Postcard From the Edge
Lapland of Luxury
It doesn’t get more remote – or unforgettable – than this: A luxury chalet so embedded in nature it appears to have grown out of the ground with the dense, white forest that envelops it. At 66-degrees north in the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland, OCTOLA Private Wilderness is a solitary gem of manmade architecture amid 300 hectares of wilderness. Conceived by the team behind Luxury Action, which launched igloo accommodation in the Arctic last year, OCTOLA’s magnetic natural environment invites guests to reignite the spirit and reconnect with nature. The chalet architecture nods to the traditional Lapp ‘laavu’ buildings of the native nomadic people, while the level of detail and comfort is a lesson in luxurious modern design. Every centimetre of OCTOLA was designed for the global traveller accustomed to five-star experiences, and its exclusive 10 rooms range from 22 to 48 square metres each. Modern yet comfortable designer furnishings invite cosy couch sessions, alone or with loved ones, with floorto-ceiling windows removing any barrier to the serene snowy scenery beyond. Wilderness guides, a chef and a butler are all on hand to tend to guests’ every wish, and the chalet can be partly or fully privatised, making it a must-experience for those seeking absolute solitude. Turns out it’s possible to find luxurious accommodation just about anywhere, even at the ends of the Earth. octola.com
Postcard From the Edge
Out of Africa
It might be the gorillas that have long lured visitors to Rwanda, but new nature hideaway Singita Kwitonda Lodge isn’t doing a bad job of further piquing our interest in ‘The Land of a Thousand Hills’, either. Newly opened on 72 hectares on the edge of Volcanoes National Park, the exclusive, eight-suite lodge is not only the embodiment of safari suave, with striking yet calming interiors that echo the wildly beautiful landscape, but it was built from materials sourced from the local community. As for the gorilla factor, if the fact that the lodge is situated less than 10 minutes from possible primate sightings isn’t enough for you, then you’ll be pleased to know Singita is also committed to extensive reforestation initiatives to increase the range and numbers of endangered mountain gorillas in the area. Dian Fossey would be proud. singita.com
Introducing Hotel Chadstone Melbourne
Retail Therapy
When planning a weekend trip entirely dedicated to shopping, where do you go? Melbourne, of course, and now visitors can have access to the country’s largest luxury retail precinct, all within steps of their hotel lobby with the opening of Hotel Chadstone, an MGallery by Sofitel property. Taxiing all over town laden with shopping bags is set to become a thing of the past with the five-star, $130 million hotel positioned right next door to Chadstone – The Fashion Capital. A world-renowned fashion and entertainment hub for local and international visitors, Chadstone – The Fashion Capital is Australia’s largest shopping centre, featuring more than 550 stores and designer boutiques, and over 30 luxury brands. Fresh from its opening on November 1, the hotel’s interior is a feminine flourish of sumptuous velvets, wooden joinery and glittering gold. Melbourne’s first five-star hotel outside the CBD, the property also boasts views across Port Phillip Bay and the city’s skyline along with a rooftop pool, bar, two gourmet restaurants and a day spa, creating a welcome sanctuary where you can drop, in absolute luxury, after you’ve shopped. hotelchadstone.com.au
Introducing Dairy Flat by Lake House
Greener Pastures
36 years after Lake House Daylesford opened its doors, the award-winning hotel has welcomed a sibling, and she’s an ‘Earth Child’ if ever we’ve seen one. Set on a 15-hectare regenerative farm surrounded by rolling hills, seven kilometres from Daylesford, Dairy Flat by Lake House offers the kind of idyllic country life many of us dream about – especially when we’re stuck in traffic on the morning commute. The European-style lodge offers just six luxurious suites but all the charm of its sister property, plus an extensive and productive kitchen garden, a vineyard, its own bakehouse, an established olive grove and an orchard of 350 heritage fruit trees. Like Lake House, Dairy Flat Lodge champions sustainable and local produce, with the farm meaning the vast majority of food served at both Lake House properties now comes entirely from the local area. Inside, it’s a country estate of utmost elegance, with custom-made furniture, cabinetry and upholstery, original artworks by Allan Wolf-Tasker, botanical paintings by Alesandro Ljubicic, sculpture by bronze-worker Anthony Vanderzweep and woodwork from craftsman Greg Stirling.
Lodge guests can roam the pastures on a farm tour or book into scheduled workshops on gardening, baking and beekeeping, or immerse themselves in the day-to-day activities of the farm – in the vegetable garden, orchard, vineyard, olive grove, ornamental gardens and bee hives . It’s ‘mi casa es su casa’ at Dairy Flat Farm, with that fresh country air and expansive green space all ripe for exploration and immersion. You might not be able to escape the rat race just yet, but in the meantime there’s always weekends at Dairy Flat by Lake House. dairyflatfarmdaylesford.com.au
