Abu Dhabi
In the bleak mid-winter in chilly, post-Christmas Britain, nothing warms the spirit more than a few days away somewhere hot, doing very little except relaxing. And few destinations fit the bill more luxuriously than Abu Dhabi. But don’t just stay in one luxury hotel – instead, sample two or three.
The first stop for us was Yas Island Rotana – www.rotana.com – offering five-star accommodation, with 281 rooms and 27 suites, and all the comforts of a modern hotel, from a gorgeous outdoor pool to delicious toiletries in your bathroom.
The restaurant choice is particularly good, with Indian cuisine on offer in the Rangoli, or succulent steaks in the Blue Grill. And the hotel’s location is great for sightseeing, too. Yas Island, a man-made island not far from the airport, is home to a number of must-do attractions, from fun-packed Yas Waterworld water park to Ferrari World, where you can sample the world’s fastest roller coaster, Formula Rossa, which reaches 150mph – I preferred to just ogle the fantastic Formula 1 racing cars on show. Yas is also the venue for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. There’s a massive concert venue, Du Arena, which is attracting many big-name performers, too.
Abu Dhabi had been overshadowed in terms of glamour and attractions by neighbouring emirate Dubai, but it’s well on the way to snatching back the glory. In Abu Dhabi, a branch of the Louvre is expected to open in 2015, plus a Frank Gehrydesigned Guggenheim, not to mention a grand new shopping mall. Talking of hugely impressive, do take time to visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, which has room for 40,000 worshippers.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
And thanks to Etihad Airways, you can fly there very comfortably from the UK in around seven hours. Etihad ies from Heathrow to Abu Dhabi three times a day and twice a day from Manchester. Abu Dhabi has an increasing choice of rstclass hotels – head for Beach Rotana if you love a spa, where apart from massages, facials and body treatments, you can try the Rasul Mud Extravaganza.
But it’s worth sampling some of the other Emirates, too. Fujairah is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, and just a couples of hours’ drive from Abu Dhabi.
Here, we stayed at the five-star Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa, all palm trees, groomed gardens and a choice of swimming pools.
The 250-room hotel is much more of a leisure resort. It o ers a selection of sun, sea and sand activities, including snorkelling, jetskiing, diving and lazing on the beach – my particular favourite. This is the place to sip cocktails and stretch out for a massage in a beach-side cabana overlooking the Indian Ocean.
Thomas Cook Signature o ers two nights at Yas Island Rotana and three nights at Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa, ying from Heathrow with Etihad Airways, from £870 per person: 0845-608 1225, www.etihadairways.com
0844-692 6766, www.thomascooksignature.com
Contact Wendy at wendy.gomersall@lady.co.uk
SPA TURN Enjoy a spa break at Ellenborough Park, Cheltenham, featuring Ila natural products made with argan oil, organic honeysuckle beeswax and rose water. One-night Spa and Stay, Monday to Thursday, with Journey Ritual spa treatment per person and spa gift pack, from £518 per room.
01242-807515, www.ellenboroughpark.com
DO THE DORDOGNE New for 2014, Kirker Holidays features France’s Dordogne region in its brochure, with a choice of ve hotels, including the three-star Château de la Fleunie, near Montignac and Lascaux caves. Three nights from £498 per person.
020-7593 2283, www.kirkerholidays.com
SNOW MUCH FUN Book a one-hour ski or snowboarding lesson for the whole family with a private instructor at the Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead. Family private lesson, £149 (two adults, two children).
0844-770 7227, www.thesnowcentre.com
ALL ABOUT ALFIE Alfie Boe will perform on P&O’s Azura during a fournight cruise to Belgium and Guernsey, departing 26 May. Prices from £329 per person.
0843-373 0111, www.pocruises.co.uk
The first stop for us was Yas Island Rotana – www.rotana.com – offering five-star accommodation, with 281 rooms and 27 suites, and all the comforts of a modern hotel, from a gorgeous outdoor pool to delicious toiletries in your bathroom.
The restaurant choice is particularly good, with Indian cuisine on offer in the Rangoli, or succulent steaks in the Blue Grill. And the hotel’s location is great for sightseeing, too. Yas Island, a man-made island not far from the airport, is home to a number of must-do attractions, from fun-packed Yas Waterworld water park to Ferrari World, where you can sample the world’s fastest roller coaster, Formula Rossa, which reaches 150mph – I preferred to just ogle the fantastic Formula 1 racing cars on show. Yas is also the venue for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. There’s a massive concert venue, Du Arena, which is attracting many big-name performers, too.
Abu Dhabi had been overshadowed in terms of glamour and attractions by neighbouring emirate Dubai, but it’s well on the way to snatching back the glory. In Abu Dhabi, a branch of the Louvre is expected to open in 2015, plus a Frank Gehrydesigned Guggenheim, not to mention a grand new shopping mall. Talking of hugely impressive, do take time to visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, which has room for 40,000 worshippers.
Sheikh Zayed Grand MosqueAnd thanks to Etihad Airways, you can fly there very comfortably from the UK in around seven hours. Etihad ies from Heathrow to Abu Dhabi three times a day and twice a day from Manchester. Abu Dhabi has an increasing choice of rstclass hotels – head for Beach Rotana if you love a spa, where apart from massages, facials and body treatments, you can try the Rasul Mud Extravaganza.
But it’s worth sampling some of the other Emirates, too. Fujairah is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, and just a couples of hours’ drive from Abu Dhabi.
Here, we stayed at the five-star Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa, all palm trees, groomed gardens and a choice of swimming pools.
The 250-room hotel is much more of a leisure resort. It o ers a selection of sun, sea and sand activities, including snorkelling, jetskiing, diving and lazing on the beach – my particular favourite. This is the place to sip cocktails and stretch out for a massage in a beach-side cabana overlooking the Indian Ocean.
Thomas Cook Signature o ers two nights at Yas Island Rotana and three nights at Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa, ying from Heathrow with Etihad Airways, from £870 per person: 0845-608 1225, www.etihadairways.com
0844-692 6766, www.thomascooksignature.com
Contact Wendy at wendy.gomersall@lady.co.uk
SPA TURN Enjoy a spa break at Ellenborough Park, Cheltenham, featuring Ila natural products made with argan oil, organic honeysuckle beeswax and rose water. One-night Spa and Stay, Monday to Thursday, with Journey Ritual spa treatment per person and spa gift pack, from £518 per room.
01242-807515, www.ellenboroughpark.com
DO THE DORDOGNE New for 2014, Kirker Holidays features France’s Dordogne region in its brochure, with a choice of ve hotels, including the three-star Château de la Fleunie, near Montignac and Lascaux caves. Three nights from £498 per person.
020-7593 2283, www.kirkerholidays.com
SNOW MUCH FUN Book a one-hour ski or snowboarding lesson for the whole family with a private instructor at the Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead. Family private lesson, £149 (two adults, two children).
0844-770 7227, www.thesnowcentre.com
ALL ABOUT ALFIE Alfie Boe will perform on P&O’s Azura during a fournight cruise to Belgium and Guernsey, departing 26 May. Prices from £329 per person.
0843-373 0111, www.pocruises.co.uk