A Luxury Travel Blog

Air stewardesses at Hong Kong Airlines are being trained in Wing Chun, a deadly martial art that can reputedly knock an aggressor out cold in a matter of seconds.  It’s not clear whether it’s mostly PR hype or designed to be a legitimate safety exercise but it’s a kind of kung fu that apparently works best at close quarters so perhaps suited to the confined nature of a plane.

A couple of weeks ago I was meant to be going on a press trip to Tenerife  with my family and reviewing a couple of hotels out there.  Shortly before we were due to depart, I was looking into travel insurance as I was aware that our annual policy had expired.  I contacted the travel insurance company we’d previously had cover from and sent them an email, rather than an instruction initially, because I had a query about the policy that I wanted to run by them.

I never received a reply from that email and, before I knew it, events unfolded shortly afterwards, that were to entirely scupper our plans.  Our younger son was diagnosed with Henoch–Schönlein purpura which left him with a nasty rash on his legs, and resulted in painful swelling on his joints – particularly his ankles – that temporarily prevented him from being able to walk.  Our doctor sensibly advised us not to travel.

With this diagnosis, I knew I couldn’t just get travel insurance retrospectively.  So I contacted Monarch who I’d booked our flights with, and explained my predicament. They were extremely helpful and understanding and have allowed me to re-schedule the flights for the same time next year so that I can make the trip then – all at no cost.

Of course, all this was the least of our worries.  The main thing was that our son made a speedy recovery and I’m pleased to report that he is doing much better now and has even been able to return to school today. That said, it was a very kind gesture from Monarch and gave us one less thing to worry about.

For the record, to my surprise Monarch do have a policy that allows you to amend your flights up to just 4.5 hours prior to your departure, usually at a cost of £27.50 per flight if done online (or £40 if done over the telephone), and you can amend your flight to dates up to a year in advance – a useful feature for anyone else finding themselves in a similar predicament.

A worthy mention also goes to Skyparksecure who I’d booked a ‘meet and greet’ airport parking service with.  I contacted them also, and they have simply re-credited our account so that we can re-book with them on another occasion.

And the moral of the story?  Even if your travels aren’t imminent, if you have a trip booked, make sure you have travel insurance in place at the time of booking, and not just prior to your departure.

Lugano-based Swiss Diamond Hotel’s recently opened Diamond Medical Aesthetical Centre is offering a new medical treatment in which doctors are able to predict future health problems through a simple blood sample. From the blood sample, doctors are able to understand how certain organs are ageing and from this, can predict possible future health problems and make recommendations on how to prevent them from occurring. The medical centre also offers a wide range of other treatments including laser treatments, botox injections and collagen fillers.

David Beckham’s recent visit to the Mehilainen Clinic for an operation on a torn Achilles tendon, and a subsequent visit from his wife, has put the Finnish city of Turku well and truly on the map, visiting prior to the crowds that are sure to visit in 2011 when the city is a European capital of culture.  Less well known than the country’s capital Helsinki, Turku is located in the South of the country on the banks of the Aura river. The small, medieval city is the starting point for exploring the stunning Turku archipelago, a series of islands perfect for discovering either on one of the many bicycles for hire or by boat or one of the frequent ferries.

The city’s plushest hotel would be the Radisson Blu Marina Palace. Situated on the river the hotel features the contemporary design Finland is well known for and two restaurants the Herttua and the Italian Aurora.  Whilst no doubt the Beckhams will travel by private jet, most tend to get to Turku by Finnair, flying via Helsinki.

A good night’s sleep is just a phone call away thanks to Westin Hotels & Resorts. The brand is teaming up with renowned sleep experts at the National Sleep Foundation to help make a perfect night’s sleep a reality for the sleep deprived. The hotline, (888) TIME-4-SLEEP,  debuted this week and, until 15th September 2009, will help callers identify and troubleshoot common sleep issues.

Westin Hotels has also unveiled the results of a global sleep study of more than 12,500 people that underscores the importance of sleep to the public at large and revealed common sleep issues and eye-opening tidbits about people’s sleep habits. According to the survey, more than half of those surveyed would choose a great night’s sleep over great sex!

