Latest news with #SavoyHotel
Forbes
a day ago
- Forbes
Enjoy The Amalfi Coast Without The Crowds In Cilento
Ancient Greek Temples at Paestum Archaeological UNESCO World Heritage Site getty Roughly 90 minutes south of Naples and the Amalfi coast, is the less visited but equally beautiful Cilento region, a UNESCO World heritage site with sea, sand and ancient Greek temples. Between the Archaeological Park of Paestum and the pine forest-lined beaches of the Mediterranean Sea, The Savoy Hotel & Spa is one of the few hotels in the area, thanks to its location in a protected national park where no other hotels can be built. Pool at The Savoy Hotel & Spa, Cilento, Italy Savoy hotel Just 30 minutes from Salerno airport, the family-owned hotel is a member of Preferred Hotels, the world's largest independent hotel brand, which guarantees a luxury hospitality experience. And because the area is not as well known, it's much less expensive than the Amalfi coast. The hotel was founded in the 1980s by Giuseppe Pagano and the business is now run by the second generation. Next door to the Savoy is the four-star Esplanade Boutique Hotel, also owned by the Pagano family. A suite at Savoy Hotel & Spa, Cilento, Italy Inspired by the area's close ties to ancient Greece, the Savoy hotel's design features a white-washed exterior accented by contemporary columns and a series of lush gardens. The Savoy has such a grand, expansive lobby that you'll feel like you're entering a much larger hotel. Instead, it is actually boutique hotel size, with only 44 rooms, suites and villas. The design palette in the guest rooms has a cool, retro Italian seaside feel with red, green to blue, with wooden furniture and marble. Accommodation ranges in size from Classic Rooms with Italian marble baths and forest views to Terrace Rooms with outdoor space and seating areas and Suites, which offer large baths and covered verandas. Savoy hotel, white terrace for breakfast Gabriele Rivoli The Cilento area is the birthplace of the original Mediterranean Diet, with an emphasis on plant-based foods, healthy fats and seafood. Prominent cardiologist Ancel Keys studied the population's eating habits here in the 1950s and 1960s to understand the secrets of their longevity. The results of these studies generated a global revolution, leading the doctor to describe this way of eating as the "Mediterranean Diet." And this is the focus of everything served at the hotel which has an impressive kitchen garden and beehives. The Pagano family's award-winning San Salvatore 1988 farm and winery nearby also supplies the hotel with products including Buffalo mozzarella, yogurt, olive oil and wine. Tre Olivi Restaurant at the Savoy Hotel, Cilento Savoy Hotel & Spa The hotel's dining options include Bistrot Olivella with a farm-table menu of traditional Cilento dishes. For lunch or dinner, Beach Club 93 Restaurant is bliss. Located a short stroll from the hotel on the beach, the hotel's Mediterranean restaurant serves fresh and raw seafood as well as pizza prepared by the in-house pizza chef. For a really special meal, Michelin- starred Ristorante Tre Olivi is the hotel's gastronomic Mediterranean restaurant. A tribute to the Mediterranean diet and the olive tree, Tre Olivi has been under the helm of German-born Chef Oliver Glowig since 2024. Chef Glowig has lived in Italy for a while with stints at the Grand Hotel Quisisana in Capri with Gualtiero Marchesi and both Capri Palace Hotel & Spa and Hotel Aldrovandi Villa Borghese in Rome. The restaurant offers a fully immersive farm to table experience from the furniture made from olive trees to the scents and tastes of the menu. There is an a la carte menu plus two tasting menus (starting at €160) to choose from served with wines from their own vineyard. Chef Glowig's creations have intriguing, tasty food combinations. Highlights from a recent menu included anchovies with buffalo ricotta; pasta and potatoes with blue lobster and chicken scented with fig leaves and smoked eel. Beach Club 93 at Savoy Hotel & Spa, Cilento, Italy Savoy If you're keen to stay right at the beach, the hotel's Beach Club 93 offers three private beachfront villas, each with a spacious terrace with private pool. And for hotel guests, the beach club is a short stroll from the main hotel or you can take the complimentary