saturday 30 june, 10am on 89.3fm 5 hot new hotels open in ... · 2. atlantis sanya sanya, china the...

5 hot new hotels open in June 2018 From the Pantheon in Rome to Palm Island in Dubai, here’s our pick of the world’s most luxurious new launches in summer 2018

1. The Pantheon Iconic Rome HotelRome, ItalyMarriott is voraciously expanding its Autograph Collection – a group of 135 distinct and independent properties, dotted around the globe – and the latest addition has arrived in the heart of the Eternal City, just steps from the Pantheon. Milanese designer Marco Piva executed the 79-room and 20-suite hotel’s vision, drawing inspiration from the heritage and vibrancy of the city, specifically the nearby Pantheon’s geometry, light and building materials. The accommodations also have stunning views of Piazza Sant’Eustachio and Via di Santa Chiara and showcase a rotating selection of items inspired by local happenings, such as design shows and cultural events, which bring to life the never-ending evolution of Rome.____________________________________

2. Atlantis SanyaSanya, ChinaThe doors of China’s first Atlantis resort were flung open on April 28 after four years of construction and an almost $2 billion investment that’s tipped to propel Hainan Island toward becoming a renowned luxury travel destination. The resort spans 540,000 square metres and includes 1,324 rooms and suites, five of which are quite remarkable Underwater Suites.

The aquatic theme continues at the resort’s aquarium, one of the largest open-air aquariums in the world, The Ambassador Lagoon, a unique underwater habitat, home to more than 86,000 species of marine life – some of which perhaps appear on the menu at the resort’s 21 restaurants cafes, and lounges. The dining facilities include read Street Kitchen and Bar by world-famous celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay and Ossiano Underwater Restaurant and Bar.____________________________________

3. Alila BangsarKuala Lumpur, MalaysiaElevated above the bustle of Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur’s most vibrant and cosmopolitan district, the hotel is Alila’s first property in Malaysia. The urban retreat occupies the top floor of “The Establishment”, offering 143

rooms bathed in natural light with exceptional views of the city’s skyline. Perched on level 41, guests will find a sky level lobby leading to a pool on level 40, as well as nose-to-tail French restaurant Entier where every part of the animal or vegetable is used, thanks to the culinary prowess of Chef Masashi Hirouchi.____________________________________

4. The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery By SofitelPalm Jumeirah, Dubai, UAEIf you want to journey back in time with a vintage Bentley, plan a Bedouin breakfast in the desert or enjoy a salt and henna spa treatment, then this new Palm Jumeirah resort has got you covered.

The MGallery brand was recently spun off the Sofitel label, offering more of a lifestyle option in Dubai’s world of luxury and this “Serenity” collection hotel lives up to its name, claiming to be the first holistic wellbeing resort in the Middle East and the home of the world’s first Rayya Wellness centre, with a range of holistic tailor-made health and wellbeing programmes and packages. The centre houses a luxury

The Zeppelin Times 4CRB Travel ShowSaturday 30 June, 10am on 89.3FM

The Professional Centre, Suite 1, 189 Ashmore Road, Benowa, Gold Coast QLD 4217Phone: (07) 555 79 888 | Free Call: 1300 786 888 Email: [email protected] | Website: www.zt.com.au Facebook: www.facebook.com/zeppelintravel

spa, a state-of-the-art fitness centre and gym and a wellness clinic as well as a variety of recreation facilities.____________________________________

5. Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Residences Emirates PearlAbu Dhabi, UAEA hotel that invites you to begin your “grand” experience within its walls, the tongue-twisting Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Residences Emirates Pearl provides 428 locally inspired guestrooms and suites with views over the Gulf, along with six restaurants and bars and more than 4,700 sqm of flexible event space. The culinary offerings range from Japanese to Italian cuisine, including a Grill, a delectable wine bar and much more, with each and every venue featuring spacious outdoor terraces. And, staying outdoors, the nearby Corniche also area ensures copious amounts of shoreline strolling, with heaps of restaurants, cafes and attractions.

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Royal Caribbean purchases majority share of Silversea Cruises

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) has found a luxury brand of its own to compete with the likes of Carnival Cruises (Seabourn Cruise Line, Cunard Line) and Norwegian Cruise Line (Regent Seven Seas Cruises). The cruise line has announced it will be purchasing a 66.7 percent stake in Silversea Cruises, a privately-owned, ultra-luxury and expedition brand, in a transaction valued at approximately $2.0 billion.

