and I relax in the adults-only spa, switching between the whirlpool and steam room.

Family friendly fun at Moar Gut

There's plenty to do here, and the resort feels friendly and safe, meaning our children wander off to pet the rabbits, play basketball or hang out in the teenagers' den with video games. There's trampolining too, and a gym plus yoga and reformer pilates classes for the grown-ups.

Moar Gut aims to be perfect for intergenerational families and we meet one from southeast England with three generations ranging in age from five to 85. It is their third visit. It has got busier each time, they tell me, and now there are more British families (the secret is out, perhaps!), but they still love it.

It is our first time, and I think it feels exclusive with impeccable service. There are 46 family rooms and two double rooms and 110 staff. This means whether you want to ask someone about the best hiking routes, find out whether there's peanut in the dessert (our daughter has an allergy), or order an Austrian sparkling wine or even a cigar in the evening, you can always ask.

The resort is full-board with breakfast and lunch buffets, and a gourmet à la carte dinner for the adults (the kids get a buffet). Guests can order extras at a price, such as escargots, oysters and fondue.

At lunch we try traditional fare such as mushroom goulash and beef broth. Our son loved the beetroot dumplings with pesto and goat's cheese, while our daughter had second helpings of the farmhouse doughnuts with apricot jam. There's also fish fingers and pizza, which should suit the fussier kids, and a baby bar with freshly prepared purées.

The childcare is excellent. The kids' club is open from 9am to 9pm for those ranging from 30 days' old to teenagers. Our kids make some friends on an afternoon picnic for those aged seven and up, and meet up again the next evening for a mocktail-making session.

There's enough to do in Moar Gut, but we were keen to see more of the national park (Austria's oldest and biggest), so we headed out on a 1.5-hour guided waterfall hike. My smartphone quickly filled up as I took dozens of photos of the eye-popping scenery. If our holiday had been a film, it would surely be The Sound of Music with a dash of James Bond. The hills were, indeed, alive, and very beautiful. But inside Moar Gut there were 007 moments, such as the underground labyrinth connecting the buildings and some of the interior design. Think masculine luxury with sweeping curves, charcoal walls and expansive floor-to-ceiling glass. The car park full of black Audis added a certain Bond villain touch too.

Our stay was drawing to a close, and we all felt well-rested and well-fed, but also energised by the magic of Moar Gut and its extraordinary Alpine setting. If you're looking for somewhere a bit fresher this summer, a respite from hot, sticky cities and sweltering beaches, this is a first-class choice for a family holiday.

Ruth was a guest of Moar Gut. From €630 for a double room and €2,800 for a luxury suite, including full board and childcare. Visit moargut.com.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

Chelvey Court, Backwell, Bristol

A Grade II-listed, 17th-century house currently arranged as two independent homes and a two-bedroom flat. It has a Jacobean staircase and carved stone fireplaces. 9 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, kitchen, 2 receptions, study, barn, summer house, landscaped gardens, orchard, 5.53 acres.

Price: £1.95m+ Knight Frank 01173-171996

Carestown Steadings, Deskford, Buckie, Banffshire, Scotland

A large property close to the Moray Firth. It has vaulted ceilings and a conservatory. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 4 receptions, kitchen, breakfast room, study, indoor swimming pool with sauna, 2-bed cottage, outbuilding with offices, 5.4 acres.

Price: £1.995m+ Strutt & Parker 01463-723595

North Pallant, Chichester, West Sussex

A renovated, Grade II-listed 15th-century townhouse with an extension to the rear adding a bespoke kitchen and living area with sliding doors leading onto a courtyard garden. The house retains its beamed ceilings and panelled walls, and has open fireplaces with wood-burning stoves. 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, guest en-suite bed, 2 receptions, cinema room, roof terrace.

Price: £1.85m Fine & Country 01243-908077

The Grange, West Burton, Leyburn, North Yorkshire

A Grade II-listed, 18th-century house overlooking a river. It comes with three two-bedroom apartments in a converted Grade II-listed stable block, which are currently run as holiday lets. The house has open fireplaces and a large, bespoke dining kitchen with an Aga. 9 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, 4 receptions, secondary kitchen, garages, mature gardens and pond bordering Walden Beck.

Price: £1.895m Savills 01904-617821

The Downs Barn & The Downs Barn Lodge, Frampton Mansell, Gloucestershire

A former barn with a 17th-century arched, panelled entrance. It has beamed ceilings, open fireplaces and comes with a detached, two-bedroom lodge. 7 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, reception, 2 kitchens, 1-bed annexe, swimming pool, paddocks, woodland, 5 acres.

Price: £1.95m Murrays Estate Agents 01453-755552

The Old Vicarage, Tintagel, Cornwall

A refurbished Grade II-listed, mid-17th-century former vicarage and attached cottage on the edge of Tintagel. It has wood-burning stoves and a bespoke kitchen and conservatory leading onto landscaped gardens that include a kitchen garden and a stream crossed by a slate bridge. 7 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 receptions, gym, 17th-century gate house, deconsecrated chapel, 3 acres.

Price: £1.85m Rohrs & Rowe 01872-306360

Griffin House, Swerford, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire

This 15th-century, Grade II-listed William and Mary house was rebuilt in 1691. It has oak mullion leaded-light windows, window seats, exposed timbers, flagstone floors, oak panelling and open fireplaces. The gardens include a range of outbuildings and a natural swimming pool with a pontoon. 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 receptions, breakfast kitchen, cinema and games room, triple garage with studio flat above, 1.2 acres.

Price: £1.95m Savills 01295-228000

Constance Close, London SW15

This house has been redesigned to include a Western Red Cedar-clad extension with an open-plan kitchen and living area with French doors leading onto the garden. The turret includes a bedroom with panoramic views over Richmond Park, and it has an office at the end of the garden. 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, study, garage, air-source heat pump, solar panels.

Price: £1.9m Knight Frank 0203-8239255

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

S antorini has a well-established sunset industry. Not in the sense of an industry in decline. Quite the opposite. The business of watching the sun melt into the sea is booming on the Greek island. Upwards of three million people visit Santorini every year and the majority head to the northern tip of this crescent-shaped island, to the pretty little village of Oia.

That Oia is pretty and little is both its blessing and its curse – the narrow streets get very congested in summer. Each day, as the sun starts its slow descent towards the waves, something very strange happens – women in wedding dresses appear in the church square and in front of clifftop vistas, ready to be photographed. Brides are everywhere.

It's all a con, of course. Most of these women aren't getting married any more than the sun is really dipping below the horizon. It just looks that way. They all crave the “perfect shot”, because whereas Oia would once have been described as “picturesque”, today it is “Instagrammable” for the TikTok generation.

Bridal veils fluttering in the breeze before the blue domes of those famous white churches – it's a well-worn cliché in the age of social media, an illusion that everybody wants to own and to say they've “done” the sunset in Santorini. If beauty can be commoditised, this is what it looks like.

Sea views everywhere at Icon Villa

The thing is, Oia – and the rest of Santorini for that matter – is beautiful. You just don't have to wilt in the baking heat, pretending to the camera you are having a good time, to see it. Instead, grab yourself the front-row VIP seats to nature's greatest spectacle by staying in Icon Villa, one of two new villas by the Santo Collection.

The main feature of the villa viewed from above (aside from the Icon Villa follows the pattern of clean lines and natural materials volcanic-stone “tower” housing the reception area and one of the four bedrooms at the top) is the expansive terrace off to the side. It offers panoramic sea views and an infinity pool (yes, sunset-facing), along with a hot tub, sun loungers, sofas, a covered dining table and an outdoor kitchen with a fridge.

From this terrace, make your way down via a curving flight of stairs to another, smaller terrace with seating, a fire pit and a second, larger hot tub. (For brevity, I shall stop stating whether a particular area has sea views on the understanding that it probably does.)

Through the first of two patio doors, you come to the sitting area of a large bedroom, where the white ceiling curves inwards. The grotto-feel is accentuated by a rough-stone wall, mimicking cave rock, while alcoves provide the nooks and crannies. Dotted about are glassware and pottery objects. It feels at once cosy and primitive – a cool sanctuary from the heat.

The other bedrooms are decorated in a similar way and all have en-suite bathrooms with showers, including this one. The top-floor “tower” bedroom has the benefit of a bath tub and a balcony.

Walking along the cavelike corridor, you come to Icon's impressively equipped gym, which has cutting-edge running and rowing machines, various weights and, outside in a private space, a multigym. Here, you will also find a massage table and a sauna.

One floor up from the gym/spa is the sitting room, with its huge TV, and behind this room is the main kitchen with an induction hob, oven and everything you might need. Coffee and teas (including

English breakfast – always a good sign) are provided, along with a few other essentials. For breakfast, you can enjoy the restaurant up at sister property Santo Pure’s ample buffet spread by following the rimidi (cobbled paths) up to the resort, where you can, if you wish, also have a wonderful dinner of traditional Greek dishes.

Savour the moment

But who would blame you for wanting to make use of the cooking facilities in your villa and eat al fresco on the terrace while admiring the you-know-what? The sunsets viewed from here, especially through the filter of your chilled glass of wine, really are spectacular – and with none of the crowds of tourists clinging to the cliffs of Oia like so many mountain goats in bridal attire. As you look out west, there is even a pretty little Greek chapel in the foreground to break-up the horizon. You might almost say it is “Instagrammable”.

Chris was a guest of Santo Collection. The Villas by Santo Collection start from £5,978 for three nights (three-night stay minimum) for a four-bedroom pool villa with sunset and sea views, including breakfast and transfers. Visit santocollection.gr for details.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

Yeomans Drive, Aston, Stevenage, Hertfordshire

A Grade II-listed Georgian former coach house with a Flemish-brickwork façade, round-headed windows, and a wooden clock turret. The gardens include a swimming pool heated by an air-source heat pump. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, reception, garage with studio annexe above.

Price: £1.5m Hamptons 01992-874223

Redcastle Farmhouse, Great Barton, Suffolk

A Grade II-listed, 16th-century house set in landscaped gardens with a moat, swimming pool, tennis court and a Grade II-listed dovecote. It has beamed ceilings, an inglenook fireplace and a bespoke kitchen. 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 3 receptions, study, paddocks, 5.3 acres.

Price: £1.5m+ Bedfords 01284-769999

School Farm Barn, Maxstroke, Warwickshire

A converted grain store with landscaped gardens that include a natural swimming pool planted with water lilies. The house has a large open-plan area with a nine-metre high ceiling, a bespoke kitchen, oak floors and floor-to-ceiling sliding doors leading onto a terrace. 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, office, garage, workshop, 0.5 acres.

Price: £2m The Modern House 020-3795 5920

Lower House, Redditch, Worcestershire

A Grade II-listed, 1560s house surrounded by gardens that include a range of traditional outbuildings and a heated swimming pool with a built-in Hydrastar jet function. The house has exposed wall and ceiling timbers, some of which originally came from 13th-century ships, leaded-light windows and a kitchen with an Aga and French doors leading onto a terrace. 5 bedrooms, bathroom, 2 kitchens, 2 receptions.

Price: £1.4m Finest Properties 0330-111 2266

Viola Hill, Petersfield, Hampshire

A contemporary house completed in 2025 in the South Downs National Park with a deck running the length of the house, a swimming pool with an electric cover, a tennis court and an outdoor kitchen. The house has open-plan living areas, floor-to-ceiling windows and a living area with a soaring, vaulted ceiling and a wood-fired stove. 6 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, reception, cinema room, games room, 7.8 acres.

Price: £5.75m Strutt & Parker 01428-788670

Nant Isa, Rhyd-y-Foel, Conwy

A 17th-century rural property with a converted barn, formal gardens with a swimming pool and woodland and paddocks beyond. It has beamed ceilings, inglenook fireplaces with wood-burning stoves and a large kitchen with an Aga. 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 2 receptions, study, 2 kitchens, 3-bedroom barn, conservatory, garage, outbuildings, orchard, woods, 27.2 acres.

Price: £1.25m Fisher German 01244-409660

Foster House, Romney Marsh, Kent

A New England-style house on the Kent/East Sussex border close to Rye and Camber Sands. It has landscaped gardens with wildflower areas, an outdoor swimming pool with two cabins, a pool house and a studio. The main house has a covered veranda, beamed ceilings, open fireplaces and French doors leading onto a terrace. 6 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, open-plan kitchen/living area, barn, 3 acres.

Price: £2.25m The Modern House 020-3795 5920

Howe House Farm, Beckwithshaw, Harrogate, North Yorkshire

A Grade II-listed house with terraces leading to a heated swimming pool and covered outdoor kitchen. It has beamed ceilings and a kitchen with an Aga. 6 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, 2 receptions, leisure wing, equestrian buildings, floodlit manège, paddocks, 19 acres.

Price: £3.95m Knight Frank 01423-222077

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

Flexjet, the private aviation operator, has teamed up with Formula 1 as an official supplier. To find out what that means in practice, Flexjet invited MoneyWeek to watch the sprint qualifying at Silverstone last Friday, before the British Grand Prix held on Sunday. Naturally, this being Flexjet, half the fun was in getting there – by helicopter.

Ensconced in the leather-trim cabin of Flexjet's own Sikorsky S-76 helicopter – whirring over the fields of Northamptonshire on the way to the famous racing circuit (55 miles from London as the chopper flies) – it set me to wondering while gazing out of the window… which is faster, a modern F1 car of the type driven by Lewis Hamilton or a Sikorsky S-76?

Inside Flexjet's Sikorsky S-76

An hour or so before vertical takeoff, I had arrived at London Heliport in Battersea to find the lounge busy with genuine fans of sport and those just out for the summer season, mixed in with odd clusters of business types. One of the first things you will notice about London Heliport is that it isn't very big. From the lounge, I watched a small helicopter with skids hover a few feet off the ground, then squeeze past a much larger helicopter to inch its way out over the Thames, whence it ascended to the heavens.

Nobody around me seemed to notice. I figured they were probably used to it. Passengers waited with cups of coffee and glasses of English fizz to be buzzed into Wimbledon and, as I would soon be, the British Grand Prix. It was a busy day in the British sporting calendar. But as much as I would have wanted it otherwise, the thing that struck me was how normal everyone looked. No audacious tiaras, top hats or high heels. No footballers, billionaires or Logan Roys barking orders to their cowed subordinates.

The choppers arrived like bees. One helicopter would descend over the River Thames, then creep into the hive, to be followed shortly by another. I was to be “hot-loaded”, I was told – that is, I would be boarding the helicopter while the rotor blades were still spinning. There is, I was told, no danger – it's just a bit loud. The heliport was simply too busy for the chopper to power down. I clambered in, conscious of the blades spinning a few feet above my head. But once inside, it was lovely.

This particular Sikorsky had been decked out in Flexjet's Phantom trim – dark-hued seats and a creamy white ceiling, all in leather. It had the look and feel of an executive car, which is very much the point. Thanks to the cabin's noise-cancelling design, there is no need for headphones and you can chat easily enough with your neighbour. It is only the whirr of the engine and the tips of the spinning blades visible out of the window – along with the tree tops and tiny houses – that remind you of where you are. In fact, this workhorse, the S-76, which first flew in 1977, has two engines and its safety record is excellent. But the hot weather that has “blessed” Britain this summer doesn't help – the engines have less oxygen and there are fewer air molecules for the rotor blades to “grip”. So, our party was slimmed down to six people. Usually a helicopter such as this can carry eight passengers, plus the two pilots.

The private aviation sector has taken off

The private aviation sector has soared since the pandemic began, with the number of flights taken anywhere in the world rising 4.6% in 2025 from a year earlier, according to data firm WingX. Flyers are also getting younger. “Our average age has dropped ten years. I can see right now a significant impact from… AI wealth,” Andrew Collins, Flexjet's global CEO, tells the Financial Times.

Another trend is the recent spate of collaboration between companies working in the luxury sector. In addition to F1, Flexjet has partnered with Ferretti Yachts and France's LVMH.

Luxurious, yes, but, to be sure, flying private isn't the most environmentally friendly way to travel. So, all of the helicopter flights Flexjet will undertake as part of its partnership with F1 will use sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which is made from vegetable oils and other materials. It is less polluting than conventional aviation fuel. This mirrors the way in which F1 has sought to reduce its own carbon footprint, aiming to achieve net zero by 2040. Flexjet also offsets the carbon emissions generated by its European fleet by 300%. New technology, such as electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which are just now taking to the skies, promises to minimise the effect on the environment even further.

A day at the British Grand Prix in Silverstone

Like a coiled snake in the grass, the circuit of Silverstone hoved into view 25 minutes after leaving Battersea. I could already make out the fans, dressed in all the colours of the teams, packed into the stands as the helicopter descended. The Sikorsky's undercarriage met the grass without so much as a bump. The door was flung open and we were out in the sunshine, being ushered into the terminal where more fizz awaited, along with a London black cab to take us to the track-side House 44 – the premium hospitality suite backed by Lewis Hamilton – that sits upstairs in the F1 Paddock Club at the end of the pit lane.

