December 2011 delivered a bumper month for Abu Dhabi with some 207,723 guests checking into the emirate’s hotels – a 26% rise on December 2010 and the highest achieving month of the year.

“We attribute the strong December performance to people taking their seasonal festivity breaks in the emirate and staying for the lead-up to the New Year’s celebrations,” said HE Mubarak Al Muhairi, Director General, ADTA.

Europe’s growth rate was primarily influenced by the UK, which remains Abu Dhabi’s biggest international source market accounting for 139,319 – an increase of 18%. “These results should be seen as highly encouraging when viewed against a background of world economic uncertainties which are impacting many destinations,” said Al Muhairi.


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The announcement comes as a result of continued demand for Emirates’ service between Dubai and Glasgow, which began in 2004. Since then, the international airline of the UAE has carried over 1.7 million passengers and tens of millions of kilos of cargo.

The additional flight, coupled with an aircraft upgrade on the existing service, will increase Emirates’ capacity to Glasgow by 47 per cent, an extra 199 seats each way per day. It will also provide an additional 13 tonnes of daily cargo capacity.

First Class cabins will be available on both daily services, the first time this has been offered by a commercial airline operating into Scotland.

“This announcement illustrates our commitment to Scotland and to our wider UK route network in difficult economic times,” said Salem Obaidalla, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Europe & Russian Federation.

“Our Glasgow route has been a real success story, and we are confident that there is demand for additional services flying to and from Dubai and beyond to our global network of over 100 destinations.

“The introduction of a First Class cabin on both daily flights also means greater choice for passengers, while increased cargo capacity means more export business opportunities for cargo shippers in Scotland ,” added Mr Obaidalla.


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After the launch of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and Buenos Aires in Argentina on 3rd January 2012, the Irish capital took its position as Emirates’ 118th destination, opening up a new efficient channel via Dubai to key markets such as Australia, India, Thailand, China and the Philippines.

Emirates will serve Dublin daily with an A330-200, providing First Class, Business Class and Economy Class travel. EK 0161 leaves Dubai at 0700hrs daily and arrives at Dublin Airport’s Terminal 2 at 1130hrs. EK 0162 departs Dublin at 1255hrs and lands in Dubai at 0025hrs the next day.

On board today’s inaugural flight from Dubai were Tim Clark, President, Emirates airline; Salem Obaidalla, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Europe & Russian Federation; Ram Menen, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President-Cargo; Ciaran Madden, Ireland’s Ambassador to the UAE; Leo Varadkar, Ireland’s Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport; Colm McLoughlin, Vice Chairman, Dubai Duty Free and Niall Gibbons, CEO Tourism Ireland.

“Today’s launch is a tremendous development for both Irish business and Irish tourism, said Tim Clark, President, Emirates. “We are now connecting Ireland not only to Dubai, but also to over 100 destinations throughout the world. Solid early bookings have demonstrated that the demand is there, opening up new markets for passengers and cargo to and from the Republic.”

DoubleTree by Hilton has announced that two of Central London’s largest hotels have officially joined the upscale, full-service hotel brand with the opening of the DoubleTree by Hilton London-Tower of London and DoubleTree by Hilton London-Westminster. The hotels are two of eight Mint Hotels across the Netherlands and the UK joining the Hilton Worldwide portfolio of hotels under the DoubleTree by Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn brand names during the coming months.

Simon Vincent, area president Europe, Hilton Worldwide, said, “The dynamic European growth of DoubleTree by Hilton, with more than 25 hotels opened since 2008 and 25 additional hotels under development across the region, indicates remarkable promise for the brand as we enter 2012. With more than 220 hotels open and 110 hotel development projects currently underway in Europe, the potential for travelling consumers and hotel developers alike to enjoy and explore the Hilton Worldwide portfolio has never been greater. We are delighted to welcome these two outstanding Central London hotels to our portfolio.”

The 583-room DoubleTree by Hilton London-Tower of London is ideally positioned in the heart of The City near the Tower of London and Tower Bridge, with easy access to Barbican, The Globe Theatre, The Whitechapel Art Gallery and St Paul’s Cathedral. Located adjacent to the Tate Britain museum, the 460-room DoubleTree by Hilton London-Westminster is within walking distance of the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and the London Eye. Both hotels are moments from many of London’s key business, government, historical and tourist centres.

