Walking down the Riva Degli Schiavoni fromPiazza San Marco, we recognize it immediately: the pink stucco facade with marble sills standing flat against the promenade, looking out to the beautiful blue lagoon. We enter the building through a wooden revolving door. Before us is the lobby: marble floors and columns, a four-storied courtyard marked by ...

Coming home to the Gritti Palace. A restful and efficient flight on Swiss Airlines in Boston brings us to an early afternoon arrival at the Venice airport where a man awaits us holding aloft a sign: "WELCOME FROMMERS!" We follow him and our luggage down to the water taxi and off we go for a highly anticipated stay at the grand and gorgeous Gritti P...

As I arrived at JW Marriott Venice by private boat charter (the only way to travel if you ask me), I thought to myself 'This is the life.' Sadly, my daily commute normally consists of being squashed on the London Underground with a stranger's armpit in my face, but for a few glorious days, I was able to pretend that daily boat travel - and a seriou...

We've all heard about places in the world which have been victims of their own success - over development, pollution and pickpockets are just some of the things that seem to come hand in hand with popularity. When I was younger, it wouldn't have been enough to put me off, but with age has come discernment, and probably more than a healthy dose of j...

A beachy, buzzy oasis is probably the most apt description for Urban Beach, a quirky boutique hotel near Boscombe Beach in Bournemouth, which is the ideal place to hole up for a weekend beach escape.Urban Beach is proof that good things come in small packages. With only 12 rooms, it feels more like you're staying at a stylish mate's house, rather t...

What influences do you draw upon to fuel your creativity?I love being in a super relaxing spot, somewhere in nature when I'm creating food. I'm from Australia, so this would ideally be on a warm beach, but these are in short supply in the UK. I have a really nice spot near my house in Highgate Woods, where I like to sit to think about food and the ...