This was published 6 years ago
Nine hotels and resorts famous for their amazing food: Spoiled for choice
Kokomo Private Island Fiji.
KOKOMO PRIVATE ISLAND, FIJI
You can argue that anyone who gets to stay in one of the world's most luxurious resorts has nothing to complain about. However, when you are ensconced in the lap of luxury, small problems can blow out of all proportion. Take, for instance, that moment when nothing on the menu quite matches what you feel like eating. At Kokomo Private Island, they feel your pain, which is why their waterfront Walker D'Plank restaurant has no menu. Instead, have a chat with your waiter about what takes your fancy, and they will send out dishes designed to match your mood. The food will keep coming until you tell them to stop. See kokomoislandfiji.com
ST REGIS HOTEL, BANGKOK
Bangkok's most luxurious hotels tend to deliver a mighty breakfast buffet, and St Regis Hotel is no exception. At its Viu restaurant, you can start the day with freshly-cooked dumplings and waffles, pastries, cheeses and charcuteries. What really sets this hotel breakfast apart, however, is its indulgent a la carte menu. Perhaps you are in the mood for a lobster Thermidor omelette, or Thai fried eggs spiced up with minced pork and Chinese sausage. If you are feeling homesick, they have you covered too: just order the Vegemite breakfast pizza. See stregisbangkok.com
KAMALAYA, KOH SAMUI, THAILAND
There are lots of reasons that uber-spa, Kamalaya, keeps winning world's-best accolades, but we suspect the food has at least something to do with it. Few spas can compete with a menu that includes rock lobster bisque, black sesame crusted kingfish, and duck larb with roasted rice and mint. For those who are counting kilojoules, easy-on-the-waistline options include an aromatic chicken tikka masala. You can order a glass of wine to go with your dinner, but many guests prefer to opt for one of Kamalaya's amazing juices or smoothies, featuring adventurous combinations such as banana, tahini and coconut water. See kamalaya.com
KERRY HOTEL, HONG KONG, CHINA
Hong Kong's new Kerry Hotel has amazing views of the east side of Hong Kong Island, and Central and sitting on the seventh floor, the restaurant Hung Tong takes full advantage of that. The groovy interiors by designer Andre Fu play to mid-century Hong Kong in furnishings with exposed brick and other industrial elements a nod to Hung Hom's 19th-century dockyards. The menu is modern Cantonese with an emphasis on seafood. You can make a night of it, hitting up the adjacent Red Sugar cocktail bar that spills out onto what must be Hong Kong's most glamourous and large terrace, with plantations creating private booths right on the water's edge. See Shangri-la.com
BREAKFAST: HOTEL CHATEAU MONFORT, MILAN, ITALY
Many reasons tempt you to this pink Milan palazzo, from its Art Nouveau architecture to guestroom decor inspired by fairytales and operas. But if ever breakfast was a reason to choose a hotel, it would be here. This is the quality spread you expect of a Relais & Châteaux property, from the ripest melons to oozing honeycomb, excellent salami to Italian tarts and custard-filled croissants. Plates are decorated with roses, coffee comes in silver pots, and porcelain rabbits peek from every corner of the room. See relaischateaux.com
HIGH TEA: ROSEBERY LOUNGE, LONDON, UK
If you imagine afternoon tea means wilted cucumber sandwiches, then revive your opinion of this British institution at the Mandarin Oriental, where sandwiches are stuffed with slow-roasted organic chicken, truffled eggs or Portland crab – and that's before you move on to pastries and scones profligate with Devonshire clotted cream. A Jeeves-like tea master shimmers in to recommend an accompanying Ceylon, Chinese or Darjeeling tea for those not tempted by the champagne. The lounge is a calm oasis in the bustle of chic Knightsbridge, just around the corner from Harrods and Hyde Park. See mandarinoriental.com/london
RESTAURANT: OPERA 02, MODENA, ITALY
This startlingly contemporary hotel and spa in the rolling countryside south of Modena is owned by a family balsamic vinegar producer. The rich smell of vinegar maturing in some 400 barrels (some has been ageing for 50 years) assaults your nose as you step into the lobby. More recently enthusiastic English-speaking owner Mattia Montanari has also been producing sparkling Lambrusco from a darker, more structural variety of Lambrusco grape called Grasparossa di Castelvetro. The hotel's excellent restaurant features local dishes, such as risotto with balsamic vinegar and parmesan, and pasta with truffle flakes. See opera02.it
BUFFET: SHIRETOKO DAIICHI HOTEL, HOKKAIDO, JAPAN
Not a buffet person? This onsen hotel may cause you to think again. After a day of skiing or snowshoeing, followed by an onsen on the hotel's rooftop overlooking the Sea of Okhotsk, you'll wrap yourself in a yukata kimono and head down to the sprawling buffet. There, you'll find everything from drift ice chipped off the Siberian ice floes, fresh red king crabs and various cuts of salmon sashimi pulled straight from the sea, to house-made green tea ice cream and more dubious – but no less delicious – delicacies including fermented squid innards and deep-fried cod ovaries. See shiretoko-1.com
DISH: DOLPHIN PRIVATE ISLAND, FIJI
Fijian food is at its best when the produce is left to speak for itself. On luxurious Dolphin Island, the only genuinely private island of Fiji's 333, that's exactly what happens. Lobsters, prawns and fish are pulled from the sea each day, simply grilled by your personal chefs, then served with local salad, antipasti and tropical fruits. Once you've tasted the kokoda – the Fijian version of ceviche where raw fish is marinated in lemon juice then tossed with diced tomatoes, capsicums, onion and fresh coconut cream – it's likely to haunt you in your dreams. Especially when accompanied by a piña colada made with fresh coconut milk. See dolphinislandfiji.com
CONTRIBUTORS: Andrew Bain, Elspeth Callender, Ben Groundwater, Julietta Jameson, Brian Johnston, Ute Junker, Nina Karnikowski, Katrina Lobley, Rob McFarland, Craig Tansley, Larissa Dubecki, Belinda Jackson, Keith Austin.
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