In his new travel show, Hollywood comedy star Eugene Levy is way out of his comfort zone. Here’s how you can enjoy the same sights — with less pain
The Reluctant Traveler Available to stream now Apple TV+
Ed Grenby - 2 March 2023
Eugene Levy doesn’t mince his words. “I do not look forward to travelling,” says the actor whose face (and eyebrows) you’ll recognise from Schitt’s Creek and the American Pie movies. And that’s before the opening titles even roll on his new series The Reluctant Traveler. “But I’m 75,” he continues, “and maybe it’s time to expand my horizons” – which he certainly does, as the show takes him from tropical rainforest to Arctic tundra. “On the plus side, I’m staying at some unbelievable hotels,” he concedes, but “the catch” is being pushed way beyond his comfort zone: chased by huskies, manhandled by sumos and having to perform a rectal examination on an elephant. The rest of us, however, may care to experience the same destinations more safely and on a smaller budget. Here’s how…
FINLAND
How Eugene does it
Way up north of the Arctic Circle is Rovaniemi, “capital of Lapland”. From here, Levy goes sleigh-riding, husky-sledding and ice-fishing, and is talked into floating in a frigid lake (“That’s the last time I have five vodkas with a Finn”, he deadpans).
How you can do it
You may not want to copy Levy’s itinerary – in fact you can have a wonderful time here just looking out of a window for the Northern Lights – but his accommodation choice is spot-on: the Arctic TreeHouse Hotel (arctictreehousehotel.com) is an architectural marvel with a distinctly cosy side.
SOUTH AFRICA
How Eugene does it
The eye-popping Kruger Shalati (krugershalati.com) is a converted train parked permanently on a bridge high above the Sabie River in Kruger National Park – stunning, but perhaps not one for those with a fear of heights (or confined spaces).
How you can do it
Kruger is unusual in that it’s perfectly possible to self-drive, and it’s so teeming with wildlife that even an amateur can tick off the big five – lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo. Just hire a car in Johannesburg and follow the signs. Rather have it all packaged and guided? A tour operator such as Audley (audleytravel.co.uk) can sort everything for you.
COSTA RICA
How Eugene does it
“Rainforests are lovely for the planet,” says Levy, “I just don’t necessarily want to be in one.” And he’s not mad about “going on a night hike where you could die in 30 minutes from one of these viper bites…”
How you can do it
Costa Rica is the “soft adventure” capital of the world, and you can easily combine great Caribbean beaches with verdant cloud forests, dramatic volcanoes and, yes, some exciting creepy-crawlies. Tui (tui.co.uk) offers some great, effortless packages there.
THE MALDIVES
How Eugene does it
With just 15 guestrooms, the private island resort of Kudadoo (kudadoo. com) doesn’t come cheap (how “not cheap”? From £2,600 to £7,100 a night, depending on the season) – and it leaves Levy feeling a little bit marooned, too.
How you can do it
The Maldives is never cheap, but bigger resorts offer better value for money, more facilities – and less chance of that “stranded” feeling. The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort, on the edge of the Baa Atoll Unesco Biosphere Reserve, is a bargain, with rooms from £353 a night.
TOKYO
How Eugene does it
Levy’s hotel, Hoshinoya (hoshinoya.com/tokyo), is a sexy, £700-a-night modern-urban version of the traditional Japanese ryokan inn in a 17-storey skyscraper.
How you can do it
For a more traditional (and much cheaper) ryokan experience, have a look at the Japan Ryokan & Hotel Association’s listings at ryokan.or.jp – from £64 a night.
VENICE
How Eugene does it
Staying at the city’s most exclusive hotel, the Gritti Palace (marriott.co.uk/ hotels/travel/vceglthe-gritti-palacea-luxury-collection-hotelvenice), Levy is alarmed to find that the chairs in his room are made with real gold and date from the 17th century – “The furniture is older than the United States”, as he puts it.
How you can do it
Venice is an excellent place to Airbnb (airbnb.co.uk). Elegant flats in ancient palazzi right on the Grand Canal can be had for as little as £100 a night – and every view here is exquisite.
ED GRENBY
LISBON
How Eugene does it
In the Portuguese capital, Levy tries his hand at sailing, tile-painting, fado guitar-playing and sampling the city’s traditional custard tarts (“That’s the reason to come to Lisbon,” he says emphatically, “just for the tarts”).
How you can do it
Those who agree about the tarts can simply book a few nights’ break through EasyJet Holidays (easyjet.com/en/ holidays/portugal/lisbon).
UTAH
How Eugene does it
You’ve never seen knuckles whiter than Levy’s as he helicopters over the Grand Canyon and into Amangiri, an oasis of luxury among the mesas and buttes of Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park (amangiri.com).
