Imagined as a medina (a “traditional town” in modern Arabic), the Royal Mansour Marrakech is a lively example of ancestral know-how and local architecture combined with modern comfort. The result is a unique experience, where enchantment and emotions create indelible memories.

SPECTACULAR 3.5-HECTARE ESTATE

When it was built, the owners of this one-of-a-kind palace wanted to bring tradition to the forefront by using Moroccan artisanal know-how and decorative art. As soon as you cross the threshold their vision becomes obvious: the massive entry, a mixture of cedar, engraved metals and sculptured plaster, is a true masterpiece of traditional art and evokes the majestic gates of an imperial city. They are engraved with the motto “Happiness, riches and prosperity” – and for good reason.

Behind the portal hides a true small village with winding alleyways and a succession of gardens, pools and fountains, enhanced with centuries-old trees and trellises of fragrant flowers. Safe behind its ramparts, the Medina is open to all who are privileged to stay there.

THE MEDINA AND ITS GARDENS

The hotel consists of 53 riads with one to four bedrooms, laid out around a central courtyard with a living room, bar, vestibule and outdoor patio on the ground floor. The largest also have a dining room. All have a private rooftop terrace with a plunge pool, the ideal spot to cool off in very hot weather. Some even have a private hammam. Each room is decorated in the purest Moroccan tradition, pushing the virtuosity of local craftspeople to the very limits. The zelligetiles outline geometrical shapes with exquisite colour harmonies, and go marvellously with the sculptured wood, lacy plaster and engraved copper. Guests are reminded of the décor in the reception areas.

The riads gracefully combine tradition and high-tech modernity. For example, the roofs have rain sensors that close them at the first drop, and each room has a touch control panel, synonymous with absolute comfort.

OUTSTANDING SERVICE

The art of living at the Royal Mansour Marrakech is pushed to a degree of refinement that goes far beyond any of the traditional codes of hoteliers. Guests are immediately so attached to their private riad that they want to spend much of their stay there. The butler watches like a guardian angel over the comfort of the guest in his charge and leans on his behind-the-scenes colleagues to provide matchless service. A brilliantly designed series of underground tunnels gives staff quick and discrete access to each riad so that they can ensure their guests’ comfort while respecting their privacy.

THE SPA

The Royal Mansour has 2,500 m2 of space, over three levels, dedicated to relaxation and wellness. This veritable paradise of the senses is mainly devoted to the baths, faithful to Moroccan tradition, and has only one goal: to calm soul and spirit.

The ground floor has two hammams, a hair salon, private areas for manicures and pedicures, a Watsu pool, space to relax, a boutique and a tearoom. The second floor, bathed in natural light, is reserved for massages, facials, hydrotherapy and wraps. Private suites provide privacy for those who wish it. All clients meet with specialists who design a bespoke program for them (advice on nutrition, physical activity, managing stress and wellness) that meets their individual needs.

RESTAURANTS

The hotel offers three dining environments, each more delicious than the others. La Grande Table Marocaine serves excellent traditional Moroccan cuisine of the highest level. On the menu: sh’hiwates, shoulder of lamb, sea bream tangia with purple olives… With its hearty respect for product quality and its sophisticated savoir-faire, this restaurant has quickly become one of the country’s signature gourmet dining spots.

La Grande Table Française, directed by famed chef Yannick Alléno, presents French cuisine with a Moroccan accent in an enchanting setting: whether you lunch or dine on the patio, among hundred-year-old olive trees, or inside, the experience will be divine.

Finally, La Table, which is open all day, offers exceptional products simply prepared. No matter what the time of day, guests can also be served in their riad, whether a meal for one, a family dinner or a feast among friends.

www.royalmansour.com

If finding the best places to eat, shop or grab a drink in the Big Apple eludes you, get in touch with Anna Roma. A professional concierge who has worked 18 years in the hospitality industry, Anna was a member of the Union Internationale des Concierges d’Hôtels and wore the Clefs D’Or of the Hotel Concierge Society of Canada, an emblem granted exclusively to concierges who demand excellence of themselves in serving their clients and demonstrate unsurpassed knowledge of their chosen area. She is now an affiliate member of the Society she holds in extremely high regard.

