Tag: "featured"

The Dream Downtown in New York

New York City is forever coming out with quirkier and more unique hotels with hoteliers trying desperately to outdo one another with flair and character. The Dream Downtown is one of those hotels.

Located on West 16^th Street, only a few blocks from Union Square and the fashionable West Village, the Dream Downtown’s most unusual feature is the large oversized porthole windows left over from when the building used to be maritime offices. It gives a feeling of being on a boat or a submarine if it wasn’t for the spectacular views of the city. These views are at their best from the rooftop lounge, PHD which serves delicious cocktails like Linda’s Lemonade and Dream Girl with bits and bites. The bar opens at 5pm making it a perfect viewing point for the sunset and becomes the place to party as the night progresses.

The opening of the High Line last year and its much anticipated expansion is making this area of Manhattan the up and coming neighbourhood to be in and as the local park, you can often find many New Yorkers relaxing on one of the architecturally designed benches that blend discreetly into the design.

Away from the tourist hotspots of Times Square, the neighbourhood is pulsating with New Yorkers going about their day to day lives. Fashionable shops keep the streets active during the day while popular restaurants and bars cause the streets to come alive at night with activity. See our selection of New York city breaks here.

Kate’s experience in Turtle Island, Malaysia

When my friends suggested we should visit Selingaan Turtle Island of the coast of Borneo I hesitated. First of all the thought of boarding a flight from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan only two days after arriving in Malaysia from London made me wary, as being a nervous flyer I try to avoid planes at any cost!

Secondly the attraction itself has mixed press. Some visitors loved it; others called it a “sad spectacle” and argue that the turtles should be left alone.

Somehow my friends managed to convince me that as we were already there, we could not miss such an opportunity for a close encounter with wildlife. We took an early morning Air Asia flight that thankfully lasted only 35 minutes. A very talkative and difficult to understand Chinese taxi driver took us from the airport to the jetty and from there we boarded a speedboat and our turtle adventure began.

The day was beautiful, we were speeding past colourful villages on stilts, the sea and the sky were equally blue and when after an hour boat ride we arrived to the little tropical island in the middle of Sulu Sea it looked to us like a private paradise. There were over 40 guests on the island that day, but I had no idea where they were hiding, as we only saw other people during mealtimes.

We left our bags in our simple but comfy chalets, hired snorkelling equipment and spent a large part of the day swimming in the warm, clear water.

After lunch, the island looked completely deserted. I went for a walk to take some photos. The world seemed to be so peaceful that I decided that even the jungle is not as scary as I thought it would be and I really enjoyed being in the tropical forest. At this precise moment I saw a dragon! A huge monitor lizard was taking advantage of the quiet afternoon sitting on the pavement and almost scared me to death!

The evening was all about the turtles. We had a guided tour of a small turtle museum, watched an informative film about turtle conservation and were getting more and more excited. Will the turtles come, we were wondering. Will they lay eggs? Are we going to see them? We were waiting in the darkness ready to go. At about 8:30pm the ranger called that a turtle had landed.

Inner Cowgirl Unleashed in Arizona

Lynsey Perkins, a travel agent at Travel Counsellors, travelled to Las Vegas and White Stallion Ranch, Arizona and had a fantastic time exploring the strip and unleashing her inner cowgirl on the ranch. This is her guest blog.

From glitzy Las Vegas to peace, nature & tranquillity at the White Stallion Ranch in Tuscon, Arizona – a match made in heaven!!

Disregarding any notion of jet lag we hit the strip running once we reached Las Vegas. This is a 24-hour city and visitors might need to be reminded that they will need to sleep at some point! We strolled in and out of hotels; revelling in their over-the-top splendour. The Venetian, complete with indoor canal and gondolas; Paris – with its own Eiffel Tower. You can visit Egypt, Paris, New York and Venice on the same day. Watch a circus, ride a roller-coaster, eat vast meals, play the slot machines, get married. Where else but Las Vegas? In barely more than a century, a way station on a railroad line has transformed itself into a holiday destination that attracts nearly 40 million visitors a year.

We also took in one of the most amazing shows in the world, La Reve (The Dream). WOW!! We stayed in the Mandarin Oriental hotel which is set in the most amazing position right on the strip. I was totally wowed by this gorgeous hotel. It is a boutique hotel by Las Vegas standards with only 392 luxurious rooms and suites over 47 storeys. This hotel offers wonderful experiences in dining and accommodation while the Mandarin Oriental spa will not disappoint those looking for the ultimate in relaxation in the world’s most extravagant playground. Although it is a non-gaming hotel, guests receive the unique benefit of being able to bill back to their room from any of the strip’s major casinos – thus enjoying the benefits of gaming without staying in a casino hotel.