shuttle service. The private beach club features a saltwater pool with hydromassage, shaded sun loungers, private gazebos and a beachside bar serving cocktails and meals. The beach itself is wide, sandy and uncrowded. Wellness The spa at the Savoy Hotel, Cilento, Italy Hotel Savoy's beautifully designed spa, a haven below the hotel, has three pools of varying temperatures, a salt cave, an ice room, a Turkish hammam and a sauna. Treatments focus on holistic renewal: massages are enhanced by a signature blend of olive oil and the aroma of white mulberry, so distinctive to Cilento. The Ancient site of Paestum Second Temple of Hera in Paestum, Italy. getty Following an expedition to Paestum in 1787, the German philosopher Johann Wolfgang Goethe said 'those well-preserved ruins can only be understood after seeing them with your own eyes.' And later, Friedrich Nietzsche said 'it's as if a god here had built his house with enormous blocks of stone.' Everyone has heard of Pompeii, the world's best example of a preserved Roman city. Pompeii is about an hour away from Cilento and certainly should be visited but if you're staying in Cilento, an incredible Unesco World Heritage archaeological site is right on the doorstep. Although lesser known than Pompeii, the site of Paestum is even older. Paestum was founded by Greek colonists around the 6th century BCE and known as Poseidonia, later coming under Roman rule. The ruins of Roman amphitheater at Paestum, Italy getty There are Roman remains from a later city at Paestum but the main reason to visit is to see three fully intact Greek temples, among the best preserved in the world, the oldest of which dates to 550 BC. There's a lot to take in so it makes sense to go with a guide like Silvia Braggio who's been giving tours of the entire area since the 1990s. The three Greek temples in the Doric order, one dedicated to Athena, and two to Hera (wife of Zeus), were built 50 years apart dating from 550 to 450 BCE. It's possible to walk inside both of the Hera temples without any restrictions. Detail, the Diver's Tomb. in the museum at Paestum, Italy getty Surrounded by lovely countryside and located near the coast, Paestum also features the National Archaeological Museum, which houses funerary items, pots, etc found in the town, in the nearby necropolises and at the sanctuary dedicated to Hera. Do not miss the museum's thrilling highlight, the Greek 'Tomb of the Diver,' a colorful, painted tomb from 480 BC. Unlike most Greek tombs of the period, which were quite plain, the Tomb of the Diver is decorated with colorful frescoes on the interior walls and lid. There are several scenes of Greek life and an image at one end of an unknown man diving into water is thought to suggest the soul's passage from life into the afterlife. This tomb is the only known example of Greek painting from a tomb of this era. Getting there British Airways has just introduced a seasonal route of three direct flights per week from London Gatwick to Salerno from May (Mon, Thu and Sat) until October. There are also daily flights from London to Naples International Airport (about 90 minutes from Cilento) all year round.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Margo Price Pays Homage to Bob Dylan in ‘Don't Wake Me Up' Video
In the spring of 1965, Bob Dylan stood in an alley by London's Savoy Hotel and practically invented the music video by flipping through cue cards displaying words from 'Subterranean Homesick Blues' while the song played. Fifty years later, Margo Price is paying homage to the historic clip in the video for her new single 'Don't Wake Me Up' from her upcoming album Hard Headed Woman. Price takes the 'Don't Wake Me Up' cue cards on a journey to a bowling alley parking lot, a lush field, a dive bar, a cow patch, a honky tonk bar, a horse stable, a strip club, a factory, a liquor store, a graveyard, a trailer park, a Waffle House, and a strip mall. More from Rolling Stone Willie Nelson's Outlaw Music Festival Tour Hits Pause After Extreme Weather Damages Gear How Many Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen Lyrics Can You Identify in This New York Writer's New Song? See Bob Dylan Play 'The Times They Are a-Changin' for First Time in 15 Years The song is a collaboration with singer/songwriter Jesse Welles. '[He] is one of my favorite new songwriters and a rare prolific artist who really has something to say,' Price says in a statement. 