For 2020, the family-owned and run Red Carnation Hotel Collection is unveiling a carefully curated selection of new and exceptional experiences to discover at our properties across the world. Here are a few of our favorites:

WHAT'S NEW

FOODIE

Meet the locals at the forefront of Irish artisan cuisine

Guests at the 800-year-old Ashford Castle can immerse themselves in some of Ireland's best-loved culinary traditions with a hands-on Taste of the West experience. They will learn how to make traditional Irish soda bread in a farmhouse kitchen close to the estate, enjoy the freshest shellfish on the shores of Killary fjord under the shadow of the highest mountain in the west of Ireland, and be welcomed into a local forager's home on the breathtaking Aughris Beg peninsula. Find more information about the food experiences with Ashford Castle here.

Spice masterclass in Umhlanga, South Africa

Enjoy a private curry masterclass with Kevin Joseph, Executive Chef at The Oyster Box hotel in Durban, and discover how to make some of the delicious dishes, including the Tandoori chicken, for which the hotel's curry buffet is renowned. The experience will include a trip to a 100-year-old Spice Emporium in Durban and a meal on the hotel's Ocean Terrace overlooking the Indian Ocean. Find more information about the Oyster Box curry masterclass here.   

OUTDOORS

Glass-bottomed canoe on Botswana's incredible waterways

Slip stealthily through the waters of the Okavango Delta on a beautiful glass-bottomed mokoro craft (a traditional canoe) or motor boat to experience the labyrinthine wetlands that surround Xigera Safari Lodge, opening in 2020. Hippos and crocodiles rest in the cooling lagoons, while elephants wade on the perimeters. Find more information about cruises on Botswana's waterways at Xigera here.

The island of Sark by horse and carriage

A 50-minute boat ride from The Duke of Richmond Hotel on Guernsey, Sark is the crown jewel of the Channel Islands. Accompanied by one of Sark's best-known characters, take a horse-drawn carriage ride across the island's unspoilt landscape and charming roads, and cross over the famous La Coupée to Little Sark. Find more information about The Duke of Richmond's experience on Sark here.

LEARNING

Timeless Swiss watchmaking

Become a watchmaker for a day and leave with a truly unique timepiece. In the heart of Geneva, enter the Initium Workshop and learn the fundamentals of watchmaking, selecting the bespoke components and style, before returning to the famous Leopard Lounge of Hotel d'Angleterre on the edge of Lake Leman for a cocktail. Find more information about Hotel d'Angleterre's watchmaking experience here.

Become a writer in Bloomsbury

Just moments from The Montague on the Gardens, step into the world of Faber & Faber, one of the world's greatest publishing houses. Walk in the footsteps of 13 Nobel Laureates and six Booker Prize-winners with a writing course from a publisher that has told the stories of some of the foremost voices in literature. Find more information about the writing class with The Montague on the Gardens here.

HISTORY & CULTURE

Freedom flight over Cape Town

Take an exhilarating private helicopter flight with Christo Brand, warder and close friend of Nelson Mandela. Over more than four hours, listen to the inside story of Mandela's time in prison whilst flying along the breathtaking coastline of the Atlantic Seaboard, close to The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa. Find more information about the helicopter flight with The Twelve Apostles here.

The real Connemara: Irish crafts and music

Experience the real Connemara, far from the tourist trail. Meet the locals who have been shaped by this exposed landscape and be welcomed into their homes and workshops to learn about their skills and crafts, from basket weavers, to ceramicists and Irish pipers. Finish with an afternoon at an Irish family pub, before returning to The Lodge at Ashford Castle. Find more information on the Irish experiences at The Lodge at Ashford Castle here.

WELLNESS

Sun salutations over London's rooftops

Take yoga practice to new heights with a restorative class on the beautiful rooftop of Hotel 41. The aerial views of the Royal Parks and Royal Mews of Buckingham Palace, high above the noise of the city, will only add to this unique experience, leaving guest's feeling peaceful and rejuvenated. Find more information on the rooftop yoga at Hotel 41 here.

