Ian Fleming fans, eat your heart out. From the suavest of stays to martini-filled magic and even entire Bond-inspired menus, here’s where to experience the world’s ultimate 007 adventures in celebration of the new ‘No Time To Die’ film release on 30th September
1 Lap up luxury at Gleneagles, Scotland
A property filled with luxury and glamour, The Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland is most definitely a suave stay that Bond Bond himself would approve of. Famously known as the ‘Glorious Playground’, the estate offers guests 850 acres of beautiful Scottish countryside for seclusion and adventure, with the chance to explore an array of thrilling outdoor pursuits. From off-road driving, fly-fishing, clay pigeon shooting, archery and the Lairds ‘Walk with a Hawk’, visitors can experience the traditional Scottish landscape in decadent spy-worthy style.
Dinner at the iconic Strathearn restaurant is a decadent affair, with traditional gueridon service from bespoke dining trollies bringing excitement and energy to the room as a selection of classic dishes are finished at the table. There is Gleneagles & Co whiskey barrel smoked salmon, Scottish Halibut or flambé a ‘Steak Strathearn’ to savour on request.
The intimate American Bar, decorated in glamourous deep tones with Champagne gold-leaf topped tables is the perfect spot to enjoy a ‘Glen Martini’, deserving of one’s most elegant, glamorous attire. For an added slice of luxury, The Royal Lochnagar Suite beckons, with uninterrupted views across the rolling Ochil Hills.
Those in residence are treated to their own private marble entrance hallway, as well as an elegant lounge and dining room which showcase the magnificent views. This warm, charming and characterful home from home allows guests to completely relax while soaking up the style, glamour and exceptional service for which Gleneagles is famed.
HOW: Room rates at Gleneagles start from £475 per night based on two people sharing on a bed and breakfast basis. www.gleneagles.co.uk
2 Follow in Bond’s footsteps with Paragon 700 Boutique Hotel & Spa
Dreamy Italian scenery is calling. Paragon 700 Boutique Hotel & Spa in Ostuni, Puglia, is offering a two-day Paragon 700 Meets 007 package where guests can follow in the footsteps of James Bond’s newest adventure, filmed across Southern Italy.
Travelling by vintage car and boat in true secret-agent style, guests can look forward to tours of the majestic film locations of Gravina di Puglia and Matera, where Daniel Craig filmed a death-defying stunt sequence and thrilling motorbike chase. Following the adventures, retreat back to the elegant 18th century palace to marvel at n in-hotel 007-inspired art exhibition by Italian artist Amalia Knoll, gourmet meals and of course an iconic martini or two.
Make it happen: Paragon 700 Boutique Hotel & Spa’s 007 package includes a two-night stay from €3.800,00 per room. Based on a Deluxe Double Room including a half day P-boat tour with lunch, a Matera and Gravina tour with lunch, a signature aperitif at Bar 700 and a la carte breakfast. Offer valid from September 2021. Visit www.paragon700.com
3 Watch outdoor screenings and martini masterclasses at Jamaica Inn
Set on a 700-foot secluded white sand beach, considered one of the most picturesque in the Caribbean, Jamaica Inn in Ocho Rios is a charming, family-owned property with a legendary history.
Guests with a passion for all things Bond can make the most of Ian Fleming’s close association with the hotel, and enjoy Jamaica Inn’s exclusive James Bond package, following the long-awaited release of ‘No Time To Die’. Guests can enjoy outdoor screenings of classic Bond films on the beach, alongside themed martini making classes – shaken not stirred – and a tailor-made tour of iconic Bond locations in Jamaica such as Reynolds Pier and Green Grotto, both of which features in films such as Dr. No and Live and Let Die.
Don’t forget the iconic Caribbean relaxation – the package also offers a relaxing ‘Live and Unwind’ spa treatment at the award-winning Ocean Spa which overlooks the tranquil blue ocean and uses fresh Jamaican elements drawn from the island.
Make it happen: Rates start from $520 (approx. £378) per night, including breakfast and taxes. Visit jamaicainn.com for more.
Exsus Travel offers a 7-night holiday at Jamaica Inn, including the special themed James Bond package and VIP extras, from £3,379pp, saving 25%, or £1,192 per couple. Stay in a Deluxe Verandah on an all-inclusive basis with Economy flights from London Heathrow direct to Montego Bay with Virgin Atlantic, and round-trip private transfers, plus Club MoBay VIP arrival and lounge access, complimentary Covid-19 antigen tests, and the hotel’s James Bond experience. Book by 31 October 2021. This offer is valid for travel from 1 March 2022 to 31 October 2022. Based on a departure date of 1 May 2022. (020 7563 1303, exsus.com)
4 Knock back Ian Fleming’s favourite famous tipple at DUKES LONDON
When it comes to a Bond-inspired sip, there can be no other option but a martini – and Dukes Bar’s infamous martinis are often claimed to be the model for Ian Fleming’s hero’s favourite cocktail. The ‘Vesper Martini’, which has passed into Bond iconography and was borne out of Fleming’s 1953 novel Casino Royale, is shaken not stirred, served in frozen glasses with a twist of organic Amalfi lemons.