How you can do it
The nearby town of Page ( just over the State border in Arizona) has decent motels from as little as £30 a night (Amangiri costs from £3,000 a night), as well as campgrounds and mid-price hotel chains such as Marriott and Hyatt. Alternatively, helicopter day-trips to (and over) the area are readily available from Las Vegas…
Eugene Levy doesn’t mince his words. “I do not look forward to travelling,” says the actor whose face (and eyebrows) you’ll recognise from Schitt’s Creek and the American Pie movies. And that’s before the opening titles even roll on his new series The Reluctant Traveler. “But I’m 75,” he continues, “and maybe it’s time to expand my horizons” – which he certainly does, as the show takes him from tropical rainforest to Arctic tundra. “On the plus side, I’m staying at some unbelievable hotels,” he concedes, but “the catch” is being pushed way beyond his comfort zone: chased by huskies, manhandled by sumos and having to perform a rectal examination on an elephant. The rest of us, however, may care to experience the same destinations more safely and on a smaller budget. Here’s how…
FINLAND
How Eugene does it
Way up north of the Arctic Circle is Rovaniemi, “capital of Lapland”. From here, Levy goes sleigh-riding, husky-sledding and ice-fishing, and is talked into floating in a frigid lake (“That’s the last time I have five vodkas with a Finn”, he deadpans).
How you can do it
You may not want to copy Levy’s itinerary – in fact you can have a wonderful time here just looking out of a window for the Northern Lights – but his accommodation choice is spot-on: the Arctic TreeHouse Hotel (arctictreehousehotel.com) is an architectural marvel with a distinctly cosy side.
SOUTH AFRICA
How Eugene does it
The eye-popping Kruger Shalati (krugershalati.com) is a converted train parked permanently on a bridge high above the Sabie River in Kruger National Park – stunning, but perhaps not one for those with a fear of heights (or confined spaces).
How you can do it
Kruger is unusual in that it’s perfectly possible to self-drive, and it’s so teeming with wildlife that even an amateur can tick off the big five – lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo. Just hire a car in Johannesburg and follow the signs. Rather have it all packaged and guided? A tour operator such as Audley (audleytravel.co.uk) can sort everything for you.
COSTA RICA
How Eugene does it
“Rainforests are lovely for the planet,” says Levy, “I just don’t necessarily want to be in one.” And he’s not mad about “going on a night hike where you could die in 30 minutes from one of these viper bites…”
How you can do it
Costa Rica is the “soft adventure” capital of the world, and you can easily combine great Caribbean beaches with verdant cloud forests, dramatic volcanoes and, yes, some exciting creepy-crawlies. Tui (tui.co.uk) offers some great, effortless packages there.
THE MALDIVES
How Eugene does it
With just 15 guestrooms, the private island resort of Kudadoo (kudadoo. com) doesn’t come cheap (how “not cheap”? From £2,600 to £7,100 a night, depending on the season) – and it leaves Levy feeling a little bit marooned, too.
How you can do it
The Maldives is never cheap, but bigger resorts offer better value for money, more facilities – and less chance of that “stranded” feeling. The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort, on the edge of the Baa Atoll Unesco Biosphere Reserve, is a bargain, with rooms from £353 a night.
TOKYO
How Eugene does it
Levy’s hotel, Hoshinoya (hoshinoya.com/tokyo), is a sexy, £700-a-night modern-urban version of the traditional Japanese ryokan inn in a 17-storey skyscraper.
How you can do it
For a more traditional (and much cheaper) ryokan experience, have a look at the Japan Ryokan & Hotel Association’s listings at ryokan.or.jp – from £64 a night.
VENICE
How Eugene does it
Staying at the city’s most exclusive hotel, the Gritti Palace (marriott.co.uk/ hotels/travel/vceglthe-gritti-palacea-luxury-collection-hotelvenice), Levy is alarmed to find that the chairs in his room are made with real gold and date from the 17th century – “The furniture is older than the United States”, as he puts it.
How you can do it
Venice is an excellent place to Airbnb (airbnb.co.uk). Elegant flats in ancient palazzi right on the Grand Canal can be had for as little as £100 a night – and every view here is exquisite.
ED GRENBY
LISBON
How Eugene does it
In the Portuguese capital, Levy tries his hand at sailing, tile-painting, fado guitar-playing and sampling the city’s traditional custard tarts (“That’s the reason to come to Lisbon,” he says emphatically, “just for the tarts”).
How you can do it
Those who agree about the tarts can simply book a few nights’ break through EasyJet Holidays (easyjet.com/en/ holidays/portugal/lisbon).
UTAH
How Eugene does it
You’ve never seen knuckles whiter than Levy’s as he helicopters over the Grand Canyon and into Amangiri, an oasis of luxury among the mesas and buttes of Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park (amangiri.com).
How you can do it
The nearby town of Page ( just over the State border in Arizona) has decent motels from as little as £30 a night (Amangiri costs from £3,000 a night), as well as campgrounds and mid-price hotel chains such as Marriott and Hyatt. Alternatively, helicopter day-trips to (and over) the area are readily available from Las Vegas…
ED GRENBY