WINTER 2011I sea&iI45topfivePALLADIO SUITE, HOTEL CIPRIANI, VENICE, ITALYHolding its own against the many new hotels that steal the headlines daily,the Palladio Suite is still a favourite. Suspended mid-air above the Venetianlagoon, it has 180-degree views to ensure you don't miss a bit of the city'sromance. Along with the master bedroom and its two marble bathrooms,both overlooking the garden and lagoon, there is a living and dining room,a large terrace with outdoor heated plunge pool, a heated Jacuzzi whirlpoolshaded by fragrant jasmine, and a private dock. Beyond the suite, guestshave access to one of the world's most legendary hotels and cities.For information, visit www.hotelcipriani.comTOP TIPStep off your private dock onto a deluxe motor launch and whisk through the scenic coves, islands and islets of VeniceTHE IMPERIAL YACHT SUITE, GRAND HOTEL EUROPE, ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIAIn 1871, Tsar Alexander II launched the royal yacht Derzhava - a spectacularvessel with an opulent interior that required more than 200 employees tomaintain her. Reflecting this grand launch, the Imperial Yacht Suite at theGrand Hotel Europe has nautical colours, a sumptuous marble bathroom andartwork depicting the life of this remarkable ship. The suite is just one ofthe hotel's ten Unique History Suites; others honouring the likes of Pavarotti,Dostoevskyand Fabergé. Each suite has a hall, living room, bedroom,bathroom and views of the Arts Square. For information, visit www.grandhoteleurope.comTOP TIPOrder the VIP Set-Up to enjoy a bottle of Tsarskaja gold vodka,pancakes and Beluga caviar on arrivalTY WARNER PENTHOUSE, FOUR SEASONS HOTEL, NEW YORK, US Occupying the entire top floor of the Four Seasons in New York, this penthouseis one of North America's most exclusive accommodations. Its nine rooms areloaded with wonders, including cantilevered glass balconies, floor-to-ceilingwindows, cathedral ceilings, 360-degree views of Manhattan, a bed threadedwith gold, an indoor-outdoor Zen garden with its own waterfall overlookingthe Statue of Liberty, a Bösendorfer grand piano, bathroom sinks carved ofsolid rock crystal, a rain shower, an infinity-edge bath tub, a library with agilded-bronze chandelier, and a personal butler and trainer/therapist. Aremarkable architectural and design innovation, it is a live-in work of art.For information, visit www.fourseasons.comTOP TIPCruise the streets of New York in your privately chauffeured Rolls Royce Phantom or Mercedes Maybach

Annandale Falls, SevenSisters Falls, and MountCarmel Waterfall are all worth a visit, while the Grand EtangForest Reserve in the heart of theisland is one of the finest naturalareas in the whole Caribbean. It isfilled with towering bamboo, wildflowers, razorgrass, and theGrand Etang Lake - an extinctvolcanic crater. Head to Gouyave for FishFriday - a weekly streetparty in the largest of theisland's fishing towns. Chefsrustle up everything fromsteamed red snapper to marlinpizza and the party continuesuntil the food runs out.Grenadian cuisine marries West Indianflavours with spices such as nutmeg,cinnamon and ginger, and the island offers agood variety of both fine dining and more casuallocal restaurants.Sat above the beach, the open-air Aquarium is the island's best-knowneatery. The menu of grilled meats and seafoodruns throughout the week, but it is the weekendwhen lobster barbecues and rum punches bringthe venue to life, accompanied by live Calypsomusic. For local cuisine, try BB's Crabback on theCarenage in the capital of St George's. Grenada is the world's second largest pro-ducer of nutmeg (after Indonesia).Nutmeg was brought to Grenada in the middle ofthe 19th century and has dominated everyaspect of island life since. Hurricane Ivanuprooted most of the nutmeg trees but production continues at a number of farms thatare open to the public. Grenada is also well-known for its chocolate, and the process of turning the cocoa beans into the famous Grenada organic dark chocolate can be witnessed at the Belmont Estate. The capital of St George's isthe focal point of theisland. A rainbow of pastel-coloured dockside warehouses with red-tiledroofs sit aside a horseshoe-shaped harbour. Reflectingthe island's dual French andBritish legacies, a pair ofimpressive hilltopforts sitatop the capital - FortFrederick and Fort George. SAUTEURSTIVOLIMount St Catherine VICTORIAFor further information on chartering in theWindward Islands, contact your nearestcharter broker, see page 646Isea&iIWINTER 2011CONSTANTINEGOUYAVELevera BeachATLANTIC OCEAN CARIBBEAN SEA N