New Delhi’s newest five-star hotel is rising on three acres of prime land in India’s capital. Just in time for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, The Leela Palaces, Hotels & Resorts will welcome its newest luxury property in a convenient location at the cover of Africa Avenue and Vinay Marg in Chanakyapuri, the Central Business District and the city’s diplomatic enclave.
The Leela Palace Kempinski New Delhi will have 260 rooms and suites, five restaurants, two bars, a spa by ESPA, a fitness center and a swimming pool on its roof terrace. An outpost of MEGU, the Japanese restaurant, will open at The Leela along with an intimate Indian restaurant, another featuring Italian cuisine with an open kitchen and an all-day dining restaurant also with a “live” kitchen.
Yesterday marked the highly-anticipated opening of Southern Arizona’s newest luxury property, The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain. Situated northwest of Tucson, in the scenic town of Marana, the picturesque 250-room resort is spread out over 850 acres of lush Sonoran Desert in the Tortolita Foothills. The resort is offering introductory rates starting from $259.
Windstar Cruises is offering guests the opportunity to learn the secrets behind creating extraordinary chocolates from master chocolatier Fran Bigelow aboard Wind Surf’s Rome to Rome sailing on 2nd May 2010. Bigelow is considered one of the best chocolatiers in the country and has been credited for sparking the artisan chocolate renaissance in America. Fran’s Chocolates offers a selection of luxurious chocolate confections and signature truffles created with the finest, all-natural, local and organic ingredients handmade daily in small batches with refined techniques.
Wind Surf’s 7-day Rome to Rome itinerary includes ports in Porto-Vecchio, France; Messina, Italy; Sorrento, Italy; Capri, Italy; and Ischia, Italy. Cruise fares start at $1,749 per person, based on double occupancy.
In October we had the pleasure of staying at the Blue Palace Resort & Spa near Elounda on the Greek island of Crete. Since we arrived quite late in the evening, it wasn’t until morning that we could appreciate the full beauty of the resort’s position with its stunning view of the island of Spinalonga, with its rich and varied history.
The hotel, a member of The Luxury Collection fromStarwood Hotels & Resorts, is perfectly situated close to the small seaside village of Plaka. From the moment we arrived, it was clear that this was going to be a wonderful place to relax. We occupied two interconnecting rooms; spacious and ideal for families with young children.
Both rooms came with balconies that provided us with a good overview of the resort, as did the rather handy resort map provided. Blue Palace has its own stretch of private beach, numerous pools, its own watersports centre, conference facilities, a small boutique, tennis courts, a helipad and even a private chapel.
There are also multiple restaurants and bars here, including the traditional Blue Door restaurant. Close to the waters edge and enjoying a gentle sea breeze, Blue Door adopts the style of a typical Greek taverna its brightly painted tables and chairs overlooking a spectacular beachfront location. It offered a themed fish night every Friday.
We primarily dined at the Isola Italian Restaurant and Olea (where breakfast is also served), but there are plenty of options including L’Orangerie, a two-time recipient of the Golden Toque Award (given to the best restaurants in Greece). At Olea, you can experience a Greek night (Thursdays) and savour an authentic Greek dining experience.
At the heart of Blue Palace is The Elounda Spa & Thalassotherapy offering signature treatments, massages, facials and body wraps, with a swimming pool, saunas, Jacuzzis, steam baths, a hair salon and a well-equipped fitness centre. Its received many prestigious awards including the Spa Finder Readers’ Award 2007 for The Best Spa in Greece.
For children there is ample to enjoy. The resort has its own kids club and a playground area where the little ones can enjoy everything from swings to climbing olive trees. There’s also table tennis and of course the beach and the swimming pools which are two boys thoroughly enjoyed. It’s worth noting that a kids’ menu was available in all the restaurants, so they are made to feel welcome throughout the resort.
In conclusion, nothing was too much trouble for the staff at Blue Palace and this is what sets it apart from many other places. With their Ultimate Guest Service, you can request whatever you want, be it a bath with candles, Champagne and strawberries, or a helicopter ride to Santorini. When staff are eager to fulfil any and every request their guests throw at them, you know you are staying somewhere special.
Last summer we enjoyed a very relaxing week at the five star Gwel an Mor resort on the outskirts of Portreath in mid Cornwall. After a pleasant welcome, we settled into lodge number 40, also known as ‘Tehidy’. All the lodges are named after the local area and Tehidy Country Park is a 250-acre estate not far away.
