We stayed here and liked it
From penthouses at sea to safaris by private jet, Australians’ passion for top-end travel knows no bounds In 2019, at least 30 million people embarked on a cruise, up 6% from 2018. According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), 1.34 millon of them were Australians. The 10 most popular cruise destinations last year were…
A New York hotel celebrates the skill and romance of Britain’s old-time basketweavers One thing the Firmdale Hotels have in common is the intoxicating collision of contemporary art, patterns and textiles. But you can always count on hotelier Kit Kemp to imbue each member of her 10-strong portfolio with a cheeky point of difference. In…
Edgy art, irresistible desserts and a bunch of nice neighbours make the Adelphi Hotel the pit-stop of choice They had me at the upholstered stools that looked like oversized licorice allsorts. And the bowls with all the Chupa Chups, Red Skins, Fantales, Sherbies, and Minties that a sweet-tooth’s heart could desire. The refurbished 34-room Adelphi …
A longtail boat ride along the canals of Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River is a reward for the culturally curious The experience travellers have in Bangkok is very much determined by where they stay. Sky bars, glitzy malls, floating markets, royal palaces, ornate temples, sitting or reclining buddhas, award-winning restaurants – chances are you’ll go places…
From the vibrant medinas of Marrakech to the riads of Fes and the ochre sands of Erg Chebbi, Morocco’s colour palette is the gift with purchase Colour plays a starring role in the architecture, craftsmanship, food and culture of Morocco. Even taxis play the colour card in this strategically located North African country with the…
Stargazing, underwater dining, art classes, and swimming with manta rays sets one Maldivian destination apart. In the Maldives some things are a given: powdery sand, turquoise water, coral reefs, kaleidoscopic fish, dolphins, starry nights. What, then, are the points of difference in paradise? Unique selling points might be exclusive sandbars for sunset cocktails (Soneva Fushi);…
The world’s most gilt-edged stopover? Nowhere is it easier to luxuriate in the good life than in Dubai where food, opulent surroundings and self indulgence are the order of the day. Susan Skelly strikes gold A digital board at the entrance to the gold souk in Dubai’s old Deira district displays the day’s trading price…
A passion project of billionaire Australian property developer Lang Walker, Fiji’s newest luxury resort epitomises barefoot luxury. Susan Skelly dips a toe in the water… Christopher Kenyon’s beachfront studio might be pumping with Prince’s Little Red Corvette but the canvasses surrounding him reflect every blue of a Derwent pencil set – ultramarine, teal, turquoise, aqua,…
Seeking body work, wattle seeds and Wollomi pines at Gaia Retreat & Spa in the Byron Bay hinterland With Gaia, you never lose that sense of returning to the fold. It’s like swapping medieval armour for a muslin baby wrap. This was Excess All Areas’ third visit. Last time, 2015, we were there to celebrate…
While waiting to be seated for jewel-like morsels of afternoon tea, there’s a very different menu to check out at the Ritz… There are many things the Ritz Hotel London is renowned for: the world’s best-dressed afternoon tea (five sittings, these days), a tea sommelier, the creamy white Ritz rose bespoke-bred in the Netherlands; acres…