DUKES Bar’s Head Bartender, Alessandro Palazzi claims that the secret to the best Martini is in the execution, with the cocktail prepared table-side on a Rosewood trolley. The new film No Time to Die is part-filmed in London and with James Bond so deeply embedded in British culture, DUKES LONDON is the perfect place from which to transport yourself on one of James Bond’s glamorous adventures.
Make it happen: Nightly rates at DUKES LONDON in a DUKES room start from £350 inclusive of VAT and breakfast. For more information please call 020 7491 4840 or visit www.dukeshotel.com
5 Visit Villa del Balbianello with Hilton Lake Como
A key filming location in Casino Royale, Villa del Balbianello is located on a wooded promontory on Como lake. This elegant, romantic 18th-century mansion and its magnificent garden have hosted writers, scholars and travellers, including Count Guido Monzino, the last owner of the Villa.
From Hilton Lake Como, curious guests can take a taxi and reach the villa in just 30 minutes for a special guided tour filled with interesting facts and a close up at the Casino Royale hotspot.
A new generation hotel with spectacular scenery, traditional charm, and jaw-dropping 360-degree views of the lake from its rooftop pool, Hilton Lake Como makes an excellent place to unwind in 007 style.
Formerly a silk factory, the building is steeped in history and is now home to 170 spacious guest rooms, with a variety of stunning suites to choose from, a pampering spa and a popular rooftop cocktail bar and restaurant. The hotel is ideally located in an area full of unique experiences on and off the lake, which has made Lake Como an international must-visit destination for families, business travellers and couples.
Make it happen: Nightly rates at Hilton Lake Como begin at 180 Euro per night based on double occupancy with breakfast included.
6 Savour an evening of 007 excellence at Milestone Hotel
Fleming fans and foodies, this way please. Bond fans are invited to experience an evening of opulence and extravagance with five-star The Milestone Hotel on 25th September in celebration of the release of the much-anticipated new film.
The prestigious hotel has partnered with Linda Hugo of Beyond Curated and Richard Bagnold to present “Casino Royale”, an extra-special experience which will begin with a cocktail and canapé reception in the hotel’s beautiful Conservatory, before guests are escorted to the Windsor Suite for a pre-dinner flutter.
Visitors can then take a spin on the roulette table with professional Mayfair-trained croupiers who are happy to assist and share their experience of London’s most prestigious casino clubs. Next on the menu is savouring 2005 Vintage Taittinger Champagne, before taking a seat to dine like Bond, enjoying the very meals experienced by the character himself in the spectacular setting of Cheneston’s.
Guests will journey through a one-of-a-kind Bond menu of delicious courses, inspired by the original Ian Fleming novels and expertly recrafted by Richard and Executive Chef, Daniel Putz. Each plate, taken from a different Fleming novel, has its own tale to tell.
HOW: The Bond experiences will take place on 25th September 2021, from 6pm at The Milestone Hotel & Residences, 3 Kensington Court, London, W8 5DL. Prices start from £340 per person. For more information and to book, please visit www.milestonehotel.com/discover/experiences/the-art-of-bond-diamonds-are-forever
7 Live vida las Venice with Hilton Molino Stucky Venice
Formerly a flour mill factory on the peaceful island of Giudecca, Hilton Molino Stucky Venice is a modern Venetian masterpiece steeped in history. The historically listed building has been exquisitely restored with a series of recent refurbishments including sophisticated deluxe rooms and new spacious elegant suites – some offering guests enviable views of picture-perfect Venice. Not only stunning, this Italian getaway also offers a special ‘Venice in the Movies’ tour – ideal for Bond fanatics.
Lasting approximately 3 hours, the Venice in the Movies experience starts from 340 Euros for up to 10 people. Guests can go and visit the “collapsing building” seen in Casino Royale, which is the Benedetto Marcello Music Conservatory. This location is about 30mins away from Hilton Molino Stucky Venice via water taxi. Guests can also see other scenes from Casino Royale movie such as in front of Accademia and Rialto market, Piazza San Marco and a few others!
Following the fascinating outing, enjoy a rejuvenating Vesper Martini at the Skyline Bar, located on the rooftop terrace of the hotel where you can take in the sweeping views of Venice… which might even include a secret filming location!
Make it happen: Find out more and make a booking via hilton.com
8 Find (Quantum) Solace under Namibia’s Star Studded Skies
Namibia’s vast swathes of golden desert, rippling ochre dunes and rugged Skeleton Coast will remind visitors of the spectacular panoramas in the 2008 Bond film, Quantum of Solace. Bond-wannabes can glide down some of the world’s highest sand dunes at Sossusvlei, a salt and clay pan set amongst towering dunes that offer some of the most jaw-dropping views in the world.