What an experience, we certainly enjoyed Vegas in every way we could and soon it was time to fly on to our next destination.

A very short 1 hour flight from Vegas to Tuscon made it so easy to get to, but it was so hard to leave…the magic of horses…friends, family and fun!

There is a slice of heaven on earth and it’s in Tucson, Arizona. A holiday at the White Stallion Ranch provided a much needed dose of serenity and the welcoming and peaceful environment only added to the relaxation of our stay.

Turning off the main road, you are transported into the breathtaking Sonoran Desert. Driving among free-roaming cattle, horses, and cacti, you pull up to a group of adobe-style buildings and beautiful landscaping. The people at the White Stallion Ranch are more than welcoming and make you feel as though you are home. The best part of the accommodation is that there aren’t any TV’s in the room to distract you from a break of tranquility and allowing for the chance to reconnect with your friends, family, children, or whoever you are sharing the experience with.

Run by the True family for the past 50 years, the White Stallion Ranch is located next to the Saguaro National Park. The mountainous scenery alone on this 3,000-acre ranch makes this a perfect place to holiday either for a week or a long weekend. Whether you’ve never been on a horse before or are an experienced rider, this is the dude ranch to go for a time with great food, great company and unmatched horseback riding.

You are paired up with one of the many horses on the ranch, which boasts the largest privately-owned herd in Arizona. I had the pleasure of riding Cutaway. Cutaway responded to even the slightest tug on the reigns and was sure-footed as we started out on the Breakfast Ride, an early morning ride into the desert to a group of picnic tables where they serve you a hearty breakfast of eggs, potatoes and pancakes. The food was not only filling but absolutely delicious. The hearty meals served us well, as the afternoon’s Fast Ride, team penning and barrel racing would require it.

The evenings at the ranch were very relaxed as everyone gathered for dinner together. From mid March onwards the meals are mainly cook outs served under the beautiful clear starry skies, sitting out at large round tables with braziers burning away in the middle, sipping Margheritas amongst the twinkly lit cactus and watching the horses and the amazing sunsets beyond.

The horse riding did make me ache, but thankfully White Stallion boasts a heated outdoor pool as well as an enclosed wooden hot tub. Other amenities/activities to enjoy include mountain biking, hiking, a tennis court, basketball court and a games room, which along with pool, poker and air hockey tables, also houses a movie screen with a Wii and Netflix.

Driving away from the ranch was so hard. My inner cowgirl had been awakened and my whole mind and body had been refreshed by the few days away from it all, where I had just been able to commune with nature, the horses, my new friends and the others around us who had been touched by the same serene spirit that the White Stallion Ranch exudes.

I will return!

Holiday: Heaven on Earth working on a Ranch

Emma Wilson visits the Mayan Dude Ranch in Texas on Channel 5′s Heaven on Earth show on 1st March 2012

If you fancy doing something different this summer and are looking for an adventure, a ranch holiday in the USA might be what you are looking for.

Tonight, one of Western & Oriental’s luxury ranches, Mayan Dude Ranch, will feature on Channel 5’s show Holiday: Heaven on Earth. You will see Anne Robinson’s daughter, Emma Wilson, journey north of San Antonio, Texas to spend several days on a working ranch, working as a cowgirl. She will learn to ride horses, lasso cows and enjoy the beautiful surroundings that Texas has to offer.

The show itself will only give you a glimpse of what it is like spending several days on a working ranch. From sunrise to sunset your day will be packed with horse riding, swimming, a little bit of snoozing and lots of delicious food. Remember, everything is bigger in Texas and the USA’s southern hospitality is famous.  Throughout your stay you will be pampered and looked after with super-size meals. In the evenings, enjoy a delicious barbeque with ribs and brisket dripping in barbeque sauce and plenty of corn bread, mac and cheese, sumptuous steak and much, much more. Work off all the food with a barn dance or a house musical, and round the evening off with a fireworks display.

A short stop in San Antonio is necessary to purchase those all important cowboy hats and boots to complete your holiday and lifelong memories.

Combine your stay at Mayan Dude Ranch with a stop over in Las Vegas, Nevada. Visit the strip, catch a show, sample the nightlife and take a helicopter ride to the Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon to complete this unforgettable experience.

For more information contact one of Western & Oriental’s Ranch Travel Specialists on 020 7666 1217.

See some of our photos from the beautiful Mayan Dude Ranch below.

Mayan Dude Ranch

Mayan Dude Ranch

Mayan Dude Ranch

Mayan Dude Ranch

See the world in under 5 minutes – with 6237 photographs

Fancy speeding around the world in under 5 minutes? Kien Lam, a keen photographer, has made this possible with his stunning time-lapse video taken whilst spending nearly a year adventuring around the world on a journey that took him through 17 different countries over 343 days. Whilst doing so, he took 6,237 photographs which he has pieced together as several beautiful fast-paced montages.