The sprint qualifying for the sprint race that would be held the next day was Friday's main event. The sprint race is a 100km dash and a truncated version of the full-fat British Grand Prix on Sunday. Drivers have a limited time to set the fastest lap and the fastest drivers of the sprint race earn themselves a few points towards their championship ambitions.

But Silverstone is almost as much about the festive atmosphere as it is about the cars. There was a DJ in the Paddock Club, racing simulators, places to buy “merch” as well as bars and snacks. I spent much of the day working my way through the cocktail menu and glimpsing the cars screaming past the observation deck.

British former racing driver David Coulthard popped in for a chat and we were lucky enough to be shown round the paddock (where the teams pitch up for the weekend) by Jamaican racing-car driver Sara Misir. There was also an opportunity to tour the pit lane – some of the activities that are available to “Owners” on Flexjet's Red Label programme.

Lewis Hamilton set the fastest lap in the sprint qualifying. He covered the 3.66 miles of a single lap in just one minute, 28 seconds and 593 milliseconds. To go back to my original question of which is faster – Hamilton's Ferrari SF-26 or my Sikorsky S-76, I'm afraid the Ferrari wins. If the track were stretched out in a straight line, it would take Hamilton, driving at the car's top speed of 217mph, one minute to cover the distance, outpacing the 178mph Sikorsky by almost 14 seconds (or so AI tells me). So, there you have it. Hitching a ride with Hamilton may be the fastest way to get around Silverstone. But for getting to the British Grand Prix, you can't beat a Flexjet helicopter for comfort and speed.

About Flexjet

Flexjet operates on the basis of fractional ownership. You buy a share of an aircraft – a Gulfstream G650 or a Praetor 600, say – and that translates into flying hours. (Other fees apply, such as to cover indirect expenses.) That also means the price per hour varies. For those who would like to try Flexjet's services before jumping in, there is the Jet Card, which acts as a prepaid card, with flights charged at an hourly rate. Red Label is Flexjet's top-tier offering and comes with perks such as behind-the-scenes “experiences” at Silverstone. And there is the Helicopter Access Programme, which begins at 25 hours of flying time a year, and the Helicopter Card – perfect for those who want to take the hassle out of commuting.

Visit Flexjet.com to find out more.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

It's become a cliché to describe a collectable that's hard to find as a “holy grail”. You don't often read about something being an “unholy grail”. But if there was ever such a collectable up for sale – at least in the eyes of England fans – it's the captain's armband Diego Maradona was wearing when he punched the ball into the England net during the World Cup on 22 June 1986. That infamous “Hand of God” goal put Argentina 1-0 up early in the second half, and England went home at the end of the match – while Argentina went on to win the tournament. “A little with the head of Maradona, and a little with the hand of God,” was how Maradona cheekily put it after the whistle. The armband appears as part of “The Beautiful Game” sale, held by Sotheby's in New York, which runs until 16 July. The highest bid as of late last week was $100,000, with days to go.

A less controversial lot in the sale is the remarkably small number-ten shirt that a 17-year-old Pelé wore while scoring two goals against Sweden in the World Cup final in 1958, which Brazil won 5-2. Almost 70 years after that match, Pelé remains the youngest-ever player to appear in a World Cup final, and Sotheby's expects that shirt to sell for at least $6 million, according to The Guardian. That would make it the most expensive single item of football memorabilia sold at auction.

The current record holder? The Argentina shirt that Maradona was wearing while scoring with “divine assistance”. It sold for an eye-watering $9.3 million in 2022. And recently, Dallas-based Heritage Auctions revealed it will be selling the actual ball in August. That one defies valuation. As Heritage says, the sports collectables market has been booming.

Japan's World Cup jersey sales soar

Football fever is apparent in other sales rooms, too. Sotheby's archrival Christie's is taking a decidedly left-field approach to celebrating the World Cup by selling five giant metallic football art installations, on 17 July, in New York. The works are currently on display across New York and New Jersey and a portion of the proceeds will go towards good causes.

Northamptonshire-based Budds (formerly Graham Budd Auctions) sold dozens of match-worn shirts from past tournaments this week, while more vintage tops can be found online with Dutch online auctioneer MatchWornShirt.

It might be worth keeping an eye out for one from Japan, as Eru Ishikawa notes on Bloomberg. Sales of this year's Japan away shirt have risen 29-fold compared with sales from the 2022 Qatar World Cup – and they have doubled for the home shirt – according to the manufacturer, Adidas. But good luck finding one. The adult replica shirts on the Adidas website in Japan, priced at ¥13,200 (£60) each, have sold out. Japan may already have been knocked out of this year's World Cup, but at least its fans will be left holding on to something longer lasting.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

Three luxury summer destinations

Sail on Lake St. Moritz

St. Moritz in the Swiss Alps was originally known as a summer destination before the skiers arrived, thanks to its fresh air, cooler altitude and outdoor activities. In a bid to reclaim that heritage, Badrutt's Palace Hotel in the resort town is giving guests the chance to sail on Lake St. Moritz in July and August in the hotel's own private sailboat.

Explore the crystalline waters of the beautiful Upper Engadin Valley with a skipper or on your own and gain an alternative perspective on the Swiss Alps that is not defined by winter sports. Thanks to the Maloja wind that sweeps through the valley every afternoon, Engadin has long been considered ideal for sailing.

Badrutt's Palace Hotel also offers paddleboarding and windsurfing on the lake, along with guided hikes on the glacier, helicopter trips over the valley and scenic railway journeys.

Rates from £730 a night, visit badruttspalace.com/en/summer/ for more information.

Design a superyacht in Arev St. Tropez

This summer, Arev St. Tropez has teamed up with Feadship, one of the world’s most prestigious builders of superyachts. The luxury hotel on the French Riviera is hosting a pop-up exhibition and film showing exploring superyacht design at its chic Place des Oliviers courtyard.

Lucky guests receiving a “Carte Blanche” invitation from the Feadship team will be invited to enjoy “The Ultimate Bespoke Design Experience,” where a Feadship designer will map out their own dream superyacht. Following a consultation to decide the purpose and aesthetics of the vessel, the designer will then create a custom handprinted design sketch to be presented in a leather roll and delivered to the guest’s suite along with a Feadship gift.

Until 15 August 2026. Rates from €1,500 in summer. Visit arevcollection.com.

Sail through the Indonesian islands

If you can't bear the thought of summer ending, head to the southern hemisphere. From 29 September to 5 October, Silolona Sojourns will be sailing a traditional Indonesian yacht through the Komodo Archipelago, where guests are invited to combine world-class snorkelling and diving with treks across wild island terrain – travellers may even encounter the famous Komodo dragons while on a guided walk through Rinca Island.

Alternatively, from 23-30 November, Silolona Sojourns will be exploring Raja Ampat, which is celebrated as being one of the most biodiverse marine regions in the world. Guests can go on a diving expedition to explore the vibrant coral gardens, possibly meeting dugongs and turtles along the way.

From £2,300 per person for each seven-day journey, based on two people sharing a cabin. Visit silolona.com for the full list of what's included.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

If you’re a frequent flyer, having an airport lounge membership like Priority Pass or Dragonpass can make travelling significantly more comfortable.

Rather than waiting at a crowded terminal, airport lounge access can mean complimentary food and drinks, Wi-Fi, quiet workspaces and even shower facilities.

You can get lounge passes with certain packaged bank accounts or credit cards with airport lounge access, but that’s not the only way. You could book one-off visits to some airport lounges, for instance, or access global lounge networks by buying a membership – such as with Priority Pass or Dragonpass.

What is Priority Pass?

Priority Pass is an airport lounge programme that gives members access to more than 1,900 lounges across 856 airports in 142 countries.

Your membership may also include benefits such as complimentary Wi-Fi, meals and drinks, shower facilities and dining credits at select restaurants.

The lowest membership tier doesn’t give you free access to lounges – instead, you pay an annual fee and discounted rate on visits. However, no matter what membership you have, you will need to pre-book your slot for an extra £6 to guarantee a space when it gets busy.

Here’s a complete breakdown of membership fees.

What is Dragonpass?

Dragonpass is an airport lounge programme that offers access to more than 1,400 lounges, over 200 fast-track security lanes and around 2,500 travel experiences worldwide.

While Priority Pass gives you access to more airport lounges, Dragonpass is more focused on offering a premium experience, whether it’s meet-and-greet services, dining discounts, spa treatments or fast-track security.

The lower membership tier only gives you one free visit, after which you have to pay for entry. However, you will need to pre-book your slot for around £6 per visit to guarantee a space during busy periods, no matter which membership tier you’re on.

Here’s a complete breakdown of membership fees.

Should you buy a Priority Pass or Dragonpass membership?

For many travellers, Priority Pass offers better overall value thanks to a significantly larger lounge network globally. If your priority is finding a lounge wherever you fly, it’s generally a better option.

However, when it comes to costs, Dragonpass is cheaper and a better choice if you regularly travel through airports where you can take advantage of its fast-track security and premium services like spa and wellness centres.

Before buying either membership, it’s worth checking which lounges are available at the airports you typically go to. It might be that some airports support Priority Pass or Dragonpass but not both.

Is an airport lounge membership worth it?

Whether an airport lounge membership is worth paying for depends on your travel habits. If you only take a handful of flights a year, paying for individual lounge access can be more cost-effective than buying an annual membership.

However, if you fly several times a year, particularly on long-haul or international trips, and want to access an airport lounge, you could save with a membership. Lounge entry usually costs between £35 and £50 per visit, so frequent travellers could save money while enjoying a quieter and more comfortable airport experience.

It’s worth considering whether you already have access through another financial product. Many premium credit cards, travel reward cards and packaged current accounts include Priority Pass or Dragonpass membership as a benefit, meaning you may not need to buy a separate membership.

On 13 January, 1913, when King Rama VI sent Thailand's first wireless message from the Saladaeng Radiotelegraph Station in Bangkok, he could never have foreseen that more than a century later, in the same spot, guests would be sipping cocktails by the pool, scrolling on smartphones and communicating in real time. Back then, this whole area was little more than rice paddy – open, flat and far enough from the city's sprawl to minimise any interference with the radio waves. The radiotelegraph station that stood here marked Thailand's connection to, and arrival in, the modern world. Soon a road was built to link it to the city centre, named after this new technology: Witthayu (meaning wireless). Bangkok has never looked back.

Fast forward to 2016, and a group of property developers working on site discovered the radiotelegraph station's foundations beneath their feet. Working closely with conservationists, archaeologists and the Fine Arts Department, they unearthed hundreds of artefacts – fragments of delicate bone china, faded floral tiffin tins, perfume bottles and grainy photographs. As the site's construction began, so did a plan to create a museum dedicated to the history of the area and its former inhabitants – mostly merchants and traders from southern China, followed by the cadets from the military academy and, later, the stallholders from the Suan Lum Night Bazaar. The Wireless House Museum now bridges this past and present, and I can just about make it out from where I’m standing, 20 floors up at 189 Wireless Road – The Ritz-Carlton hotel – with the green canopy of Lumphini Park stretching out before me.

The Ritz-Carlton opened in December 2024 and is part of the new $3.9 billion One Bangkok development, another marker of the city’s current iteration. The skyscrapers glisten above the busy artery of Wireless Road as it is today – full of tuk-tuks, motorbikes and SUVs – the Wireless House Museum sitting to one side, complete with a partial former radio mast. The Ritz-Carlton’s 260 rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows that maximise the views of the park and the ever-changing cityscape beyond.

My suite – an Amaranth Corner Suite – has balconies on both sides, so I can catch the sunset without leaving my room.

Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill together with Thai firm A49, the building sits next to One Bangkok’s shopping centres, where people flit between air-conditioned stores or pause to take in the outdoor sculptures dotting the pedestrianised courtyard, including a mirrored S-Curve sculpture by Anish Kapoor. It’s a contemporary space that roots Bangkok firmly in 2026 – a far cry from when I first came here 29 years ago to visit the night market that stood on this very spot.

The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok has world-class cuisine

The hotel's interiors are sleek and confident. Thai design studio PIA created a space that plays on the concept of “two civilisations”, marrying Bangkok's heritage with a classic elegance – polished tiles, contemporary artworks, water features and plenty of marble and gold. I particularly liked all the black-and-white photographs depicting old Bangkok.

On the seventh floor, the outdoor pool is a godsend from the city's heat. Cabanas are coveted on sunnier days, but there are always enough loungers to go around. The spa downstairs offers traditional Thai massage – and after a full day of sightseeing in Bangkok, you will need one. But it's in the food and drink where The Ritz-Carlton really shines. The hotel has four bars and restaurants, and each one is excellent.

Duet by David Toutain is the main event. The 32-seat fine-dining restaurant sits within a glasshouse on the seventh floor overlooking Lumphini Park. Toutain – whose Paris restaurant holds two Michelin stars – and chef de cuisine Valentin Fouache present a modern French eight-course tasting menu made with seasonal ingredients, with wines or zero-proof pairings to match. The dishes range from Brittany brown crab with vanilla and kaffir lime, to gamba roja prawns with morels, to Hokkaido scallop with XO sauce and Jura yellow wine, each arriving with its own provenance card.

The finale – 80% Chiang Mai chocolate with buckwheat, passion fruit and cocoa nibs, and a rum-soaked sponge – is every bit as good as it sounds. This is cuisine that’s worth travelling for. Book a table, even if you’re not staying at the hotel (9,000 baht (£205) per person, with wine pairing).

Then, there's Lily's, the all-day dining room, also on the seventh floor. Breakfast here is an epic affair spanning multiple rooms and stations – possibly one of the most ambitious and well-presented spreads I encountered in Southeast Asia. By night it's more relaxed, and the banquettes and tables take on a low-lit brasserie vibe. My bowl of mussels with green-curry pesto, alongside buttered asparagus, truffle fries and chilled glass of Chablis, was a highlight of my trip. This is the kind of bistro cooking that Bangkok does brilliantly.

On the lobby floor, which sits high above street level, is Caleo bar. I was working my way through a Moroccan gimlet when the staff appeared with a box of postcards and an offer to send one anywhere in the world. It's a small gesture, but it's the sort of gesture you remember.

If you're staying in one of the suites, you also have access to the 23rd-floor Club Lounge, which is a cool and calm place to enjoy breakfast away from the bustle, or a light lunch or afternoon tea for that matter. Sundowners are served in chilled glasses. Service is faultless. When I mentioned my fondness for Thai herbal inhalers, which are a local staple, the staff set up a tray of ingredients so I could make my own to take home, then gave me two more as a gift. I also took a Thai cookery class and a guided walking tour of the flower market and Song Wat Road, an up-and-coming neighbourhood with trendy coffee shops, vintage clothes stores and more new galleries and bars I've bookmarked for my next visit.

Experience everything under one roof at The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok

The Ritz-Carlton combines all the things this city does well – great food, hospitality, a relaxing lounge and a peaceful wellness space – packaged into a single address. The restaurant credentials are serious, the design is assured without being showy, and the location, right on the edge of Lumphini Park, gives it space to breathe and makes it central enough to reach most places easily.

Bangkok has always moved fast and been one of the most exciting cities in the region. The signals it's sending now are worth tuning into.

Katie was a guest of The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok. From 17,500 baht (£400) a night, excluding fees and taxes, but including breakfast based on two people sharing. Visit ritzcarlton.com for details.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

David Hockney, who died on 11 June, aged 88, was never shy about experimenting with technology. In April 2020, then almost 83, he was interviewed by The Spectator's art critic, Martin Gayford, saying about his iPad that “I was just drawing on this thing I'm talking to you on.”

In his “provocative” book Secret Knowledge, published in 2006, Hockney suggested that old masters, such as Vermeer, had used optical aids in their paintings, says Michael Prodger in The New Statesman. So, Hockney saw no reason why he shouldn't use “fax machines, Polaroids, photocopies [and] high-resolution cameras” to create his works.

It was from a photograph that somebody else had taken that Hockney created what is arguably his most famous painting, A Bigger Splash, in 1967. The pink modernist building that forms the backdrop to the sun-drenched Californian swimming-pool scene came together fairly quickly, but Hockney laboured on the split-second splash in the pool for two weeks to get every drop right – an irony that wasn't lost on him.

In 1972, he painted Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures), which in 2018 set a new record for a painting by a living artist sold at auction. It fetched $90.3 million with Christie's in New York. And the comparisons with earlier artists didn't end with the use of technology. In leaving his native Yorkshire and “gloomy” London for California, Hockney has been compared with the painters of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, such as Van Gogh and Gauguin – and later Matisse and Dufy, says The Times.

