Holidays are about treating yourself, to time away, to a new experience, to a lavish suite or an indulgent villa. We understand that for some of our guests one of the big draws to a certain country or resort is the cuisine. From trying out new local ingredients and culinary styles, to the freshest fish or a highly revered chef’s food, sometimes the food can be just as important as the accommodation or scenery. 

With this blog we are showcasing eight of our favourite hotels and resorts which can lay claim to some incredible food. That might be due to the restaurant having at least one Michelin star, a Michelin star chef overseeing the kitchen, serving an innovative cuisine or impeccable culinary execution and of course the service to match.

1. Ski and Gastronomy at the revered L’Apogée, Courchevel:

For foodies looking for a unique experience in the mountains, this is the one to make a beeline for. The Hotel L’Apogée Courchevel offers exemplary five star service and it runs throughout any stay here, it is one of the Alps’ finest hotels. 

Guests can book the highly regarded Chef Jean-Luc Lefrançois for a ‘ski and gastronomy experience’. This is the perfect combination for keen skiers and foodies. Discover the incredible Three Valleys ski area before a gourmet picnic on the piste for lunch before continuing skiing throughout the afternoon. Afterwards there is a private culinary display with champagne awaiting back at the hotel put on by Jean-Luc. This is sure to be the highlight of any ski holiday.

2. The Ledge by Dave Pynt at Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi Maldives:

Having opened just a couple of years ago, the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi is an exquisite and lavish Maldivian paradise. The dining is deserving of a resort of this quality and it is of exceptional standard. There are 11 gourmet options to choose from, however The Ledge by Dave Pynt is our top choice for a meal to remember.

Dave Pynt is the chef-proprietor at the very well regarded Singaporian restaurant Burnt Ends. Known for its modern barbecue food, it uses Dave’s mastery of fire and the theatre of an open kitchen to conjure up one of Asia’s most exciting Michelin star dining experiences. At the Waldorf Astoria’s The Ledge by Dave Pynt this theatre and skill translates into a memorable pool-side dining experience with lively bar, grill and restaurant. It’s a special evening out in an equally special resort. Menu highlights included the grilled locally caught lobster in a brioche roll, king crab with burnt butter and a suitable new-world focussed winelist to boot.

3. Breakfast at Hotel Hospes Maricel & Spa, Majorca:

On the Spanish Coast, there is no more beautiful setting for an extravagant breakfast than at the Restaurant Maricel. This charming five star hotel oozes Spanish charm and is one of the most revered hotels on the island. Hospes are a small chain of hotels that put an emphasis on excellent Spanish cuisine but without the overinflated price tag. 

At the Hospes Maricel & Spa, the breakfast is really quite noteworthy. The beachfront Maricel Restaurant is famous for its Maricel Breakfast, served daily at 9:30am. Awarded the ‘best breakfast in the world’ this breakfast tasting menu is a journey of gastronomic discovery with a trio of smoothies, exotic fruits, truffled bacon and Ibencico cheese, amaretto sorbet with majorcan herbs, scallop white omelette and many many more tasting courses. After all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day…

4. Michelin star dining at Il Refettorio, Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa, Italy:

Italy is a country that is blessed with the raw ingredients to produce some incredible dishes. These locally grown ingredients are so good that many can be enjoyed as they are. At the Restaurant Il Refettorio Chef Christoph Bobhas has a great understanding of this and uses the best of the ingredients of the Campania region to produce sensational traditional dishes from the Amalfi Coast, but fine tuned to elevate things to another level. 

The terrace of Il Refettorio is simply stunning for an evening meal. Overlooking the Gulf of Salerno this is one of the Amalfi Coast’s most beautiful and iconic spots for a meal. Many of the seasonal ingredients which are used by Chef Christoph are grown in the terraced gardens located above the Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel, making sure that the ingredients really are as fresh as possible and served at their best.

5. The Stone Barn, Park Hyatt St. Kitts Christophe Harbour:

An adult-only restaurant, The Stone Barn at the Park Hyatt St. Kitts is a smart fine dining restaurant which delivers on flavour. Known as one of the best places to eat in the Caribbean, The Stone Barn is intimate and the place to eat on St. Kitts if you are in search of a refined and elegant evening out. 

The setting is chic and enticing, a romantic spot for a date night in luxurious surroundings. Meanwhile the food is equally beautiful. The chefs of The Stone Barn utilise the bountiful produce of the island and surroundings waters to create mouthwatering dishes, the ‘Taste of Banana Bay’ signature tasting menu is relatively reasonably priced and above all it is delicious.

6. A crater floor banquet at the &Beyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, Tanzania: 

&Beyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge is a safari lodge that provides the epitome of luxury. An extravagant and iconic safari camp located on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, it has one of the best locations for dining in the world. The crater floor banquet is quite something and a once in a lifetime experience. At the banquet lunch white table clothes and silver cutlery are laid out for a truly special experience. 

The butlers will serve some incredible dishes to enjoy whilst the wildlife including zebras, wildebeest and pink flamingos might enviously eye up your food.

Aware of the impacts that tourism can have on the surrounding area, &Beyond have a water treatment plant, source produce locally and support local farmers in order to enable conservation and aid sustainable tourism.

Photo credit: &Beyond

7. Ithaa Undersea Restaurant, Conrad at Rangali Island, Maldives:

No dining experience is quite the same as one which is underwater. At the Conrad at Rangali Island in the Maldives the Ithaa Undersea restaurant is set five metres underwater giving a 180 degree view of the coral garden and local marine life whilst you dine. 

The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner but booking is absolutely essential and recommended prior to arriving in the resort, as you can imagine demand for a restaurant like this is sky high! The food is refined and elegant, with lunch consisting of four set courses and dinner including seven different dishes. As sharks and stingrays swim past you, enjoy a Michelin level dining experience that is sure to create memories to last a lifetime. Just be warned, this does not come cheaply.

8. Private dining at the Chalet Les Anges, Zermatt:

As one of Switzerland’s finest chalets, the Chalet Les Anges naturally provides some incredible food to go alongside the impeccable service. This award-winning catered chalet sleeps 14 guests and promises an utterly indulgent time in the mountains. 

Having sampled some of the food which will be conjured up at the Chalet Les Anges, we can say with absolute confidence that it will rival some of your best fine dining experiences, all served within the comfort of a private chalet. Your chalet chef will tailor the week’s menu to your tastes, dietary requirements and preferences to ensure that you have a perfect stay. Combining Michelin star dining experiences with locally sourced ingredients each evening is a true experience of culinary prowess. That’s not mentioning the incredible breakfasts with reinvigorating juice shots, fruit platters, pastries and cooked to order dishes, as well as the sensational afternoon teas. There’s also carefully matched wines with dinner and an open bar throughout the stay here with Perrier-Jouët house champagne.

Are you ready to have a new taste experience and indulge your senses at one of our recommendations above? If that is the case then get in touch and we will be happy to recommend further experiences fit for a foodie.