'I met him at Farm Aid, and I became a big fan of his lyrics as well as his voice. I'm so grateful he could join me to sing on this song.' 'Don't Wake Me Up' was inspired by the poems of Frank Stanford and started as a notebook entry that was flagged by Price's husband, Jeremy Ivey. 'We resurrected it with a melody,' Price said. 'The whole thing came together in ten minutes in one of those lightning bolt moments where you're tapped into something bigger than yourself. I wanted to remind people of all the places and ways that we are still allowed to dream even when the outside world seems like a nightmare.' Price recorded Hard Headed Woman in Nashville with longtime producer Matt Ross-Spang. Leadoff single 'Don't Let the Bastards Get You Down' was co-written by Ivey and Rodney Crowell, and posthumous credit was given to Kris Kristofferson. The album, which comes out August 29, also features a duet with Tyler Childers and a cover of the George Jones classic 'I Just Don't Give a Damn.' Price also just rolled out dates for an extensive headlining tour in the fall. All of her upcoming dates are below. 7/27 – Newport, RI @ Newport Folk Festival7/29 – Raleigh, NC @ Coastal Credit Union Music Park 7/31 – Huntsville, AL @ Orion Amphitheater 8/1 – Huntsville, AL @ Orion Amphitheater 8/3 – Portland, ME @ Back Cove Music & Arts Festival9/6 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Grand Rapids Riverfest9/7 – Evanston, IL @ Evanston Folk Festival9/13 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks w/ Greensky Bluegrass9/14 – Templeton, CA – Whale Rock9/20 – Minneapolis, MN @ Farm Aid9/27 – Dana Point, CA @ Ohana Music Festival10/2 – San Francisco, CA @ The Masonic (A Tribute to Emmylou Harris)10/5 – Ocean City, MD @ Country Calling Festival10/11 – Livingston, KY @ Moonshiners Ball10/23 – St. Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall10/24 – Kansas City, MO @ Knuckleheads10/25 – Bloomington, IL @ The Castle Theatre*10/28 – Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre10/29 – Fargo, ND @ Sanctuary Events Center10/31 – Bozeman, MT @ The ELM11/1 – Jackson Hole, WY @ Jackson Hole Center for the Arts – Center Theater11/2 – Missoula, MT @ The Wilma11/4 – Vancouver, BC @ Hollywood Theatre11/5 – Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre11/7 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom11/8 – Boise, ID @ Treefort Music Hall11/9 – Crystal Bay, NV @ Crystal Bay Club Casino – Crown Room11/11 – South Salt Lake City, UT @ The Commonwealth Room!11/12 – Aspen, CO @ Belly Up Aspen!11/14 – Dallas, TX @ Longhorn Ballroom!11/15 – Austin, TX @ Emo's!11/16 – Helotes, TX @ John T. Floore's Country Store!11/18 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse11/20 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium11/21 – Louisville, KY @ Headliners Music Hall11/22 – Detroit, MI @ Saint Andrew's Hall3/20-3/25 – Miami, FL @ Outlaw Country Cruise Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked
Daily Mirror
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
John McEnroe and Wimbledon chiefs' row after he was refused membership
John McEnroe was a divisive figure in tennis at the height of his playing days, which led to him getting on the wrong side of Wimbledon bosses after refusing a special invitation Former tennis terror John McEnroe was denied honorary membership to the All England Club after he famously ditched Wimbledon's Champion's Dinner to rock out instead. Bursting onto the scene in the late 1970s and early '80s, McEnroe quickly became as renowned for his outspoken ways as his prowess on the court. He first made waves at Wimbledon in 1977, reaching the semi-finals at just 18 years old and establishing himself as a rebel in a sport steeped in tradition. His volatile nature was almost his undoing in 1981 when his confrontations with officials nearly saw him ejected from the tournament. The young American amassed hefty fines for his tirades against umpires, branding them "the absolute pits of the world" and "incompetent fools." However, no line was quite as iconic as the infamous "You cannot be serious" tirade during his first-round victory over Tom Gullikson in '81. McEnroe, 66, had a tumultuous relationship with the