A Luxury Travel Blog

The Kempinski Hotel Soma Bay has a great line-up of experiences available this year. Here’s just some of what’s on offer:

Learn a new skill – Arabic cooking lessons

Banish Friday-night takeaways and boring beans on toast with a masterclass in authentic Arabic cuisine now available at the beautiful open-air Al Mar Restaurant. Guests will discover exciting new culinary flavours and delicacies from Egypt, Lebanon and bordering Mediterranean regions. Young and old will return home with a plethora of delicious new recipes added to their culinary repertoire, including Kofta, Mousaka and Taboula. Every guest at the Kempinski Hotel Soma Bay will receive a one hour complimentary cooking class, plus a full chef’s uniform and printed recipes to take home so all meals can be enjoyed again and again!

Improve health & wellbeing – sensational spa experiences

We’re all often guilty of working long hours and not spending enough time on ourselves to totally relax and rejuvenate. Make 2012 the year of self-indulgence and enjoy some quality time at the renowned Kempinski Hotel Soma Bay Spa. There are a variety of exotic massages to choose from including Swedish, Deep Tissue and Balinese plus Shirodhara, Elakkizbi, Ayurvedic and Facial Purification treatments. For an ultimate healing experience, visit Les Thermes Marins des Cascades Spa & Thalasso Centre for a seaweed wrap and underwater massage rich in mineral salts, vitamins and amino acids to truly discover the new you.

Experience new cultures – historical Egypt

This year after a day or two by the pool, why not take an excursion to discover the fascinating history and stories surrounding this captivating country. The Kempinski Hotel Soma Bay is in the ideal location to reach the Ottoman Fortress of El-Quseir dating back to the 16th century and the ancient sites of the Valley of the Kings and Queens, the Karnak and Luxor Temples. The monasteries of St. Paul and St. Anthony are another intriguing insight into the history of the Red Sea Mountains that both still observe rituals that have hardly changed in 16 centuries. Take a walk around the charming self-contained village with gardens, a mill, bakery and churches plus a library that boasts over 1,700 ancient manuscripts.

Try a new activity – beginners kite-surfing & diving lessons

Thanks to its flat water conditions, fantastic sandy beaches and side shore winds, Soma Bay is the ideal location to try your hand at kite-surfing or scuba diving amongst some of the world’s most beautiful reefs. Professionals and beginners alike are fully catered for with video and headset training aids that make learning and improving their wind-surfer skills easier and safer. The Soma Bay Dive Centre also has a 420 metre jetty that extends directly to the reef with electric cars available to carry equipment and divers for effortless access to Soma Bay’s underwater world, perfect for beginners just finding their ocean feet!

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This is a strange time of year, isn’t it?

The weather doesn’t seem to be able to make up its mind what to do, we’ve had a combination of 29 degree temperatures swiftly followed by howling gales, pouring rain and hail storms in the last five days here in the North West of the UK. Normally by October the central heating has been on for a few weeks so I suppose we should be thankful!

If, like many people, you are looking for a late season escape, you are probably weighing up where you’ll be able to find more reliable weather for travel in October and November.

It kind of goes without saying that the Middle East is always a safe bet to catch some rays. Many of our customers like to travel at this time of year, as you’ll be looking at 30 degrees rather than 35 or 40, and in December the average temperature is closer to 26 degrees in Dubai and the surrounding emirates. The perfect weather for sun bathing.

Tropical countries like Thailand and Indonesia always represent good choices for warmth, their temperatures rarely if ever drop below 30 degrees, although the very nature of their climate is that you will have rainfall at this time of year. You’ll often find that rainfall there is intense but arrives in short bursts and quickly makes way for clear skies soon after. Don’t make the mistake I did and presume initial cloud cover means you won’t need sun cream!

December is a great month to visit the islands of the Caribbean, with the hurricane season officially ending on 30th November. Temperatures remain around the 30 degrees mark all year round, but if you are to visit between the months of December and May then your chances of better weather will be increased.

Closer to home yet away from the Euro zone, Egypt offers a haven for holidaymakers to get value for money and reliable winter sun ranging from an average of 29 degrees in Sharm el Sheikh to an imposing 38 degrees in Aswan in October. The average temperature in Sharm drops by about 5 degrees in November and then again in December to around 21 degrees. Still nice!

One of my colleagues has today returned from two weeks in Mauritius, and there’s little need to check my weather charts – one look at her will tell you that the weather was great!

Carole Booth is Commercial Director at Destinology.

If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.

Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt has become one of the most loved destinations for UK tourists. Web analyst company Hitwise claimed that it has gained more popularity online in recent months and is now the UK’s 39th most searched destination. New York remains the most searched city by UK holidaymakers.

