A Luxury Travel Blog

Hong Kong has not only been voted Favourite Island but also overall won the Bronze Medal in the Best of the Best Top 100 Travel experiences at the Readers’ Travel Awards from Condé Nast Traveller magazine that were unveiled in London on Wednesday 1st September 2010.

Hong Kong beat all the other islands including Sicily and the Maldives by scoring 94.77 out of a maximum of 100 on eight criteria, including range of accommodation (86.29) and variety of attractions (87.08), moving from number 15 in 2009 into the top three.

To add to the glory, Hong Kong was also voted into the Top 10 in the Best Overseas City category.

Hong Kong airline, Cathay Pacific, was named Favourite Business Airline and numerous Hong Kong hotels scored very highly in the Favourite Overseas Business Hotel category including: The Peninsula Hong Kong (1st) and The Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong (3rd).

In the first ever Lonely Planet Awards to be announced this month, avid worldwide travellers voted swimming in the azure waters off Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia as the ‘Greatest Outdoor Experience’.

High on the list for snorkelers and scuba divers, Lizard Island’s crystal clear waters, fringing reefs and shallow coral gardens captivate visitors with an exceptional array of technicolour marine life rarely experienced elsewhere in the world.

Surrounded by 24 exquisite beaches, Lizard Island is one of Australia’s most iconic Great Barrier Reef resorts. Boasting unrivalled dive sites such as the world famous ‘Code Hole’ where divers can come face to face with curious potato cod, giant clown fish, sea turtles, stingrays and ‘friendly’ sharks, it also has outstanding snorkelling just off its beaches including the magnificent 100 year old clam gardens that are home to myriad fish and other small sea creatures.

An award winning all-inclusive resort, Lizard Island has just 40 beautifully appointed suites. Complementing its very special location, the property offers the best of understated luxury with five-star gourmet dining on fresh Australian produce and a wine cellar to match including unlimited French champagne, indigenous inspired spa treatments at the Azure Spa and a wealth of water sports and activities. The resort also organises visits to the Lizard Island Research Station to give guests a better understanding of the precious underwater world that surrounds them.

What would be your greatest outdoor experience?  Please post a comment to let us know.

The 2010 Conde’ Nast Traveller Readers’ Awards were presented at a scintillating evening on Wednesday 1st September 2010 at the Royal Institution of Great Britain in Albemarle Street.  It was a good night for Italy with Venice and Sicily in particular picking up “Favourite Overseas City” and runner up prize for “Favourite Island” respectively.

Great success also for the Italian hotel industry as the Hotel Spendido in Portofino picked up the award for “Favourite Overseas Leisure Hotel in Europe, Asia Minor and Russian Federation”, followed in second place by the Hotel Cipriani in Venice.

Todd Harris is Senior Vice President for Hospitality and Member Services at Exclusive Resorts, a luxury destination club offering members hundreds of vacation residences around the world. He supervises all aspects of the member experience. Previously Todd spent 14 years with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, serving as General Manager of some of their most acclaimed hotels, including The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch in Beaver Creek, Colorado and international properties in Singapore, Japan and South Korea.

What is it that you do exactly?

I oversee the overall service experience at Exclusive Resorts, to ensure that our members have a first-class vacation every time they travel with us.  This includes responsibility for the travel planning services our members receive from their dedicated Member Services Managers, as well as the in-residence experience they enjoy when they are staying with us in our homes.  I spend my day speaking to members, reviewing their feedback, and supporting hundreds of service staff (housekeeping, concierge, and property maintenance) across nearly 40 destinations in the U.S., Caribbean, Europe, Mexico and elsewhere.

What do you enjoy most about what you do?

I love my relationships and connections with my staff.  As you can imagine, with on-site service personnel supporting nearly 400 club residences as well as our Denver-based Member Services Managers, we have quite a team.  I’ve really enjoyed building our service model, finding enthusiastic and expert service professionals to add as we expand, and working with all of them to identify new ways to not only continue enhancing our the services we offer, but also to surprise and delight our members on their vacations.

