< Previouswindows in the vast living-dining room, and the bedroom leads into a dressing room and marble-clad bathroom with a carved-teak tub. The design throughout is soft, fl owing and ele- gant, with taupes and whites allowing your eyes to focus on the horizon beyond. Of course, one has to leave at some point (although you could have all meals brought to, or cooked in, the villa). As you head to the main island on your private boat, looking back at your 6,000 sq/ft slice of Maldivian heaven is a magical moment as you realise how fortu- nate you are to experience the very best the destination has to off er. Happily, Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi’s island life is utterly fabulous as well. With three pri- vate islands stitched together, it is the longest hotel island in the region, with a focus on culi- nary adventure. Not content with the usual couple of resort restaurants, the team has curated 11 world-class establishments on the islands, each one a masterclass in its cuisine. From the cocktails at the legendary Peacock Alley to the Arabic village stylings and Middle Eastern off erings of Yasmeen, it’s a huge but strikingly successful dining endeavour given the remoteness of the Maldives. Other high- lights include Terra, with its elevated private dining nests (you read that right) constructed out of bamboo; Shimizu’s interactive sushi bar CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT: The Maldives Princess whisks guests to and from the airport; a spectacular stand-alone Stella Maris residence; dawn at the resort; the mirror pool. AD_040_123-125_Escape_Dream Ticket Maldives_11760409.indd 12425/08/2021 04:42:06 PM125 CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The grand reception; an artfully plated dish at Japanese restaurant Shimizu; overwater villas; staff under the bell at Li Long. and striking birdcage design over the ocean; and Li Long where you can have immaculate- ly glazed Peking duck while sat under a colos- sal Bianzhong bell decorated in Ming dynasty porcelain print. If you get your timings right, you might bag a table at The Ledge when Michelin-starred Australian chef Dave Pynt is at the helm of the wood-fi red oven – an exact replica of the one at his award-winning Singaporean restaurant. It’s also the only wood-fi red oven in the Maldives, so expect innovative barbeque that is elevated beyond anything you’ve tasted before. Before you head back to your Stella Maris villa, you might take a moment to peek into the spa and spot someone taking a yoga lesson at the outdoor temple; or head to the high- tech gym or tennis court. You could also pop into the private beach hideaway that’s kept available for Stella Maris residents in case they are missing the opportunity to sink their feet into the sand. Our recommendation if you’re missing the beach? Get to breakfast on the mainland early and guarantee yourself a spot under the shade of a palm tree, then set sail back to your duplex to spend the rest of the day in truly splendid isolation. After all, you’ll be hard pushed to fi nd anything this sumptuously secluded again. waldorfastori- amaldives.com – HENR Y WINDRIDGE AD_040_123-125_Escape_Dream Ticket Maldives_11760409.indd 12525/08/2021 04:42:29 PM126 - STAY - Sleeping Beauties With the care of creative entrepreneurs, Iran’s historic houses are being reimagined as alluring boutique hotels. Here, we spotlight three from Thomas Wegmann’s charming book, Persian Nights Interviews Feride Yalav-Heckeroth Photography Hamed Farhangi AD_040_126-129_Escape_Stay Persian Nights_11759785.indd 12625/08/2021 05:12:27 PMMANOUCHEHRI HOUSE, KASHAN A beacon among Iran’s boutique hotels, Manouchehri House’s essence lies in the revival of Kashan: the former centre of Iranian textile arts. Located within a renovated 18th-century residence, the hotel was created to sustain the renewal of traditional forms of velvet, brocade and silk weaving, once practised fervently in almost every household in the region. The brainchild of Saba Manouchehri, philanthropist and owner of the establish- ment, Manouchehri House initiated the movement of renovating and repurposing historic structures as accommodations for tourists. Hidden behind its ancient walls, beautiful details such as coloured-glass windows, antique Iranian furnishings and intricate carpets are reminders of Iran’s striking aesthetic heritage. Apart from its restaurants and coff ee shop, which serves local and garden-to-table dishes, the hotel also has a contemporary art gallery, a textile exhibition with a selection of 18th- and 19th-century tapestries and a gift shop selling crafts from master artisans. Inside Story Manouchehri House began as a centre for the revival of textile arts. What inspired you to add the hotel? Saba Manouchehri: It was the realisation that if you can’t bring attention to a dying art, that art will not be revived. To bring attention to Iran’s textile arts, dialogue is needed, and this can’t be achieved without people. I decided to create a hotel, so that visitors can come and stay and have conversations with the weavers, take classes and purchase the weaving material that we create. Plus, the hotel supports the upkeep of the centre. How has the restoration of the house changed fate of the neighbourhood? The fi rst thing that changed was the attention given to this region. Kashan changed from a ‘run-down’ to a ‘historical’ area, which quickly stalled plans for its demolition. The second change occurred in the locals, who realised the beauty and value of their own houses. I know of no fewer than 300 structures that have been restored already. It may not be a huge revolution, but then, change is small and steady. What do you want people to experience when they set foot in Manouchehri House? My vision is the fusion of East and West, old and new, because that’s my lifestyle. It refl ects in our food, our music, our spaces. Fusion is important because one has to bring new into the old to save it, otherwise it will not appeal to the younger generation. And when there is no appeal, the past can fade. AD_040_126-129_Escape_Stay Persian Nights_11759785.indd 12725/08/2021 05:12:40 PM128 E X TR A C TE D AN D AD AP TE D FRO M PE RS IAN N IG H TS : AMA Z IN G BO UTI Q U E H O TE L S & G U E S TH O U S E S IN IR AN B Y TH O M AS WE G M AN N ( T E N E U E S ) JOYBAR, ESFAHAN