Kien wanted to capture the spirit of his journey and took time-lapse photos at every city that he travelled to. Each two-second scene comprises approximately 40-60 photographs.

The countries showcased within the video and on his 25,000 mile journey include Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Egypt, England, France, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Morocco, Peru, Portugal, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, Uruguay and the United States. Kien also visited popular landmarks such as Stonehenge, the Louvre, Times Square, Mt. Sinai, Pier 39 and the Alhambra. He rode on 58 buses, 18 boats and 19 airplanes over the course of the entire trip.

Which of these cities will you be putting onto your list of places to visit? Watch the video here:

Elephant Hills in Thailand Announces Birth of Baby Ha Ha

After waiting 22 months for the birth, Elephant Hills is proud to announce the birth of Ha Ha the baby elephant, born to Tor Por late last Sunday night on the 12^th of February 2012. It is Tor Por’s first baby and both mother and baby are doing well in the confines of their herd. The matriarch Khun Di-Be-Le is especially pleased with the new arrival and was a witness to her smooth birth.  She measures in at 90cm high with a healthy weight of approximately 100kgs and will keep Tor Por busy for the next few years.

Asian elephants were classed as endangered in 1986 and according to the WWF, their numbers are still dwindling in Thailand where they are domesticated and in some cases mistreated. This birth is a huge success for Elephant Hills and they are hoping that Ha Ha will have a brother or sister in the next five years.

Elephant Hills is nestled deep in Thailand’s Khao Sok rainforest and gives its visitors a luxury camping experience amongst the wildlife. Visitors can either choose to stay at the luxury floating camp or the tented camp and are treated to campfires and canoe excursions among many other activities. With the addition of Ha Ha, Elephant Hills will further ensure that they create a lifetime of memories for visiting guests, and continue to work with the local community to improve conservation in the area.

We wish the excellent team at Elephant Hills good luck and look forward to hearing how Ha Ha is doing in the future. Watch baby Ha Ha playing and see her photos below.

Abu Camp introduces baby elephant at 3 days old

Abu Camp, situated on the eastern edge of Botswana’s Okavango Delta, provides the original elephant riding safari experience and was proud to announce that Shireni, one of the Abu Camp’s leading elephants, gave birth to her third surviving calf, a healthy female, at 10.05pm on Saturday 17th December.

Measuring approximately 90cm at the shoulder and weighing about 110kg, the new-born, named Worona, stood on her own four feet, wobbling, within 20 minutes. Warona is the SeTswana name meaning ‘for us.’

Reaching up to her mother, Warona suckled properly for the first time at 7am the next morning, 10 hours after the birth, and now takes short naps of 5-10 minutes. Closely watched over by her doting big brother, Abu Junior, Warona is already showing signs of playfulness as can be seen in the video of her at three days old.

Warning – this is very cute!

See Legendary Football & Tennis Players at Buccament Bay Resort

The luxurious Buccament Bay Resort in St. Vincent has recently announced that it will host a series of legends from the sports football and tennis throughout 2012.

Buccament Bay Resort guests being coached by Steve Staunton. Photo provided by Buccament Bay Resort

A chance to meet and greet experts within both sports, fans will receive up close and personal insights and learn about expert techniques to perfect their game.

Sessions will be held on the following days:

• Steve Staunton – 13^th – 20^th February 2012 (Football Coaching LFC Academy)
• David Fairclough – 31^st March – 6^th April (Football Coaching LFC Academy)
• Pat Cash – 2^nd – 11^th April 2012 (Tennis Coaching Pat Cash Tennis Academy)
• Ronnie Whelan – 8^th – 15^th April 2012 (Football Coaching LFC Academy)
• Alan Curbishley – 27^th May – 4^th June 2012 (Football Coaching LFC Academy)
• Rodolfo Borrell – 3^rd – 12^th June 2012 (Football Coaching LFC Academy)
• Phil Babb – 8^th – 15^th July 2012 (Football Coaching LFC Academy)
• Don Hutchinson – 29^th July – 5^th August 2012 (Football Coaching LFC Academy)
• Gareth Southgate – 28^th October – 4^th November 2012 (Football Coaching LFC Academy)
• Andy Townsend – 22^nd – 29^th December 2012 (Football Coaching LFC Academy)

Although one-to-one coaching is not available with the Legends, you can book private sessions with the resort’s own professional coaches for $60 USD per hour. Group coaching sessions with the Legends are free for guests staying at Buccament Bay Resort.

A unique opportunity, this is the chance of a lifetime that no serious football or tennis fan travelling to the Caribbean should miss!