What would you say are the 3 best places you’ve ever stayed?

To me, the best travel experiences are often to celebrate important family occasions.

1.   Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica – In addition to my role with Exclusive Resorts, I’m also a member of the club.  About two years ago, my wife and I were fortunate to share a memorable wedding with a small group of close friends and family at the Exclusive Resorts “enclave” in Peninsula Papagayo.  The homes were stunning, the wildlife and landscape fascinating, and working with our onsite concierge team in Costa Rica on all the details made everything simple, so we were really able to relax and enjoy that special weekend.

2.   Hawaii’s Big Island –We took my wife’s family to Kohala Coast on the Big Island to celebrate her mom’s 60th birthday recently. None of my wife’s family had ever traveled to Hawaii before, and I was happy to be able to help organize a trip that brought everyone together for a family reunion in a destination that was new to them and has long been a favorite of mine.

3.   Sea Island, Georgia – My wife and I invited all eight members of my immediate family for a fantastic family reunion in Sea Island, Georgia. The Cloister at Sea Island is truly an exceptional resort property, with a terrific array of activities, five miles of private beach, and the amazing 65,000 square foot Cloister Spa.

What’s been your most memorable dining experience to date?

I think the most memorable dining experience I’ve had was probably when I was living in Japan. As an expatriate hotel manager for a five star hotel brand, I was fortunate to be able to travel around Japan and experience many unique aspects of their culture. I specifically remember one dinner in Fukuoka where I couldn’t communicate with the local staff so I asked for the “set menu”. One dish included them pulling a live squid out of a tank in the middle of the restaurant and clipping off its tentacles and serving them directly onto my plate. I had the hardest time picking them up with my chop sticks as they were still squirming and jumping all over my plate.  I loved trying the local cuisine while living abroad, and this particular meal has definitely remained vivid in my memory.

Have you rubbed shoulders with the rich and famous, either through your work or your travels?

Andre Agassi and his wife Steffi Graf are members of Exclusive Resorts, and I have had the opportunity to spend some time with them at a couple of club destinations where they were conducting tennis clinics for their foundation.

What currently ranks highest on your travel wish list?

This one is easy because we’ve been planning a trip for our members here at Exclusive Resorts, as part of our unique Once in Lifetime program, that is at the top of my personal list:  a South African experience, combining a stay in Cape Town, South Africa with a luxurious safari experience in Kruger National Park. To go on a world-class safari (complete with luxury accommodations and private guides) and enjoying the local beaches and wineries of Cape Town sound like a perfect balance of adventure and relaxation.  Experiencing the many different aspects of South Africa on a trip like that is something I would love to do someday.

Thank you for taking part in our interview, Todd.  I can appreciate how a plateful of squirming tentacles must have stuck in the memory!

Cambodia has long been a destination known for its rich cultural heritage and extraordinary history. However, most visitors to the country are unaware of the beautiful coastal region of Sihanoukville & Ream that lies just 220 km from Phnom Penh. One of the most unspoiled coastlines anywhere in South East Asia, Sihanoukville & Ream is an up and coming destination for those who are looking for the next big thing.

The coastline of Sihanoukville & Ream boasts a wide range of impressive beaches, each distinct and unrivalled in comparison to the beaches of popular tourist destinations like Thailand and Bali. Located on the beautiful coastline of Sihanoukville, Sokha Beach and Independence Beach are blissfully peaceful, with stretches of soft white sand just waiting for visitors to mark their footprints. Further East, discover Occheuteal Beach, backed by a row of casuarina trees. Stretching for 4 km, visitors can make the most of the water sports available here such as banana boating and jet skiing. Ream lies 18 km East of Sihanoukville, a charming fishing village with beautiful, long beaches that border Ream National Park, a stunning 150 sq km of primary forest and 60 sq km of marine habitat.