Despite there being just the four of us, our lodge could easily sleep six people and so presented us with more than ample space. We enjoyed a sea view and comfortable accommodation that consisted of three bedrooms and a bathroom downstairs and an open plan kitchen, dining area and living room upstairs.
The lodges also have outdoor decking and balconies and some have hot tubs too. Perched high above Portreath, the resort is well positioned for a variety of things to do whether it be spending time on the beaches, coastal walks, or visiting local attractions. The Eden Project – home to the world’s largest greenhouse – is about an hour away.
And if you prefer not to venture too far away, facilities at the resort are good. There is the Terrace Restaurant & Bar (open to both residents and locals alike), serving far better fayre than your average pub but without being so stuffy that you would feel uncomfortable with children. Gwel an Mor is, afterall, a family friendly resort.
Also on site is a spa with views over the Atlantic, a gym and an indoor swimming pool. All useful facilities but for us one of the big bonuses – and a unique selling point for Gwel an Mor – was the resort’s own resident wildlife expert, Gary Zammit. We went rockpooling with him and it proved to be a great experience for the children.
Impressed, we headed straight for the site office to see what else was available. Although Gary looked to be ‘booked up’ for the remainder of the week, we made enquiries and he kindly squeezed in an additional wildlife tour for the four of us the following day. If you stay and are faced with the same predicament, do make enquiries and they will try to accommodate you.
Gary is a very interesting person. Not only has he taught an orphaned heron to fly but he also cares for a host of other animals. His wildlife experience was well-pitched so that it was both interesting to adults and engaging for youngsters. Our two boys – aged just 5 and 3 – enjoyed some wonderful opportunities: they hand-fed one of the foxes, flew Sly the Barn Owl, handled a grass snake and much more.
We really enjoyed our stay at Gwel an Mor and would recommend it for a great family holiday. Plans could be afoot to add more lodges to the resort. If this is to go ahead, hopefully it can be achieved without adversely affecting Gwel an Mor’s charm.
A strange title for a blog post, I know… but read on and hopefully you’ll understand what I’m doing.
Like many other bloggers in the same situation, I’m fed up. People are continually copying and pasting posts – often automatically – from this blog (and countless other blogs) on to sites of their own. It’s lazy and, perhaps more importantly, it’s theft.
If you are currently reading this text on a site that is not A Luxury Travel Blog (look at the URL at the top and see if it starts http://www.aluxurytravelblog.com) and does not link to the site, then you might like to let them know your thoughts.
If you’re a blogger that is tired of seeing the same old tricks, may I suggest you also expose these people in a similar way? Just use the subject line “I’m an idiot (and a thief) for publishing this!”, add a short post akin to this one that links to your own site (and to this entry if you don’t mind acknowledging the source of the idea!) and hopefully we can expose this problem further. You’ll be surprised at just how much your post gets re-published without your say-so. Lets find out how many idiots and thieves are out there!
At the moment, Google does not do such a great job of sorting out these sites, unfortunately. My last blog entry was an interview and, when searching for a phrase from that interview, I currently get just one result – not this site but an AdSense revenue sharing site. In short, people are copying material across on to there in order that they can make money from the AdSense and Kontera ads associated with it.
Hardly fair, is it? Anyway, rant over. I hope other bloggers will join me in exposing these sites.
Alison Scott is the Commercial Director for Elegant Resorts. She has been at Elegant for just over a year and prior to that was Head of Product at ITC in Chester. Her background has always been in travel. She started in travel after she left University, as a Rep overseas, and has stayed in the industry ever since. Working mainly in Product and Ops for luxury tour operators, including 7 years with Simply Travel in London.
What is it that you do exactly?
No day is the same. My responsibilities at ER are to manage the Product, Aviation and Marketing side of the business. Anything supplier facing. I am also responsible for looking at our Commercial reporting and we are constantly working ahead and planning to ensure business levels going forward. There are always day to day issues/problems and opportunities to deal with that can take over and need to be dealt with. In todays challenging market, nothing is more important than reacting to changes in demand and being flexible with marketing planning and product offering.
What do you enjoy most about what you do?
Everything! But Product has always been my specialty and I love looking forward and working with the Product managers on new growth and destinations. I also love being able to work with the other Directors and Senior Managers at ER to directly influence the future of the business … we have a great deal of input into strategic planning and being in charge of your own destiny is very empowering.