Rob Palleschi, global head, DoubleTree by Hilton, said, “DoubleTree by Hilton is honoured to expand its network in Central London and welcome the world’s travellers with two outstanding new hotel locations. Our new DoubleTree by Hilton locations at Tower of London and Westminster will continue to offer guests many of the design and service attributes already enjoyed by current hotel guests, along with the added rewards of our Hilton HHonors guest loyalty programme and the signature, sweet worldwide welcome of our legendary DoubleTree chocolate chip cookie available at our more than 275 fine hotels and resorts across 23 countries.”

The DoubleTree by Hilton London-Westminster and DoubleTree by Hilton London-Tower of London share modern architectural designs that are characterised by their transparency and versatility. Large, floor-to-ceiling windows are featured in each guest room, meeting room and all bars and restaurant spaces within the hotel, providing plenty of daylight and impressive views of the city and the River Thames.

Guestrooms and suites at each hotel are spacious and designed for comfort, featuring a variety of essential and innovative in-room amenities including an Apple iMac computer which functions both as a TV and computer, generous work desks and a gourmet in-room coffee and tea service. Complimentary high-speed internet access is available throughout the hotel as well as in each guest room.

For meetings, conferences and events, DoubleTree by Hilton locations at Tower of London and Westminster present some of the most innovative space in the city. Meeting rooms throughout the hotels have been thoughtfully designed for productivity, technology and spatial orientation, with natural daylight from floor-to-ceiling windows, soundproofed walls, complimentary wireless, high-speed internet access and an iMac for use in each room. Flexible and neutrally designed meeting rooms are ideal for small meetings as individual rooms, or when combined can comfortably accommodate large events.


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Simon Vincent, area president Europe, Hilton Worldwide, said, “The dynamic European growth of DoubleTree by Hilton, with more than 25 hotels opened since 2008 and 25 additional hotels under development across the region, indicates remarkable promise for the brand as we enter 2012. With more than 220 hotels open and 110 hotel development projects currently underway in Europe, the potential for travelling consumers and hotel developers alike to enjoy and explore the Hilton Worldwide portfolio has never been greater. We are delighted to welcome the first of these eight exciting hotels to our portfolio.”

The 553-room hotel which opened in June boasts a premier location immediately adjacent to Centraal Station in the historic city centre. Less than 2km from Dam Square and key attractions such as Leidseplein, Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, world-renowned canal tours and the Anne Frank Museum, the DoubleTree by Hilton Amsterdam Centraal Station is equally convenient for leisure and business travellers.


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Of the other companies named only 12 were celebrating their third inclusion in a row, and the company’s 26th place ranking further cements its reputation as Europe’s largest golf travel retailer as well of being the highest ranking travel company of the two in the listing.

Described by Sir Richard Branson as the ‘definitive barometer of private company growth’, The Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100 league table ranks Britain’s fastest-growing private companies, based on sales growth over three years and is compiled and published each December.

As of the financial year ending December 2010, Your Golf Travel.com had demonstrated in excess of 99 per cent annual sales growth over a three-year period, with sales increasing from £3.3m to more than £26.4m.

Golf may be considered a niche sport but the table ranks Your Golf Travel.com above many High Street brands and household names, trading everyday consumer goods. Furthermore, the company is the golf industry’s only representative in the prestigious league table.

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The two companies also announced their plans to significantly expand The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood will be as impressive as what has been created in Orlando – and is expected to transform tourism in Los Angeles for decades to come. It will be a fully immersive environment for the entire family that brings the stories of Harry Potter to life and is faithful to the visual landscape of the films, including a majestic Hogwarts castle to serve as the centrepiece of the themed environment. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood will be created with the same commitment to authenticity and the same level of talent and resources as its Orlando counterpart.

“I am delighted that The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has been so popular with fans since the opening in Orlando last year and I am sure that the teams at Universal and Warner Bros. will bring their expertise and attention to detail to Hollywood to make this new experience equally as exciting,” said J.K. Rowling.

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Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center is one of more than 60 new hotels and over 25,000 rooms Starwood expects to add to the Sheraton portfolio over the next three years as part of a multi-year strategic expansion plan. It joins The Westin Crown Center as the second Starwood property in the popular, upscale lifestyle center that is less than a mile from the citys Power and Light entertainment district. Starwood also operates the Crown Center Exhibit Hall and two restaurants in Crown Center shopping center.

Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center is a terrific addition to our growing portfolio in this vibrant metropolitan area, said Hoyt Harper, Global Brand Leader, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts. The fully refurbished hotel will serve as a fine representation of the brands new look and feel, and will showcase all our signature brand offerings.


