Bric-a-Brac 68
A 1960s Hawaiian hotel legend reinvents itself, a fasting clinic in Spain with a vibe, a new edition of our favorite old-school Paris guide, and the epic adventures of The Luminaire.
I’m back in Rome, moving into a new apartment here after a quick stay in NY and a detour to Miami—I’ll write about it all (including these latest apartment rental adventures!) in an upcoming newsletter. In the meantime, since it still feels like winter in New York (snowing upstate!), we are aching for sun, so today’s post includes Hawaii and Spain. We’re also thinking ahead to summer, and want to hear from you in the comments about the places you want us to cover! Coming next week we have our Marrakech Black Book, with Milan soon after, and we’re redoing our Rome Black Book as well. Our next Travel Planner will be focused on Scandinavia–so please leave your questions (Best design shops in Copenhagen? Seaside towns to visit in Sweden? Road trips in Norway?) in the comments. —Y.E.
GUEST BOOK: Kona Village Resort, Big Island, Hawaii
Photographs and Text by Emily Nathan
Best for…A special occasion birthday, family vacation, honeymoon
The backstory… I have wanted to return to Kona Village ever since I was there on a shoot twenty years ago. The newly reopened Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort (the original hotel was closed after it was destroyed during the tsunami off of Japan in 2011) is just where it was when it was erected on Kahuwai Bay in 1965 by sailors Johnno and Helen Jackson. It’s all on 81 acres leased from the Kamehameha Land Trust, nestled between palm trees and hugging a lagoon on an oceanfront lava field lined in white-and-black sand beaches—a quick ten mile drive from the Kona airport.
The vibe… A legendary ‘60s getaway that became famous for star guests like Goldie Hawn, Bill Murray, and Steve and Laurene Powell Jobs (Laurene has invested in the Rosewood property—Kona Village was known as Steve’s sanctuary and favorite place), as well as plenty of families who were in the know, loved it and returned regularly. This is a place that people have deep loyalty to and there is an almost 9,000-member strong Facebook group for those who have loved Kona Village through its closure and joyous reopening. While I was on property, I had a bunch of DMs and comments come into my Instagram telling me about beloved times as kids there, and someone even mentioned seeing George Clooney.
This is a place where you arrive in style and seclusion. Instead of a lobby, entry is via a chic open-air gathering place with oversize swinging cocoon chairs, a plein air living room of sorts surrounded by layers of tropical plants. You are presented with a lei, a welcome cocktail and personalized guide who whisks you off to your room.
We’d arrived at Kona Village after a stay further north on the Kohala coast in a rental house, during which we had been running around, grocery shopping, hopping in and out of the car checking off activities. But by day two (of three) at Kona Village (we did not step foot into our rental car once), we had slowed down to the pace of an utterly relaxing vacation. After breakfast on our second day, my husband settled on one of the chic orange lounges on the slight rise of the beach beside the “adult” pool and didn’t get up until he finished his book. The hotel staff stopped by for friendly conversation (a hospitality style from the original property that has been maintained by Rosewood), to drop off (without our requesting them) new towels, pitchers of ice water, local fruit popsicles, and, at coconut o’clock, fresh coconuts to drink. When our son had his fill of the beach and perfectly crispy chicken strips and fries, he wandered off by himself, stopping to visit with the resident ducks.
Bikes have chalk nameplates and you can hop on them to get around, or stroll the paths of what truly feels like your village for a few days.
The rooms…Have been completely redone by Hawaii-based architecture firm Walker Warner, with interiors from California firm NicoleHollis, along with extensive and ongoing consultation with conservationists, cultural advisors and lineal descendents of the Hawaiian families from the area. Earthen tones and textures were chosen to fit into a landscape of weathered and soft natural wood and black hues that mirror those of the coconut husks, black lava, and salt-and-pepper colored sands. The neutral palette enhances the electric blue Hawaiian sky and sea, the pink and red ginger flowers, the bright tropical birds and the knockout turquoise pools.
