A Luxury Travel Blog

Delight in Four Diamond luxury accommodation and enjoy dinner for two with wine in The Ahwahnee Dining Room and special romantic touches. The Ahwahnee Romance Package is a 2-night package which starts from $954 and includes lodging in their Classic or Cottage rooms, dinner for two in the soaring Ahwahnee Dining Room, sparkling wine and flutes, a special keepsake gift and a small surprise at turn-down.

Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel company, has announced the official opening of their stunning new flagship hotel the Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld.   With sumptuous international buffets, fine dining restaurants and Thai, Japanese and Chinese favourites, the Centara Grand at CentralWorld’s 8 restaurants, lounges and bars provide a world of dining pleasure and entertainment.   Globe Bar, with its dedicated Vodka and Martini Bars, a unique selection of Whiskies and Malts and nonstop music from the resident DJ, the live band or even an impromptu performance from the staff, is set to become Bangkok’s most popular fun bar.  

All 505 bedrooms and suites at the Centara Grand at CentralWorld have stunning and unrestricted views of Bangkok and are fitted with the highest quality amenities to truly reflect the luxurious standards of Bangkok’s newest 5 stars hotel.       Soaring above the skyline of the central business district, designed to resemble a flowering lotus and encompassing the theme of the four elements – earth, air, water and fire – the 5 star Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld presents a fresh perspective on Thai hospitality and service.

Staying at The Peninsula this season means you can personalise your visit by selecting options from Winter Escapes package, or indulge in The Suite Life and enjoy a complimentary second night’s stay. This winter, two of Hong Kong’s oldest and best loved icons, The Peninsula and The Star Ferry, team up in signature style for the Cruise and Dine package – a 45-minute Champagne harbour cruise followed by dinner in The Peninsula’s famous Lobby. Guests of The Peninsula enjoy a complimentary Champagne cruise. Meanwhile The Peninsula Spa by ESPA’s seasonal programme, An Experience at The Peninsula, allows you to say goodbye to dull, dry skin brought on by the change of season, including a facial and a massage, as well as breakfast, lunch of afternoon tea served at the poolside.

Treat your loved one to the ultimate romantic spa treatment at Anantara Spa Golden Triangle. The award winning spa is set amidst the natural scenery overlooking the Golden Triangle where the 3 countries meet at the picturesque Mekong River.

The Seductive Chocolate Delight treatment starts with a romantic floral foot bath in the candle-lit Anantara couples spa suite, followed by a 30 minutes of chocolate scrub comprising of cocoa and almond. The revitalizing scrub gently eliminates dead cells and stimulates cell-renewal whilst refining and ensuring smooth and fully moisturised skin.

Guests can then sip on a freshly prepared hot chocolate while soaking in the lavished outdoor bath filled with rose petals and offering a stunning view over the Golden Triangle. The Valentines couple will then indulge in a 60 minutes relaxing massage using chocolate massage oil together with firm strokes and acupressure techniques which leave guests, relaxed and rejuvenated for the evening ahead.

The Chocolate Delight package is available for THB8,500 (net) per couple and THB4,500++ for one person. Valid from 25th January until 28th February 2009.

Diners at Grand Park Otaru in Hokkaido, Japan will get the chance to sample Singapore’s culinary favourites when the hotel holds a Singapore Food Fair at Terrace Brasserie, its all-day dining restaurant, from 21st January to 15th February 2009. Comprising a wide and rich variety of Asian cuisines including Chinese, Malay, Indian and Peranakan (Nonya or Straits Chinese), the fair will feature Singapore’s all-time favourite dishes such as Hainanese Chicken Rice, Chilli and Black Pepper Crab, Laksa (thick rice noodles served with rich gravy), Fish Curry and Chicken Curry in buffet style. Other delectable dishes available include Gado Gado (Indonesian-style mixed salad), Mango Prawn and Mee Goreng (fried noodles).

There will also be a live cooking station serving items such as Prawn Noodle and Popiah (Chinese springroll), while the dessert counter will feature popular items like Pulut Hitam (steamed black rice with coconut milk) and Bubur Cha Cha (yam and sweet potato cubes served in coconut milk and sago). The world-famous Singapore Sling cocktail will also be served.

Overseeing the preparation of the Singapore culinary selection will be Park Hotel Group’s Corporate Chef Ivan Yeo, assisted by Executive Chef Chua Yew Hock. Chef Ivan oversees the Group’s culinary and kitchen operations and has won many culinary awards. He is also theCoach for the Singapore National Team which won 3 Gold and a Silver medal last year in the IKA HOGA Olympic Competition in Erfurt, Germany.