Banyan Tree Phuket introduces Retreat for the Senses, an holistic experience of rejuvenation, wellness and discovery.  The all-inclusive package includes accommodation, signature spa treatments at the award-winning Banyan Tree Spa, three meals daily, yoga and meditation sessions and a series of enriching activities that are held in the lush natural surroundings of Banyan Tree Phuket.

Four unique programmes:

All Retreat for the Senses programmes include a wellness consultation with the resident Ayurvedic physician, Dr Arun Satheesh, who will diagnose each individual’s condition to recommend diet choices and lifestyle changes. A dedicated Resort Host will attend to each guest to assist with every request and make recommendations on the best activities and spa treatments.

Sense of Bliss is dedicated to signature pampering experiences of Banyan Tree Spa and a range of activities, specially designed to bring about a sense of bliss such as yoga on the beach, Thai cooking class, batik painting and flower arranging, etc.

Sense of Heritage is inspired by time-honoured Thai healing practices and traditional activities to enhance the understanding of the Thai culture and heritage including Thai cooking classes, Thai classical dance, basic Thai language , aerobic Thai boxing, cultural tour, etc

Sense of Ayurveda is inspired by age-old Ayurvedic healing therapies to cleanse the body and mind. With a highly qualified Ayurvedic doctor on hand to personally consult each guest, a series of Dosha-specific therapies and yoga philosophies will be recommended to restore each individual’s natural balance and harmony. Activities include elephant trekking, yoga, aquacise, stretching, Indian massage lesson, henna painting, pilates and meditation, etc.

Sense of Purification is designated to attain natural purification of the body and mind, cleansing the body congested with toxins and clear the mind of negativity. Overall well-being is enhanced from a series of cleansing practices. Activities include adventure bike tour, Nordic walk, batik painting, stress relieving ATV quad bike ride, etc.

Valid until 1st November 2009, exclusive introductory rates offer guests savings of 30% off published rates and are limited to four bookings per day.  Rates for the three-night Retreat For The Senses programme start from US$425 (approx £260) per person per night and US$720(approx £435) per couple per night in a Deluxe Villa.  From 1st November 2009, the starting rates for the three-night programme are at US$685 (approx £415) per person per night and US$1050 (approx £635) per couple per night. Prices include all taxes and service charges.

The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts has launched a global initiative in support of UNICEF’s immunization and malaria programs for vulnerable children in developing countries.  A brand package called “We Invite You to Linger”  will offer  guests a complimentary night stay for every two, three or four night reservation at a hotel or resort within The Luxury Collection brand around the world. For every package booked, The Luxury Collection hotel will make a US$1 donation per room night to support UNICEF’s life-saving immunization programs and its work on the prevention and treatment of malaria – the largest single cause of death among African children under five years of age. The Luxury Collection includes 70 of the world’s finest hotels and resorts in more than 30 countries including The Laguna Resort, Nusa Dua, Bali; Hotel Danieli, Venice; Hotel Imperial, Vienna; Patios de Cafayate, Argentina; SLS at Beverly Hills and Royal Hawaiian, Waikiki.

Having (half-)watched ITV’s ‘Posh Hotels Undercover‘ this evening, I thought I’d post my thoughts.   The programme alleged that a number of Radisson Edwardian’s London hotels – including the flagship five star May Fair Hotel – left a lot to be desired: there was everything from a supervisor cleaning a washbasin with a toilet brush to a mice-infested kitchen.   Whilst I don’t for one moment condone what I saw (some of it did appear to be rather shocking), I do sometimes wonder how fair a representation the Tonight programme gives.   There appears to be little opportunity for a full response to the allegations, and it will be interesting to see how Radisson Edwardian will attempt to redress the balance. If you would like to watch the half-hour programme yourself, you can do so for a limited time via ITV Catch-up.

I’m just settling down for an evening with the laptop and thought I’d see what was on TV… those of you in the UK with an interest in the luxury travel industry might be interested that ITV’s ‘Tonight‘ is just about to start and is this evening entitled ‘Posh Hotels Undercover‘. According to the brief in the TV listings:

Hidden cameras reveal shocking cleaning and hygiene practices inside one of Britain’s top luxury hotel chains – including a five-star property where the rich and famous are regular guests.