“The Silversea investment presents an extraordinary opportunity for RCL, as we seek to bring more vacation options to our guests worldwide,” said Richard Fain, CEO and Chairman of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., in a written release. “Silversea has a long track record as the leader in high-end, small-ship ultra-luxury and expedition cruising, and our stake in this company enhances our current offerings and creates additional value for our shareholders.”

Silversea Cruises Executive Chairman Manfredi Lefebvre said: “I am very excited about the growth opportunity this partnership with Royal Caribbean gives to Silversea and look forward to continue to steer the strategy of the leader in ultra-luxury cruising and

luxury expedition. RCL’s financial and operational strength will allow us to grow at an unprecedented pace and will allow us to capture the burgeoning demand for ultra-luxury and expedition cruising.”

Lefebvre and Fain also confirmed that Silversea’s CEO Roberto Martinoli will continue in his role, working with the existing Silversea management team.

Silversea, with its smaller, all-suite ships and luxury expedition vessels, adds an ultra-luxury brand to RCL’s brand lineup. RCL’s largest brand, Royal Caribbean International, is a contemporary brand focused on adventure-seeking families; Celebrity Cruises is a premium brand providing a modern luxury experience to discerning global travellers; and Azamara Club Cruises is a destination-immersive brand offering luxury voyages to unique ports. The company also operates the regional TUI Cruises and Pullmantur brands as part of long-term joint ventures.

The closing is expected to be completed later in the year.



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The New York Pass is the way to go in the Big AppleSimilar to a credit card giving cash free entry to more than 90 New York tourist attractions. Passes can be purchased for one, two, three, five, seven or 10 days depending on your available time and tastes. There is no limit to the number of attractions you can visit during your ticket time-frame. The informative New York Pass app is a must for your visit. It contains a list of all the attractions, addresses, a bar code for access and you can create your own itinerary.

A one day pass in NYC will allow you to do four perhaps five tours. Our recent trip with three people managed four but could cover five with further planning. A good idea to get into walking mode before you arrive because there is heaps of ground to cover and remember a lot of other people are in the same sightseeing mode.

The first for us was the Empire State Building – Get in early it opens at 8 o’clock.This iconic building gives 360 degree views around NYC Take in the stunning sights from 320 metres (1,050 ft) up on the Observation Deck.

Second call was the Circle Line two & a half hour Best of NY guided sightseeing cruise that completely circled Manhattan.

The only cruise line dedicated exclusively to sightseeing, with vessels featuring over-sized glass windows offering magnificent views of the Manhattan skyline, all year round. Take in over 101 city sights by water, including the Intrepid, the WW 2 naval aircraft carrier, Yankee Stadium, the Cloisters and a superb close-up of the Statue of Liberty. Our commentator Tom was extremely knowledgeable and answered questions as he described the headline sights.

Third visit – the Catacombs by Candlelight – Dive into the deep history of NYC and discover what’s under the streets. And what does the late David Bowie have to do with the tour? One of the quirky activities on the New York Pass is to visit one of the newest activities in NYC and that is The Catacombs tour by Candlelight which is less than 12 months old. Tommy from Tommy’s Tours in

the City spent a long time negotiating with the elders of the Irish Catholic Church to get permission to conduct the tours and now they are hugely successful. The tour revolves around the Nave of the church (the central aisle of a Basilica church) The Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral is an historic landmark Catholic Church where you explore the final resting place of the devotedly departed in historic crypts. You get to view New York City’s underground tunnels and passageways as you explore the remarkable Catacombs. When ambling through the un-manicured cemetery our guide Leo says “This has nothing to do with the Catacombs but David Bowie lived in that top apartment of the building directly overlooking the cemetery, his wife still lives there.”

Our one hour tour had at least 30 participants and Leo’s amiable commentary was both interesting and educational. He guided the group well as we congregated together in vaults, corridors and the Basilica interior and climbed to the 1868 Henry Erben pipe organ which has nearly 2500 pipes.

The grounds have been home to important Catholic New Yorkers for over 200 years and is Manhattan’s only Catholic cemetery. Leo explains that the space in front of us is the site of a family crypt that, when finished, will hold the bodies of six to nine people and it can be purchased for a cool $US7 million. The baptism scene from the movie the Godfather was filmed inside the Cathedral.