Wimbledon hierarchy, who struggled to embrace his intense character and love of tennis. And yet the American still managed to halt Bjorn Borg's 41-match winning streak at SW19. However, in a move that further strained his relationship with the establishment, he chose to skip the prestigious Champion's Dinner, held at the illustrious Savoy Hotel. That's after McEnroe, who was sad Nick Kyrgios didn't return for broadcasting duties at SW19, opted instead for a night out with a certain rock band. The now-adored BBC commentator, who concluded his career with three Wimbledon titles and four US Open titles, chose to celebrate with The Pretenders instead. That's after he took umbrage with the All England Club's traditional and formal approach. In her 2024 book, Wimbledon: A Personal History, Sue Barker wrote: "His love-hate relationship with the All England Club in the early part of his career was fascinating to watch: John versus the Wimbledon committee, with neither prepared to back down." There were times when his rebellious nature backfired on him, however, such as not attending the Champions' Dinner in 1981. For that rebuff, the Club refused him an honorary membership. This resulted in a delay in him receiving his special membership to the club. McEnroe won Wimbledon's singles three times in the space of four editions between 1981 and 1984, not to mention five doubles crowns between 1979 and 1992. "I wanted to spend [the night] with my family and friends and the people who had supported me," he once said on ESPN Classic's SportsCentury series. "Not a bunch of stiffs who were 70 to 80 years old, telling you that you're acting like a jerk." When questioned about his son's absence from the Wimbledon celebration, John McEnroe Sr responded: "He was out celebrating somewhere else. Don't ask me where." In hindsight, McEnroe himself mentioned: "A week later they called my parents to tell me I was not going to be granted membership at the club. Big f*****g deal." In a change of heart, however, the All England Club extended an olive branch just a year later by granting him honorary membership and awarding him the trophies he had been denied. He proceeded to win Wimbledon again the following year in 1983.
National Geographic
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- National Geographic
The story behind pavlova, the dessert that sparked an international rivalry
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Sweet as it tastes, this much-loved dessert has a bitter history. As is the case with both hummus and hamburgers, the pavlova's birthplace is hotly disputed, with Australia and New Zealand each claiming credit for the idea of crowning towers of billowing meringue with clouds of snowy cream and tumbling fruit. Regular shots are fired back and forth across the Tasman Sea, most recently when a Kiwi energy company 'declared war' by installing an advert at Auckland Airport baggage reclaim stating: 'Home is where the pavlova was really created'. Reactions on the other side of 'the ditch' were outraged: 'Nice of them to promote tourism to Australia' was one online comment. The feud goes all the way to the top, as then Kiwi prime minister Jacinda Ardern discovered when she arrived in Melbourne to find a DIY pavlova kit in her hotel room — prompting her partner to question whether this represented a 'sense of humour or diplomatic incident'. King Charles must have been unaware of the simmering controversy when he boldly praised Sydney's 'world famous cuisine … whether it's smashed avo, a pav or a cab sav' in a speech at the city's Parramatta Park last year. Yet, in truth, the pavlova's precise origins are shrouded in mystery. It was almost certainly named for the great prima ballerina Anna Pavlova, from St Petersburg — probably to celebrate her hugely successful 1926 tour of Australia and New Zealand. This wasn't uncommon practice at the time; peach melba was invented at London's Savoy Hotel to pay tribute to the Australian soprano Dame Nellie Melba, while Britain's Garibaldi biscuit honours the Italian revolutionary, who was given a rapturous welcome on a visit to these shores. Such was the vogue for sprinkling stardust over a menu that, at the height of Pavlova's career, you can find mention of sponge cakes, layered jellies and 'a popular variety of American ice-cream' all