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My Life In Travel: Michael Winner

'I loved to go travelling with Marlon Brando. He was a very amusing man'

Sophie Lam
Saturday 18 September 2004 00:00 BST
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What is your first holiday memory?

What is your first holiday memory?

It was in 1946 or 1947 and was the first time that I had left England. We went to Switzerland and stayed in the Palace Hotel in Lucerne. I stepped onto the balcony and gasped, because I was so staggered by the view - that's the only time that has ever happened to me.

Where have you had your best holiday?

An Orient Express cruise five or six years ago along the River Ayeyarwady in Burma.It has remained unchanged for centuries; beautiful temples, stunning scenery and incredible people.

Where is your favourite place in the British Isles?

London. The Peak District is also staggering. I remember a B&B there - the owner's mother made the greatest Bakewell tart.

Who would be your ideal travel companion?

Marlon Brando, who I did travel with. He was a very amusing man and very inquisitive.

Are you a beach bum, culture vulture or adrenalin junkie?

I was a culture vulture, but I have become more of a beach bum. If I am in Rome I'll go to the galleries, but it depends where you are.

What is your greatest travel luxury?

Private planes. You have to take a deep breath and say "I could go to Nice on easyJet for £100 or take a private plane for £15,000".

Where has seduced you?

Parts of Italy such as Portofino are very unspoilt. I like Barbados, but it's now so built up.

Is it better to travel or arrive?

With a private plane the holiday starts the minute you step on the aircraft. A car journey with the roof down through England is also very pleasant.

What has been your worst travel experience?

A long weekend in Biarritz. It was a terrible hotel. Biarritz itself was hideous. It's the only dud trip I've ever taken. It was about a year ago when I was capable of avoiding such things.

Where is the worst hotel you've stayed in?

The Hotel du Palais in Biarritz. It had a dreadful manager, dreadful food and dreadful service.

And the best?

La Reserve de Beaulieu, which is on the bay in Beaulieu on the Cote d'Azur. The area is unspoilt, the view is beautiful and the food is superb.

What is the first thing you do when you arrive somewhere new?

If it's hot I go straight to the pool or to the beach. I don't really have anything to unpack because I hardly take any clothes, I just want to get straight into the holiday.

Where would you go on your dream trip?

I keep thinking that I should go to India, as it's somewhere that I have never been.

Where is your favourite city?

I don't really like cities, they are all repulsive. Paris is so overcrowded and I was disappointed by Rome because there wasn't as much of it as I thought there would be. London is the only city that I have great admiration for. It's still a very easy place to be and I feel secure there.

Where are you going next?

My next trip may well be to Villa Feltrinelli in Lake Garda if I have time, otherwise it's a book tour of England to publicise my autobiography.

Michael Winner's autobiography: 'Winner Takes All: A Life of Sorts' is published in hardback by Robson Books on 21 September, priced £16.99

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