There are three group departures for the Catacombs by Candlelight tours leaving at 11am, 1pm and 3pm daily.

The final call for the day was the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) – Located in Midtown Manhattan the museum has played an important part in developing and collecting modernistic art and is one of the biggest and most influential museums of modern art in the world. It includes works of architecture, design, drawing, painting sculpture photography, prints, over 300,000 books, film and electronic media.



To get around your selected attractions use The Big Bus – The Hop on Hop off Big Bus tour is valid for one day with your New York Pass. Various routes can be taken with more than 35 stops. They feature talkative and knowledgeable guides and offer free WI Fi.

The New York Pass can be purchased on line before you leave your home country. Select your pass and download instantly using the app. Plan your time in the city by choosing one of the New York Pass selected itineraries or create your own itinerary on the New York Pass app.

Armed with the top value New York Pass it’s off to do battle with your fellow sightseers and capture the magical memories of the attractions of your choice while saving you many dollars.

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Driverless shuttle launches at Australia’s first innovation districtA driverless electric shuttle linking Australia’s first innovation district with nearby public transport stops has launched in Adelaide.

The five-year Flinders University trial is the first time autonomous buses have operated on public roads in South Australia.

The Flinders Express (FLEX) will initially provide ‘first mile–last mile’ shuttle services between the nearby Clovelly Park Train Station and Tonsley’s Main Assembly Building, then connections to bus stops on the major South Road artery and businesses within the Tonsley precinct.

A former Mitsubishi car manufacturing site in Adelaide’s southern suburbs, the Tonsley Innovation District has been transformed into Australia’s first innovation precinct and has quickly become a hub for advanced manufacturing and other future facing industries.

The French-designed Navya Arma electric shuttle can carry up to 15 passengers at speeds of up to 40km/h, but will be limited to 30 km/h during the trial. FLEX will be managed by an on- board chaperone informing users of the technology and ensuring safety.

Funded by the State Government and industry partners, within a year the shuttle will run to the nearby Flinders Medical Centre and the university’s Bedford Park campus before using main arterial roads around the entire Bedford Park precinct.

Workers, students or visitors travelling to Tonsley by traditional bus or train can can book a ride online at the Flinders University website.

Flinders University Head of Civil Engineering Professor Rocco Zito said demonstrations and trials of driverless vehicles that involved the community were a good way of building acceptance of the new technology.

“Our aim is not to prove the technology but rather expose the public to this new type of transport service and learn from their responses and reactions to help driverless

vehicles gain general acceptance,” Professor Zito said.

“In order for driverless vehicles to become an integral part of our transport system we need to trial these vehicles in real operating conditions and encourage public participation and feedback.

“It’s not a question of if this technology will be on roads, but when.”

The three-stage, $4 million driverless shuttle project is a partnership between Flinders University, the RAA, Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure and industry supporters Cohda Wireless, Renewal SA, SAGE Automation, Telstra, UPG, ZenEnergy and public transport operator Keolis Downer. The project last year received $1 million from the South Australian government’s $10 million Future Mobility Lab Fund.

The vehicle will be docked within a six bay solar recharge garage soon to be built near the Mitsubishi Administration building. The free solar garage will also be available to the public wanting to recharge their own electric vehicles.

South Australia has a history of involvement with autonomous car research and in 2015 held the first driverless car trials in the



Southern Hemisphere.

It hosts a number of leading autonomous car companies including Cohda Wireless and its innovative V2X (Vehicle to everything) technology and RDM Group, which opened its Asia-Pacific headquarters in Adelaide last year.

Transport operator Keolis Downer is involved with the Flinders University project, having collaborated on the Navya autonomous shuttle projects in Melbourne and other cities around the world including Paris, Las Vegas, and Montreal.

Keolis Downer CEO David Franks said autonomous shuttles would change the way people travelled.

“By exploring how these vehicles can complement existing transport solutions, we aim to encourage the use of public transport and create more liveable and sustainable environments for communities,” he said.

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National Geographic’s only finalist in Asia: Thailand’s first luxury tented CampsElephant Hills are Thailand’s first Luxury Tented Jungle Camps, combining the camp idea of African national parks with the Thai tropical forest environment- and offering 2-4 day luxury adventure tours.

