Hotels of the week: Dubai

Dubai is a very popular choice for a twin-centre honeymoon – being the hub of the fantastic national airline, Emirates, you can fly here from the UK and connect to countless destinations: the Maldives, Mauritius, South Africa, Thailand, Japan, Australia…I could go on and on. This isn’t the place to come for a traditional taste of the Middle East, though you should still observe local customs with regards to clothing (no bare shoulders, no mini-skirts and the like), but if you’re prepared for it being over-the-top and rather in-your-face, and want good restaurants, shopping and luxury hotels, then you’ll find enough to entertain you for a few days. And, if you’re prepared to do a little exploration and delve beneath its brash surface, you’ll be rewarded with a more traditional, interesting side of this city-state.

There are hundreds of hotels in Dubai – including hotels within hotels – but I’ve decided to focus here on three that offer something a little bit different and more interesting than just your average huge beach hotel. Any good travel agent will be able to make recommendations according to your preferences and budget. and remember that the rates here are just rack rates – you should be able to find more competitive rates through travel agents and hotel booking sites for these properties with just a bit of looking.

The Palace – The Old Town

If the glitz of most of Dubai’s luxury hotels is a bit much for you, or if you’re looking for somewhere that better reflects the part of the world you’re in, then head for The Palace, a beautiful riad-style hotel in downtown Dubai. Think lots of arched doorways and windows, lanterns casting dusky glows, and a swimming pool surrounded by palm trees and glamourous Arabian tents.

The bedrooms continue a sumptuous Middle Eastern theme, with lots of beautifully carved wooden furniture and deep-coloured fabrics offset by cool creams and whites. The spa, with its views over the adjacent lake, is an oasis of calm that’s perfect when you want to wind down at the end of a hot day in the city – there’s a couples’ suite that’s perfect for enjoying treatments together. The six bars and restaurants include the Ewaan Lounge, where you can sample a local shisha pipe or delicious meze, overlooking the pool. From £200 a night.

Desert Palm

If you don’t want your stopover in Dubai to be a frenetic rush around town – or even if you do – and are looking for stylish surroundings, this could be the perfect spot. Run by the same company who own the superlative Huvafen Fushi in the Maldives, Desert Palm is small (with just 24 rooms), but has extensive facilities – cooking lessons, tennis and squash courts, horse-riding, a spa and…oh, a polo ground.

There’s a really cool sophistication about this place, but it doesn’t look stuffy in the slightest, which is always great news. Though the hotel is outside of the main city centre, it’s not so far away that you can’t spend your days exploring the city, and the little bit of distance will help make your honeymoon seem even more private. Trips – ranging from cruising Dubai Creek on a traditional dhow to a 4×4 desert safari and even skydiving – are available, though chances are you might just be content lounging around and soaking up the sun. From £306 a night.

Beit Al Bahar

Though it’s part of the extensive Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Beit Al Bahar provides a luxurious hideaway, with just nineteen very private villas right by the sea. There’s no denying that this is a pretty flash place to stay, and it doesn’t come cheap, but the rates do include benefits like a personal butler, daily afternoon tea, and pre-dinner canapes and cocktails (always a nice perk).

The richly decorated villas each have a plunge pool – perfect for respite from the heat – or you can relax by the side of the main swimming pool, which can only be used by villa guests. From the restaurant you can make the most of the beautiful sea views, or, for the ultimate in indulgence, you can dine in your villa. And, of course, the joy of being part of a larger resort is that, when you feel like stepping out of your private enclave, you can enjoy a whole host of further facilities right on your doorstep. With rack rates of over £1000 a night, this place is really blow-the-budget – definitely see what travel agents can offer you if you’re interested in it, and hopefully you might be able to get a much better deal.

 

 

Photos courtesy of The Address Hotels + Resorts; Desert Palm; and Jumeirah Beach Hotel

Tags: Dubai, hotels, luxury

Perfect hand luggage

One of my biggest considerations whenever I go away is my carry-on bag. Last year I was bought a weekend bag for my birthday and I’ve found it absolutely indespensible on all my travels since – it’s large enough for clothes for the two of us for just a couple of nights away, but small enough to take on the plane for longer trips. Best of all, it’s effortlessly stylish, and always makes me feel excited about going away.

Here’s a few of my favourite bags at the moment that would be perfect for hand luggage:

I’m quite fond of quirky prints and bold colours, so this bag from Acccessorize (£65) is right up my street. Size-wise, it’s perfect, allowing you to fit plenty in, while still being comfy enough to carry around. The patterns alone will get you in the mood for a holiday long before you head off on honeymoon.

