Inside Luxury Travel-Varun Sharma Series 3

1  Melbourne

Varun Sharma's trip begins at a countryside hideaway in the Yarra Valley and by taking a gentle cruise above the vineyards and kangaroos in hot air balloon. He then heads off to find those vineyards on horseback, before taking the plunge in the Peninsula Hot Springs resort with its 47 different pool and spa experiences. Back in the city our host is taken to undiscovered galleries and stores which reflect the explosion of art and culture in the city and he also gets to stretch his limbs with a lesson in kite-surfing on St. Kilda Beach.
Duration: 60'

 

2  Tasmania

First stop for Varun Sharma in the Australian State of Tasmania is The Henry Jones Art Hotel. Built on a water-front and dedicated to art, with every room offering a unique experience, the building itself was converted from a jam factory. Varun then takes a trip to one of the National Parks, home of some of the wonderful furry creatures native to this region - wombats, bandicoots and Tasmanian Devils galore! After a spot of fly-fishing at the Currawong Lakes, it is time for golf with a twist as Varun is put through his paces amongst the sheep and hills in true 1840's style.
Duration: 60'

 

3  Istanbul

In the city known for stark contrasts perhaps it's not that surprising that Varun Sharma finds that one of its most luxurious dwellings, The Four Seasons Hotel at Sultanhamet, is in fact a historic converted prison building. A private cruise on the Bosphorus allows our host to view both sides of this imposing and historic city from the water and then checks into the Ritz Carlton, the city's first high-rise building, overlooking the Bosphorus Strait. After spending some time in Istanbul's oldest Turkish bath, the Cagaloglu Hamam, meeting one of the world's leading authorities on Islamic Calligraphy and munching on some Turkish Delights Varun boards his helicopter to depart the city in style.
Duration: 60'

 

4  Kwazulu Natal (South Africa East)

Varun Sharma begins his travels on the South Eastern side of South Africa at the luxurious Oyster Box Hotel in Durban, a newly refurbished gem of a property overlooking the Indian Ocean and boasting its own light-house. In the course of some adrenalin-filled shark diving - of the 'no cage' variety - he gets to meet Black Tip, Dusky and Tiger Sharks. Varun then embarks on a nail-biting game walk tracking Black Rhino at a luxury game reserve and is coaxed into a canoe-trip out on the river amongst the crocodiles and hippos.
Duration: 60'

 

5  Prague

On his arrival in Prague, Varun Sharma is surprised to find himself being whisked away in a vintage car to the Kempinski Hotel, right in the city's Old Town that offers an unusual combination of 62 suites and just 13 rooms. The Penthouse Suite (Varun's home for a few days) boasts marble, chandeliers and a private outdoor jacuzzi, not to mention the superb views of the roof-tops of the city. Later our host heads off for the most unusual of spa treatments, a beer bath, before he is ready to move hotels. The Four Seasons offers guests a choice of Baroque, Classical, Renaissance and Modern room styles and its Allegro Restaurant is the only Michelin Star kitchen in the Czech Republic. The exquisite trip ends with a performance of Swan Lake by the Prague State Opera House Ballet Company.
Duration: 60'

 

6  Barcelona

Varun Sharma finds that The Hotel Arts on Barcelona's beachfront boasts an art collection to rival many galleries and offers not one but two Michelin Star restaurants. Varun steps out to view the amazing modernist architecture around the city before moving on to his second hotel stay at the Hotel La Grand Florida, on a hillside just outside of Barcelona, with views to the city, the sea and beyond. He ends the show with a spin in a 520 horse-power Lamborghini around the Circuit de Cataluna F1 track.
Duration: 60'

 

7  Scotland

Varun's trip begins with a stay at The Glass House Hotel in Edinburgh, an impressive building with a fabulous neo-gothic façade masking a super-contemporary interior and a two-acre roof garden. After a tour of the most famous pieces on display at the National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh Castle awaits, where Varun is treated to a very special viewing of some of its secret parts. In Inverness, a Kilt Historian recounts the origins of the Scottish tartan and gives tips on how it should be worn, prompting Varun to commission his very own set of tartan trousers. Next stop is Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle, with Varun staying in Mr Carnegie's Suite that also happens to be one of two rooms listed at the property by Scottish Heritage. Before he can get too cozy, however, he's out on the North Sea to sneak a peek at some bottle-nose dolphins, porpoise and grey seals.
Duration: 60'

 

