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THE CHAOS AND the party flavours of Cancún might be your first stop in Mexico, but a half-hour ferry ride away sits a seductive paradise called Isla Mujeres, or “the island of women,” ready to cradle you in its arms. This island is still undiscovered by the full moon party crowd, so its authenticity isn’t dampened. As you arrive on this tropical paradise of endless summer, the salt-kissed breeze will give you a welcoming embrace and invite you to its untouched beaches.

However, before you settle down in the slow rhythm of the island, check into this special seashell house on the island. A brainchild of architect Eduardo Ocampo, wife Raquel, and his visual artist brother, Octavio, this abode has cliff-side views of the calm Caribbean and private access to the beach. “I initially wanted to build a grass hut when I first moved to Isla Mujeres,” confessed Eduardo. “But I was so inspired by the mountains and loved being around the ocean too, so came the idea of this seashell house.”

The pearl-white house is, literally, shaped like a seashell. A spiral staircase leads up to the first floor of the villa and windows and doors mimic the curves of the shell. Splashes of blue bounce off against the overwhelming palette of white, adding depth to the silhouette of this geometric property. Although only a short walk away from a private, secluded beach, creatures from the majestic underwater world call this two-bedroom space their home. Oyster-hued shells sit proud in every corner, a magnetic mermaid carved into stone is your living room companion, and seashells instead of typical showerheads will help you rinse the salt off your skin.

Renting a golf cart is advisable on this island, as that is the most convenient mode of transport for the island habitants. Our top start-to-the-day suggestion? Wake up predawn and see a beautiful sunrise above the Gulf of Mexico, before taking a dip in the

Isla Mujeres

Mexico

m e x i c o : w h a t t o p a c k

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1. iPhone 6 cover Dhs1,355 Dolce & Gabbana2. Book Dhs403. Bag Dhs3,500 Aigner4. Sunglasses Dhs2,260 Linda Farrow 5. Wedges Dhs2,820 Laurence Dacade at Level Shoe District6. Cross-body bag Dhs3,420 Olympia Le-Tan

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1. Earrings Dhs1,700 Versace 2. Book Dhs1433. Espadrilles Dhs1,710 Fendi4. Signature Touch Phone from Dhs40,000 Vertu5. Scarf Dhs1,120 Carolina Herrara

Paris

France“I’M LOOKING FOR LOVE. Ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can’t-live-without-each-other love. And I don’t think that love is here, in this expensive suite, in this lovely hotel in Paris.” When Carrie Bradshaw uttered these words, 11 years ago, she didn’t expect them to channel the current trend in the luxury travel industry.

Chic and discerning travellers are trading opulent chandeliers, breakfast buffets, and an itemised pillow menu for a preloved, vacation home. “I wanted to create a warm home that seemed more like a Parisian apartment where you feel like you belong, as opposed to a hotel where you’re just a regular guest,” explains the owner of this five-bedroom Parisian apartment, nestled in the bustling 16th arrondissement.

Walking distance away

from Trocadéro and

Champs Elysées, this flat

is ideal for a Christmas

break with the family

A typical Parisian courtyard awaits to usher you along its lush green belt and through the colossal wrought-iron gates. The optimistic entrance to the apartment is saturated in coral, teal, and black tints. A large bookshelf is weighed down with well-thumbed Ernest Hemingway classics. The industrial-style kitchen stands proud opposite the minimally styled living space. The owner continues, “I have punctuated bold colours with Scandinavian-style neutrals in this three-storey apartment. And if you think about it, this design decision is like life, isn’t it? All those alternating moments of energy and serenity that we face every single day.”

This home can accommodate up to 10 guests and is located in the heart of Paris – falling in love with it shouldn't be challenging. • From Dhs2,776 per night. Visit airbnb.com/rooms/3658459

HOME AWAY FROM HOMEAirbnb is changing the face of luxury

travel and billing its plush private properties as personalised holiday homes

w o r d s s h i t i k a a n a n d

warmth of the Caribbean Sea. Isla Mujeres is only seven kilometres

long – the perfect distance for avid runners. There is also an option to swim with bottlenose dolphins, just off the coast from the main beach. In 2014, Isla Mujeres saw a total of 227,540 visitors, with Cancún having 3.2 million visitors in the same time period. These figures should be able to help you decide where to book your tickets. ›› • From Dhs937 per night. Visit www.airbnb.com/rooms/385104

