From the category archives:
A man has just embarked on a unique journey: travelling around the world without any luggage or bags of any kind.
Rolf Potts decided to put the concept of “travelling light” to the test by seeing how far he can go with only the items in his pockets.
0 comments
Movie stars sure live the life – and come to think of it even their fictional counterparts do as well. It’s especially obvious in the places where characters live, as apartments and houses in movies are always just much bigger than they are in reality, of better quality and somehow more affordable.
But while the discrepancy between make-believe and real-life may be clear when it comes to apartments, hotels and resorts on the other hand seem to get a fair shake.
The grandest hotels in the world that have provided the backdrop in many films have the potential to fulfill or even exceed your expectations. Here are our top movie hotels, places you should definitely stay at and live out your cinematic fantasy.
Read more »
2 Comments
Places like the Ritz, the Savoy and Claridge’s pretty much define some people’s idea of what luxury hotels in London are like: grand dames, steeped in tradition, best for housing royals.
However, a new breed of London luxury hotel is emerging as an alternative to the old guard, where you don’t feel the need to attach a title or a business empire to your name to get a taste for luxury living.
1 Comment
Moscow retained its ranking for the sixth year running as the city with the most expensive average hotel room rate in the world, a survey by business travel agency Hogg Robinson Group showed.
The average room rate in the city is £256.83, Hogg Robinson said in its report today. Geneva followed as the second-most expensive city at £199.11 and Hong Kong at £197.61.
0 comments
The 2010 World Expo has opened in the city of Shanghai in what China hopes will be further proof of its rising global influence.
Almost 250 countries and international organisations are showcasing their culture in an event themed around sustainable development.
8 Comments
Air traffic in Europe is currently paralyzed due to a volcanic eruption in Iceland. How could a local event in the furthest reaches of Northern Europe paralyze an entire continent?
The reason is that the ash that fills the air following a volcanic eruption has a much denser content than a normal dust or ash cloud. The ash affects air-traffic safety in a number of ways. The ash comprises minerals, which are extremely small and hard rock particles. They are so hard that they can have a blasting effect on the aircraft’s cockpit windowpanes when an aircraft meets an ash could at high speeds. However, the most serious aspect of encountering an ash cloud from a volcanic eruption is neither the aforementioned nor visibility problems. The hard ash entails severe wear on all engine components; blades and blisks are worn down very rapidly. The ash contains sulfur, which leads to rapid chemical erosion and in turn to risks of fractures and blade damage.
Read more »
0 comments
As one of the world’s first major New Year’s celebrations, Sydney’s fireworks display lit up the sky over Sydney Harbour as Australia’s biggest city ushered in the new decade with a spectacular burst of colour – as well as with an equally spectacular price tag.
As many as 1.5 million people crowded the foreshore to welcome in 2010 with a fireworks display that included 10,000 individual effects, part of the city’s five million dollar party. New South Wales Premier Kristina Keneally described the celebrations as the “best show on Earth”, adding that as many as one billion people would watch the celebrations broadcast on television.
Around 4,500 kilograms of fireworks were set off from the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge and four barges on the water, bathing the city in colour and light during the 12-minute show. Organisers said the display was the most complex ever staged, involving computer microchips and a rare blue colour difficult to achieve.
0 comments
Moscow Out takes a look at Christmas shopping in the most expensive city in the world – Moscow.
How expensive are gifts in comparison to the West? Moscow Out visits one of the main glamorous shopping malls and takes a look at Western high street stores and designers as they begin to make their impact in Russia.
0 comments
Take a look inside Dubai’s luxurious Burj Al Arab – the world’s only seven-star hotel.
0 comments
Looking for a luxurious skiing weekend? The Travel Channel travelled to the resort of LAAX in Switzerland and stumbled upon a true winter wonderland…
The resort consists of three villages; Flims, Laax, and Falera. Flims and Laax were two of the first ski destinations in the world to embrace snowboarding, as well as the freestyle skiing movement for which Laax in particular has become well known. Recently, the village has acquired the trendy rocksresort, and what with the continued popularity of the luxurious Waldhaus Flims resort in Flims, LAAX seems set to become a household name with the top-end of the ski market.