bearing her name, too. Although the meringue number is now the last pavlova standing, at the time it was simply a rebranding of an existing dessert — a fixture in the patisserie repertoire long before Anna pirouetted onto the world stage. Food historian Janet Clarkson suggests 'neither Australia nor New Zealand invented the meringue, because the meringue was invented before they were'. And while many trace meringue's origins to 18th-century Switzerland, in Clarkson's blog, the Old Foodie, she dates the first recorded recipe to the 1604 collection of a Lady Elinor Fettiplace. The pavlova's precise origins are shrouded in mystery. Photograph by Hannah Hughes Annabelle Utrecht, a Queensland-based writer, has devoted the past decade to digging into the history of the pavlova, prompted by an online argument with a Kiwi acquaintance. In the course of their research, the pair discovered that by the 18th century, 'large meringue constructions incorporating cream and fruit elements could be found in aristocratic kitchens across German-speaking lands, so the thing we call a pavlova today is actually more than two centuries old'. Naturally, everyone wanted a slice of this noble pie, and recipes began to appear: the vacherin, a meringue bowl filled with whipped cream or ice cream, fruit and syrup-infused sponge cake, often credited to the 19th-century French chef Marie-Antoine Carême; the baked alaska; the German schaum ('foam') torte. Even English writer Mrs Beeton includes a meringue gateau, filled with macerated strawberries and whipped cream, in her 1861 recipe collection. It therefore seems likely that the pavlova probably arrived in both New Zealand and Australia with European immigrants long before Pavlova herself. Of course, few dishes spring fully formed from nowhere, but when did the idea of a meringue topped with cream and fruit begin to be known as a 'pavlova' — or a 'pav', if you speak Antipodean? The earliest mention of something resembling the modern pavlova labelled as such can be found in the 1929 New Zealand Dairy Exporter Annual, contributed by a reader, although this version seems to have been layered more like a French dacquoise. The next-earliest, from the Rangiora Mothers' Union Cookery Book of Tried and Tested Recipes, of 1933, is also Kiwi. Australia's first claim to the dish dates from 1935, when Herbert 'Bert' Sachse, the chef at Perth's Esplanade Hotel, was asked to come up with something new for the afternoon tea menu. Manager Harry Nairn apparently remarked that his creation was 'as light as Pavlova', and the legend was born. However, one of Sachse's descendants contacted Helen Leach, a culinary anthropologist at the University of Otago, to suggest their ancestor may have confused the dates, given Pavlova's death in 1931. And in a 1973 interview, Sachse himself explained his creation was an adaptation of a recipe from Australian Woman's Mirror magazine, submitted by a New Zealand resident. When questioned by Australian newspaper The Beverley Times, the 'silver-haired great grandfather' mused that he'd 'always regretted that the meringue cake was invariably too hard and crusty, so I set out to create something that would have a crunchy top and would cut like a marshmallow'. This, according to Utrecht's Kiwi research partner Dr Andrew Paul Wood, makes Western Australia-born Sachse unusual among his countrymen: 'I think the Australian meringue is crunchier … the New Zealand one is more marshmallowy inside,' Wood told The Sydney Morning Herald's Good Food guide. In her 2024 book Sift, British pastry chef and cookery book author Nicola Lamb writes that adding cornflour to the meringue base, as both Sachse and the New Zealand Dairy Exporter Annual reader suggest, 'helps promote [this] marshmallowy, thick texture'. For maximum squishiness, however, Lamb recommends shaping the mixture into a tall crown, 'as it's more difficult for the heat to penetrate the thick meringue walls'; if you prefer crunchy all the way through, go for a shallow bowl shape. Whatever texture you choose, once the meringue has cooled completely it's generally filled with whipped cream — usually unsweetened, given the sugar in the meringue, although it may be flavoured with vanilla — and then your choice of fruit. Australian cultural historian Dr Carmel Cedro agrees with Wood that not only do the two countries disagree over the correct texture for a pavlova, but on appropriate toppings. 