Almost all the rooms are freestanding bungalows, called hale (which means house or home in Hawaiian), clustered around the natural lagoon, the beaches and the common lawn areas, with a focus on privacy. The hotel upgraded us to a very spacious (1,000 sq feet) one-bedroom suite overlooking the lagoon, with an oversized lanai (porch in Hawaiian). Our son would join the activity crew in the morning to fish or to watch the black-crowned night herons. The very spacious living room also had a half bath and our massive primary bathroom featured a freestanding black stone soaking bathtub.
The wellness…On day two, I was rested enough to motivate pre-sunrise. I rinsed off in our outdoor shower (with custom bath products that smell divine—I brought some soap home) and then joined the Kilo Kai beach activity crew for the free 7am paddle. I was given a quick primer with a few other guests on Hawaiian outrigger canoe skills and then went out with our guide, past the monk seal mother and baby playing right by shore to the deep sea drop-off to watch whales wave their fins and blow as they passed us. Scores of dolphins arrived at the bay to play just as we were heading in.
The Asaya spa is a super chic yet unassuming building set in between hale. Treatment rooms are accessed via a wooden path that cuts through a lava field, past a fire feature and large scale sculptures. While the individual and couples’ treatment rooms with massive outdoor bathtubs on their lanai are stunning, a standout spa feature is the communal women and men’s spa areas open to all guests, without additional charges. Both feature warm and icy plunge pools along with saunas and steam rooms. The obsidian showers drip with living plants. There is also a large spa shop and a world-class gym (that I didn’t spend time in).
The food and drink… Are pretty varied in style, location and menus, especially for a hotel with only 150-ish rooms. All of the restaurants and bars focus on farm-to-table fare from local purveyors. Kahuwai Cookhouse and Market is an upscale paniolo (Hawaiian for cowboy of sorts) approach with dishes like Kiawe wood fire roasted short ribs, ember charred cabbage and corn tortillas. The open air restaurant also has some outdoor seating with tables in the sand and local musicians often playing. Attached to the Cookhouse is a chic grab-and-go cafe with fresh malasadas and morning fare, coffees and local juices.
There is 24/7 room service (my son loved the perfect chocolate cake) that highlights every dietary need as well as the Shipwreck, Talk Story and Moana bars (each featuring their own take on a mai tai). The main restaurant, Moana, is a soaring shiplap structure that overlooks the bay with its high peak serving as a visual orientation within the low-slung resort. The setting is elegant yet comfortable and casual. Arrive in a diaphanous dress or a bathing suit and a sarong, either works.
Our favorite meal was at Ka’ Upulehu Sushi, which is served at the bar just off the north side of Moana and steps away from the extraordinary “family focused” infinity pool. A few favorites were the Ora King Salmon and Tuna Tartare rolls with crispy shiso leaves and puffed rice that added a tasty and surprising crunch.
The sustainability… A major consideration in the rebuild. Rooms are situated to take advantage of the trade winds and minimize air conditioning, the douglas fir walls and framing come from responsible sources, and the natural-looking thatched roofs are made from recycled plastic. The quietest part of the luxury at Kona Village is the investment that has gone into a reverse osmosis water plant powered by a massive solar array located towards the back of the property. The system is so efficient that the resort at times gives power back to the Hawaii state grid. The water processing plant harvests and recycles gray water for plants. Kona Village is also growing and experimenting with a large garden that the chefs use regularly for herbs and produce.
Parting words… If you are using the dictionary definition of luxury as “a great ease and comfort and elegance,” I don’t think (and I know Hawaii pretty well) there is a more luxurious resort on the Hawaiian Islands.
Emily Nathan is a photographer and author who also works as a creative and website director for FTLO Travel (group travel for young professionals). She founded Tiny Atlas Quarterly as a passion project that is now 12 years running and includes two books with Ten Speed Press: My Tiny Atlas, and Coastlines: At the Water’s Edge.