8  Quebec

The Auberge Saint-Antoine is a luxury hotel, built on a historical site in the Old Part of Quebec City and housing many artefacts dating back to the 17th Century. Varun stays here in a gorgeous suite with a 700 square foot outdoor terrace, before paying a visit to the Museum of Civilisation to learn about the First Nations people with roots in the region going back as far as 1000 BC. He also meets an Elder from the local Wendake Tribe, who now live in specially re-created village. Next he sets up shop at La Pinsonnier, up north in the Charlevoix Region, in a suite with 180 degree views of the St Lawrence River and goes on to explore the small town of Baie St Paul, not only known for its blossoming art scene, but as the birthplace of the spectacular Cirque du Soleil. Venturing onto the St Lawrence River, Varun ends up spotting three different species of whale, while on his way through the Saguenay Region and St Felicien he sees elks, black bears and caribou pass his off-road vehicle.
Duration: 60'

 

9  Mexico

Varun's journey begins in the State of Baja California Sur at the outstanding Las Ventanas al Paraiso Hotel with views over the Sea of Cortes. This part of the world gets 350 days of sunshine a year, so plenty of time for a game of golf. Varun also enjoys a horse-ride from the desert to the beachfront of the hotel. He then tries his hand at glass-blowing at a local glass recycle factory, before crossing over to the State of Nayarit. The popular tourist destination boasts a sparkling Riviera while further inland the landscape becomes more tropical and is dominated by coffee and tobacco plantations. Varun stays at The Four Seasons Punta Mita in the lush rainforest and his Coral Suite comes with five bedrooms, a private cinema, gym, beach-front and a telescope. He is then taken to swim with Jenny, the Uruguayan sea lion, spared from a local cull by the Uruguayan government. It all ends with the touching release of over 300 baby Olive Ridley turtles into the ocean.
Duration: 60'

 

10  Hawaii

Hawaii is the only island state in the United States of America and Varun kicks off his visit in Honolulu, on the island of Oahu. His home for a few nights is the Halekulani, a luxury hotel in Waikiki and a 250 square meter mega-suite with views over Waikiki Beach. Taking a surfing lesson goes much better than expected and he is up on his board riding a wave within just 20 minutes. After an exhilarating glider-ride his next stop is the island of Maui, the second largest Hawaiian island and The Four Seasons Maui. A highlight of the trip is a Ukulele lesson on Paia Beach, while in the Maui Ocean Centre Varun gets the chance to measure and weigh baby turtles and to feed the sting-rays with curator John Gorman.
Duration: 60'

 

11  Abu Dhabi

The trip begins at the Anantara Resort on Sir Bani Yas Island, just off the shore of the Persian Gulf. A private plane brings Varun over from Abu Dhabi for his stay at the Royal Villa with a four-poster bed, jacuzzi and 24-hour butler service among its many first-class amenities. A tour of the island Wild Life Park is followed by a sunset cruise on the private catamaran of the resort. Next Varun heads to Yas Island, home of the first Golf Links Course in the Emirates, before taking an Aston Martin for a spin around the Yas Marina Circuit which is the first Grand Prix track to have a purposebuilt hotel above it. A short helicopter ride later Varun finds himself in the desert at the Qasr Al Sarab Resort. His suite is complete with a huge rain shower and a terrace that has its own telescope. He takes a drive further into the desert for a Dune Bashing trip in a 4x4 vehicle, before he is steamed and scrubbed in the hotel hamam and sampling the exquisite wine selection on offer.
Duration: 60'

 

12  French Polynesia

Soon after landing in Papeete, the hub airport of the region, Varun is off to Bora Bora to join his own private 72-foot yacht, the ROA. They dock in Raiatea where Maria Cowan takes Varun on a drive up Mount Temahani, an over 3 million-years-old dormant volcano. They have to pass through vegetation thick with mango trees, pineapple bushes and beautiful flowers before reaching the crater. Back on the coast the origins of the local religion are revealed at Tapu-Tapu-Atea, a Maori Holy Site, then at the Atger Vanilla Farm Varun learns about the 3 grades of vanilla, used for anything from spa to food products and later the process of culturing a pearl at Perticulteur a Tahaa, a successful pearl farm. Back on Bora Bora Varun checks into the Four Seasons Hotel, located on the shores of the island under the gaze of Mount Otemanu. His beach-front suite is complete with its own sand, sea and sunbeds. After a spot of diving Varun bows out with his own display of beachfront flame throwing.
Duration: 60'

 

13  UK - Look Back

Varun Sharma looks back at some of his favourite features of another challenging tour of the world's finest hotels, cultural sights and spas.
Duration: 60'

 

14  Culinary Travels with Varun Sharma

The Culinary Travels begin in the heart of the Dorset countryside; in Evershot, the village believed to feature in various Thomas Hardy novels. From here Varun goes on to catching and grilling rainbow trout in Tasmania, while in Kwa-Zulu Natal he learns how to make a Nyala burger with fresh bread and steamed vegetables all cooked on the open fire. After tasting some Turkish wines and an adventurous dish of Scallops, chorizo and squid ink in the Scottish Highlands, the episode is rounded off at the Summer Lodge in Dorset with a tour of the local cheeses with unusual names such as Little Wallop and Blue Viney.
Duration: 60'