Falstaff Magazin International Nr. 2/2022

trends / BACK TO THE

trends / BACK TO THE ROOTS Fire and ice. At the Holmen Lofoten hotel, guests can forge their own knife in the workshop. Nordic minimalism. British celebrity chef Valentine Warner has turned his dream of a restaurant into reality on the Lofoten Islands. “WE’VE LOST OUR CONNECTION WITH NATURE AND WITH OURSELVES – HOLMEN LOFOTEN IS A PLACE WHERE WE CAN RECONNECT.” < experience should be. And just in case you get bored after lazing in a hammock for too long, many hotels offer an array of immersive activitites. They can be booked there an then so you can suit yourself and your mood during your stay. But not all of these experiences have to be that far-flung. A back-to-the roots experience is also available on the Isle of Skye in Scotland: Kinloch Lodge is a historic, family-run hotel and restaurant whose stated aim is to offer a retreat that is as unpretentious as it is luxurious. One of the packages available goes by the name of Digital Detox. “Handing your mobile phone and all your other digital devices over to the receptionist might sound radical,” admits hostess Isabella Macdonald, who grew up in her parents’ hotel in this remote spot on the edge of the water. “But that’s what it’s all about – being offline for a change and connecting with nature. Our guests are given a painting set and a notebook so that they can capture their impressions. And we’ve got a big library where they can spend the evenings with their nose in a good book.” You can also join daily foraging expeditions to the forest and shore to collect mushrooms, sorrel, seaweed, mussels and samphire. The detox package also includes learning traditional firelighting techniques, a most useful skill that connects you to the primal and fascinating element of fire. COOKING BY THE NORTHERN LIGHTS The Lofoten archipelago in northern Norway is not exactly a cosy kind of place. The wild, rugged landscape puts much of our lives into perspective. In winter you can see the Northern Lights, the summers are short but intense. Those who find their way to this remote area want to come face to face with the elements and get a sense of what it is like to wrest food from the bleak Arctic terrain. Following in the footsteps of the Vikings, the big adventure includes foraging for berries and mushrooms, fishing and learning what to do with these natural ingredients. The idea is to have an enriching experience via minimalist focus. “A kitchen on the edge of the world” is what British celebrity chef Valentine Warner calls his hotel and restaurant Holmen Lofoten. Guests live in old fishermen’s cabins with interiors featuring superb Scandinavian design. The cooking mostly takes place outdoors, with the star chef, come rain or shine: there is no such thing as bad weather as long as you have the right clothes. “We’ve lost our connection with nature and with ourselves,” believes Warner. “Holmen Lofoten is a place where we can log off and reconnect, where we can investigate our social roots,” says the cookery book author Photos: Christian Banfield, Georg Roske, supplied 32 falstaff jul-sep 2022

and TV star. “The weather dictates the daily patterns of life and determines whether you spend time out fishing or perhaps forging a knife in the workshop, or simply taking some quiet time in ‘clean’ silence.” FINDING DIVINE ENERGY Sometimes the quest for meaning goes beyond the physical and becomes a mental and spiritual journey. Even the architecture of the Banyan Tree Escape in Ubud on Bali transcends earthly limits: the 16 luxurious villas with pool are elevated above the jungle floor and command a 180-degree panorama that stretches from the treehouses to the rice paddies – there are so many different shades of green that it takes the eyes a while to adjust. The property was designed by Gede Kresna, a local architect who fuses Balinese design with eco-friendly architecture. Cookery classes and visits to local farmers and artisans are part of the programme here, but guests can also learn about Balinese medicine or be blessed by a priest at the local temple. The ceremony aims to help guests achieve inner purification and reconnect with the divine energy within. You may well be sceptical about religious beliefs and rituals being adapted as wellness experiences for holidaymakers, about turning something spiritual into a transaction, but these encounters can also become an opportunity to learn more about the faith and everyday lives of the Balinese and open our minds to unfamiliar cultures. There is considerable demand for ancient healing practices or rituals visitors can take part in. The Paradero Todos Santos resort in Mexico offers Temazcal, a traditional Mayan ceremony used to cleanse body, mind and soul. It is performed by a local shaman in a mud hut heated with volcanic stones. The hot rocks are sprinkled with plant extracts, filling the hut with fragrance while music and prayers create a unique atmosphere. How much of that can be carried over into everyday life is a question that can be asked about any holiday. But at least back-to-the-roots experiences give you a different perspective on your own life – and teach you more about a country than ticking off sights on a list of famous tourist attractions. < Wellness with added value: The Patina Maldives is all about flow – and connecting humans and nature. jul-sep 2022 falstaff 33