Holiday Habits - Alan Cumming

Scottish stage and screen actor Alan Cumming talks travel

“I DON’T REALLY DO HOLIDAYS, WEEKENDS, mini-breaks or indulgent fortnights. I snatch days here and there, shut down and veg out. If I do manage to escape, I love getting away to a hotel where absolutely nobody can find me. But after a week, I tend to get a bit twitchy.

“How would a holiday that involves skiing, abseiling and yoga make me feel? Ha! I would love a holiday that encompasses all three. I’m not a big abseiler, but it’s one of those things I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve done quite a bit of flying for my job in the last few years, for plays and films, so I’ve come to really enjoy a harness! Skiing and yoga are two of my favourite pastimes, so no horror for me there.

“Adrenalin opportunities aside, I have three absolute holiday musts: 1) dog friendliness – I’m much happier when I have my pooches with me; 2) good veggie food, as I’ve been in too many fabulous hotels where I’ve ended up eating chips the whole time because they don’t cater for non-carnivores; 3) a huge bath. The US, where I live now, has never really caught on to the importance of a nice soak, so when I go on holiday I like to compensate for their shortcomings in this area. I take my iPod with me, too. I’m really obsessed with The Wet Spots at the moment – they’re really dirty, yet melodic.

“My favourite trip ever was taking a train to a little hotel on Loch Awe in Scotland a couple of years ago with my man and our dogs. Once there, it rained the whole time but it was just so magical to be in such a beautiful place, eating delicious food, away from it all. Plus, Honey, my collie-shepherd mix, had a little holiday romance with the gardener’s sheepdog!

“I’ve always wanted to ride on the Trans-Siberian Express. I just love trains – mostly the idea of people not being able to get to me for long periods of time. I’d go with my partner, Grant, and my friends Sue and Andrew, because we would laugh from dawn ’til dusk.

“As for hotels, Chateau Marmont in LA is my favourite anywhere. The Hotel du Vin in Glasgow is my second choice because it’s so comfy, grand and welcoming, and they used to have a sommelier called Johnnie Walker. Perfect!”

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