David Hockney is a national treasure

And while Portrait of an Artist represents the intersection of the two periods with which Hockney is most often associated – the “swimming pool period”, beginning in the 1960s, and the “double portraits” of the 1970s, these represent “a relatively small slice of his overall production”, notes the paper in its obituary. Hockney's more recent landscapes of northern France, including a 90-metre frieze called A Year in Normandie, are a case in point. That series of paintings can be viewed at the Serpentine Galleries in London until 23 August.

“I can't think of an artist so loved by millions today,” writes Andrew Marr in The New Statesman. “The man is gone, but the pictures live on. ‘Spring cannot be cancelled' was one of his more recent slogans. Nor can David Hockney.”

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

You cannot help but be struck by a sense of grandeur the moment you arrive at Mallory Court in Warwickshire. This elegant and welcoming country house hotel sits in the grounds of a former stately home, just outside Leamington Spa. The pristine lawn of the main courtyard ushers you towards the entrance, past a neat square of bright tulips. The main building was built during World War I, but, festooned as it is with vibrant ivy and plush wisteria, it gives the impression of being older.

This central, surprisingly modern building is situated amid a swathe of quiet, pretty gardens – some for growing herbs and produce for the restaurant, some mowed short for playing croquet, most of the rest with patches left to grow wild for the benefit of local insects. Thanks to this, there are bees aplenty, as well as a clutch of hives that the hotel keeps – you can, given notice, arrange an “immersive” beekeeping experience. The hives are kept on the edge of the gardens, meaning the rest of the estate remains a perfect spot for an uninterrupted wander.

Inside the hotel, the suites are generously spacious, handsomely and individually decorated to give each a distinct sense of character and fitted with plush, super king-sized beds. Most of these rooms are in an extension built in the 1990s that overlooks the picturesque herb garden, although if you are checking in for a spa weekend, then those above the spa building may be more convenient.

The spa's facilities include indoor and outdoor saunas and pools, a steam room and a gym. There's a fantastic selection of treatments on offer too. The Revive & Rebalance Ritual is a body scrub followed by a back massage that leaves you feeling cleansed and refreshed, and I also heard great things about the My Kinda Skin facial.

Timeless classics with a swish of elegance at Mallory Court

Besides the spa, Mallory Court's flagship restaurant, the Warwick (under the stewardship of Stu Deeley, who won Masterchef: The Professionals) is the other standout reason to visit. The restaurant takes timeless classics and adds a swish of elegance to turn out true excellence in its dishes.

The menu is quintessentially British, with some European and Asian influences. Vegetarian options are clearly no afterthought, and despite the allure of meat dishes, such as Ibérico presa (pork shoulder) and Lake District lamb, I went almost entirely veggie.

Burrata with beetroot makes an excellent starter, especially when the beetroot is grown in the hotel grounds, and the pine nut and furikake (a Japanese seasoning) garnish gives it a modern, umami twist. Cacklebean egg with coco bean and nduja cassoulet is as intriguing as it sounds – the egg topped with a nest of string pastry and swimming in what amounts to a rich bean soup that hums with the meaty tang of nduja.

For mains, that local beetroot once again stands out – in the form of a sumptuous beetroot wellington. Sweet and sour chicory and crispy hen-of-the-woods mushroom are worthy accompaniments, but the star is the smoked beetroot sauce, which delivers a meaty punch to this vegetarian dish. Black Bomber cheddar gnocchi with wild-garlic sauce is another hit – the gnocchi served like little fondant potato cylinders, pleasantly but not overpoweringly cheesy, adorned with peas, a verdant garlic sauce, and another little clutch of hen of the woods.

If, like me, you enjoy a Snickers, then you have to order the Dulcey Blond chocolate delice for dessert. It's basically a snazzy Asian take on the classic chocolate bar. Caramelised miso and peanut brittle combine to bring the sweet, indulgent nutty flavours we know and love together with decadent levels of salt and umami. It's addictive if you're into that kind of thing. If you're not, the baked Alaska might be more up your street – a sharp, fruity number singing with rhubarb (again, much of which is grown on the estate). On Sundays and bank holidays, you can also enjoy a superb afternoon tea, highlights of which include a fine rhubarb-and-custard macaroon and excellent home-made scones.

Connect with nature at Mallory Court

While you're in the area, Leamington Spa is just a short drive away – or, if the hotel's grounds have whetted your appetite for nature and wild flowers, Oakley Wood (around a seven-minute drive from the hotel) is a wonderful spot for a walk.

Between the spa, the restaurant and the charming gardens, Mallory Court is an excellent place to unwind for a leisurely weekend, connect with nature, and feel thoroughly well taken care of in the process.

Dan was a guest of Mallory Court. Double rooms start from £157 a night. À la Carte dinner at the Warwick costs £95 per person for three courses, plus canapes. Afternoon tea from £42.50 per person. Visit mallory.co.uk.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

We've all stayed in hotels with noisy neighbours. But perhaps not the kind of neighbours who have fluffy tails or fly. Still, when you stay in one of the new and rather luxurious Treehouse Suites at Fairmont Windsor Park in Surrey, you are choosing to inhabit their world, if only for a short time – the world of the scampering squirrel, the rustling deer, the flitting bat, the warbling song thrush, the rattling magpie, the hooting owl… and, of course, being so close to London, the incessant squeak of the antisocial parakeet, no matter how well dressed. One must always make allowances for the locals.

On the lake behind the copse that is your immediate neighbourhood while staying in a Treehouse Suite, you will hear the ducks quacking and the seagulls laughing, although I don't believe I heard a peep out of the swans and herons. Your fellow guests have also come from far and wide – the geese from Canada and Egypt, and the Mandarin ducks from China (at least originally). All the while, a kite hovers high in the sky, keeping a beady eye on the busy natural world unfolding below.

Treehouse Suite at Fairmont Windsor Park

Magpie is the name of the Treehouse Suite I was staying in during an unseasonably warm and sunny weekend in April. These are wooden structures (four in all), which helps them to blend in with their woodland surroundings. And before you complain about false advertising, the suites are not actually in the trees as per the arboreal clubhouse of your childhood. Think of the size of the mighty oak that would be needed to support such an edifice! Rest assured, the trees of Fairmont Windsor Park remain unburdened. Rather, the four raised Treehouse Suites have been strategically built among the beeches and silver birches, with new saplings planted that will, in time, make the Treehouse Suites feel even more secluded. That said, privacy isn't a problem even now. You can wallow all you like in your elevated, outdoor Jacuzzi, up on the deck and away from the prying eyes of people. To be sure, the squirrels will get a good look at you.

My Magpie suite, in fact, had two hot tubs on the wraparound deck. This two-bedroom suite is really two apartments, which makes it ideal for families with older children or perhaps two couples travelling together, who will inevitably come to value some time apart. The other three suites have one Jacuzzi. But dry yourself off and come inside, through the French doors and into the living room of the Magpie suite.

A cosy winter paradise

Those doors form part of a curved wall of glass that can be folded back to let the outside in during the warmer months.

For the winter, there is a log fire that transforms this space into a cosy nest. Facing the fireplace is a modern and fully equipped kitchen, with an induction hob, a fridge for food and another for wine. We arrived to a basket of goodies on the countertop – cake, biscuits, crisps; all the sinful things to nibble on while you're sipping your wine out on the deck.

The first spacious bedroom is accessed from the living room and it, too, opens onto the wraparound deck. At the far end of the room, on the other side of the bed, you will find the white and black-tile bathroom with his and hers sinks, a standalone bathtub and a separate shower.

This set-up is more or less mirrored in the other mini-apartment accessed from the area reserved for coats, brollies and muddy boots when you come in through the suite's front door – although that en-suite bedroom doesn't have direct access to the kitchen, which isn't always a bad thing. But, like the first bedroom, this also opens onto its own hot tub.

So you could, if you so wanted, nestle down with your furry and feathered friends for the duration of your stay. But that would almost be a shame, because Fairmont thoughtfully provides the denizens of its Treehouse Suites with their own golf buggy and mountain bikes. You can use these to explore the grounds of the hotel. You will certainly want to stop at the spa with its quaint courtyard heated outdoor spa pool with various massage jets. Inside, you will find a second, bigger spa pool and there is also a salt room.

A variety of dining options to choose from

And you will most definitely want to stop at restaurant Il Giardino 1215 (although, if you are anything like me with the wine list, you may want to walk, which you can do easily). The à la carte is Mediterranean – I started with a handful of sweet, nutty scallops (and a rather sensational house-take on a negroni) and progressed to the pan-fried veal chop.

As of this month, you now have another dining option in The Windsor Brasserie. It is, according to the press release, a “lively, design-led brasserie”, focused on modern European cuisine “with a sense of theatre”. It has an open kitchen with a charcoal robata grill, and some dishes, such as the tartare, are finished at the table. I might just have to come back to try it.

After the lovely meal at Il Giardino, it was time to stroll back to the Treehouse Suite, via the atmospheric Art Deco-style bar. Waking early the next morning, I peered over the deck railing to spy one of my neighbours already at the breakfast buffet – a fat, fluffy rabbit, munching on the grass at the foot of the treehouse. The neighbourhood was waking up to another fine day.

Chris was a guest of Fairmont Windsor Park. Treehouse Suites cost from £2,300 a night, visit fairmont-windsorpark.com

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

There is no shortage of popular places to visit in the UK — whether you’re after a coastal holiday or an idyllic countryside retreat.

And thanks to warmer temperatures, the case for a staycation is stronger than ever.

According to Expedia, interest in holidays within the UK has risen by 77% year-on-year globally, while more than half of Britons are now more interested in taking a UK break than they were last summer.

We round up the best UK hotspots to visit this summer, whether you’re travelling solo, planning a family getaway or organising a trip with friends.

Planning a trip further afield? We look at where to travel around the world and when to visit them in a separate guide.

10 most popular places to visit in the UK

Britain is home to many memorable destinations with many of the most popular places outside of the bigger cities.

Quaint villages in England and islands in Wales are gaining popularity among those seeking a staycation, data from Sykes Holiday Cottages shows.

The data is taken from internal booking insights over the last three years, and the top destinations are selected from towns with the most bookings.

Source: Sykes Holiday Cottages

1. Anglesey

Anglesey in North Wales is the most popular region to visit in the UK, thanks to sweeping coastal views, ancient historic sites and impressive beaches. You can walk around the 140 miles of the Anglesey Coastal Path, visit Llanddwyn Island, home to rare red squirrels and associated with the Welsh patron saint of lovers, visit the Beaumaris Castle or have a fun-filled family day out at the Anglesey Sea Zoo or Pili Palas Nature World.

2. Weymouth

Weymouth is a classic English seaside town ideal for a relaxing retreat. Head to Weymouth Beach, take a stroll along Weymouth Stone Pier or opt for a laid-back picnic at Nothe Gardens. There’s plenty to do for history buffs, whether you visit the ruins of Sandsfoot Castle, explore the underground tunnels at Nothe Fort or walk around the town to see historic objects and the town’s role in the D-Day landings.

3. Bowness-on-Windermere

The Lake District is a haven for literature lovers — both Beatrix Potter and William Wordsworth drew inspiration from this rugged, charming landscape. Get out on the water at Bowness Bay in Bowness-on-Windermere, where you can drive a motorboat or hop on a lake cruise, or visit The World of Beatrix Potter attraction to see different literary characters come to life. You can also go for hikes, visit historic museums or try your hand at archery at Brockhole-on-Windermere.

4. Beadnell

Beadnell is the perfect spot for a quiet beach retreat for those who want to simply relax on the golden sand while enjoying spectacular views. At the same time, it’s a watersports paradise. Take advantage of the Beadnell Bay, where you can try kitesurfing or wakeboarding — you can even give dune sledging a go if you’re feeling adventurous. Other than that, you can take a boat trip to the Farne Islands to spot puffins, visit the Longstone Lighthouse or see the iconic Bamburgh Castle, which was originally the location of a Celtic Brittonic fort dating back thousands of years.

5. Tenby

The most popular place to see puffins is Skomer Island, which you can visit by taking a boat trip from Tenby. Steeped in history, the Welsh harbour town is known for its 13th-century medieval town walls, the Five Arches barbican gatehouse and a 15th-century church. You can even take boat trips to Caldey Island, which is one of Britain’s holy islands, and St Catherine’s Island, which you can access during a low tide.

6. Buxton

This historic spa town in Derbyshire sits on the fringe of the Peak District and is famous for its ‘healing’ thermal waters and 18th-century Georgian and Victorian architecture. Some top places to visit are the Devonshire Dome, the Buxton Opera House and the two-million-year-old natural limestone cave, Poole’s Cavern, which has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

7. Skipton

Skipton is a charming market town in North Yorkshire packed with history, scenic walks and family-friendly attractions. At the heart of the town is Skipton Castle, a Grade I-listed medieval castle built in 1090, which withstood a three-year siege during the English Civil War. You can also take canal boat trips, and use Skipton as a base for exploring the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

8. Bourton-on-the-Water

Bourton-on-the-Water is a popular village in the heart of the Cotswolds, straddling the River Windrush. You can wander through quaint streets lined with honey-stone cottages and charming low bridges, enjoy browsing independent shops and try a traditional cream tea. Some iconic landmarks include the Model Village, which is a one-ninth scale replica of the Cotswold village, or visit Britain’s only breeding colony of King Penguins in the nine acres of Birdland Park and Gardens.

9. Burnham-on-Sea

Situated on the Somerset coast, Burnham-on-Sea is a traditional seaside town known for its sandy beaches and relaxed atmosphere. It used to be a tiny fishing village until the late 18th century, and is home to the famous Low Lighthouse. An ideal location for seaside activities, you can enjoy amusement park rides and fish and chips by the sea, or choose to explore the Apex Leisure and Wildlife Park, where you can spot a wide range of plants and birds.

10. Inverness

The only Scottish city on the list will certainly not disappoint. The de facto capital of the Scottish Highlands sits on the banks of the River Ness, where you can enjoy lochside views and the nearby Inverness Castle. It’s famous for its rich history combined with spectacular natural scenery — you can visit the prehistoric Clava Cairns or Culloden Battlefield, the historic site of the final Jacobite Rising. The surrounding Highlands are ideal for hikes, wildlife spotting and scenic road trips, and you can even go island hopping without leaving the city.

The Caprons, Lewes, East Sussex

This Grade II-listed Georgian house in the centre of Lewes was once home to historian Asa Briggs, who was also a Bletchley Park code breaker. The garden includes a Grade-II listed, octagonal summer house. 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 3 reception rooms, kitchen, cellars, roof terrace, walled garden.

Price: £2.1m Jackson-Stops 01444-484400

Broomshields Hall, Satley, Bishop Auckland, County Durham

A Grade II-listed Georgian house with gardens that include a one-bedroom cottage, two summer houses and a lake. The house has a carved oak staircase and a large kitchen with an Aga. 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 3 reception rooms, library, 18 acres.

Price: £1.75m Finest Properties 0330-111 2266

The Manor House, Great Harrowden, Northamptonshire

A Grade II-listed manor house in a popular village, set in south-facing gardens with a kitchen garden with a greenhouse and a circular summer house with sofas and a fridge for wine. The house has beamed ceilings, panelled walls and period fireplaces. 6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 3 reception rooms, breakfast kitchen, attic, pond, 0.8 acres.

Price: £1.15m Fine & Country 01604-309030

The Court, Axbridge, Somerset

A Grade II-listed Georgian house in Axbridge with views towards Glastonbury Tor. The house is set in gardens that include a summer house and an area dedicated to archery. It has flagstone and oak floors, period fireplaces and an indoor swimming pool with a gym. 7 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 3 reception rooms, breakfast kitchen, garden room, cinema, courtyard, parking, walled gardens, kitchen garden, 1.15 acres.

Price: £2.395m House & Heritage 01257-441990

Orchard Cottage, Wood End, Ardeley, Hertfordshire

A Grade II-listed, 17th-century house comprising three original cottages, with a summer house with a wood-burning stove and Wi-Fi. The house has exposed wall and ceiling timbers and inglenook fireplaces. 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, reception room, gardens, 0.75 acres.

Price: £1.15m Fine & Country 01920-443898

Polwarth Terrace, Merchiston, Edinburgh

A duplex apartment on the first floor of a period property in the sought-after area of Merchiston. The flat retains its period fireplaces and has a dining room with French doors opening onto a balcony and a spiral staircase leading to a garden with a summer house. 6 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, reception room, office/bedroom 7, dining kitchen, garage, summer house, parking.

Price: £985,000+ Savills 0131-247 3770

Moreves Manor, Great Waldingfield, Sudbury, Suffolk

A Grade II-listed, 17th-century house set in large gardens that include a wildlife pond and a summer house complete with a shower, sauna and wood-burning stove. The house has exposed wall and ceiling timbers and a breakfast kitchen with an Aga. 6 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 reception rooms, office, garden room, outdoor swimming pool, 1.58 acres.