Anna is currently the corporate concierge of the Phi Centre in Montréal where she welcomes locals and Phi’s guests including world renowned chefs, musicians, film makers, entertainers and others for in-conversations series and special events, as well as to discover the many facets the Phi Centre has to offer. As your go-to person for that epic New York City experience, she prides herself on making her clients feel “like kings and queens.” Essentially, Anna is your best friend in the city. She considers herself lucky to have taken care of wonderful people throughout her career, so perhaps you’ll be next. Below is just a sample of some of Anna’s favourite New York City hot spots.

Sleep and Play

Dream Downtown

PHD at Dream Downtown

Electric Room

Eat

Beauty and Essex

Cosme

Carbone

Sant Ambroeus

Le Coucou

Cipriani

Black Tap Burger

Vegetarian: Superiority Burger

High Tea at the Gotham

Worth the trip to Brooklyn: Roberta’s

Shop

Meatpacking District, between 14th & 9th

Bleeker Street

Greenwich village

Soho

The Row

Niminimi Scarves partners with Friends of UNICEF to raise awareness and funds for UNICEF Canada. Niminimi Scarves has collaborateur with South African artist Katherine Ambrose to design a scarf, the proceeds from the sale of which will be donated to UNICEF.

Ambrose is known for her depictions of rural and township life in Africa. The 36”x36” hand-rolled silk scarf and matching 13”x13” pocket square, which dépit black children in a rural setting, are aptly named for the African proverb “It takes a village to raise a child.” When choosing a design for the scarves, owner Nimi Nanji-Simard specifically wanted something with black children in it. She explains, “I came from Africa as a political refugee, and unless people open their hearts and their doors, I don’t think society can progress.”

For every online purchase, $100 from each full-sied scarf and $30 from each pocket square will be donated to Friends of UNICEF. The money raised will support the fundraising efforts of the 2017 UNICEF Gala in Montreal, celebrating UNICEF’s 70th Anniversary.

UNICEF is a global non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that children gain access to basic human rights such as safe shelter, nutrition, protection from disasters and conflicts, and equality.

Nimi Nanji-Simard launched Niminimi Scarves in 2014. Her debut collection consists of original designs inspired by her past life in Africa and her current life in Montreal. Her scarves have been worn by famous personalities such as Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau, French politicien Christine Lagarde, and fashion journalist Lisa Tant.

After its success in Montreal and Toronto, the largest private Art Center in Canada opens now in the US. Arsenal Contemporary New York is located right across of the New Museum and steps away from the new location of the International Center for Photography.

A newcomer on the NY art scene, Arsenal plans to introduce its Montreal’s artists in residence among its varied curatorial programs. The Arsenal presents emerging and established artists across disciplines. British artist, Ed Fornieles’s video and sculptural installation, inaugurates the space. Fornieles presents The Finiliar, a playful essay on big data and their real time representation. The project features cute globular creatures who each act out the real time fluctuations of a global monetary values with matching emotional behavior. Currency personification and our relationship to it is the subject at stake here. It is enough to put your brain in over drive thinking of the consequences of sentimental attachement to the life of a financial entity, incarnated by a cute pet you would want to rescue…

Arsenal Contemporary New York

214 Bowery, New York

Belmond Hotel Splendido is a former monastery perched on a steep hill, majestically overlooking the turquoise waters of Portofino harbour. Every visitor is left with lasting memories of a place steeped in the magic of the Ligurian coast.

Built in 1902, Belmond Hotel Splendido has seen many stars pass through its doors, including Winston Churchill, Clark Gable, Ava Gadner, and Marlon Brando. Today, it continues to accommodate celebrities from all over the world every year. And it’s easy to see why: the establishment offers a combination of high-quality service, state-of-the-art comfort, and idyllic surroundings. The former monastery, surrounded by a beautiful garden and wild olive trees, offers spectacular views over Portofino Bay. Winding, climbing streets will lead you there. Fortunately, a shuttle service is available to visitors.

