T R A V E L
ESCAPE Routes
Do city (and
country) chic
in Vancouver
2010 is all about the value-added
holiday, and there’s no destination
more multifunctional than Vancouver.
With parks, beaches, and breathtaking
vistas that keep your camera
constantly on panoramic, the jewel in
Canada’s west coast is a cosmopolitan
hub that’s set on the water and
surrounded by mountains. Just two
hours from Whistler ski resort, it’s
got a healthy, outdoors vibe that
leaves you so relaxed you'll
want to move there.
Hiking, biking and sea
kayaking top the outdoor
pursuits, as does a trip to
Grouse Mountain 15 minutes
away (grousemountain.com).
Here you can snowshoe, sleigh,
see orphaned grizzly bears
or whizz across the peaks on
a mountain zipline. For a slower
pace, explore the ancient
����WWW�STYLIST�CO�UK
cedars and intricate totem poles of
Stanley Park, or take a 90-minute ferry
ride to Vancouver Island and British
Columbia’s capital, Victoria. It’s a long
day but the picturesque journey
through calm water past small islands
and Victoria’s olde-worldy harbour is
worth the early wake-up call.
The best place to stay is Yaletown is
a hip district reminiscent of NY’s SoHo,
brimming with converted warehouses
and boutiques. It’s home to the Opus:
a boutique hotel with a lively, slick
interior. Here, you can match your
room to your personality and sip
cocktails in its bar – previously voted
Vancouver’s most popular nightspot.
Why it’s hot Vancouver is co-host
of this year’s Winter Olympics with
THE GLASS-FRONTED
OPUS HOTEL. BEYOND
COOL, PEOPLE
FROM SEA TO SNOW,
CANADA'S PREMIERE WEST
COAST CITY HAS IT ALL
Whistler from Feb 12-28. Summer
is equally as impressive as winter
– board the Rocky Mountaineer train
to explore the Rockies. Or star
spot – so much filming happens in
Vancouver it’s often called ‘Hollywood
North’ by movie companies.
Eating and drinking Don’t leave
Vancouver without sampling the sushi.
There are scores of all-you-can-eat
deals at a fraction of UK prices.
Shiro is popular for melt-in-your
mouth sashimi or hit the Raw Bar at
seafood joint Blue Water Cafe for a
sophisticated night.
Photo opportunity Vancouver
Lookout tower gives a mile-high view
of the city’s harbour, mountains and
downtown via a glass elevator that
whisks you 50 storeys high in under
a minute. Feeling more daring? Cross
(no cheating with your eyes open!) the
Capilano Suspension Bridge, 230 feet
above the city’s Capilano River.
Rooms at the Opus Hotel (opushotel.com)
start from £120 per person, based on two
people sharing. Flights from London
Heathrow to Vancouver start from £491
(dialaflight.com).
HAVE�BIKINI��WILL�TRAVEL
HOLIDAY HUNTER
WHISKY’D AWAY
Combine your love of whisky and
food with the Food and Whisky
Master Class break in Perthshire,
Scotland. You’ll get to try rare
whiskies while indulging in
delicious food. The Master Class
(6 March) plus
two nights at
the Monachyle
Mhor Hotel start
at £684 per
room based
on two sharing
(mhor.net).
SCOTCH ON THE
ROCKS? CERTAINLY
MADAME
LIONS, TIGERS
AND BEARS, OH MY
Expert Africa is offering a £348
discount on its safari package in
Zambia. Stay in Kapani Lodge for
access to the safari park every
day with your own personal guide.
Six nights, full board, flights and
safari from £2,035 per person
(expertafrica.com).
MUMM’S THE WORD!
La Vieux Pont Parc in Berny
Riviere, France, has launched a
champagne experience which
includes a tour of the famous GH
Mumm cellar. The resort also offers
outdoor activities such as pony
trekking. From £394 per couple,
for seven nights (keycamp.co.uk).
TAKE A DIP IN
THE LAKE AT LA
VIEUX PONT PARC
LUXURY ON A BUDGET
One of the leading collections
of independent hotels,
Worldhotels, is offering couples
up to 25% off over 75 luxury
hotels worldwide. Just in time
for Valentine’s Day the
destinations include romantic
Rome, New York and Boston.
Available until 28 February
(worldhotels.com/valentines).
WORDS��SUSAN�RILEY���PHOTOGRAPHY��GETTY�IMAGES��CORBIS
To view a Ceros magazine you need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser and have the flash player 8 or higher installed. To install the latest flash player, click the icon above, install the flash plugin and then click here to refresh this page.