We have had some wonderful times travelling together over the last 20 years
Posted in General on 29. Sep, 2010
We have had some wonderful times travelling together over the last 20 years. I have a fishing partner, Austin, for fishing holidays, so I have different companions for different holidays.Are you beach bum, culture vulture or adrenalin junkie? I don’t spend that much time on the beach – a day or two is enough. I prefer cities or somewhere you can explore.What luxury would you never travel without?I usually just pack a few clothes, some sunglasses and cigars, and I’m ready to go.What do you read on holiday?I like to read biographies. I can’t read when I’m away fishing though.To where have you lost your heart?I have always had a soft spot for Bali, and I have been there countless times.Is it better to travel than to arrive?When I was younger, it was great fun to sit in a plane, but now I just want to sleep, so arriving is certainly better than travelling.To where would you never return?There hasn’t been anywhere so bad that I would never return.Where is the most overrated place you’ve been?Miami was a bit too sleazy.Where is the most underrated place you’ve been?Cambodia.
In terms of fashion, you also see some wonderful colours.Are you an independent traveller? I travel a lot by myself for work. I also have a house in France, so I spend quite a lot of time there.What is your favourite place in the British Isles?London has great energy. It has so much to offer, from the restaurants to the shops to the mix of cultures.What have you learnt from your travels?Your eyes are opened when you travel and experience different ways of life For example, in Cambodia people live on about $10 a week. I’ve been fishing all over the world, from Russia to Colombia. I had been advised by a lot of people to go there, and it was stunning, especially Angkor Wat, where we spent about five days. We would get up and watch the sunrise every morning beside the temples – it was incredible.Are you a frequent traveller? I travel four to five months each year, mostly for work, However, I also manage to go on holiday a fair bit, usually fishing, which I love.
Until 31 August a special summer rate of €187 (£133) with breakfast is available. For reservations contact Mason Rose (020-7235 3245; ).I’m not paying that: Hotel Torre Guelfa (00 39 055 239 6338; ), around the corner, offers double rooms from €140 (£100) with breakfast.. Our room had floor-to-ceiling windows looking down on the Vasari Corridor and the Ponte Vecchio.Michelangelo’s David would find the bathrooms a bit of a squeeze, but the hotel also has a small health spa with a gym, steam room, treatment rooms and a sauna.Freebies: Bath products come in natty linen rolls from the group’s own Lungarno Details range.Keeping in touch: rooms have TVs, DVD players on request, CD players and internet points.THE BOTTOM LINE Double rooms start from €338 (£240) with breakfast. The hotel’s location takes some beating; one side overlooks the Arno and the Ponte Vecchio, and it’s a short stroll from all the major sites, such as the Uffizi and the Duomo.COMFORTABLE? The interiors of the hotel’s 43 guest rooms and one penthouse are decorated predominately in cool white – splashes of colour come from subtle use of neon lights and furniture, like the powder pink Fifties-inspired chair that graced our bedroom. Most rooms have views of the river or, if they are located in the medieval section of the building, the trade-off is a bigger room with a smaller window.