A Luxury Travel Blog

Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur has launched its 2006/2007 Lifestyle Programme designed specifically for the hotel’s in-house guests. The programme offers over 100 shopping privileges and services with international and regional retailers at the leading Suria KLCC shopping centre which is located right next door to the hotel and has over 280 retail and entertainment outlets on six levels. The programme is valid until the end of June 2007.

Book four nights bed and breakfast in a traditional standard room at Rathmullan House in County Donegal in Ireland in August and you will receive two complimentary half hour “tasting” holistic treatments on your day of arrival. What better way to start your mini break! The rate for the offer is €418.00 per person per stay.

The Tastes of Gold Coast festival gets underway today with the gala Awards of Excellence evening, hosted by Restaurant and Catering Queensland’s Gold Coast Branch at Royal Pines Resort.  However, it won’t be until the 4th August 2006 that the festivities truly unfold, with the Seafood Paradise Weekend. Simply feast your senses at everything Tastes of Gold Coast has to offer as this month-long festival of food and wine promises to showcase the very best of what the Gold Coast has to offer.

Right throughout August, you can indulge in the good life at lavish banquets, progressive dinners, street fiestas and more

Galgorm Resort in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, is undergoing a major renovation which will see the addition of a new spa, bedrooms, leisure and conferencing facilities come February of 2007. The spa will have eleven treatment rooms including five individual climate rooms, a hydropool, mud bath, hammam and a couples suite.

In a press release issued by Hilton, it’s been announced that all full-service Hilton, Doubletree and Embassy Suites Hotels will have new Precor fitness equipment and facilities installed by the end of 2007.

With the exclusive agreement, brand standards have been established for a premium-quality fitness experience, with the first co-branded facilities opening at The Beverly Hilton, the Doubletree Claremont Hotel in Claremont Calif., the Doubletree Club Las Vegas Airport, the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Honolulu and the Embassy Suites Hotel in Alexandria, Va., while phase one of the project is complete at The Waldorf-Astoria in New York City and the Hilton New York.

Boston Magazine has published 137 winners in its first ever New England Travel & Life Best of New England awards. Among the many winners are Rhode Island’s Hotel Providence (Best City Hotel, other than Boston), the Cranwell Resort and Spa (Best Resort in Massachusetts) and The Wauwinet, Nantucket (Best Hotel for Privacy).

If you’re in Spain’s Basque Country, try to squeeze in a visit to Restaurant Martin Berasategui near San Sebastián. Head for the terrace and you can enjoy views of the countryside around Gipuzkoa whilst you dine. The restaurant has 3 Michelin stars so prepare yourself for something out of the ordinary.

Like the vibrant city in which it makes its home, San Juan’s beachfront Condado Plaza Hotel & Casino offers lots of possibilities for summer travelers seeking signature island diversions. With three freshwater swimming pools, a stretch of private beach, spa services, tennis, basketball and watersports, guests won’t know which way to turn. They can also choose from four onsite restaurants, enjoy dancing and live entertainment or try their luck with slots, roulette and a variety of table games in the resort’s 24-hour casino. And all this from just $119 per night as a summer offer until 1st September 2006.

East India Hotels Ltd. has signed an agreement for a 250-room Oberoi luxury hotel and 40 service apartments in Dubai, at an investment of $100 million. The hotel will be near the Burj and is expected to open in early 2009. Meanwhile, it’s also rumoured that the brand also has plans for a presence in China and India.

One of the country’s top 10 tennis resorts and home to a Pete Dye-designed 6,234-yard golf course, Carmel Valley Ranch offers easy access to the best of the Monterey Peninsula and breathtaking views of the Santa Lucia Mountains. Housed in the 144-suite property’s original ranch house built in the 1900s, Carmel Valley’s Tennis Club features 10 hard-court and two clay courts. Additional amenities include a fitness center, two pools, six whirlpool spas; oversized suites include cozy fireplaces, wraparound decks and private whirlpool spas. Their Tennis & Spa Package (available until 13th March 2007) includes one 60-minute spa treatment per adult, per day or one 60-minute tennis lesson per day, per person, in addition to unlimited tennis court time.

The Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa in Muscat, Oman, is set against a dramatic backdrop of rugged mountains overlooking the Gulf of Oman. This five-star complex is set in 124 acres of beautiful scenery and comprises three hotels (Al Waha, Al Bandar, and Al Husn), 6 main restaurants, two bars, a nightclub, a spa village, and three private beaches. Doubles start from around US$250.

Repeated top marks for comfort, services offered and friendliness: just like last year, Terminal 2 ranks right at the top in terms of popularity with the passengers. This is confirmed by the results of the “World Airport Award”, in which in 2006 Munich Airport was once again voted the best in Europe and the third-best worldwide (with Singapore being top of the pile).

Renovation of The Dolder Grand in Zurich is on track for a 2008 opening. It is one of the largest building projects in the Swiss hotel industry. The new building shell was erected around the historical main building and work has now turned to the roof.  If you’re interested in seeing the progress, there are weekly tours of the building site available to the public.

The Altec Lansing inMotion IM3C Portable Audio System for iPod and iPod Photo allows you to play your iPod through a portable speaker system. Just put your iPod in the dock, then press play. It’s that easy. The revolutionary MaxxBass technology creates quality bass without a subwoofer, and the built-in docking station provides the same synchronization, data transfer, and recharging options as your iPod dock. The convenient secondary input jack provides for connection with other audio devices, including laptops, older iPods, and other MP3 players. Available from Amazon.

The serenity of the Sonoran desert takes centre-stage at this Southwestern resort that gets its name from the 12-million-year-old granite boulder formations dotting the landscape. Whether you’re a golfer, rock climber, tennis player, hiker or into spending all day at the famous Golden Door Spa, The Boulders caters to your inner child and allows you to pamper your body and soul. Discounted summer room rates start at $119 until 1st September 2006.

If you have a laptop, the chances are that you don’t use the PC card slot. Well, now you can use that empty space for something practical yet unrelated to the performance of your machine. With the StashCard from Wireless Garden, you can use it to store small items such as memory cards, stamps, keys (not a whole bunch, mind!), money, or emergency contacts. The product retails for just $9.99.