Travel news: New luxury hotels in St Petersburg and Capri

New luxury hotels in St Petersburg and Capri, the Singapore Architecture Festival and a new train trip to Iran.

Imam Square in Isfahan, Iran, is a destination on the Jewels of Persia tour. Courtesy of MIR Corporation

New luxury hotels in St Petersburg and Capri

A 19th-century palace in St Petersburg has just reopened as a new Four Seasons hotel. The five-star Four Seasons Hotel Lion Palace is situated next to St Isaac's Cathedral, and the building was originally designed by the same architect, Auguste Montferrand. The renovated property has 151 guest rooms and 26 suites, featuring high ceilings, silk fabrics, marble and granite floors and gilt mirrors. A spa will open at the end of this year. Double rooms from 38,250 Russian roubles (Dh4,234) per night including taxes (www.fourseasons.com).

In Capri, the Spanish hotel group Meliã has opened an adults-only property on the exclusive Italian island. The Meliã Villa Capri in Anacapri has just 19 rooms and suites, offers helicopter transfers to and from Rome and Naples airports and features a YHI spa. It can arrange tailor-made trips to the Blue Grotto, Faraglioni, Monte Solaro and Capri bays, with transport options ranging from walking, vintage open-top car or speedboat. A personal shopper is also available. Prices from €290 (Dh1,426) per night excluding taxes, including €20 credit per room per day for the hotel restaurant (www.melia.com).

Architecture festival in Singapore

The full programme for the World Architecture Festival, to be held this year at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore from October 2 to 4, has been announced. Visitors can sign up for a variety of talks, seminars, workshops and design tours. Visit www.worldarchitecturefestival.com for more details.

Rolling between Budapest and Tehran

The American tour operator Mircorp, which specialises in travel to Russia and Eastern Europe, has announced a new 15-day train trip on the Golden Eagle Danube Express, departing from Budapest next October for Iran. It's the first European private train allowed into Iran, and it will also take travellers through Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey.

Highlights of the trip, called Jewels of Persia, include Sighisoara in Romania, Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgaria's ancient former capital), Istanbul, the Fairy Chimneys of the Göreme Valley in Cappadocia, Imam Square in Isfahan, the ruins of Persepolis and the Gulestan Palace. The trip will carry just 65 passengers and tickets cost from US$12,995 (Dh47,731) per person based on two people sharing. This includes all meals, hotel and train accommodation in en suite cabins, transportation, sightseeing excursions with local guides and gratuities. For more information visit www.mircorp.com.

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