Price: £950,000+ Strutt & Parker 01473-220444

Heamoor, Penzance, Cornwall

A renovated, Grade II-listed Cornish long house set in landscaped gardens with a tree house, an orangery overlooking the kitchen garden and a summer house that is used as a pottery studio. The house has Georgian sash windows, open fireplaces and a newly fitted kitchen with French doors leading onto the gardens. 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 3 reception rooms, study, utility with en-suite shower, workshop, paddock, stable block, 2.5acres.

Price: £1.2m Savills 01872-243 200

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

Ramshaw Mill, Wark, Hexham, Northumberland

A Grade II-listed, 12th-century former watermill with gardens arranged in a series of “rooms” that include an orchard. It has exposed beams and wood-burning stoves. 8 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 4 reception rooms, 2 kitchens, outbuildings, courtyard, barn, 1 acre.

Price: £1.2m Finest Properties 0330-111 2266

The Old Vicarage, Castle Hedingham, Halstead, Essex

A Grade II-listed, early 18th-century house overlooking a castle and a church, with gardens that include a heated swimming pool and an orchard. It has grand fireplaces and vaulted cellars. 9 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 3 reception rooms, gym, 1-bedroom cottage, 1 acre.

Price: £1.75m Knight Frank 01394-334570

Bretforton Hall, Bretforton, Evesham, Worcestershire

A Grade II-listed late 18th-century house with a crenellated tower and two acres of gardens that include a swimming pool and an orchard. The house has a drawing room with Gothic arched windows, a vaulted ceiling and period fireplaces. 6 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 4 reception rooms, study, studio, breakfast kitchen, garage, 2 acres.

Price: £2.3m Morgan Aps 01905-384848

Hawksfield, Clifford, Herefordshire

A modern Passivhaus situated close to Hay-on-Wye. It has an A-grade energy performance certificate, gardens that include a dining terrace on the edge of an ornamental pond and a small orchard. The house is largely open-plan with an open-tread oak staircase and French doors leading onto a balcony. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, reception room, open-plan kitchen/dining/living room, en-suite studio outbuilding, 0.5 acres.

Price: £895,000 The Modern House 020-3795 5920

Copplestone House, Tiverton, Devon

A house set in mature gardens with outdoor entertaining areas, a covered outdoor kitchen, a walled kitchen garden and an orchard. It has exposed beams, open fireplaces, and a drawing room with French doors opening onto a terrace. 6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 2 reception rooms, 1-bedroom annexe, barn, 2.5 acres.

Price: £1.65m Strutt & Parker 01392-215631

Woolgarston, Corfe Castle, Wareham, Dorset

A period cottage in a sought-after village within the Isle of Purbeck, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The large gardens include stone terraces and an orchard enclosed by a mature beech hedge. The house has exposed beams, a large inglenook fireplace and a kitchen with an Aga. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, reception room, outbuilding with utility and store, 0.62 acres.

Price: £1.13m Savills 01202-856800.

The Green, Nun Monkton, York, North Yorkshire

A Grade II-listed Georgian house overlooking the village green. It is set in large gardens with terraces and an orchard. It has exposed beams, panelled walls, open fireplaces and a dining kitchen leading onto a courtyard. 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 3 reception rooms, study, outbuilding with garage and games room, greenhouse, summerhouse, 0.7 acres.

Price: £1.695m Savills 01904-617820.

The Orchards, Bedham, Fittleworth, West Sussex

A picturesque Grade II-listed cottage dating back to the 1600s with landscaped cottage gardens that include topiary, winding paved paths, a swimming pool, two ponds, a stream and a wildflower meadow, along with an established orchard planted with apple, quince, cherry and plum trees. The house has exposed wall and ceiling timbers and inglenook fireplaces. 3 bedrooms, bathroom, reception room, barn, 1.56 acres.

Price: £1.43m Knight Frank 01428-770562.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

Rome is known as the Eternal City for a good reason – it feels as if it has existed forever. You can visit an ancient amphitheatre in the morning, have lunch near a medieval castle and tour one of the jewels of the Renaissance in the afternoon – all the while passing buildings built in the 1920s. The luxurious Romeo Roma is testament to the eclecticism and exuberance of Rome.

A 16th-century palazzo that once belonged to the illustrious Capponi family was combined with two other buildings to create Romeo Roma. The whole was renovated under the direction of the late British architect Zaha Hadid and her team in a decade-long project that was only completed last year. The result is a mixture of modern and Renaissance styles. From the moment you walk through the door, you are invited into a world of gilded decoration and Art Deco ceilings. The central lobby, with its waterfall, feels like a 1920s film set.

The bedrooms have huge television screens and whirlpool baths right next to the beds – as well as multi-sensory “emotional showers”. I felt as though I was on a superyacht, which was partly down to the Krion panelling – this high-end material is found on some of the world's most expensive private vessels.

While my room was certainly luxurious, I couldn't help but feel a pang of envy after visiting other rooms that were even more sumptuous – one of the largest suites contains a roof garden. The staff allowed me to peek inside another; one they rightly consider to be the pièce de résistance – the two-level Fresco suite, where you can sleep surrounded by wall paintings created centuries ago.

Romeo Roma's millennia-old foundations

Romeo Roma's connection with the past isn't just limited to the last 500 years. During the renovation, a large number of historic artefacts were uncovered, some over 2,000 years old. A selection of these is on display around the hotel. They include a marble sculpture of Livia Drusilla, whom fans of Claudius will remember as the wife of the Emperor Augustus – and perhaps the most influential (and notorious) woman in Rome. There are also some mosaics, which can be viewed directly or through the glass floor of the swimming pool.

Dive into luxury – or experience the cigar lounge

The swimming pool is also a good example of the way in which the hotel has been designed to give guests options – it straddles both the hotel itself and the courtyard, making it ideal whatever the weather. Guests may also use the first-rate fitness centre and spa – the latter signed by Sisley Paris. Here, the spa menu is centred around Sisley's signature “phyto-aromatic treatments”, which combine natural plant extracts and essential oils with a range of massage techniques from around the world to relax and gently invigorate the body.

I cooled off after hitting the gym by lounging in a deckchair in the “Sicilian salt chamber”, which is said to be good for your breathing, immune system, skin and stress levels. I certainly found the experience extremely relaxing and it took a lot of willpower to peel myself away from it. But peel yourself away you must because the other facilities at the Romeo Roma include a cigar lounge, and for younger guests a state-of-the-art games room with everything they could want, from table football to a billiard table designed by Porsche.

Part food science, part wizardry

Naturally, fine dining has become an expected part of the hotel experience. But even by the standards of other five-star hotels, Romeo Roma is something special. On the night I ate at the hotel's Il Ristorante Alain Ducasse Roma, I was guided through an extravaganza that was spread over multiple courses, including caviar. Part food science, part wizardry, the meal culminated with a dish that arrived billowing “smoke” from a bed of dry ice. Blue lobster cooked over embers and roasted deboned saddle of lamb, served with asparagus and wild garlic zabaione, are two of the other dishes that make up the seven-course Drusilla Primavera “experience” (€305 per person).

Finally, a word on the Romeo Roma's ideal location in the heart of Rome. The Palazzo Borghese, the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon are all nearby and the hotel is situated around a half-hour's walk from most of Rome's other major attractions, from St. Peter's Square to the Colosseum. What more could you ask for?

Matthew was a guest of Hotel Romeo Roma. From €1,600 a night for a deluxe room. Visit theromeocollection.com/it/romeo-roma for further information.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

Toronto is known for its vibrant and rich culture, elite food scene, not to mention impressive and spectacular sights – and what better way to enjoy the city than to stay at one of the finest hotels, the Shangri-La.

This luxury hotel is the perfect base, where everything you want to see is within walking distance or easy reach.

And when you are done exploring, there’s nothing quite like the welcome of the Shangri-La to help you relax at the end of each day in luxury.

Toronto is becoming a popular destination and there are many reasons it should be on the top of your travel list. It’s a foodie’s sanctuary (and it's not just about the delicious maple syrup), a shopper’s delight, not to mention spectacular sights that will leave you in awe.

Staying at the Shangri-La, Toronto

The comfort and service at the Shangri-La, Toronto, is world class. The spacious rooms and suites, which come with unparalleled views, means you may not want to leave.

The rooms are bright and comfortable, floor to ceiling windows, high tech controls and marble furnishing.

My suite was an impressive 820 sq ft with views of iconic landmarks such as the CN Tower, a walk-in wardrobe, a separate living room and the most beautiful marble bathroom which included a walk-in shower and a deep-soaking bath, where you can relax and soak in spectacular views day and night.

The rooms include luxurious John Masters Organic toiletries which are simply divine.

Shangri-La truly takes care of all your needs as you surround yourself around pure luxury.

And should you need it, there’s also a coat concierge by the brand Nobis, which you can request in advance.

Located on 188 University Avenue, downtown Toronto, it is the perfect location to explore everything the city has to offer.

Relax with a spa

And just as you may expect, Shangri-La Toronto offers the perfect spa experience for you to unwind and relax after a busy day of shopping and sightseeing.

The Miraj Hammam Spa blends Middle Eastern wellness rituals with modern needs – you’ll want to try out more than one treatment.

I opted for a deep tissue massage which was certainly one of the best I have had, but you may well be tempted by the Turkish bath or a Sodashi plant-based facial.

You can also spend time relaxing in your room; ask for the ‘bath butler experience’ (book in advance) and your bath will be set up with petals, a candle and a truly divine bath bomb, alongside optional in-room dining.

Dining

Breakfast at the Shangri-La is worth waking up for. It’s not your typical buffet, but an experience in itself with dishes that include a wellness frittata, a duck congee, or homemade granola for example.

It is served at the hotel’s signature Bosk Restaurant, where dinner is just as scrumptious. The restaurant sources produce from Canadian farmers and businesses.

One of the markets the hotel sources its produce from is St Lawrence Market, where I took a tour of the markets with Bosk Restaurant’s chef Troy Cabarios. The market has food from around the world which truly reflects Canada’s diverse population.

Eating out in Toronto: Peller Estates

Venturing out of the hotel, there are plenty of cafes and restaurants to try out. I tried Takja BBQ House, a Korean BBQ restaurant where food is grilled in the middle of your table.

A must do is a visit to Peller Estates, where some of the best wine in Canada is produced and sold.

You can do a tour of the winery, too. Don’t miss the 10below Icewine lounge, fully made of ice, including the furniture. The temperature there is set at -10 all year round, which is the temperature Peller uses to harvest icewine grapes.

Niagara Falls

No visit to Toronto is complete without a tour of the Niagara Falls. Get the full experience with the Niagara Helicopters, where you will have the opportunity to capture the most amazing views of the Falls. I also tried out the recently opened virtual experience at Niagara Parks, where the virtual flight ride will take you through time, experiencing the rich history and culture that Canada and the Falls come with.

While the falls is often one of the main attractions, don’t miss the CN Tower for amazing views of the city, Little Canada, the Aquarium, plus the historic Distillery District is a must-see. You can book via destinationtoronto.com.

Getting to Toronto

Getting to Canada is fairly simple, with Air Canada. If you are flying business class, you can take advantage of the recently refurbished Maple Leaf Lounge at Heathrow terminal 2, where you can kick back and relax with food and refreshment before you fly. The comfort of business class is like no other with its roll back seats, large personal screens and a Acqua Di Parma amenities kit.

I was lucky to experience Air Canada’s business class cabin, allowing me to arrive fully relaxed.

Kalpana was a guest at the Shangri-La, Toronto (shangri-la.com/toronto/shangrila). The deluxe one bedroom suite costs $1,269.01 (CAD) and the deluxe king room is $827.62 (CAD).

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

British billionaire Joe Lewis's art collection could fetch millions disproves the notion that establishing a world-class art collection and amassing a fortune as a financial trader have little in common. The former Tottenham Hotspur owner's art collection is heading for sale with Sotheby's in London next month, where it is expected to make at least £150 million in total. That would make it, in some way, the most valuable single-owner collection ever sold in London, surpassing the £101 million record set last September by that of Pauline Karpidas, the widow of a Greek shipping magnate. “The range and quality [of the artworks for sale] show the incomparable ambition and sophistication of Joe as a collector, and also the assertiveness and boldness that he has always displayed as a currency dealer,” Oliver Barker, chairman of Sotheby's Europe, tells The Times.

Highlights of the Joe Lewis sale

Highlights of the Joe Lewis sale include a full-length portrait of Gertrud Loew, who was a young woman of fin-de-siècle Viennese society, painted by Gustav Klimt in 1902. Loew, later known as Gertha Felsovanyi, left Austria for the US in 1939 on account of her Jewish ancestry. During her absence, the painting was sold under duress and acquired by Gustav Klimt's son Gustav Ucicky, eventually ending up in the collection of the Klimt Foundation. It was later sold as part of a settlement between the Foundation and Loew's heirs. Sotheby's expects it to sell for around £30 million.

Another highlight is the sculpture Petite danseuse de quatorze ans, created in wax by Edgar Degas in about 1880 and cast in bronze in the 1920s, after the artist's death. That one is expected to fetch £25 million. Amedeo Modigliani's 1918 portrait Homme à la pipe is valued at up to £18 million, as is Egon Schiele's Danaë from 1909. Among the more recent works, Two Studies for Self-Portrait, painted by Francis Bacon in 1977, is valued at £12 million, and Woman in a Grey Sweater, painted by Lucien Freud in the late 1980s, is valued at £4 million.

Joe Lewis, who was born above a pub in Bow in 1937, has made and lost fortunes during his long career as a restaurateur-turned-currency trader. He cashed in when his bet that the pound would be forced out of the European exchange rate mechanism came good in 1992. Then, years later in 2008, he lost around $1.2 billion buying shares in Bear Stearns, right up until the moment the Wall Street investment bank collapsed. It was, according to a MoneyWeek article from the time, “one of the most misguided gambles Wall Street has ever seen”. That perhaps explains why this time Lewis tested the waters in March, when he offered through Sotheby's four paintings from the School of London – two by Freud, one by Bacon and another by Leon Kossoff. Together, they doubled their combined low estimate to realise a total of £35.8 million. That is as clear a sign as any that, with the upcoming sale, he might just be on to a winner.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

Coral Reef Club

It was hard to think of a better place to be than in a luxury suite at Coral Reef Club in Barbados, with a rum punch in my hand. But not impossible, because the answer changed the moment I walked through the hotel's botanical gardens (also with a cocktail). And then when I sat on the beach and again at the restaurant… You get the picture.

Coral Reef Club is an iconic, family-run beachfront hotel in Holetown, on the west coast of Barbados. Just 45 minutes from the airport and 20 minutes from the island's capital, Bridgetown, the hotel oozes old-world charm and personality, decorated in classic white wicker and rattan with artwork from local artists dotted throughout the property. It knows who it is, and how could it not? Its firm sense of identity comes largely from the fact that it's been in the hands of the same family since the 1950s and continues to be run by them.

The O'Hara family set up a glamorous oasis on the Bajan coast two generations ago, and it has continued to preserve its identity as well as its loyal client base – many of the guests are on a first-name basis with the staff, because they have made it their winter home for years.

It's no surprise the O'Haras have managed to cultivate such a recurring clientele, given that their hospitality extends beyond the walls of the hotel.

Every week, the family hosts a cocktail party at their residence on the property – a sweet, personal touch that has largely been lost as hotels become bigger and more impersonal.

Yet the Coral Reef Club has also made sure to make relevant updates to the property, including the building of a stunning spa as well as tennis and padel courts. I can't recommend a visit to the spa enough – modern interiors, lush greenery and a peaceful, private pool are on offer, making it the perfect place to lounge after you've treated yourself to one of its treatments. You'll find classic massages, couples' treatments, facials and body wraps.

In the evenings, trade the peace of the spa, the sun and the sand for a delicious meal at the Coral Reef restaurant. The menu changes constantly, but you can be sure to find fresh fish – think sumptuous lobster and shrimp – as well as a juicy steak, well-seasoned chicken and traditional Bajan dishes.

The menu also offers indulgent appetisers and desserts alongside an expertly curated wine list, all of which is to be enjoyed while overlooking the sea.

The Sandpiper

The Coral Reef Club's sister hotel, The Sandpiper, is just down the road and it is also well worth a visit. The hotel's restaurant offers fine dining in a beautiful, intimate and serene setting, widely regarded as one of the best on the island. If you're after something a bit more casual, you can head to Harold's Beach Bar, which is a charming and relaxed spot for alfresco dinner or drinks.

Soho Beach House Canouan

You've made it all the way to the Caribbean, so you might be thinking about doing some island hopping. Thanks to Coral Reef Club's new partnership with Soho Beach House Canouan, you can. The Caribbean hotels have teamed up to launch a “twincentre package”, giving guests the opportunity to spend five nights at Coral Reef Club or its sister hotel, The Sandpiper, followed by a five-night stay at Soho Beach House Canouan, located in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Guests are flown to Canouan with SVG Air.