The area is also famous for its crystal clear waters and abundant marine life. An extraordinary diving destination, Song Saa Island is paving the way for eco-friendly tourism in the country and encouraging marine wildlife protection in the region through a dedicated marine biology team who founded the first private marine protected area in the country. Opening there in 2011 will be Song Saa Island Resort, an ultra-luxurious and intimate collection of villas aimed to cater to the area’s growing beach tourism.

Greeted with refreshing fruit juice on our arrival at reception at the Sheraton La Caleta Resort & Spa, we made our way to the Club Level 5th floor where we had a family room for the duration of our stay.  This is a relatively new hotel having officially opened in April 2005; it has 284 rooms of which 20 are suites (2 with outdoor Jacuzzis).

Our room was wonderfully spacious, spotless as you would expect, and with a great sea view. Although we didn’t take advantage of the various perks, occupants of Club Level rooms have access to the Club Lounge with meeting rooms and internet access, as well as having access to breakfast down by the poolside.

The hotel has three main pools – two that are heated, upper pools and a lower saltwater pool.  In fact, there’s a fourth, small pool for children at the hotel’s small kids club, too.  The kids club is admirably looked after by a lovely lady named Inma who entertains the children well whilst they are in her care.

Restaurants at the hotel are also plentiful with a buffet held every evening, as well as a Spanish restaurant (where you can enjoy private dining for up to 22 people) and a Japanese restaurant.  There’s also a good children’s menu at the hotel, refreshingly offering dishes that extend beyond the usual chicken nuggets (grilled salmon steaks, pasta carbonara, fish special of the day, roast chicken supreme, etc.)

I enjoyed a tour of the Caroli spa and health club at the hotel with the spa manager, Isaac Raymond, who explained what the 1,800m² spa had to offer. It included aromatic showers with essential oils, chromatherapy, two outside areas where the sound of water helps you to relax, Roman plunge pools (one hot, one cold), treatment rooms, steam room, a 34°C thalasso pool, an igloo that maintains a constant temperature of 5°C and, of course, a gym.

Other facilities at the hotel include internet access which is available in-room for a relatively modest fee or for free, courtesy of the Sheraton Link near reception. There is also a hair and beauty salon on site and, at the time of our visit, there was an offer for a pedicure and manicure for a very reasonable €47.25 including taxes.

The hotel also has a large ballroom that can be used for conferences, corporate press releases, weddings and parties – so big that the automobile manufacturers Toyota, who have a presence on the island, are able to drive vehicles into and out of the room when they make press announcements and release new models.

The crew of Clash of the Titans stayed at the hotel last year and now, one year on, some of those involved were back to promote a raffle that will allow one lucky winner to stay at the hotel and explore some of the movie locations.  Judging by our visit here, they are sure to enjoy it.

My thanks go to Tenerife Tourism Corporation for their assitance with the visit.

Asia’s most recent and exciting luxury boutique hotel group, Alila Hotels & Resorts, has introduced its second property in Indochina: Alila Luang Prabang. Set to open its doors in October 2010, Alila Luang Prabang is expected to raise the bar for luxury retreats in Laos.  The small UNESCO Heritage town of Luang Prabang is the cultural centre of Laos, known for its laid back atmosphere & profusion of temples, handicraft shops & art galleries.

And overlooking the confluence of the Mekong & Nam Khan rivers, the new Alila hotel & spa will offer breathtaking views of the surrounding sacred mountains & nationally treasured landmarks. The property will perfectly complement the existing property also owned by the group, 3 Nagas by Alila – a boutique hotel in central Luang Prabang that was sensitively restored in 2003. Alila Luang Prabang has conserved the site’s architectural heritage, combining existing colonial buildings built between 1910 and 1920 with new structures designed to complement the original designs. The all-suite property will comprise 23 suites, all uniquely designed, with private gardens & either a pool or outdoor pavilion with fantastic views.

