Ian McIntosh`s - Travel Agent Update

Ian McIntosh’s
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Ian
IN THIS ISSUE
PAGE 2: Beating
rip-off phone charges.
The latest nightmare is
‘phantom’
roaming charges.
ASIAN SHOPPING
TRIPS have become
big business as the
girls mix business
with pleasure –
increasingly these
days in Manila.
August/
Sept
2011
A bad hotel choice in Paris can
ruin a holiday to the world’s
most beautiful city. We combed
through 1400 hotels to find a
property that offers affordable
classic French ambience.
WIN one of fice copies
of Book One of Fiona
McIntosh’s international
best selling Valisar
trilogy, Royal Exile.
Just email the name of
book 2 to editorial@
travelagentupdate.com
PLUS: The usual long list of goodies
for you and your clients to keep the
cash register ringing.
Want to join our mailing list? Send your address to [email protected]
Every regular traveller now knows the biggest rip-off he or she faces is not last minute air fares
or even hotel rates. The ever lurking killer is phone bills. Sure the iPhone, for instance, is amazing
– we have two of them - but not as astonishing as your phone bill unless you are very careful.
We had a four day trip to Thailand
interrupted recently by 3 - they wanted
to inform us our phone bill had already
exceeded $600. We had one phone
switched on -and our entire communication
home was via a computer on a free line
provided by the hotel. We were, to say the
least, amazed and complained bitterly to
the Ombudsman on return home.
That did reduce the total - and we were
told that roaming was the culprit - and to
be sure to turn it off. On our next trip to
Europe we only took one iPhone and used
it essentially for text messages - the rest of
our communication was via the computer
using free wifi.
The bill this time was $1100. We
complained again and this time we were
told that turning off roaming is not the
complete answer - you have to download
software to be absolutely sure!
Time for action. I found my old Nokia and
purchased a card from VRoam which cost
disable data - so set the vSIM APN to, say,
“8mobiledata” and then delete the extra
character if you need to use data-roaming.
“On an iPhone, the APN setting is changed
in Settings > General > Network > Cellular
Data Network.”
around $100. It is still going. In its latest
newsletter VRoam confirms that travellers
are experiencing “phantom roaming”
charges, despite turning off the data
roaming function.”
One newspaper reports that a “software
issue” was blamed, but that may not be
correct the company says.”We’ve seen this
happen on iPhones. As a consequence, we
recommend you change the APN (Access
Point Name) so that no data can be billed.
“A good idea is to add an extra character to
the APN (our vSIM APN is “mobiledata”) to
vRoam now offers global vSIMs for any
corner of the globe and claims average
savings are over 50% compared to the big
boys. I can believe it. The newsletter also
comments on whether electronic devices
like phones actually can create problems on
the flight deck.
VRoam says a confidential report prepared
for the aviation industry shows that mobile
phones and other electronic devices have
disrupted flight instruments 75 times over
six years. Between 2003 and 2009, mobile
phones, laptops, iPods and other equipment
had all caused problems.
Twenty-six of the incidents had affected
flight controls, including the autopilot,
autothrust and landing gear.
FOR YOU – AND YOUR CLIENTS
Beyond Travel is offering you the chance
to win $2500 credit towards any product
in the company’s series of brochures. Be
sure to mention you deserve the credit
when making the booking which can, by
the way, be for a Viking Cruise. Clients can
also win with a credit bonus of up to $1000
per couple. Every booking for departures in
2012 gives you one entry.
The drawtakes place on January 10, 2012
and the voucher can be used up until the
end of 2012.
More details, [email protected]
SOUTH American eco-adventure operator
explora wants you to experience the
company’s lodges and has released heavily
discounted rates of US$199 per night and
US$220 for companions sharing the same
room. This compares with normal rates of
from US$660 per night at the company’s
three Chilean lodges in Atacama, Patagonia
and Easter Island. But hurry. The deal ends
on October 30, 2011.
Rates include transfers from local airports
to lodges, three meals a day with open bar
and daily explorations with guides and
equipment including horses, vehicles and
bicycles.
More details, [email protected]
Muri Beach Club – stay for six nights, pay for four.
Don’t forget: Globus is offering you a free
holiday or credit to the value of $2500
when you sell five 2011 Globus, Cosmos or
Monogram holidays. You can make multibookings or one booking of five travellers.
The offer is not applicable to group
bookings of 8 or more people. More details,
www.globusfamily.com.au
Merc transfers from Heathrow to central
London don’t have to cost the earth. It is
easily to organise a private car transfer
for 1 or 2 people for 70GBP + VAT in a
Lewis Day company owned Mercedes
says Katherine Heath from The Hotel
Connection. Your clients can now also
enjoy free wifi during the journey – and the
deal is commissionable. More details, www.
lewisdaylimo.com
Muri Beach Club Hotel in the Cook Islands
is offering clients the chance to stay for
six nights and pay for four and receive a
breakfast daily plus a massage. This deal is
valid for sale until September 30, 2011 for
travel until 31 March, 2012.