Canouan is a tiny and secluded island in the Grenadines. It regularly hosts celebrities and millionaires from all around the world – it's a bit of an if-you-know-you-know holiday destination, and trust me, you want to know.

Soho House, the chain of members' clubs, was established in the mid-1990s, but it has since become a global brand. It has multiple locations in London alone. Soho Beach House Canouan is its first location in the Caribbean, having opened in 2022 and establishing itself as the perfect laid-back escape. Just a short flight from Barbados, the property is easily accessible, yet it feels a million miles away from the bigger, busier island.

While you need a membership to access most of the Soho House clubs, Soho Beach House Canouan is open to non-members. Don't let the membership aspect put you off, though – the beach location is luxurious, but unpretentious. The staff are kind, attentive and quick to help with anything you might need.

At only 40 rooms, all of them overlooking a postcardlike scene of the Caribbean Sea, the hotel is intimate, yet well-equipped, with a spa, restaurant, bar and gym.

Personally, the main bar was my favourite place to lounge. The open-sided thatched structure makes for the perfect spot to relax with a book and a drink, while listening to the gentle waves lapping at the platinum-coloured sand. The hotel also boasts an on-site Cowshed spa, housed in a picturesque building, a two-storey gym and yoga and Pilates studios. On site, you can also take part in coconut husking on the beach. There's something very primal and rewarding about smashing open a coconut (the member of staff teaching me was far more graceful than I, but luckily our results were the same) and then using the coconut water to make a cocktail.

Guests of the island also get access to the Canouan Estate's “invisible key”, which gives you access to three world-renowned resorts – Soho Beach House, the Mandarin Oriental Canouan and the Canouan Estate Resort and Villas. All three come with their own different senses of styling and restaurants, curated in a way that means there is something for everyone. So, a day out to each one is highly recommended.

And it isn't the case that one resort is necessarily better or more beautiful than the others. Each, in their own way, provides a different experience and landscape.

Indeed, while Soho Beach House makes for a perfect base on Canouan, you'd be remiss not to venture out and explore the island.

The morning hike up Mount Royal is tough in the humidity, but it is certainly worth the effort. You are rewarded with views not just of the entire island, but also the surrounding ones – Mustique, Mayreau and even the peaks of Grenada. The staff are also able to help you organise boat hire. I would strongly advise booking a catamaran and heading out for a day of exploring the nearby islands. The Tobago Cays are a sanctuary for fish, rays and turtles, all of which are so used to the presence of people that they swim peacefully around you as you snorkel.

Nicole was a guest of Coral Reef Club and Soho Beach House Canouan. The twin-centre package includes a five-night stay on each island, international flights from London, island airport transfers and inter-island flights. Prices for a ten-night trip start from £5,795 per person, based on two guests, visit caribtours.co.uk.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

Malaysia is quietly gaining recognition as being the perfect destination for a holiday, given the troubles in other parts of the world. This country in Southeast Asia boasts some of the best food on the planet and it is more developed than many of its more rugged neighbours – yet it is less overrun with tourists than, say, Bali and parts of Thailand. Weather-wise, it's nearly always above 30°C, and any rain showers that come along during your stay offer welcome relief from the heat.

So, it's not hard to see why Malaysia has become a popular choice for international travellers at a time when many countries feel unsafe to visit. It's easy to fly directly to Malaysia from Britain, which means there's no need to brave flying over the Middle East, and it's also a less worrisome alternative than locations such as Cape Verde and Cyprus.

In addition, it's a very affordable destination and – perhaps similar to South Africa – it has that wonderful blend of city life and beaches, plus an abundance of exotic wildlife. While Malaysia doesn't have the vineyards of South Africa, it does have a spectacular food scene, mixing Malay, Chinese and Indian influences with sizzling results.

The Ritz-Carlton is a sanctuary in a hectic city

A trip to Malaysia is best started in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, in order to get a feel for this diverse country. The city is exciting and hectic, so if you've just landed after a 13-hour flight and you are adjusting to the seven-hour time difference, you'll want to pick your hotel carefully.

The Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur is a fine choice. It has comfortable, elegant rooms, first-class service and a spa, gym and swimming pool. I stayed with my husband and two children, and our two-bedroom suite on the 20th floor was luxurious and spacious.

The double-aspect windows gave us a commanding view of downtown Kuala Lumpur. All-you-can-eat durian buffets jostled with hotels, offices and shopping centres, with the KL Tower glittering against the skyline.

My nine-year-old son was thrilled to see Merdeka 118 from his bedroom, the world's second-tallest building at 2,227 feet (more than twice the height of London's Shard).

The Ritz-Carlton, which opened in 1997, has 251 rooms, 110 suites and four penthouses – three of which have private swimming pools. The hotel is located Kuala Lumpur in the Golden Triangle business district, which makes it ideal for exploring the city.

For anything a bit further away – or perhaps you'd just like to rest your legs and cool down (very sensible given the humidity) – you can grab a “Grab”. This is Southeast Asia's answer to Uber and, in fact, Uber is Grab's largest shareholder.

Where to eat at The Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur

As for restaurants, The Ritz-Carlton has some excellent dining options. The variety at breakfast is eye-popping – dim sum, noodle soup, baba ganoush, guava smoothies, nasi lemak and much more. Of course, there are the usual cereals, pastries and fresh fruit, but make sure you try the roti canai with dhal. My seven-year-old daughter impressed the staff by happily eating three of them one morning.

Come evening, you can enjoy authentic Chinese classics at Michelin-selected restaurant Li Yen or, at the weekend, indulge in the “Ritzy Weekend Feast”.

The latter is a buffet serving up bold, smoky flavours from the heart of Malaysia. My husband loved the lamb biryani and the chilli pomelo salad, while I swooned over a gorgeous slow-cooked beef rendang.

My daughter has a peanut allergy and this had made us nervous about our trip. But the staff did a sterling job of accommodating her and she was able to try most food items. As the band played (a mix of modern pop, plus some classics), the children were most impressed with the enormous dessert table, complete with chocolate fountain.

A highlight was the pandan crème brûlée, but I'm afraid durian – that stinky fruit nicknamed “king of fruits” by Malaysian devotees – was not for us, so it was “no” to the durian donuts.

The Ritz-Carlton is your home away from home

The Ritz-Carlton also offers afternoon tea. A very British affair, this is a must if you're homesick, but I'd also recommend it for the cool and calm environment, making it a welcome break from busy Kuala Lumpur.

The scones and cakes really hit the mark if you've been overdosing on rice and noodles. The tea selection is also large, ranging from English breakfast and Darjeeling to fragrant herbal blends and a popular “Irish Whiskey cream” variety.

To work off the food, you can head to the 24-hour gym or swim laps in the outdoor swimming pool. Those with children can pop into the kids' room for books and games, while there are organised activities every afternoon, such as decorating eggs, origami and playing Congkak, which is a popular board game in Malaysia.

We were all rather sad to leave this peaceful sanctuary of a hotel when it was time to check out. The rest of our two-week Malaysian adventure involved visiting Bukit Merah Orang Utan, also known as Orangutan Island; making sandcastles on the beach in Langkawi and appreciating the street art in Penang.

I'm sure we'll return to this vibrant country one day, and when we do, I know where we will rest our weary heads when we're back in Kuala Lumpur.

Ruth was a guest of YTL Hotels at The Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur. Rooms start from around £141 a night for a Deluxe room. Visit ritzcarlton.com for details.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

The Coachman’s House, Dollarbeg, Dollar, Clackmannanshire

A renovated Victorian house built around a courtyard with a garden that includes an all-weather tennis court. 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, kitchen, 5 dressing rooms, 2 reception rooms, home cinema, 2-bedroom cottage, gym with sauna, woodland, 6.6 acres.

Price: £2.25m+ Savills 0131-247 3738.

Haughley Park, Stowmarket, Suffolk

A Grade I-listed Jacobean manor in 240 acres of parkland with gardens that include a croquet lawn and a tennis court. It has ornate fireplaces and a grand, carved wooden staircase. 7 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 5 reception rooms, study, offices, 2 kitchens, conservatory, 5-bedroom farmhouse, outbuildings.

Price: £4.25m Knight Frank 01394-334570.

East South Fork Rd, Utah, USA

A house in the Provo Canyon in Utah with a sports building that includes a basketball court, a squash court, a climbing wall and a games room. The house has floor-to-ceiling windows and open fireplaces. 4 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, split-level open-plan kitchen/living area, home cinema, 2-bedroom guest house, landscaped gardens, 29.6 acres.

Price: $43m Summit Sotheby’s International Realty +1 800 641 1884.

Thistle Hall, Wickham Bishops, Essex

A contemporary property built in a Georgian style with a lake and a synthetic putting green with a bunker and tees in the landscaped gardens. It has an indoor swimming-pool complex, a kitchen with a professional-grade oven, and French doors leading onto a terrace. 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, reception hall, 4 reception rooms, annexe, outbuildings, 25.63 acres.

Price: £5.5m Strutt & Parker 01245-258201.

The Old Vicarage, Bleasby, Nottinghamshire

A restored, Grade II-listed country house set in gardens that contain an all-weather tennis court. The first-class leisure facilities include an indoor heated swimming pool covered by a lantern-glass roof, along with a gym and games area. The house has open fireplaces and an open-plan kitchen and living area. 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 2 reception rooms, 3-bedroom coach house, stables, paddock, 5.3 acres.

Price: £2.45m Fine & Country 0115-982 2824.

Lancewood, Windlesham, Surrey

A contemporary house set in gardens that include a heated swimming pool and professionally surfaced half-court basketball court. It has floor-to-ceiling windows and a cinema. 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, dining kitchen, reception room, 1-bedroom annexe, 3.68 acres.

Price: £7m+ Strutt & Parker 01344-921985.

Galon Y Mynydd, Coed Y Bronallt, Pontarddulais, Swansea, Glamorgan

A modern house overlooking the River Loughor, with an outdoor, professionally finished football pitch with full-size Fifa-approved goal posts and an indoor swimming-pool complex. The house has stone floors and a state-of-the-art kitchen. 5 bedrooms, 3 dressing rooms, 6 bathrooms, open-plan kitchen/living area, 2 reception rooms, gardens.

Price: £2.5m Country Living Group 01437-616101.

Harmony House, Westham, Wedmore, Somerset

A detached, modern house overlooking landscaped gardens that include an enclosed football pitch and an outbuilding with a gym and a games room. The house has a glazed, 46ft open-plan dining kitchen and living area. 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, open-plan dining kitchen/living area, reception room, cinema, utility, cloakroom, outbuilding with gym and first-floor games room, garage.

Price: £1.79m Knight Frank 01173-171996.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

Dumbleton Hall, Cotswolds

The historic Grade II-listed Dumbleton Hall, situated in the north Cotswolds, has recently reopened following a two-year restoration, which has returned the property to its former glory as an elegant country manor. The tranquil 16-acre estate includes a lake and walled gardens, making this a quintessential countryside escape, located minutes from the picturesque villages of Broadway and Winchcombe. Dumbleton Hall's history – having hosted literary and historical figures, including Charles Dickens and the Mitford sisters – is reflected across its 34 individually designed bedrooms and grand public spaces, blending Belle Époque refinement with 1920s glamour and William Morris prints.

On the culinary front, executive chef Dean Westcar champions seasonal, locally sourced Cotswolds produce at the hotel's main Cedar 1905 restaurant, while the Orangerie will offer intimate fine dining from August. To work up an appetite, various walking trails are within easy reach, as are the towns of Stratford-upon-Avon and Cheltenham for a night out.

From £380 a night, on a B&B basis for two people, dumbletonhall.co.uk

Pine Trees Hotel, Scottish Highlands

Pine Trees Hotel is tucked away in ten acres of woodland on the edge of Pitlochry in the Scottish Highlands. It is, in other words, a quiet retreat near the Cairngorms. The boutique property has recently undergone an extensive refurbishment, blending Victorian architecture with contemporary design across 32 individually styled rooms and suites. Guests are invited to unwind in the tranquil surroundings by embracing the local concept of coorie, meaning “to get cosy” in Scots.

At the hotel's restaurant, Fauna, executive chef Tom Scade celebrates seasonal Scottish produce, while at the stylish Flora bar an extensive whisky selection is offered, along with the popular Pine Trees Margarita cocktail.

This summer, Pine Trees Hotel is launching a new “Woodland Wellness” concept, which includes access to an Estonian Iglucraft igloo-shaped sauna, plunge pool, and wood-fired hot tub. Later in the season, the property will also unveil East Haugh House, a new 11-bedroom exclusive-use residence perfect for larger groups.

From £358 a night, pinetreeshotel.co.uk

Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane

The iconic Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane recently unveiled 14 newly renovated suites. London-based studio Interiors with Art lent a hand in designing the interiors, fusing the hotel's subtle Art Deco features with contemporary style. The team drew inspiration from the nearby Hyde Park for the sycamore wood panelling, for example, along with the brushed metal finishes, Murano glass lighting and warm autumnal palette.

On the fifth floor, sweeping views of the park can be had from the spacious Presidential Suite. It has a formal dining room with a butler's pantry, bespoke marble accents and a fireplace. The Royal Terrace Suite has its own vast garden terrace, making it ideal for entertaining or relaxing in nature despite being in the heart of Mayfair, while the Garden Suite overlooks the hotel's own private garden, blending indoor and outdoor living with bronze-accented interiors and a spacious landscaped terrace.

From £4,700 a night in the suites, fourseasons.com/london

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

It takes time to become a Tropezian institution – just not a long time in the case of Brigitte Bardot. The actress was just 21 when her kicking up the sand on Pampelonne Beach for the film And God Created Woman put the sleepy fishing village of Saint-Tropez on the map. In the 70 years since, Saint-Tropez's renown has become inseparable from that of the young woman who made it famous in 1956. You will see Bardot's smouldering features in shops, gallery windows, in the gold statue of her sitting toute nue in a clam shell on the Place Blanqui… and staring back at you as you sip your Gin Sniper at Q's Bar at the impossibly chic AREV St. Tropez hotel on the Chemin des Vendanges.

AREV St. Tropez is also young – it opened in March 2024. And, like the youthful Bardot, this luxury boutique hotel is already making a name for itself. It amused me to find a polite notice on the hotel's website under “Guest Conduct”, asking guests to refrain from taking “any photos or videos in the general area of any celebrity”. English translation – if you see a celebrity, stay calm! Did I see a celebrity during my stay? I couldn't possibly say. One must take after the locals and affect an air of nonchalance when in the presence of stardom – even when your fingernails are scratching at the phone in your pocket. Anyway, this is Saint-Tropez. Celebrities are a feature of the landscape, much like the plane trees in the Place des Lices.

All of which is to say AREV St. Tropez is charming and it has not gone unnoticed. The hotel is a love letter to the French Riviera of the Bardot era. Under those same plane trees on the Place des Lices, a seven-minute stroll from the hotel, pétanque balls are still tossed, pastis is still sipped and on Tuesday and Saturday mornings a busy market is held attracting locals and visitors alike. AREV St. Tropez has created its own homage to the Place des Lices in its Place des Oliviers in the hotel's gardens, complete with vintage Citroën. The hotel is open year-round and, when the weather is bad the pick of the market stalls are brought to the hotel for the convenience of guests. At the Place des Oliviers, you can concoct your own scent at a perfume-making workshop run by local brand Maison ST. You will also find the brand's products in the hotel spa.

AREV St. Tropez is an icon in the making

That's not all. The Strand restaurant revives the name and ambience of a bygone village favourite, now closed, but with a faintly nautical twist in the decor. On the menu, you will find simple yet creative Mediterranean dishes, such as wild sea bream, served with a light and airy verbena bisque emulsion; grilled blue lobster; and Charolais fillet steak, which is a muscular breed typical of France.

Before sitting down to dinner, you might like to take a cold glass of rosé on the Mediterranean garden terrace. You can even visit the vineyard on an excursion to the nearby Fondugues-Pradugues estate. Or – rewinding further – you can take part in an olive oil tasting beside a 500-year-old olive tree, led by the hotel's master gardener, who says a shot of olive oil sets you up for an evening of cocktails and wine.

AREV St. Tropez's focal point and an icon in the making is its long swimming pool, which has the words “A Rêve In The Sun” spelled out in large letters on the bottom (Rêve means “dream” in French – the hotel's name is a playful pun). It reminds me of the pool at the Hotel Bel-Air in California, which became famous from the 1950s onwards as much for its stylish setting as for the glamorous people lounging around it. Around the corner from the main pool, there is a second, smaller outside pool in front of my junior suite, which is part of an even newer section of the hotel. All of the hotel's interiors were designed by Luis Bustamante, the Madrid-based designer who also decorated the Embassy Gardens development in London. The bold blue and red stripes – the hotel's colours – continues the nautical theme, while at the same time being very French. The bathroom is large with a bath and separate shower, and outside, via the bedroom, there is a cosy private terrace.

