A Luxury Travel Blog

Tourists at one of the world’s most famous landmarks, Machu Picchu, have had to be airlifted from the site by helicopter.   Arouind 1,400 are said to have been rescued after floods destroyed road and rail links, but 800 are thought to be still stranded.  The area has experienced its highest rainfall in 15 years and Machu Picchu will be closed for several weeks.

Miami-based Desires Hotels has announced the latest international addition to their modern boutique collection, The Cliffs Ocean Resort, which is situated between Puerto Plata and Samana along the stunning north coast of the Dominican Republic. Opening in the Summer of 2011, room amenities will include large living areas and private terraces with unmatched views to the ocean and the mountains while being completely surrounded by a lush tropical landscape.

Built on 25 acres of ocean-side property, the resort will include a luxury spa featuring a wide array of Asian treatments that soothe the mind, body, and soul. For those wanting to relax poolside, there will be two salt-water infinity pools overlooking the Caribbean Sea along with a Beach Club that offers another form of respite in the bar and cigar lounge — the club also consists of a food and beverage outlet and area for teenagers. The resort has 24-hour room service, a Fitness Centre, helipad, and commercial shopping area. For those seeking a more active holiday there is golf practice facility, sports centre with tennis courts, and equestrian centre.

As some of you will already be aware, the blog has had to take a bit of a backseat this last couple of months as I’ve been working on embarking on a new venture – Kendal Cottages – offering luxury vacation rental accommodation in the UK.  This week was a significant one  as we exchanged contracts on our first property, meaning that I can now describe what we are doing in a little more detail.

We have purchased a luxury riverside apartment on the edge of the Lake District and accessible also to the Yorkshire Dales (both National Parks).  It is in the town of Kendal, meaning that you get all the amenities of a small market town (restaurants, bars, shops, etc.) but that you also have beautiful scenery – some of the UK’s finest – within easy reach.

As you can imagine, it’s been a busy time for us.  Not only have we been dealing with finance, solicitors, etc. but we’ve also had to think ahead with regards to equipping the property.  This week we bought outdoor furniture as the apartment as a decked balcony overlooking the River Kent and out towards Kendal Castle, now in ruins but once home to Henry VIII’s sixth wife, Catherine Parr.  We’ve also purchased two sofas from Laura Ashley for the living area, a solid oak dining table and hope to order more furniture before the week is out.  Thankfully the kitchen already comes equipped with brand new oven, hob, fridge, freezer and microwave, all built in, so we don’t have to source these items.  The next job will be beds and then curtains, I think.  We need to get the property looking complete, even if we still need to buy miscellaneous items such as cutlery, etc. in order that we can take photographs for the website that I’m also working on.  As you can see, it’s busy times but we’ll try not to let A Luxury Travel Blog fall by the wayside too much!

The Tivoli Victoria has been voted one of the best international hotels after figuring among the winners of Trip Advisor’s Travelers’ Choice 2010 Awards. In the category of Relaxation/Spa, the hotel took 1st place in the Top 10 in Europe.

The Tivoli Victoria is the first property in the Tivoli Hotels & Resorts chain which has been purpose built from the ground up. The hotel opened to the public in March 2009 and has already notched up numerous important awards. Last week it was the winner of the Portuguese Tourism Board award in the category of Best New Private Project and in September 2009 it won the award for Best Real Estate Project in the category of Tourism, at the “SIL National Real Estate Awards 2009″.

Inspired by concepts of timelessness and style, the hotel has been designed to meet the needs of the most demanding of guests in the golf, leisure and meetings and events segments. It also enjoys a privileged location in Vilamoura overlooking the Victoria Golf Course.

And if that wasn’t already enough, it also has an Elements Spa by Banyan Tree, a Spa concept based on pure luxury in the best oriental tradition. Covering approximately 1,200 sq m the spa has an indoor treatment pool (vitality pool) with a panoramic view over the sea. The extensive facilities include sauna, Jacuzzi, hydro-massage, seven treatment rooms and relaxation areas, all decorated in a style of true Asian luxury. In order to ensure the quality of service, all therapists are fully trained at the Banyan Tree Spas in Thailand and most are Thai nationality.

