Morocco’s Caravan Dakhla: Habitas’ new Sahara retreat revealed
By John O’Ceallaigh Rapidly growing hotels group Habitas has opened its second property in Morocco. On the shores of the Dakhla lagoon in the southern strip of the country in…
Jimmy Choo’s Creative Director Sandra Choi designs Claridge’s hotel’s 2022 ‘Diamond’ Christmas tree
By John O’Ceallaigh For people in the luxury-travel industry in London, the capital’s Christmas season doesn’t really kick off properly until Claridge’s unveils its latest Christmas tree. Every year, the…
LUTE Loves: Buahan, Banyan Tree’s remarkable wall-free Bali retreat
By John O’Ceallaigh It doesn’t happen all the time, or even frequently at all, but there are certain resorts I visit as a luxury-travel journalists that I know I’ll reference…
First Look: Bill Bensley’s Shinta Mani Mustang will be a haven in the Himalayas
With a reputation for creating fantastical and unconventional properties – see InterContinental Khao Yai Resort, Thailand’s ‘train hotel’, and Bali’s tented Capella’s Ubud, where 23 tented lodges inspired by Indonesia’s…
Belmond’s Venice Simplon-Orient-Express’s new suites celebrate Europe’s most dramatic landscapes
By John O’Ceallaigh In the midst of Europe’s troubling heatwave and at a time when holidaymakers of all guises are rediscovering an appreciation for transnational travel by rail, Belmond has…
LUTE Loves: ‘the world’s most exclusive flight’ aboard the penguin plane
By John O’Ceallaigh The windows are scratched and dirty, the tray tables broken and there’s a problem with the lavatory, but everyone is grateful to be on board. We’re just…
With guides such as Don McCullin, The Luminaire’s tours shed new light on world wonders
By John O’Ceallaigh I know it’s becoming boring to bleat on about what we’ve learned from the pandemic (and I’m glad about that), so I’ll just briefly mention that my…
Inside Burj Al Arab: the bold new tour bringing the world to Dubai’s most exclusive hotel
By John O’Ceallaigh Dubai’s hotels deserve their reputation for innovation, but still it seemed strange to hear Jumeirah Burj Al Arab, self-styled as ‘the world’s most exclusive hotel’ and labelled…
LUTE Loves: Virgin Limited Edition’s Necker Island
By John O’Ceallaigh I’m sure it wasn’t a coincidence that the speakers on our speedboat pumped out Kool & The Gang’s Celebration as we made our final approach to Richard…
The Safari Station Sleepover: Mantis reveals the Founders Railway Carriage train hotel
By John O’Ceallaigh I’m all for the romance of long-distance train travel, but one of the drawbacks people rarely mention is that a good night’s sleep doesn’t come easy. I…