What would you say are the 3 best places you’ve ever stayed?
I have stayed in so many wonderful places but most recently:
Vancouver – Canada. I just felt very at home in the city. Loved the atmosphere and it is a very interesting place, plus you can go up into the mountains, and be skiing in 2 hours. Stunning scenery.
Rio – Brazil. Just a really edgy city, with a great vibe. So much to see and do and the first place I have been handgliding (and first and last!). Rio is a must do for any traveller, a fabulous experience.
Anguilla – Caribbean. I loved the laid back atmosphere of the Island and everyone was so friendly. Some of the most beautiful beaches I have seen.
What’s been your most memorable dining experience to date?
Sushi at the beach restaurant at Le Prince Maurice in Mauritius. I love sushi and I love the beach… it was an ideal combination.
Have you rubbed shoulders with the rich and famous, either through your work or your travels?
At Elegant Resorts we are very discreet about our celebrity clients. However did recently attend the 10th anniversary party for the Burj Al Arab in London which was hosted by Bruce Forsyth… my Mum was very jealous!
What currently ranks highest on your travel wishlist?
I have never been to Australia or New Zealand or any of the islands in that part of the world – so they are on my to do list. Also would love to go to Madagascar – looks and sounds stunning and unspoilt.
Thank you, Alison. Madagascar is on my wishlist also… one day, perhaps!
Imagine leaving a surf bungalow in Mexico to start a helicopter skiing outfit in the Ruby Mountains of Nevada. That’s what Joe Royer did 33 years ago and today his heli outfit is perhaps the best kept secret in North American skiing and snowboarding (many don’t realize that Nevada is the most mountainous state in the lower 48).
If you’re looking for a compelling story for this winter Ruby Mountains Heli Experience is it. 10 peaks about 11,000 feet (in Nevada!), 200,000 acres of accessible terrain, a great alternative to resort skiing, 3 day and 1 day trips available, gourmet food, luxury lodging at historic Red’s Ranch and a guide class that is second to none. Families and friends of all shapes, sizes and skill levels pile into Ruby’s birds every year and it’s about time the rest of the world heard about it.
Family owned and operated, Joe Royer and his wife Francy personally oversee and participate in every trip. Francy’s expertise in the kitchen (after years training with world-renowned chefs) soothes the soul after a day of powder in the mountains, and Joe’s attention to safety and the satisfaction of every guest make Ruby Mountain the perfect alternative ski trip for anyone and everyone.
We are delighted to announce a new competition. A Luxury Travel Blog has teamed up with Blurb to offer you a great chance to win one of five £50 vouchers to use on their website.
An online creative book publishing platform, Blurb allows everyone and anyone to create their own coffee table book. Perfect for those treasured memories, or that once in a lifetime trip away. Using Blurb’s free proprietary software BookSmart (available to download via the Blurb website) you can start creating your photobook in no time, helping you re-live those fantastic memories.
Photobooks based on people’s travels around the world are among the most popular books published on the Blurb platform, and we’re offering 5 lucky readers the chance to make their own book for free.
All you have to do to win is comment on this blog entry, telling us why you deserve one of the vouchers the most, by 31st January 2010. The five comments picked out by the kind folk at Blurb will each receive one of these great vouchers.
So… what are you waiting for? Tell them why you deserve to win!
Starwood Hotels & Resorts is opening The Westin Pune Koregaon Park – the first of six new Westin Hotels to open in India over the next three years and the brand’s 25th hotel in Asia Pacific. The hotel is illustrative of Starwood’s overall growth in India with plans to grow its footprint by 60% by 2012.
The Sheraton Suites Tampa Airport Westshore has completed its multimillion-dollar renovation and unveiled the Westshore district’s “newest” property. The 261-suite hotel has seen a facelift that has touched virtually every aspect of the hotel, including all of the two-room suites; the eight-story tropical atrium; the innovative, modern business lounge; the 12,000+ square feet of meeting space (including a 2,000 square foot expansion); the St. James Grill Restaurant and Bar; and the fitness centre and pool area. It also added such signature Sheraton amenities as the Sweet Sleeper Bed, the ‘Link @ Sheraton’ lobby, flat-panel HD televisions and hardwood flooring on select floors.
