Episode Six: Midnight awakenings April 11, 2011 “EMMA… Are you awake?” Emma twists and stretches. She draws the duvet tightly around her. “No.” “Emma.” She rubs her eyes and looks at the digital clock. 12.24am. “I’m not having sex with you David. Not now.” “No. It’s not that. I saw that dinosaur Carmichael for lunch a few days ago.” “Oh. You didn’t [...]
A spa for all seasons, particularly summer April 11, 2011 WHEN a Four Seasons opens, you can count on a bit of fanfare – some state-of-the-art design, some standard-setting opulence. When it reopens in London after a refurb costing £100m, your expectations can be even higher. Rooms, foyer, bar, restaurant and spa all have their own horns to toot. In the case of the Four [...]
The Palace 5* April 11, 2011 Showcasing European elegance in the heart of urban Sliema, The Palace is certainly befitting of its majestic name. This luxurious hotel is a real oasis of calm, boasting sumptuous, modern décor alongside pampering spa and leisure facilities. The style continues outside too, with a gorgeous infinity pool on the hotel roof – the kind of [...]
The George Hotel 4* April 11, 2011 In the heart of lively St. Julians, The George is in a fabulous location for enjoying the playful side of Malta. The hotel itself has a stylish ‘urban boutique’ feel to it, and by that we mean it’s fresh, sleek and cool. For a real taste of the high life you can kick-back on the [...]
In deep water: learning to dive off the coast of Malta April 10, 2011 AS I floated through the open hatchway into the ship’s galley, the scene appeared frozen in time. Seaweed waved gracefully about the cupboards and a spotted fish darted in and out of the abandoned cooker. A stream of bubbles poured from my dive buddy’s regulator as he laughingly grabbed the ship’s wheel and gave a [...]
TRAVEL NOTES April 10, 2011 HOLIDAY IN THE SKIES It’s the only place on earth left – aside from subway trains (and not for long there) – that people are cut off from phones and internet. No wonder, then, that a recent survey from Delta finds that European business travelers see the aeroplane as a blissful escape rather than getting [...]
THINK ROOMS… April 10, 2011 THE PALACE 5* High Street | Sliema | SLM 1542 Showcasing European elegance in the heart of urban Sliema, The Palace is certainly befitting of its majestic name. This luxurious hotel is a real oasis of calm, boasting sumptuous, modern décor alongside pampering spa and leisure facilities. The style continues outside too, with a gorgeous [...]
A Moroccan palace fit for a king – and actually built by one April 10, 2011 AS we loped across the tarmac, stooping from the weight of hand-luggage only (one in the eye for EasyJet), we shifted our misshapen bags on our shoulders in preparation for the passport queue. We needn’t have bothered. Waiting for us on the tarmac were two emissaries of the Royal Mansour, our home for the weekend. [...]
Getting Olympic rental prices for your home April 7, 2011 JUST 476 days until the Olympics, reads the countdown clock in Trafalgar Square. It heralds the flood of millions of people into the city to watch the games. Preparations are already underway: the Tube is being renovating stadiums are being built and hotels are hiking their prices. If you’re looking at all this and wondering [...]
BLACKHEATH, LONDON April 7, 2011 ST JOHNS PARK Price: £3,500,000 This restored Victorian double fronted house is close to Blackheath village and the Heath. It has seven bedrooms, a 20m heated swimming pool under the garden with a viewing gallery and a large back garden and terrace. The driveway is paved with york stone and there is a separate annex [...]