Alternatively, travellers can embark on an epic adventure to the breathtaking Fish River Canyon. Stretching 160km and reaching 500 metres in depth, the world’s second longest canyon offers endless opportunities to test endurance like 007 with hiking trails and kayaking tours. Finish off a day of thrills with a night of Bond-style romance, cosied under a blanket of twinkling stars at Namibia’s gold tier Dark Sky Reserve.
Make it happen: See more via namibiatourism.com
9 Get the ultimate 007 treatment at Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa
Take a trip to the world’s greatest wine region and enjoy a stay of pure extravagance at Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa, located right in the middle of the vineyards that stripe the hills of Epernay, the capital of Champagne, and the historic city of Reims.
Just in time for the latest film release, Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa has created the ultimate ‘007’ package for guests to enjoy the luxuriousness of the slick, smart hotel in true Bond style. Guests will enjoy three nights in the lavish ‘007 Royal Junior Suite’, which boasts panoramic views of the vineyards and will have the very best Bollinger Champagne bottle ready and waiting to pop open and enjoy with the view upon arrival – dubbed the official Champagne of Bond.
To add to the Bond-style extravagance, visitors can start the evening with one of Bond’s favourite cocktails at the Bar: the Vesper or Dry Martini before enjoying in a gastronomic dinner at one-Michelin star Le Royal restaurant, with its signature menu carefully curated by Chef Jean-Denis Rieubland. The hotel boasts an enviable location close to where many of the local Champagne houses are headquartered, and, for ‘00’ secret agents, the hotel’s dedicated Champagne concierge can arrange exclusive access to nearby Bollinger Champagne House with a private tasting.
For those looking to relax amongst the vineyards, Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa is also home to the region’s first world-class destination spa, spanning 16,000ft2, and guests can indulge in a Royal Spa one-hour candle massage treatment for two.
Make it happen: Rates for the ‘Feeling like James Bond’ package at Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa start from €2,252 (currently approx. £1,931), based on two sharing, including three nights in a Royal Junior Suite, one round of cocktails at the Bar, one signature menu dinner at Le Royal, one bottle of Bollinger Champagne in-room on arrival, an exclusive tour of Bollinger Champagne House and a Royal Spa treatment for two. www.royalchampagne.com
10 Break the budget with Bürgenstock Hotels & Resort in Switzerland
Enjoy a dose of Swiss perfection with a Bond-inspired package offered at Switzerland’s luxurious Bürgenstock Hotels & Resort in Lake Lucerne.
Guests can follow in the footsteps of actor Sean Connery and the Goldfinger crew who lived at the mountain-top resort’s Palace Hotel for a month in 1964, shooting scenes in nearby Stans and on the Furka Pass, among other Swiss locations. Between shoots, Connery headed to the Bürgenstock golf course, where he worked on perfecting his swing – needed for an upcoming scene with Bond nemesis Auric Goldfinger.
The ultimate package for 007 fans, guests will be able to sleep, dine, drive and shoot like Bond. The stay begins with a catamaran journey across Lake Lucerne followed by a ride onboard the fully-restored Bürgenstock Funicular which arrives directly into the lobby of the Bürgenstock Hotel – an arrival worthy of any Secret Agent.
As well as free access to the Alpine Spa (because every secret agent needs to unwind) guests can enjoy special experiences such as a 007 session at the shooting range with an instructor, hiring an Aston Martin for the day, a special Bond breakfast with 007’s favourite scrambled eggs and English bacon and even a a 4-course 007-inspired menu based on James Bond’s favourite dishes – plus plenty of other exhilarating activities.
Make it happen: Available for a month from 02.04.2020 – 30.04.2020, 007 Licence to Thrill starts from CHF 1,509 for a two-night minimum stay at the Palace Hotel. Also included is access to the Alpine Spa, and boat and funicular access. For more information and to book, please visit https://www.buergenstock.ch/en/ or email reservations@buergenstock.ch.
11 Take the rustic route and trek around Scotland with PaulCamper
Embrace the spirit of the outdoors with this unique roading Renting Tenzing or Shackleton with PaulCamper is a unique, exciting, adventurous and rugged option for exploring the wild beauty of Scotland’s north coast. These premium Nissan Navara 4×4s are packed with everything you need for an unforgettable road trip – including a roof tent and kitchen. They are the perfect partners for getting off the beaten track and exploring the roads less travelled!
The NC500 takes in the best of the Scottish Highlands – from the cliffs of Caithness to the white sandy beaches of Wester Ross. With many single lane tracks and steep gradients driving the route of the North Coast 500 is much easier in a 4×4 like Tenzing or Shackleton. You don’t have to find alternative routes – these sturdy steeds are built for it all.
Collection of the vehicles is at Inverness airport and both are stuffed with everything you need for a trip in the Scottish highlands including sleeping bags, table, chairs, cooking equipment, torches, rugs, pillows, bike racks – all the outdoor essentials, basically.
Make it happen: Both vehicles sleep 4, starting from £130 a night. Visit https://paulcamper.co.uk for more
