NUMBERS TELL A STORY OF AIR NZ FLYING AIR New Zealand is beginning the next financial year by looking back at customer data from the past 12 months and revealing some interesting insights into guest travel preferences. The Kiwi carrier, which operates around 176,000 flights every year to facilitate more than 15 million customer journeys,Continue reading “INSIDER – AIR NZ NUMBERS”
Author Archives: Sarah N
NYC hotels with cool rooftop pools …
PICTURE this. You’ve spent a sweltering summer’s day exploring the Big Apple, soaking up the buzz in this biggest of big cities, and now it’s time to retreat to your New York accommodation to refresh and recharge for a night gallivanting about the city that never sleeps. Forget about lowering your core temperature with aContinue reading “NYC hotels with cool rooftop pools …”
Temple etiquette for Asia tour …
DO you know the difference between a pagoda, a temple and a stupa? I have been to Asia dozens of times since my rookie tour back in 1994, and ventured inside more Buddhist sanctuaries than I can remember, but it wasn’t until my first sojourn in Myanmar at the end of 2015 that a guideContinue reading “Temple etiquette for Asia tour …”
SQ291 sightseeing …
Where … Flying above the northern tip of New Zealand’s South Island in a Singapore Airline’s 777 on approach to Wellington’s airport. When … Sunday, March 5, 2017 at 1.31pm What … The journey from Canberra to Wellington takes my Singapore Airline’s flight right over the Marlborough Sounds with the settlement of Picton passing belowContinue reading “SQ291 sightseeing …”
Antarctica’s Cierva Cove …
HAVE you heard of a little place called Cierva Cove? It’s most unlikely, unless you’re a glaciologist or polar explorer, with this landmark just another weather-beaten bay on the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula at the mouth of the Gerlache Strait. But Cierva Cove is a significant spot thanks to the chain of monumentalContinue reading “Antarctica’s Cierva Cove …”
Another first for BKK’s Pullman …
NINE years after welcoming its first guests the world’s first Pullman hotel, Pullman Bangkok King Power, has unveiled a new look after completing a transformative renovation project. “The renovation of Pullman Bangkok King Power presented an unprecedented challenge but the result is simply stunning,” explains the property’s general manager Marc Begassat. “Our goal was toContinue reading “Another first for BKK’s Pullman …”
Sounds of silence in Cierva Cove …
I WAS expecting this to be one of the most peaceful places on the planet. I’m perched on the side of a Zodiac drifting around Cierva Cove, an iceberg-choked bay on the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula, and there isn’t a man-made sound to be heard above our breathing. But this remote place justContinue reading “Sounds of silence in Cierva Cove …”
Save on solo travel …
FREYA Stark could be the patron saint of solo travellers. Not only did she become one of the first female travel writers, and forge a path through the Middle East for Western wanderers, but her words “to awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the most pleasant sensations in the world” areContinue reading “Save on solo travel …”
New York’s newest is boutique beauty …
NEW York’s newest boutique hotel will welcome its first guests on February 16 with 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge set to become one of the Big Apple’s most divine destinations. The 194-room property is perched on the Brooklyn waterfront, a stone’s throw from the iconic Brooklyn Bridge in cosmopolitan Brooklyn Heights, with the 10-storey “sustainable ground-upContinue reading “New York’s newest is boutique beauty …”
River ship that feels like home …
“GOOD morning, welcome home,’’ the ship’s crew chant as we step back on board the RV Mekong Pandaw. It’s only 10.30am but the day is already fiercely hot, the dense humidity delivered by last night’s monsoonal downpour settling on the landscape like a wet woolen blanket. I’m pleased to be back on my graceful floatingContinue reading “River ship that feels like home …”
CRUISE – AMADEUS PROVENCE
A POOL DECK FOR PROVENCE EUROPE’S only riverboat with a pool deck will embark on her maiden voyage in April. The brand new MV Amadeus Provence will feature a “tranquil infinity plunge-style pool” and alfresco bar which combine to make it a scenic open-air perch for guests to watch the scenery drift past during sunnyContinue reading “CRUISE – AMADEUS PROVENCE”
Where to stay on Victoria’s MP …
THE Mornington Peninsula has long been one of Victoria’s favourite holiday playgrounds. And it’s no wonder the patch of land between Port Phillip and Western Port bays is so appealing with a feast of opportunities on offer for those looking to escape the big smoke for a few days or a couple of weeks. TheContinue reading “Where to stay on Victoria’s MP …”
Bendigo’s View Street …
BACK in the 19th century Bendigo sat at the heart of Victoria’s goldfields with the regional settlement growing into a bustling metropolis after the first sparkling nuggets were found in the 1850s. While tent neighbourhoods quickly sprawled in every direction – as more miners arrived to fossick for gold rustic communities grew around the minesContinue reading “Bendigo’s View Street …”
Honkers’ new very Kerry address …
HONG Kong’s Kerry Hotel is close to opening and taking reservations for stays from April 2017. The 546-room property, in Kowloon’s waterfront Hung Hom Bay, is described as Hong Kong’s first “five-star urban resort” created to “pamper guests with pure comfort and understated luxury” and each room features floor-to-ceiling windows framing views of the Victoria HarbourContinue reading “Honkers’ new very Kerry address …”
So majestic in KL …
→ Colonial charm at Kuala Lumpur’s Majestic Hotel … I HAVE a thing for Asia’s colonial-era hotels. I love everything about them – from the old-time architecture to a serene sense of history suggested by the internal design – and seek out historic addresses when heading to the Orient. So when I find myself inContinue reading “So majestic in KL …”
