Middle East

There’s something magical about islands.  The isolation… the privacy… wonderful beaches and complete solitude.  According to Tripadvisor, the world’s top 10 island escapes are:

1. Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
2. Cook Islands
3. Mykonos, Greece
4. Maldives
5. Cyprus
6. Boracay, Philippines
7. Ko Lanta, Thailand
8. Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam
9. Bora Bora, French Polynesia
10. Mana Island, Fiji

Are there any that you think should have made the list, but didn’t?  Please share with us by clicking on the comments.

Israel is not a large country. You can drive from its northern border to its southern tip in less than 10 hours. From east to west it will take you less than two. But this small territory contains an unimaginable wealth of natural landscapes, historical treasures and a rich cultural heritage – many of which have yet to be explored.

For those wanting to venture off the beaten track, the Israel Government Tourist Office is launching Israel, Hidden Gems – a collection of fascinating journeys steeped in history and culture that will allow people to discover some of the country’s most inspirational and unexplored experiences.  It will  show Israel from a different perspective and allow holidaymakers to become truly involved in the country’s past, present and future. From luxury hideaways, culinary trails and desert spas to archaeological wonders and ancient holy sites, Israel offers something for every traveller.

Israel’s Hidden Gems will be detailed in a dedicated brochure that will be available to order on the IGTO website.

Luxury specialist Crystal Cruises has expanded its 2010 European cruise collection to include two Black Sea voyages this summer. The two new itineraries feature a maiden visit to Sevastopol, Ukraine, as well as calls in Greece, Italy, Bulgaria and Turkey. Steeped in artistic, military and architectural history, the 12-day cruises sail from Venice to Istanbul on 19th July and 24th August 2010 aboard the award-winning Crystal Serenity.

Beginning with overnight stays in Venice, the itineraries visit Katakolon (birthplace of the Olympics) and Navplion, Greece; Nesebur, Bulgaria; Yalta, Sevastopol and Odessa, Ukraine; and conclude with an overnight stay in Istanbul, Turkey. Other highlights include the sail from Venice, the cruise through the Dardanelles and the Bosporus Straits.

Distinguished speakers on world affairs, architecture, science and culture add rich dimension to the voyages, including Newsweek’s Chief Political Correspondent, Senior Editor and Deputy Washington Bureau Chief, Howard Fineman; Dr. David Davenport, Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and former president of Pepperdine University; and Dr. Bulent Atalay, a compelling expert on art, archaeology and the sciences.

Two-for-one cruise fares start at $6,470 per person, and include $1,000 per person ‘All Inclusive – As You Wish’ shipboard credits. Free air transportation from more than 20 North American gateways – Business Class air for Penthouse guests – is also included.

Did you know that there are now more than 900 UNESCO World Heritage Sites? According to Tripadvisor, the top 10 – as rated by their users, I assume – are:

1. Taj Mahal, India
2. Petra / Wasi Muda, Jordan
3. Palmyra, Syria
4. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA
5. Abu Simbel, Egypt
6. Prambanan Temples, Indonesia
7. City of Venice, Italy
8. Siena, Italy
9. Easter Island, Chile
10. Trentino Dolomites, Italy

Once again, Italy have fared well as they did in Tripadvisor’s top 10 destinations in Europe.  But are there any UNESCO World Heritage Sites that you would have expected to make the top 10 but didn’t? Please share your thoughts with us by posting a comment.

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, is expanding the range of services it offers business and leisure travellers with the launch of a new destination management company – Hala Abu Dhabi. The new company will be  based in the nation’s capital but offer travel products, services and activities throughout all seven Emirates of the UAE.

The doors have been opened to the Afamia Rotana Resort, Latakia. Located on a sandy peninsula, two kilometres from Latakia city centre, the new five-star resort brings a new level of comfort and a host of leisure activities to the city.   It  is within easy distance of Syria’s historical sites including Ugarit Canaaite, the seaport, crusaders forts, castles and ancient Roman vestiges. Guests can relax on Latakia’s spectacular peninsula, in one of the hotel’s 14 stylish beach cabins. The resort also has a state-of-the-art Bodylines health & fitness centre with the latest in cardio and strength equipment as well as a temperature controlled indoor swimming pool, steam room and sauna.    

The Afamia Rotana Resort offers guests a range of food and beverage venues including Al Manara – an all-day dining restaurant serving authentic cuisine from around the world, Moodz – a luxurious lounge bar, Aquarius – a pool side bar offering cocktails and light snacks, Café Blue – serving tea, coffee and light snacks and Breeze – a beach terrace with drinks and shisha pipes.

Rotana is currently offering special introductory rates from approximately £75 per room, per night, including complimentary breakfast.