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The contrasts of the Gold Coast unite to deliver every holiday experience you could desire in one friendly place. More than 300 days of sunshine each year allow you to explore more than 70 kilometres of unspoiled coastline and beaches as well as 100,000 hectares of World Heritage rainforest. Here you can discover native Australian wildlife in their natural habitat. As Australia’s sixth largest city, the Gold Coast is also home to a broad assortment of after dark entertainment opportunities, perfect for quiet and intimate gatherings or more extravagant and festive get-togethers. The Gold Coast invites you to dine in some of its 600 restaurants and cafes and enjoy the southern hemisphere’s largest range of attractions and activities, all while discovering rich Australian landscapes just 20 minutes’ drive from the city heart.

The Gold Coast is all about fun, entertainment, nightlife and shopping. There are the lively precincts of Surfers Paradise, Main Beach and Broadbeach – plus the ever active Broadwater and Southport Seaway. You can easily fill your day with thrill rides, water slides, jet boats, surf breaks or just lounging around. It’s just as active by night with bright lights, dining and dance venues, bustling bars and casino spread throughout this city by the sea. Retail enthusiasts can nab endless bargains among a range of popular brand factory outlets, luxurious high fashion boutique stores, plus popular arts, crafts and local produce markets. Golfing resorts are also a major part of why the Gold Coast is Famous for fun.

As a major coastal hub of South East Queensland, the Gold Coast has much to offer international visitors.

The Gold Coast is one big adventure waiting to be discovered. Amazing new hotel properties such as the five star Peppers Broadbeach and Hilton Surfers Paradise have been welcoming guests making it a very exciting time to visit the city. Exciting too are the numerous things to see and do throughout the region that are sure to encourage travellers to place Australia’s Gold Coast on their must-do list. Just 40 minutes’ drive from the city heart is a hinterland of subtropical rainforest, interspersed with mountain villages, bushwalks, waterfalls and swimming holes, plus valleys of working produce farms and cattle stations. Day tours are extremely popular, where roaming wildlife and an array of flora and fauna represent nature at its finest. If you’re feeling active you can try hang gliding, horse riding, 4WD tours, hot air ballooning, ATV adventures or canopy walks.

The Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk is set on 30 acres of stunning rainforest and allows visitors to explore along a spectacular elevated walkway, high above the ground in the beautiful rainforest canopy, descending gradually to the densely vegetated rainforest floor. The walk follows points of interest including rockpools and waterfalls, a butterfly lookout, local history enclosure and sheltered rest areas along the way, until reaching the amazing Skywalk, a 40 metre long cantilever soaring 30 metres above the valley, creek and the rainforest canopy below.

Bed-and-breakfast outlets, wineries, boutique distilleries, breweries, restaurants, rustic homesteads, plus local produce, arts and crafts and jewellery stores are scattered throughout this rural setting. Foremost among the magical experiences on offer to travellers are an overnight stay at award winning, boutique establishments, Peppers Ruffles Lodge & Spa and the Escarpment Retreat. The architecturally stunning Peppers property offers the height of style and comfort with eight beautifully appointed villas and exclusive one or two bedroom executive suite, complete with day spa, an infinity edge swimming pool, heated therapeutic spa, golf practice area, walking tracks plus a lounge, bar and dining area.

Similarly, the Escarpment Retreat’s appeal has been reconfirmed after recently being awarded one of TripAdvisor’s Top Ten Relaxation/Spa Hotels in the South Pacific. Such recognition places the small, boutique Mount Tamborine six-villa retreat alongside International favourites such as the Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora and the Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa in French Polynesia.

To gain your bearings upon arrival at the Gold Coast, venture to the all-new Skypoint Observation Deck, situated on Level 77 and Level 78 of the World’s tallest residential tower, the iconic Q1. This attraction tells the Gold Coast story via glass window overlays, foot level signs, informative feature zones, static displays and video presentations that promote the lifestyle and the entire spectrum of experiences available on the Gold Coast. This high climbing chameleon doubles as a chic, high-altitude lounge bar after-dark with a hot line-up of live entertainment every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night and a new cocktail menu including the signature ‘Mile High.’

Among the new and exciting dining fare currently available on the Gold Coast are the in-house options at the newly branded QT Gold Coast hotel in Surfers Paradise. The Stingray Lounge is a sophisticated refuge defined by impressive lofty ceilings, architecturally designed space, plus extensive mix of lounge, bar and table seating. And forget what you think you know about hotel restaurants, QT Gold Coast’s Bazaar reinterprets the traditional hotel dining concept by marrying the infectious energy of the inspired international street stalls, souks and bodegas, with QT Gold Coast sophistication.

