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Get your passports up to par and start packing with UJ's travel column
It might be tempting fate but we do feel like there’s something a little balmier in the air these days. But rather than making us feel better about staying in our own country, the weather’s only really served to get us thinking about holidays. So what better way to kick of Travel in 2011 than with a few getaway options, opening rates, and a look at our favourite members of the industry making waves with social media.
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OFFERS
Whilst trips abroad usually get planned around the weather, music festivals or the ‘last second, I don’t care as long as it’s hot’ button on comparison websites, we’ve discovered a far better reason to be booking in - Opening Rates. Yep, find out which hotels are opening their freshly-painted doors and you could be looking at some seriously tempting offers. Our picks? The Edition in Istanbul is Ian Schrager’s second new hotel in his collaboration with Marriot and promises the same kind of slick interiors and cool service as the Waikiki outpost, with even more luxury thrown in - think Cipriani restaurant and three-floor ESPA spa. With Turkey hitting the 2011 destination hotlist too, we reckon rates starting at 265 Euros isn’t a bad bet. Closer to home we’re excited for the Curious Hotel Group’s new addition in Amsterdam, Canal House with its plush purple and slate interiors and rates from 205 Euros. But if you like it classic and fancy an excuse to do a little NYC jaunt, how about The Mondrian? With rates starting at $259 it’s enough reason to go and take another nibble out of the proverbial apple.
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INDUSTRY INSIDER
If December’s ‘Snowgate’ taught us anything, it’s this: fail to get through on the phone - take to twitter instead. Whilst irate travellers elsewhere were hung up on, we saw social media become the communication medium of choice. Regrettably BA’s tweets only seemed to incense people further (anyone else catch their in-the-midst-of-a-stranded-passenger-emergency 'foodie guide to Buenos Aires' faux pas?), whilst Dutch airline KLM came to the fore rebooking passengers via 140 characters. They’re taking it even further with a flight path created exclusively from the demand of twittering partiers heading to Miami in March, and new initiative ‘How Happiness spreads’, where a ‘Surprise Team’ gifted passengers using Foursquare with tailored, unexpected goodies at the airport. They say they might be back soon so… If anyone’s listening - we’d love an upgrade. Looks like it’s definitely time to go Dutch.
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BOOK AHEAD
Hawaii turns cool with two hip new hotspots.
Think of Hawaii and you’ll see vintage postcards of lithe-hipped luau girls; coconuts clattering on the beach whilst a perfect sunset descends in the background. There’s sun, sea and sand in swathes, the locals hang out in surf shorts and mahi-mahi is always the special of the day. So far so clichéd. But for a dose of contemporary culture that doesn’t include a trip to Bubba Gumps, UJ have scouted out two hotspots on the islands of Maui and O’ahu to keep urbanites out of the hula skirts and in on the action. Click through to get inspired.
Read TAKE TWO: The Edition Waikiki in Honolulu…
Read TAKE TWO: Timba Maui…
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LINK TO THESE FEATURES: TRAVEL
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2011 Urban Junkies. All rights reserved.
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