Since Covid, the Notting Hill restaurant scene has been booming. So many great restaurants have opened in the neighborhood, that there is really no reason to leave anymore.
In no particular order, Top 10 new Notting Hill Restaurants:
Dorian: Excellent, except if you’re vegetarian, it won its first Michelin star after one year.
Gold: Not so new anymore, but really a Notting Hill institution, with plenty for the vegetarians.
Zephyr: Dressed up Greek restaurant, it is as elegant as any Mayfair restaurant with Greek salad, raw fish and meat offerings.
Straker’s: Opened by an internet chef sensation, it is actually very good.
SUMI: Simple, yet, good quality sushi. It’s a favourite of Julianne Moore when she’s staying in London.
The Barbary: The second Barbary, after the one in Neal’s Yard, it is a sleek and cool North African restaurant serving sharing plates. Sadly one of their best dishes, the artichokes, has come off their menu. But rest assured, the food is still good.
Los Mochis: Mexican food? Japanese food? Both? What’s not to love? The salmon crispy rice and cauliflower tacos are worth going to on their own (or on Deliveroo).
Chez Lui: New concept from the Bagatelle group, the food is actually good: the cauliflower and the veal escalopes are both great.
Nela: Coming straight from Amsterdam, the open fire concept is a roaring hit in the new Whiteley building.
Canteen: Opened by the guys behind the Pelican, it surprised all of us by its arrival on the National Restaurants Awards. Just shame there is a no-reservations policy.
There are plenty more, like Julie’s, which has had a great revamp, Fan for sushi, ACRE across Straker’s, and all the new pizza places (Alley Cats and Slayer’s). Notting Hill is really becoming a foodie destination.
It’s official! The White Lotus Season 4 is coming to France! So, if you’re like me and you are both a White Lotus fan and a South of France fan, we are all hoping it will be in the South of France!
The French Riviera is experiencing a full on revival post-pandemic with a slew of luxurious 5 star hotel and restaurant openings; many hotels have had facelifts and new restaurant openings have us salivating… Zuma and La Petite Maison in Cannes are putting it firmly on the map of jet-setters and Luigi’s, Bella and Salama brings a younger, more party vibe to Cannes. Hotels are upping their game to compete with Ibiza, Mykonos and Sardinia, and I have to admit, they are succeeding. Now that we know Season 4 of the White Lotus is taking place in France, I am obviously hoping it will be in the South of France. Here are my 10 Top ultra luxurious hotels in the South of France:
Photo courtesy of the internet
1. Hotel du Cap Eden Roc:
Best for: the ultimate, once-in-a-lifetime luxurious hotel and to rub shoulders with superstars.
The Grande Dame of all the hotels in the South of France, none can really compare with the Hotel du Cap, Eden Roc. Always a favourite for celebs during the Cannes Film Festival and loved by Americans, this stalwart has never lost its appeal but now has added a lovely new restaurant to keep up with the times: Giovanni’s is a charming Italian under a pergola with a perfect Mediterranean backdrop, exclusively for guests
Photo courtesy of the internet
2. Chateau de La Messardiere:
Best for: The ultimate luxury family holiday in Saint Tropez
Chateau de La Messardiere has definitely upped its game with its recent multi-million pound renovation making it an impossible-to-book hotel in St Tropez right now. It gets so many things right, it’s hard to find any faults. The lunch buffet is positively extravagant and delicious, the new kids club has its own bastide and private pool, and the hotel’s private beach club, Jardin Tropezina, is one of my favourites (the shuttle service is priceless). And let’s not forget Matsuhisa, the Japanese restaurant, has one of the best views in St Tropez. If you can afford it, it’s so good, you’ll never need to leave. It will soon become your kids’ favourite hotel too, and yours as well.
Best For: Modern design for architecture aficionados
This hotel’s vertiginous views over Monaco are as stunning as the hotel itself; its clean, sleek, modern lines are for those who love a design hotel, but with top hospitality service to match it (it is part of the same hotel group as the Dorchester and the Berkeley). It is literally build in the rocks over Monaco and is an architectural masterpiece. It has quickly climbed the ranks as one of the top hotels in France.
This new(ish) hotel designed by Philip Stark is not only aesthetically beautiful on a gorgeous spot along the coast, it also offers a weekly schedule of wellness activities from yoga, to hikes, to bike rides. Not only that, but you don’t need to starve and can eat a real steak for dinner! The bar next to the restaurant is one of the highlights with roaming musicians who will sing whatever song you ask them. Perfect for a couple’s weekend wellness retreat.
This boutique hotel in Eze remains one of my all time favourites with the best views of the Cote d’Azur. The terrace lunch is divine, so even if you can’t stay, it’s worth the detour. The best place for young and old love. The winding medieval streets of Eze just adds to the romance; a perfect place for an engagement or honeymoon.