Winner of the 2010 best “ Luxury Boutique
Hotel’ in the World Luxury Travel Awards,
Muri Beach Club Hotel, is a privately owned
boutique adults only resort.
A six night stay starts from AUD$1335.40
per room for two adults, normally
AUD$2004.
FOR YOU – AND YOUR CLIENTS
The award winning East Kimberley
Wilderness Retreat, Faraway Bay, The Bush
Camp has unveiled a brand new offering for
guests – overnight stays on luxury charter
boat, The Caribou. According to owner
Kevin Reilly: “Guests can cruise to the iconic
King George Falls, stay overnight, and take
a shower beneath the falls in the morning.
More details, www.farawaybay.com
Victoria Falls
Vonage has launched Time to Call™, the
first downloadable iPhone app that allows
pay-per-call international dialling to more
than 190 countries.
The company claims the app, designed for
iPhones, lets consumers make 15-minute
international calls at a fraction of the cost
of major mobile carriers with easy payment
delivery through iTunes. For a limited time,
Vonage will provide one free international
call, of up to 15 minutes.
Here is the link: http://itunes.apple.com/
app/id415314949?ls=1&mt=8
Bench International is offering two free
nights with breakfast and a themed dinner
at five star hotels for clients joining this
year’s two remaining Shongololo rail
safaris in South Africa. On the Victoria Falls
to Johannesburg tour the stay is at the
historic Victoria Falls Hotel and on the Cape
Town to Johannesburg trip you stay at the
luxurious Taj Hotel in the Cape.
The deal is available on the September 28
journey from Victoria Falls to Johannesburg
and the November 8 journey from Cape
Town to Johannesburg.
More details, www.benchinternational.
com.au
Great Southern Rail is opening up Outback
Australia for budget travellers with the
launch of a range of new Red Service
holiday packages. Red Service aboard
The Ghan and the Indian Pacific recently
underwent a $6 million facelift. The Red
Centre Expedition’ is one of eight new
packages. The 10 day adventure begins in
Sydney aboard the Indian Pacific to Adelaide
for three nights. Then its all aboard for Alice
Springs followed by Uluru, Kings Canyon
and Kata Tjuta.
Contours Collection has released a 33 day
tour of South America designed to allow
small groups to experience the highlights
of South America as well as off the
beaten track places. More details, www.
thecontourscollection.com
Cultural tour operator Peter Sommer
Travels is offering clients a chance to cruise
Turkey’s spectacular Lycian coast aboard a
traditional wooden gulet, matching superb
scenery with fascinating ancient sites
along the way. Led by British archaeologist
and historian Dr Claire Nesbitt, the eightday itinerary departs on October 1, 2011,
visiting different historic sites each day.
Service – Red Style.
Love snapping up a real bargain when you shop for quality international brands – or do you
get a buzz out of finding authentic looking copies for a fraction of the price?
Shopping expeditions to Asia are big business these days and major destinations have not
been slow to take advantage of this lucrative new market.
Thailand has its Amazing Sale, we have the Great Singapore Sale, Malaysia lures shoppers
with a Mega Sale – even Dubai has jumped on the bandwagon with its Shopping Festival
along with Hong Kong. The one glaring exception is Manila - yet as shopaholics are
increasingly discovering, the Philippine capital is a brilliant bargain all year round.
The place to be is leafy, hassle free and
sophisticated Makati in the middle of the
financial heart of Manila. As well as two
major shopping centres complete with a
multitude of shops, restaurants, food halls
and movie centres there is a wide range of
hotels close by - Booking.com lists 49.
My pick would be the Shangri-la – a
beautiful five star property so close to
two huge department stores you can
virtually smell the bargains. The Makati
InterContinental is also only a short walk
from the action. If you would prefer a
serviced apartment, the Ascott is located
in part of the Glorietta Ayala Shopping
Complex. A little further out is the smart
looking Dusit Makari. As well as Glorietta
you will wear out plenty of shoe leather
exploring the Greenbelt Shopping Centre.
If you can find the time, give yourself a
few hours and explore the Ayala Museum
in Makati Avenue on the corner of De La
Rosa Street. During my visit an exhibition
called Crossroads of Civilizations was
displaying more than 1000 exquisite golden
treasures recovered in association with
10th to 13 century Chinese export ceramics.
Adornments of elite individuals include
a spectacular array of golden sashes,
necklaces, earrings and rings, bracelets and
anklets.