The luxurious JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa has opened its doors this week. The huge 1002-room resort is the first JW Marriott resort in Texas and offers discriminating travellers an unrivalled experience of natural elegance. Set on 600 acres of rolling hills, meandering creeks and Live Oak trees, guests can relax and explore all just minutes away from San Antonio.

As an incentive, the resort is offering Special Introductory Rates until the end of February 2010. For a limited time, room rates start at $149 a night or $288 a night with breakfast for two and a single round of golf at the all new PGA TOUR Tournament Players Club (TPC) San Antonio. (The regular room rate starts at $249.) The resort is also offering special Valentine’s Day and Super Bowl packages with dining and spa options.

Moroccan hotel operator, Kenzi Hotels Group, are driving forward their expansion and repositioning themselves as key players in the luxury market with the launch of the new ‘Premium Signature’ range. Recent openings include Kenzi Menara Palace, Marrakech, part of Summit Hotels & Resorts and the Kenzi Tower Hotel, Casablanca, part of Preferred Hotel Group.

2009 was a busy year with the launch of Kenzi Menara Palace, Marrakech, the latest 5 star resort and spa in the Kenzi Group. Opened in March, The Kenzi Menara Palace offers 236 luxury rooms including a Royal Suite in 12 acres of landscaped gardens and is situated in the Red City. Just 2 miles from Marrakech International Airport, it overlooks the Atlas Mountains in a peaceful location from which to visit Marrakech’s major attractions including the atmospheric Jamaa El Fna Square, the colonial quarter of Gueliz and several renowned golf courses.

As the sun sets over the African bush, what could be more romantic than spending a night in a private hide-out with magnificent views and only cocktails and candlelight for company? Sleeping out under the stars, surrounded by the astounding sights and sounds of the wild, is possible at Makanyane Safari Lodge – the only lodge in the Madikwe Game Reserve to have an exclusive sleep-out hide.

Hidden deep in the bush, Makanyane’s hide overlooks a waterhole – a favourite place for the ‘Big Five’ to drink – and offers incomparable views over the vast African plains. Beds can be made up on the upper deck of the hide, offering guests the chance to soak up the incredible ambience of the bush at night. Hot and cold drinks, meals and snacks, binoculars, lanterns, torches and spotlights are all provided and guests also have the reassurance of constant contact with the lodge via radio communication – alternatively a guide will stay on at guests’ request. The experience of sleeping under the enormous African sky, even for those used to camping in the bush, is simply unforgettable.

For less intrepid guests, Makanyane’s eight secluded glass-walled suites are furnished with rich African textures and sumptuous fabrics and feature uninterrupted views of the tranquil Marico River and surrounding landscape. Makanyane also offers a handful of rustic day-time hides, which have been carefully positioned in idyllic locations on the lodge’s private land, enabling guests an ever-changing view of animals grazing nearby and moving across the vast plains.

Just a 3.5 hour drive or a 45 minute flight from Johannesburg, Makanyane Safari Lodge is ideally situated on 1,800 hectares of private ground within the 75,000 hectare Madikwe Game Reserve – home to the ‘Big Five’ as well as a myriad of other animal and bird species.

Rooms start from £365 per person per night, all inclusive and based on two sharing.

Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas has announced its continued global expansion with the unveiling of Anantara Lawana Resort & Spa, Koh Samui, as the brand’s seventh Thai property and their second to grace Samui’s shores. Designed in contemporary Sino-Thai style and embraced by lush tropical gardens, Anantara Lawana boasts 88 spacious rooms and 34 pool villas.

With exotic touches that open a window into the life of the island’s original Chinese merchant settlers, and occupying an enviable beachfront position just north of Chaweng Beach, the resort’s exotic location is just a convenient 6 kilometres from Samui International Airport. Anantara Lawana offers total immersion in scenic tranquility and leisurely luxury, whilst the hustle and bustle of Chaweng town’s shopping and nightlife scene is just a stone’s throw away for those who prefer to explore the heart of the island’s action.

Ayana Resort and Spa Bali has re-opened Damar Terrace restaurant following extensive renovations by Yasuhiro Koichi, the acclaimed Japanese designer behind the Rock Bar.