The two camps, The Elephant Camp and the floating Rainforest Camp, are both situated in Khao Sok, part of Southern Thailand’s largest stretch of primary Rainforest. Despite being tucked away in the Green, these camps are easily reachable from popular beach destinations like Phuket, Khao Lak, Khanom, Krabi and even Koh Samui. All tours are fully inclusive of activities, accommodation, meals and a well-educated, fully-licensed tour guide. But that’s not all…

Transfers to and from above mentioned destinations are included in the package price as well, plus you can see both Camps in one tour!

The Elephant CampSituated right on the border of the rainforest of Khao Sok National Park, our luxury tailor-made tents and set in the largest protected area of rainforest in Southern Thailand. Each tent features comfortable solid beds, fan, tea and coffee making facilities and a luxurious bathroom with Western style toilet, hairdryer and hot and cold shower. The furniture is handmade by our very own skilled craftsmen using natural materials and provides all the comfort you would normally find in a hotel room.

You have the option to marvel at breathtaking landscapes while lazily being paddled down a river in a canoe, explore mysterious mangrove swamps and legendary jungle lakes full of limestone formations, relax at deserted beaches, visit local markets, discover primary rainforest on foot and much more.

Highlight of our tours is our unique Elephant Experience, during which you will get to wash, feed and interact with these amazing creatures. A once in a lifetime experience that will last you a lot longer than your holidays will…

Our Elephant ExperienceThe Elephant Hills Elephant Experience is a

unique concept which we implemented in 2010, when we decided that we would like to stop elephant riding, as carrying tourists on their back is not a natural thing elephant do. At Elephant Hills, we do not offer elephant riding; instead, we offer a much more interactive and respectful option to encounter our phenomenal pachyderms. Many of our magnificent pachyderms at Elephant Hills have been working in the logging industry until this was banned by law in 1989. As elephants easily wolf down over 200kg of food per day, new ways of sustaining these gentle giants had to be found – most of them switching jobs to work in the tourism industry.

As part of each of our soft adventure tour packages, guests get up close with our elephants. They watch them enjoy an extensive bath in our big elephant mud pool, and then use coconut fibers to scrub these gentle giants clean again, before preparing and feeding them one of their daily meals. After the experience, our elephants are released back into their large free roaming pen, where guests can watch them play, interact and graze in their natural environment. As you realise: The daily life of our elephants is excellent. Their “work” consists of eating, splashing around in their elephant pool and afterwards enjoying a good scrub from our guests. This is a truly unique way to interact and get up close with Asia’s largest land animal!

We have been awarded with the Thailand Green Excellence Award for Animal Welfare in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. This prestigious award was given by the Tourism Authority of Thailand in cooperation with Wanderlust magazine to honor our ongoing efforts to an as natural as possible Elephant Experience. The Tourism Authority of Thailand and Wanderlust magazine named Elephant Hills as “Highly Commendable”, ranking us the best elephant camp in Thailand in terms of Animal Welfare!

The Rainforest CampOpened in January 2011, Elephant Hills Rainforest Camp is the little sister of The Elephant Camp and situated in the center of Cheow Larn Lake in Khao Sok National Park. Rainforest Camp, one of the only floating



tented camps in the world, is located on one of Thailand’s most spectacular lakes surrounded by rainforest and towering limestone mountains.

20 Luxury Safari Tents with en-suite bathrooms provide an intimate base for you to explore Southern Thailand’s tropical rainforest. Powered by both wind and solar energy and using responsible waste management, Rainforest Camp is designed to be at one with nature. This has to be the most unique and responsible way to experience the true beauty of Southern Thailand’s endangered Rainforest habitat, home to wild Elephants, Hornbills, rare Asian Oxen (gaurs), various monkey species, a myriad of reptiles, amphibians and floral species. Cheow Larn lake is a must see for all nature lovers.

Relax in front of your tent, take a swim in the emerald waters of Cheow Larn Lake, kayak through its khlongs and channels in search of monkeys and birds and trek through the rainforest before watching the sun set over the jungle. A night at Rainforest Camp is certainly one you will not forget too soon.

The tents have ample space, are well protected against mosquitos and other possible intruders, offer plenty of lighting and are the perfect place to reflect on the day’s observations and activities. A night at Elephant Hills is a unique experience, the temperatures drop, and the campfire creates a romantic and warm atmosphere in which to share travel tales as the rainforest its inhabitants form an exciting concert.

www.zt.com.au

saturday 30 june, 10am on 89.3fm 5 hot new hotels open in ... · 2. atlantis sanya sanya, china the...

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