Join Royal Caribbean International‘s Brilliance of the Seas next year on an eight-night Dubai fly/cruise from just £919.00 per person (based on two people sharing an inside cabin).  Price includes return flights from London Heathrow, transfers and a seven-night cruise departing Dubai (United Arab Emirates) and calling at Fujairah (United Arab Emirates), Muscat (Oman), Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) before returning to Dubai (United Arab Emirates); meals and entertainment onboard and all relevant cruise taxes/fees are also included. Price is based on 28 February 2011 departure.

The iconic Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi Yas Island will open its doors shortly. The 428-room contemporary hotel is located along the new Links Championship Golf Course and is within five minutes walking distance of the latest Formula 1 Yas Marina Circuit.

This latest addition to IHG’s Crowne Plaza estate is situated on one of the country’s most exciting developments, Yas Island. The hotel’s close proximity to the airport and 35 minute drive from Abu Dhabi City Centre makes this a prime location for both business & leisure travellers alike.

All guest rooms and suites are stylishly decorated and include free wireless internet access, with a spacious working area.  The hotel’s leisure facilities include a part-shaded 25 metre outdoor pool and state-of-the art gym complete with sauna, steam rooms and squash court.  For the discerning business traveller Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi Yas Island has everything you need to make your trip hassle free. It has a 24 hour Business Centre, 10 meeting rooms that cater for up to 600 people featuring the latest audio-visual equipment complete with natural lighting and outdoor terraces.

The all-day dining restaurant, Jing Asia offers a mouth watering array of local and international cuisine. Guests can savour Europe at its best in the unique Stills brasserie or enjoy more regional flavours in the beautiful Lebanese restaurant, Barouk. Views, the relaxing lobby lounge offers stunning views of the golf course and mangroves, our chic wine bar, Vino, serves a wide variety of beverages and the chilled out Sundowner pool bar is the perfect place to unwind while watching the sun set. All dining options feature outdoor terrace seating to be taken advantage of during the cooler times of the year.

Great Hotels Organisation is welcoming a number of new members into its alliances (Great Hotels of the World, Special Hotels of the World and Metro Hotels).  Here’s a summary:

Great Hotels of the World

Eurostars Madrid Tower, Madrid, Spain
Located in Madrid’s business district, the five-star Eurostars Madrid Tower offers 475 modern and luxurious rooms and suites, and is the third-highest building in Spain.

Special Hotels of the World

Eurostars Grand Central, Munich, Germany
Located in the heart of Munich, the 229-room Eurostars Grand Central is a spectacular hotel with stunning architecture and interior decoration, perfect for leisure, business and meeting and incentive travel.

Metro Hotels

The Beechwood Inn, Coventry, United Kingdom
Housed in a converted thirteenth-century farmhouse, The Beechwood Inn offers 25 en-suite rooms and offers ideal corporate accommodation in Coventry. Facilities include a restaurant, function facilities and business support services.

Almanar Hotel Apartments, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Situated just five minutes’ drive from Dubai International Airport, this hotel offers 85 tastefully decorated, luxuriously furnished and spacious apartments, a restaurant and café, health and fitness centre and rooftop swimming pool.

Hala Hotel Apartments, Muscat, Oman
Located in the business district of Muscat, just 20 minutes’ drive from the International Airport, Hala Hotel Apartments offers 48 luxurious suites perfect for business travellers. The hotel is a five-minute walk from the beach and also boasts a conference room, ballroom and business centre.

Umi Hotel Brighton, United Kingdom
Located on Brighton’s seafront and close to the city centre, the 77-room Umi Hotel Brighton boasts one of the most enviable positions in the city with excellent facilities and services. Only an hour’s train journey from London, the hotel is perfect for corporate and business travellers.

Umi Hotel London, United Kingdom
Situated close to London’s Hyde Park, the 117-room Umi Hotel London offers facilities for small business meetings, conferences, training courses and intimate dinner parties, as well as large functions and parties.

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts‘ first hotel in Turkey, the Shangri-La Hotel, Istanbul is set to  open in April 2012. The hotel will be located between the Dolmabahce and the Maritime Museum on the European coast of the Bosphorus Straits, the 30km stretch of water separating Europe and Asia. Set within the Besiktas district, the shopping and transport hub of Istanbul, the hotel will be near the city’s financial district and the Istanbul Convention and Exhibition Centre. The neighborhood surrounding the hotel is home to many historical and cultural sites including: the Istanbul Concert Hall, the Ataturk Culture Centre, the newly restored Akaretler complex of neoclassical buildings, palaces from the Ottoman Empire period, and several theaters.

The hotel will be a five-minute walk from the Dolmabahce Palace, the former center of the Ottoman Empire and home to six sultans, which is now a national heritage museum. Also within easy reach is the Nisantasi neighborhood known for its restaurants, cafes and bars and the prestigious Macka luxury shopping area. Guests will be able to reach Sultanahmet, the historic centre of the city that lies across the Golden Horn, within 15 minutes by public transport.