Soak up luxury at Qualia
HAMILTON Island’s ultra-glam resort Qualia has brought a new level of luxury to Queensland, writes Susan Kurosawa.
Luxury
Best ‘extreme design’ hotels
FROM Greek Orthdox-style chapels, to villas along the Great Wall of China it’s time to drool over the world’s most stylish hotels.
The coolest carry-ons
FROM luxurious Louis Vuitton to a sizzling Samsonite number. Be the envy of the airport and travel in style with the world’s coolest carry-on luggage.
Tale of two spas
IN Cairns and Port Douglas, scrubs, rubs, wraps and rolls are more popular than sunbaking and a swim in the sea, writes Susan Kurosawa.
To the Bund
MUCH of 1930s Shanghai may be gone but in this emphatically 21st-century city there’s plenty of pre-war hedonism to be found in its nightclubs and restaurants.
Soaking up Japanese tradition
BRIAN Johnston immerses himself in Japan’s thermal baths and discovers a rich and age-old tradition that soothes away stress in superb surroundings.
Di-vine intervention
IN an indulgent mood, you can make a luxurious getaway in the ever-evolving Barossa Valley work the same magic as an extended holiday.
California’s chill-out zone
PEOPLE often come to reclaim their souls, and as one of America’s favourite spa destinations, California’s Big Sur has many ways to revive even the most jaded.
Rainforest’s burbling beauty
JENNY Stevens marvels at the sights and sounds of Far North Queensland’s Daintree Rainforest from her treetop guestroom at the Silky Oaks Lodge.
Just for the love of it
IN an edited extract from his new book, Hotel Heaven: Confessions Of A Luxury Hotel Addict, Matthew Brace reveals his top ten romantic hotels.
Hamilton Island fires up
HAMILTON Island, once the playground of rich and famous souls including Beatle George Harrison, is enjoying a cash-fuelled revamp, writes Mike O’Connor.
Luxury adds to camping bliss
WHEN gourmet food, champagne and a carpeted tent with a decadent queen-sized bed is on offer, Ellen Connolly discovers that she does like camping after all.
Wok and roll in Phuket
IN a girls-only trip through Thailand seeking luxury, pampering and adventure, Maria Visconti finds a cooking class in Phuket to be a very tasty diversion.
Into the deep
AT $67, the dim sum is no steal at Dubai’s most extravagant restaurant but Al Mahara’s dramatic underwater setting is a real drawcard, writes Susan Kurosawa.
Lunch on the Hawkesbury
A LUNCH cruise on the NSW Hawkesbury involves oysters, crabs and buckets of fun, writes Graeme Blundell.
Paris by pastries
PASTRIES are an essential part of the good life in Paris so what better way to tour the city than by eating at its patisseries. Garry Marchant tries some of the best.
Eau la la … I’ve been sprung!
KEVIN Pilley travels along France’s famous Water Route to taste the curative spa waters at their source and discovers the meaning of the term ‘water retention’.
Water log from Kerala
SUSAN Kurosawa journeys through the lakes and canals of tropical and prosperous Kerala in southwestern India on a converted rice boat.
Celebrity chic on a budget
VISITING a playground of the rich and famous does not have to be a budget-buster, writes Ellen Connolly.
Small taste of heaven
AN exclusive chauffeur-driven tour of the Barossa Valley’s small wineries is a corker of an idea, writes Christina Pfeiffer.
Thrills and spills in Oman
OMAN is fast becoming a hot spot to visit, discovers Veronica Matheson after a sneak preview on a new luxury resort on a remote peninsula.
Orange loosens belt for winefest
CORKS are popping in the central NSW town of Orange as Australia’s coolest climate winemakers celebrate with a food and wine festival.
Licence to thrill
THOUSANDS of Bond fans travel the world seeking out the exotic locations touched by the famous spy, writes Kevin Pilley.
Miami Nice
MIAMI’S South Beach used to be just flash and trash. Now it’s glamour all the way, writes Julie Earle-Levine after trying out her own ‘tanning butler’.
Bath, you’re soaking in it
THE much-anticipated Thermae Bath Spa, in England’s ancient town of Roman baths, has finally opened its gleaming glass doors. Tricia Welsh pays a visit.
Luxury hotel boosts Bali confidence
A NEW luxury hotel to open in Bali will help restore the resort island’s tourism arrivals after two terrorist bombings in the past four years, the Bali tourism board says.
Sauna’s clean Finnish
JUST in case you ever wanted to, the Finnish tradition of sauna offers the perfect excuse for rolling around naked in the snow, writes Jonathon Moran.
Bush charm in old shearing shed
ELLEN Connolly heads to the NSW cool-climate wine region of Orange and emerges happier and fuller from this gourmet city.
On the chocolate trail
A POSSE of confessed chocoholics put the “never too much chocolate” theory to the test. McLaren Vale: Just say cheese »
Don’t stress over modesty
UNLIKE Scandinavians who grow up with saunas and are relaxed about the naked body, Australians tend to be shy when it comes to spas.
Tour de fantasy
THIRTEEN luxury hotels in five months and no money: relaxing is hard when you’re a budget traveller in the world’s flashiest hotels.
Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-ideas/luxury/page/9