Then luxuriate for two more nights in your own tranquil river sanctuary
at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan (62-361/977-577), just 10 minutes from Ubud. The deal includes inter-resort transfers, butler services,
daily breakfast, and a floral bath oil arrival. Rates start from US$850, double, per night.
Following extensive renovations and a name change, the Nojiriko Hotel El Bosco recently
overlooking Japan’s magnificent Lake Nojiri. A two-hour drive froin Tokyo, the northern Nagano prefecture that the hotel calls home is renowned for its serene forest and impressive mountain peaks. Seasonal activities include skiing at nearby Myoko Suginohara and Shiga Kogen (host to the 1998 Winter Olympic Games), golfing at Myoko Kogen, not to mention fishing and boating on the lake. The hotel lounge is inviting with brick walls and dark-wood furnishings, while the AWkitchen dishes up SUShi-fresh fish caught daily from Nojiri, alongside vegetables grown on-site in an organic garden. 81-26/258-2111; nofirikohotel-elbosco.com; doubles from US$185.
This two-year-old property is nestled on the shores of Lake Wanaka on New Zealand’s South Island, less than 60 kilometers from the famed resort town of Queenstown. Aside from the hotel’s environmental focus-floors are solar heated, vegetables and herbs are organic and grown on-site, and guests are encouraged to cycle or walk to get around-threw open its doors in Joshinetsu Kogen around-there’s a strong emphasis on National Park, on a secluded peninsula keeping operations local: everything from
architectural and interior design to the featured artwork is sourced from New
Zealand talent. The deluxe rooms are the pick of the bunch, with velvety goose down throws and panoramic vistas of Wanaka and the Southern Alps.
There’s no menu at Pietro Porcu’s homey restaurant. Instead, expect whatever the Sicilian-born chef happens to be cooking up that day. Using seasonal produce plucked from the Porcu family farm, meals feature the likes of suckling pig, tender roasted barramundi, and fregola-a grain similar to couscous, native to Sardinia. The wine list is exclusively Italian, highlighted by number of rare Sicilian Pinot Biancos and Moscatos. 95 Toorak Rd., South Yarra; 61-3/9866-5975.
After a day of adventure, soothe your aching limbs with a rub down at the Sofitel’s Le Spa (8 Duke St.; 64-3/450-0048), where one can self-apply body muds inside a steamy hammant or soak away muscle tension in the wooden tub. The Mirimiri treatment should not be missed. Performed by therapist Moctahi Wa1ker, the traditional Maori massage has an almost spiritual appeal.
If you can’t make it to one of the wineries, get air overview of local Central Otago VarietalS at Wine Tastes (14 Beach St.; 64-3/409-2226), where a self-serve system allows you to dispense tastes, half, and hill glasses. There are more than 80 wines on top, and a host is on hand to explain the differences among them.
For something a bit more sophisticated, head to the Manhattan-style Champagne and cocktail lounge at the Spire Hotel’s Inspire Bar (Church Lane; 64-3/441-0004).
Start the night at Bardeaux (Eureka Arcade; 64-3/442-8284), a sumptuous cocktail bar with plush leather sofas and a stone fireplace. The wine list offers a good selection of local Pinots; Gluhwein is a specialty in winter.
Dating back to Queenstown’s gold rush in the mid-1800s, the historic lakefront Eichardt’s Private Hotel (Marine Parade; 64-3/441-0450; eichardtshotel.co.nz; doubles from US$1,020) features five opulent suites with heated floors, ornate fireplaces, and comfy sofas. Take advantage of cocktail hour in the swish House Bar, well known for its tasty tapas and top-notch wine list.
The Yeohwa Resort (86-599/523-8999; yeohwahotels.com; doubles from US$91) in Wuyishan is a good place to base yourself when exploring the area. The 204-room hotel has a spa and a couple of decent restaurants and can organize tours to nearby sites.
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