By Lifestyle Editor Alaina Vieru
Where to stay
Long before Tamara, Tara, Paris and Alexa, there was the original ‘It' girl: actress Lillie Langtry. Back in her day (1874 to be precise) The Royal Yacht Hotel in St Helier was good enough to be the setting of Lillie's wedding reception, and thanks to a recent redesign Lillie's modern equivalents would happily unpack their Louis Vuitton weekend bags in the Royal Yacht's seaside chic rooms.
The view over St Aubins Bay and St Helier Marina makes the hotel a hotspot for locals - we barely got a table in the casual Café Zephyr without a reservation on what seemed to be a sleepy Wednesday lunchtime - but good thing we did as the smoked chicken and avocado timbale with salad was to die for. There's also the Sirocco restaurant which features exquisite modern European food with Jersey twist. Make sure to save room for the dessert assiette - a little taste of everything.
After all that head to the hotel's Spa Sirene, where the I've Overdone The Man-Eating spa treatment (a rich seaweed body mask which smoothes cellulite and reduces excess weight) is a must. With a facial performed while the body mask sets, our skin was as glowing as our newly toned body.
Shopping
Thanks to being VAT exempt, Jersey is the perfect place to shop ‘til you drop. The streets around King Street, Queen Street and Bath Street in St Helier are great for high-street shops, while Halkett Street is your best bet for designer shops and specialist boutiques. We especially love Charade (26 Hillgrove Street) which stocks Mulberry and other labels.
What to do
Other than the shopping, take in the white sand at one of Jersey's gorgeous beaches or hop a ferry for a day trip to nearby Normandy or Brittany. While museums may not be everyone's cup of tea, the Jersey Museum (just next to the Royal Yacht) is an interesting affair complete with Lillie Langtry's amazingly heavy and ornate trousseau which she lugged around the world.
Eating, drinking and nightlife
Sampling the local seafood in Jersey is a must, while Jersey royal potatoes, beef, fudge and cider are also worth a try. Venturing outside The Royal Yacht Hotel, try the Michelin starred Bohemia Bar and Restaurant for some drinks or a swanky dinner and Bistro Soleil (Beaumont, St. Peter, Tel. 01534 720249) for the best seafood.
If shopping on Halkett Street, City Bar is the perfect place to grab a fresh fruit cocktail, while clubbers should head to The Esplanade for clubs. We like Babylon Bar and Restaurant (5-6 The Esplanade, St Helier, Tel. 01534 811110) and Chambers on Mulcaster Street.
Getting there
We flew Flybe from London Gatwick to Jersey with flights starting as low as £29.99 each way. For more information or to book flights visit www.flybe.com or ring 0871 700 2000.
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