The Maltese archipelago, consisting of Malta, Gozo and Comino, is one of Europe’s best kept secrets. Whether guests choose to explore the depths of history & heritage or immerse themselves in the natural escape that is Malta, they will discover a luxurious, yet affordable, oasis in the heart of the Mediterranean. A place of infinite possibilities and affordable luxury, Malta offers above and beyond any another holiday experience to deserving guests who have a taste for relaxation, adventure, pampering, history, fine dining and fun. The perfect destination for a weekend break, the islands also hold a fantastic array of events over the year to tempt visitors to its shores; from traditional food, wine and religious festivals, to the Malta Festival of Arts and the Malta Jazz Festival, Malta’s annual programmes attracts names from around the globe. The Maltese islands boast 5 star hotels and the finest spas, unbeatable sailing and top sporting facilities, exclusive dining and charming boutique hotels, all surrounded by stunning beaches and clear blue waters. With picturesque views, beautiful architecture and an array of activities to offer guests, Malta awakens and renews the senses of any holidaymaker. Just a three hour, direct flight from all over the UK, guests can let the calm waves of the Maltese shores wash away the congestion and headaches of life.

A stone’s throw from the upmarket shopping precinct of Plaza del Duque, the five star Iberostar Grand Hotel Anthelia is well positioned on the south of the island of Tenerife – close to the beach and good quality shops, yet sufficiently far enough away from the hustle and bustle of Playa de las Americas. This was my fifth visit to Tenerife and my third to the Adeje region, and once again it didn’t disappoint.

The Iberostar Anthelia is a large hotel, with some 390 rooms divided into 5 separate zones. We had adjoining rooms in ‘Carmen’ which overlooks the kids’ club and pool, and out to the sea and the beachfront of Fañabé beyond.  We arrived quite late so, after ordering from room service, had a great night’s sleep and explored the hotel the next day.

A sumptuous breakfast buffet was served in the Zeus restaurant in the morning, between the hours of 7.30am and 10.30am, so catering both for the early risers and those who enjoyed a lie-in whilst on holiday. The first morning after our arrival I noticed that ‘football’ (soccer) was available on the activity calendar. Although I was leaving it rather too late for a call-up from Fabio Capello, I turned up to a game supervised by the ever-friendly Marcus, a young German working at the hotel.  It was hot, but thoroughly enjoyable with a mixture of English and Spanish players; I just hope Marcus has fully recovered from me accidentally standing on his ankle in a goalmouth incident!

Activities available at the hotel are wide and varied, with everything from cooking demonstrations and evening shows to tennis and tai chi. One of the highlights for families staying is the kids’ club and the entertainment available for children aged 4-12 years old.  The club was equipped with lots of indoor and outdoor space, a small area for playing football and a small pool, and several staff on hand.  Each day, all the children could participate in the day’s games and, if successful, were presented with a medal at the kids’ disco later that evening.  Without exception, all the children loved the disco, learning the actions to a medley of English and German tunes, whilst parents relaxed with a drink or two before ‘Smiley’ the dog made an appearance at the end to draw the night to a close… a perfect recipe for a good night’s sleep for the whole family!

Other facilities at the hotel include multiple pools, restaurants and bars. In all, the hotel has three restaurants: Poseidon (a gourmet restaurant), Portofino (an Italian restaurant) and Zeus (a buffet restaurant). There is also the Thai Zen SPAce area which offers a new concept in wellbeing, offering yoga, meditation, massage, beauty treatments, flower baths, aromatherapy Jacuzzi, etc… you name it!

I was also lucky enough to be given a tour of Iberostar Grand Hotel El Mirador, an adults-only hotel just a little further up the coast towards La Caleta, with 120 suites. The tour took in the stunning Royal Suite for which guests pay an additional supplement of 900 euros per night.  This hotel also has three restaurants, as well as a meeting room/wedding venue/cinema, and it currently shares its spa with Anthelia but will have a new spa coming soon. There is also a gym with windows with sea views that open up to a lovely sea breeze whilst you’re burning the calories.