Built around a 1,300,000-square-foot
(121,000 m2) retail complex, it was
renovated in 2001 and re-opened as
Greenbelt 1, 2 and 3 in 2002, with 4 and 5
opening in 2004 and 2007, respectively.
All the top stores welcome shoppers in Manila
In the evening, go see the Magic Land of
KAOS at Resorts World www.rwmanila.
com/kaos. It is a wonderful piece of fantasy
starring a prince, a magic mirror and a
beautiful white tiger. Not to be missed.
Greenbelt is a located at Ayala Center,
Makati City, near Glorietta and SM
Makati. It offers a mix of high-end retail
shops, restaurants, amenities, leisure and
entertainment. Currently, the mall has five
sections, two are indoor buildings and the
other two buildings are open-air shopping.
The most recent addition, Greenbelt 5,
opened in 2007.
Greenbelt 1 features mostly appliance
stores like ACE Hardware. Greenbelt 3
features a mix of international brands
such as Calvin Klein, Diesel S.p.A., Hermès,
Kate Spade, Kenneth Cole, Lacoste, Marks
& Spencer, Mexx, Nine West, Topman,
Topshop, among others. Greenbelt 4
features high-end boutiques such as
Burberry, Bottega Veneta, Bulgari, Charriol,
Emporio Armani, Gucci, Hugo Boss, Jimmy
Choo, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Prada,
Salvatore Ferragamo, and Tod’s; while
boutiques of Filipino designers, high-end
department store Adora, and boutiques
of Aldo, Anne Klein, Audemars Piguet,
Balenciaga, Bally, Banana Republic, Bang
& Olufsen, Bóboli, Celio, Chopard, Crocs,
DKNY, Escada, International Watch
Company, Juicy Couture, Kenneth Cole,
Liz Claiborne, Lucky Brand Jeans, Marc by
Marc Jacobs, Massimo Dutti, Michael Kors,
Panerai, Patek Philippe, Paul Smith, Rolex,
Secosana, Sergio Rossi St. John, Tory Burch,
Yves Saint Laurent and Zara, among others,
can be found in Greenbelt 5.
There are plenty of restaurants – in
particular kick off your shoes and have
a drink and snack in one of the open air
bistros at the back of the facility.
Glorietta is also divided into five sections
(named Glorietta 1–5) and contains many
shops and restaurants, as well as cinema
screens, a gym, arcades and a large central
atrium often used to stage special events. It
has an activity centre, located at the heart
of the mall. It is also integrated between
Greenbelt Mall, SM Makati, Rustan’s Makati
and The Landmark, a department store
The treats roll on. A cab ride away is the
42-hectare Mall of Asia (MOA) the fourth
largest in the world.
Situated in Pasay City, the mall attracts at
least 200,000 visitors daily. Its welcome
icon is a multicoloured bronze globe similar
to that of Universal Studios Theme Parks.
Pooches are allowed in Mall of Asia – booties and all!
Greenhills is a Shopoholics dream come true.
This mall is so big it offers a concierge,
centre tours, digital directories, two banks,
currency exchange, tram stations, valet
parking, package pickup, business centre,
golf carts for the handicapped, kiddie
cats and even pet stations. We saw some
amazing dogs sliding around on the marble
floors on their booties. Small dogs are
allowed in inside.
Finally, for the real bargain lover, a trip to
Greenhills Shopping Centre is a dream
come true. Greenhills is located in San Juan,
a quiet residential/commercial area where
you will not be hassled. Plenty of good
restaurants here too.
The prices here for just about anything are
incredibly low. I was looking for a cover for
my new ipad in the electronics centre on
the first floor. The girls brought out four
different versions before I found what I
wanted – at the grand cost of $4.
At the far end in the Lifestyle Centre the
jewellery shops begin. The thing to buy,
according to my guide, is pearls and he
recommended the Washima shop owned
by a cute girl called Pinky. Large tear shaped
earrings cost around $70. Remember to
haggle – everyone expects it.
On the ground floor a multitude of small
stalls sell everything from handbags to
shoes, belts, scarves – you name it. As a
shopper commented on Tripadvisor:
This is a shopping mall for all budget
seekers. You can get everything you needed
from clothes, to home accessories, to car
accessories to electronic devices. Name
it, they have it. They have affordable and
trendy bags, shoes, sandals, flip-flops and
many more. They even have a shop where
everything costs Php88 (less than $2.)
Back to the Mall of Asia, its IMAX Theatre
is the biggest in the country, with an eightstorey screen, 44 digital-surround speakers,
and the most advanced 3D technology in
the Philippines.
utilizing materials sourced from the area. I
bought a beautiful bangle made from shell
for under $5.