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Many of the British forts from the 1700’s like Port Charlotte in Nassau can still be toured today. The Bahamas has a history of discovery, pirate tales and pink sands. Christopher Columbus landed on what is today the island of San Salvador and met the original inhabitants of the Bahamian islands, the Lucayan Indians. Edward Teach who may be better known as Blackbeard the pirate cruised the Bahamian waters convincing merchants to surrender their boats by setting his beard on fire and the Bahamas’ Harbor Island has one of the only pale pink sand beaches in the world.

The closest Bahamian island to the coast of the United States is Bimini. Many boat owners start their Bahamian exploration this way by crossing the Gulf Stream from Florida with their sail or powerboats. If you like larger boats, cruise ships sail into the Bahamian ports of Nassau and Freeport every day. The cruise lines also own some of the smaller cays like Princess Cay and Great Stirrup Cay and make calls to those ports too. It’s easy and quick to fly to the Bahamas if you are coming from the Eastern half of the United States. The main international airports in the Bahamas are on Grand Bahama Island in the city of Freeport and Nassau on Paradise Island. Many large and small carriers shuttle vacationers back and forth several times a day. If you are planning your Bahamian vacation in the winter months, it is advisable to book your flights and hotel rooms at least three months in advance.

The Bahamas is very close to the continental United States and it is an affordable place to plan a wedding or major event abroad. Weather in the Bahamas, like most places in the Caribbean, is consistent and warm. Afternoon rain showers can almost be timed and bring with them the promise of a beautiful sunset. Engaged couples can feel  comfortable reserving a beach destination wedding knowing that it’s just a short plane ride for their guests. English is the official language of the Bahamas and the Bahamian dollar is pegged to the US dollar and is interchangeable. Most of the resort hotels are set up for such events and the actual planning can be effortless.

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In two previous articles, I discussed the benefits of flying privately and the various types of private air travel investments that are available to you, including fractional ownership, jet card programs and traditional charter.

If you’re trying private air travel for the first time, traditional charter is likely to be the best way to dip your toe in the water. There are no long term commitments or big capital outlays. Just like renting a limousine, you pay only the cost of your trip.

More specifically, charter may be attractive if your travel profile looks like this:

• You fly roundtrips on the same day (so that you minimize “deadhead” costs of flying the aircraft back to its home base from your outbound leg and back to pick you up for your return flight.)

• You make travel plans well in advance (so that we can thoroughly investigate the market.)

• We can identify reputable and safe charter operators near your home base who fly aircraft that satisfy your needs and who have the aircraft inventory to deliver reliable service and availability when you need it. (Again, this will limit the cost of positioning aircraft.)

• Your usage may vary substantially over time so that “pay as you go” charter is better for you than locking into a program with a “use it or lose it” commitment.

There are at least one thousand charter operators in the United States. Although you certainly can find charter operators on the internet, this isn’t quite like buying a set of steak knives. Charter flying is expensive and, more importantly, you’re putting your life and the lives of your family members in the hands of the operator, its aircraft and pilots.

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EUROPE By tradition a wave of the French tricolour launches this legendary Le Mans 24-Hour Race, known as the Grand Prix of Endurance, which has been run since 1923. Every year approximately 50 competitors draw huge crowds of spectators (the record attendance was 258,500 in 2008) as they race around the 13.65-km track. This year the race takes place 11 – 12 June.

Always conceived by the motoring industry as a real-life test laboratory for innovations and developments, the emphasis at Le Mans 24 has been on the ability of manufacturers to produce sporty, yet reliable and safe, cars. These technological innovations have had a trickle-down effect, with technology used at Le Mans finding its way into production cars several years later.

In the 1990s new regulations were introduced to increase the safety of this daunting test of endurance. Drivers are not allowed to drive for more than four hours consecutively, and no one driver can run for more than fourteen hours in total. This has reduced driver fatigue during the races. A rule that is unique to Le Mans is the requirement that the cars shut down when they are being re-fuelled in the pits. This reduces the fire hazard, but it also tests the ability of the cars to restart many times under race conditions.

The race is run on the Circuit of the Sarthe, which consists of both permanent, dedicated track and public roads that are temporarily closed for the race. Originally the track actually entered the town of Le Mans, but was cut short because of fears about spectator safety, leading to the creation of the Dunlop Curve and Tertre Rouge. The sections of the track that are on public roads are not as smooth or well maintained as the dedicated racetrack, and offer less grip to the racing cars. This is a challenging race that has entered motor sport folklore. If you are an enthusiast, go to Le Mans 2011 – there can be few more exciting spectating opportunities.
http://www.lemans.org

EUROPE The military parade and march-past known as Trooping the Colour, takes place on 11 June, and marks the official birthday of the Sovereign. It is a colourful event, replete with pageantry and tradition, and is a great favourite with visitors to London.