For a bit of boho chic, this gorgeous bag from Plumo (£69) is just perfect, and makes a great statement piece. Decorated in a combination of pewter, mirror and silver studwork, it has both handles and adjustable straps, which I always find really handy when I’m lugging a bag around airports. I love that it’s quirky, yet the muted colours make it a bit more sophisticated than the Accessorize option.

I’ll be absolutely honest – having jumped on the bandwagon a few years ago, I’m now a little bit underwhelmed by all things Cath Kidston, and find spending any more than a minute in their shops a bit of a twee overload. However, they do make good carry-on bags, and I was won over by this floral but not too flowery bag when I came across it on the John Lewis website (£65) – the bright red of the bag is a really gorgeous shade, and as it’s wipe-clean it’ll be easier to keep clean than a cloth bag.

Sometimes, though, you need a bag that’s a little bit more sophisticated and timeless. I’m a sucker for luggage that looks a little old-fashioned (though unfortunately my budget doesn’t usually allow for such luxuries), and this leather Barbour bag is just perfect. You can find it on the John Lewis website (£219) – it’s not cheap, but it will last you a long time, and is so classic that you don’t have to worry about it going out of style. Plus, it’s something that both of you could carry without worrying that it looks too girly/manly.

 

 

Photos by Monsoon; Plumo; and John Lewis.

Tags: luggage

Room with a view: Mena House Oberoi

Mena House Oberoi, Egypt

From £130 a night, through Kiwi Collection

 

Photo courtesy of Oberoi Hotels and Resorts

Tags: Egypt, room with a view

The Luxury Travel Fair

If you’re in or around London next week between Thursday and Sunday, and are looking for a little honeymoon (or other travel) inspiration or ideas, then it’s worth considering a trip to the Luxury Travel Fair at Olympia. The exibitors range from travel companies like Virgin Holidays + Hip Hotels and Elegant Resorts to exclusive resorts and five star hotels – all of which have been handpicked by Condé Nast Traveller.

Okay, so I work in travel and am a bit of a travel geek, but I always enjoy going to travel fairs – they’re a great way to pick up information on destinations that are of interest to you (and maybe get interested in a few you hadn’t considered) and to speak to people who are knowledgeable and passionate about their countries/regions. In addition to the stalls, there’s live entertainment, which will include Middle Eastern belly dancers and Caribbean steel drum players, speakers such as chef Marcus Wareing, a champagne bar, and (perhaps best of all) Elemis will be running a “SpaBus” where you can enjoy a complimentary treatment.

The fair is also a great place to stock up early on some Christmas presents – whether its some tasty treats from Harvey Nichols’ food department, one of Mr and Mrs Smiths‘ excellent hotel guides, or travel vouchers from Abercrombie and Kent. But, perhaps most importantly for you honeymooners, you’ll be able to take up a number of exclusive offers – such as seven nights for the price of five at the gorgeous One&Only Le Saint Geran in Mauritius, through ITC Classics. Bargain.

You can buy tickets in advance for £12.50 per person from the website or on 0871 230 1091. Otherwise, they can be bought on the door for £15 per person.

The Luxury Travel Fair
Olympia, London
4th to 7th November 2010
www.luxurytravelfair.com

Tags: honeymoon ideas, Luxury Travel Fair

Reader question: Honeymooning at Christmas

One of the reasons I set up this blog is to be able to help couples with advice regarding their own honeymoons – whether it’s choosing a destination or finding the perfect hotel – and so I’m always delighted to receive emails from people looking for a little inspiration. I recently received the following email from Rosalyn:

I don’t know if you will be able to help me but I am struggling to find a honeymoon. We are getting married on the 18th December and would like to go away from the 19/20th until the 2/3rd Jan. I know this is peak travel time but as a teacher I am restricted in dates.  We have about £3500 to spend and are very open to any destination but are having trouble finding anything for our budget. Do you have any suggestions of places that might be able to help us?

Travelling over Christmas is always going to be more expensive than at other times of year – and so you will find your budget more limiting than it would be at others. Without knowing any more specifics about your requirements, I’ve put together a few options in the hope that one or two might tickle your fancy. Your best options will be to book through a tour operator – this will get you the best prices for flights and hotels, ensuring you get more for your money. I’d especially recommend contacting Travel Counsellors, Destinology and Kuoni, as well as looking at internet sites like Expedia.

