Luxury Kenya

Luxury safari operator Sanctuary Lodges & Camps has launched new walking tours in Kenya’s Masai Mara, to coincide with the opening of two new luxury tents at the company’s deluxe lodge, Olonana.

Heathrow to Rio De Janeiro

British Airways launches a non-stop service to Rio de Janeiro on 26th October, operating thrice-weekly. Flying non-stop, instead of via Sao Paulo, cuts more than two hours off the flight time.

Silversea 2009 schedule

Silversea Cruises’ new Prince Albert II announced its 2009 schedule which includes Polynesia and Antarctic explorations.

Beachcomber reopens

Seychelles’ Beachcomber Sainte Anne Resort & Spa has reopened following a 3 month refurbishment. The 200-acre, all villa resort is situated on its own island, with 29 of the 87 luxury villas now boasting private pools and sundecks within a garden area leading to the beach. Two alfresco restaurants have been added to the resort, taking the total number of dining choices to four while the Sainte Anne Spa by Clarins has been extended to include nine treatment rooms and a yoga pavilion.

Vietnam is heading upmarket

Life Heritage Resorts’ Hoi An reopened last month after a revamp that was 6 months in the making. Renovations at the 94-room resort on Vietnam’s South China Sea included refurbished and larger rooms decked out in bespoke regional finishes.

Hotel of the moment – China World Hotel

Shangri-La’s China World Hotel, Beijing, recently played host to 25 heads of state and 13 members of royalty visiting the city from around the world to attend the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The dignitaries’ stay in the Olympic host city included a breakfast held at the hotel’s Grand Ballroom hosted and attended by Hu Jintao, president of the People’s Republic of China. China World Hotel is one of only five luxury hotels in Beijing officially designated by the Beijing Organising Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad as a VIP Hotel.

Claridge’s launch suites

Claridge’s London, launched a collection of eight Claridge’s Suites by design company Linley.

Did you know?

Quantas’ first “Kangaroo Route” in 1947, between Australia and the UK, took a total of 93 hours in total – 55 of which were in the air. Departing from Sydney, the plane flew to Darwin, Singapore, Calcutta, Karachi, Cairo and Tripoli before arriving in London. A return fare cost £585 – an average 130 weeks’ wages. The four-night journey on the Lockhead Constellation carried 29 passengers and 11 crew. The first Constellations were replaced by Super Constellations followed by Boeing 707, Quantas’ first jet aircraft, which reduced the trip from 4 days to 30 hours!

Shanti Ananda

Reopens this month after an extensive refurbishment. The Mauritius-based luxury property boasts six new villas overlooking the Indian Ocean, each with two bedrooms and heated swimming pools.

Celebrity Eateries

The Ivy and Le Caprice will feature in Dubailand opening 2010. TV chef Gordon Ramsey also has a restaurant in Dubai.

Sandy Lane Makeover

The Sandy Lane Hotel, Barbados is closed whilst it undergoes a multi-million pound refurbishment and renovation scheme. A grand-reopening in October 2008 will reveal a fresh new look sourced from boutiques from around the world. Curtain, bed linens and light fixtures will be replaced in all 224 rooms and suites. Spa treatment rooms are getting bamboo floors and a Rassoul bath, a rare and luxurious mud treatment system. The Bajan Blue restaurant will be transformed to create an open, multi-cultural dining experience.

Top 3 sights in Singapore
Singapore Flyer

With spectacular panoramic views over Singapore Island and beyond, the world’s highest Ferris wheel stands a huge 165m tall.

Jurong Bird Park

Home to the South-east Asia’s largest collection of birds – more than 9,000 of 600 species – Jurong Bird Park also features the world’s largest walk-in aviary.

Sentosa Island

Take a short boat trip to the popular island resort of Sentosa, translating as peace and tranquillity in Malay. Its many attractions include theme parks, an aquarium, a cable car ride and nature trails.

Cunard puts 2010 World Cruises on sale

Cunard’s 2010 World Cruises went of sale last week with the Queen Mary 2 set for an inaugural Southampton-Southampton east-west 101-night voyage taking in 33 ports and fares from £10,499 to £118,699 per person. In January 2010 passenger will be able to witness an historic “Meeting of Queens” when Queen Mary 2, heading to Southampton and Queen Victoria, heading for New York, will pass each other mid-Atlantic. Such an encounter has not happened since 1967 when the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth met for the last time.

Intimate package from Grand Mauritian

The new five-star Grand Mauritian, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa in Mauritius, has launched an intimate Wedding Package with the ceremony in a chapel overlooking the beach. The package includes the bride’s bouquet, groom’s boutonniere, wedding cake, 48-photo and video package combining an album and CD, and treatments in the Mandara Spa where the bride will receive four hours of beauty treatment.

What’s New In Berlin

Jeffersons offers a private jet package to Berlin from Luton, with champagne and canapés including Beluga caviar on board, limousine transfers and two nights at the Hotel de Rome.

Hotel de Rome has opened a rooftop bar, overlooking the Bebelplatz, St Hedwig’s Cathedral and the TV tower.

Exotic Cruises brochure from Princess

Princess Cruises has launched an Exotic Cruises 2009/2010 brochure featuring new ports of call visiting every continent on ships ranging from 680 to 3,100 passengers. The programme went on sale last week.

Olsen issues mini-brochure for winter

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines has launched a mini-brochure of selected winter cruises, several of which offer a free on-board credit. As an example, a 21 night Black Prince Contrasts of Greece cruise with stops at Almeria, Cagliari, Souda Bay, Greece, Santorini, Piraeus and Valletta will now include a £200 on-board credit per cabin.

Mandarin Oriental opens in Boston

The Mandarin Oriental Boston is due to open on October 6, with rates from £327. The hotel, designed by Frank Nicholson, offers 148 rooms and is said to boast the largest average room size in the city. All rooms feature views of Back Bay and the hotel is near luxury shopping area Newbury Street and the newly restored South End. The hotel has a 16,000-square-foot spa, while dining at Asana is overseen by executive chef Nicolas Boutin.

Access all areas with new Princess tour

Princess Cruises is offering guests the chance to explore its newest ship, Ruby Princess, which joins the fleet in November. “The Ultimate Ship Tour” will give holidaymakers the chance to see the ship’s engine room, medical centre, bridge and other areas normally reserved for crew. The 3-hour tour costs $150.

The Preferred Hotel Group

s to open a property in New York in October under the Sterling Hotel brand. Stay, which is a sister hotel to US hotels The Time, Dream and Night, and Thailand’s Dream Bangkok, has 208 rooms and is located in Times Square.

Hot Property in the UK

Pantins Hotels’ newest property, The Ellington, has opened in Leeds. The boutique hotel is in the city centre, and has been created within a terrace of three Georgian townhouses. It has 35 rooms, and an art deco theme.

Guoman Hotels

Will spend £16.3million on a refurbishment project for The Royal Horseguards property in central London. The 280-room building will become Guoman’s fourth London hotel, joining Charing Cross, The Cumberland and The Tower.

Hoole Hall Country Club

Hotel and Spa has opened on the outskirts of Chester. The first phase of a £20 million restoration project on the 18th-century manor house has now been completed, with more to follow.

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[Updated Sept 2008]