Best for: Historical hotel with minimalist interiors
Only just opened in 2024, it has started making Nice cool again. It is a beautiful hotel in an old convent with its own bakery and daily bread, a welcoming terrace to while the nights and days away. The decor is are bare and peaceful, it was a convent after all, but somehow manages to stay warm and inviting. The outdoor terrace in the courtyard is fantastic for a pre-dinner drink, and its private terraced swimming pools feels like Nice’s best kept secret. One to check out if in Nice!
7. Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat, a Four Seasons Hotel:
Best For: Four Seasons Service
This is where the White Lotus Season 4 will likely take place, and I can assure you that the people-watching is better than the show. The management was taken over by the Four Seasons about 10 years ago, to match the sophistication of the hotel guests. Like all Four Seasons, it opened a fab kids club and offers swimming lessons in its pool. Great for families wanting a base in the South of France with all the Four Season trappings. I can’t wait for it to feature in The White Lotus Season 4!
For a boutique hotel experience with much more reasonable prices than the above properties, Les Roches Rouges opened a few years ago. It already has a Michelin star restaurant and a very cool pool dug into the rocks. It’s young and trendy against the Grandes Dames hotels above. For the design, cool crowd in media, the arts and tech. This year, they have added brand new rooms designed by ASL Architects.
Best for: A young, trendy vibe in Cannes without breaking the bank.
This new, well designed hotel in Cannes is a winner with its sea views, great spa, a rooftop restaurant by Eyal Shani and rooms designed by Raphael Navot. Bella, the rooftop restaurant, has a delicious Mediterranean menu with fresh fish and meats on the menu. With reasonable prices, it is a great choice for a style conscious crowd in Cannes.
For one of the oldest ‘Grande Dame’ hotels in the South of France, the Carton Cannes still reigns supreme. Just recently given a two year facelift, it still attracts the rich and famous during the Cannes Film Festival and houses all the top supremos during all the conference weeks in Cannes. A word of advice: don’t go in August, but at any other time of year, try it out. It oozes history with Obama and Hitchcock connections and its inner courtyard is a secret garden to give you a break from the busy Croisette.
This list was very difficult to compile with plenty of charming, updated hotels and new openings like Le Chateau de Theoule, the Mondrian in Cannes, Le Mas de Candille, Anantara Plaza Nice, and La Reserve de Ramatuelle, but these top 10 are ones that bring something slightly different to the others along the coast and are changing the face of the French Riviera.
What are you waiting for? Go and enjoy before The White Lotus fans take over!
After months of lockdown hibernation and as soon as ‘Outdoor Dining’ was announced, I was on my phone as fast as a thirsty Bedouin who finally sees an oasis in the middle of the desert. With assiduous determination, I booked the top gardens and terraces in London. But I wasn’t going to compromise on my sartorial style – all these were carefully picked for their strong heaters and covers, so you can go rain or shine.
Here are my top picks:
Annabels Garden
Best For: Ladies who Lunch and Celeb Spotting.
Ah Annabels… Call it a circus or a zoo, I don’t care, but its garden is one of my favourite in the city: you could be in Miami, Paris or Rome; it transports you out of London and somewhere sunny and happy. Elizabeth Hurley and her ‘little brother’ (son) made for perfect people watching.
Harry’s Bar
Best For: Old Style Glamour, Dolce Vita Style
The terrace of Harry’s Bar Mayfair is absolutely lovely. With good food and an old school vibe, be prepared to be treated royally.
180 House
Best For: The Young & Hip Crowd.
The newest offering of Soho House, it has a very cool rooftop wraparound terrace and rooftop pool, New York Style. Even though we were definitely the oldest, least cool table there, we managed to get one of the few tables with a parasol and heaters.
Arts Club
Best For: The Older Crowd Foodies When it Rains.
It was pouring rain the night we came, but it has such a great cover that we didn’t even notice. The food is, as always, excellent.
Nobu Portman Square
Best For: Sushi Lovers looking for a Hot Terrace.
Their terrace is big and has great heaters, I was actually sweating and really didn’t need my thermals, fur or blanket!
Chiltern Firehouse
Best For: A Great Breakfast on a Sunny Day.
A beautiful garden, Chiltern is my favourite for breakfast after the school run.
The River Cafe
Best For: An Italian Feast by the River
Date night or Couples night, The River Cafe is always a pleaser and they’ve made their terrace especially nice this year.
The Ivy Chelsea Garden
BEST FOR: A Family Affair
Bring the kids for lunch and let them run around. It’s a perfect place on the weekends.
NHYM LUXURY TRAVEL & WELLNESS COLLECTION 