Sorry for the lack of advance warning but I’ve only just become aware that’s it on – and it’s starting right now…!

How important is a really good quality bed to you?   It’s an issue that I’ve paid attention to more and more in recent times (my wife had a slipped disc that required surgery, just over 12 months ago) and so I was interested to hear that the Vi Spring is the bed of choice for the Beckhams.  Theirs retails in Harrods for £24,275. And it’s also the bed of choice for many leading hotels around Europe, including the Palais Coburg Residence, Hotel Ravenstein, Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin, Langshott Manor, Villa Trompenberg and The Zetter  to name just some.   But it’s by no means the most expensive bed out there.   That dubious honour no doubt goes to the $1.5 million (yes, you read that right) floating bed designed by Janjaap Ruijssenaars.

What’s the best bed you’ve ever slept in?   Or – if you work in the luxury hotel industry – where do you get your beds?

Just one day before the launch of Heathrow’s new Terminal 5, there has been a security breach at the airport. A man scaled a perimeter fence with a rucksack and ran into the path of an Emirates flight before being surrounded by police and police dogs.   He is thought to have been acting alone, but his motives and the contents of the rucksack have yet to be revealed. More from the BBC.

Sheraton Hotels and Four Points by Sheraton Hotels has announced that all of their smoking rooms will become non-smoking by the end of 2008.   This affects  more than  300 properties and some 8,000 rooms across the US, Canada and the  Caribbean.

The Cliffs is proud to introduce Keowee Springs, a new and unique kind of healthy-living community. At Keowee Springs, family wellness is an exciting journey of discovery, of living completely, of enjoying life to the fullest. The Cliffs at Keowee Springs is the ideal place to begin, or continue, a legacy of living well that will enrich and inspire generation after generation.

It was with great delight that I visited the small town of Evian-les-Bains, home of Evian mineral water, on Lake Geneva (or Lac Léman, as the French like to call it)  last year. (You can read a little  more about that trip on the special features here and here.)   And it’s with  considerable interest that I hear about  Evian’s new website, Detox with Evian.

You’re probably already aware that your body is mainly made of water. But you may not know that this water completely renews every 6 weeks. So it makes sense to choose what you drink carefully… especially when you’re wanting to detox.

With this in mind, Evian have cleverly devised a couple of utilities for your desktop, including a ‘Desktop Re-Hydration Reminder’ (to remind you to drink Evian, naturally!), and made purifying your body a fun experience. In case you should think this isn’t for you, there’s a purity test you can take just to be sure.

I’m not a big fan of smoking at all (never tried it, and never will!) but an article in the International Herald Tribune  entitled ‘Frequent Traveler: Lighting up in luxury may soon be latest in niche flying’ recently caught my eye.   It provides information on SMINTair, an airline for those that can’t kick the habit, which is anticipated to launch in March 2008. From the article:

…there’s more to luxury in the air than being allowed to smoke. SMINTair promises to take passengers back to the glory days of air travel by providing elegant meals and to “bring back the exclusivity of flying in the 1960s”. There is advanced air-conditioning, which, it is claimed, will provide fresh air that is “better by far” than that of a nonsmoking cabin. And, yes, cigars and pipes will be allowed.

Hmmmm… I can’t say I’m too convinced. Attempts at similar airlines in the US (Smokers Express  and the members-only airline of the Great American Smokers’ Club) both failed, so it’ll be interesting to see if SMINTair will be any different. Would YOU use such a service?

It’s not happened yet but apparently  Starwood Resorts & Hotels Worldwide, Inc plan to elimiate trans-fats from food, catering, room service, bar and lounge menus at  many of its  properties by the end of 2007.   Their press release states that:

[Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.'s] goal [is] to eliminate all artificial trans-fats from the food and beverage operations at more than 400 hotels in the U. S., Canada and the Caribbean by the end of 2007. This includes food served at Starwood-operated restaurants, banquets, catering, room service, bars and lounges. Starwood’s efforts to eliminate artificial trans-fats in its food service is a result of a two-year process at its hotels in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean, including Sheraton, Westin, Four Points by Sheraton, St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Le Meridien, and W brands.