Sol Meliá Hotels & Resorts is to inaugurate a new five star hotel in China today. The new jewel in the company’s Asian crown, Gran Meliá Shanghai Hotel is located in the district of Lujiazui, the financial and commercial heart of the city, with easy access to the most popular attractions and entertainment such as the famous Oriental Pearl tower and the Shanghai Aquarium. The hotel enjoys magnificent views over the Huangpu River and district of Puxi, and is the maximum exponent of ultra-modern design in the city based around traditional Feng Shui philosophy, in which all of the architectural features of the building live in prefect harmony with its location, providing the most discerning guests with the most enjoyable stay in a great location for meeting their business needs. Its 30 floors make it the tallest hotel in the city, and its 686 rooms with their elegant minimalist design and furnishings provide maximum comfort. The most exclusive guests may also enjoy a VIP experience in the Premium rooms provided on the REDlevel: 119 guest rooms, 12 suites, 1 Presidential Suite and 1 Imperial Suite along with a great range of extra services such as a private check-in area, continental breakfast, aperitifs, and access to the REDlevel lounge, a private setting in which to relax. Guests at the Gran Meliá Shanghai Hotel will also enjoy exclusive access to the YHI Spa, the wellness brand operated by Sol Meliá.
The Leading Hotels of the World annual directory for 2010 was released worldwide this week. There are 13 new Leading Hotels in the handsome hardcover volume which showcases more than 450 members in over 80 countries across the globe. They are as follows:
In 2011, for the very first time, Silversea’s new Silver Spirit will embark on a full World Cruise traversing both hemispheres. This grandest of voyages, appropriately themed “Spirit of Discovery”, begins in Los Angeles on 19th January 2011, when Silver Spirit is set to welcome no more than 540 privileged guests for a 119-day odyssey exploring 60 destinations in 25 countries – with 11 overnight port visits – before concluding in Southampton on 19th May. Along the journey, Silver Spirit will take in the tranquillity of French Polynesia, Australia’s untamed landscapes, the unique customs and cultures of Asia, ancient Egyptian wonders and timeless Mediterranean hideaways spanning from Italy and Monaco to Spain and Portugal.
Guests will enjoy spacious, ocean-view accommodation, sumptuous gourmet cuisine served in six dining venues, the personalised service of a butler assigned to every suite, and Silversea’s generous selection of all-inclusive shipboard amenities, including complimentary beverages, wines and spirits served throughout the ship, 24-hour room service and stocked in-suite beverage cabinet.
Learn more about the ship and her sea trials from this video:
The snow is flying across the Sierra Nevada Mountain range and the highly anticipated Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe opened its doors this week following a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Northstar-at-Tahoe received over 24 inches of snowfall at the summit in just 24 hours, setting the stage with near-perfect winter conditions for the launch.
The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe is the first new-build resort development in the Lake Tahoe area in decades. Anticipated to be the premier Northern California contemporary mountain retreat, the $300 million project features ski-in, ski-out access with mountain concierge services.
Manzanita, the resort’s signature restaurant has been created by San Francisco’s James Beard Award Winning chef Traci Des Jardins. There is also the Highlands Spa – a 17,000 square foot spa and fitness centre with treatments and therapies themed around water and the woods.
A ’skateboard/punk rocker’ in his youth, David Sutcliffe is now one of three partners who run a small travel agency in Harrogate, England called Traveltalk. Specialising in luxury, tailor-made and adventure travel, Traveltalk was created 25 years ago by David’s colleague, Christine Thompson. After much hard work establishing the company in the area they developed a large core client base and are now, according to David, the leading agency in Yorkshire.
What is it that you do exactly?
My primary task is to be there for our clients, whether it be dealing with a new enquiry or ensuring that their travel plans run smoothly. Beyond that I do the administration tasks necessary to make sure that the agency runs smoothly, allowing the other members of staff to concentrate on dealing with their clients.
What do you enjoy most about what you do?
I’m a self-confessed travel geek, so I enjoy all aspects of the industry. I love reading the magazines, watching the travel channels and talking to clients about my favourite destinations, but most of all I love having the opportunity to visit places I wouldn’t otherwise be able to. I’ve seen parts of the globe that most people never will and I’m very grateful to be in such a position.
What would you say are the 3 best places you’ve ever stayed?
Savute Under Canvas, Botswana – I stayed at 4 of the &Beyond properties in this amazing country, but this was the highlight for me. Staying in a tent whilst outside you could hear lions and hyenas close by was an experience that will stay with me forever. It was also the first time I’d seen a leopard on safari.
