Category: Australia
Dine Nine feet under in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales
By Paul Johnson on May 06, 2010 in Australia, Food and Drink, Going Out, Oceania, Regions, Restaurants, Travel Miscellany
Located nine feet below the surface in a converted wine cellar, Nine is an intimate new dining experience at the luxurious Tower Estate. Enjoy a tour of the wineries and the beautiful Hunter Valley before tucking into a seasonally produced 9 course degustation with matched Tower Estate wines ($250 per person / approx £125). Established 
Sail Ningaloo in style
By Paul Johnson on Apr 26, 2010 in Australia, Cruises & Boat Travel, Oceania, Regions, Speciality Travel
Explore Ningaloo Reef, the largest fringing reef in the world, in luxury aboard Sail Ningaloo‘s beautifully appointed 51 foot catamaran, ‘Shore Thing’. New operator Sail Ningaloo is offering three, five and nine-day live aboard tours in the pristine waters of Ningaloo Reef from March until October. Guests can spend their days kayaking, snorkelling or diving 
Interview with Alison Scott of Elegant Resorts
By Paul Johnson on Dec 16, 2009 in Accommodation, Africa, Anguilla, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Caribbean, Celebrities, Europe, Food and Drink, Going Out, Hotels, Interviews, Madagascar, Mauritius, New Zealand, North America, Oceania, Pacific Islands, Regions, Restaurants, South America, Travel Miscellany, United Kingdom, Western Europe
Alison Scott is the Commercial Director for Elegant Resorts. She has been at Elegant for just over a year and prior to that was Head of Product at ITC in Chester. Her background has always been in travel. She started in travel after she left University, as a Rep overseas, and has stayed in the 
Silver Spirit's inaugural world cruise 2011
By Paul Johnson on Dec 11, 2009 in Africa, Asia, Australia, Cruises & Boat Travel, Egypt, Europe, Italy, Monaco, Oceania, Pacific Islands, Portugal, Regions, Spain, Speciality Travel, Travel Miscellany, Videos, Western Europe
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 
New gourmet walking tours of Adelaide
Food and wine lovers will be keen to experience Taste of South Australia‘s new gourmet walking tours, known as ‘Insiders Adelaide’. The four tours uncover Adelaide’s hidden secrets, exposing the city’s true essence with inspirational walks hosted by local guides. Highlights include wine tastings, a visit to Adelaide’s colourful Central Market, delicious chocolate from iconicCelebrate the festive season at Voyages Ayers Rock Resort
By Paul Johnson on Nov 23, 2009 in Accommodation, Australia, Going Out, Hotels, Oceania, Regions, Resorts, Restaurants
For a ‘fair dinkum’ sunshine-filled Aussie Outback festive season look no further than Voyages Ayers Rock Resort in the heart of Australia’s aptly named ‘Red Centre’. With a selection of five hotel properties, to suit all tastes and budgets, Ayers Rock Resort has literally lined up a feast of activities throughout the resort at the 
Reef and rainforest experience in Queensland, Australia
By Paul Johnson on Nov 21, 2009 in Accommodation, Adventure Travel, Attractions, Australia, Going Out, Leisure Travel, Oceania, Regions, Resorts, Special Offers & Packages, Speciality Travel, Travel Miscellany
A visit to the Great Barrier Reef and World Heritage-listed Fraser Island is a must-do on any East Coast Australian itinerary – and visiting is made even easier with a Reef & Rainforest four night accommodation and eco-activity package. The joint package, released by Kingfisher Bay Resort – Fraser Island and Lady Elliot Eco Resort A Barossa food tradition
Maggie Beer is one of Australia’s favourite cooks, cookery writers and a pioneering champion of Barossa regional cuisine. Her farm shop offers daily verjuice cooking demonstrations at 2pm. Visitors to the farm shop will also find Maggie’s gourmet products and award-winning books. Her cooking, using mainly local produce, has been pivotal in the development ofAustralia's newest five star spa
By Paul Johnson on Oct 12, 2009 in Accommodation, Australia, Family Travel, Oceania, Regions, Resorts, Spas & Pampering, Speciality Travel
In February 2010, the doors will open on the Spa at Château Élan, a five-star Salut Per Aqua in the heart of the Hunter Valley. Part of the new Château Élan at The Vintage, the luxury spa complex has 18 treatment rooms dedicated to exclusive spa rituals, traditional hydrotherapies and social relaxation. It is one Italian cookery classes (in Australia!) from Rosa Matto
Are you planning a special Italian dinner or perhaps just looking to brush up your skills? South Australian chef Rosa Matto has been hosting cooking classes with an Italian twist since 1989, giving lessons from her custom-built open studio kitchen in Goodwood, Adelaide. Rosa’s classes are very hands-on and range from sauce, bread and pasta
$260m plan for Melbourne's Hotel Windsor
Melbourne’s Hotel Windsor has announced a $260 million development proposal aimed at securing the future of the city’s only 19th Century grand hotel. The proposal aims to re-establish the property as the leading hotel in Melbourne. Highlights of the plan include: • Refurbishment of the original hotel building and its key historic features. The exterior
An eco-retreat in the heart of South Australia's Flinders Ranges
Travellers to South Australia looking for environmentally sensitive accommodation devoid of mobile phone reception yet rich in old-fashioned Outback hospitality, should look no further than 29,000 acre Rawnsley Park Station. Renowned for the introduction of their award-winning luxurious eco villas, Rawnsley Park is located in the heart of the Flinders Ranges only 400 km from
The world's largest chocolate waterfall!
By Paul Johnson on Mar 08, 2009 in Attractions, Australia, Food and Drink, Fun Stuff, Going Out, Oceania, Regions, Travel Miscellany
Chocolate lovers’ wildest fantasies are now coming true with the launch of the largest chocolate waterfall in the world. Made from 400kg of chocolate descending in a mere five seconds and 4.5m wide, the new sweet attraction is part of Panny’s Amazing World of Chocolate, the world’s first interactive chocolate exhibition on iconic Philip 
Interview with Catherine Leech of 101 Holidays
By Paul Johnson on Feb 05, 2009 in Accommodation, Asia, Australia, Caribbean, Cayman Islands, Celebrities, Europe, France, Hotels, Interviews, Malta, Middle East, New York, North America, Oceania, Regions, Resorts, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Travel Miscellany, Turkey, United Kingdom, USA, Websites, Western Europe
Catherine Leech has worked in luxury travel for more than 25 years. She started in PR before becoming European Director of the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, then Managing Director of luxury tour operator, Caribtours. After the tsunami of 2004 she moved to Sri Lanka where she worked for two years, mostly as a volunteer, 