For kids, there is the interactive Science
Discovery Centre, the country’s first
technology-based theme park with two
floors of walk-in galleries and the country’s
first Olympic-size ice-skating rink.
Most hotels in Manila also provide shuttle
services to and from MOA.
So what other areas
will appeal the shoppers?
Tiendesitas (“a collection of little stores”) is
a shopping complex located along the C-5
road in Manila offering fashion wear and
accessories, furniture, antiques, handicrafts,
personal care and novelty items, pets,
plants, and other Philippine–made
products. You can shop in peace here.
Pinky offers quality pearls at huge discounts
Balikbayan Handicrafts is an elegant shop
well worth visiting offering an amazing
variety and assortment of handicrafts –
from hand carved 18-ft. wooden statues,
12-ft long one-piece wood dining table,
picture frames to tiny shell key chains and
knick knacks.
As inner Manila redevelops with high
quality shopping and accommodation
complexes new areas are being created
that are well worth exploring – even if you
just sit down and just watch the locals stroll
by. The High Street offers themed zones
in eight buildings along twin boulevards
celebrating the modern aspects of good
living – fashion, health and beauty, home,
sports, technology, and special interestsanchored by a 400mx40m wide interactive
park and redefines the mall experience as a
walk in the park.
If I was posted to Manila, this is where I
would prefer to live.
~ Ian McIntosh
Products are made from wood, shell, fibre,
paper, bamboo, vines, resin, leaves, metal,
clay, and other indigenous materials. Items
can be traditional, innovative, or novel.
Exploring the High Street.
To complement its own factory, it has
established a network of producers and
suppliers situated in the different regions of
the Philippines, each with a specialty line,
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(currently around 160GBP)
The Hampshire, 5 star in Leicester Square:
425GBP for a king room (250GBP).
The Mercer Street, four star deluxe in
Covent Garden: 425GBP for a king room
(185GBP). The rates are exclusive of VAT
and strict conditions apply.
All bookings need to be prepaid with no
cancellations allowed without full charge
after February 1, 2012.
The ugly scenes of violence and looting in
London recently put a questionmark over
visitor levels at the Olympic Games, now
less than a year away.
VisitBritain officials are confident it will
be business as usual. According to Paul
Gauger
Global Leader, 2012 Games
Media:. These obviously aren’t the images
of London and our cities that we would
wish to see. However we expect these
incidents to be short lived and the strong
positive image of London and Britain
overseas will mean that tourism continues
to prosper. If Radisson Edwardian rates for the
Olympic Games are any indication, it looks
like hotel prices will more than double.
They are: The May Fair, 5 star in the
heart of Mayfair: 450GBP for a king room
Tour veteran Bill
King has written
a book about his
experiences, both
good and disastrous,
while exploring the
ever unpredictable
Australian outback.
As he points out:
Sometimes we got
there, sometimes we
didn’t. Thousands
of Australians have experienced the
adventure of a lifetime in Bill’s capable
hands. In his time, he had to deal with
everything from getting lost to being
bogged or even stranded – but there
was always a fierce determination to
bring the show back home. There are few
Australians who could match his incredible
fund of real life yarns. The publisher
is Allen & Unwin and the book will be
available in book stores Australia-wide, or
Allen & Unwin online, next month.
An Australian iPad app that shares
worldwide travel knowledge has become
an international hit. Developed by
Sydneysiders Michael Shaw and Jaidev
Soin, the free Ask a Nomad app raced to
number seven among travel products
on the American download charts a few
days after its release on June 29. The app
lets travellers from around the world ask
questions and share advice on any topic
they like, without charge. Take a look at
http://answers.worldnomads.com.
You can play at being James Bond for a
day thanks to Sydney-based Prancing
Horse Drive Experiences. Jumping in a red
Ferrari and heading out of town in the
fast lane costs around $990pp for a full
day or $2980 per couple for an overnight
experience staying at a boutique South
Coast hotel with 3-course meals and day
spa treatments included. More details,
www.prancinghorse.com.au
Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards 2011
Readers’ Survey singles out The St. Regis
Singapore as the only Singapore hotel to
make the Top 100 Hotels Worldwide list
and Top 10 City Hotels in Asia list. I have
stayed at this property – the huge rooms
and beautifully appointed bathrooms
really do rewrite five star standards. The
hotel made the lists for the Top 100 Hotels
Worldwide, Top City Hotels in Asia, Top 10
Hotel Spas Worldwide and Top 10 Hotel
Spas in Asia.
Gone are the days when Japan was the
most expensive country to visit, according
to to Ken Osetroff, director of Japan tour
operator Toursgallery. A coffee in Japan
will cost you $1.50, fresh cut sandwiches
cost around $4 and dinner of meat and
three veg can be as little as $12, says.