Baltschug Kempinski, Moscow – We arrived late into Moscow and didn’t get a real impression until the following morning when I looked out of my bedroom window across the Moscow River to St Basil’s Cathedral, Red Square and the Kremlin. Whilst Moscow might not be as pretty as St Petersburg, you get a real feeling of being somewhere special, somewhere important.
Four Seasons Sayan, Bali – After a long journey this was a real sight for sore eyes. Beautifully set in the Ayung river valley near Ubud, this was the perfect place to relax.
What’s been your most memorable dining experience to date?
If you ever find yourself in Ibiza you must visit the Cardamom Club in Santa Eulalia. Superb Indian cuisine in a wonderful setting – chicken jalfrezi with a cold beer, outdoors under a canopy of trees on a Mediterranean evening……paradise!
Have you rubbed shoulders with the rich and famous, either through your work or your travels?
We do have a few high profile clients, but best to respect their privacy. I’ve been shouted at by the late Hughie Green in a hotel in Edinburgh if that counts, but it was a case of mistaken identity, he apologised and even bought me a drink. I’ve also met Iggy Pop and John Peel. Oops, almost forgot… I am currently in an awkward relationship triangle with Jennifer Love Hewitt and Carmen Electra…
What currently ranks highest on your travel wishlist?
This changes on an almost daily basis, but at the moment I would love to see Norway, preferably on a Hurtigruten cruise. The scenery looks like it would literally awesome.
Thank you, David. I can heartily recommend Norway – it’s been 20 years since I was there but I still have fond recollections of the scenery.
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Yesterday marked the highly-anticipated opening of Southern Arizona’s newest luxury property, 
In October we had the pleasure of staying at the 
The hotel, a member of 
Both rooms came with balconies that provided us with a good overview of the resort, as did the rather handy resort map provided. Blue Palace has its own stretch of private beach, numerous pools, its own watersports centre, conference facilities, a small boutique, tennis courts, a helipad and even a private chapel.
For children there is ample to enjoy. The resort has its own kids club and a playground area where the little ones can enjoy everything from swings to climbing olive trees. There’s also table tennis and of course the beach and the swimming pools which are two boys thoroughly enjoyed. It’s worth noting that a kids’ menu was available in all the restaurants, so they are made to feel welcome throughout the resort.
Last summer we enjoyed a very relaxing week at the five star 
Despite there being just the four of us, our lodge could easily sleep six people and so presented us with more than ample space. We enjoyed a sea view and comfortable accommodation that consisted of three bedrooms and a bathroom downstairs and an open plan kitchen, dining area and living room upstairs.
The lodges also have outdoor decking and balconies and some have hot tubs too. Perched high above Portreath, the resort is well positioned for a variety of things to do whether it be spending time on the beaches, coastal walks, or visiting local attractions. 
And if you prefer not to venture too far away, facilities at the resort are good. There is the Terrace Restaurant & Bar (open to both residents and locals alike), serving far better fayre than your average pub but without being so stuffy that you would feel uncomfortable with children. Gwel an Mor is, afterall, a family friendly resort.
Also on site is a spa with views over the Atlantic, a gym and an indoor swimming pool. All useful facilities but for us one of the big bonuses – and a unique selling point for Gwel an Mor – was the resort’s own resident wildlife expert, Gary Zammit. We went rockpooling with him and it proved to be a great experience for the children.
Impressed, we headed straight for the site office to see what else was available. Although Gary looked to be ‘booked up’ for the remainder of the week, we made enquiries and he kindly squeezed in an additional wildlife tour for the four of us the following day. If you stay and are faced with the same predicament, do make enquiries and they will try to accommodate you.
A strange title for a blog post, I know… but read on and hopefully you’ll understand what I’m doing.
Alison Scott is the Commercial Director for 
Imagine leaving a surf bungalow in Mexico to start a helicopter skiing outfit in the Ruby Mountains of Nevada. That’s what Joe Royer did 33 years ago and today his heli outfit is perhaps the best kept secret in North American skiing and snowboarding (many don’t realize that Nevada is the most mountainous state in the lower 48).
We are delighted to announce a new competition. A Luxury Travel Blog has teamed up with 
The 
In 2011, for the very first time, 
The snow is flying across the Sierra Nevada Mountain range and the highly anticipated 
A ’skateboard/punk rocker’ in his youth, David Sutcliffe is now one of three partners who run a small travel agency in Harrogate, England called