Koichi, whose company Design Studio SPIN has created some of Asia’s most iconic bars and restaurants, combined comfort with modern Asian decor for relaxed all-day dining at Damar Terrace. His trademark style is reflected in the combination of traditional materials, motifs and colors, set off by cutting-edge lighting and clean modern lines softened by tranquil lotus ponds.

The restaurant’s menu has also been relaunched to feature more ’small bite’ options and European dishes, to add to the range of Asian favorites.

Back in November 2009, Marriott announced that it would be unveiling a new brand comprised of upper upscale and luxury, independent hotels with distinctive personalities in major cities and desired destinations worldwide. And the founder member hotels of the brand are about to be announced.  On 25th January 2010, at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront, Tony Capuano, Marriott’s Executive Vice President for Lodging Development, and Don Semmler, Marriott’s Executive Vice President for Global Full Service Brands, will unveil which hotels will make up the new brand.

Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts have every reason to celebrate the new year: this is the year the Swiss hotel chain turns 30. The venture which started out in 1980 with just a few hotels has now blossomed into a distinguished, internationally renowned hotel chain with deluxe hotels in 17 countries across five continents.

The company’s eventful history began with its founding, all those years ago, by  Swissair and  Nestlé. The company assembled its initial portfolio of hotels by acquiring  Hotel Le Président in Geneva and signing management contracts for  Hotel Drake in New York,  Bellevue Palace in Berne and  Hotel Internationalin Zurich.

Today Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts is a distinctive group of deluxe hotels for discerning business and leisure travellers, combining the renowned Swiss touch with a fresh, contemporary and modern design.

Rose petals, Champagne, a seductive atmosphere and fabulous Italian food… what more could you want for the one you love on St Valentine’s Day? At the Baglioni Hotel London you can make dreams come true by booking their very romantic package as a surprise gift.

Arrive in your De Luxe Junior Suite to find that the butler has the Champagne on ice to start your evening in style. Follow that with cocktails and a delicious dinner for 2 in Brunello. On returning to your room, you will find the scented candles lit, the music turned on and the bed strewn with rose petals…

The following day after a hearty breakfast you may use their Jaguar courtesy car and chauffeur to do a spot of shopping in Knightsbridge before returning home, relaxed and refreshed.

The package is valid on  14th February 2010 and includes:

• Accommodation in a Deluxe Junior Suite
• English breakfast for 2 people
• Bottle of Moet & Chandon Champagne and Chocolates in the room on arrival
• Bouquet of Flowers in the room on arrival
• 3 Course Valentine Dinner for two in Brunello Restaurant
(beverages not included)
• Romantic Turndown with scented candles, music and rose petals on bed
• Complimentary unlimited blockbuster movies on demand
• Complimentary use of Jaguar within a 1.5 mile radius of the hotel
(subject to availability)
• Butler service
• Entrance to The Baglioni Spa, use of the gym and steam room

There is a  2 night minimum stay and a package rate of £380 per night for two people.

World Expeditions has announced a second – and final – date for those who want to relive the dramatic scenes from ‘Touching the Void‘ with Simon Yates, ‘the man who cut the rope’, on a specially designed trek in the Peruvian Andes.

In 1985 Simon and Joe Simpson became the first people to ascend to the summit of Siula Grande via the almost vertical west face – however it was their descent which was to pass into mountaineering legend… 25 years later, Simon is leading a group to a small peak above the Siula Grande base camp, to outline the path where Joe crawled to safety, as well as passing on other experiences from this dramatic tale.

Organised by World Expeditions, the active holiday specialist renowned for working with expert leaders, it took less than two months to fill the trip to its maximum limit and, enthused by the phenomenal response, Simon has agreed to lead a second departure. However, this will be the absolute final opportunity to join him as he revisits this stunning region, as he has indicated that he will not be leading this trip in 2011 or beyond.

Join Simon at the Adventure Travel Live 2010 (Saturday 30th January 2010, 1pm), to find out more about his recent mountaineering adventures and the exclusive trek in Peru’s Huayuash region he is leading with World Expeditions.