On arrival, you will be welcomed by courteous staff who look after every detail. Inside, Belle Époque-style decoration (black and white marble, delicate trompe-l’œil and pastel walls) make us forget that it was once an austere place of prayer.

STYLE AND ELEGANCE

The hotel has 69 rooms and suites in four categories: double rooms, junior suites, superior suites and presidential suites. The superior suites have stunning sea views and the junior suites overlook the Gulf and Portofino Bay. Each of the tastefully decorated rooms has a large bathroom with shower and bathtub and a large wardrobe. The presidential suite is impressive due to its lavish and spacious interior and its four terraces. On request, a junior suite can be joined to it. A delightful feature: in some rooms, the bathroom opens onto a balcony.

THE BEST OF ITALIAN GASTRONOMY

In addition to excellent service, Belmond Hotel Splendido has one of the best restaurants in the region: La Terrazza, serving fine local cuisine, including a seafood plate to die for. As the region enjoys a pleasant climate, you can eat on the terrace until mid-January while enjoying the exceptional views.

THE PERFECT PLACE TO GET MARRIED

Belmont Hotel Splendido is a romantic setting and the ideal place to celebrate a wedding or spend a honeymoon. The team responsible for the organization of this type of event, which is particularly expert in its field (having organized over 100 events), can just as easily set up a traditional wedding as a flamboyant party on a private yacht or in the splendid hotel garden.

In short, whether you want a romantic getaway for a few days, a family vacation, or a splashy celebration of a special occasion, Belmond Hotel Splendido is an enchanting location that will leave you with lifelong memories.

THE HOTEL IN A NUTSHELL

• 69 ROOMS, INCLUDING 28 JUNIOR SUITES AND 11 SUITES
• SPA, MASSAGE, HAMMAM, SAUNA
• BEAUTIFUL PRIVATE GARDEN
• THREE RESTAURANTS, A PIANO BAR AND A POOLSIDE BAR
• OUTDOOR HEATING SWIMMING POOL
• CHILDREN’S CLUB AND GYM
• TENNIS COURT, WATER SPORTS, AND BOAT TRIPS
• LOCATED 45 KM FROM THE GENOA AIRPORTMUST SEE/DO
• THE SAN GIORGIO CHURCH, HOUSING RELICS BROUGHT BY SAILORS DURING THE CRUSADES
• CASTELLO BROWN, A FORTRESS IN THE MIDDLE OF A HANGING GARDEN
• THE STREETS OF THE OLD TOWN
• LOCAL CRAFT SHOPS
• AN EXCURSION TO MOUNT PORTOFINO
• A BOAT TRIP IN THE GULF OF TIGULLIO WITH ITS CRYSTAL CLEAR SEAMONDE

www.belmond.com

Text: Diane Stehle

We eat well in Montreal, and throughout Quebec. The range of possibilities is impressive, with more than 6,000 restaurants in Montreal alone. But what about high-end fine dining? Compared to Europe, or even closer to New York or Chicago, which establishments offer Quebecers and tourists an exceptional culinary experience? To find out, we interviewed three specialists in the field: food writers Lesley Chesterman (Montreal Gazette), Marie-Claude Lortie (La Presse) and Thierry Daraize (Le Journal de Montréal).

Can you give us an overall picture of high-end restaurant offering in Quebec?

Lesley Chesterman

The offering is not enormous in this sector. We are not in London or Paris or New York. There are, however, some very interesting establishments, even if for the last 15 years, mainly rustic and laid-back restaurants have emerged. Fine dining, in the traditional sense, goes beyond what’s on the plate; it’s the whole experience. Above all, it’s about the way in which we are received, as if we had been expected for a long time. To me, the ultimate in fine dining is Eleven Madison Park in New York, which has just been crowned the best restaurant in the world. There, you’re pampered as if you were are something precious.