If you’ve got your heart set on somewhere exotic for your honeymoon then you may well have to consider going for less than two weeks in order to be able to afford it – but it’s always worth shopping around to see what special offers different tour operators have, and you never know what they might be able to pull out of the bag for you if they know that it’s your honeymoon.

Here’s a few ideas I put together; all prices are for two people and include flights and accommodation, unless otherwise specified, from London, and were correct at the time of research.

North Africa

Exotic enough to feel like you’re definitely far from home, yet only a few hours’ flight away (and, even better, with no jet lag), North Africa makes a good choice if you fancy spending a bit of time on the beach. Winters here are mild, but you should only need a jacket or a light jumper in the evenings – during the day you should find the weather warm (and sunny) enough for some beach time. My two picks here would be Egypt and Morocco. In the former, head to Sharm el Sheikh to make the most of the excellent diving and snorkelling, plus good trips into the desert, while in Morocco, the laid-back beach town of Essaouira makes a great place to kick back and relax – you could even combine it with a few days in Marrakech to break it up a bit.

Destinology have two weeks in Sharm el Sheikh from 20th December to 3rd January for £2488, staying at the five-star Maritim Royal Peninsula Hotel and Resort. Kuoni are offering fourteen nights in a mini-suite in the small but charming Hotel Riad Les Terrasses D’Essaouira for just £2544.

Cuba

The Caribbean is by and large likely to be a bit beyond your price range, but it’s worth considering Cuba if you want a beach holiday in the region. The island’s tropical climate means that winters here are warm (even hot) and sunny – perfect for lazing by the pool or on the beach. Thomson has fourteen nights from 19th December at the three-star Brisas Guardalavaca for £3010.

Europe

I love Europe in winter – with fewer tourists around you can really get a feel for the cities, and often you’re rewarded by beautiful, clear, crisp days where the sun makes the old buildings light up magically. My choice would be to head over to Paris on the Eurostar, and from there you’ve got access to many other wonderful European cities via the excellent High Speed Rail Network. Head somewhere like Vienna to really soak up the Christmas feel at its markets, to Berlin for fantastic nightlife, or perhaps even to Venice (via night train – definitely very romantic) or Rome to discover just how beautiful the Italian cities are at this time of year. Travelling around by train and staying in four-star hotels should all fit fairly comfortably within your budget  (you may even be able to squeeze in some five-stars), though you’ll probably have to book it all yourself – use a combination of Eurostar, Rail Europe and Expedia for the best deals.

Los Angeles and the desert

For a bit of old-fashioned US glamour, head over to LA and then out towards the desert at the now hip-again resort town of Palm Springs. Expedia can do a package including flights, 14 days car hire and seven-days accommodation in the four star Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel for £2025 – all you need to do then is to book seven nights elsewhere. Try Mr and Mrs Smith, who offer seven nights in the very cool and slightly retro Ace Hotel Palm Springs for just £985. Alternatively, head properly into the desert to beautiful Joshua Tree National Park, where i-escape have seven nights at Spin and Margie’s Desert Hide-away (one of my favourite places to stay – see here) for just £570. That’ll leave a nice bit of money left over for shopping…

The UK

Though it might not be quite the honeymoon you anticipated, there’s absolutely no shame in staying in the UK for your honeymoon – you could always have a low-key honeymoon in December, and then a trip abroad during the summer holidays. You could spend a bit of time in some lovely hotels, and then hire a cottage for a week or so somewhere beautiful like Dartmoor or Northumberland, where you both will be happy to hide yourselves away even if the weather is awful. Check out HomeAway Holiday Rentals for some excellent self-catering options (or see my post here); for hotels, Mr and Mrs Smith and i-escape are always good places to start.

Alternatively, honeymoon for less time

If you want to go further afield, then your best option would be to go away for a week or ten days, rather than two weeks. This is a great time of year to visit Thailand – Destinology have seven nights at the five-star Anantara Bophut on the beautiful island of Koh Samui for £3240, travelling from 20th to 27th December.

Another option is the Caribbean: Kuoni have seven nights in the Grotto Bay Beach Resort in Bermuda, travelling from 21st to 28th December, for £2202. That would leave you with enough extra money that you could do something else – perhaps have a few nights in a B&B or hotel back in the UK, or hop across to Paris or Belgium (or further afield) on the Eurostar and spend a bit of time there.

I’m always happy to help with any honeymoon questions that you may have – large or small – so do drop me a line if you have any questions.

Photographs by Oberazzi; Svetlana Grechkina and Trey Ratcliff

Tags: christmas travel, honeymoons, reader question