Latest news with #AnnabelGrossman
The Independent
3 days ago
- The Independent
Uncovering the best of the Greek islands
In this week's TravelSmart, the Greek islands are under the spotlight, from the pretty ports and fascinating history of Crete to Zante's hilltop towns, soaring mountains and exceptionally blue waters. Travel Correspondent Simon Calder shares some of the best bits of the popular islands of Santorini and Mykonos, while The Independent's Global Travel Editor Annabel Grossman reveals which spots will allow you to escape the tourist crowds for a more authentic experience, including Symi and Chalki. Watch TravelSmart on Independent TV.
The Independent
17-05-2025
- The Independent
Discover Malta's many charms – from warms seas to golden-hued villages
In this week's TravelSmart, The Independent 's Travel team bring you a guide to Malta, taking you on a tour of this small but impressive island that sits in the Mediterranean almost perfectly equidistant between Europe and North Africa. Global Travel Editor Annabel Grossman reveals her favourite spots along the nearly 100 miles of coastline, while Travel Correspondent Simon Calder shares his advice on where to visit in the capital Valetta and reminds travellers not to forget the island's charming interior where you'll find a plenty of pretty towns and villages. Watch TravelSmart on Independent TV.
The Independent
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Where will the next season of The White Lotus be filmed? Our travel desk share their predictions
Following sun-drenched stints at dysfunctional resorts in Hawaii, Sicily and Thailand, which destination will anchor the next season of The White Lotus is the question on everyone's lips. Speculation surrounding the next Lotus location is already rife, with rumours of a more metropolitan setting already swirling for season four. Although tight-lipped on plans, at the end of season three creator Mike White teased: 'I want to get a little bit out of the crashing waves of rocks vernacular.' It's expected that the social satire will again cross continents for tumultuous travels to another fictitious hotel in Africa, South America or Australia. As past series have aired, the ' White Lotus Effect ' has redirected travel trends to the islands seen on screen, with tourism surges of up to 300 per cent year-on-year and a boom in bookings at Four Seasons resorts. But after HBO formalised their partnership last year, will another Four Seasons hotel host the anticipated fourth season of the wild anthology or is a new resort set to star as the series' main character? From Tanzania to Saint-Tropez, here are the trending destinations and opulent hotels our travel desk fancy for season four of The White Lotus. Le K2 Palace, Courchevel I think it's time that The White Lotus ditched the sun-drenched locations and headed to the mountains. After all, we know well-heeled travellers love a ski holiday. There's no shortage of opulent resorts in the French Alps where I can envisage White Lotus guests checking in, but my punt would be for Courchevel - the picture-perfect mountain town with Michelin-starred restaurants, five-star hotels and a runway for private jets. Alongside the Dior-clad, Veuve-sipping clientele, there would be no difficulty in concocting storylines surrounding the vast number of seasonaires who travel to the mountains to work in hotels. Le K2 Palace is more than just a hotel, it's a luxury 'village' with private chalets surrounding the main building and sweeping views across the valley – ideal for combining White Lotus grandeur with unparalleled scenery. – Annabel Grossman, global travel editor Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti, Tanzania If filming is to, again, set up in a Four Seasons, White might swap sea for savannah and send cameras rolling across the Serengeti. Should another all-star cast check into private villas and terraced suites at the brand's safari lodge, the twists and turns will take viewers to Tanzania backdropped by waterhole views. An ethical tug-of-war between conservation and invasive tourism on the safari scene sets the site as a solid platform for a canvas-wrapped social satire. The walk on the wild side would mark the first White Lotus filmed in Africa, with hot air balloon tours, game rides and hilltop yoga on itineraries at the safari lodge. Where season three saw venomous snake bites, the Big Five could surely cause a stir with elephant stampedes and close calls with lions before guests take a visit to the – Lotus staple – luxury spa. – Natalie Wilson, travel writer The Ship Hotel, New Romney Murder? Mystery? Escaping the everyday? There is only one possible destination: Romney Marsh, where Kent and East Sussex meet the Channel in a blur of land, water and sky. This is the cul-de-sac for the whole nation. The landscape comprises blank meadows that struggle to clamber above sea level. Some empty roads connect the sparse signs of humanity: farms and the occasional straggle of cottages. All manner of perils prevail. The chief man-made features in the marsh are the churches, most of which have outlived their congregations. The Romney Marsh Historic Churches Trust looks after 14 lonely places of worship, and the ruins of four more. Of them all, the most singularly beautiful is St Thomas à Becket in Fairfield. At the southern tip of the marsh: Dungeness, which abuts a giant nuclear power station. The filmmaker Derek Jarman was a noted resident, and the garden of his Prospect Cottage is still a sight to behold. And the accommodation: the 15th-century Ship Hotel in New Romney. – Simon Calder, travel correspondent Maroma, A Belmond Hotel, Riviera Maya While The White Lotus heavily features the Four Seasons, another luxury brand contender would be Belmond, known for its lavish hotels and state-of-the-art sleeper train travel. The hotels are uncredited characters in the hit show but are just as important to the storyline as the main stars. Such responsibility should go to a place that often appears in lists of the best five-star hotels, which would be Maroma, a Belmond hotel. Maroma offers deluxe rooms and suites, but the most luxurious are its villas, complete with private pools and views of the ocean, along with direct access to the white sandy beachfront. The hotel