Everyone loves her show
on TV – and now clients
can meet and chat with
Maeve O’Meara on her
new Korean Gourmet
Walking Safari of Sydney.
Visit the heart of Little
Korea in Eastwood on a
guided journey with Maeve and Korean
cooking teacher Heather Jeong. The
program starts with a Korean coffee and
cooking demonstration, then you learn the
building blocks of this delicious, healthy
cuisine. Dates are: Saturday October 15,
Saturday November 19 and Saturday June
25, 2012. Cost for the More details, http://
www.gourmetsafaris.com.au
Beatles. One of the key elements explored
will be the evening Elvis and the Beatles
met in person on August 27 1965 at Elvis’s
home in Bel Air, California. More details,
www.elvisandus.com
Iconic Sydney-based family owned tourism
business Captain Cook Cruises is being sold
to Adelaide-based national tourism and
transport operator SeaLink Travel Group.
The Fijian operations are not included.
Simon Dell has been
appointed GM of
Amari’s newest resort,
Amari Hua Hin, set to
open in March 2012.
His welcoming smile
will be missed at
The Amari Vogue Krabi,
a property he joined in August 2009.
Cusco is the destination of the latest and
most ambitious project to date from Orient
Express. Palacio Nazarenas, a 55 suite hotel
in a former palace and convent in Cusco
will have an oxygen infiltrated ventilation
system and amenities will include a
complimentary WIFI, iPad pre-loaded with
Cusco city guides, newspapers, movies
and restaurant suggestions. Take a look at
www.palacionazarenas.com or
www.peru.travel
An exhibition opens in
Liverpool in September
exploring the connections
between the Beatles
and Elvis Presley. The
exhibition will be a
multimedia, interactive
experience with music,
video and exhibits of both Elvis and the
If you love food, don’t miss the
London Restaurant Festival from
October 3-13. Highlights include:
Pop-Up In The Sky: The world’s first sixMichelin-Star meal, cooked by London chefs
Angela Hartnett, Jason Atherton, Claude
Bosi, Pierre Koffmann and Marcus Wareing,
and served on the London Eye.
Festival Menus: The popular fixed-priced
menus are a great way to sample food
at restaurants across London. Gourmet
Odyssey: Board a Routemaster bus for a
gourmet trip around some of London’s
most exciting restaurant
The Concorde Opera Paris
– affordable classic French ambience.
You know its special from
the moment you arrive at
the Concorde Opera
I guess just about every frequent
traveler has a horror story about
cheap accommodation in Paris.
The usual gripes include the fact that
the lift is too small for you and a
bag or there is no lift at all – just
narrow steep stairs - and you are
always on the top floor.
Or, the room is tiny, drab or dirty –
or all three – there is no shower
curtain and the hot water refuses to
work. These are the moments when
the receptionist only speaks French.
I once took a group on a Cosmos tour
of Europe that was organized by the
newspaper I worked for. Two things
stick in my mind. Firstly the name – the
Hotel Royale – and second the volume of
the screams we could hear in reception
obviously coming from a rather prim
elderly lady from the group who always
liked to be first to her room.
She had only just expertly hauled open
the iron gates of the ancient lift and
disappeared – rather excited about the
fact that she had been given a garret
room. We were not the only ones shocked
when we arrived panting at her room. The
100 or so pigeons that had migrated via
an open window were riveted to the iron
bars crisscrossing the roof they imagined
were designed for perching.
There was plenty of evidence of their
shattered nerves however – all over her
head, her bag, the bed.
She laughs about it all now
– but pointed out to me in no
uncertain terms at the time that her
dream trip to Paris was in ruins
thanks to a budget hotel.
This got me thinking. If you
researched hard enough and got in
early, could you book a really elegant,
traditional style hotel in Paris with a
beautiful foyer and all the trimmings,
and not pay the earth? We currently
stay (quite happily I should add) in hotels
like the 3* George Sand in Opera or
the nearby 3* Orion Haussmann
Apartments for around 130e a night
– so how much better could it get for
around the same money?
And so I started checking through more
than 240 or so deals to find a palace for
our trip in April. It was tedious and took
forever – an agent would have probably
picked up the same special in a flash
– but eventually I had a win.
The rooms are big, with high ceilings
and elegant furnishings.
The property was the 4* Concorde Opera
Paris and thanks to a ‘buy this and get
that’ sort of offer we were able to book six
nights for around $1100. Amazing – and
believe me, so was our hotel.
The Hotel Concorde Opera was originally
built as the terminus hotel for the Gard
Saint-Lazare station that was the stepping
off point for visitors to the 1889 World
Fair. These days it’s listed among Parisian
historical monuments and offers 266
guest rooms including suites and junior
suites, all beautifully
presented in a
traditional,
lavish manner.
