The News Flash - Edition 2

3 min read

Your latest travel updates, from Arabian desert dining to the glitz of the Upper East Side.

Stories for... The Head

Grecian getaway

Combine ancient mythology with modern luxury on your next voyage to Greece. The soon-to-be-opened One&Only Aesthesis (pictured above) is carved out of native stone on the glamorous Athenian Riviera (just a stone’s throw from Athens’ legendary landmarks) as an emblem of the abundance of nature.

Pair it with a visit to new all-villa One&Only Kéa Island, which is perched on the end of a self-sustaining island in the Cyclades. Inspired by the surrounding azure blue waters, the villas all feature private pools and capture the serenity of island life with secluded spaces, indigenous materials and modern design elements.

Europe, Greece, Athens, View of the Acropolis

Arabian nights

Dancers, musicians and falconers weave around you, with the smells of spiced lamb, apricots and dates filtering through the air. You’d be forgiven for thinking that you’ve travelled back in time to old Arabia, but, in fact, it’s dinner at the Al Hadheerah restaurant in the new Bab Al Shams, A Rare Finds Desert Resort, which opened in February.

The treasures of the Arabian desert, the secrets of the souk and authentic Middle Eastern cuisine, which is cooked right in front of your eyes, brings together the soul of Arabian heritage in modern Dubai.

Middle East, Dubai, Bab Al Shams, Exterior

Secluded in the savannah

Loapi means ‘the space below the clouds’ in Setswana, but this secluded space in the heart of the savannah seems almost as if it’s floating above them. The eco-friendly Tswalu Loapi Tented Camp opens in July 2023 in the Kalahari Reserve South Africa, where you can disappear into the nomadic life in a one- or two-bedroom home surrounded by open grassland, with only a personal butler and private chef to disturb you. Sleep in cocoon-like sanctuaries under canvas, relax on the shaded decks next to the eco-friendly plunge pool, and sip on an early morning coffee by the fire pit, while the sights and sounds of nature engulf you.

Africa, South Africa, Tswalu Loapi Tented Camp Kalahari Reserve, pool

Africa, South Africs, Tswalu Loapi Tented Camp Kalahari Reserve, Exterior

Glamour and grandeur

Bursting with the extravagance of the Gilded Age, The Fifth Avenue Hotel will open this year with secrets of a storied past and a grand welcome for an enticing future.

Eat up a slice of history from the smaller, intimate space of the old mansion building, or be tempted by the new tower with coveted views of New York below – both celebrating the superlative design of Martin Brudnizki. It’s a place crying out for elaborate parties with wine straight from a cellar in what was once a gold vault bank, and cocktails on the open outdoor terraces that overlook the city skyline.

North America & Canada, New York, Fifth Avenue Hotel, Dining

North America & Canada, New York, Fifth Avenue Hotel, Exterior

Dream team

Two brothers, Dimitrios and Tasos Kafetzis, are co-captaining the new Celebrity Ascent, the fourth ship in the highly-acclaimed, award-winning Celebrity Edge series, as a world first. Share in their love of the ocean on the inaugural trip in November 2023, sailing to the Caribbean, from the cobbled streets of Puerto Rico to the lush mountain views of St. Kitts. The ever-changing vistas and balmy tropical breezes add to the glamour on board, with 32 restaurants, bars, and lounges and the widest range of staterooms and suites in the fleet for much-needed downtime.