Hidden Gems
Landgoed Altenbroek
's Gravenvoeren - Belgium
Sometimes a place becomes magical simply because you arrive at exactly the right moment.
This was one of those moments.
Tucked away in the peaceful countryside of Belgium’s Voer region, Landgoed Altenbroek already feels wonderfully removed from the outside world.
But on the day we arrived, nature had a little surprise waiting for us.
There was no real snow in the forecast. A few delicate flakes began to fall as we arrived and, after settling in with a first glass of wine, we looked outside again. Somehow, in that short space of time, the landscape had transformed completely.
Everything was white.
The surrounding fields, trees and pond were covered in fresh snow and the countryside had become almost impossibly quiet. That wonderful kind of silence that only snow seems able to create.
Against it, Altenbroek looked even more enchanting. Its distinctive white wooden façades — somewhere between a romantic chalet and a touch of New Orleans charm — glowed warmly against the deep blue winter sky. From our spacious room, a little private terrace looked out over the snow-covered grounds and pond, while inside, chandeliers and contemporary details added a little glamour to the country-house atmosphere.
It may have been pure coincidence. But for one evening, hidden away in the Voer countryside while the world outside quietly disappeared beneath the snow, Altenbroek felt like our own little winter fairytale.
Proof that sometimes the most magical travel moments are the ones you could never have planned.
Visit https://www.altenbroek.com
La Sultana Oualidia
Oualidia - Morocco
A secluded hideaway on Morocco’s Atlantic coast, wrapped in water, warmth and the most extraordinary light.
The kind of place you never expect to find — and never quite forget.
Far from Morocco’s better-known destinations, in the small coastal town of Oualidia, La Sultana feels like discovering a secret.
Hidden between the Atlantic Ocean and a peaceful lagoon, it appears almost unexpectedly — a warm, intimate world of stone, palm trees, turquoise water and little pathways leading towards the sea.
And then there is the light.
Moroccan light has something I never seem to tire of. Here, it moves through the day in the most beautiful way — crisp and blue over the lagoon, soft and golden in the morning, deepening the warm ochre walls as evening approaches. Somehow, everything seems to glow.
Mornings were perhaps my favourite. Breakfast outside in the gentle early light, looking across the water while birds moved around the lagoon and the day slowly came to life. No rush. Just the view, the sounds of nature and that wonderful sense of stillness.
The wooden pontoons stretching out over the water make the setting feel even more extraordinary — part seaside retreat, part secret little world of its own. Add a beautiful pool hidden among palms, warm Moroccan interiors and some of the best lobster I have ever tasted, and leaving suddenly becomes rather difficult.
La Sultana Oualidia is not about grand gestures. Its magic lies in something quieter: light, water, warmth, nature and the luxury of simply being there.
A hidden corner of Morocco where the light alone is reason enough to stay a little longer.
Visit https://www.lasultanahotels.com
Villa Magia
Positano - Amalfi - Italy
A secret garden above Positano, where inside and outside seem to melt into one.
Lush, sun-drenched and every bit as magical as its name suggests.
Positano hardly needs an introduction. Colourful houses tumbling down the cliffs, impossibly blue water and that unmistakable Italian light have made it one of the most iconic places on the Amalfi Coast.
And yet, hidden among all that famous beauty, Villa Magia still managed to surprise me.
Our room felt almost suspended between indoors and out. Floor-to-ceiling glass opened onto a wonderfully lush private garden, filled with greenery, flowers and citrus trees. From the bed, it felt as though you were sleeping right in the middle of it all — surrounded by nature and light, yet completely cocooned in your own little world.
Step outside and the magic continues. A private terrace and jacuzzi overlook the shimmering Mediterranean and the unmistakable curves of Positano’s coastline. Everywhere you turn, there seems to be another glimpse of blue between the leaves.
Mornings were made for lingering: breakfast outside beneath an impossibly blue Italian sky, sunshine filtering through the greenery, the sea stretching out below and nowhere else you particularly needed to be.
As daylight fades and the lights of Positano begin to twinkle around the bay, the view transforms once more.
La dolce vita, indeed.
A little secret garden above the sea, with all the magic of Positano at your feet.
Visit https://villamagiapositano.com