The huge marble and
tile clad Grand Foyer is
simply magnificent with
its huge archways and
chandeliers – modern
day logic says you just
can’t waste this sort of
space. Pity. Stretching
out on one of the
oversize lounge chairs
(big enough for three)
or sofas to read the
paper or simply watch
the hotel’s comings and
goings is a such a treat.
We knew from the moment we stepped
into this elegant and peaceful haven that
we had picked a winner.
The surprises kept coming.
Our corner room (319) featured a small
private lobby leading to a whopping room
by modern day standards with soaring
ceilings tastefully furnished to suit its
Victorian design.
The separate bathroom was also more
than generous with a big window that we
could open and look out onto rue SaintLazare but also let in lots of daylight.
When it was open we appreciated just
how quiet the hotel was inside because
that is a busy thoroughfare for vehicles
and pedestrians. Guests enjoy a full size
bath, twin basin unit, hairdryer, bathrobe,
slippers and Annick Goutal toiletries.
The property offers 169 superior rooms,
57 deluxe, 35 junior suites, 4 corner suites
and the Maria Callas Suite.
Thirty-six of the rooms have a king size
bed and there are 126 non-smoking
rooms – all on the second floor.
All the anticipated trappings were present
– private safe, lots of hanging space,
individual a/c, flat screen TV, mini bar,
large desk, coffee table, comfy chairs,
sumptuous linen, 24/7 room service and
the hugely appreciate complimentary wifi.
Double glazed windows shut out all street
noise and room service is 24/7.
Montparnasse are achievable by taxi in
Big, old style bathrooms
have all the mod cons.
We were very happy in our light filled
corner room . Each day different little
treats were left for us, each creative and
fun. We didn’t bother with the lifts and
usually walked up and down the vast
staircase with its shallow wide steps
daily. Good exercise and quicker than
the elevators which by the way are more
than adequate. Directeur General, Claude
Rath, can be proud of his very helpful and
welcoming concierge team right down to
the housekeeping staff who were always
friendly and flexible.
Location wise, if you like the right bank
then you’d be hard pressed to find an
easier location. You can be on the rue
Haussmann within a five minute walk,
all around you are cafes and eateries and
of course the big station is right behind
you. We like Opera and were very happy
to walk from this arondissement all the
way down to the Left Bank to mooch
around St Germain and the Jardin du
Luxembourg or meander through to the
Marais. The straight, long roads back to
Opera will lead you home to the hotel.
Meanwhile all the major stations except
Black Bar on the ground floor near the
entrance of the hotel recreates the
ambience of the World Fair but with
Africa as its theme. This is the ideal
spot for a quiet breakfast or an evening
cocktail after an exhausting day exploring.
Light meals are served at lunch
along with enticing goodies at tea
time in the afternoon.
I would go back to this hotel in a blink.
I love big hotel foyers, where there’s
history, a lot of activity, lots of staff
and areas to have a drink or just read
the paper. And it’s not outrageously
expensive – that’s the best bit of all.
Your client looking for something more
than just a room can expect excellent
value for money. Book with confidence.
under 12 mins and CDG airport is 45 mins
by Roissy or a half hour cab ride.
The Terminus café next door is one
of the neighborhoods’ top gourmet
addresses. Chef Guy Pommelet offers
a “spontaneous” cuisine highlighting
regional produce. This typical Parisianlooking brasserie was entirely refurbished
three years ago. The dramatic Golden
PRODUCT UPDATE
The upper deck of the refurbished China Airlines 747’s.
AIRLINES
China Airlines new service to New York
is proving a winner according to sales
manager Australia, Jim Wong. The thrice
weekly scheduled services between Taipei
and New York started in April and operate
via Osaka’s Kansai International Airport
Taipei New York sectors utilise totally
refurbished 747-400 aircraft. Economy fare
is currently $1,785 including tax, business
$5,226.
Rome will be the next destination for
emirates flagship A380 aircraft. The daily
A380 service will start December 1, 2011.
The service will operate daily as EK 97,
departing Dubai at 0910hrs (local time)
and arriving at Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci
airport at 1235hrs (local). The return flight,
EK 98, departs Rome at 1435hrs (local) and
arrives in Dubai at 2305hrs (local). From
October 1, 2011, the A380 will begin serving
Johannesburg, followed by Kuala Lumpur
as of December 1 and then from January
1 2012, the A380 will be deployed on the
Munich route.
Hawaiian Airlines Sydney-Honolulu flights
will go daily year-round, starting
December 14.
