So is the Burj Al Arab really a seven-star hotel? Short answer, no, there is no such thing as an official seven-star rating. The Burj Al Arab is formally known as a “five-star deluxe hotel” on the standard rating system. And we should point out that Jumeirah themselves have never claimed that the hotel has…
Imagine if Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich had bought Chelsea, and then made his first point of business to install himself as centre midfielder. Meanwhile, fellow football club owners, Sheikh Mansour, John Henry and Malcolm Glazer at Man City, Liverpool and Man Utd all did the same with their respective clubs – and nobody thought it…
It seems strange that technology has progressed in almost every field, but in supersonic travel things have seemingly regressed. Concorde was flying people faster than the speed of sound back in 1976, but since its retirement in 2003 there has been no commercial supersonic flight. Why not, and please can we have it back? The…
It opened in 1887 and was named after Singapore’s English founder, Sir Stamford Raffles; 125 years later it’s still one of the finest hotels this side of the world. Described in 1905 by a London newspaper as “The Savoy of the East” it has remained a bastion of aged refinement. Raffles Singapore started as a…
The grand old dame of Hong Kong and “the best hotel east of the Suez”. When The Peninsula first opened in 1928, it was the culmination of a plan by the Hong Kong Hotel Company to build “the best hotel East of the Suez”. Today it still stands as the grand old dame of Hong…
The fashion and business capital of Italy is somewhere to fall in love with Europe again. The strange thing about big European cities, is that you don’t fully appreciate them until you have lived away from them for a while. You almost take their presence for granted. Then when you do visit, they seem like…
The historic retreat on Lake Worthersee where Europe’s Elite love to hide away. While this part of the world frantically creates nouveau riche luxury – and invents an extra two stars in the process – the Europeans have been refining their original five-stars for centuries. Cities like Paris and London might attract the masses, but…
With whatever endeavour you happen to be undertaking, it’s extremely rare that everything comes together perfectly. The film might have good actors and a great director but the script might be lacking. The singer in the band might have a stunning voice, but he looks like a drummer. The striker always finds the net, but…
Visiting New York and just letting people you meet recommend the next place to go. On the advice of a New York realtor we met on the plane, the best place to start is at the green core of the Big Apple – Central Park. Get up early, which should be easy given the time…
With the Civil War now over, Nepal is once again one of the best short-break destinations to visit. From the capital Kathmandu and Nepalese jungle tours to trips over Mount Everest itself, it’s like nowhere else on earth. Words Matt Pomroy As soon as you leave Tribhuvan International Airport you’re right into Kathmandu’s shantytown, all…
