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Luxury Getaways
The Gleneagles Hotel Location A 75-minute drive north of Edinburgh in the rolling Ochil Hills, this 1924 vintage hotel boasts three championship golf courses. Cuisine Food lovers book ahead for two-star Michelin food. Insider tip Python Daytona bicycles are available for exploring the 850-acre estate circuit. Room to book All even-numbered rooms on the top floor of Braid House are close to the spa and have working fireplaces. Rooms 288. GM Patrick Elsmie. 44-1764-662231, gleneagles.com
Villa San Michele di Fiesole Location A 10-minute twisting drive up a wooded hillside north of Florence leads to a magnificent two-storey facade designed by Michelangelo. Cuisine Chef Attilio di Fabrizio's pastas and Chianina beefsteaks make for memorable dining. Highlight The breakfast buffet is laid out under an original 18th-century wall tapestry. What to do Sign up for cooking school, where chef Attilio, who came from Enoteca Pinchiorri, will show you how to make pasta from scratch. Room to book Splurge on the signature Michelangelo Suite, with its giant canopied bed. Rooms 46 in the original 15th-century monastery, new wings and two free-standing historic buildings. GM Maurizio Saccani. 33-055-59-451, villasanmichele.orient-express.com
The Bulgari Resort, Bali Location A 20-minute coastal drive from Denpasar airport, the resort is near the Uluwatu temple on the southern tip of the Jimbaran Peninsula. Highlight All villas, designed by Antonio Citterio, have big wooden terraces with an outdoor bar and pool. What to do Enjoy the views from 100 to 250 metres above the sea, along with a funicular railway that takes you down to the private beach. Insider tip This will be the hot spot for weddings throughout the next few years. Room to book The two-floor, two-bedroom Bulgari Villa covers 14,000 square feet and comes complete with a 10-seat theatre, lap pool and outdoor sala. Rooms 59 detached villas, all with private pools. GM Robert Lagerwey.
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Mary Gostelow is the editor-in-chief of Wow Travel, the online magazine of