Ever think of SriLankan Airlines when
coming up with a few new ideas for clients
who travel to Europe regularly? They
are sure to like the idea of an over water
bungalow in the Maldives en-route to
London. With SriLankan Airlines newly
released fares and the strength of the
Australian dollar, this is fast becoming an
affordable dream. SriLankan is offering a
range of new fares which are on sale until
December 31, 2011 for travel until the
March 31, 2012. National SM Alan Wilcock
commented: “While our main focus remains
the South Asian Sub Continent, we also
want to make people aware that we offer
extremely competitive fares to the Middle
East and London which presents a great
alternative with the option of an enticing
stopover.” London fares departing from
Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide
and Perth, start from $1150 nett return
plus taxes. SriLankan offer daily flights
from Colombo to London Heathrow as well
as five flights a week direct from Male to
Heathrow. Not only do passengers have
the option of an adventurous SriLankan
stopover but also the option of a few days
in the Maldives to kick into holiday mode or
recover from a hectic European sojourn.
More details, 1300 703 73
For the seventh year in a row, Emirates ‘ice’
inflight entertainment system has been
awarded the ‘World’s Best Airline Inflight
Entertainment’ award at the 2011 Skytrax
World Airline Awards. Emirates latest IFE
system, ice Digital Widescreen (‘ice’ stands
for information, communications and
entertainment), offers a choice of more than
1200 channels of entertainment, including
280 movies, hundreds of TV choices and
thousands of music tracks. Emirates will
PRODUCT UPDATE
where Titanic was built, before
returning to Southampton.
soon roll out A380 aircraft
equipped with WiFi internet
connection.
CRUISING
Bike and Barge cruises allow
partners of different abilities
and interests to holiday
together (trips are just as
interesting for non-cycling
partners).
Bright, Victoria based active
holiday specialists Outdoor
Travel have managed to secure
last minute discounts on one
of the most popular routes
saving $400pp in a twin share
cabin. Starting in Belgium and
finishing in Amsterdam, the
eight day cruise departs on
October 16 and costs $1495pp.
The discounted deal includes:
Experienced multi-lingual cycle guide,
breakfast and picnic lunch each day,
3-course dinner on 6-nights, 24-speed
hybrid bike hire.
Autumn in Europe is ideal for cycling with
cool mornings giving way to bright blue
skies and a landscape of wonderful colours
as the woodlands and gardens make their
change.
This cycling cruise offers flat easy riding
along well made trails, travelling through
landscape made famous by the paintings of
the old Dutch Masters.
More details, www.outdoortravel.com.au
Next year marks the centenary of the
sinking of the RMS Titanic. To mark the
occasion Fred Olsen Cruise Lines will operate
a mini cruise aboard Balmoral, calling at
each of the historic ports on the liner’s
short-lived maiden voyage. The five-night
cruise departs from Southampton on April 3
2012, and visits Liverpool then onto Belfast
In Belfast, guests will be among
the first to explore the new
visitors’ centre, ‘Titanic Belfast’
which opens in April 2012.
Prices start from $899.
Combining Sea Cloud, Sea
Cloud II and the River Cloud
II for the first time, the
company’s 2012 brochure
provides discerning passengers
with a smorgasbord of themes
and experiences to choose
from. The River Cloud II is a
floating five-star hotel that
takes 88 pampered guests on
the Rhine, Main, Danube and
the Black Sea to Europe’s most
beautiful destinations.
The fleet includes two five star
windjammers: Sea Cloud built in 1931 for
wealthy businessman’s wife Lady Marjorie
Merriweather Post and her sister ship
Sea Cloud II. River Cloud II will begin her
season in April 2012 in Belgium and the
Netherlands. Special dates include:
17-24 May 2012: Garden cruise to
experience the World Horticultural Expo
“Floriade” with landscape gardener
Antonius Bösterling. More details, www.
seacloud.com
PRODUCT UPDATE
Attending the champagne sabering is part of the
fun of stayingAutumn
at the new
Registour
Bangkok.
Toursgallery’s
in St
Japan
takes
guests behind the scenes, to meet Japanese
potters and craft makers in their working
environment. Clients l earn about the
history of Noritake Ceramics and watch
demonstrations of pottery making in
Karatsu, Imari, Koishihara and Arita.
More details, www.toursgallery.com
Thai massages at the St. Regis Bangkok’s
Elemis Spa.
We will review this hotel in our next issue.
The luxury 153 room JW Marriott Hotel
Cusco will open in 2012 with a customised
design built around a colonial church and
ancient Inca artefacts found on the site.
All 153 rooms and suites will be equipped
with luxurious bedding and sumptuous
bathrooms with soaking tub and separate
shower. At an elevation of 11,200 feet
above sea level, this will be the first Marriott
property to have an in-room supplemental
oxygen system to relieve altitude sickness.
www.jwmarriott.com
the Canadian Rockies Highlights tour, saving
more than $250pp. The legendary train is
featured in 45 vacation packages and five
distinctive rail routes.
