A Luxury Travel Blog

InterContinental Hotels & Resorts has announced an agreement with Moroccan developer, Groupe Cadex, to open its very first property in Morocco in the beautiful resort destination of Marrakech.   Somewhat surprisingly, this is not only the first venture into Morocco for the InterContinental Hotels & Resorts brand, but also for parent company InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). The new-build resort development – the InterContinental Marrakech Resort & Spa – is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2011 and InterContinental is working closely with Groupe Cadex to create the finest resort in North Africa.

• La Villa des Orangers - Marrakech, Morocco
• Four Seasons Resort Sharm El-Sheikh Egypt - Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt
• Table Bay Hotel Cape Town - Cape Town, South Africa
• Belle Mare Plage Hotel - Belle Mare, Mauritius
• Ngorongoro Crater Lodge - Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania
• Le Touessrok - Trou d’eau Douce, Mauritius
• Cape Grace - Cape Town, South Africa
• Hyatt Regency Sharm El-Sheikh Resort - Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt
• Steenberg Hotel - Constantia, South Africa
• Shamwari Game Reserve - Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Come back tomorrow for the final instalment - the best in Canada!

For the first time in more than 40 years, Norwegian Cruise Line is going to deploy one of its ships in Europe for the whole year round. The 2,400-passenger Norwegian Jade will remain in Europe until the spring of 2010 - a change from the original plans to sail back to the US in November 2008. Instead she will follow new itineraries from Barcelona, including 12-day eastern Mediterranean sailings, 9-day Canary Islands and Morocco voyages and a 14-day Mediterranean cruise.

Terry Knealing has dropped me a note to draw my attention to his top 10 choices for small luxury hotels worldwide over at LifeOnTop.com.  For the purposes of his list, small hotels are defined as ones that have less than 125 guest rooms and suites (so not necessarily all that small!) Here goes:

1. Oberoi Udaivilas - Rajasthan, India
2. Le Sirenuse - Positano, Italy
3. Las Ventanas Al Paraiso - Los Cabos, Mexico
4. Amanjena Resort Marrakech - Marrakech, Morocco
5. The Setai - Miami, Florida
6. Chateau de Bagnols - Bagnols, France
7. The Milestone Hotel - London, Great Britain
8. The Wheatleigh - Lenox, Massachusetts
9. Ladera - St. Lucia, West Indies
10. Il Falconiere, Relais et Chateaux - Cortona, Tuscany, Italy

A new travel club is poised to cause quite a fuss among luxury travel goers – GoldSmith. The brainchild of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, purveyor of the much-loved guide books and website, this exclusive invitation-only level of Smith membership is a brand-new booking and concierge service that customises and coordinates its clients’ entire trip. From homing in on the comfiest bed adorned with 1000-thread count sheets in Mykonos to recommending a hidden gem of a Riad in Marrakech, Mr. and Mrs. Smith curate their clients’ holidays, with luxury and individuality being of paramount importance. Of the countless perks associated with being a part of this exclusive travel club, some of the favoured Goldsmith benefits include deals on flights and car hire, access to VIP airport lounges and significant upgrades at all Smith hotels. There’s even discounts at premier retailers such as Mulberry (30%) and Jo Malone (20%).

A weekly pick of luxury travel links for your perusal…

• Find your Tuscan soul with Toscana Mia tours
• A taste of Italy in Baltimore from Sabatino’s
• Experience Morocco in London: Mamounia Lounge
• Greece’s new launching K2 Smart Jets

Suite name: Ifri Suite
Resort: Kasbah du Toubkal, High Atlas Mountains, Morocco
Size of accommodation: 110 sq m
Cost per night: 420 euros
What makes it special? The 12m glass wall in the lounge with views of Jbel Toubkal the largest mountain in North Africa.

This generous garden apartment comes with a deluxe double or twin bedroom, with rolltop bath with shower, twin wash basins, bidet and WC. It offers a generous living area - the large lounge has a 12m glass wall opening to a balcony with views of waterfalls and the High Atlas Mountains.

The accommodation is complete with a fitted kitchen, a private sun/breakfast terrace and access to a shared garden.  It is easily accessible from Marrakech which is just 40 miles away.

The $600 million Royal Resort Cap Malabata, in Tangiers, Morocco, is being officially launched today. The  resort is a mixed-use tourism, commercial and residential destination on the Mediterranean coast and the Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the two distinctive but complementary elements of the $1.4 billion ‘Gateway to Morocco’ project. The second is the Royal Ranches Marrakech, in the city of Marrakech.

According to news just in, Golden Tulip Hospitality are introducing a new luxury brand.  The Royal Tulip, as it will be known, will be a five-star brand and be first introduced to Amsterdam, Berlin, Casablanca, Mirbat and Dallas TX.  Golden Tulip Hotels and Golden Tulip Resorts will continue to cater for the four star market.

La Plage Rouge by La Compagnie des Comptoirs, 10 kilometres outside of Marrakech in Morocco, is a new restaurant from the Pourcel brothers of Le Jardin des Sens (in Montpellier, France) fame. In addition to the food and the restaurant’s party and club atmosphere is an 80m x 40m swimming pool, surrounded by sand to give you that beach-like feeling.

The excellent Luxist blog has run a feature entitled “Top Ten Summer Resorts” in preparation for the forthcoming summer and have given us their pick of the best:

• 1. Soneva Gili, Maldives
• 2. North Island, Seychelles
• 3. Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan
• 4. Kasbah Tamadot, Morocco
• 5. Ashford Castle, Ireland
• 6. King Pacific Lodge, British Columbia
• 7. Singita Lodge, South Africa
• 8. Blantyre, Lenox MA
• 9. The Point, Saranac Lake NY
• 10. Explora, Patagonia

Virgin’s Sir Richard Branson has created a wonderful retreat in the foothills of Morocco’s Atlas mountains.  Kasbah Tamadot is the newest addition to the Virgin Limited Edition portfolio, emerging as a divine hideaway where the spirit and charm of traditional Moroccan design is beautifully infused with contemporary elements, creating an ambience of luxurious serenity with a hint of exotic adventure.

La Mamounia is probably the most famous hotel in North Africa, immortalised by Winston Churchill, who spent many an hour in front of his easel, trying to capture views of the distant Atlas Mountains. The hotel has 57 opulent suites and 171 de luxe guest rooms, several restaurants, a gorgeous outdoor pool and a casino. The hotel’s gardens alone are well worth a visit: 17 wonderful acres of olives and oranges, palms and peacefulness, created as a wedding present from a sultan to his son.

If you’re looking for a luxury but still wary of how much you spend, then the Madada Mogador at Essaouira in Morocco is worth investigating. The rooms offer a simple mix of Moroccan and French colonial styles. Go for the Mogador room itself - it’s bigger than the rest and offers the best views. The hotel’s terrace overhangs the fishing port and beach. (The months of September and October are best for the beach.)