There is a stillness to the Maasai Mara that feels almost cinematic. The light drifts slowly across the plains, and everything seems to move in rhythm with it. At the newly opened Paradise Plains , a boutique safari camp from The Wilder Group, that sense of calm is part of the experience. Set in the quieter Musiara region of the reserve, Paradise Plains offers space to breathe and an uninterrupted connection to the landscape. Elephant herds often graze within view of the infinity pool, while lions from the Marsh Pride are known to wander nearby. The Mara River, which borders the camp, brings with it a chorus of bird calls and the sound of hippos moving through the water. The camp’s nine suites balance old-world charm with contemporary restraint. Locally made tents blend into the terrain with soft tones of sand and stone. Inside, traditional East African design meets subtle luxury through natural linen, antique kilims, and copper bathtubs positioned to face the open plains. Every detail feels intentional, designed to frame the wilderness rather than distract from it. Life at Paradise Plains follows the rhythm of the day. Mornings begin with coffee on a private deck as the sun rises over the savannah. Afternoons are spent on game drives or by the pool, watching the wildlife pass. Evenings end beside the campfire with a glass of South African wine and the sounds of the bush settling into night. Meals, designed by chef Riaan Coetzee, are served in the dining tent or under the stars. The menus focus on simple, seasonal flavours prepared with care. Guests can also take part in sundowners on the plains or a private lantern-lit dinner in the bush. A yoga deck overlooks the Mara River, a small spa offers treatments inspired by the landscape, and a curated boutique features handmade pieces from local artisans. Yet the real appeal of Paradise Plains is its atmosphere of quiet and openness. The camp operates in partnership with the local Maasai community and the Narok County Government. Most of the team come from nearby villages, and a share of the camp’s income directly supports local families. This collaboration gives Paradise Plains a purpose beyond hospitality, creating a model of tourism that benefits both people and place. Paradise Plains feels less like an escape and more like an immersion. It is a space for slow mornings, unhurried conversations, and a renewed connection to nature.

The House of Suntory has announced a new collaboration between its Hibiki Japanese Whisky and painter Hiroshi Senju , known for his large-scale waterfall works exhibited at institutions including the V&A and The Met. Launching this week in the UK, the project explores the shared craftsmanship behind whisky-making and fine art. Senju has created bespoke designs for the collector’s edition boxes of Hibiki 21-Year-Old and Hibiki 30-Year-Old , drawing on his ongoing fascination with nature and the movement of water. His design, titled Waterfall on Colours “Hibiki” , features ten shades of purple inspired by the Kokimurasaki gradient, a tone that symbolises both rarity and refinement in Japanese culture. Each bottle is presented as a keepsake. The Hibiki 30-Year-Old arrives in a traditional byōbu-style case with folding panels that echo the rhythm of Senju’s paintings. The 21-Year-Old pairs the same imagery with Hibiki’s balanced flavour profile, bringing a visual expression to the whisky’s sense of harmony. The collaboration reflects how two disciplines, blending and painting, share an understanding of time and precision. Senju’s process involves letting pigments flow freely across marble powder and water, while Hibiki’s master blenders work with whiskies from Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita distilleries to create depth through restraint. Both whiskies are available in limited quantities at Harrods , Berry Brothers & Rudd and The Whisky Shop .

In the heart of Riyadh, one of Saudi Arabia’s most historic landmarks is preparing for a new life. The Red Palace, once the home of Crown Prince Saud, later King Saud, will reopen in 2026 as an ultra-luxury hotel under the vision of Boutique Group , the Saudi hospitality collective dedicated to transforming royal residences into extraordinary cultural destinations. Built in 1943, The Red Palace was once the stage for royal receptions, state banquets, and the quiet diplomacy that defined Saudi Arabia’s modern emergence. Its striking red façade and Art Deco flourishes made it a bold statement of progress at a time when the Kingdom was stepping confidently onto the world stage. Behind its grand symmetry lay a distinct blend of influences: European formality softened by the light and geometry of traditional Saudi architecture. The restoration by Aedas and interior designer Tristan Auer pays homage to this cosmopolitan legacy while shaping the Palace for a new generation of global travellers. Auer’s vision weaves together the textures of the past with the intimacy of modern design, creating spaces that retain the building’s royal gravitas but invite quiet reflection. With just seventy rooms and suites, The Red Palace has been conceived as a true boutique property, where privacy and personalisation are central to the experience. Guests will have access to salons, dining rooms, and gardens once reserved for Saudi royalty. Every detail of the transformation has been guided by a sense of reverence for the building’s heritage and a desire to revive the spirit of hospitality that defined King Saud’s era. The hotel’s spa is designed as an immersive sanctuary, featuring private spa suites with saunas, steam rooms, and treatment areas. Inspired by the customs of royal welcome, the rituals will incorporate Saudi ingredients such as incense, rose, and oud. These sensory elements link the guest experience to the country’s long-standing traditions of generosity and beauty. Dining at The Red Palace will bridge past and present, with menus that celebrate traditional Saudi cuisine alongside international culinary influences. The intention is to create a destination that feels as resonant for locals as it does for travellers, reflecting the original role of the Palace as a gathering place for dialogue and celebration. For Boutique Group , which operates under Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, The Red Palace marks another step in its mission to preserve cultural heritage while defining a new standard of luxury. More than a hotel, it represents the convergence of history, architecture, and contemporary design. When it opens in 2026, The Red Palace will once again stand as a meeting point between worlds, a testament to how heritage can evolve without losing its soul.