'Here, passion fruit is a must,' she told Australia's ABC News, 'whereas [in New Zealand], they would never do that; it's always kiwi fruit.' In recent years, however, this classic summer dessert — or, if you're Down Under, festive favourite — has gone as rogue as its history. Australian food stylist and author Donna Hay has published countless recipes for everything from a banoffee pavlova to a baked pavlova and upside-down and frozen versions, and even a festive raspberry swirl pavlova wreath. South African restaurateur, broadcaster and writer Prue Leith, meanwhile, has a vegan-friendly take using aquafaba and coconut milk, while English food writer and TV cook Nigella Lawson gifted the world the chocolate pavlova paired with raspberries. And although pavlova isn't typically seen as a gourmet creation, Australian chef Peter Gilmore's signature dessert at Bennelong, the Sydney Opera House's fine-dining restaurant, takes it high end. Inspired by the architecture of the building itself, it features white meringue sails atop perfect spikes of whipped cream and Italian meringue filled with passion fruit curd. When it comes to pavlova, it seems, there's one for every taste. Although the caviar and cranberry number recently dreamed up by a firm of Polish fish farmers might prove the one pav neither Australia nor New Zealand wants to claim as their own. The pavlova's birthplace is hotly disputed, with Australia and New Zealand each claiming credit for the idea of crowning towers of billowing meringue with clouds of snowy cream and tumbling fruit. Photograph by Hannah Hughes Where to eat pavlova in Australia and New Zealand Cibo, Auckland Hidden away in a former chocolate factory in Parnell, Cibo has been described as one of Auckland's best-kept secrets, although it's still won numerous awards over the past three decades. There are usually at least two pavlovas on offer: a fruit version (classic strawberry and kiwi, for example) and one with salted caramel, peanut and chocolate dust. Floriditas, Wellington When The Sydney Morning Herald praises a New Zealand pavlova, the dessert has to be doing something right — although this much-loved bistro doesn't make things easy for itself. Instead of the classic recipe using white caster sugar, Floriditas opts for brown sugar, which is damper and more temperamental, but which gives the meringue base a deeper, richer flavour. Fruit varies with the seasons, from strawberries in summer to tamarillos in autumn. Ester, Sydney Forget hovering anxiously in front of the oven to ensure your snowy meringue doesn't take on even the merest hint of tan — at this Sydney neighbourhood joint (which comes highly recommended by Nigella Lawson) they char them in a wood-fired oven at a toasty 600C. That's a full 500C hotter than most recipes recommend, giving them the distinct look of a marshmallow toasted over a campfire. The accompaniments vary; they might be nectarine and yoghurt or passion fruit and elderflower, for example. Snow White Bakery, Melbourne Overwhelming local enthusiasm for this tiny bakery's classic pavlova — an unapologetically traditional tower of meringue, cream and icing-sugar-dusted berries — may be less of a news story than baker Tegan's Vegemite-infused take on the beloved Australian lamington (a cake), but it's probably more of a crowd-pleaser. For maximum squishiness, pastry chef and cookery book author Nicola Lamb recommends shaping the mixture into a tall crown; if you prefer crunchy all the way through, go for a shallow bowl shape. Photograph by Hannah Hughes Recipe: Helen Goh's summer berry pavlova To celebrate summer, I've chosen a mix of berries with a touch of passion fruit as a nod to the dessert's Antipodean roots — but feel free to use any in-season fruit. Serves: 8-10 Takes: 2 hrs 5 mins plus cooling Ingredients For the meringue250g egg whites (6-8 eggs, depending on size)½ tsp cream of tartar400g caster sugar2 tsp vanilla extract1 tsp white vinegar2 tsp cornflour pinch of salt
Daily Mirror
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'Downsizing' couple buy £3m home on abandoned river private island