With Sharm’s rise in popularity we have collected the top 3 luxury hotels that you could visit in the area:

Grand Rotana Hotel

The Grand Rotana hotel in Sharm is located on a private 450m beach front. The hotel is built in a luscious tropical landscape with over 2000 palm trees. It offers something for everybody with tennis courts, a ZEN Spa, a fitness centre, Olympic sized swimming pools and even its own Shopping arcade. For guests that love trying new food the hotel offers a wide range of different cuisines. The Palms Bar & Grill serves grilled fish, the Messaluna is a luxury Italian restaurant and the Silk Road serves food that is a fusion of Eastern and Western cuisine. There is also an all day buffet if you miss a meal or want an afternoon snack.

Ritz Carlton Hotel

The luxurious Ritz Carlton hotel in Sharm gives customers exactly what they would expect from the brand; amazing surroundings, beautifully prepared cuisines and a wide range of available activities. The hotel offers sparkling pools, cascading waterfalls and a dive centre to safely teach you how to dive. There is also a spa and snorkelling available for guests that want to experience something extra. The hotel offers a wide range of different foreign cuisine including sushi in the Blue Ginger Japanese restaurant, Arabian dishes in the Fayrouz restaurant and lavish western cuisine at the Cafe restaurant.

Hyatt Regency Hotel

The Hyatt hotel in Sharm offers guests laid back stylish accommodation and the best house reefs in the area. The hotel is located on the edge of an aqua oasis and is surrounded by seascapes of the Sinai Peninsula. The Hyatt has its own private beach, a fitness and spa centre, water sports centre, scuba diving, indoor squash courts and an indoor gym. The hotel has a wide range of different restaurants including the Sala Thai Restaurant that serves global cuisines, The Cascades which serves grilled dishes and the Beach House which provides guests with fresh sea food from the Red Sea. There is also a range of restaurants and shops in the hotels Souk gallery. For refreshments guests can visit the Catz Bar or the Azure Lounge to get stylish cocktails.

Sabina Shaida is Managing Director at Mosaic Holidays.

If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.

Luxury cruises offer tourists the opportunity to explore great areas of a country during a 7 day holiday. In Egypt, Nile cruises are a popular holiday choice. They offer comfortable accommodation and easy access to some of the country’s best sites. If you are planning to visit the area we suggest sightseeing in the morning before the day becomes too hot and before lots of people are at the locations.

The Nile cruises can explore Luxor, Aswan, Kom Ombo and many other great Egyptian areas. Luxor is a must see destination for historians as the area is home to the Valley of the Kings, which contains tombs of pharaohs. The Temple of Karnak in the area is one of the biggest temple complexes still in existence.

Aswan offers a quieter location but has great beaches and all year round sun. The area also has historic sites such as the Nubian Temples and the unfinished Obelisk. We would recommend watching the feluccas meander down the Nile, a sight you aren’t likely to forget.

Kom Ombo is a farming based town that is situated between the Nubia and the Nile Valley. The area is famous for its “Temple of Kom Ombo”, a double temple that has two symmetrical sides. One of the sides of the temple is dedicated to the Crocodile god Sobek, while the other side is dedicated to the falcon god Horus.

We would recommend Nile cruise holidays to people that love to explore historic sites. They offer luxurious accommodation and guide guests through the many great locations the country has to offer.

Sabina Shaida is Managing Director at Mosaic Holidays.

If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.

This week’s photograph is of a young boy, aged around 8 years old, in Dahab, Egypt, attempting to drag his father’s camel into the sea for a bath at dawn. He didn’t succeed and instead had to go and fetch his brother for assistance!

Thank you to Michael Shelford Photography for permission to re-produce the image.

If you have a really special photograph you would like to share with  A Luxury Travel Blog’s readers, please contact us.

The five star Makadi Spa Hotel opening its doors next month is the ultimate getaway for those wanting to indulge in complete luxury and relaxation. Situated on its own private beach the adult’s only hotel is an upmarket and tranquil oasis on the Red Sea.

The hotel has three large outdoor freshwater swimming pools including an infinity pool with spectacular views of theRed Sea. The private beach looking out onto crystal clear waters provides the perfect place to sit back and relax, whilst also offering easy snorkeling with the reef beginning at waist depth. For those who still require some form of activity on their relaxing break yoga, aerobics, water aerobics and a fitness club are available for guests. There is also a free daily shuttle bus that runs betweenMakadiBayand the Grand Mall in Hurghada where guests can purchase the ever important gifts and souvenirs!

