A Luxury Travel Blog

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.

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.

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!

If you like your food then why not visit Cologne and experience a delicious culinary journey through Asia at the Excelsior Hotel Ernst’s award winning Taku restaurant. Taku, Cologne’s most famous Asian restaurant was recently awarded the Busche Gala ‘Foreign Restaurant of the Year 2010’. Head Chef Nicolas von Auersperg will take you on a culinary journey through Asia tasting delicacies from Japan, China, Thailand and Vietnam.

Taku, the house of hospitality is known for its fine Asian cuisine and timeless elegance. The restaurant located in the 5* Excelsior Hotel Ernst in the centre of the city is proud to serve some of finest Asian cuisine in Cologne from traditional Thai curries to some of the best Sushi in Germany.

Taku can be booked for private kitchen parties where you can become acquainted with the Asian cuisine. The celebration begins with Taku’s signature champagne cocktail ‘Taku’s Rose’ followed by an array of Asian specialties. You then get the chance to take part in helping the chefs at various cooking stations around the restaurant. What better way to truly experience the Orient.

If you’re going somewhere, the obvious thing to do is to book a hotel room. But have you considered the alternatives? Sure, there are home stays and other places, but they’re not really for the luxury traveller although they can be quite interesting. What I’d like to tell you about is a viable luxury alternative to staying in a hotel – a serviced apartment.

At its most basic, you get the equivalent of a good standard of hotel room plus a kitchenette. At its best, oh wow, some of these suites are seriously impressive. Not everyone wants to cook when they’re travelling, but having a kitchen or even a kitchenette can be very handy. And it’s very rare to get that in a hotel (although we did find such a thing in our suite at the lebua at State Tower, Bangkok).

To be honest, I don’t really know what the difference is between a hotel room and a serviced apartment. A good serviced apartment has all the usual facilities of a hotel – swimming pool, gym, room cleaning daily, room service, food, etc. It’s just like a hotel, with a bit more and usually around the same price as a hotel room.

I travel quite a lot, and in future I’m definitely going to look out for serviced apartments as well as hotel rooms before deciding where to stay.

For summer 2010 season the Belvedere Hotel in Mykonos, Greece, has opened with a stunning new look. This includes the debut of a new Martini Bar, a redesigned lobby, private VIP residents’ lounge and a selection of new luxury rooms. The result confirms the Belvedere’s position as one of the chicest and desirable destinations in the Greek Islands. The Belvedere’s owners, brothers, Nikolas and Tasos Ioannidis with their sister Domna have pulled together a team of experts, including the celebrated chef Nobu Matsuhisa, George Calombaris who have created signature restaurants at the hotel. New contemporary uniforms have also been designed by fashion designer Neil Barrett, while New York star architect David Rockwell, who created the W Hotel concept for Starwood has masterminded the sophisticated new look. Finally acclaimed mixologist Dale de Groff, the creator of the Cosmopolitan has created a collection of adventurous signature cocktails for the new Martini Bar.

Want to cook like a true Italian? Take a course at one of these luxury hotels and soon you’ll be throwing the most popular dinner parties in town.

L’Andana, Tuscany: Chef Christophe Martin teaches culinary secrets from the Maremma region; there’s also a Michelin-starred restaurant.

Villa Pitiana, Tuscany: The cookery school takes place in a beautifully restored monastery kitchen and focuses on local rustic cuisine.

Masseria Torre Maizza, Puglia: Visit the markets of Monopoli with the chef and return to the old stables where you’ll be taught how to prepare regional specialities, including fresh pasta and panzerotti in the wood-fired oven.

The Palace Wing of the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, Mumbai is currently being restored following the events of 2008 and Taj has launched a microsite to keep customers informed of progress. In the next few months Taj will be reopening the Rooms and Grand Suites of the heritage wing in a phased manner. The microsite talks about the renowned restaurants that are already fully operational. It also showcases the rich history of Taj, its heritage, royalty, art and architecture ) and encourages people to share their special memories of Taj on the site.

Sheraton Algarve Hotel overlooks miles of unspoiled beaches and offers a vast range of lifestyle experiences from an 9-hole Golf Course, health clubs, beauty centre, 7,000sqm children’s club as well as an array of 11 restaurants and bars. Stay a minimum 3 nights to take advantage of rates from 150 euros a night.

Going to Italy?  Take in one of these hotels if you enjoy your food:

1. Rome Cavalieri, Rome

The hotel’s La Pergola restaurant has three Michelin stars. Try suckling pig’s cheek with curly endive, burrata and chilli-flavoured popped rice, from the Gourmet menu.

2. Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, Lake Como

Award-winning Chef Ettore Bocchia and his molecular gastronomy as Mistral has earned him one Michelin star. Nitrogen-frozen milk ice cream with warm wild berries, anyone?

3. Hotel Palazzo Sasso, Ravello

Executive chef Pino Lavarra is in charge at Rossellinis, the hotel’s two Michelin-starred restaurant. A speciality is the lamb fillet wrapped in a rose crust and rose liquor from the tasting menu.

4. Masseria Torre Coccaro, Puglia

Four restaurants to choose from here, all offering Puglian specialities using local ingredients, like lamb from the Murgia region and fish from the village of Savelletri.

5. Relais il Chiostro di Pienza, Tuscany

La Terrazza del Chiostro serves Tuscan specialities in stunning surroundings – the terrace overlooks the garden and the grand vistas of the Val d’Orcia.

6. Capri Palace Hotel & Spa, Capri

The two Michelin-starred L’Olivo serves seafood straight out of the Med. A speciality is the salt cod with argan oil, Jerusalem artichokes and an almond milk sauce.