A Luxury Travel Blog

After months of great anticipation, Sandals Emerald Bay, Great Exuma, Bahamas officially opened its doors yesterday, welcoming guests to another new and exciting Luxury Included® holiday destination. Following a soft-opening on 22nd January 2010, the resort additionally hosted more than 30 top tour operators and travel agents for a first-hand look at the newest property in the Sandals Resorts portfolio.

Acquired in summer 2009, Sandals Emerald Bay, Great Exuma, Bahamas is a former Four Seasons, and now the 14th Sandals Resort in the Caribbean. Expanding on the company’s Luxury Included® concept, it is the first Sandals Resort to offer a Greg Norman-designed golf course, world-class marina and professionally-trained butlers in all 183 beachfront rooms and suites.

It is set on one of the Bahamas’ most beautiful Out Islands, offers gourmet dining in a choice of five à la carte restaurants, land and watersports including six Har-tru tennis courts all lit for night play, airport transfers and gratuities. An exclusive 16,000 sq. ft. Red Lane® Spa is also available to guests, featuring 17 treatment rooms and premier services that embrace the best of the Caribbean region.

In addition to the grand opening, guests travelling to the new resort can currently save up to 35% on travel dates throughout 2010.

Flying hotels… the future of luxury travel?  Who knows? But an aircruise concept from Seymourpowell in association with Samsung looks to be little more than a publicity stunt to us here at A Luxury Travel Blog.  Not only does it look an unlikely shape for such a vessel but the choice of hydrogen gas to get it airborne leaves us wondering whether the people behind it have ever even heard of the Hindenburg disaster.  Still, it did manage to ’suck in’ all kinds of media interest, including the likes of CNN and The Independent who you would hope might have known better than to take the bait.  Enjoy the video but don’t expect to see one of these things any time soon!

The Westin Wall Centre, Vancouver Airport, a sophisticated, new-build hotel in Richmond, B.C. is now open. Ideally situated less than 4 km from Vancouver International Airport, it is also within a five minute walk of the Yaohan Centre and a 20 minute Skytrain ride to downtown Vancouver. Minutes from downtown Richmond, the new hotel also offers easy access to the Aberdeen Centre, River Rock Casino and Royal Canadian College as well as the nearby Richmond Olympic Oval.

Its 176 guest rooms and eight unique suites all feature the iconic Westin Heavenly Bed and a 32 inch High Definition flatscreen TV. In addition, in-room, high-speed Internet access, dual line cordless telephones and an ergonomic work space offer business travellers convenience and productivity in an ultra-comfortable setting.

Additional amenities include an indoor heated pool, 24-hour business centre, a gym, valet parking and The Apron, offering guests contemporary Pacific Northwest cuisine in the dining room or intimate lounge.

The ships of Crystal Cruises have once again earned top honours from the readers of Conde Nast Traveler, who named the ultra-luxury vessels the best large ships in the world. Of 90 worldwide ships, Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony were voted #1 and #2 with overall scores of 93.0 and 92.4, respectively. Crystal also earned the top scores for Service, Food and Design/Layout. In its February 2010 issue, Conde Nast Traveler calls its polled readers, “the savviest travelers in the world”.

The honour comes a few months after Crystal Cruises was voted “Best Large-Ship Cruise Line” by readers of the same magazine, as well as earning the “World’s Best Large-Ship Line” by the readers of Travel + Leisure.

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.

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.

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.

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 which 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.

For years, countless luxury cruise ships have carried curious travelers to and through the Galapagos Islands. With the arrival of a few select luxury properties, demanding travellers now have the opportunity to enjoy a land-based luxury Galapagos travel experience.

Big Five Tours and Expeditions now offers Galapagos travel opportunities that include the Galapagos Safari Camp, which features 8 luxury tents perched in the Santa Cruz Island highlands. The luxury tents are spacious and attractively decorated; each has a private bathroom, with hot shower. The main room offers a dining room, fireplace, and an infinity pool with fabulous ocean scenery.

The eight-day Galapagos Safari Camp Discovery program from Big Five offers exploration of Santa Cruz Island, including local villages such as Bellavista. It also takes in some of the biggest hills of the island: Puntudo, Media Luna and Cerro Crocker. Garrapatero, one of the most exotic beaches in the islands, has a landscape of black lava, pioneer cacti, white sand and a turquoise sea. Blue-footed boobies are found there, pelicans fish in the bay and iguanas stroll along the beach. Tortuga Bay boasts a pristine white sandy beach with a nearby mangrove lagoon that is ideal for swimming and snorkeling. In Puerto Ayora, Chi Spa offers relaxing spa treatments.

The Galapagos Safari Camp price begins at about $2750 per person, land only, double occupancy, and includes accommodation, all meals, sightseeing tours, and guides.