On a surprisingly warm November evening, I stepped into the Everyman Broadgate cinema, welcomed by the team behind LUNA Omakase , London’s highest and most intimate dining experience. We gathered for the premiere of LUNA: The Art of Twelve , a short film that explores the beauty and philosophy behind this extraordinary omakase restaurant. Before that night, I hadn’t thought much about how spiritual sushi could be. How precious a single cut of fish might become, or how intentional the process of choosing each ingredient truly is. The film, and the people who brought it to life, made me see it differently. Executive Chef Leo Tanyag explained that “the art of twelve” represents both the twelve seats and twelve courses that define LUNA’s Sosaku-style Edomae Omakase. The concept follows the phases of the moon. Because water makes up most of the human body, the menu is alive, constantly shifting to match the lunar cycle. Some nights call for earthier seasonings, others for lighter and more delicate touches. The food changes with the moon, feeding the body what it needs most at that moment. Perched high above the city on the ninth floor of 100 Liverpool Street, LUNA Omakase is not just another sushi counter. The space feels almost suspended in the sky, where every detail, from the architecture to the plating, seems to be in quiet conversation with the surroundings. The dining room seats exactly twelve guests, a deliberate choice that echoes the twelve lunar phases inspiring the experience. The film mirrors this sense of stillness and focus. Directed with the same restraint that defines LUNA itself, it takes us into the creative worlds of Oms Rocha , the Mexico City–based artist behind LUNA’s interiors, and Chef Tanyag. Rocha’s twelve circular paintings, each representing a moon phase, line the restaurant’s walls and bring a celestial calm to the space. Watching Rocha layer gold over grey in his studio while Tanyag in London prepares the day’s catch feels like observing two artists orbiting the same idea of balance and precision. After the screening, when asked whether they inspired each other’s work, both Rocha and Tanyag smiled. The connection was clear. Their shared sense of peace and rhythm - one expressed on canvas, the other through food - tells a story that feels both ancient and new. To mark the occasion, Rocha unveiled Luna Gold Premiere , a new artwork inspired by his original series for the restaurant. It’s now being auctioned alongside a private twelve-seat LUNA Omakase experience worth more than £5,000. All proceeds will go to The Felix Project , a London charity fighting food waste and hunger. The auction, which opened at £500, runs until 14 November, a fitting reflection of LUNA’s cycle of creation, renewal and giving back. For those of you willing to take part in the auction and wanting to donate to this amazing cause, you can follow this link . For Markus Thesleff , founder of the Thesleff Group (which also includes Los Mochis and Viajante87), the project represents something deeper than fine dining. “ LUNA: The Art of Twelve is a cinematic reflection of the dialogue between art and cuisine,” he said. “It’s about harmony, and how creativity, craftsmanship and emotion can come together to create something timeless.” After the screening, guests were invited next door to Los Mochis for an afterparty that brought LUNA’s philosophy to life. Between the music, the cocktails and the fusion of Mexican and Japanese flavours, the evening captured what LUNA calls La Familia - a sense of community rooted in generosity and shared experience. Standing by the window, looking out over the city skyline, it was easy to see how everything connects: the moon, the art, the food, the people. LUNA: The Art of Twelve isn’t just a film about a restaurant. It’s a meditation on rhythm, renewal and the quiet pursuit of beauty in everything we create. Should you find yourself craving a taste of the moon’s rhythm, book your experience at LUNA Omakase .

