The Best Of London & Brussels. The Beaumont and Hotel Amigo

A bevy of our clients are safely gallivanting, bags bulging with wipes, n-95 masks and Covid travel testing kits- so far, nothing but marvelous postcards. Our dear clients began with a Scotland jaunt to indulge their golf obsession on the incomparable and not too crowded Golf Greens. Pop over to London for a week of fine dining, J Sheekey of course, pre-theatre – (Tom Stoppard play is exceptionally good), fancy an afternoon cozy boat voyage on the Thames with a jazz trio? Giggles, dancing and creating lasting memories – Legacy Travel is what we espouse – this gregarious extended family, also known as The Entourage, has been traveling with us since day one!

Le Magritte Bar The Beaumont Hotel

Their favorite hotel in London has always been The Beaumont and we were faintly fretful about fresh ownership and updated décor- fret not!  They loved it – photos propelled through the air, compliments on the always warmhearted and engaging staff, ‘everyone still knows our names’! After pining for travel, what an appreciated treasure, familiarity at your best-loved hotel! It’s been modified, but the cozy elegant charm remains. A new Bar experience – and yes, I received many photos from the VIP clients … Le Magritte Bar & Terrace belongs to the great tradition of American bars that became legendary in London and Paris during the 1920s.

All-American bad boys (and girls) from Hemingway and Fitzgerald to Martin, Sinatra and MacLaine would have felt right at home in its handsome walnut- paneled interior, hung with an eclectic collection of early 20th century paintings and photographs, including the Magritte that gives the room its name.

The Beaumont Hotel is included in many of my London posts, it’s a cozy Art Deco design gem. The five-star Mayfair hotel has 73 rooms, of which 23 are studios and suites. Seamless style and old world aesthetics are apparent in every room and public space – the art collection alone is worth a visit. All the rooms at The Beaumont have been designed in a soft Art Deco style, with a purist’s eye for delicate and pertinent detail without sparing a modicum of guest comfort. Spacious rooms with comfortable period furniture, massive wardrobes for unpacking, enormous bathrooms with deep soaking tubs, large rain showers for those who don’t subscribe to soaking. Do visit the spa, it is spare and glamorous and truly satisfying! Separate post on my spa experience.

The Beaumont

The Beaumont’s Presidential Suite evokes the glamorous era of the great transatlantic liners of the 1920s and 30s. With an expansive sitting room and a separate dining room seating eight, plus a pantry kitchen and a guest bathroom, it features cream lacquer paneling, brass inlaid details and parquet timber floors throughout. Subtly patterned silk curtains, hand-made rugs and period antiques and artworks create a discreet and elegant setting. Hugely versatile and supremely comfortable, the suite has a large terrace offering uninterrupted views towards the City of London, and can be opened up to include up to five bedrooms, incorporating the entire fifth floor of the hotel, in total privacy.

The Colony Grill Room The Beaumont London

Our London VIP team has exceptional excursions, has dined at the newest and finest restaurants and can direct you to a wee champagne, oyster and caviar bar for an afternoon tuck.

Bellamy’s for Oysters & Bubbly – near The Beaumont

May we suggest another plucky Travel Recipe, combine a few important cities, in this case London and Brussels? Europe’s fast trains make a speedy connection in luxurious comfort. Brussels could also be combined with Amsterdam or Paris, a cultural trifecta!

Since the Rocco Forte Rome Hotel de Russie just hosted eleven of our globetrotters, their scrumptious property in Brussels is top of the list for our excursions.

Hotel Amigo Brussels

Rocco Forte hotels are distinctive, and each property is faithful to its surroundings. Inhabiting magnificent buildings in exceptional locations, Rocco Forte properties offer unique design, discriminating dining and exceptional service.

Hotel Amigo, a Rocco Forte property, is as close to the historic center of Brussels as you can get. Many grand rooms look directly onto the roofs of Hotel de Ville, the hotel front door leads straight into the maze of medieval streets that surround the Grand Place. The name “Amigo”, if you don’t know, comes from the nickname for the 16th-century prison on this site when Belgium was part of the Spanish Netherlands. A luxury landmark hotel with historic heritage, offering an excellent Italian restaurant and sophisticated martini bar and adding a local reminder, the hotel has a Belgian-related Tintin and Magritte-themed suites.