was renovated with the help of local artisans, installing interiors invoking Mexican heritage. The hotel has three pools, a spa and a dog-friendly policy, while more unique experiences such as bee therapy, sound healing and Maya stargazing would not go amiss with The White Lotus guests. You will find Maroma in the heart of the Riviera Maya, flanked by a lush jungle, cenotes and ruins, which could make an interesting backdrop for next season's antics. – Amelia Neath, travel writer Château de la Messardière, Saint-Tropez If Château de la Messardière was used as a filming location for White Lotus, the actors would have their work cut out. Because this hotel is a scene-stealer like no other – glamorous from top to bottom and located on a hill in Saint-Tropez, one of Europe 's chicest destinations. There's even an eye-catching car park filled with Ferraris, Bentleys and Lamborghinis belonging to guests – as well as Rolls-Royce SUVs that chauffeur them to the hotel's private beach. Viewers would drool as the camera dwells on this idyllic strip of sand and pans over the surrounding umbrella pine trees to the hotel's irresistibly magnificent, mosaicked main pool. And for scenes of whispered scheming, The White Lotus directors need look no further than the property's beautiful, olive-tree-festooned gardens. – Ted Thornhill, US travel editor Claridge's, London We've had Thai monasteries, Hawaii's surf breaks and the lemon groves of Sicily. Let's swap the paradisiacal for London. The UK capital could inject some urban grit into the series, and with it fresh energy while staying true to themes of wealth, privilege, and cultural friction. In fact, given the social soup in London that sees old money and nouveau riche, aristocrats and tech bros, all jumbled together, the scene is ripe for satire. I'd argue that London's contradictory grime-and-glamour, and the weight of history found across town, could give a sharper, colder edge to The White Lotus tone. There'll be no shortage of material, whether it's brash Americans clashing with the British upper crust, or the juxtaposition of traditional society against modern anxieties around class and race. As for the backdrop, London is spoilt with hotels that excuse drama and decadence. After a blaze in February closed celeb hang-out Chiltern Firehouse until further notice (which would have been perfect for modern wealth, clout-chasing, and social media toxicity), I'd plump for Claridge's in Mayfair: an icon of old-world luxury, Claridge's screams generational wealth and quiet elitism – and the subtle power plays of high society are just waiting to be disrupted. – Benjamin Parker, UK travel editor Royal Mansour, Marrakech The White Lotus has yet to touch down in Africa, and what better location than Marrakech, a city that has captured the hearts of artists and designers for decades? Yves Saint Laurent had a house just outside the medina where he liked to throw parties with the likes of Mick Jagger, Paul and Talitha Getty and Andy Warhol in attendance. The hotel I'd suggest Mike White set his next series in rises above the glitterati, as it was designed by an actual King, King Mohammed VI. There are 53 private baked-earth riads are set within six acres of date palms, fragrant honeysuckle and rose bushes, while inside, every inch of the hotel is fit for royalty, with jewel-toned zellige tiles, mirrored mosaics, sumptuous velvet furnishings and traditional Tazouaqt wood paintings. There's a decadent marble-clad spa where Belinda can work her massage magic, too. All this will be lost on the devilish characters in season four of The White Lotus, of course, who will no doubt make a beeline for the pool bar, where they can slip on a pair of custom-made leather sliders and recline with a glass the finest Provencial rosé in hand, all while talking down to the wonderfully kind and attentive Royal Mansour staff. – Emilee Tombs, assistant travel editor Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul At Sultanahmet, Turkey The heady cultural destination where East curiously meets West, Istanbul offers a perfect storm of old and new. Within intoxicating bazaars and beguiling basilicas, White Lotus guests might unlock the city's history or bury their own secrets in its tantalising cultural tapestry. The stay is bound to be at The Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul At Sultanahmet, an opulent destination that blends Ottoman history with cosmopolitan luxury. The hotel is a calm oasis, complete with ancient hammam spa treatments and a manicured garden, which could lull the guests into an ominous false sense of security. A city marked with architectural symbols of ancient Byzantine and Ottoman powers, will the cast rise to their heights or reveal new lows? – Alice Reynolds, travel writer
The Independent
19-04-2025
- The Independent
TravelSmart's guide to holidays in Malaysia, from city stays to beaches and rainforest
This week, it's right into the heart of south-east Asia as TravelSmart turns its eye to Malaysia, a country of extraordinary beauty and diversity. Simon Calder, The Independent 's travel correspondent, shares his fondness for the islands of Langkawi and Penang, while Annabel Grossman explores what to do in Kuala Lumpur, the nation's capital. The pair also discuss Borneo, the world's third-largest island and home to the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak. Watch TravelSmart on Independent TV.
The Independent
29-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
What to do in Abu Dhabi, from beach days to Grand Prix weekends
This week, TravelSmart is all about Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates and a place known for its modern skyline, luxury resorts and rich heritage. Simon Calder, The Independent 's travel correspondent, and Annabel Grossman take a dive into the best of the beaches, with pristine white sand and turquoise water on offer along the Persian Gulf – whether you're looking for a family-friendly day on the shore, water sports on the sea, or simply time to relax in the sunshine. Annabel recommends visiting during the Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend for those seeking full-on glamour, while Simon shares his fondness for the cultural immersion on offer. Watch TravelSmart on Independent TV.