The Peruvian Andes are home to some of the most spectacular mountains in the world, with steep granite peaks rising above icy ridges and twisted glaciers. Huayhuash Circuit Trek is a superb trek on its own and having the opportunity to experience it with Simon will only add to this unique experience.

The Huayhuash Circuit Trek with Simon Yates will run 4th – 22nd September 2010 (fully booked), and 25th September – 13th October 2010. Cost is £1,790 per person including all accommodation, internal transport, meals and fees. Joining in Lima. Places are limited.

When the beaming smiles of the doormen at Four Seasons Hotel Beirut dazzle their very first guests, the city will take another step forward in its renaissance as a 21st Century metropolis. After ten years in planning and five years under construction, the hotel opens as a gleaming statement of intent for visitors to enjoy warm, genuine Lebanese hospitality.

Nowhere is the city’s unique energy more intensely felt than through its own people – a proud culture with an indomitable spirit and an insatiable zest for life. The newest Four Seasons has filtered this energy down to its purest form, with over 300 local recruits amplifying the warm welcome found on the streets outside.

Throughout the hotel, the magic continues in the details, from a prime cut of Executive Chef Andrea Ossola’s Charolais beef on the The Grill Room’s marina-view terrace (try it with a glass of Domaine Wardy, Private Selection 2004, from Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley) to the heavenly homemade truffles that accompany coffees beneath The Bar’s dramatic red and gold chandelier. Large terraces are standard in all 230 guest rooms and suites. The Spa, a cool statement in white marble and gold mosaics, has a suede-panelled couple’s suite with private terrace and whirlpool. And the rooftop pool – a glittering 26th-floor oasis with 360-degree views – towers above the raucous cityscape like a suspended haven of tranquillity.

Last October we were honoured to be the first guests ever to stay at the newly opened Elounda Solfez Villas. Situated high upon a hillside overlooking Elounda, this small group of properties raises the bar on self-catering accommodation to an entirely new level and comes with a stunning view over the whole of the Bay of Elounda.

As the name implies with self-catering accommodation, you normally cater for yourself, but that needn’t be so at these villas.   Firstly, you can choose a Cretan delights package which means that you can arrive to a well-stocked fridge and freezer, fresh fruit and vegetables, Greek wine, etc. – ample provisions for most of your stay.

You can also request all manner of services not normally associated with self-catering, whether it be a regular pool attendant who’ll ensure your villa’s private pool is free of leaves and any other debris, a daily maid service or whether you would simply like your own private chef to come and serve you breakfast or dinner.

We stayed in Villa Re which sleeps six; the entrance door took us into an open plan lounge and kitchen on the middle floor. The lounge was equipped with a large flat-screen TV, DVD player and music system, and led out to an outdoor terrace where you could dine whilst basking in the sunshine and taking in the fabulous view.

Up a floor was the en suite master bedroom with a large window at the foot of the bed, dramatically overlooking the Bay of Elounda, and a small balcony that you could sit out on.  Down a floor from the lounge there were two further bedrooms – a double and a twin – each sharing a bathroom with bath and shower, plus a washer/dryer and security box.

From this lower level, you could get direct access to your own private infinity pool, sunbeds, a small garden area and a dedicated barbecue corner with accompanying dining table and chairs.  Nothing had been overlooked here – if you so wished, you could spend the whole time in your villa, revelling in the views and relaxing in the peacefulness of the location.

There is however plenty to see and do in the area.  A hire car is recommended since the villas are situated on the outskirts of Elounda, but you do have a fabulous Six Senses spa within walking distance, courtesy of the previously reviewed Porto Elounda de Luxe Resort which can be used by guests staying at the Elounda Solfez Villas. Having such great facilities on the doorstep rather sums the place up – I don’t think I’ve ever encountered self-catering accommodation where so many fantastic services are available should guests wish to use them – services that are normally only associated with top hotels and resorts.

Not quite ready to get back into the daily grind? Rue La La makes planning the perfect retreat at the nation’s most coveted escape possible with affordable stays at Canyon Ranch spa resort, located in Lenox, Massachusetts. For readers who would like to get their fitness fix outdoors, the hotel’s exhilarating ski packages will be on sale only on Rue La La from tomorrow.