For the spa connoisseurs the hotel will not disappoint. All of the treatments are provided by CINQ MODES, the French pioneer and specialist in professional spa treatments and cosmetics. The spa is a haven for those seeking relaxation and regeneration for the body, mind and soul, and treatments range from massages to aromatherapy. Guests will receive complimentary use of the Jacuzzi, sauna and hammam (Arabian steam room).

Guests will be spoilt for choice with the hotel’s four lavish restaurants that include international, Asian, Spanish and seafood cuisine. There are also two bars and several poolside bars.

The hotel is low rise with 280 spacious modern suites located across three floors. The low structure of the hotel, something that is new to the area means the hotel has an attractive exterior and doesn’t obstruct views of the stunning scenery, and the beautifully decorated interior of the hotel is the epitome of style and luxury.

Those of you currently enduring sub-zero temperatures might be interested to hear that Tripadvisor has come up with a top 10 list of warm weather escapes.  Making the list are the following:

1. Cancun, Mexico
2. St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands
3. Playa del Carmen, Mexico
4. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
5. Miami Beach, Florida, USA
6. San Juan, Puerto Rico
7. Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
8. Orlando, Florida, USA
9. Isla de Vieques, Puerto Rico
10. Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt

The Rocco Forte Collection – which currently has 13 luxury hotels in major cities across Europe –  has revealed that its first property in the Middle East will open in Abu Dhabi this Autumn. It will be followed by a 146-bedroom property opening in Jeddah in 2011, a 90 All-suite Golf, Spa & Villa Resort in Marrakech in 2011 and a 275 bedroom property in Cairo in 2013.

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:

Just look at how much you can pack into a day in Egypt! This inspiring commercial for tourism in Egypt covers everything from quad biking in Sharm El Sheikh and scuba diving in Dahab  to rock climbing in Taba and an evening at the theatre in Cairo…

The 5-star deluxe Steigenberger Al Dau Beach Hotel, based on the Red Sea in Hurghada, Egypt, has introduced a Sunshine Guarantee where guests will be able to redeem free nights should the sun not shine.  With Hurghada’s sunny climate and year-round warm weather, guests to the region should be able to expect a stay filled with sunshine and good weather. However, should a complete day not be sunny or should it even rain for more then one hour a day, holidaymakers to the hotel need not despair. A voucher will be awarded for a free night’s stay for every ‘lost’ day, which customers may redeem through booking directly with the hotel. The voucher will be issued to the departing guest at their time of check out and will be valid for one year.

Jaz Hotels & Resorts, a unique collection of highly regarded brands encompassing Jaz Resorts, Iberotel Hotels & Resorts, Sol Y Mar Resorts and the Travcotel Nile cruise fleet, is set for a major expansion in 2009 which will see more than 3000 rooms added to its portfolio of properties in and around the Red Sea. A total of 11 new properties, opening between January and December 2009, will include Jaz branded five star hotels in Sharm El Sheikh, Marsa Matrouh, Ain El Sokhna, Taba and Hurghada as well as Sol Y Mar branded four-star hotels in Marsa Alam and Sharm El Sheikh and the newly opened five-star Iberotel Cairo Hotel and Casino.

At Hyatt Resorts you’re pretty much guaranteed a fun-filled holiday for the whole family as both children and parents are well catered for.   A typical example is the Oasis Kids’ Club at Hyatt Regency Sharm El Sheikh which will amuse and delight youngsters with fun and educational activities overseen by a team of professionally trained child minders,  allowing parents enjoy the freedom to explore the myriad of activities elsewhere in the resort. Daily activities include children’s aerobics, dancing lessons, painting, handicrafts, mini sports and storytelling. The Clubhouse features a shaded kiddies pool, playroom and nap room. Sounds like enough to tire the little ones out so they also sleep well at the end of the day!

Dusit International  is officially opening the Dusit Thani LakeView Cairo today. The Cairo hotel is the company’s first property on the African continent, and brings it a step closer to the Europe.   It is strategically located in the New Cairo district known as the “Land of Gold”. The area is resplendent with waterfalls, brand tree-lined streets and sparkling lakes and stream. A mere 20 minutes from Cairo International Airport it is linked by bridge to Giza and the Pyramids. Dusit Thani LakeView Cairo offers 203 luxury rooms and suites, Dusit Club Lounge, Dusit Gourmet Lounge and Bar, Thai and Mediterranean culinary experiences. The Grand Ballroom is a magnificent 1,536 square meter fully-equipped setting for up to 1,000 guests. The 10 meeting rooms are supported by a common business centre and pre-function terrace. The hotel’s banqueting delivers an unmatched catering service par excellence. Impeccable facilities include a large swimming pool, 15 cabanas for day use, fitness centre, 6 tennis and 2 squash courts, kid’s club plus spa and wellness centre as well as a unique multi unit shopping Bazaar, retail shops and bank.