There’s something deliciously cinematic about arriving at Strawberry Hill House on a rainy morning - the white Gothic turrets glistening under the drizzle, the gardens turning that particular shade of English green that only seems to appear after a storm. Families in wellingtons splashed through puddles at the gates, seemingly oblivious to the quiet drama unfolding inside: Henry VIII’s Lost Dagger: From the Tudor Court to the Victorian Stage. On view from 1 November 2025 to 16 February 2026, the exhibition traces the extraordinary journey of a vanished 16th-century Ottoman dagger, once believed to have belonged to Henry VIII himself. Its story begins with Horace Walpole, the 18th-century writer, collector, and architect who transformed Strawberry Hill into a Gothic dreamscape and filled it with treasures that fuelled Britain’s obsession with the fantastical. Among them was this mysterious dagger. When Walpole’s collection was sold in 1842, the piece found a new home with Charles John Kean, the celebrated Shakespearean actor known for pioneering historically accurate productions - what critics of the time called “living museums.” The dagger disappeared after Kean’s death, leaving behind a trail of intrigue that Dr Silvia Davoli, Principal Curator at Strawberry Hill, has spent years trying to unravel. Stepping inside the exhibition, it’s easy to feel the pull of the past. The entrance, discreetly tucked behind the gift shop, opens into a dimly lit hall where two sculptural figures - woven from twigs, holly, and moss - stand sentinel at the foot of the grand staircase. A single candle flickers within a replica chandelier, throwing soft light onto the crimson walls. Each room of the house feels like a storybook. The library, perfectly framed by two circular stained-glass windows, glows in the muted afternoon light. It’s the sort of room that makes you wonder whether Walpole ever imagined his fictional Castle of Otranto could one day become so tangible. Upstairs, the famous Red Hall gives way to the exhibition space, where a display of Ottoman daggers, exquisite, intricate, and unmistakably regal - offers a glimpse of what the lost treasure might have looked like. It’s not just an exhibition; it’s an act of historical imagination. Henry VIII’s Lost Dagger doesn’t simply catalogue artefacts - it invites visitors to follow a mystery through centuries of art, theatre, and obsession. And like all good mysteries, it leaves you wondering whether the dagger’s true story has been found, or whether it’s still hiding somewhere in the folds of history, waiting to be rediscovered.

If you’ve ever walked through Shoreditch and wished for a wellness space that felt as beautiful as it was grounding, The Pink Pilates Studio might be the answer. Nestled on Fashion Street - yes, it really is called that; this newly opened, mat-based Pilates studio has already caught the attention of London’s wellness insiders. Equal parts sanctuary and statement, it’s a place where elegant movement meets community, all under a wash of soft pink light. Founded by instructor Natalie Louise , The Pink Pilates Studio is her love letter to the practice, and to the colour pink. “I wanted to build a space that reflects how Pilates makes you feel; strong, empowered, and uplifted,” she says. “And pink felt like the perfect expression of that energy; soft, elegant, and joyful.” That philosophy radiates through every corner of the open-plan studio, from the pastel tones and green accents to the airy lounge designed for lingering conversations post-class. Unlike many of the city’s high-intensity studios, The Pink Pilates Studio takes a slower, more considered approach. Classes combine the fundamentals of traditional Pilates with classical and contemporary elements, focusing on form, alignment, and lasting results. With only twelve mats per session, each class feels intentionally intimate - think personal guidance without the pressure. The experience extends beyond the workout. Natural light floods the studio through its courtyard entrance, a welcome contrast to the urban buzz just steps away on Brick Lane and Spitalfields Market. There’s a sense of calm here that feels more like a boutique hotel than a fitness space, complete with design-led interiors, premium equipment, and meticulous attention to detail. But what truly sets The Pink Pilates Studio apart is its community-first ethos. The studio hosts private sessions, corporate wellness programmes, and regular events with London wellness collectives - creating a space that’s as much about connection as it is about core strength. The Pink Pilates Studio is more than a place to move - it’s an invitation to slow down, stretch out, and find a little joy in the process. And yes, it’s unapologetically pink. Visit: The Pink Pilates Studio, Unit 7, 11–29 Fashion Street, London, E1 6PX (courtyard entrance). Nearest stations: Liverpool Street, Aldgate East, and Shoreditch High Street.