The Great Escape Magazine

As fresh as spring, this gazpacho (cold soup) dish will impress your guests with its rich green colour.  Lightly blanch sweet seasonal peas, then blend with cucumber, olive oil, a little garlic and a good handful of mint, along with a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Just before serving, top with a spoonful of crab ceviche, which is a simple mixture of crab meat, salt, and a squeeze of lemon or lime juice.

Among the many markets in Goa, Panjim Market stands out because it serves locals first and visitors second. Unlike tourist markets that are focused on souvenirs, this market centres on daily shopping.   You’ll see vendors who have traded here for decades selling fresh fish caught that morning, along with seasonal fruit, pickles, spices, and household essentials. For visitors, even a short walk through the market offers insight into local ingredients, routines, and how Goan cooking is shaped by what produce is available each day.

Best coffee shop for: Filter coffee devotees Address: 17, Saechang-ro 2-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul How to get there: Gongdeok Station (Lines 5, 6), exit 10   Fritz is located in a converted old Hanok tile-roof house featuring a mix of vintage furniture and modern finishings. At Fritz, they take their coffee seriously which is demonstrated by their weekly coffee tasting sessions and choice of metal and paper filters for hand drips. They are as well known for their homemade croissants as they are for their coffee.

Ideas like device-free dining, quiet hours and screen-time limits are perfect for family holidays and are beneficial for business travellers too. Agree on phone-free zones where you get to focus on nothing but each other – the beach is a perfect example. Imagine how much more rewarding it is to be mindful of the fresh coastal air and the feeling of soft sand underfoot, compared with the incessant distraction of having to check your phone. Picture yourself at Novotel Thalassa Le Touquet, amid the dunes of the French Opal Coast, where views of golden sunsets replace screen time during dinner. That's just one of many destinations for family beach holidays, when digital minimalism lets you reclaim focus and transform your trip.

Taking a mere 10 minutes out of every morning to balance mind and body – at Novotel, we know that small, repeatable habits soon build to a holistic and healthy way of life – will readjust your circadian rhythms, disperse mental fog and get the endorphins going. Of course, it also gets stiff bodies moving again and guarantees a bit of “me time” before you get on with the rest of the day. And if you’re wondering whether 10 minutes can really make a difference to your mental acuity and physical well-being, research has found that daily 10‑minute workouts can drastically improve health and fitness!

Where once luxury in hotels would be measured by grand marble fittings or the square footage of your penthouse suite, today it is increasingly defined by emotional reaction. Sensory design is being used in hotels to evoke feelings, create precious memories for guests and – of course – shape brand identity and loyalty. Hotel guests often forget what they saw, but they remember how they felt, so the current era of hospitality design believes that light, scent, taste, sound and texture work together to create environments that comfort, inspire and calm the brain.  With more than 20 years of experience in hospitality design, Nicolas Capéran of London-based studio Takagicapéran has recently transformed Novotel London Bridge as well as Novotel York Centre using multi-sensory architecture and interior design elements. His goal? To translate the personality of each space – from lobby to bar, restaurant to guest room or spa – into a unique experience filled with discovery, surprise and emotion.