Thierry Daraize

In Quebec, fine restaurants are very affordable in comparison with what’s on offer at international destinations. Two can eat here in a high-end establishment for $200 – $400, compared to $1,500 or more in Paris. Fine dining is therefore a moderate and affordable luxury, allowing those who can afford it to treat themselves to an indulgent meal to celebrate a special occasion, for example. The tasteful setting of the Ducasse restaurants in Paris like the Plaza Athénée, or other fine restaurants elsewhere in the world, is a visual and sensory experience with a dazzling and at times ostentatious decor, exclusive designer tableware, finely-crafted crystal glasses, and silver-gilt cutlery. In Quebec, and increasingly everywhere on the planet, a new trend in restaurants is emerging, with a clientele that’s receptive to a more informal and less intimidating approach. To me, fine dining is also something that is not seen, but that we perceive; something that doesn’t dazzle us, but that seduces us and goes straight to the heart, like falling in love. We don’t know why we love someone, but we know they’re the right person for us.

When someone ask you about fine dining, which restaurants in Montreal and Quebec come to mind?

Lesley Chesterman

• Toqué!, which, to me, is the classic gourmet restaurant with an outstanding chef, Normand Laprise. It is a Relais & Châteaux member.
• Initiale, Laurie Raphaël and Légende in Quebec City, three excellent restaurants.
• Joe Beef, which exemplifies fine dining in a different way, even though the atmosphere is very relaxed, because the food is of incredibly high quality. Many stars go there and it’s difficult to get a reservation: that too means luxury.
• Bouillon Bilk as well, for the high-quality menu.
• Au Pied de Cochon: nobody will tell you this is a gourmet restaurant. However, the menu is highly creative and fine wines are served. In this sense, it’s a restaurant that redefines fine dining!
• Finally, outside of the larger cities, we have the excellent Chez Saint-Pierre in Rimouski. The locally grown food there is incomparable.

Marie-Claude Lortie

• In Montreal, Toqué! and Maison Boulud.
• In Quebec City, Initiale, if the term fine dining is taken in its traditional sense.
• If I broaden my definition and consider what’s on the plate, I would also mention Joe Beef and Le Club Chasse et Pêche for their exceptional food and fine wines, even if the atmosphere is not as plush or the service as traditional. Milos is also a fine-dining restaurant because the food choices are top-quality and hand-picked.

Thierry Daraize

In Montreal:

• Toqué!
• Européa
• La Chronique
• L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon
• Maison Boulud

In Quebec City:

• Initiale
• Champlain Restaurant
• Laurie Raphaël

If you had to introduce Montreal to tourists from a fine dining point of view, where would you tell them to eat out?

Lesley Chesterman

• Au Pied de Cochon, to get away from the ordinary while tasting classic Quebec cuisine.
• L’Express, a French bistro in the Montreal style.
• And for luxury: Toqué!, Joe Beef or Moishes Steakhouse. That last is the second-oldest restaurant in Montreal, after Schwartz’s.

Marie-Claude Lortie

It all depends what they’re looking for. If they want special treatment with all the little extras, I would send them to Toqué!. But if they want to discover original cuisine, I would advise them to go to Au Pied de Cochon to try traditional dishes like tourtière with fruit ketchup, or their gourmet version of poutine, sometimes with foie gras! Joe Beef is also interesting, as it’s a coveted and glamorous place. Joe Beef is an international star! And the wine list gives you a chance to really treat yourself. For a meal on the go, I would send them to Olive & Gourmando for gourmet sandwiches!

Thierry Daraize

I would recommend restaurants that will surprise them with their daring. In Quebec, we have many iconoclastic bistro restaurants. We are specialists in creative and innovative spots such as Montreal Plaza, Provisions 1268, La Récolte, Hoogan & Beaufort, Le Mousso, Candide, and Petite Maison. For foodie and fine-dining curious tourists who want to think outside the box and who are staying for a few days, I would tell them to try Japanese, Mexican or Portuguese restaurants as well, because it is also this multi-ethnicity that makes Montreal so rich and interesting. Tapeo for tapas or Jun I for sushi, Helena for Portuguese. I would also suggest trying cuisine inspired by several cultures, such as the cooking at Grumman 78, which divinely combines Quebec and Mexican cuisine in an off-the-wall atmosphere.