SYDNEY’S Sheraton on the Park will undergo a comprehensive renovation with the city hotel’s club lounge and 558 guest rooms receiving an elegant refresh. The $40 million refurbishment will wrap by early 2018 and is planned to combine “modern design with the classical elegance” expected of a brand that caters comfortably to both business andContinue reading “Sydney’s Sheraton receives refit …”
Category Archives: Travel talk
Curio Collection comes to Rome …
ANY traveller that’s visited Rome knows finding somewhere to sleep can be a challenge. The Eternal City is not blessed with a plethora of accommodation options and those that prefer booking big-name brands, finding comfort in knowing exactly what to expect when it comes to service and style by the logo hanging above the entrance,Continue reading “Curio Collection comes to Rome …”
INSIDER – HOTELS
MAKE A SLEEP-FRIENDLY SUITE HAVE you ever wondered how much thought goes into the design of a hotel room? FIRST up there are basic things like the size and shape of the space, which are the domain of the architect drawing up the plans, before the interior designer considers important issues like the selection and placementContinue reading “INSIDER – HOTELS”
the Mekong River …
WHERE … The Mekong River in central Cambodia WHEN … Monday, August 7, at 5.06pm WHAT … It’s the second full day of my cruise from Siem Reap to Saigon on board the RV Mekong Pandaw and we’re sailing downstream somewhere between Kampong Cham and Phnom Penh. It’s about an hour before dusk settles onContinue reading “the Mekong River …”
Singapore’s southern sky …
Where … A suite on the 19th floor at One Ferrar Resort & Spa When … Wednesday, August 2, 2017 at 9.23am What … Another day begins in Singapore with the floor-to-ceiling windows in my suite on the 19th floor at One Ferrar Resort & Spa framing a view that stretches across the island’s southernContinue reading “Singapore’s southern sky …”
VISIT – BALI
BALI BEST IN AUGUST TRIPADVISOR has news for those Aussies desperate to escape the mid-winter gloom by spending some time in Asia’s tropical warm. Bali’s average nightly room rates are set to plummet by more than $50 per night in August at places to stay right around the Indonesian holiday island. TripAdvisor has been searchingContinue reading “VISIT – BALI”
Accommodation for Adelaide Airport …
FLYERS travelling through the South Australian capital will soon have somewhere to stay close to their aircraft with building now underway on the new Atura Hotel at Adelaide Airport. The 165-room hotel, which will cost $50 million to complete and is expected to welcome its first guests at the end of 2018, will be connectedContinue reading “Accommodation for Adelaide Airport …”
AVANI coming to Queensland …
AVANI’S first Australian hotel is set to open its doors on Queensland’s Gold Coast in early 2018 with the new AVANI Broadbeach Residences now taking shape. The $150 million development boasts 219 guest suites including one and two-bedrooms apartments that each feature a lounge, dining room, and kitchen as well as modern appliances and neutralContinue reading “AVANI coming to Queensland …”
Singapore’s Shang receives refresh …
SINGAPORE’S Shangri-La hotel is an enclave of elegant excess at the top end of Orchard Road that regularly welcomes everyone from kings and queens to diplomats and politicians as well as discerning tourists in town to indulge in a spot of sightseeing. The hotel’s Tower Wing – built in 1971, it’s an original part ofContinue reading “Singapore’s Shang receives refresh …”
INSIDER – AIR NZ NUMBERS
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”
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 …”
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 …”
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”
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 …”
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 …”
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 …”
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 …”
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 …”
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 …”
Norwegian sets sail for Alaska bliss …
NORWEGIAN Cruise Lines is taking the next step in Alaskan cruising by unveiling plans for a new ship designed with just that remote corner of the planet in mind. The Norwegian Bliss, a vessel capable of carrying 4000 guests, will be “the first cruise ship custom built to explore America’s icy north with features andContinue reading “Norwegian sets sail for Alaska bliss …”
the Eureka Stockade …
THESE pieces of worn and faded navy and white fabric come together to make one of Australia’s oldest treasures. This is the flag of the Southern Cross, or what’s left of the material more than 160 years after it was created, with the banner born on the Ballarat diggings during the boom years of theContinue reading “the Eureka Stockade …”
Make a base in booming Bugis …
SINGAPORE is celebrating the unveiling of another new hotel with the Mercure Singapore Bugis opening its doors in one of the Lion City’s most dynamic neighbourhoods. The 395-room address sits in the heart of the arts and culture district and offers panoramic views from its rooftop Sky Deck and infinity lap pool as well as Continue reading “Make a base in booming Bugis …”
Singapore’s updated airport stay …
SINGAPORE’S Crowne Plaza Changi Airport has unveiled a new wing that will increase capacity at the award-winning hotel by 75 per cent. There are two room categories in the 10-storey extension – business king suites at 28sq/m and the 38sq/m business twin suites – with all chambers in the 243-room wing “furnished with thoughtful touchesContinue reading “Singapore’s updated airport stay …”
Best value city breaks …
TRIPINDEX, TripAdvisor’s annual cost-comparison study, has named Hanoi (below) as the best-value destination in the world for a city break. The study looked at 20 destinations and found the average price for a short break was $1,238, excluding flights, with prices varying significantly from the least to most expensive. The investigation compared the cost ofContinue reading “Best value city breaks …”
Air NZ’s Hollywood-style safety …
AIR New Zealand is continuing its tradition of making quirky safety videos with Anna Faris and Rhys Darby teaming up to craft a Hollywood themed before-takeoff briefing. The video is called Safety in Hollywood and was filmed at Warner Bros Studios in Los Angeles with Rhys, a New Zealand actor and comedian, attempting to convince theContinue reading “Air NZ’s Hollywood-style safety …”
Far Near Or Here 