Staying In

Would You Build Your Own Snow Room?

As one heatwave melts into the next, Brits are being encouraged to step into saunas, typically kept between 65 and 90°C, to improve their heat resilience. Fortunately, more than 600 public saunas dot the British landscape as contrast therapy reaches its zenith. But as temperatures outside the sauna regularly hit 40°C, it might be the flipside that you find the most compelling. ‘A snow room is a gentle form of cold therapy, typically kept between -5°C and -15°C,’ explains Dr Mihaela Gulyas, founder of SKNCode London. ‘The sudden exposure to cold causes blood vessels to temporarily constrict, helping redirect blood flow to vital organs. Once you warm up again, circulation increases as the vessels dilate. This process can leave many people feeling refreshed, energised and mentally clearer.’ Snow rooms command eye-watering price tags – often exceeding $130,000 USD – so naturally they’ve found their way into some of the world’s most exclusive addresses. In the UK, North Yorkshire’s opulent Grantley Hall has housed a snow room within its cutting-edge Three Graces Spa since the venue’s 2019 opening. The facility also boasts altitude training, an underwater treadmill and, on the cold end of the spectrum, cryotherapy, cool-misting showers and Brass Monkey ice baths – as well as two saunas, of course. Spa days from £285pp, doubles from £975, grantleyhall.co.uk

Going Out

Dine Inside A Hot Air Balloon At Beaverbrook

If you love the idea of being in a hot air balloon but can’t quite face the actual floating mid-air bit, Surrey hotel Beaverbrook offers the perfect compromise. Styled by luxury homeware brand Summerill & Bishop, the ultra-Instagrammable, stationery balloons are set beside a trickling fountain, with this year’s offering themed around florals. There are three menus to choose from: Standard, Pescatarian and Vegetarian, all offering a five-course, Japanese-inspired feast – with dishes presented as works of art by esteemed chef Wojciech Popow and his team. A giant bowl of crushed ice is studded with tartar bowls filled with diced fish and vegetables – think dry-aged tuna laced with truffles, salmon with green chilli and crispy leeks, and cucumber with yuzu and ginger pearls. Then it’s time for the main event: a yakiniku feast, which sees every table presented with their own mini grill, atop which you can sizzle up melt-in-the-mouth wagyu sirloin, Spanish octopus, Iberican pork and more. Extend your experience with a night’s stay in one of Beaverbrook’s historic bedrooms – and be sure to squeeze in a trip to the glorious Coach House Spa. Book at beaverbrook.co.uk

C&TH Partnership

Book Tickets To The Original Tour

Families looking for a fun and affordable way to entertain the kids this summer can save 25 percent on children’s tickets for The Original Tour's live-guided Kids Tour of London. Designed especially for younger explorers, the 45-minute experience is the only live-guided children’s bus tour in London, bringing the capital's history to life with fun facts, interactive storytelling and entertaining live guides. Travelling aboard a classic open-top double-decker bus with guaranteed top deck seating, children can spot London's most famous landmarks while learning all about the city's royal history, iconic sights and hidden stories. Book here

Property Of The Day

Described as the prettiest country house in the heart of London, this Grade II listed home enjoys views towards Tower Bridge and The Shard. The riverside property was drawn-up by architect Philip Hardwick in 1827 – best known for London Euston’s Doric Arch and Goldsmiths’ Hall – with a more recent extension and re-design inspired by the work of Sir John Soane. 

On the market for £15,000,000, carterjonas.co.uk

Little Luxury

Join celebs like Julia Roberts and Claudia Winkleman in supporting the British Red Cross by donning this T-shirt illustrated by Charlie Mackesy. The top features characters from Mackesy’s bestselling book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse and aims to remind us of our shared humanity. Proceeds from each sale help support the charity, which works to support communities in the UK and around the world prepare for, respond to and recover from crises. From £19.99, giftshop.redcross.org.uk

Competition Time

This September, Hyde & Seek, London Hyde Park, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, will open its doors following an impressive £42 million transformation – and one lucky winner will have the chance to be among the first to experience London’s newest hideaway. Enter our competition here.

Psssst…

The Met Gala has announced the theme for its 2027 spring exhibition, which will look back at the life, career and public disgrace of fashion designer John Galliano – but it’s already proving controversial.

Whatever You Do, Don’t

Assume fillet steak will always be the tastiest cut. Niall McCusker, an expert at specialist butcher Campbells Meat, argues its minimal marbling can result in a one-dimensional flavour profile. ‘We often see customers opting for fillet because it's deemed a “safe” choice, but they're missing out,’ he says. ‘A rump steak, when sourced from a high quality butcher, has a depth that can put a fillet to shame. It’s more affordable, more nutritious, and, if cooked medium-rare, far more flavoursome. The only area where fillet has the upper hand is tenderness, but that's exactly why so many people overlook rump and miss out on what a properly sourced, well-aged cut can offer.’

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