DISPATCH FROM Buchinger Wilhelmi Marbella
By Yolanda Edwards
We are on the road so much, and as all travelers know, you tend to let your program fly out the window when you’re in new places. Trying local food and drink is a part of my job, as is meeting people, which often means drinks, then dinner. While I love all of it, it does take its toll—and we try to do a reboot/cleanse at least once a year.
For the last two Februaries we’ve been going to the Buchinger Wilhelmi fasting clinic in Uberlingen, Germany, on Lake Constance, about an hour and change from Zurich, to do a two-week fast. I know that for many the idea of not eating for 10+ days may sound like torture, but once you get into the rhythm, you feel so good. (The clinic was started by Otto Buchinger in 1953—you can read more about it here.) We became good friends with the 4th-generation director of the clinic, Leo Wilhelmi, and very comfortable with our doctors and therapists, but were also curious about their Marbella clinic, run by Leo’s brother, Victor and his cousin Katharina (and started by their grandmother, Maria, in 1973), so we decided to give it a go. We met up with our friends at the Marbella Club Hotel (more on that in our summer issue, which will be focused on Spain!—but let’s just say it’s a great pregame stop) and the next afternoon, after a sunny lunch with lots of rosé (bad, I know!), we headed just 10 minutes up the hill to the clinic.
I won’t give you the day by day, but basically the drill is: after a blood and urine test, you’re assigned a doctor who weighs and measures you and customizes your program. Every morning you see your nurse first thing, and afterwards, they have a bus that brings you down to the beach for a sunrise walk next to the sea, which is just magical. If you want to, you can walk or taxi back on your own (which we did), so you don’t have to worry about backtracking to the bus. Coffee isn’t served at the clinic (not on the program!), but after our long walks we would sneak away to this one little coffee shop in town that made a great espresso. There’s a lovely pool on property, and even though it was January, it was super sunny and people laid out and swam.
Days are filled with nurse visits, walks and therapy appointments (I particularly loved the acupuncturist, the osteopath and the medical pedicure). There’s a good gym, private Pilates, and loads of free classes, from yoga to breathwork. They maintain two dining areas—one for those on the low-calorie program (with 800-calorie options that include several courses and are super filling), and one for people who have just arrived or have finished the fasting portion of their stay. (For the first two days you still eat solid food, and when you’re done fasting you gradually restart solid food for two days before leaving.) All of their produce comes from an organic farm that they run just a half hour from the clinic, and you can really taste it, even in winter months—the soups made from pumpkin and cauliflower were so good. While you might think that a dining room full of people fasting would be quiet or boring, it was quite the opposite. There’s such a community that comes from being in the same boat, and there’s never any awkwardness to starting a conversation. At points, everyone was so chatty it almost sounded like we were in a bar. And given that there was sparkling water, a bowl of lemons and some hand-stuffed tea bags with mint in them, it did become a bar of sorts, with Matt and some others making “cocktails” for everyone.
Of course, since I am such a fan of Uberlingen and Leo (and now Victor and Katharina!), I’ve gotten lots of questions about which one I like more or would recommend. The truth is I love both and for very different reasons—it’s such a personality/preference situation. If you like long walks in nature that change every day and want more of a quiet, introspective experience, then Uberlingen is your place. If you thrive in sunshine and are more of a water person/love sitting by a pool plus more of a social vibe, I’d say Marbella. Obviously, the German and Spanish cultures are so different, but the experience in the clinics is very similar, with excellent doctors and therapists who work within the same fasting approach—with great results.