Mindfulness amongst the Dorset hills

Embark on an introduction to mindfulness workshop, surrounded by the beautiful landscaped grounds of Summer Lodge and the rolling hills of Dorset. Take a walk amongst the hotel's walled gardens and enjoy a healthy, seasonal lunch created with the finest, locally sourced produce and ingredients grown in the kitchen gardens. Find more information about mindfulness at Summer Lodge here.

SHOPPING

Tour with the Beadles, the oldest and smallest police force in the world

One of the world's finest and most historic shopping destinations in London, Burlington Arcade, close to The Chesterfield Mayfair, is guarded by the Beadles, the oldest and smallest police force in the world. Take a tour through the 200-year-old Arcade with a Beadle and discover distinguished purveyors, the quintessentially English fragrance house Penhaligon's and boutique patisserie Ladurée. Find more information about the Chesterfield Mayfair's tour with the Beadles here.

A shopper's paradise: Worth Avenue in Palm Springs

Stretching four blocks from Lake Worth to the Atlantic Ocean and steps from The Chesterfield Palm Beach, Worth Avenue is home to some of the world's most exclusive brands. Indulge in a personal shopping experience by chauffeur-driven car, and take in the stunning Mediterranean-inspired architecture as you browse the exceptional collection of boutiques. Find more information about the Chesterfield Palm Beach shopping experience here.

MAKE TRAVEL MATTER

Caring for our world

Rock Art Excursions at Bushman's Kloof

At Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat, discover a magical retreat in the South African wilderness, with ancient bush art sites dating back 10,000 years. Bushmans Kloof is the custodian of over 130 unique rock art sites, and the reserve is dedicated to protecting these extraordinary treasures, which have been awarded the status of a Grade 1 South African National Heritage Site. Field Guides take guests on Nature Drives and Rock Art excursions, introducing them to a world of wide open plains, abundant wildlife and majestic rock formations. Considered mankind's oldest nation, the Bushman tribes have lived in the Cederberg Mountains for thousands of years. Gain insights into the ancient culture and interpretations of the paintings on rocky overhangs that bears graphic testimony to the history of the Stone Age hunter-gatherers who inhabited the region. Find more information about the Rock Art Excursions at Bushman's Kloof here.

MEET THE TEAM

Introducing Peter Finlayson, Founder & Cellar Master at Bouchard Finlayson wine estate

As the first winemaker in the Hemel-en-Aarde (Heaven and Earth) Valley, Peter Finlayson is renowned as the 'Father' of Pinot Noir in South Africa, as well as putting the Walker Bay wine region on the map. The Bouchard Finlayson Winery, where Peter has been since its inception, is part of the world of Red Carnation and all hotels in the collection are proud to feature a number of the winery's top Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blancs on their wine lists. Framed by great fold mountains and ocean views, the vineyards are also surrounded by an indigenous floral conservancy alive with birdsong and wildflowers.

Guests staying at The Twelve Apostles hotel in Cape Town can visit the vineyard for a day, meet Peter and take a walk with an environmentalist through the fynbos, which come alive in full bloom in the spring, and then enjoy a locally-sourced deli platter and a bottle of award-winning wine in the tasting room or out on the terrace. Find more information the boutique Bouchard Finlayson vineyard here.

FRIENDS OF RED CARNATION HOTELS

Discover our valued partners and suppliers

Secrets of the Royal Albert Hall

Did you know that the Royal Albert Hall once hosted a séance; that the auditorium was flooded with 56,000 liters of water for an opera concert; and that a royal love story almost stopped it from being built?

Thanks to a special partnership with London's most prestigious concert venue, guests of The Milestone Hotel & Residences will hear remarkable stories like these and more as they go 'behind-the-curtain', visiting areas of the historic building that are usually off-limits to the general public. Among other things, the tour takes in the dressing rooms, the Hall's spectacular Grand Organ and the loading bay which is located deep underground. Find more information about The Milestone Hotel's behind-the-scenes tour of the Royal Albert Hall here.