Both hotels do what they do well.  If you’re travelling with family, or perhaps in a group, you’ll enjoy the facilities and scale of Anthelia.  If you’re looking for a romantic getaway – away from children – then the solitude of El Mirador will suit you down to the ground.

My thanks go to Tenerife Tourism Corporation for their assitance with the visit.

Iconic Cape Town Hotel Ellerman House will introduce Apple iPads to each of its eleven luxurious rooms and modernist villa over the coming months – the only hotel in South Africa to offer iPads for guests’ use. The iPad is fast becoming an indispensible item within the gadget market and a supremely useful tool in the hospitality industry, due to both its numerous practical uses and leading entertainment.

This is Ellerman House’s latest move in a drive to enhance the guest experience through contemporary themes, bespoke luxury experiences and new technology. The introduction of in-room iPads will give guests uninterrupted internet access; the chance to read their favorite books and magazines online; up to date information on Cape Town’s latest restaurant openings, events and activities and real time hotel updates such as interactive room tours, virtual tours of the hotel’s world renowned art collection and unique music compilations, tailored to guest’s preferences.

The team at the Hilton Maldives Iru Fushi Resort & Spa joined forces to create a giant human version of the Hilton logo on their beach to celebrate their launch a year ago and have re-created a giant ‘1’ in celebration of the anniversary this month. To get in the spirit, the luxury private island resort is asking their Facebook fans to create their own version of the Hilton logo in the most innovative way possible for their chance to win a complementary holiday at the resort. The image most liked by fans will win and the lucky creative whisked off to paradise.

There is also the chance to receive a complementary upgrade to a stunning Aqua Retreat for the 100th booking to the resort made on Hilton.com this month. Guests simply need to write ‘Happy Birthday Hilton’ in the booking notes for their chance to win. And for honeymooners staying at the resort this July, the resort is offering an exclusive 30% discount off a return visit to celebrate their own 1st anniversary.

Due to open next month, The Blackman is the final instalment of the Art Series Hotels that have popped up in Melbourne over the past six months. Following in the footsteps of The Cullen Hotel (Adam Cullen) and The Olsen (John Olsen) which opened last month, The Blackman will offer an edgy, boutique interior and an enviable St Kilda location. Named after illustrator Charles Blackman, the hotel will showcase his artwork throughout. Rates start from A$195 (approx £100) per room per night based on two people sharing.

After the recent political upheaval in Bangkok and civil disruptions, which resulted in many deaths and a large amount of destruction to property, I was a bit wary of what we might find in the Ratchaprasong district. This is the business and shopping area where the red shirt protesters created a no-go area with barricades of burning tyres among other things. They also set fire to CentralWorld, which was one of Bangkok’s newest and finest shopping malls. As well as department stores, shops, cinemas and restaurants, it’s also the site of the luxury hotel Centara Grand at CentralWorld.

I had no real idea of what to expect, but the trip to Bangkok was necessary, and there hadn’t been any recent horrific headlines about battles in the street, so off we went. Here’s a quick report of what I found.

The BTS (sky train) is running as normal. The streets show no sign of the earlier troubles, and it’s business as usual in most places. The big exception to this is that much of CentralWorld is now a black, burned out empty hulk. I did attempt to take photos for you but reconstruction is well underway and the building is clothed in massive green tarpaulins, so there’s not much to see from behind the camera lens.

I’ve heard that the department store Isetan is open for business in CentralWorld again. I also checked out the Centara Grand at CentralWorld’s website and there’s nothing on there to suggest that they’re not open for business. It looks as though the fires didn’t reach the northern end of the complex. (Sorry, I didn’t have time to go and verify that for myself.)

However, I did manage to check out the Grand Hyatt Erawan, which is directly across the busy Ratchaprasong crossroads from CentralWorld. The good news is that it is most definitely business as usual here. Having stayed at this hotel before, and enjoyed the magnificent dinner buffet in their Dining Room restaurant, I was delighted to discover that there’s also a superb lunch buffet on offer in the Dining Room too. Highly recommended!

