Tom Barber, Author at A Luxury Travel Blog : A Luxury Travel Blog

4 of the best Olympic cities

By Tom Barber on Aug 15, 2016 in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Japan, Mexico, North America, Oceania, Regions, South Africa, Sweden, Western Europe

As the Olympics gather pace in Rio (c’mon Team GB!), one of the most vibrant and photogenic cities on the planet, I decided to take a look back at some of the other great cities that have hosted the world’s biggest sporting event. Impossible as it was to pick just a handful, here are a

8 under-the-radar European destinations

By Tom Barber on Jul 17, 2016 in Croatia, Eastern Europe, Europe, Greece, Italy, Malta, Norway, Regions, Romania, Spain, Sweden

Summer is here (sort of) and so begins the pretty predictable exodus to the popular parts of Europe, from the Spanish Costas and cypress tree-dotted hills of Tuscany to the beaches of the South of France. These places are popular for a very good reason, but for anyone seeking even a smidgeon of originality (or

6 secret South American sites (and sights)

By Tom Barber on Jun 15, 2016 in Argentina, Attractions, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Going Out, Peru, Regions, South America, Uruguay

South America’s popularity as a luxury destination shows no sign of slowing down and, if anything, visitors seem to be wanting to get ever further off the beaten track to explore the less well-trodden corners of this cracking continent. So in the self-same spirit of exploration, here are seven South American secrets that may not

Where to see the Northern Lights... and what to do if you don't

By Tom Barber on May 13, 2016 in Europe, Finland, Hawaii, Iceland, North America, Norway, Regions, Sweden, USA, Western Europe

Sorry for the seemingly negative rider in the title, but we think it’s important to note that the Northern Lights – the eerily beautiful display of shimmering colour sometimes visible in the night skies over the Arctic Circle – are a natural phenomenon and so by no means guaranteed. I’m sure that’s stating the blindingly

The 6 best luxury dive hotels in the world

By Tom Barber on Apr 21, 2016 in Accommodation, Adventure Travel, Africa, Asia, Australia, Fiji, Hotels, Indonesia, Leisure Travel, Maldives, Mexico, Mozambique, North America, Oceania, Regions, Speciality Travel, Worldwide

The concept of scuba diving for leisure has been around since that clever Frenchman Jacques Cousteau perfected the aqualung, but it’s only really of late that luxury diving holidays – where the diving on offer is as outstanding as the accommodation – have come to the fore. Here are my favourite luxury diving hotels across

5 leftfield luxury honeymoon destinations

By Tom Barber on Mar 20, 2016 in Africa, Asia, Belize, Central America, Europe, Honeymoons, Japan, Madagascar, Portugal, Regions, Speciality Travel, Western Europe

If there’s one holiday that you really, really want to get right it’s the all-important honeymoon. That’s one of the main reasons newly-weds tend to play it safe and follow a well-worn path to a handful of classic romantic destinations such as the Maldives, Italy or Tanzania. Don’t get me wrong – these destinations are

Oh, Canada! 5 reasons to visit Canada right now

By Tom Barber on Feb 15, 2016 in Adventure Travel, Canada, Leisure Travel, North America, Regions, Speciality Travel

Spoiler alert to any adolescent girls reading this – Justin Bieber does NOT make the list. Sorry about that. The rest of you can breathe a sigh of relief and read on, because Canada is where it’s at. Bears and belugas in Manitoba To describe this extraordinary confluence of wildlife wonders as original doesn’t come

6 destinations to watch in 2016

By Tom Barber on Jan 19, 2016 in Africa, Asia, Cambodia, Middle East, Oman, Peru, Regions, South America, Sri Lanka, Tanzania

It’s that time of year where we try to predict the destinations that will hit the heights in the next 12 months. So, after consulting my crystal ball and deciphering those all-enlightening tea leaves (and some scientific stuff too, promise), here are my tips for the Six Best Luxury Travel Destinations in 2016. Tanzania This

6 of the best luxury liveaboards

By Tom Barber on Dec 19, 2015 in Asia, Australia, British Virgin Islands, Caribbean, Cruises & Boat Travel, Europe, Indonesia, Italy, Leisure Travel, Maldives, Mexico, North America, Oceania, Papua New Guinea, Regions, Speciality Travel, Western Europe, Worldwide

Anyone who has dived in a popular destination such as the Red Sea will know that good, accessible dive sites tend to attract several boat loads of scuba lovers, so you may be in spectacular marine surroundings, but in the company of other divers. The solution? Take the seven seas aboard a luxury liveaboard dive

6 secret cities in Europe

By Tom Barber on Nov 26, 2015 in Eastern Europe, Estonia, Europe, Italy, Regions, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Western Europe

OK, OK, so the following cities aren’t completely secret, otherwise no-one would live in them, and then they wouldn’t technically be cities, but let’s just say these are magnificent metropoli that either fly under the radar entirely, or don’t feature in the upper echelons of people’s luxury city break wish lists when they really, really

8 reasons why Iran will be the destination for 2016

By Tom Barber on Oct 27, 2015 in Iran, Middle East, Regions

When talking about Iran, and in the interests of expectation management, I always like to start with the negatives. The visa situation is still a bore (although soon to improve, inshallah); ladies need to wear a headscarf at all times in public; there’s no booze (anywhere – not even in the 5* city hotels); the

Scandimania: the best of Scandinavia

By Tom Barber on Sep 29, 2015 in Denmark, Europe, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Regions, Sweden, Western Europe

After years spent travelling around Scandinavia (apologies to pedants – I’m including Iceland in here alongside Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland) I have developed a healthy case of what can only be described as Scandimania – a love of all things Nordic. While we Brits seem to be succumbing to certain elements of the self-same

8 reasons why you should go to Burma right now

By Tom Barber on Sep 10, 2015 in Asia, Myanmar, Regions

The talk of the travel town in the last year is how Burma has become a victim of its own success. How (apologies for the GCSE-level economic analysis to follow) demand has outstripped supply for guides and quality accommodation and how the country might be over before it has even begun as a luxury travel

The USA - a destination for all seasons

By Tom Barber on Jul 16, 2015 in Alaska, California, Florida, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, North America, Regions, USA, Vermont, Washington DC, Wyoming

It shouldn’t necessarily come as a surprise that a continent-sized country has something to see all year round, but British visitors to the USA do still tend to trend towards the obvious places in the obvious months. Nothing wrong with that, per se, because there are very good reasons for going to, say, New York

Georgia: a tale of two hotels

By Tom Barber on Jun 22, 2015 in Accommodation, Asia, Georgia, Hotels, Regions

Over the last couple of years the little country of Georgia nestled in the Caucasus has crept quietly onto the radar… And now we’d like to trumpet it from the rooftops, for two gorgeous luxury hotels have opened causing quite a buzz on the scene. If you’re into wine, food, art, music, hiking and riding,

5 reasons why you should go to Portugal right now

By Tom Barber on May 14, 2015 in Europe, Portugal, Regions, Western Europe

Something’s up in Portugal. Despite a stellar history and a heritage that saw the nation become the great seafaring pioneers of the Age of Discovery in the 1500s, this small country on the geographic (and, dare we say, metaphorical) margins of Western Europe has of late been happier flying under the radar. But that might

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