Record LA travel stats …
LOS Angeles set a new record for visitors in 2016 with 47.3 million travellers stopping in the California city during the past year. That number is 1.7 million visitors more than 2015 – an increase of 3.8 per cent from the previous 12 months – with the new tourism records set for overall domestic andContinue reading “Record LA travel stats …”
Shop for style in new Saigon …
THE first time I went to Saigon almost 20 years ago shopping was limited to a stroll through Ben Thanh Market. Nothing cost more than a couple of dollars and while items like clothes and shoes rarely fitted the western frame it was a chance to stock up on delicate ceramics, colourful handbags and vibrantContinue reading “Shop for style in new Saigon …”
Germany’s Rostock …
ROSTOCK won’t be high on the list of destinations to see when crafting an itinerary to explore Germany. But this northern settlement, a stone’s throw from the Baltic coast in what was once East Germany, is a pretty place to spend a day especially for those planning on catching a ferry from nearby Warnemünde acrossContinue reading “Germany’s Rostock …”
Queenstown’s new Holiday Inn …
INTERCONTINENTAL Hotels Group has opened its first Holiday Inn hotel in Queenstown following the conversion of the former Goldridge Resort. The multi-million-dollar refurbishment sees an upgrade to all 75 rooms – with potential for 50 rooms to be added in 2017 – and other amenities include a fully-furnished deck with BBQ facilities, a bar andContinue reading “Queenstown’s new Holiday Inn …”
Burma’s summer-time capital …
IT’S Christmas Eve in Australia and I’ve spent the past few hours battling crowds to collect last-minute provisions from the supermarket, preparing tomorrow’s desserts, and rearranging the pile of presents under the tree. But while pottering around I’ve been thinking back 12 months and reminiscing about where I was this time last year. Instead ofContinue reading “Burma’s summer-time capital …”
Angkor’s colonial charming …
→ Staying at Victoria Angkor Resort & Spa promises a dose of colonial charm … I’VE stayed in a few Siem Reap hotels over the years. Since my first visit to Cambodia’s Khmer kingdom at the turn of the century I’ve slept in everything from budget bland to luxury lovely with every property providing aContinue reading “Angkor’s colonial charming …”
Flying Kangaroo hops to Tokyo …
AUSTRALIANS now have another flight option for reaching Tokyo with the first Qantas service between Melbourne and Tokyo’s Narita Airport departing on December 16. The daily hop, which will use upgraded Airbus A330-300 aircraft featuring a two-class cabin with Qantas’ signature Marc Newson interiors, departs Melbourne at 9:15am and leaves Narita at 7pm for theContinue reading “Flying Kangaroo hops to Tokyo …”
Four Points makes it to Melbourne …
FOUR Points by Sheraton Melbourne Docklands will welcome its first guests on March 28. The 273-room hotel, located at 22 Pearl River Road in Melbourne’s rejuvenated Docklands area, is just 2km from the Victorian capital’s CBD making it an ideal address for both business and leisure travellers. Each guest room boasts a river or cityContinue reading “Four Points makes it to Melbourne …”
Go-to Vancouver travel guide …
VANCOUVER has long been a hot spot for Australian travellers using the cosmopolitan west-coast settlement as a launching place to explore the vast maple-leaf land sprawling to the north and east. But there’s so much to British Columbia’s biggest city, an energetic metropolis made up of dynamic neighbourhoods each boasting a unique personality, it’s worthContinue reading “Go-to Vancouver travel guide …”
How to travel the UNESCO way …
AN ad in a 2014 issue of a British travel magazine stopped me in my tracks. A London travel company was offering a grand tour to every one of the planet’s UNESCO World Heritage sites – those not in war zones, at least – at a little under $2 million for business-class flights and fancyContinue reading “How to travel the UNESCO way …”
Why hotel beds are so darn good …
IF you ask me to recommend my favourite hotels in Saigon, Santa Barbara and Barcelona I will rattle off three properties with great beds. Sure, each address boasts a panoramic location, fabulous bars and restaurants, amiable staff ready to satisfy a guest’s every whim, peaceful day spas and marvellous swimming pools, but my favourite featureContinue reading “Why hotel beds are so darn good …”
Singapore’s 2017 hot and happening …
NOT too long ago travellers were happy to stop in Singapore on the promise of nothing more than a gin sling at Raffles and an Orchard Rd bargain. But as the city continues to evolve into one of the world’s most dynamic destinations and visitors seek a holiday like no other in a country effortlesslyContinue reading “Singapore’s 2017 hot and happening …”
New to Aussie travel in 2017 …
AUSSIES are comfortable parking the passport and spending time in familiar territory with our vast homeland offering something to satisfy every vacation whim. And here are eight reasons to holiday at home in 2017 – from the hot and happening to new and novel – sure to sway those yet to be convinced. Cruising isContinue reading “New to Aussie travel in 2017 …”
Vietnam’s Sa Dec …
I’VE been to Vietnam’s Mekong Delta a few times now but this is the first time I’ve visited Sa Dec. The settlement sits upstream from big cities like Vinh Long and My Tho and, at first glance, looks much like all the other villages lining the banks of the might Mekong River as it snakesContinue reading “Vietnam’s Sa Dec …”
The big Kimberley catch …
BERKELEY River Lodge is buzzing with news from the water.“Did you hear what happened today?’’ a fellow guest asks as I arrive at sunset drinks which, on this tranquil dry-season evening, are happening on a west-facing plateau past the last elevated ocean-view villa. “One of the ladies out fishing this afternoon caught a crocodile, aContinue reading “The big Kimberley catch …”
Far Near Or Here 