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The dramatic exterior of London's brand-new Corinthia Hotel,
situated only steps from the Thames and yet removed from the hullabaloo of nearby Piccadilly Circus. |
I hope you all have been jet-setting about the globe, checking out all sorts of new places and taking notes like the good travelers you are. Are there any spots that you have loved that I need to know about? I want to hear from you.
Don’t think that I haven’t been globetrotting in my usual manner. If you perchance assume that I have been sitting at home and baking bread or doing laundry, you are mistaken.
The last few weeks have seen me bopping about Turkey, from Istanbul to Cappadocia, Izmir, Bodrum and back again. This was my 10th visit to Turkey, so I know the country quite well. (Lucky boy, I am!) I was in the Big T to write a feature on the country for the December issue of Sky, but more on my adventures in the magazine. My mother always told me to never give up the goods up front.
Currently, I am in London for a week. I escape to London whenever possible and will be here in October, November and December, too. (Lucky, lucky boy, I am!)
The city is hopping. Just done with Fashion Week antics, it shines afresh thanks to all of the work being done in preparation for the Olympics. Frankly, New York looks tired and filthy when you look at London right now.
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| An arresting chandelier anchors The Lobby Lounge at Corinthia Hotel. The hotel's other public spaces are equally eye-popping. |
Let me set the scene: I checked into the brand-new Corinthia Hotel, a stunning, beautifully orchestrated and wonderful property on Whitehall Place, only steps from the Thames and Piccadilly Circus. I have stayed in nearly every top hotel in London, and the Corinthia kicks butt. Watch out Claridges, Connaught and Savoy! The Corinthia looks like a million bucks and has the most gracious, kind and caring service that I have ever experienced in England. And did I say that the hotel looks like a million bucks? Let’s revise to tens of millions of bucks. Just check out the photos.
The Corinthia is the BEST NEW HOTEL IN LONDON IN AGES. In fact, it might just be the best hotel in London. Period. Check her out!
So, where do I want to go next? Top of my list is the island of Lamu off Kenya, a drive through Montana and a week in Arcos de la Frontera in southern Spain where I lived in my early 20s. How’s that for a far-flung wanderlust wish list?