The troops taking place in the parade are fully trained, operational troops from the Household Division. The Queen’s Colour of a battalion of Foot Guards is ‘trooped’ (carried) through the ranks in front of the Sovereign. One colour is trooped each year, and five Household regiments – Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish and Welsh rotate each year.

Over 1,400 officers and men take part in the parade, along with over 200 horses. There are over 400 musicians from ten bands and corps of drums. Some 113 words of command are spoken by the Officer in Command of the Parade. The ceremony has a long tradition, dating back to the 18th century when guards and sentries of the Royal Palaces were mounted daily on the Parade Ground by the Horse Guards building. The colours of the battalion were carried slowly through the ranks, so that the soldiers would learn to recognise the colours of their own regiment. In 1748 it was decreed that this parade would also mark the official birthday of the Sovereign.

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EUROPE - Join the masked revellers as one of the world’s most beautiful cities scintillates with costumes, parties and processions. Held over the two weeks preceding Ash Wednesday, the Venice Carnival ends on Shrove Tuesday and begins two Fridays before. (26 Feb – 8 Mar). Carnival dates back to 1268, but became famous as an essential stop on the Grand Tour in the 18th century. Banned by Mussolini in the 1930s, it was revived in 1979. The locals embrace the festivities and it is a major event in the Venetian calendar. Synonymous with Carnival are the ornate masks, originally worn to conceal status within the hierarchical structure of Venetian society, and to aid anonymous flirting and gambling. Masks are still a must and are widely available.

The bauta, often considered to be the most traditional mask, can cover the whole face, or just the top half, leaving the mouth free for eating and drinking. Today, Carnival-goers are still addressed as ‘Sior Maschera’ (Signor Mask). The Carnival is centred on Piazza San Marco, but parties, dances and street theatre will be encountered at every twist and turn in the city. Regular events are the Volo Dell’Angelo (‘Flight of the Angel’), when confetti and balloons are showered from the top of the campanile onto the crowds gathered below in the loggia of the Doge’s Palace.

La Festa Delle Marie is a historical pageant, free for all to join, which starts in San Pietro di Castello. The Gran Corteo Storico and the mask procession – La Sfilata delle Maschere – are also not to be missed.
www.carnivalofvenice.com

MIDDLE EAST – The newly built Sakhir Formula 1 track is considered to be the centre of motor sport in the Gulf and is one of the safest tracks in the world, with giant run-off areas, which are sometimes criticised because they do not challenge drivers who stray off the track.

On 11 – 13 March, Bahrain will be returning to its original track layout after an experiment with the ‘Endurance layout’ which added a distance of 3,91 miles and increased lap times by 20 seconds, in 2010. The 2010 race was won by Fernando Alonso, his first win for Ferrari and their fourth win in Bahrain. However, the top ten were eventually separated by over a minute by the end of the race. Don’t expect to see the traditional spraying of champagne by the winners; after the F1 Grand Prix in Bahrain the drivers celebrate with non-alcoholic rosewater (although alcohol is not actually banned in Bahrain).
www.formula1.com

CARIBBEAN – Go to the beautiful British Virgin Islands for week of winter sailing in the sunny Caribbean, with plenty of opportunity to spectate and party at the BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival. The Festival offers a range of yachting activities; with a three-day regatta and four-day Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival. The events take place over four racecourses, and offer a large range of options for every class of yacht.

The event kicks off on 28 March with the welcome party for the Sailing Festival at Nanny Cay Marina. 29 March starts with The Bitter End Cup where the Sailing Festival starts at Nanny Cay and races up the Sir Frances Drake Channel to the famous Bitter End Yacht Club. A new addition on 30-31 March sees eight teams race matched IC24’s in the National Match Racing Championship. The week culminates with the regatta, three days of world-class racing accompanied by three nights of partying at the Regatta Village on the beach at Nanny Cay Marina. The Regatta Village is the focal point of social life during the festival, with bars, food, music and a continuous party atmosphere. Nightly footage from the event will be broadcast in the village.
www.bvispringregatta.org

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From a hobo childhood in the outback to Monaco millionaire, by his early 30s this private investor and entrepreneur was earning a seven-figure sum on the trading floor before being head-hunted for a secretive hedge-fund based in Bermuda. His financial success enabled him to retire to Monaco, at the enviable young age of just 34. He went on to dabble in further projects and became a household name after starring as an investor in Dragons’ Den, backing Levi Roots and his now famous Reggae Reggae Sauce.

