October 2024

Lexus recently launched the new Lexus UX 300e. However, the brand doesn’t do things by halves. They pulled out all the stops and hosted the event at the newly refurbished Cameron House Hotel, which is located on the bonny shores of Loch Lomond in Scotland.

Cameron House offers a blend of historical charm and contemporary luxury that is hard to match. The grandeur of this five-star resort, combined with its breathtaking location, created a perfect haven for me as I was seeking relaxation, adventure, and a taste of the finer things in life. 

Earlier this year I attended a splendid lunch at the private members club Oswald's, in the heart of Mayfair. Upon entry our phone cameras were taped over, ensuring we complied with their no photography policy. This is not something I mind, as it meant full dedication to tasting the whisky from our hosts, the Johnson family. It was a lavish luncheon with many of the whisky worlds great and good in attendance. Looking at the crowd, it was obvious the family were keen to impress and get their whisky in the hands of some fine writers. I like their confidence. 

Cameron House is an 18th-century baronial haven perched right on the edge of Loch Lomond and it embodies all the historic charm and traditional elegance you would expect from a luxury Scottish retreat. But what truly sets it apart is that much like the vast selection of regional whiskies behind the bar, the whole experience has been blended to perfection by combining warm sophistication, dramatic wilderness and a refreshing blast of Caledonian air.

The Hotel Meudon, near Falmouth, is a whimsical retreat set amidst gardens that could be straight out of Alice in Wonderland. Overlooking the pristine Cornish coast, the tropical flora transports you into a storybook realm where leaves unfurl as wide as sails and trees shrink to the size of your imagination. Here, scale is a playful trickster: one moment you tower, the next, you’re as small as Alice after a sip from a mysterious bottle, always a wanderer in a fantastical, far-flung world.

In the world of Hypercars, where mind-bending power figures and eye-watering price tags have become par for the course, it’s easy to become desensitised. But the McLaren W1 arrives with the singular mission of reminding us all what true supercar mastery looks like.

It’s not just about numbers, although make no mistake, the W1 numbers are huge, it’s about a deep, visceral connection between man and machine. With the W1, McLaren has achieved that elusive blend of ferocious performance and pure driving pleasure.

Domaine Evremond, the result of a unique collaboration between Champagne Taittinger, historic wine merchant Hatch Mansfield, and close friends, has reached a significant milestone with the official opening of its winery in Chilham, Kent. The event, attended by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh, marks a pivotal moment for English sparkling wine, and it’s a development I’ve followed with particular interest.

As a lifelong night owl, one of my all-time hotel pet peeves is the often relatively early time that breakfast finishes, which can have you dragging yourself out of bed after a late night out and hot-stepping it to the last slot unkempt and bleary-eyed, sometimes missing out by a matter of minutes or even seconds if the staff member at the lectern is particularly officious. 

I recently had the privilege of spending a day at Villa Margon, the beautiful heart of Ferrari Trento wines, located just an hour’s drive from the culturally rich city of Verona. Renowned for its Roman-era Arena di Verona, Verona is still a venue for operas and concerts, and its connection to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. While my previous visits had been centred around cycling along the scenic routes of Lake Garda, this trip was all about the wines of Ferrari Trento. 

People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel."- Maya Angelou.