This seashell-shaped

house warrants 100

per cent privacy,

as there is nothing

around but bushes

of tropical flora and

the Caribbean Sea

The smaller round

shell of the house is

the bedroom with

a king-size bed, and

the bigger shell is the

dedicated living space

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1. Eye mask Dhs230 Aromatherapy Associates2. Necklace Dhs2,025 Etro 3. Book Dhs40 4. Backpack Dhs2,975 Burberry 5. Yoga mat Dhs165 Carrot, Banana and Peach

THE TERM “PALATIAL” is not what comes to mind when you think of Ubud – a holistic town in the heart of Bali. The island is a vibrant pinprick of Hinduism in the midst of the world’s largest Muslim country, and this town is a nature’s paradise. The dazzling green countryside of Ubud comes with lush rice paddy fields, baby geckos, and local fruit bats – all there to welcome you to their world.

Channel your inner Julia Roberts from Eat, Pray, Love and feed your spiritual soul to understated opulence at this all-bamboo, four-level house in

Look up when you

arrive in this paradise;

the roof is an innovative

arrangement of

monochromatic bamboo

shingles with accents of

blonde and beige tones

This home confined

within nature comes with

world-class facilities,

including a dehumidifier

the town of Ubud. Designed by Elora Hardy, daughter of jewellery designer, John Hardy, and Macarena Chiriboga, the Ibuku structure of this house is a nod to the rustic architecture that surrounds this part of town. Also, every piece of bamboo here is an original feature.

“There are no walls in this house – everything is connected with nature, in the most organic way. It is such a tranquil setting because there is never a moment when the guests feel like they are part of something ordinary,” shares Elora. This three-bedroom house, called Sunrise House, is perched on the edge of the Ayung river. When you enter its vicinity, a tepee-like structure distracts you from what’s inside – it almost feels like you’re invading somebody’s tent, until

the extraordinary calibre of the luxury accommodation peeps from inside. The sumptuous finishing of teak, brass, and finely carved plaster are outfitted with 1200-count Egyptian cotton sheets in the bedroom. The entire building is complete with bespoke furniture, right from the walk-in closet to the bathtub carved out of a single piece of bamboo.

The house has played host to visitors from 47 different countries with a majority of them being friends of the owner’s father, who is also the founder of the Green School in the neighbourhood. It’s at this off-the-grid school where they teach the next generation how to create, build and be a ‘whole person.’ • From Dhs1,227 per night. Visit airbnb.com/rooms/385104

SOMEONE WHO has been to Thailand’s party island understands how luxurious it is to find an unspoilt stretch in Phuket that isn’t dethroned by tourist tours, backpackers, and loud bars. The Kathu district is the smallest area on the island and runs along the picturesque west coast. While this glitzy part of Phuket has everything on offer – from six-star resorts with private butlers, Michelin-starred chefs, and even world-class plastic surgeons – finding your own private home is the ultimate luxury.

This six-bedroom ocean front house can accommodate up to 12 people, making it a hot spot for those arriving on the island for a tanning session, as well as a cosmopolitan diversion from island life. Its chic white, modern interiors are enunciated with the uninterrupted aquamarines and chartreuses of the Andaman Sea.

Spanned across four floors, this private condo will help you tick off all the water-based activities in your Thai bucket list. The condo has a 16-metre white marble infinity pool, an outdoor jacuzzi, as well as a secret walkway to the private beach beneath for a cheeky midnight swim.

Despite Phuket going through an identity crisis, alternating between paradise with golden beaches and sunloungers and also blamed for bringing in low-end tourism to the region, one aspect of it remains consistent – the sky enamelled in apricot and tangerine hues at sunset.

Every room in this villa faces the ocean, so no one needs to disturb the other when the sun bids farewell from its sweltering day on the island.

When you tire of the luxuries in your villa, head down to Phuket Town – the more old-fashioned counterpart to Patong’s party capital, built around impressive colonial architecture – and see its streets come to life. • From Dhs7,561 per night. Visit airbnb.com/rooms/385104 •

The peaceful interiors of this

villa offer the opportunity for

calm, relaxed, and thoughtful

moments – all it needs

from you is a swimsuit, an

insightful book, and SPF30

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1. Stilettos Dhs2,800 Elisabetta Franchi2. Book Dhs45 3. Sunglasses Dhs1,850 Cutler and Gross at Boutique 14. Bag Dhs6,560 Céline5. Scarf Dhs17,000 Gucci

Phuket

Thailand

Ubud

Bali

Luscious green

hills surround the

Andaman Sea

Pho

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