Currently a member of the Business Review Weekly ‘Rich 200’ list (the 200 wealthiest Australians), Richard Farleigh talks to Angela West about his business successes, failures, tips and destinations.

From ‘Backward Child’ to Chess Champ
At 10, he wanted to be a bushranger, “A kind of Aussie Robin Hood”, at 20 “an academic”, at 30 “a master of the universe hedge fund manager… Oh, and at 15, a religious minister!” he recalls.

Born in the country town of Kyabram, in the state of Victoria in 1960, Richard Buckland Smith (his middle name a nod to ancestors traced back to the infamous Rum Corps rebellion) was one of 11 siblings. He never knew what it was like to have a proper home with his natural family, who travelled around the countryside in an old truck, the children exposed to the elements except when they made camp and sheltered in a tent.

His father, a shearer/seasonal labourer/opal miner, was a violent alcoholic and Richard’s first memory of him was one of ‘fear’. Before he was born, a baby sister had died after drinking bad water from a river. When he was two, all of the children were taken into care and separated. Shortly afterwards, Richard was fostered by Marjorie and Keith Farleigh from Sydney’s southwestern suburbs. They were initially to look after him for a few months until his parents reclaimed him, but Richard succumbed to a bad bout of measles, during which one of his eyes ‘turned’, forcing him to wear a patch. Confined to a darkened room with daily doctor visits, it needed two operations to correct it, by which time he was five.

Now at school, Marjorie decided this fragile little boy needed her and would be staying. Richard’s relationship with his foster father, however, was never close and there was a brief, tense reunion with his biological parents when he was four but it wasn’t until adulthood that he made contact with his other siblings. His mother died in the 1990s and he lost track of his father.

His timidity, low self-esteem and unwillingness to speak was misinterpreted as an indication of being ‘backward’, and Richard was placed in the lowest class at kindergarten. At the age of eight, however, he was thrown a lifeline when his primary school teacher spotted his aptitude in mathematics and recognised his potential.

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Unforgettable New York
Home to hundreds of romantic restaurants, luxurious hotels and skyline views that would make anyone swoon, the numerous love affair-themed films set in this iconic city have only endorsed the Big Apple’s reputation as a true city of romance. Who can forget Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr’s plight in An Affair To Remember, on which Sleepless in Seattle was based, putting the Empire State Building firmly on the romantic buildings map? Head here at dusk to watch the city illuminate, after stopping off at Grand Central Station, another classic NY experience.

Along with the main sights’n’sounds’n’smells of the city, there are countless hidden gems to discover…Top of the Rock observation deck, atop the 70-story Rockefeller Center building, offers breathtaking 360-degree views. Set sail from Chelsea Piers and create the mood for love on an evening tour afloat, aboard a Spirit City Cruise 80-foot schooner or sample caviar washed down with champers on a World Yacht Dining Cruise. A seductive stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge is one of the most romantic ways to see the city lights, while extra special treats include escaping the urban frenzy on a helicopter Romance Tour over Manhattan or a hansom cab horse-and-carriage ride through Central Park à la ‘Sex & The City’!

Bursting with chic boutiques, shopping’s the law here. Home to more designer outlets than you can shake your credit card at, those with a passion for fashion splash the cash in the glittering shops of 5th Avenue. Macy’s is a must and make sure you get loved-up in style at glamorous department store, Bergdorf Goodman.

From a fantastic French gastronomic experience at Paris Commune or Meli Melo, with its special menu of amuse  bouches, to innovative Japanese cuisine at celebrity favourite, Nobu or an aphrodisiac-inspired menu featuring oysters, sushi and chocolate at SushiSamba, when it comes to fine dining your loved one you’re spoilt for choice.

Romance reigns at One if by Land, Two if by Sea. Set in a historic Greenwich Village carriage house, it consistently tops the list of the city’s most romantic restaurants. With a glass façade overlooking the East River, Water’s Edge Restaurant in Queens offers spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline. Eat your heart out at Barbetta, the oldest Italian restaurant in New York and one of the city’s most romantic, while vegetarians will delight at Gobo. Terrace in the Sky offers breathtaking 360-degree views of the tri-state area, an outdoor terrace for love-struck stargazers and delicious French-Mediterranean cuisine.