The passion project of Tahereh Mokhtarpour and her partner Manouchehr Peyvand Heydari, co-founders of the Tehran-based Pishan Architects Studio, Joybar rose from the run-down remnants of a structure from the late Qajar Dynasty era to become a minimalist abode clad in pristine white and natural wood. Honest in its renovation, the new and the old are clearly palpable at this Esfahan bolthole where things were kept as simple as possible to protect its purity and historic vestige. Some of the most striking details include the original brick domes that allow natural light to fl ood the space through their openings and lights composed of repur- posed old glass containers. A consistently ecological approach informs both the design and the experience: from hand-made furniture and homemade organic soaps, to artisanal straw slippers from the south of Iran and a befi ttingly vegetarian menu that features local and homemade dishes. Show & Tell What was your vision for the hotel when you embarked on this project? Tahereh Mokhtarpour: Our main goal was to keep the history of the house intact and allow it to tell its own visual tale. We decided not to hide the marks of time, but rather celebrate them with deliberately modern furniture and additions. It protects the authenticity of the house and guests can experience how the old and new came together. How did you approach the renovation of a 200-year-old house? One of the common things you recognise in historical houses is the changes they have faced during their long life. Even though some think that everything should be restored exactly to its original state, we believe that the changes that occurred during this house’s lifetime are all worthy of being celebrating, so we kept them! From the arched doors that were distorted over 100 years, to chipped stones in the courtyard and the old plasterwork. What were the biggest challenges? Workers in cities outside Tehran don’t cope well with women as managers and even here, a lot of workers left the site as soon as they saw that there was a woman in charge. Plus, there are always surprises in old and historical buildings; you discover so many little secrets like hidden windows, doors or alleys and we discovered plenty of those at Joybar. - STAY - AD_040_126-129_Escape_Stay Persian Nights_11759785.indd 12825/08/2021 05:13:05 PMHANNA, TEHRAN In Tehran’s Lolagar Alley it seems as if an invisible mirror is stretching its way down the street. Every structural detail on one side is repeated in perfect symmetry on the other. Constructed in 1930 by the master builder Hassan Banna, the six buildings of Lolagar Alley are considered to constitute Tehran’s fi rst modern residential complex and off er the fi rst examples of outward facing architecture in the region. Now, around ninety years later, one of the structures is refl ecting another reality: the city’s present zeitgeist. Purchased in 2016 and restored by Mahsa Majidi and her architecture fi rm Persian Design Studio, Hanna Boutique Hotel aff ectionately expresses all the attributes of contempo- rary Tehran without foregoing respect for what’s come before. Bringing new function and life to a once abandoned architectural treasure, Hanna is more than mere accommodation in the heart of a beautifully chaotic city. Its seven rooms are individually designed and inspired by traditional Iranian arts and crafts, yet wholly refl ective of Tehran’s contemporary lifestyle and aesthetic. With traditional forms of Persian mirror work, weaving and brass, this hotel embraces minimalism and heritage with equal zeal. Well Crafted The hotel is dotted with works by local designers. How did you go about choosing them? Mahsa Majidi: I love to show how Iranian crafts mix and match beautifully with works from the likes of Vitra and Flos. I added the Baccarat chandeliers from my grandmother’s old house, which were popular in Tehran during the time this building was originally constructed. All rooms have a piece of prestigious Iranian art, too. I wanted to go against the idea in Iran that an old house has to have a historic interior. We are contemporary people and we relate to contemporary things. How does such a modern intervention in the heart of Tehran change the spirit of the city? The hotel has really changed the mood of the people. I often get told that Hanna is like an oasis in Tehran. You suddenly enter a place that is very modern and calm. For this to come about, I attended to every single detail personally, because what was available in the market left a lot to be desired. Everything is specially selected or custom- designed. When you think of all these layers and you try your best to keep a high standard, everything ends up working together. AD_040_126-129_Escape_Stay Persian Nights_11759785.indd 12925/08/2021 05:13:40 PMS pread over 13 acres of densely forested mountain, Stone Lodges, a new community of handbuilt villas in Wayanad, Kerala, off ers a welcome break from the heat and hubbub of city life in India. “This project is rooted in man’s need for balance – between the urban and the rural, between work and life,” says George E. Ramapuram, principal architect at Earthitects, the design fi rm behind this sustainable development. “We reimagined the experience of everyday living by allying with nature to create homes that are in harmony with their environment.” Sliced into the mountains, the villas are engulfed by verdant foliage and boast eco-friendly construction inspired by the traditional styles of the region. “Whenever a tree or boulder came in the way of the construction, the design was modifi ed to work around it such that nature became an indelible part of our design,” explains Ramapuram. Random-rubble walls, cobblestone pathways, wooden fl ooring and log rafters convey the authenticity of the estate’s remote location. Raw-edge teak wood accents play with rough, unpolished stone and cast concrete, giving each home a distinct made-by- hand character. Clay roof tiles and local granite round off the earthy palette that is beautifully complemented with furniture crafted by regional artisans. earthitects.com – P.S. Going Green 130 - L AST WOR D - FROM TOP: A covered walkway connects the villas; the roughly hewn pool pavilion; an aerial view of the estate; a lushly planted bathroom. 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