AREV St. Tropez is a welcome retreat from what used to be a fishing village, but is now a glamorous seaside resort town that gets quite busy in summer. Spring is an ideal time to visit. You can dine at the lovely La Petite Plage restaurant on the Quai Jean Jaurès, or join the coastal path, a short walk from the hotel, for wonderful views over the Golfe de Saint-Tropez. The route takes you past the Cimetière Marin, where you can pause with the small crowd of well-wishers who have come to pay their respects to Bardot, who passed away right at the end of last year, at the age of 91. Bardot lived in the area for most of her life and, if anything, the aura she gave to Saint-Tropez has only grown brighter with the passing of the decades. I suspect that years from now AREV St. Tropez will also have become a true local icon.

Chris was a guest of AREV St. Tropez. Rates are from €590 a night in winter and €1,500 in summer, arevcollection.com.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

CORD by Le Cordon Bleu has all the swagger that high end classical cuisine demands, but delivers it with generous helpings of fun.

It’s surprisingly down-to-earth. The entire restaurant, just off the Strand, has a clear view of the calm, highly functional kitchen through a broad pane of glass, and is softly lit with jazzy, globular bulbs suspended from the ceiling; all very tastefully modern. It feels comfortable and relaxed, without needing to show off.

A glance at the wine list also confirms the sense that CORD does not confine itself by convention. Chinese riesling and Cypriot xynisteri sit alongside more familiar burgundies and sauvignon blancs.

The sommelier, who clearly loves her craft, offers an adventurous set of wine pairings and prefers to unveil each at the end of the course, giving you the chance to appreciate it without any preconceptions and to play the guessing game.

It’s a playful take on wine pairings, and that joie de vivre is born out in the food.

Two canapés are served to start; a black truffle and parmesan arancini with a red onion jam, and apple and crab served on a delightful, crispy wafer. The crab is especially delightful, with a zingy apple powder sprinkled over what is almost a meaty crab-flesh ragu, and comes with the added theatre of being served atop a sculpted conch shell.

Next up is a slow poached hen’s egg with truffle, asparagus and sweetcorn. A really intriguing dish; a cloud of potato foam and crispy, salty potato skins conceals hidden treasures within, inviting you to dig around for gooey egg and sublimely crunchy asparagus. This is as much a play on textures as it is on flavours.

After a bite of bread (baked by LCB Master Chefs in Le Cordon Bleu school, downstairs from the restaurant), the next dish on the tasting menu is a scallop tartare served with Oscietra caviar, kaffir lime and an inspired dill and white chocolate oil. This is delicate, laced with citrus from the lime – not unlike a ceviche – and you get a hint of creamy, dill-infused chocolate before your palate is swept away by the salty caviar. By itself, the oil is deliciously sweet, so much so you wonder how it will work with scallops, but in fact it is the element that brings everything else in this superb dish together.

A little garden then appears at our table; a miniature, plated shrubbery which is all for show besides a neat little pile of lamb cutlets, sous vide to a perfect, tender pink. Accompanying them are sweetbreads stuffed into a salty morel mushroom, and a stack of delicate pastry, braised lamb shoulder with pea and mint purees, and a rich sauce with something approaching deep toffee sweetness. This is a celebration of the harmony between lamb and mint, and for something so delicate on the eye packs a real punch on the palate.

Finally, a black forest dessert consisting of a dark chocolate brownie, kirsch mousse, white chocolate and Amarena cherries, with morello cherry sorbet. The sorbet is sharp and acidic, the mousse fluffy and inviting – a wonderful way to round off a sumptuous meal.

All in all this is very high quality of food, delivered with theatre but also a sense of fun – as if, despite all the accomplishments of the chefs and the dishes, it still doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Dan was a guest of CORD by Le Cordon Bleu. The chef’s tasting menu described here costs £125, plus £70 for wine pairings. Le Cordon Bleu cookery school is accepting applications for its Pâtisserie scholarship competition until 29 May.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

If you travel regularly for work or enjoy holidaying abroad, the right credit card could make a big difference. A rewards credit card which offers flight points could mean you cut flight costs – helping you save money on a holiday – or let you upgrade your seat for less.

There are several credit card providers offering airline or flight points as a reward for spending, such as American Express, Virgin Money and Barclays.

But which is the best credit card for flight points, such as Avios or Virgin Points? We break down the different options available right now, comparing what’s on offer, monthly or annual fees and any extra perks like airport lounge access or travel insurance.

What is an airline miles credit card?

An airline miles credit card is a type of reward credit card that lets you collect points on your everyday spending, which can then be used towards flights.

Once you’ve collected enough points or airline miles, you can typically redeem them – unlocking perks like free or reduced flights, seat upgrades, extra baggage, airport lounge access or even other travel expenses like hotel stays or car hires, depending on the provider.

Different airlines have their own schemes. The most popular ones are Avios, run by British Airways – which can also be used with BA’s partner airlines – and Virgin Atlantic’s Virgin points.

Are airline miles credit cards worth it?

Airline miles credit cards can offer lucrative rewards, particularly if you’re a higher spender or you travel often. They can make your journey more rewarding.

However, there are a few caveats. You can only redeem points with certain airlines or providers, and you will need to be flexible with your travel itinerary, as flights paid for with points tend to have limited availability, especially during peak travel times.

Keep in mind that you will have to repay your credit card bill in full each month, or you will be stung with high interest rates.

The best credit cards for flight points

Below, we round up the top credit cards for airline miles and reward points. We’ve done a breakdown based on annual cost, representative APR, welcome bonus and extra perks you can get.

American Express Rewards Credit Card

This is the most cost-effective travel reward credit card for customers, as it lets you earn points on your spending but has no annual fee. It comes with these perks:

• 10,000 Membership Rewards points when you spend £2,000 in your first three months. You don’t qualify if you’ve already had an Amex card in the past 24 months.
• Earn 1 point for every £1 spent on purchases.
• Earn 4,000 points for inviting a friend – provided their application is approved.

Membership Rewards points don’t have to be redeemed as flight points, but you have the option to transfer them to an Amex loyalty partner programme such as an airline’s frequent flier scheme.

For instance, 40,000 points could get you a return economy flight to Dubai with Virgin Atlantic. You can also redeem your points on eligible purchases at PayPal, Amazon, Boots, Currys, etc.

British Airways American Express Credit Card

Another cost-effective option is the British Airways American Express Credit Card. It doesn’t have an annual fee, and it lets you collect Avios on any purchases you make. Some of its perks include:

• 5,000 bonus Avios when you spend £2,000 in your first three months
• One Avios for every £1 spent on purchases.
• 1,000 Avios when you add the first Supplementary Card – an extra card issued to a family member or friend – to your account.
• Earn 4,000 points for inviting a friend – provided their application is approved.
• Get a companion voucher when you spend £15,000 each cardmembership year.
• Covered for Travel Accident Insurance of up to £75,000 on public transport.

You can redeem vouchers when booking a British Airways, Iberia or Aer Lingus Reward flight. We look at Avios-only flights and companion vouchers in a separate guide.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card

If you’re a frequent traveller and want more value for your money, the American Express Preferred Rewards Credit Card may be a suitable option. While it comes at a steep cost of £195 (£0 in the first year), it could be offset by the amount of points and rewards on offer. This includes:

• 40,000 bonus Membership Rewards points when you spend £5,000 in the first six months. This reverts to 20,000 points once the offer ends after 26 May 2026. You don’t qualify if you’ve already had an Amex card in the past 24 months.
• Earn three points for every £1 spent on Amex Travel, two points for every £1 spent directly with airlines, and one point for every £1 spent on eligible purchases.
• Four complimentary Priority Pass airport lounge passes a year at up to 1,300 lounges at airports around the world
• Get US $100 hotel credit when you book two or more nights with The Hotel Collection, which can go towards spa purchases, food and beverage, late check-out, room upgrades and more.
• Free Travel Accident Insurance up to £250,000 and Travel Inconvenience Insurance up to £200.
• £10 back per month on Deliveroo, or effectively £120 a year

American Express Nectar Credit Card

If you’re a regular Sainsbury’s shopper, you might find that the American Express Nectar Credit Card offers you the best value for money. It has an annual cost of £30, which comes in the second year, so you can trial the card for a year to see if it’s ideal for you. Here’s what you’ll get:

• 20,000 bonus Nectar points when you spend £2,000 in your first three months. You don’t qualify for this offer if you’ve already had an Amex card in the past 24 months.
• Earn 3 points for every £1 spent at Nectar partners, and 2 points for every £1 on purchases
• Invite a friend and earn 5,000 points if they are approved.

Nectar points can be converted into Avios – 400 Nectar points equal 250 Avios. This means the welcome bonus is worth 12,500 Avios.

Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card

If you fly with Virgin or are a banking customer of theirs, you may want to consider getting the Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card. It has no annual fee. The perks that come with this card include:

• 3,000 welcome bonus points when you make a purchase in the first 90 days.
• Until 18 May, earn another 3,000 Virgin Points if you spend £1,000 within 90 days of taking out the card. Make sure you link your Flying Club number to your credit card by 16 August to be eligible for the bonus.
• 0.75 Virgin Points for every £1 spent on everyday purchases, and 1.5 points for every £1 spent with Virgin Atlantic or Virgin Holidays.
• Get a flight upgrade or a companion ticket when you spend over £20,000 in a year.

We take a look at how Virgin Flying Club works in a separate guide.

Virgin Atlantic Reward Plus Credit Card

For higher spenders and frequent flyers, it’s worth checking out the Virgin Atlantic Reward Plus Credit Card, a premium version of the above reward credit card. The annual fee is £160, but this may be offset using Virgin Points. Here’s how you can earn them:

• 18,000 welcome bonus points when you make a purchase in the first 90 days.
• Until 18 May, earn another 18,000 Virgin Points if you spend £3,000 within 90 days of taking out the card. Make sure you link your Flying Club number to your credit card by 16 August to be eligible for the bonus.
• 1.5 Virgin Points for every £1 spent on everyday purchases, and 3 points for every £1 spent with Virgin Atlantic or Virgin Holidays.
• Get a flight upgrade or a companion ticket when you spend over £10,000 in a year.

Barclaycard Avios

If you fly British Airways and want to collect Avios, Barclaycard Avios may be a good place to start, considering it comes with no annual fee. Here are the perks you can get:

• Collect 5,000 Avios if you spend £1,000 in the first three months
• 1 Avios for every £1 spent on eligible purchases.
• When you hit £20,000 spent on your card within 12 months, you can choose between a British Airways cabin upgrade voucher to use on an Avios Reward Flight booking, or opt for 7,000 bonus Avios.

If you change from an existing Barclaycard to this one, you can still get 1,000 Avios when you spend at least £1,000 within three months.

For example, if you have collected 19,500 Avios points, by spending just £1, you can get a peak-time, economy return flight from London to Milan.

Barclaycard Avios Plus

For premium flyers and avid points collectors, the Barclaycard Avios Plus can mean you get more points and rewards on your travel. This is the most expensive card on the market, costing £20 monthly, or £240 annually. Here are perks that come with the premium card:

• Collect 25,000 Avios if you spend £3,000 in the first three months
• 1.5 Avios for every £1 spent on eligible purchases.
• When you spend £10,000 on your card within 12 months, you can choose between a British Airways cabin upgrade voucher to use on an Avios Reward Flight booking, or opt for 7,000 bonus Avios.
• Access to over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide at a discounted rate of £20.50 per lounge pass per person.

If you change from an existing Barclaycard to this one, you can still get 5,000 Avios when you spend at least £3,000 within three months.

For example, if you use 43,000 Avios points and pay £33, you can get a peak, Club Europe business-class return flight from London to Venice, Lisbon or Madrid.

Which is the best credit card for flight points?

If you’re new to credit cards and still want to make the most of your travel, you might want to trial a credit card with a £0 annual fee – or opt for an Amex Preferred Rewards Gold card, which is free for a year, to determine if the rewards are worth it.

If you’re keen on a companion voucher or flight upgrade without having to fork out hundreds, you can trial the Barclaycard Avios or the British Airways Amex card. We look at the best credit cards for airport lounge access in a separate guide.

According to Head for Points, the Virgin Atlantic Reward Plus Credit Card is “clearly the best deal” in the first year, given the boosted bonus. “36,000 Virgin Points easily offsets the £160 annual fee for the first year. More importantly, once you have the Reward Plus card, you are earning the superior 1.5 points per £1 whenever you shop. You also trigger the annual voucher more quickly.”

However, consider if you’re likely to use Virgin points before you apply. If you typically fly with British Airways instead, collecting Virgin points might not be right for you.

As per Which?, the Virgin Atlantic Reward Plus Credit Card is the most competitive, but its free version is more cost-friendly. The American Express Rewards Credit Card is a ‘best buy’ due to its zero annual fee and flexibility.

However, it’s worth remembering that based on your needs and preferences, one card could be more suitable than the other – so if you value premium services, you might be comfortable paying more to get value for money.

The world's best luxury golf resorts

1. Hostal de la Gavina, Spain

Film stars, presidents and prime ministers have been visiting the Costa Brava to stay at the prestigious Hostal de La Gavina since 1932. This year, the luxury hotel is launching tailored golfing experiences that combine world-class play with a relaxed coastal stay on this stunning stretch of coastline in northeastern Spain.

Golfers will also want to visit Camiral, a Quinta do Lago Resort, situated a 25-minute drive away. It is home to two acclaimed 18-hole golf courses and, in 2031, it will host the Ryder Cup. And just ten minutes from La Gavina is Club Golf d'Aro – Mas Nou, a top golf course with the extra benefit of sweeping sea views. The hotel's new Golf Concierge can arrange visits, private tuition and access to the driving range. Guests can unwind afterwards with a restorative sports massage at the Spa by Valmont. Actor Sean Connery was a frequent guest of Hostal de La Gavina in the 1970s, who often made use of the area's world-class golf facilities.

From €380 a night, including breakfast, visit lagavina.com.

2. Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita

The Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita has re-emerged after a transformative seven-month renovation last year as a premier golf destination in the Indian Ocean. The resort offers privileged access to two stunning championship courses – the Ernie Els-designed Anahita Golf Club and the Bernhard Langer signature course at Ile aux Cerfs. Both golf courses are situated amid the spectacular scenery of mountains, lakes and lush tropical flora. As part of stay at the Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita, players receive a daily, complimentary round of golf, inviting golfers of all skill levels to tee off on these world-class fairways or take advantage of expert, one-on-one coaching to perfect their swing. Travelling between the resort and the green couldn't be easier either. There is a complimentary golf shuttle that runs to Anahita Golf Club, along with a complimentary boat transfer that takes guests to Ile aux Cerf Golf Club.

From £900 a night, including breakfast, fourseasons.com/mauritius.

3. Eden Roc Cap Cana, Dominican Republic

Eden Roc Cap Cana is the Dominican Republic's only two-key Michelin resort, offering an unparalleled island getaway tailored specifically for golf enthusiasts. The facilities are centred around the world-renowned, Jack Nicklaus-designed Punta Espada Golf Course. This luxury Relais & Châteaux property is also the first in the Caribbean to provide a dedicated “golf butler” – an on-call specialist who seamlessly manages tee times, equipment deliveries and who is able to arrange recovery treatments, such as Eden Roc Cap Cana's signature Deep Body Golf Ball Massage. As for the accommodation, every guest staying in a private villa has the use of a personal golf cart to explore the exclusive Cap Cana neighbourhood. Upgrade to the Ocean & Golf Villa, and you get access to a 24-hour butler and private chef, while the spectacular Founder's Villa boasts sweeping beach views and direct access to the greens.

From £700 a night, including breakfast, edenroccapcana.com.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

Saunas have been around in Scandinavia for thousands of years. In Britain, they are the hottest new wellness trend, with new saunas springing up across the country. The number of public saunas has risen from 45 in 2023 to over 600 as of last year – a 1,200% increase, while online searches for “outdoor sauna” have increased 73% year on year. Numerous studies attest to the health benefits of short, regular sauna sessions, which include improved cardiovascular health, pain relief and better mental wellbeing. So, why not install one in your garden?

Garden saunas come in three main varieties, based on their shape. Barrel saunas are the traditional choice for garden settings, blending in with the outdoors. Cube saunas are efficient in terms of space, adding a stylish touch to your outdoors with their clean lines. And at the premium end, you have cabin saunas, which offer greater flexibility in terms of layout, in addition to having more of an architectural feel.

How to install an outdoor sauna in your garden

As for the choice of wood, “ThermoWood is a reliable choice as it's treated to handle moisture and temperature changes, making it well-suited to the UK climate,” says Jake Newport, CEO of Durham-based sauna specialists Finnmark. He is also a member of the British Sauna Society and a host of The Sauna Twins podcast. ThermoWood is “also more stable over time, so [it is] less prone to warping,” he says.

