A Luxury Travel Blog

With De Vere Heritage, a short break is tailor-made for every member of the family, at a price that won’t break the bank. Whether it’s well-earned relaxation, pure escapism or exciting leisure activities you yearn for, De Vere Heritage helps you meet the greatest challenge of all - keep yourself as happy as the kids. Book a fabulous family deal from £78 B&B per room per night, and your kids stay and eat for free! Dinner, B&B rates start from £110.  To take advantage of the offer, you need to book by 13th August 2007 and stay by 9th September 2007.

Treat yourself to a luxury 5 star experience at the Millennium Hotel Christchurch, any Friday, Saturday or Sunday until 30th September 2007 and go into the draw to win a trip for two to the Bay of Islands valued at $2,000! You can currently enjoy superior room accommodation with Cathedral Square views on their winter promotion deal of $165 including GST.

The Jefferson is currently making a summer two for one offer - either two nights for the price of one, or two rooms for the price of one. It’s $299 for a superior room or $339 for a deluxe room. You can also customise the offer (at an additional cost, of course) to include dinner at Lemaire Restaurant, a pamper at The Salon at The Jefferson or a Richmond tradition of Sunday Champagne brunch for two.

I’m back from attending the Luxury Travel Fair in London and seemingly just in time, as it sounds like transport across the city may have become increasingly chaotic due to this morning’s rather alarming news. As for the fair, well… it was very good indeed, and much bigger than last year, both in terms of the number of exhibitors and the area which they covered.  It was difficult to do it justice in just a day but well worth making the journey.  Thank you to all those who took time to chat to me.

I’m in London, attending the Luxury Travel Fair, so don’t expect any posts from me today.  Have a read of the archive or, if you’re looking for something specific, select a category on the right, or use the search facility.  Normal service should resume tomorrow.

A hip, new design hotel has arrived in the very heart of Vienna in the pedestrian zone opposite St. Stephen’s Cathedral. The glass and steel Do & Co Hotel is brought to us by chef and restauranteur-come-celebrity Attila Dogudan. It offers 44 guest rooms with superb views of Stephansplatz, Graben and the Kärtnerstrasse. At the top of the building you’ll find the hotel restaurants, a lounge, roof garden and exclusive culinary pavilion that seats 12.

CC Africa’s newest exclusive-use safari villa, Melton Manor, is now open. Located within the Relais & Châteaux Big Five Kwandwe Private Game Reserve in the heart of South Africa’s malaria-free Eastern Cape, Melton Manor offers the perfect safari destination for families or groups of up to eight people celebrating a special occasion. It has 4 en suite bedrooms with innovative ‘butler hatches’, a large swimming pool and a central courtyard.

A complimentary gift bag full of sensory trinkets, cookies and milk each night, and a suitcase full of books and games – what more could a kid ask for?  Omni Hotels’ kids program has received an extensive childlike makeover designed to create a memorable stay for its youngest travelers.  The new Omni Sensational Kids program enables children of all ages to enjoy travel through fun, indulgent offerings which activate all of the five senses. Kids get an out-of-this-world backpack bag filled with sensory items (a kaleidoscope for Sight, a kazoo for Sound, candy lightening bugs for Taste, oversized jacks for Touch and a scented bracelet for Smell) intended to entertain and engage kids as they are welcomed to Omni Hotels.

Rydges Sabaya Resort Port Douglas re-opens today after a multi-million dollar redevelopment. The tropical North Queensland resort features new spacious hotel rooms and apartments, ideal for business or leisure travel, a lagoon-style pool perfect for enjoying the sun, a modern restaurant and bar, serving sumptuous meals for all tastes, and extensive day spa facilities.