From chic rooms to presidential suites, Hotel Amigo effortlessly marries elegant design contemporary creature comforts with fine art and superlative service. Rooms and suites number 154.  All the rooms are spacious, and stylish, with large and well-equipped, marbled bathrooms. The simplest “classic” rooms are 28 square meters, but there are several levels of luxury suites, some with interconnecting doors to neighboring rooms for families with children (who might particularly enjoy the “Tintin Suite”). At the very top or the range is the Armand Blaton (Royal or Presidential) Suite, with a large rooftop terrace overlooking the city.

Hotel Amigo

A marvelous walking city, a cultural haven of Magritte’s, Rubens and fine antiques. Handmade chocolates, beer and moules frites. There are approximately 304 active breweries in Belgium.

Day trips?

A Culinary adventure in the North Sea. Bask in the sunshine on the ship’s deck and savor the salty tang of the breeze as you glide across the North Sea, searching for one of Belgium’s most prized delicacies: grey shrimp. A quintessential element of local cuisine like both waffles and frites, for centuries they’ve been a key ingredient on Belgian seafood menus, usually in the form of classic kroketten (croquettes) or tomaat-garnalen (tomatoes stuffed with shrimp). Ideal for foodie families: hop aboard an authentic shrimping boat as part of this gastronomic getaway offered by Hotel Amigo and learn about this proud Belgian tradition.

On arrival, you’ll be presented with iconic yellow Petit Bateau raincoats to take with you to the port of Ostend, where you’ll be welcomed by the captain and crew of the Crangon. Step aboard, slip on your coats and admire picture-perfect views of the coast as the trawler pulls out into the open sea. Keep an eye out for tell-tale ripples below the surface and watch the crew in action as the ship’s trawling nets start to swell. As the catch is reeled in and spills onto the deck, you’ll learn the tricks of the trade first-hand from the crew as together you sort, rinse, boil and cool your haul.

Once you’ve caught your fill, it’s time to return to Ostend and then back to Brussels. Hotel Amigo’s chefs are experts in the art of transforming fresh ingredients into succulent delicacies, and once handed over, your catch will be expertly rolled and cooked into croquettes for you to sample. Divine day!

If Brussels had a perfume, it would be Chocolate, and yes we can create a Chocolate Trail for Chocolate Connoisseurs.

A Day Trip to Bruges. With medieval architecture, winding canals, Michelin-starred dining, and world-class art, Bruges is an enchanting Belgian city. Just a 40-minute drive from Hotel Amigo, it’s the perfect day trip destination. Stretch your legs with a walk around the city’s historic heart, exploring the cobbled streets and historic sights of Markt and Burg. If you have the stamina, climb the iconic belfry in Markt for sweeping panoramic views across the city. Make sure to pay a visit to the Heilig-Bloedbasiliek (the Basilica of the Holy Blood) while you’re in Burg, to see the vial said to contain the blood of Christ. There’s also a well-preserved 12th century chapel, murals, stained glass, and an opulent treasury.

Bruges - Wikipedia
Bruges

On Kleine Sint-Amandsstraat, a few minutes’ walk from the basilica, you’ll find the intimate De Stove restaurant. Serving freshly caught fish from Zeebrugge, alongside other expertly crafted, internationally influenced dishes, De Stove is just the place for a restorative lunch. Make it an occasion to remember with a glass or two of perfectly paired, sommelier-approved wine.

No trip to Bruges would be complete without seeing its canals. After lunch, take a carriage ride or boat trip to explore this beautiful area of the city. Or stroll alongside the canals, if you’d rather walk off your lunch. Just make sure to take in the Rozenhoedkaai (the Quay of the Rosary) on your way. It’s one of the most photogenic sights Bruges has to offer.

End up the Groeningemuseum (Bruges’ fine arts museum), three minutes’ walk from the Rozenhoedkaai, to take in some Flemish masterpieces, including The Virgin and Child with Canon Van der Paele by Jan van Eyck and the Moreel Triptych by Hans Memling.