Spruce is another commonly used wood, especially in Nordic-style saunas. “It gives a clean, bright finish at a more accessible price point.”

Be sure to construct your sauna on a level, well-drained base and allow for airflow. “The UK weather is definitely a factor, particularly in terms of moisture and temperature changes over time,” says Newport. “That's where material choice and build quality really matter. Using properly treated timber, ensuring good insulation, and making sure the sauna is well-sealed and well-ventilated all play a role in its long-term performance. But if those elements are right, an outdoor sauna will handle UK conditions without issue.

“Naturally, simpler designs are generally quicker to install, while more considered builds take more time and planning, particularly if groundwork or electrical connections are involved.”

Types of garden saunas

1. Barrel saunas

The distinctive cylindrical shape of barrel saunas has made them a popular choice in British gardens. But it's not just because they look good. The curved walls promote efficient heat circulation, which allows for the hot air to flow naturally through the space rather than becoming trapped in the ceiling as can happen with some traditional square saunas.

Rounded sides also help the sauna to heat up more quickly and to maintain its temperature more efficiently. A barrel sauna can reach its optimal temperature in as little as 30 minutes, depending on how you choose to heat it and the conditions outside.

Wood-fired heating is the traditional choice and can be cheaper to run than electric, depending on the availability of wood and local regulations permitting. However, electric tends to be cleaner and more practical.

The ThermoWood Barrel Sauna – Regular with Changing Room accommodates two to four people.

Price: £7,401.99 without a heater and £8,859.99 with a Huum Drop 9kW electric heater.

Barrel and patio saunas typically cost from £4,000 to £15,000, while more complex modular designs range from around £12,000 to £30,000. The cost of a bespoke build starts at £40,000 and “can rise significantly depending on the specification”. Planning permission won't be required for most outdoor saunas, so long as they meet size and placement rules. But it's worth checking with your local authority, especially if you live in a listed property or in a conservation area.

Don't forget to leave yourself a space outside to cool down after your sauna session, says Newport. That helps to “make the sauna a regular habit rather than something you use occasionally”.

For further information on saunas, prices and availability, visit finnmarksauna.com.

2. Cube saunas

Create a dedicated wellness space in your garden by installing a cube sauna, particularly if your garden is small and you need to make the most of the space available. The sides are made from ThermoWood, which has been heated to 200°C in a controlled environment that alters the wood's cellular structure and makes it resistant to decay, moisture and warping. No chemicals are used, and the wood naturally takes on a darker, richer appearance.

It also means they can withstand British winters with no problems. During the colder weather, you can easily move from the heat to the bracing outdoors to make the most of the health benefits. Cube saunas are heated with an electric heater, and because of their compact size, they are ideal for couples and first-time buyers. For privacy, consider installing near screening plants or fencing.

The Thermo Wood Cube Outdoor Sauna – Mini costs £4,993.99, without a heater and £5,522.98 with a Narvi NM Domestic 6kW electric heater.

3. Sauna cabin

For those with larger gardens and bigger budgets, sauna cabins offer the pinnacle of garden luxury, combining all the health benefits of a traditional sauna session with contemporary Scandi design. The Finnmark Eden Outdoor Sauna accommodates five or six people. It has a roof overhang with space to hang your towels and a stylish glass door that extends to a side window, which allows for extra light to enter. The walls are made from “thermo pine” and a heat-treated knot-free wood for the interiors. Inside, the L-shaped bench made from “thermo aspen/alder” makes this an ideal place to unwind and socialise in the comfort of your own garden.

Price: £19,995.00 without a heater, £23,020.50 with a Narvi Velvet 10.5kW electric heater and £22,980.00 with a Huum Hive Flow wood-burning heater.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

Kanishka, tucked just out of the hustle and bustle of London's Regent Street, is a confident expression of the joys of various cuisines from across the Indian sub-continent, with one or two choice influences from elsewhere.

Every element has the essence of Indian food at its core. Dishes are elevated in style but without compromising on substance and big, impactful flavours. Even the poppadoms (£8) that kick things off come in a glorious basket of assorted shapes and colours, accompanied by a trio of exquisite chutneys (a tantalisingly sour gooseberry, mellow sweet mixed berry and hot, sweet lime chilli pickle).

One of the restaurant's most iconic dishes is the chicken tikka pie (£21), so it’s a must-have as a starter. It’s surprisingly delicate; a modest disc of fine pastry that flakes away to reveal welcoming, buttery chicken on the inside, the spicing subtle but clever. On the side is another wonderful berry chutney, this one rich and fruity to offset the pie’s savoury allure.

The starter that really grabbed me, though, was the jalpari nilgiri (£23); hand-dived Orkney scallops, seared to absolute perfection, dusted with caviar and a crunchy take on furikake (a Japanese mixture consisting of dried fish eggs, sesame seeds and seaweed flakes) that packs solid umami punch, without overpowering the scallops. Throw in a zingy, bright green korma sauce that pings excitedly around your palate, awakening taste buds you never even knew you had, and this goes down as one of my all-time favourite scallop dishes.

Kanishka’s menu is devilishly difficult to choose a main from, especially for someone with gastronomic FOMO as bad as mine. After much deliberation, and revelling in the thought of Cornish halibut with malai curry or fallow venison fillet with juniper garam masala, I opted for two of the more traditional-sounding options: Chettinaad Kodi curry (£30) a chicken curry with peppers, chilli and coconut, and a deconstructed laal maas (£36).

Translating literally as ‘red meat’, laal maas is a mutton or lamb curry from Rajasthan, but since we’re in Mayfair, this deconstructed version takes a decadently tender slab of Lake District lamb rump, chunks of hot, almost neon-yellow turnip, a blob of wild garlic sauce and a side pot of the curry itself (with chunks of braised lamb floating around inside, you know, for extra lamb). It is divine. The lamb is bold and gamey, flaking away with the gentlest suggestion from a knife, while the sauce is rich and smoky with spiced tomato.

The Chettinaad Kodi curry is wonderful as well; superbly cooked chicken wallows in a mellow, silky smooth sauce, sweetly and cunningly spiced. Alongside this – to try one of the vegetable dishes on what is, admittedly, a very meat- and fish-heavy menu – I had an Aachari Kathal kofta (£29); jackfruit dumpling in Achari korma. These are like dense, fluffy croquettes, coated in another one of those smooth, smothering sauces that flits between touches of sweet, sour, warmth and nuttiness.

Dessert is a walnut and chenna cake (£15), moist with the occasional crunch of walnut and, thanks to the curd cheese frosting, not overpoweringly sweet. It also comes with a smooth, light cinnamon custard that binds the whole thing together.

If you are a lover of sub-continental food in all its variety, then this is a must-try restaurant. It has refined this storied and distinctive cuisine, without losing any of its essence in the process.

Dan was a guest of Kanishka.

It is easy to succumb to “island time” in the Maldives and forget what day it is. The luxury Conrad Maldives Rangali Island resort takes that concept one step further. It operates on its own “island time” – one hour ahead of Malé, the capital of the Maldives, and five hours ahead of Britain. The result? More daylight to savour and I made every sun-soaked minute count from the serenity of my a villa built over the water.

The Maldives has no shortage of idyllic resorts, with more than 1,000 islands scattered across the Indian Ocean. But nothing truly prepares you for seeing the villas at the Conrad. The Sunset Water Villa pool stretches from the room's deck towards the turquoise sea, creating the illusion that you are floating above the ocean itself.

The stylistically clean interior with wooden beams and sheer curtains complements the sense of tranquillity. Simply close your eyes and doze off to the sound of the sea moving beneath you. High season (November to April) rates for this villa start at around £1,199 a night.

I was also fortunate enough to stay in a Deluxe Beach Villa with Pool. You enter through your own private courtyard, where you will find a large daybed under the open sky, perfect for an afternoon nap. At the rear, the villa opens onto your pool, with direct access to the beach. The villa also has a dressing room, minibar, bedroom area, “his and hers” bathroom and an outdoor shower. High season rates for the Deluxe Beach Villa with a Pool start at around £1,381 a night.

Sleep underwater at The Muraka

The Conrad's most talked-about accommodation is The Muraka, a two-level residence that places guests both above and below the Indian Ocean. Upstairs, the villa opens onto a wide deck and infinity pool with beautiful sea views, while downstairs lies its real showstopper – a master bedroom under a curved glass dome, roughly 16 feet below the surface. Waking up here means watching the reef fish glide silently past your bed.

The underwater theme continues at Ithaa Undersea Restaurant, the resort's glass-domed dining room beneath the waves. As I worked my way through a five-course menu, the standout dish for me was actually the dessert – a tofu chocolate mousse with mango coulis, fresh berries and mango sorbet. Light, fresh and the perfect end to a memorable meal.

Dine underwater or in a wine cellar

You are spoiled for choice when it comes to dining options at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island. The resort has 11 bars and eateries, including six restaurants serving everything from Chinese and Japanese to Italian, so dinner was never in the same place twice. One evening I ate in the resort's wine cellar, surrounded by around 15,000 bottles, which made for quite a dramatic setting.

But my favourite night was far simpler – a cooking class and dinner on the beach. A guitarist played as the sun set and cocktails were being mixed. I tucked into freshly made chapatis and a selection of Indian curries with a Maldivian twist. It ended up being the most memorable meal of the trip.

The resort is also making an effort on the sustainability front. The Conrad has a small hydroponic garden growing herbs and vegetables.

Swim with a whale shark

Just because the Maldives is known for relaxation doesn't mean there isn't a sense of adventure. One of the most exhilarating moments of the trip was swimming with a whale shark. During a four-hour boat excursion, we scanned the water for manta rays and whale sharks, with a drone circling above the Indian Ocean to help spot them. When one was finally sighted, everything moved quickly. We had about 15 minutes to grab our snorkelling gear, jump into the water and watch the whale shark dive deep into the ocean.

As for more relaxing activities, I visited the resort's overwater spa and enjoyed a full-body massage. The treatment rooms have been built above the lagoon and some even have glass floors so you can watch the fish swimming below while you're being pampered. I also took a Jet Ski out on the water, which was a fun way to break up the slower pace of island life.

Having spent a few days at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, the concept of “island time” makes perfect sense. Life slows down and checking your watch becomes the last thing on your mind.

Vaishali was a guest of Conrad Maldives Rangali Island. Rooms start from around £738 a night in the low season and £1,199 a night in the high season. Visit conradmaldives.com.

It is safe to travel to the Maldives, according to the latest advice from the government, but there has been significant disruption to flights from Britain due to the conflict in the Middle East. Always check with your airline or operator for updates before you travel.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

The Pokémon cards phenomenon may have passed you by, but many specialist investors are now paying hundreds of thousands of pounds – or even millions – for the rarest Pokémon assets.

Pokémon is a Japanese media franchise, launched in 1996, featuring more than 1,000 fictional characters with special powers and features. Their human owners can train these creatures and send them into battle against other game players. Pokémon began as a video game series, but has rapidly expanded with the launch of TV shows, films, toys and trading cards.

Today, it's the Pokémon cards that are really attracting attention, partly from Pokémon players who compete in national and international tournaments and want the most powerful characters, but also from collectors and, increasingly, investors.

Take the specialist auction of Pokémon cards held at auction house Stanley Gibbons Baldwin's in London last month. The centrepiece of the sale, a first-edition Base Set Charizard card, raised £442,800, and the total proceeds from the sale reached almost £750,000.

And while those sums are striking, they look small beer compared with a US auction held a few weeks previously. At that sale, AJ Scaramucci, the son of former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, agreed to pay an astonishing $16.5 million for a Pikachu Illustrator card dating from 1998. He bought the card from social-media influencer Logan Paul, who had paid $5.3 million for it in 2021.

Why are Pokémon cards so appealing?

Roy Raftery, head of trading cards at Stanley Gibbons Baldwin's, says that while this year's 30th anniversary of the launch of Pokémon has buoyed interest in the market, investors' appetite has been growing for some time. “There are collectors and investors in the US, the Middle East and in Asia who will pay almost any price for the cards they really want,” he says. “They work with scouts who go round the world looking to acquire the most highly prized cards on their behalf.” Data from Card Ladder, an analytics firm that tracks trading-card prices and sales, underlines the point. Its “Pokémon index” of card prices on the secondary market is up by 145% over the past 12 months alone.

As in all collectables markets, it's the older, rarer Pokémon cards that attract the highest prices – with good-condition cards selling at a premium. That has piqued the interest of Pokémon fans, both present and past.

Could a long-forgotten collection of Pokémon cards, now languishing in a bedroom cupboard, contain a priceless item? Probably not, but it's worth taking a look and doing a bit of research. Each Pokémon card carries details of its name and set number. You can then search resources, such as eBay's listings of sold items, to see what an individual card might be worth. Services such as Collectr, PriceCharting and Rare Candy can also be useful. Often, you can use your phone to scan a card to identify and price it.

Part of the fun with Pokémon cards is that they are still being printed – and rare Pokémon cards can be resold at decent prices. “Every set has really cool cards, but the occasional one is like the Willy Wonka golden ticket,” says Raftery. “You can go into a corner shop, spend a few pounds on a pack of cards, and end up with one that's worth £200, or even £2,000 if you get lucky.”

At this end of the market, it is fans who will be most active, buying and selling cards as much for the love of the game as in the hope of making money. And in any case, it makes sense to be circumspect about the investment potential of the cards. The price rises of recent times have been eye-catching, but collectables markets can be volatile and unpredictable. Highly fashionable assets can fall from favour quickly if investors lose interest and move on to something else.

Equally, even if you're only spending modest sums, tread carefully. As with any market where money is flowing, Pokémon cards attract their fair share of grifters. Raftery advises collectors to be very careful about buying cards on platforms, such as eBay and TikTop Shop, where it can be difficult to check the seller's credentials and to authenticate genuine cards. “There are definitely growing numbers of fakes out there,” he warns.

Pokémon cards have fans of all ages

If in doubt, steer clear – and if you are thinking about spending more, it's important to investigate provenance. Organisations such as PSA specialise in authenticating trading cards and can often offer assessments remotely. Bona-fide traders will usually be able to provide you with verifiable information from such organisations.

There has also been a spike in thefts, with criminals targeting gaming shops in the hope of finding valuable cards. One retailer in Peterborough lost £100,000 of stock following a break-in earlier this year. Insurers subsequently advised anyone with valuable Pokémon cards to make sure they had itemised these on their home contents policies.

None of which is intended to put you off the Pokémon phenomenon, which continues to have real appeal for fans of all ages. One reason that highly desirable cards are so widely coveted is that multiple generations have now grown up playing the game, including older fans who may today have significant wealth at their disposal.

By all means, have some fun with Pokémon cards – and there's always the chance of making a handsome profit. Pokémon probably won't be your pension fund, but in a world of mythical creatures with special powers, you never quite know when the magic might strike.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

In the second series of the television series Mad Men, set in the early 1960s, advertising maven Don Draper and his wife, Betty, are taken to Rome by Conrad Hilton, the founder of the Hilton Hotels group, to promote the latter's new hotel – the Cavalieri Hilton. Admittedly, the series was shot on a Hollywood set, but it is worth visiting the real-life Cavalieri Hilton – today the Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel – to find out for yourself why it is regarded as the company's flagship hotel.

Rome Cavalieri is situated on Rome's highest hilltop, from which you can enjoy panoramic views of the city. Rome is, of course, famous for its many galleries and museums. But you don't even have to step outside the hotel to enjoy art and culture. Close to a thousand treasures, owned by the hotel's owners, are on display throughout the corridors and lobby. It is perhaps the best art collection displayed in any hotel anywhere in the world. The masterpieces to be found adorning the walls include Giovanni Battista Tiepolo's Odysseus finds Achilles among the daughters of Lycomedes, painted around 1725. The array of sculptures, tapestries and antiques include some unexpected surprises – ranging from costumes once worn by the acclaimed ballet dancer and choreographer Rudolf Nureyev to a commode that was owned by the king of Poland, Augustus III (1733 to 1763).

Inside the luxurious Rome Cavalieri

You are, of course, welcome to admire the artworks at your leisure. But the hotel also offer the option of joining a guided tour with an art historian. And while the paintings are special, they aren't the only things to give Rome Cavalieri its style and swagger. There's the sweeping spiral staircase in the lobby for starters and the upmarket wallpaper. Everything, in other words, that signifies wealth and opulence. But beneath the Italian glamour you will find an American dedication to detail, service and hospitality. The seventh-floor room in which I stayed was large, bright and it had a balcony that afforded a wonderful view over the Eternal City.