ARMCHAIR TRAVELER
I’ve been a fan of Astier de Villatte since I first discovered their perfect little store on Rue Saint Honoré many years ago. I used to use their letterpressed datebooks, and only moved on because I found another system that worked better for me. If I go to Paris, it’s a given that I stop by their store—it always has something clever I’ve never seen before, from an eraser to an incense holder to a new platter to obsess over. Years ago, the founders, Benoît and Ivan, released a book called Ma Vie à Paris, and I bought two copies—one to keep at our house in the Médoc, and the other for New York. They are very personal recommendations and I love how old school the “guide book” is—it might be the only one printed on letterpress, and the edit leans toward hardware stores and old-school cobbler workshops. It’s the exact opposite of TikTok famous, and I love that. When I was in their store last month, I discovered they had just released a new edition, given how much has changed since before the pandemic. This version has a center section with color photographs, plus new categories like second-hand bookstalls (bouquinistes), cabarets/theaters, and restaurants that are open on Sunday and Monday evenings. Regardless of whether you’re planning a trip to Paris anytime soon, this is an object that is so lovely to have on a desk or a table, and when you open it, to be completely transported to a time when people made things with their hands and small business was just business. It’s nice to know that this can still exist in a city that’s become so globalized. —Y.E.
THE NAVIGATOR
Adam Sebba, Founder & CEO, The Luminaire
Tell us about you and your company.
I wanted to create a travel company that made intelligent travel cool. I knew that modern travelers wanted more. They don’t just want a hotel or a luxury itinerary—they want experiences that will truly move them. The Luminaire is all about creating fresh perspectives on place and theme, by harnessing the power of experts who bring unique knowledge and help us uncover the hidden and the rare. I believe in the power of travel to offer people understanding and different perspectives on the world, and ultimately make it a better place.
What’s the entry level to talk to you?
We have weekend trips that start at $3,000 USD, and our average pricing for a week is about $8.5 to $14.5K. That said, we don’t really like to talk about price as a limiting factor because we think about value, and we want our clients to think the same way. For example, we created this experience in Cambodia, where the guests explore a remote Khmer temple, after dusk. The cost of the experience is getting there, even by helicopter, and the expert guides. But the value is the little touches, such as doing the exploration by flaming bark torch, for an Indiana Jones-esque experience.
If somebody asks for a completely bespoke trip, then we will ask for a planning fee, but we always credit it to the cost of the trip, and we always offer to refund it if the guest isn’t happy with our ideas although, touch wood, that hasn’t happened yet.
What is the sweet spot of your expertise?
The two things we do really well are one, creating experiences that pique people's curiosity to discover a place or subject they never knew they would be interested in before the trip. The second thing is we get access to experiences through our network that aren't accessible to other travel companies. For example, we created an experience with a restoration laboratory in Venice, where the guests actually get up-close and hands-on with real works of art being restored from Venice's hot, salty climate conditions. We needed a €5m insurance policy just to allow guests in. That's not something another travel company could do!
A favorite experience/trip/itinerary you’ve planned that best represents your philosophy…
It’s really hard to pick a favorite, because of the diversity of what we do. I can’t think of any one single experience that truly defines us. We've created trips around archaeologists in Egypt at the cutting edge of new discoveries. We’ve created tours of Florence that uncover hidden stories of the Renaissance and actually take people to a restoration studio. We’ve created trips around conservation on the Balmoral Estate with one of the King’s Conservation Managers and golden eagle tracking in Scotland.
I'm excited about our partnership with Mandarin Oriental, where we’ve created journeys exclusively for guests of their hotels around the world. In particular, an experience we’ve designed for Mandarin Oriental, Milan, explores the politics, love, magic and secrets during Leonardo Da Vinci’s time in the city during the Renaissance. It includes a viewing of The Last Supper in total privacy, without the crowds.
A favorite hotel/lodge/house you love and go back to again and again…
I’m a huge fan of Manhattan. I love going back to New York again and again, I just get such a buzz from the energy. I like staying at The Standard, and my early morning run is on the High Line. The Mandarin Oriental at Columbus Circle is perfectly placed for a 10K loop around Central Park.
The most memorable meal you’ve had while traveling…
Whilst swimming with Orcas in the arctic circle, the Norwegian boat captain served up a dry cured leg of lamb. It felt like authentic Viking food. It had the size and consistency of a refined Parma ham and the shape and weight of a heavy club! The Captain had cured it himself.