Bring the day to a close with a meal at the ivy-clad, Michelin-starred restaurant, Den Gouden Harynck, just a minute away from the museum. In addition to the fine French cuisine, Philippe Serruys’ wine cellar is a place of beauty.

If you have time before leaving Bruges, take in a concert or performance at the renowned Concertgebouw. Otherwise, simply head back to the welcoming surrounds of the Hotel Amigo to relax with a nightcap in your suite after a day well spent.

Local Flavor: Belgians take their tradition of comic strip writing seriously, even giving it its own name, the ‘ninth art’. Their greatest artist is Hergé, creator of ‘The Adventures of Tintin’ and country’s most famous fictional detective. The unforgettable character of Tintin has left an indelible mark on Brussels and everywhere you turn, glimpses of him and his comrades light up the capital, from murals on walls and train stations, to museums, shops and even in the suites of  Hotel Amigo.

Tintin in Brussels | Visit Brussels

Delve into the story of Tintin in Brussels with this comic lover’s guide to the city. Inspirational Locations. Start where it all began in Etterbeek, a municipality of Brussels where cartoonist Hergé (real name, Georges Remi), was born. Explore the neighborhood that raised such a talent before heading to 26 Rue Terre Neuve in Brussels to discover the surprisingly ordinary house on which Tintin’s home was based. Around the corner is La Fleur en Papier Doré, said to be Hergé’s favorite watering hole. A quiet, homely space, it’s easy to imagine him relaxing here while taking a break from writing or perhaps dreaming up fresh ideas over a pint of Belgian beer.

Belgians love comics so much that the capital has a whole museum dedicated to it: the Comics Art Museum. Naturally, Tintin plays a leading role at the institution, which takes visitors through 25 years of comic strip literature. A favorite for families and children, the museum has creative exhibitions dedicated to the adventurer and other famous faces like the Smurfs and Dickie, and a children’s reading room.

Adventure! For those seeking a more outdoorsy experience, it’s hard to beat the incredible natural beauty of Belgium’s vast forests, craggy peaks and meandering rivers. After your arrival, enjoy a scenic drive through the rolling countryside, before arriving at the Skydive Spa in the Belgian Ardennes. Here, suit up and climb into a private plane, which will take off and gain height for fifteen minutes, ascending to an incredible 4000 meters above the mountains. Take in sensational views of the spa town far below, the wind rippling through your hair as you lean out of the door—and let go. Discover the indescribable feeling of total freefall in complete safety as, strapped to your instructor, you reach speeds of up to 200kph before your parachute releases to float you gently down towards the earth. Spot ancient castles, farms and villages from on high as you glide towards your landing spot, where a glass of Champagne will be waiting to celebrate your jump.

The adventure continues with a tour of the countryside in a gleaming 2CV convertible, before lunch at stunning castle Manoir de Lébioles and a chauffeured drive back to Brussels as the adrenaline rush recedes. Are you game enough?

Brussels is famous for being an international hub of politics, having remarkable architecture, and a chocolate store on nearly every street, how can you say no?

As Marcel Proust once wrote, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes”.  

Brussels Grand Palace Street View

Rocco Forte Villas Sicily

Many of our clients are repeat visitors to Hotel de Russie in Rome, we are thrilled to share their private villas on the coast of Sicily, at their well known five star resort Verdura.

ENCHANTING SICILY — Italy’s largest island is a melting pot of art, heritage and garden-fresh cuisine, drenched in sunshine and the natural beauty of the Mediterranean coast. Home to a diverse landscape studded with Mount Etna’s volcanic mountain trails, Sicily is also filled with picturesque fishing villages and markets bursting with artisanal trinkets. The island’s capital, Palermo, features striking palaces, domes and mosaics depicting Arab, Byzantine and Norman influences, and is well worth a day trip. On the southwest coast, guests at Verdura Resort enjoy uninterrupted views of spectacular coves and pristine beaches, with the best of the island on your doorstep.

Rocco Forte Villas are nestled on Sicily’s idyllic coastline, the tranquil private villas embrace island life at its finest in the heart of Verdura Resort. Serene open-air living spaces and furnished terraces create a light ambiance throughout each villa, back dropped by spectacular views of the private infinity pool, manicured garden and sparkling seascape.

