where will you go in 2012?

January 11th, 2012

Photo courtesy of worldtennismagazine.com

It’s that time of the year again… time for lists. To-do’s, resolutions, and the New York Times 45 Places to Go in 2012, of course. So, if you’re resolved to travel more this year, use this to check a few things off your list. Here are some of our favorites!

#3 Myanmar – After the release of Aung San Suu Kyi from 15 years of house arrest and the lifting of the boycott against the authoritarian regime that kept the country isolated, Myanmar is ready to share cultural treasures and deserted beaches. Experience the remarkable beauty, romance, and mystery of Myanmar aboard the luxurious Orient-Express’ “Road to Mandalay” as it cruises down the Ayeyarwady River.

#4 London – Between the Diamond Jubilee celebration of the Queen’s 60th year on the throne, the summer Olympic Games, and the 200th birthday of Charles Dickens, there is a bevy of reasons to visit London this year. For the ultimate posh location, we recommend the Metropolitan London with its incredible views of Hyde Park and award-winning Nobu restaurant. For a more sanctuary-like hotel, the 5-star Halkin in discreet Belgravia may be more up your alley.

#6 Tokyo – It’s no secret that Tokyo had a tough 2011, which is why there is no better time to travel there than 2012. Due to a decrease in tourism and business travel, rates are down without sacrificing luxury and attention to detail. Staying at the “Lost in Translation”  Park Hyatt Tokyo is now better than ever.

#11 Moscow – For those who love history and art, this is the city to visit. Between the reopening of the extravagantly renovated Bolshoi Theater in October and the opening of the Russian Icon Museum, you will find no shortage of things to do here. Located just yards away from the Bolshoi Theater, the five-star Ararat Park Hyatt Moscow is in the prime location to explore this unique city.

#14 San Diego – If you’re looking for good times, good people, and great beer, San Diego should definitely be on your list of places to go this year. If you want to throw in a game of golf before or after your tastings, definitely stay at the Park Hyatt Aviara.

#27 Maldives – It seems that everyone is traveling to the Maldives now-a-days, and it’s no secret why. It’s necklace of 26 tropical atolls in the Indian Ocean make it a place where you can find something that everyone in the family wants to do – scuba dive, fish, surf, or just relax in the pristine sand. There are so many different resorts to choose from – here are our favorites: Park Hyatt Maldives, Anatara Dhigu Resorts & Spas, Anantara Veli Resorts & Spas, Anantara Kihavah Villas, Naladhu, and Cocoa Island.

If you like to “kill two birds with one stone”, you’ll need to check out Crystal Cruises. Their ships plan to drop anchor in each of these destinations in 2012: #1 Panama City; #22 Paraty, Brazil; and #36 Dubrovnik, Croatia.

orient-express’ trains & cruises join iglta

May 17th, 2011

Orient-Express Trains and Cruises has announced that the following are now members of the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association: the Road to Mandalay, the Eastern & Oriental Express, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, and Afloat in France. All of these haut modes of transport provide stunning journeys on rails and water.

  • The Road to Mandalay travels up and down the Ayeyarwady River for three, four, or seven nights between the pagoda city of Bagan and royal Mandalay with a variety of itineraries.
  • The classic Eastern & Oriental Express itineraries are the two-night journeys between Singapore and Bangkok and the three-night journeys between Bangkok and Singapore through the Malay Peninsula. They’ve recently introduced the new Chronicles of Southeast Asia, which are a series of three- and six-night rail voyages through Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, and Singapore.
  • The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is the classic art deco train that travels the iconic trip between Paris and Istanbul.
  • Afloat in France is a fleet of several barges that travel through the canals of Burgundy, Provence, and Languedoc.

To book, contact Orient-Express Centre, The Americas, Trains & Cruises at 800 524 2420 or email greatjourneys@oeh.com.

About Orient-Express Trains and Cruises
Orient-Express (NYSE: OEH, www.orient-express.com), the name behind an elite collection of travel experiences, first came into being in 1883 as one of the world’s most exciting and indulgent train journeys.  Today that evocative name embraces hotels, cruises, and other luxury rail adventures in 24 countries across five continents.  The Company has offered exceptional luxury travel experiences since 1976, when it first purchased Hotel Cipriani in Venice and then, shortly afterwards, recreated the celebrated Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, linking London, Paris, and Venice, along with other European cities.  Today, the company owns or part-owns and manages 50 businesses, 41 of which are highly acclaimed hotels, each unique in style, from the Mount Nelson in Cape Town and Rio’s Copacabana Palace to the Grand Hotel Europe in St. Petersburg and Maroma Resort & Spa on Mexico’s Riviera Maya.  There are six luxury tourist trains, two river cruise operations, and ‘21’, one of New York’s most iconic restaurants.

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