Look no further for your Easter break. Soak up the Easter sun in Tunisia with Powder Byrne’s exclusive ‘night on us’ offer at The Residence. What’s more under 12s stay free when sharing their parents’ room and under 2s travel free too. If that’s not enough to tempt you then maybe the new golf course and top notch spa will be. Powder Byrne ensure that you don’t have to lift an organisational finger – from arranging tee times and pairing up like-minded guests for a round, to pre-booking that well earned facial and anything in between, we’ll take care of it. For the kids the PB crèche and Scallywags programme will keep the troops entertained so you can enjoy all of the above safe in the knowledge they’re having a ball. Prices from £1,075 per person.

We stayed in Room 503 on the top floor of the Lato Boutique Hotel in Heraklion, Crete.   Being sited on the corner of the building, it offers views in two directions from a  generous L-shaped balcony with ample space for sun loungers.   From here you have the best views of the port and the Venetian fortress of Heraklion – and the sea beyond –  to be found anywhere in the city.

The hotel has a very contemporary, forward-thinking look and feel throughout. Formerly a school of chemistry, the building has been in the Karatarakis family since the 1960s and now, under the skilled leadership of Lefteris Karatarakis, it is a hotel that is continually striving to be the finest in Heraklion.   A current Tripadvisor ranking of 6th out of 111 hotels in the city is testament to this.  

Our room consisted of a lounge (which  doubled up  as a chilren’s bedroom with two single beds), a shower room, a main bedroom and a bathroom with  a whirlpool  bath.  It was an ideal family room for us but would serve equally well as a spacious suite for just a couple.  Lush fabrics and rich, quality décor provide guests with  a soothing  ambience  in which they can truly relax.

A  recent addition to the hotel has been a rooftop herb restaurant, The Herbs’ Garden, which enjoys the same wonderful views and offers relaxed open air dining.   Scattered around this dining area are large plants pots with an abundance of different herbs which are used for dishes such as potatoes fried in olive oil with fresh oregano and grated anthotyro (a Cretan cheese).

A buffet breakfast is  available  in the Aroma Restaurant, which is situated between the bar and one of the hidden gems of Lato: the fabulous  Brillant Restaurant. This gourmet restaurant is open to both guests of the hotel and the general public.   Unfortunately our visit was a little poorly timed as it fell in a short window just between the Herbs’ Garden closing and Brillant opening.

Mr. Karatarakis’ generous hospitality, however, meant that we were able to dine privately in Brillant – despite it not being officially open – and enjoy a quite incredible Cretan feast. Everything from dakos with tomatoes to traditional Cretan omelette  to dolmades to deliciously tender octopus and much, much more – such an array of wonderful food that we felt somewhat overfaced, not to  mention very full!  Despite being a relaxed-yet-formal place to dine, children are welcome here, such is the family-oriented nature of the Greek lifestyle.

To complete my round-up of the hotel, I should also mention that, tucked away in the basement are conference facilities, a small gym and a steam room which complete the offerings of this modern, family hotel.   With the hotel’s location, its friendly staff, unique design touches and continual upgrades, you really  ought to  look up Lato if you’re ever staying in Heraklion.   We’re glad we did.

I must admit, I’m a little dubious about the benefits of Twitter, though I know a lot of people swear by it.   It’s only fair, I suppose, that I give it a try.   If you want to follow A Luxury Travel Blog on Twitter, then go to http://twitter.com/luxury__travel  - it’s just the blog RSS feed at the moment, along with a feed from the Luxury Travel Forum over at AardvarkTravel.net.   If I get more into it, I might try adding a tweet or two when I’m on the move.

Enjoy the amazing snow and all that the Vail Mountain Lodge has to offer with their “Post Holiday” Lodging and Lift Ticket Deal. Stay four nights and ski for four days and receive the 4th free from the Vail Mountain Lodge & Spa from  now through until 12th February  2009. The deal includes 4 nights lodging, one dinner at Terra Bistro for 2, two 4-day lift tickets, semi-private snowshoeing tour for 2  and one massage per person. The package price is $2,505 and is based on  2 people in a Valley View Room checking in on a Sunday or Monday.

After the hectic holiday season, escape to Asilomar, Monterey Peninsula’s “Refuge by the Sea” to regroup and relax. Asilomar offers 107 acres of tranquil beauty from forests to sand dunes, 313 historic and contemporary guestrooms, a heated pool, beach boardwalk, renowned cuisine and wide range of fun activities for the whole family. Whether you’re coming to get away from the world or experience nearby Monterey Aquarium, and Historic Cannery Row, you’;ll be sure to find an escape that’s perfect for you.