Intermediate skiers are also in for an undiscovered treat. The adjoining villages of Flims and Laax are in the Graubunden region of Switzerland, one of the largest linked ski areas in the country, with over 220 km of piste. Flims is more low key, great for families, whilst Laax is more trendy, appealing to snowboarders and those seeking chic accommodation, such as the luxurious rocksresort. Its grey sugar cube-like buildings are as far removed from a typical Swiss ski chalet as you can get. The design of the apartments is contemporary and minimalist, but boast all the latest fixtures and fittings, and all apartments feature large panoramic windows with views of the surrounding mountains.
Rocksresort also has the added bonus of a “ski in, ski out” location; the ski lift is yards away from your front door and all the restaurants, shops and the piazza are buzzing with life. If you’re looking to stay somewhere a little bit alternative, then you’ll love uber cool rocksresort. If on the other hand you want old world glamour, history and tradition then The Waldhaus Flims Mountain Resort and Spa in Flims fits the bill. Built in 1877, this impressive hotel is a member of The Leading Small Hotels of the World and therefore has everything you’d expect. It was also voted best hotel in Switzerland in 2004 by the prestigious Gault Milau guide. It is a great base for couples and families and there’s a fabulous spa area, great for non-skiers. That’s not to say you won’t appreciate all the treatments and bubble beds, massage jets and neck cascades after a hard day on the slopes. The indoor pool is surrounded by glass, allowing you to enjoy the scenery whilst you swim. And when it comes to dining, the hotel has six restaurants ranging from the gourmet La Cena to the rustic new Tschaler restaurant. Accommodation is all very well but let’s not forget what you’re really here for; the skiing. So here’s some ski facts; the altitude of the ski area runs from 1100 to 3018 metres, the highest point being the top of The Vorab Glacier, the area’s only glacier but it does mean skiing is available year round. Seventy percent of the runs are located between 2,000 and 3,000 metres above sea level, making LAAX one of the more reliable resorts for snow. The season can usually run from as early as mid-November through to mid-April.
There’s a modern, fast and efficient lift system including Switzerland’s first six-person heated chair lift, which opened in 2006 on the Scansinas to Mutta Rodunda route. With 28 lift systems in total providing the capacity to transport more than 40,000 passengers an hour, queues are minimal, and there are lots of long, cruisey blue runs perfect for intermediate skiers but not quite so challenging for advanced skiers. One of the big pluses however is the easy 90 minute transfer from Zurich airport, which makes for a convenient weekend break and advanced skiers could cover most runs in this time without getting bored. Most of the terrain is above the tree line but for beginners there is a particularly pretty long green run to the village of Falera amongst the trees. In 2007 an additional new valley run down to Flims opened, making four pistes in total. Also in 2007 the snow cannon system was expanded offering guaranteed snow on all valley runs, and a light system was installed on the piste between Curnius and Laax Murschetg, making night-time skiing possible.
In 2008, Snow Wonderland, three special ski villages near the base stations of Flims, Laax and Falera opened, where children aged three years and older learn how to ski in a playful environment. This year LAAX received the family welcome award from the Swiss Tourist Board in recognition for its work as a family-friendly destination. LAAX is however best known as a snowboard hot spot with Europe’s largest half pipe. For serious snow boarders (and party goers) the time to be in LAAX is for the Burton European Open which celebrated its 10th anniversary in January of this year. Another event to look out for is The BRITS 2010 taking place March 21-28, 2010, one of Europe’s ultimate and longest established winter festivals with live bands, acoustic sets, home run style antics and world class riding.
There are also 17 mountain side restaurants in the LAAX resort, serving everything from traditional Swiss cuisine to fine dining.
Forget Chamonix and Verbier; this year stylish snow-seekers should head to LAAX instead for the latest in snow holiday heaven.
0 comments
Loading ...
