Onwards to the Michelin stars
A gourmet holiday like no other and strictly for people who have the time and inclination to embark on an extensive fine-dining adventure, the three-Michelin-star holiday package takes in the 107 restaurants in the world that have been awarded that most prestigious of culinary awards. That means 12 countries - from the United States and Europe to China and Japan - over a period of six months. Highlights include: salmon poached in a licorice gel at the experimental chef Heston Blumenthal's The Fat Duck in England; the delicacies of the legendary chef Alain Ducasse in Monaco; and Juan Maria Arzak's pineapple bubbles in the mountainous Basque country, as well as meals at Lung King Heen in Hong Kong; Sushi Yoshitake in Tokyo; Per Se in New York; and Meurice (Paris). You will spend two days in each location, and the package also includes business-class flights and five-star accommodation such as Trump International in New York, The Conrad in Tokyo, Hotel De Paris in Monte Carlo and Claridges London. A donation of £1,500 (Dh8,996) will be made to The Prince's Trust charity.
The cost of the holiday, including an estimated cost of all meals and beverages, is £182,000 (Dh1,091,550). Departure dates are flexible. For pricing to match your exact requirements, visit
www.holidaysplease.co.uk/news/gourmet-holiday/
Preview rates at new Mondrian London
The newly-opened Mondrian London at Sea Containers is the first-ever Mondrian-branded boutique hotel by the Morgans Hotel Group outside the United States. Located in the iconic Sea Containers building on London's revitalised South Bank, the property aims to bring the energy of the original Hollywood hotel to an area that already boasts cultural landmarks such as the Tate Modern, Borough Market and the Southbank Centre. The Mondrian's 359 guest rooms and suites have been designed by Tom Dixon, from Design Research Studio, who took his inspiration from the golden age of transatlantic ship travel and ocean liner cabins. In addition to the rooftop bar and the culinary delicacies whipped together by the dynamic New York-based chef Seamus Mullen and Luke Rayment, the hotel's dreamlike Agua Spa is built in the fashion of a Roman bathhouse and is also inspired by underwater tranquillity - all curving walls and luminous pathways.
Doubles start from £234 (Dh1,390) per night. A preview rate of £198 (Dh1,176) will be available on selected nights for a limited time. For more information on Mondrian London at Sea Containers or to book a stay at the hotel, visit
New Dwarika's retreat in Nepal
Nepalese hospitality is known to be friendly, helpful and super-accommodating, and the Dwarika's chain of hotels combines luxe amenities and Nepali grace topped with a world-class spa experience. Dwarika's Resort in scenic Dhulikhel, an hour from Nepal's capital, is part of Dwarika's Kathmandu, a project committed to preserving Newa heritage. The elegant hotel boasts a spa area that incorporates state-of-the-art treatment rooms, chakra sound chambers, Himalayan salt area, meditation spaces and plenty of yoga and massage packages. Designed to reflect the elements of Buddhism and Hinduism, the spa focuses on complete well-being with the crisp mountain air and locally sourced produce enhancing the experience. If outdoor fitness is more your thing, sign up for an organic farming session or take a stroll towards the pottery and block-printing enclave.
Doubles from US$528 (Dh1,939) per night, including tax and half board. For more information and to create your holistic lifestyle package, visit
Honeymoon package in Istanbul
Privacy; luxury; romance; exclusivity - an ideal honeymoon is more than just about a room and a restaurant, especially with the Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul's lavish Ultimate Luxury Honeymoon package. Here it's about sunset picnics with gourmet baskets at Pierre Loti, an evening boat ride with white-glove service, a comforting Turkish hammam session, a romantic horseback ride on the historic island of Büyükada and a fun-filled chocolate-making session - all part of the five-night package and all specially designed for two. The stay is in the hotel's top-floor Vali or Vezir suites with Bosphorus views and includes round-trip airport transfers in a top-of-the-line BMW. You can also sign up to receive a 40-page personalised photo album and 12-minute movie - just specify when and where you'd like the photographer to join you.
This offer is valid till December 30 and costs US$38,690 (Dh142,105). Visit
New Park Hyatt flagship in New York
The Park Hyatt has just opened a new hotel in New York, in the spectacular, 90-storey One57 skyscraper next to Carnegie Hall, overlooking Central Park, between West 57th Street and 7th AVenue. The 210-room property only occupies the bottom 25 floors of the tower, however - condominium-owners on the upper floors get the best views. Instead, the hotel's focus is inwards, with 210 super-luxury rooms in 11 types, including two presidential suites, a spa (on the 25th floor) with a swimming pool and has an art collection comprising of 350 "museum quality" pieces. To celebrate its long-awaited opening, the hotel is offering visitors booking seven days or more in advance 10 per cent off of the Hyatt Daily Rate. The Advance Purchase Rate is valid for both mid-week and weekend stays. Bookings must be made at least seven days in advance of the date of arrival and full pre-payment must be made at the time of booking. No changes, amendments or cancellations are permitted and the offer is subject to availability.
For more details visit
Sailing packages with Yachts and Friends
Immerse yourself in a week of sailing, relaxation and culture with bespoke charter packages offered by Yachts and Friends, an arm of European Travel Ventures. The tailor-made trips include various locales in Europe as well as Thailand and the British Virgin Islands, both of which have ideal weather and sea conditions at present. Guests do not require prior sailing experience, as each boat comes with the option of a trained skipper included in the package price (?1,965 [Dh9,348] for six people for Thailand and ?2,687 [Dh12,783] for six people to the British Virgin Islands). Once you've selected your boat - choices range from intimate 30-foot yachts to roomy 100-foot cruisers - and your destination, the company provides the best routes through fishing villages, hidden bays and atmospheric coastal towns.
Rates based on six people sharing and include the yacht and the skipper but not food and flights. For more information, visit
Klaus K Sky Lofts in Helsinki
The Klaus K Hotel in Helsinki, the Finnish capital's original five-star design hotel, has unveiled a brand new set of luxury rooftop rooms, called the Klaus K Sky Lofts. The 30 new rooms, which cost from ?270 (Dh1,284) per night, resemble studio apartments with raised bedroom areas and ceiling heights of up to 4.5 metres. The rooms have the use of an 80sqm rooftop terrace and come with their own private entrance, separate from the hotel. The 50 square-metre Sky Suite, which costs from ?900 (Dh4,281) per night including taxes, comes with a lounge area that has a games table, a large bathroom and its own partially covered 15-square-metre terrace with views over the city.
The rooftop terrace can also be reserved in its entirety. (
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pmunyal@thenational.ae