Cuddle up for celestial nights in the city that never sleeps. From luxury boutique hotels to quirky, affordable accommodation for those on a shoestring, hot hotels include Gramercy Park, boasting Haute Bohemian heritage in spades and the famous Roosevelt, known as the ‘Grand Dame of Madison Avenue’. Go downtown to the Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park, where sweeping views across the waterfront command your attention at every turn and ferry tickets to the Statue of Liberty are included in your stay, while the Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park offers a delectable full afternoon tea…from creative cupcakes to scrumptious scones to sumptuous sandwiches, tantalise your tastebuds with the most decadent tea imaginable! Both hotels offer the Ultimate Indulgence package, including champagne, long-stemmed roses, and a couples’ massage in a luxurious suite.

For cutting-edge design and jaw-dropping views from the bedroom, the Hotel on Rivington’s the place to rest your head, or indulge yourselves at the Regency, a celebrity haven where you’ll be made to feel like a star. The Shoreham Hotel turns up the heat with its Sexy weekends packages for lovers, with admission to MOMA and the Museum of Sex.

Planning to pop the question? Whether it’s on a stroll through one of the city’s parks, atop the Empire State Building, via the Yankee Stadium scoreboard or while taking in the skyscrapers from a different perspective on a helicopter tour, you’re sure to find that special place to propose.

With spectacular views of the Palisades, the beautiful Wave Hill public garden offers a serene setting, while Central Park’s Conservatory Garden is a hidden treasure tucked away in six acres of lush flora. Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island each offer beautiful botanical gardens.

Magical New York’s at its most romantic when it snows, but even if it’s not dusted with the white stuff, take to the ice at The Rockefeller Center for the coolest of proposals with the help of the rink’s ‘Engagement on Ice’ package, including a signature song played during the proposal, a private ‘victory lap’ around the rink for the newly-engaged couple and a champagne toast at rink-side restaurant Rock Center Café… the perfect excuse for falling into their arms! Alternatively, set your love in lights with a special message broadcast for all to see at the Crossroads of the World on a customizable LED screen overlooking Broadway. Money no object? Get down on one knee at the Algonquin Hotel, which offers a unique proposal idea with its exclusive ‘Martini on the Rock’, a $10,000 cocktail that includes a diamond!

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In a previous article, “Fly Privately” (May/June 2010), I discussed how the frustration of flying with the commercial airlines is pushing many weary travelers to seek refuge in private air travel where they enjoy greater convenience, time savings, security and many other “quality of life” benefits. But the choice of private air travel leads to a further question: What type of private air travel investment is right for you? Fractional ownership? A jet card program? Or perhaps on demand charter may be your best bet?

Most importantly, how should you go about making this decision?

At Shaircraft Solutions, we begin by having you answer several important questions, among them:

• What is your budget?
• How often do you fly?
• Where and when do you fly?
• How far in advance do you plan your trips?
• How many passengers and how much luggage do you take?
• Do you prefer to fly on a fleet managed by a single operator?
• Do you have specific aircraft preferences?
• What is the best use of your capital?
• Can you take advantage of depreciation tax deductions?

Analyzing your responses to these and other questions, we develop a travel profile that enables us to determine the type of private air travel investment that’s right for you. The general rule of thumb that passes for common wisdom is that if you fly between 50 and 400 hours per year your best option may be fractional ownership, which involves owning a share of an aircraft that is managed by a single operator as part of a fleet. If you fly less than 50 hours per year, you may be better off with a jet card or “pay as you go” charter, and if you fly more than 400 hours annually, you may consider buying a whole aircraft.

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The wine connoisseurs may call them “New World”, but South African wines have a 350-year old winemaking tradition behind them. New cultivation methods and rich ancient soil is producing a string of exuberant, sunkissed award-winners that reflect the country’s sustainable cultivation ethic and diverse viticultural earth and they just keep getting better.

A new breed of restaurants in the Cape Winelands that showcase South African food with a contemporary twist have been engraving their names on the region’s food map. Franschhoek’s Le Quartier Francais and Reubens, for example, are well known favourites while twenty minutes away Stellenbosch has its own star, Terroir. When it comes to famous names, Constantia is a stand out in the wine world and La Colombe, located within the Constantia- Uitsig Wine Estate, is up there in the stratosphere along with such legendary names as The Fat Duck in Bray, England and El Bulli in Spain.

Even Gordon Ramsay, arguably Britain’s most volatile and versatile chef couldn’t resist bringing his brand to Cape Town and he couldn’t have picked a more five star setting. Maze, at Sol Herzner’s ultraexclusive, ultra-expensive urban oasis One and Only resort which opened last year (where views of Table Mountain come as part of the whole suite experience) is Ramsay’s first venture into African territory.

