- Travel Advice (14)
- Escorted Tour FAQ (6)
- Food and Wine (1)
- Cruise FAQ (3)
- Europe Travel (3)
- Luxury Travel (2)
- Travel Deals (1)
- Travel Tips and Facts (2)
- Popular Sights (1)
 |
Subscribe to this blog: Posts | Comments |
Sign up to receive the latest news and specials from us about General Tours and other escorted tour operators.
Luxury Travel
Sunday, October 04, 2009
Think Maldives, just 340 miles southwest of Sri Lanka, to experience limited-edition Japanese sake, celestial sightings while sipping champagne, deep-tissue Balinese massages and signature orchard table settings.
Hailed as one of the world's most luxurious getaways, the Conrad Maldives Resort & Spa is perched on two private islands surrounded by a royal-blue lagoon and vibrant coral reef. Guests can choose from luxurious over-water villas, new exotic beach villas with private plunge pools and secluded gardens or fabulous new spa suites, over-water villas with private spa treatment rooms. Seven world class restaurants offer exciting dining options from organic spa cuisine served over-water to the fusion menu of Ithae, an underwater dining from 16 feet below the wavers with 30 degree views of a pristine coral reef.
Prices range from $700 per night during low season and $1,066 per night in high season. Rates include breakfast daily and private airport transfers.
The 130 villa "One & Only Reethi Rah (beautiful Island) boasts occupancies in the 90% range, as well as a high percentage of repeat guests and celebrities. Emirates Air flies non stop from New York to Dubai and a connection on to Mali, capital of the Republic of the Maldives. One & Only offers a one hour transfer by luxury yacht to the resort. There’s no winter season in the Maldives, although rain comes in May and June, bringing afternoon showers followed by steamy twilights.
Spa treatments and culinary offerings are the focus at Reethi Rah. The menus of the resorts three restaurants follow a theme of water, earth or fire, offering a total of 110 dishes complimented by a wine cellar of 20,000 bottles bearing 900 different labels.
The resort plays up to its culinary program with organic garden classes, wine tastings and sushi-making instruction. They cater to families with a Kids Only Cooking program for kids 4-12 years of age, where they attend cooking classes, learning how to roll sushi and make pastry. They also swim, snorkel, go on treasure hunts, attend drama workshops and have spa-themed day. The Kids Only Clubhouse is open 12 hours a day and has its own dining area, playroom, playground, pool, arts and crafts , sports facility, stage area and access to the beach. Teenagers have their own program and activities.
Reethi Rah has 12 beaches and three miles of coastline, a tennis academy, water sports, boutiques, 300 bicycles, classes in champagne tasting, flower arranging, cooking and wine tasting; an orchard garden and an afternoon tea service with mini Thai pancakes, called khanom krok.
Weddings are becoming very popular at the resort, with the services of an on-site wedding planner and online gift registry. Honeymooners flock to the One&Only Spa by Espa, with 14 treatment rooms and several over-the-water spa suites. The spa and fitness consultants will design a program of exercise, sports, nutrition and treatments tailored to each guest’s lifestyle and requirements.
Each villa has a host, on call to attend to every need. The hosts move to the beach during the day, polishing sunglasses, spritzing imported water, taking orders for food and drinks and helping arrange the next day’s excursions. Popular activities include excursions to nearby fishing villages, private Island barbeques, trips to the market in Mali and diving and snorkeling lessons. Picnics under the night sky can be arranged by the Star Concierge.
Low season rates from June through September begin at $870 per room, per night, double in a beach villa with breakfast. High season rates begin at $1200 per room per night, double.
Written by C Kennedy
kennedy@atlastravelweb.com
Saturday, September 06, 2008
A client called today to find out when her documents would arrive. They had just arrived from the supplier, approximately 3 weeks prior to tour start date, which is the normal delivery time. They were mailed out the same day.
I told her they would be delivered by UPS to her home address on Monday.
This is 8 days prior to her departure.
She was satisfied with this and we ended the call.
She called back about 10 minutes later and asked where the documents were being mailed to. I told her they were on their way to her address in Chicago. She said, “But I’m in Rhode Island”.
I asked why she did not advise me of this and she said, “We always spend our summers in Rhode Island”
Okay, so now I need a crystal ball with all of the other hats I wear! I was supposed to know this??
I told her I would see what I could do and called the supplier to ask if another set of documents could be generated and mailed out.
This reservation was made with a Luxury Tour supplier and they agreed to send the documents directly to her Rhode Island address.
If this were a supplier other than a Luxury Tour operator, a duplicate set of documents would have a fee to generate and the overnight mail would have to be paid for by the client.
Please think of your travel agent as one of your circle of family and friends. Keep us in mind to notify us of any changes in your life. Give us your airline schedule if you make your own airline reservations; give us all contact numbers and dates when you’ll be at another location. Don’t think you’re bothering us with trivia. Our job is to give you the best customer service we can, but to do this we need your help.
Tags: luxury tours , travel advice , travel agent , travel documents , travel tips