A London couple who were planning on downsizing from their pricey Richmond home in south west London made a big U-turn when they bought a 13-bedroom mansion on a private island on the Thames A couple who once toyed with the idea of downsizing have instead made the ultimate upgrade by snapping up an abandoned 13-bedroom mansion on a private island in the Thames worth a staggering £3million. Andy Hill, 67, a music entrepreneur, and his wife Sheila, 66, say they were first drawn to the property after coming across D'Oyly Carte Island, near Weybridge, Surrey, while kayaking years ago. Despite its derelict state, the couple couldn't stop thinking about the 'ridiculous' patch of land. 'My wife is very creative and she could see through what was essentially a derelict property. Every window was smashed and boarded up, the garden had metres of brambles in it,' Andy recalled. 'She turned to me and said, 'That is so sad, we should do something about it'.' At the time, the couple were living in pricey Richmond, southwest London, and briefly considered moving into something smaller. Instead, in a dramatic U-turn, they bought the 19th-century property when the owner's agent contacted them in 2021. What followed was a long restoration project to transform the 1.9-acre island and mansion into the dream family home. 'It would have been so sad to see it demolished as it has such a rich history and culture,' Andy said. 'It is so unique - there aren't many private islands on the Thames. We just wanted a nice family home. We thought it would be a great place to have family reunions.' With their two children - both architects - and Sheila, a Royal College of Art alumna, the Hills embraced the mammoth task of bringing the property back to life. Now, their island estate hosts family birthday parties, music concerts, and even Pilates classes. A former boat house has been reinvented as a riverside bar named D'Oyly's, and a once-leaky glass dome responsible for flooding the hallway has been repaired. 'It really does feel like a party house and a fun house. We have the perfect balance,' Andy said. The couple's new home even drew a visit from Princess Anne earlier this year, who came to personally thank them for restoring the cultural landmark. The island is named after Richard D'Oyly Carte, a theatre impresario who once owned the land and produced Gilbert and Sullivan's operettas. He also founded the Savoy Hotel in London. 'He was the Simon Cowell of the 1800s,' Andy joked. Despite the steep renovation costs - and the dust, noise, and disruption- Andy insists it's been worth every penny. 'The expression 'no pain no gain' is very true. We are seeing lots of progress every day. It is fun to see what was a dead island and house be brought back to life. If I had to do it all again, I wouldn't change a thing.' Inspired by the island's musical roots, Andy launched the Weybridge Festival, hosting a series of summer concerts last year. The festival returns from July 4-6, with a hog roast, Pimm's tent, face painting, and more. To make the event safe, he met with council officials and invested £35,000 in infrastructure, including emergency escape plans. While Elmbridge Borough Council initially opposed the event, it was later approved. 'It is not dangerous. Nobody is going to burn to death on an island 50 yards from the mainland,' Andy said. 'It's an amazingly calm place to live.' The Hills are not the only ones seeking island life in the UK. Young couple Sacha Pritchard, 25, and Matt King, 28, moved to a one-bedroom bungalow on a boat-only-accessible island in Hampton, saving £20,000 a year on rent compared to London flat shares. 'It was the best decision we ever made,' said Sacha, who commutes to her job by boat and documents their lifestyle on her TikTok account @LondonIslandLiving. 'It isn't for everyone, but we love it.' But it's not without its own risks. In 2023, Andrew Philip, who lives on Pharaoh's Island in Surrey, saw his dream home engulfed by flames, with fire crews struggling to access the island due to a lack of bridges. 'It is slightly nerve-wracking living so close to water. Every few years our lawns flood,' he said. 'But it is a really lovely community.' Even so, private islands remain in demand. Last summer, Temple Weir Island near Marlow went up for sale for just £75,000 - a bargain compared to London prices. 'For those with a spirit for adventure, it's the perfect hideaway,' said estate agent Richard Maby.