A not-to-be-missed favorite experience in your region(s) of expertise…
We’ve just created a journey to the edge of the Arctic Circle in Norway to meet trailblazing chefs who are pushing the boundaries of gastronomy. We’ve created trips to find the best food in Italy and Japan, but this is where foodie adventurers will find a kitchen at the end of the world! It’s a really authentic experience in the wilderness of the Lofoten Islands and you might catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights if you travel at the right time of year!
What is a place we should consider traveling to that could really use our dollars, and what is a place we should put on hold because, even though we love it, it sees too many tourists?
Personally, I would say Marrakech after the earthquake there last year. The country does rely on tourism, and it’s no reason to cancel a trip. In terms of reducing the impact of tourism in certain places, I think cruise ships should look very carefully at their operations. There are some remote villages in the Arctic with only a few hundred inhabitants, and a cruise ship can drop off several thousand for an afternoon tour. I’m glad that Venice has taken steps to limit the impact of this mass tourism.
Underrated location, overrated location, personal favorite, recent discovery?
Underrated? Until this summer, I’ve never had an opportunity to visit the American West. In June, I had a fantastic experience on The Luminaire's Wyoming dinosaur experience. It’s a state of contrasting landscapes, flat planes, jagged mountains, and dramatic peaks. I was really moved. Dinosaurs are ambassadors for extinction, for climate change. They can teach us a lot about the world today. And digging up a bone is seriously cool!
Beaches are overrated in my opinion. When people ask who our competitors are, I always say beach holidays. We want to persuade people away from lying on the sand to really get into an experience.
Personally I’ve had a 10-year love affair with Crete. Such a beautiful island with incredible people, personalities and colors. It’s a rugged country and the gorges and mountain-scapes change with the time of year (sometimes baked and sometimes snow-capped).
The hardest-working item you always pack…
Having been in the army in my 20s, old habits die hard and I like anything that saves weight or space. If I’m traveling anywhere, I’ll take my Persol folding sunglasses, swap shave foam for a little bottle of oil, and I often travel with a lovely Begg & Co Scottish cashmere scarf. You can use it as a blanket, towel, or a pillow on a flight.
What is something you wished we all knew or were better at as travelers?
Getting under the surface of a place, understanding how to travel more sustainably and support local companies.
How do you want people to reach out to you?
We have a WhatsApp button on the website to speak to travel designers immediately, and also our email enquire@theluminaire.com. We’re always revealing a new product on LinkedIn and Instagram, which is a good way to stay in the loop.
T: +44 (0)20 4586 6475
E: enquire@theluminaire.com
MOODBOARD
Starting this summer, a vintage Alpine train will shuttle guests from Wengen station to the charming Grand Hotel Belvedere, the latest opening from Beaumier—of the beloved Les Roches Rouges—with incredible panoramas of the Jungfrau and the valley below.
Laura Reilly’s incredibly detailed list of travel essentials scratches the itch for a digital SkyMall.
The historic Potlatch Club on Eleuthera is reopening (after a decades-long closure) with new guest cottages and revived interiors by Amanda Lindroth—you can book a room for a special rate before their grand opening this June.
The Lost Kitchen is now accepting postcards for this summer, the only way to score a table at this rustic outpost in Freedom, Maine.
If you’re thinking ahead to summer host gifts, one of these hand-painted ceramic plates from Cape Town-based artist Michael Chandler will definitely score you an invite back.
Montage Healdsburg just launched their first wine with Jesse Katz of Aperture Cellars, made with grapes harvested from the resort's own vineyard.
For better or worse, direct flights to the new Tulum airport will make the popular town even more accessible.
Natural World Safaris, helmed by intrepid explorer Will Bolsover, have released new departure dates for their marine safaris, including swimming with humpback whales in the Cook Islands, and exploring far-flung lagoons on Polynesian outrigger canoes.
I’m planning a trip to Scandinavia this summer. We’re planning to visit either Stockholm or Copenhagen then continue on to a badehotel (or the Swedish equivalent). Are there any beachside retreats that you recommend?
My husband and I recently stayed at Kona Village and LOVED it! It is truly a beautiful place!