I also took full advantage of the fact that my room gave me access to the Imperial Club. This is a drawing room intended as a place of respite for a select number of the hotel's guests. Here, I was able to have breakfast as well as curl up with a good book, while sipping complimentary drinks on the sofa. All the rooms are not just comfortable, but outright luxurious as you would expect. But the cream of the crop are Rome Cavalieri's split-level penthouse suites. They are filled with their own artworks, including limited-edition Andy Warhols, and the living room is furnished with couches and other items that were designed for his own apartment by the late fashion-design icon Karl Lagerfeld. Perhaps the biggest attraction are the large terraces on the upper floor of the suite. As well as a covered area, ideal for dining, these contain Jacuzzis for lounging in while you admire the beauty of Rome.

Dine at Rome's only three-star Michelin restaurant

As well as the outstanding accommodation, the Rome Cavalieri has a lot to offer lovers of great food. The rooftop restaurant, La Pergola, is Rome's first – and only – place to be awarded three Michelin stars. This restaurant is open Tuesday to Saturday and it is in such high demand among Rome's cognoscenti that it is typically booked two to three months in advance – although hotel guests can pop in outside dining hours for an aperitivo.

The hotel's other restaurant, L'Uliveto, also offers a wide range of top-notch food and I particularly enjoyed the grilled Mediterranean octopus.

The pool bar where tennis legend Serena Williams found love

The facilities at Rome Cavalieri are extensive. There are two swimming pools – one indoor and an outdoor pool that is open in the spring and summer. The hotel also has a gym, tennis courts and various walking trails.

The latter is a favourite with the multitude of tennis stars who stay at Rome Cavalieri during the annual Rome Masters tennis tournament (the Internazionali BNL d'Italia, as it is officially known), which is typically held in May every year. Both tennis stars and fans appreciate the fact that the hotel offers them easy access to the Olympic stadium where the event is held – along with the possibility of other unexpected surprises. Tennis legend Serena Williams first met her future husband, the technology investor and co-founder of Reddit, Alexis Ohanian, at Rome Cavalieri's pool bar, while Williams was competing at the 2015 Masters. So, it was perhaps not surprising that when Ohanian proposed 18 months later, during a surprise trip to Rome, he booked the pool and the bar, as well as arranging for the staff to strew the entire area with rose petals.

Matthew was a guest of Rome Cavalieri, where rooms start from €330 a night. For more information, visit romecavalieri.com or call +39 06 3509 2031.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

The “beautiful people” had checked out of the Mandarin Oriental, Paris, by the time I arrived with my suitcase in March. This “palace”-designated hotel, with its chic 1930s art-deco facade, sits on the Rue Saint-Honoré in the fashion quarter of the capital of fashion. Its neighbours are Versace and Yves Salomon, and, opposite, you will find Giorgio Armani.

Down the road is where Thierry Hermès opened his saddle shop in 1837. Today, it sells fabulously expensive handbags, but being merely fabulously wealthy won’t get you one. You have to be on the list.

Naturally, there were still plenty of elegant people to be spotted at the Mandarin Oriental, Paris. Smartly dressed, they were milling about the lobby, beneath the chandelier of 135 crystal butterflies – one for each room of the hotel.

There were elegant people having lunch in the contemporary French restaurant, Camélia. And there were, no doubt, elegant people to be found in The Spa, being relieved of the stress of buying said Hermès handbags. Here, in the spa, you will also find a long, sleek indoor spa pool and a steam room hidden at the end.

But these weren’t the “beautiful people” of Paris Fashion Week, held a fortnight earlier. The models, designers and fashion buyers. The glitterati. The Mandarin Oriental, along with a couple of other select hotels, is their natural home. The week had ended, the beautiful people had pulled up the catwalk from the Jardin des Tuileries around the corner and the circus had moved on for Tokyo.

Calm had been restored to this most exclusive of neighbourhoods in the first arrondissement. A studied nonchalance now settled over Saint-Honoré. The sun was out, the air was crisp and there were flowers everywhere.

At the Jardin des Plantes, across the Seine, big, bright tulips provided dabs of colour that, when viewed from afar, resembled some magnificent pointillist painting. There were tulips, too, up on Montmartre in the north of the city, under the windmills and beside the Sacré-Cœur. Paris is at its prettiest in the spring.

Channelling Marlene Dietrich

And so is the Mandarin Oriental, Paris. Exactly one year ago, this belle dame gained a celebrity sister in the famous Hôtel Lutetia on the Left Bank, when the “fan brand” took up its management. The original, on Rue Saint-Honoré, however, remains a city classic.

The centrepiece is the leafy outdoor courtyard in the middle, with its cosy, covered booths dotted about among the foliage. It feels spacious, yet private, which is no mean feat considering where you are, in the heart of the capital.

The balcony from my deluxe suite looked down on the courtyard – a quiet space to enjoy a drink. Other rooms and suites look out onto the Rue Saint-Honoré.

From the balcony, you arrive in the living room that has a desk, sofa, armchair and TV. The colour palette is in keeping with the brand and Mandarin’s Hong Kong roots – sophisticated dark-cherry wood furniture and golden fabrics. Lest you forget where you are, there are a couple of large, framed photographs on the wall of a lady moodily smoking a cigarette in the style of Marlene Dietrich.

The white-tiled bathroom, adjacent to the bedroom, is expansive, with a bath and a separate shower. There is also a separate toilet by the main door. The wardrobe space is ample and there is a mini bar with all the drinks and snacks you would expect.

I was also afforded a glimpse of The Mandarin Penthouse Suite. It has an impressively high ceiling in the living room, given you are on the top floor, and admits plenty of light. But then, the suite does occupy two levels – there is a staircase leading up to a huge, white bathroom with an enormous tub and views of the Eiffel Tower. The imposing baroque dome of the Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption church almost next door looms large. From the terrace, you have a view over the city.

Guilty little secrets

In the evening, head back down to the ground floor for an apéritif cocktail at the elegant Bar 8, enjoyed with a plate of prawn dim sum har gow if you’re feeling snackish. This is still a Mandarin after all. On sultry nights, you can take your drink out into the courtyard garden and enjoy the music.

Come morning, you will find yourself back at the restaurant, Camélia. I don’t usually focus too much on breakfast, because, with a few exceptions, a hotel breakfast is much like another – even in a five-star. But the pastries here deserve special mention.

They are outstanding and rightly take centre-stage at the buffet table. Then again, Saint Honoré is the patron saint of boulangers and pâtissiers.

If you can’t wait for breakfast to roll around again, you can enjoy them throughout the day from the Cake Shop at the entrance to Camélia. Allez-y. The beautiful people will never know.

Chris was a guest of the Mandarin Oriental, Paris. Room rates start from €1,400.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

Tortello likes to style itself as a ‘trattoria’; a word which, to me, conjures an image of unassuming doorways tucked into secluded corners of the Trastevere, modestly decorated, staffed perhaps by an elderly couple with wide, wizened smiles, serving simple but drool-inducing food.

At first glance, Tortello is not that. Nestled in London's Royal Lancaster Hotel overlooking Hyde Park’s Italian gardens, this is a contemporary setup from top to bottom, bedecked mostly in fashionable, calming shades of sage green. An open kitchen, where an industrious team of chefs busy themselves with the important work of crafting fresh, hand-made pasta, looks out onto a multi-level spread of marble table tops.

There are retro nods, too. If you enter through the body of the hotel, as I did, rather than from the main entrance off Hyde Park, you’ll pass a giant print inviting you to ‘mangia bene, ridi spesso’ (eat well, laugh often), as well as a pistachio green vintage Fiat 500. You’re in Italy now, capiche?

But while this is no modest Roman ‘mama e papa’ eatery, Tortello delivers where it matters. There is genuine care taken over both the guests – who are diligently attended to by charming, personable staff – and the ingredients. The pasta is crafted from yolks laid by chickens the restaurant keeps in a farm outside London, along with flour sourced from specialist Italian mills.

The upshot is a wonderful blend of tradition and modernity, and of robust and subtle flavours.

Take the burrata (£14); perhaps one of the busiest plates of the stuff I’ve ever seen. The ball of cheese itself is surrounded by a nest of olives, nuts, delicious little crispy bits and generous shavings of parmesan (just in case you needed more cheese). These salty accoutrements balance out the burrata, which is creamy – almost yoghurty – while well-cooked Swiss chard provides a solid vegetal hit.

Or if you’d prefer to dive straight into the pasta, the Orkney crab tortelli (£14, or £24 as a main) is heavenly. Charcoal pasta parcels contain a deep, nutty package of crab, which would stand up well all by itself. Subtle, warming parsley butter and langoustine sauce surrounding the tortelli lift the dish to new heights; nothing overpowering, but a pleasant, mellow backdrop letting the crab do its thing.

All in all, a wonderful couple of starters which set the scene nicely for the mains.

Sea bass with clams, celeriac mash and creamed spinach (£27) continues Tortello's theme of delicacy balanced with punch. Tender, flaky flesh delivered on flavour, and the skin, while not crunchy crisp, added a decent bit of texture. Creamy spinach is fine without being remarkable, but the mash was superb: solidly savoury potato, balanced perfectly with a hint of almost-sweet celeriac.

It's a sophisticated dish that pleases on multiple different levels. For a more direct route to gastronomic pleasure, though, try the venison ragù (£21). This is rich and hearty, and an impressive whack of umami rounds out the flavour. It is, of course, complemented by freshly prepared tagliatelle – perfectly cooked by London standards, though my hypothetical Trastevere trattoria might have taken it out of the pot a minute or two sooner.

I'm not one for tiramisu, but the entry on the menu was sorely tempting. Instead, I went ‘route one’ and ordered the chocolate cake (£9), and had no regrets at all: the chocolate is deep and dark, almost nutty, reminiscent of a particularly high quality chocolate brownie that my childhood local bakery sold. It's uncomplicated, served only with a ball of vanilla ice cream, a drizzle of chocolate sauce and some caramelised nuts, but when the chocolate is this good that, for me, is the way to go.

Or, if you're not a chocolate addict, you could try the torta with crème diplomate and berry compote (£9). This indulgent layer cake is airily soft and the compote offers sweetness and tartness in equal measure.

All in all, this is a splendid modern take on traditional trattoria fare. Everything, from the decor to the dishes, has a contemporary twist, but the heart and soul of the restaurant is rooted in classic techniques and flavours, brought to life with clear care and attention.

Dan McEvoy was a guest of Tortello.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

The Art Basel & UBS Art Market Report 2026, written by Dr Clare McAndrew, the founder of Arts Economics, a research firm, has added some detail to what we largely knew already – that the global art market returned to growth in 2025 following two years of falling sales values.

Global sales last year rose 4% year-on-year to an estimated $59.6 billion. However, that was still below the peak in 2022 when the art market rebounded after the pandemic and the number of transactions rose by just 2%.

The gains, which finally came in the second half of 2025, “were driven by renewed confidence… and strength at the high end [of the art market] in particular”, says Noah Horowitz, CEO of Art Basel, which organises art fairs around the world.

Sales at public auctions rose 9% from a year earlier, but much of the activity was confined to works priced above $10 million. Gustav Klimt's Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer (1914-1916), for instance, sold for an astonishing $236 million last November with Sotheby's in New York. That's the second-highest-ever price paid for an artwork at auction.

In the dealer sector, sales rose 2% to an estimated $34.8bn, reversing two years of declines. Private sales at auction houses, however, dipped 5%. So, the art market recovery wasn't felt across the board.

Britain is a major art market

The UK has hung on to its position as the second-largest art market in the world, accounting for 18% of global sales by value ($10.5 billion), the same as in 2024. China, in third place, saw its share decline by one percentage point to 14% – a symptom, perhaps, of its struggling economy and property sector. Activity in other Asian and emerging markets also increased.

The US remains the titan of the art world. Its $26 billion in sales in 2025, up 5% year-on-year, translated into a 44% share of the art market – a one percentage-point uptick from 2024. Together, the US, Britain and China accounted for 76% of global sales by value.

“Policy unpredictability”, as the report puts it, from the White House kept the market guessing in 2025. Imports of art and antiques to the US, which fuels some major sales, rose 13% in value to $9.9 billion (and exports fell 1%) as buyers and sellers tried to negotiate their way around US tariffs.

This year has brought yet more uncertainty due to the conflict in the Middle East. “Markets do not move in isolation,” says Horowitz. “They reflect the ambitions, perspectives, pressures and uncertainties of the world around them.” Will the war be enough to reverse last year's uneven recovery? We don't yet know. The art market, McAndrew tells the Financial Times, operates in a “volatile geopolitical environment, particularly regarding cross-border trade, the full implications of which are still unfolding in 2026”.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.

1. Farm to fork in Grenada

Guests at Calabash, a small family-run luxury resort on Grenada in the Caribbean and the island's only Relais & Châteaux property, are invited to “eat like a Grenadian” – a guided activity that aims to capture the charm of Grenadian culture through the island's cuisine.

The hotel also organises guided tours of the owners' organic farm, L'Esterre Estate, as well as complimentary activities such as exotic fruit tastings and cooking demonstrations. There are three restaurants at Calabash, comprising a fine-dining restaurant, casual beachside dining and a Japanese restaurant offering contemporary dishes made with locally caught seafood.

This spring, Calabash is also unveiling six new suites – four Superior Deluxe Suites and two secluded Hillside Penthouse Suites. The new Hillside suites will enjoy large indoor-outdoor living spaces and private infinity pools overlooking the hotel's white sands and Prickly Bay beyond.

From $775 a night in April, visit calabashhotel.com.

2. Rhubarb, rhubarb!

Prestonfield House in Edinburgh takes its rhubarb seriously. This luxury hotel, five minutes from the city centre, occupies a 17th-century building set in ten acres of gardens.

It was here on the estate that Alexander Cunyngham introduced rhubarb to Scotland in 1746, and it is grown on the grounds to this day. There's still time to catch the end of the forced-rhubarb season.

At the hotel's Rhubarb Restaurant, the estate-grown vibrant pink stems feature in a variety of sweet and savoury dishes, alongside other carefully selected seasonal Scottish ingredients. In the bar, rhubarb is used to make the house syrups that form the base of signature cocktails, such as the Rhubarb Patch – a refined blend of gin, vermouth and citrus.

Rhubarb even makes an appearance at afternoon tea, where it features in sweets, such as the delicious rhubarb and cardamom custard tart.

From £375 a night, including breakfast. Visit prestonfield.com.

3. 500-year-old olive groves in Croatia

Spring is a great time to visit Villa Nai 3.3 on the Croatian island of Dugi Otok and its 500-year-old olive groves. The crowds have yet to arrive on the Dalmatian coast, but the days are already warm enough to be spent outdoors.

As for the property's olive oil, it has a high polyphenol content, which makes it particularly healthy and explains why it can be found in this boutique hotel's homemade signature spa treatments as well as in the restaurant.

The menu is centred on seasonal, organic produce that has been grown on the estate or sourced from local farms. The vegetables, herbs, fruits, meats and seafood are prepared in a traditional, Dalmatian way that is light, yet flavoursome and pairs well with Croatian wines. Villa Nai 3.3 is intimate enough that it can be booked for the exclusive use of larger groups.

Around €755 a night, including breakfast. Visit villanai.com.

4. Jersey royal potatoes fresh from the côtils

Jersey royals are on the cusp of being in season and there is no place better to enjoy them than on the island on which they were harvested.

These early potatoes are a true sign that spring has arrived. They are grown on the steep coastal hills of Jersey, known as the côtils and are best enjoyed with a simple knob of butter and sprinkling of sea salt, alongside the mackerel, crab and lobster that are caught in the local waters.

Executive chef Andrew Baird runs the restaurant at Longueville Manor, which is part of the luxury Relais & Châteaux collection. The hotel has now added a coveted Michelin Key to its long-held AA Rosettes. Baird is also a certified PADI Divemaster, and has been known to lead dives to fetch the scallops for the menu.

They are served with vegetables from the Victorian kitchen garden, courgette flowers, herbs and, of course, those famous Jersey royals.

Longueville Manor offers nightly rates from £154, based on two sharing on a B&B basis.

5. A retreat focused on nutrition

Crillon le Brave in the south of France takes a different approach to enjoying food. This Provençal retreat with a village feel has partnered with Claire Borwin, a dietician and nutritionist, to offer a range of one- and two-day wellness programmes centred around nutrition.

The season begins on 25 April with a day dedicated to sleep, called “From Plate to Dream: Nutrition and Rituals for Restorative Sleep”, which explores the relationship between nutrition, the nervous system and quality of rest. That is followed on 8-10 May by “Summer in Balance: Vitality, Emotions, and the Joy of Homemade”, a two-day retreat focusing on both physical and emotional energy.

Wellness programmes continue throughout the rest of the year, including one in July devoted to tomatoes. Also this spring, Crillon le Brave is opening its new cottages, a second swimming pool and a dedicated space for hosting culinary workshops.

From €350 a night, including breakfast, crillonlebrave.com.

This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.