As usual, Bangkok residents seem to have bounced back from their troubles. I wish I didn’t feel the need to add “until the next time”.

I was inspired to write this article by a comment made by Nick P on another of my articles on ALTB.

Pattaya is much maligned, even by expats who live in Thailand. Those of us who live, or have lived, in Patters are the butt of many jokes. You’ll have heard the one about the Pattaya jumpers (desperate foreigners who’ve lost every penny and see no way out other than flinging themselves off a high balcony). No doubt you’ll have heard of the cash cows and the walking ATMs, and how some hapless idiots lose everything, often within days of arrival in Sin City. I don’t dispute it happens. It does. But Pattaya has a lot more to offer, so please let me set the record straight.

Pattaya is the second largest city in Thailand and, as a big city, has a lot to offer for all sorts of people. Yes, downtown Pattaya is a sleaze hole. No arguments from me there. But there are sleazy places in most cities. I don’t write off London, for example, as a cess pit just because of the pros at King’s Cross or the sex for sale in Soho.

If you look beyond the so-called “entertainment zone” of central Pattaya, there’s a great deal on offer which is worlds away from the sleaze and sex industry. By the way, I’d like to take this opportunity to mention anti-slavery, which is a cause I care a great deal about.

To the north of Pattaya, you have the quiet suburb of Naklua with its excellent markets full of fresh local produce and established community of locals and long term expats. Some of Pattaya’s best hotels and restaurants are situated towards the north of the city. It’s hard to imagine a Sunday brunch anywhere in the world to match the one at the Amari’s Mantra restaurant.

On the subject of restaurants, visitors to Pattaya are spoiled for choice with gourmet treats. Just buy the local paper, the Pattaya Mail, and read their “Dining Out” section. There’s seafood restaurants, fine dining, international festivals, world class chefs, and many regular foodie events. Yum! It’s gourmet heaven.

To the south, you have Jomtien, a popular holiday resort. Pattaya is also rapidly expanding to the east, but I’ve very rarely ventured there so I can’t comment on that.

Beyond the city, there are numerous golf courses. Many people come to Pattaya for the fabulous golf courses at very reasonable prices. There are other tourist attractions too, as you’d expect from a place where tourism is such a major part of the economy. The vast majority of the people are honest and friendly – it’s a comfortable place to be.

If you want to sit in a seedy girlie bar (or indeed in BoyZone) and get ripped off by a good-looking stranger who amazingly falls in love with you immediately, then you can easily find that too. No problem! But Pattaya is about a lot more than that, so I just wanted to speak up in favour of the place I called home for several years.

Pattaya has numerous top class luxury hotels and resorts. I believe the King of Sweden holidays at the Dusit Thani, which is situated at the north end of Pattaya.

So you see, Pattaya has a lot more to offer than seedy sex. Perhaps you just need a little bit of insider information to see it.

Located in the town of Taormina, the Hotel San Domenico Palace in Sicily is an impressive reconverted Dominican monastery dating back to 1430 and is one of the world’s most historic hotels. It’s set in the terraced gardens with poolside views of the sea and Mount Etna.  The original structures of the monastery are still in use – the church today serves as the hotel’s congress centre and former monks’ cells are guestrooms.  The original furniture and frescos are visible throughout the hotel.

The Hilton Brisbane has been running its foodie Masterclasses since 1995, and this year is no exception. This year’s event will be held on the 24th and 25th of July 2010. Tickets cost A$350 for one day or A$595 for two days. The Hilton is also offering special hotel packages for the Masterclass Weekend.

There are 20 sessions each day for food and drink aficionados to choose from. Participants may choose five sessions per day according to their programme of events, which is outlined on the Masterclass website. Naturally the event attracts top names such as Antonio Carluccio and Gordon Ramsay, as well as Australian and other international chefs and winemakers. It’s one for the serious gourmet!

But it’s not all serious, you are intended to have fun too as you “taste, learn, laugh and sip your way through each day”. Enjoy!