Overlooking the harbor at the V & A Waterfront, the 170-seat restaurant is an experience in itself. Maze’s heart is its show kitchen, and there’s a glass-fronted patisserie, the Wine Loft (packed with Cape Pinotage and Shiraz, home to 6000 bottles – yes three zeros – of famous and rare South African vintages and more than a hundred wines available by the glass, no less) while the outdoor terrace serves South African oysters, kingklip, yellowtail, Cape crayfish and Mozambican prawns as well as local game cooked Ramsay-style.

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Destination resorts have come a long way since the first purpose-built complexes of the ‘60s. In those days, timeshares were about “same place, same time, next year”. These days guests still want sun, sand, sea but it’s the extraordinary experiences that distinguish an incredible getaway from a hum drum holiday. It’s about the quest for something new: vineyards, castles, riads and catamarans, to name a few.

Are the days of the single activity, single season over? Who is driving what – is it “build it and they will come”, or “they want to go there, so build it”? Of course it’s not just the diversity of resorts that matters, it’s the diversity within the resorts themselves, giving consumers a choice of onsite amenities, services and leisure facilities, ideally tied in with local attractions, be they golf, beaches, mountains, lakes, and so on.

In this ever changing landscape, one thing is clear: resort operators and developers know how important it is to offer consumers a diverse destination portfolio.

When commercial jet travel took off in the ‘60s places like Greece, Spain and France became the exotic hotspots of their time. The food may have been “foreign” but the beaches were idyllic. Summer lingered longer on those sun-kissed shores and it wasn’t long before those once secret Mediterranean beaches were all over the holiday brochures.

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Forget coffee and croissants on the hotel balcony. There’s nothing quite like breakfast in the bush before a lionspotting Land Rover ride (even if the lions ignore you) right into the wilds of a private game reserve.

For the next fortnight this is your very own private bush oasis, where your new neighbours Mr. Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino and Buffalo, aka The Big Five, and their wild friends are close enough to get a good look at, but not too close for comfort…

Operators at South Africa’s top lodge resorts are seeing more and more guests choose safari-centric holidays. Tailor made holiday specialists like Kuoni, and Cox and Kings, are reporting increasing demand for safaris, once firmly carved in the “once-in-a lifetime” holiday niche. Clients, it seems, are looking for a combination of exhilaration and luxury – five-star safaris, desert discoveries and scuba-diving resort holidays. They’re looking for something different, something thrilling, something ultra-exclusive: an unforgettable trip, not just an indulgent one. South Africa’s most sensational safari experiences can be found at places like Sir Richard Branson’s vast Ulusaba Private Game Reserve in the Sabi Sand game reserve that borders the Kruger National Park) or at Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve and Wellness Retreat which was voted Best Hotel in the World last year by Travel & Leisure magazine, an accolade that joined a long string of other awards lavished on this exceptional private estate hotel.

Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve and Wellness Retreat
Bushmans Kloof is a scenic 270-kilometre drive from Cape Town and set in a malaria and predator free private reserve in the foothills of the Cedarberg mountains.

The website www.bushmanskloof.co.za calls it a “natural playground for those who want to reconnect with themselves and the essence of life” and the National Heritage site, home to ancient San rock art, sprawls across wide open plains dotted with mystical rock formations and water falls amid an abundance of flora and fauna. Even the spa treatments are based on local healing flower and plant extracts which will be familiar to locals, but for international guests, sipping a cup of rooibos tea (the rooibos bush is native to the Cedarberg region) after a massage to a chorus of chirping insects is an experience they won’t quickly forget.

The sense of adventure begins way before arrival. Although Bushmans Kloof International Airport is not far away, it’s best to arrive by car and guests are asked to ring when they leave the nearest town, Clanwilliam, fifty kilometres away, as there is no rescue service in this part of the mountains (no mobile signal, either) so that the hotel can estimate your time of arrival and make sure you reach it safely. Once through the Bushmans Kloof electronic gates, there are eight more kilometres still to go until an oasis of low rise buildings and green landscaped lawns appears after the scenic but dusty journey.

Bushmans describes itself as an eco hotel as well as a game reserve – it won the Relais & Chateaux Environment Trophy for 2007 and its owners breed Cape Mountain zebras. The interiors, natural woven fabrics, sculptures and ceramics, contribute to an overall bushluxe look where nature outside complements comfort inside. Depending on the season (South Africa’s summer is Great Britain’s winter) days are warm but evenings can cool down, so the en-suite bedrooms feature plenty of earthy, warmth-enhancing touches such as woods, colourful textiles, under floor heating and cosy log fireplaces.

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