ACCOMMODATION
The St. Regis Bangkok “Perfect Pairings by
Krug” offer includes a minimum two nights’
accommodation in any of its spectacular
suites (St. Regis Suite, Caroline Astor Suite or
John Jacob Suite), a complimentary bottle of
Krug Grand Cuvee champagne upon arrival,
fruit and daily breakfast in the suite or at Viu
restaurant.
The offer starts from THB29,000 and is
available from now until December 31,
2011. Bangkok’s newest 5 star hotel will
keep you busy – whether it is attending
a champagne sabering overlooking the
Bangkok skyline, reliving the afternoon tea
ritual in the drawing room, or side by side
RAIL
The 2012 Rocky Mountaineer brochure
includes a special scratch-and-sniff booklet
giving readers a fragrant preview of the
Canadian wilderness.
Celebrating the launch, Adventure World is
offering an add-on Whistler excursion to
SPECIAL TOURS
Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours
has launched a 15-night Vietnam
Commemoration Tour, to be escorted by
leading author on war - Gary McKay. A
former platoon leader, he was awarded the
Military Cross for bravery. The development
of this tour is in direct response to the
PRODUCT UPDATE
growing interest we have received from
both Vietnam Veterans and battlefield
pilgrims who wish to engage with wartime
history, while at the same time exploring
modern day Vietnam,” Mr McLachlan said.
This new tour aims to both commemorate
the Vietnam War and educate about
Australia’s involvement, while at the same
time highlighting the beauty of Vietnam.”
Dates are March 19 to April 3, 2012.
Depending on the time of year, AFTA
member Battlefield Tours itineraries feature
visits to significant sites in Gallipoli, the
Western Front in France and Belgium, the
D-Day beaches of Normandy, Armistice
Day sites, Vietnam and more – as well as
individually tailored tours to any location
relevant to war buffs, school groups, cadets,
and senior citizens. More details, www.
battlefields.com.au
Aurora Expeditions commemorative
voyage to Papua New Guinea in April next
year will mark the 70th anniversary of
Australia’s WWII involvement. The voyage
will encompass visits to historical sites from
Alotau to Rabaul, ending with a special
dawn ANZAC day service in Rabaul. Alotau
is the capital of Milne Bay Province in Papua
New Guinea.
Lost in Paradise – Our fallen heroes will
depart Alotau on 14 April 2012 landing at
key historic sites such as Samarai Island,
Linden Harbour, Jacquinot Bay, Tol and
Rabaul. Cost is from $5,690pp quad-share,
including shore excursions and lectures.
More details, auroraexpeditions.com.au
Covent Garden is a great location in London
close to theatres, great pubs and value
restaurants. And now there is a smart new
hotel to call home. In the final stage of a
15 million pound makeover, the Radisson
Edwardian (formerly the Mountbatten)
has a new name - The Mercer Street Hotel.
Meet at the new Dial bar and restaurant for
fragrant cocktails inspired by the fruit and
flowers of Covent Garden, and relish the
market-fresh produce of the modern
European menu. Rates for stays from
September 12 - December 19 2011 are:
£269 for a Double Superior; £299 for a
King Deluxe and £339 for a Junior Suite.
Included is • Full English Breakfast for 1
person (supplement of £10 for an additional
breakfast) • Priority Early Check-in (subject
to availability) • Late check-out to 4pm •
Complimentary wireless • Frequent Flyer
Points awarded with partner airlines • 20%
discount on food (beverages excluded) • 25%
discount on telephone charges.
More details, Sarah Whitty or Katherine
Heath on +61 3 9520 2353
[email protected] / heathk@radisson.
WIN one of fice copies
of Book One of Fiona
McIntosh’s international
best selling Valisar
trilogy, Royal Exile.
Just email the name of
book 2 to editorial@
travelagentupdate.com
emiratesagents.com/au
A perfect evening arrival.
Thanks to our morning flight services, your clients can start their day
at home and end it in a great range of international destinations.
With our seamless connections through Dubai, they’ll land in time
for a good night’s sleep before their first full day away.
Enjoy our same day service to a range of destinations. Fly Emirates. Keep discovering.
Birmingham | Düsseldorf | Frankfurt* | Hamburg | Istanbul* | London | Manchester* | Milan | Moscow | Munich | Paris | Rome | Vienna | Zurich
Air Transport World 2011 Airline of the Year. *Flights to Istanbul, Manchester and Frankfurt depart from Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne, with flights to Istanbul also available from Sydney at select times of the year.
For more information contact your Emirates Sales Team or the Emirates Customer Service Centre on 1300 880 599. TM © Rugby World Cup Limited 2008.
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