Equestrians looking for a vacation to pursue their passion need look no further than Half Moon, the only resort to boast its own equestrian centre in Jamaica and one of only three such resorts in the Caribbean. Led by skilled and passionate trainers, the centre offres exciting programmes for all ages. Guests can take advantage of the signature Beach Ride, which takes riders for an exhilarating swim on horseback into the sea. The Jungle Jaunt, ideal for beginners and those looking to refresh their skills, leads riders through a wooded grove and along paths on a scenic hillside. Little ones need not feel left out also, as the centre offers pony rides for children under six. Prices for riding experiences are $15 for pony rides, $50 for the Jungle Jaunt and $70 for the Beach Ride, while a private riding lesson is only $50 for 30 minutes.

One of the world’s largest collections of premier spas, The Starwood Spa Collection, has 10 new additions.  They include Le Méridien Lav in Split, Croatia, with its superb sea views; Le Royal Méridien Beach Dubai with its unique, Roman theme; Hotel Schloss Fuschl in Austria with its glass façade looking out to views of Lake Fuschl; and Hotel Marqués de Riscal, Spain, where the treatments combine the virtues of warm water with wine, grape and grape seed extracts from the surrounding vineyards.

Don’t forget… it’s the Luxury Travel Fair at Olympia, London this week. The event is presented by Condé Nast Traveller, in conjunction with British Airways, and runs from Wednesday 27th to Saturday 29th June 2007.  This is a great event - I hope to be there on the Thursday so maybe I’ll see some of you then!

It’s hard to escape the constant media reminders regarding climate change and it appears that some of the leading resorts of the world are taking note.  The Soneva Fushi & Spa resort in the Maldives is the latest to announce that it is going green.  it aims to be carbon neutral by 2008 and carbon free by 2010.  No doubt Six Senses Resorts & Spas will be looking to follow this with similar moves from their other resorts.

Suite name: Bedroom Suite
Resort: The Eliot Hotel, Boston, MA
Size of accommodation: 450 sq ft
Cost per night: $295-$485 depending on time of year
Who’s stayed there? Stephen King, John C. Reilly, Kevin Kline, Meryl Streep, Kris Kristofferson, Geena Davis, Michael Winterbottom, Andrew Shue, Elisabeth Shue, Carly Schroeder, Charlie Kaufman, Chris Cooper, Martin Scorcese, Lisa Loeb, Bill Murray, John Grisham, Uta Pippig (German marathoner), Todd Field, Stewart O’ Nan and guest conductors of the Boston Symphony Orchestra
What makes it special? The ability to cater to each guests’ needs and requests, and allowing celebrities to reside in a luxurious, dignified setting without the intrusions of crowds and commerce.

In fashionable Back Bay, steps away from the boutiques and restaurants of Newbury Street and within easy reach of Boston’s medical and biotechnology centers and universities, guests of the four-diamond Eliot Hotel bask in the luxury and service experienced in the finest European hotels.   From the moment you enter The Eliot Hotel, you will be impressed with the refined details cultivated throughout the hotel.

These bedroom suites are exquisitely decorated and outfitted with the finest amenities.   Signature robes, complimentary overnight shoeshine, marble bathrooms, high-speed and wireless Internet access, and nightly turndown service are a few of the features that you will enjoy.

Guests may also visit the James Beard award-winning Clio Restaurant and the sleek Uni Sashimi Bar for a contemporary fusion of French and Asian cuisine, all prepared by Chef Ken Oringer.

The concierge can make arrangements for any of Boston’s many cultural treasures, from tickets to the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Ballet, or the Museum of Fine Arts to dinner reservations, Red Sox tickets or tours of Boston’s Freedom Trail.

An executive limousine company is preparing to equip its entire fleet of limos with wireless internet equipment. Carey Houston will be able to connect to the internet during their travels, through either a WiFi or Ethernet connection. The move is sure to be a hit with many business executives and VIPs.

A weekly pick of luxury travel links for your perusal…

• Find your Tuscan soul with Toscana Mia tours
• A taste of Italy in Baltimore from Sabatino’s
• Experience Morocco in London: Mamounia Lounge
• Greece’s new launching K2 Smart Jets