Located on the south-west coast of Sicily. Rocco Forte Private Villas are 80 minutes from Palermo and Trapani International Airports and 3 hours from Catania International Airport.

OPTIONS: A range of 3-bedroom and 4-bedroom villas are spread across two floors and make the perfect home for family reunions, celebrations with loved ones. Enjoy the warmth of Rocco Forte personalized services throughout your stay, as well as complimentary access to Verdura Resort’s private beach, opulent spa and championship golf course all on your doorstep. Their dedicated team is always on hand to arrange complimentary rounds of golf or a scenic bike ride through the surrounding olive groves.

Rocco Forte Private Villas perfectly combine private luxury with the extensive five-star services at Verdura Resort. Wake up in the privacy of your secluded villa, nestled in Sicily’s idyllic hills surrounded by 230 hectares of tranquil olive groves and postcard-perfect coastline, with unlimited access to a wealth of activities and experiences on your doorstep. Stroll down to the resort whenever you wish to explore superb dining options, indulgent spa treatments, golf lessons and a private stretch of white-sand beach.

SMERALDO – Three-bedroom villas. The collection of Smeraldo villas enjoy uninterrupted views of Verdura Resort’s shoreline. The villa’s open-plan ground floor is bright and airy, comprising a fully equipped kitchen and spacious dining and living areas, flooded with natural golden light.

All bedrooms enjoy the privacy of their own bathroom and terrace, with breath-taking views of the sparkling seascape and direct access to the infinity pool. Embrace the Mediterranean’s inviting climate and enjoy alfresco aperitifs and star-lit dinners on the ground-floor and first-floor terraces. Location – Front-row villas with uninterrupted views.  Sleeps 6 adults in 3 en suite double bedrooms with king-sized beds. An extra bed is available upon request.

CORALLO – Four-bedroom villas. The Corallo villas enjoy uninterrupted views of the southern Sicilian coastline. The ground floor comprises a fully equipped kitchen with open-plan living that flows into a spectacular outdoor terrace and lounge perfect for entertaining. Natural light pours in from floor-to-ceiling windows, revealing striking views of the surrounding seascape.

Each bedroom is en-suite and comes with its own balcony for private relaxation. The fourth bedroom is detached from the rest of the villa to form a secluded haven with a private entrance for an enhanced sense of tranquility. View: Front-row villas with uninterrupted views. Sleeps 8 adults in 4 en-suite double bedrooms with king-sized beds. An extra bed is available upon request. View of Verdura Resort and the Mediterranean Sea.

AGATA ‑Three-bedroom villas. The Agata villas enjoy sweeping views of Verdura’s golf courses and Sicily’s sparkling seascape. Each villa has been designed with an open-plan ground floor that flows seamlessly from a fully equipped kitchen to spacious dining and living areas, flooded with natural golden light.

The villa’s striking terraces provide the perfect spot for morning meditation or to admire Sicily’s saffron-hued sunsets. Each bedroom is en-suite with a private terrace to enjoy breath-taking views of the surrounding countryside and direct access to the infinity pool. Location: Hillside villas overlooking Verdura Resort Sleeps 6 adults in 3 en-suite double bedrooms with king-sized beds. An extra bed is available upon request. With a view of Verdura Resort and the Mediterranean Sea.

TOPAZIO Four-bedroom villas. The collection of Topazio villas enjoy sweeping views across Verdura Resort’s championship golf courses and the surrounding olive groves. The open-plan ground floor is bathed in warm natural light from the floor-to-ceiling windows. A fully equipped kitchen and airy living and dining areas are perfect for entertaining.

Each bedroom is en-suite and comes with its own private terrace, providing wonderful reading nooks around the villa back dropped by the calming seascape. The fourth bedroom is detached from the rest of the villa to provide the perfect retreat for a moment of calm during your stay. Location: Hillside villas overlooking Verdura Resort. Sleeps 8 adults in 4 en-suite double bedrooms with king-sized beds. An extra bed is available upon request. With a view of the Verdura Resort and the Mediterranean Sea.

An extensive array of activities, amenities and VIP options are available for your comfort.

Rocco Forte Video Private Villas -http://RF Private Villas –

What could be more chic!?