The Monthly Digest: January
A roundup of things I've loved this month, from new restaurants and hotels to binge-worthy TV shows
This week, we’re back to regular programming: as we draw closer to the end of the month, I’m sharing my monthly round-up of the best things I’ve discovered in January, from the most memorable hotels I’ve bedded down in to the must-try restaurants I’ve loved. Admittedly, the ‘culture’ section of this month’s newsletter is missing - namely because I haven’t had much time to read or watch TV/movies while on the road.
In case you don’t follow me on Instagram, I’ve spent the month of January travelling up the east coast of Australia (the final leg of my 3 month trip around Asia + Australia). As a result, most of the recommendations in this round-up are naturally Australia-based.
From next month, I’ll be back in London and able to share some more UK-centric recommendations in February’s monthly digest.
HOTELS I’ve loved:
This uber-luxe stay in Sydney’s CBD is the Australian outpost of ultra-slick hotel group Capella. I’ve stayed at their property in Bangkok (voted the world’s best hotel in 2024) but I actually preferred their Sydney hotel. Occupying a listed heritage building, interiors are surprisingly sleek and modern: think wide open spaces filled with natural light, and serene lounges to kick back in. Spacious bedrooms are kitted out with touchy-feely furnishings, deep bathtubs, and all of the mod-cons and clever tech you’d expect from a five-star sleepover. Most impressive of all is the standout spa, which sits on the 6th floor, and includes a light-flooded indoor pool, sauna and steam room, and hushed treatment pods.
Technically I stayed here in December (and not January!), when I was travelling across Thailand. Straddling the coastline of Kantiang Bay in pared back Koh Lanta, this luxe beach resort feels far from the madding crowd that swarms through tourist-trodden Phuket and Krabi. Sprawling over 100 acres, the manicured estate encompasses hilltop villas tucked within lush tangle, infinity pools with heart-stopping views over the coastline, and airy beachside bungalows just steps away from the ocean. It’s the ideal place to set up camp on Koh Lanta - just a few minutes’ stroll from the closest village - but also the kind of place you don’t really need to leave at all…
RESTAURANTS I’ve loved:
This restaurant is somewhat of a Melbourne legend. It’s been celebrated for decades, but gone through several iterations, following a hard-and-fast rule that the head chef must change every few years. The restaurant is currently under the custodianship of celebrated, ex-Noma chef Hugh Allen, and has been awarded three Chef’s Hats (Australia’s version of Michelin stars). The thirteen-course tasting menu is centred around distinctly Australian flavours and produce: think edible ants, kangaroo tartare, and fanciful lamingtons. All in all, we had a knockout meal here: the service is also impeccable, and you’ll even have the chance to walk around the kitchen and see the chefs at work.