Aquarium Package
Stay by the sea and spend some time discovering its wonders. Starting at just $180, the Aquarium Package includes nightly accommodations, a full breakfast for two and two-day passes to the Monterey Bay Aquarium for two.
 
State Parks Package
Stay at Asilomar and explore the wilder side of California. Starting at $162 per couple, the State Parks Package includes overnight accommodations for two, a day ticket for one car to Point Lobos State Park, Pfeiffer Big Sur, Julia Pfeiffer Burns and Andrea Molera, plus two box lunches.
 
Bed, Breakfast and Dinner Package
Wake up to the sound of surf and the rustle of pines. Starting at just $159, this package offers one night’s lodging, home-style breakfast and dinner for two, plus a prime scenic location for exploring area attractions and recreation.

Now your nights at Hyatt are even more rewarding. Earn up to 20,000 bonus points at any Hyatt worldwide between  now and 30th April  2009, and watch your bonus points add up to 20,000! You can redeem your 20,000 points to enjoy free nights with no blackout dates and upgrades at extraordinary Hyatt properties worldwide. Go here to register.

For a very special treat this Valentines, book the weekend at Combe House, a wildly romantic Elizabethan manor hotel on a huge, secluded Devon country estate near Exeter. Couples can chose to stay in the main house or a beautifully restored thatched cottage for two hidden in the woods at the entrance to the mile long drive with prices from £190 B&B per room per night.

A Michelin Rising Star, Combe is offering a special Valentine’s lunch and dinner on 14th February 2009  in a choice of two intimate dining rooms. Created by the hotel’s two resident Master Chefs of Great Britain, the three-course lunch is priced at £39 per person to include canapés, coffee and petit fours while the special six course Valentines night menu is £69 and also includes a welcome glass of pink Champagne.

Masseria Il Trappeto is a sensitively restored 17th century olive mill just 1km from Ostuni (“La Citta Bianca”) and set in an ancient olive grove from which it produces its own oil. Some of the trees were planted by the ancient Greeks 2,000 years ago, when southern Italy was Magna Graecia. Il Trappeto offers a very high standard of holiday accommodation. With its seven bedrooms and five bathrooms, it comfortably sleeps 12 people. There are large sun terraces surrounding the first floor which look up to the medieval centre of Ostuni and out to the Adriatic Sea which is just 4km away.

Located along the scenic Jimbaran coast, Raffles Resort Amartha will feature a resort comprising approximately 85 villas and 25 Raffles Residences for private ownership. Occupying a sprawling 11 hectares, Raffles Resort Amartha is built to resemble a Water Palace, with inspiration drawn from classical Javanese-Hindu architecture and style, characterised by open spaces, water features and walled couryards on rising terraces. The resort is  just minutes away from Bali’s international airport, Denpasar.

Allow me to don my UKhotel.com hat for a brief moment (for those that don’t know, UKhotel is a site run by the company where I am a Director).   As of 2009, we have started running monthly competitions on the site giving our visitors the chance to win a two-night stay in a luxury hotel.   The competition page is here and this month’s prize is a fabulous break at manorhaus, a four-star restaurant with rooms and member of The Good Hotel Guide, The Good Food Guide, Historic Hotels of Europe and Welsh Rarebits.   To all those who enter… good luck!

New for 2009, Hotel L’Avenida, Mallorca’s chic eight-bedroom boutique hotel in the heart of Soller on the island’s North West coast, is introducing a ‘Flavours of Mallorca’ cookery and foodie weekend throughout February, March and October 2009.

The cookery weekends, based at the converted, century old Modernist style private mansion in the heart of the town, will be run by local chef Benet Vicens, who is the owner of the popular restaurant Bens d’Avall, in the neighbouring town of Deia. During the three-day course, Benet will introduce guests to a wide range of Mallorcan produce, showing them how to use ingredients such as locally caught seafood and lamb from the surrounding Tramuntana Mountains, in a variety of contemporary and innovative dishes.

The ‘Flavours of Mallorca’ cookery weekend costs €1485 per person (approx £1,240 per person) and includes three night’s accommodation based on two people sharing a double room, continental breakfast, all tuition, food and wine relating to the demonstrations (excluding mini bar consumption), gala dinner on Friday night, return airport transfers, transfers to the bodega and the bodega tour. For the cookery weekends to take place, a minimum of six and maximum of 16 people are required. Spa treatments cost from €40 per person.