Conrad Dubai is a stylish property with a great location at the beginning of Dubai’s main thoroughfare, Sheikh Zayed Road, close to the financial district and within easy reach of many of the city’s attractions.
I stayed in a 120-square-meter executive suite on the 46th floor where floor to ceiling windows afforded expansive views over low-rise old Dubai towards the sea. Light flooded the rooms and the beige décor with dark wood furnishing created a calm ambience, ideal for working or simply relaxing. The suite had a large living area with two sofas, an easy chair, and large flat-screen TV, along with a dining area with large table.
Through to the bedroom, where there was a second TV, a double bed and a well positioned desk. There was a walk-in closet and plenty of drawer space. The bathroom was one of the highlights of the suite, with a stand-alone bathtub perfectly set next to a huge window to take in the view while having a soak.
The hotel’s pool area is home to the Purobeach-branded sun lounge, bar and restaurant area, which is very popular and has nightly DJ sessions. Guests are spoiled with complimentary mineral water, fruit and cold towels provided at their sun lounger.
My room allowed access to the executive lounge which served breakfast, light snacks at lunch, along with free pour drinks for two hours in the evening. The lunch offering was minimal but this may have been because I visited during Ramadan.
Conrad Dubai is a good hotel, ideally located for pleasure as well as for business.
Deluxe room from US$225 including breakfast, executive suite from US$575 including executive lounge access
– Excellent location 15 minutes from the airport with a metro station right outside
– Close to Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall and also old Dubai
– Tasteful, stylish rooms with plenty of light and huge windows
– The executive lounge was very cold
– A faulty fridge in my room remained unrepaired for two days
Steve and Candice
Review Team
Only 50 metres from Havana’s famous Malecón, Meliá Cohiba is the perfect hotel for lovers of classic cars. Brightly coloured Oldsmobile sedans, Chevrolet Bel Airs, Hudsons and Dodges, all from the 1940s and 50s, purr along this seaside motorway. Parked next to the hotel are even more beauties, ready for a taxi ride or a longer rental for cruising around Havana.
The hotel is located in Vedado, a modern district of Havana, and the five-star Meliá Cohiba is also modern. Cohiba’s 462 rooms are housed in a 22-floor tower which gives views of Havana and the sea unlike any other in the city.
Like in all Meliá hotels, stays on The Level floors are the most luxurious, but you won’t be disappointed in any of Meliá Cohiba’s rooms and suites whether you’re in town for business or pleasure. The art lining the corridors and public rooms is for sale too.
Meliá Cohiba has a free-form pool, and several bars and restaurants to choose from, including the Havana Café nightclub on the ground floor, where the Buena Vista Social Club plays.
As you might expect by a hotel named Cohiba, you can try the finest of cigars at Meliá Cohiba, selecting from their large humidor in the cigar bar. Rum tastings are also offered.
There’s a large gym, squash court, sauna, and massage service, plus shuttle to Old Havana if you want to get out and explore.
Stays usually combined with airfare; consult your travel agent or MeliaCuba.com
– Buena Vista Social Club plays downstairs at the Havana Café nightclub
– Learn how to roll cigars in the cigar bar
– If you want to experience Cuba’s incredible beaches, book a stay in Varadero or Cayo Santa Maria too
Johanna Read
Contributing Editor
In terms of luxury, the family owned Viceroy Bali has set the bar incredibly high. A favorite place for honeymooners, it’s easy to see that Viceroy Bali is the perfect romantic spot for couples. With sweeping views of the “Valley of the Kings” from each and every private pool villa, it’s hard to leave this paradise.
The resort is a quick 5-minute drive from Ubud. Viceroy Bali has surely earned its 5-star hotel rating, in addition to a list of recent awards including Conde Nast’s “2016 Best Service in the World” and “2015 Best View in the World”. Each of its 25 luxurious one and two-bedroom private pool villas is unforgettable. Each villa has a feeling of intimacy, perfectly crafted to relax among the natural beauty of Bali.
Fine dining can be found on-site at CasCades restaurant, providing guests modern European cuisine with a delightful Asian twist. I enjoyed the soft morning sunlight during my delicious a la carte breakfast. If you’re looking to unwind, the exquisite Lembah Spa has a host of traditional and international spa treatments.
I stayed in a gorgeous “Terrace Villa” which featured a Balé pavilion at the edge of my private infinity pool. The open-plan bedroom was incredibly spacious and well-stocked with bottled water, coffee/tea, and bathroom amenities for an enjoyable stay. The beauty of the villa and private pool was jaw dropping. The perfectly heated pool meant I could enjoy a swim from dusk till dawn. I loved taking a quick dip after a cardio session in the hotel gymnasium.
Don’t miss the main pool, which also includes gorgeous views and a swim-up bar. Regardless if you’re a newlywed, retiree, solo traveler or with family, Viceroy Bali is an experience not to miss.
From US$680 per night. Includes welcome drink, WiFi, drop off and pick up service in Ubud area, daily a la carte breakfast, gym, Jacuzzi and steam room at Lembah Spa, conference room and DVD/book library.
– The gorgeous and perfectly heated private infinity pool
– Unforgettable views of “Valley of the Kings”
– Complimentary pick up and drop off service to and from Ubud.
– I only wish I could have stayed longer!
Katherine Wright
Review Team
If you’re lucky enough to have time for a longer stay in Cuba, consider Meliá Marina, a five-star hotel and condo complex in Varadero.
Located at Marina Gaviota Punta Hicacos — the largest marina in Cuba — Meliá Marina has 423 hotel rooms available on an all-inclusive basis, as well as 348 apartments. All rooms are gorgeous, but the apartments give you much more space. They’re available in studio to three-bedroom size and have surprisingly well-equipped kitchens and living space. Furnishings are beautiful, many with a nautical theme.
All-inclusive guests have access to five restaurants, several cafes and bars, and the vast pool complex. Guests on the exclusive The Level floors have even more. There are several tourist shops along the marina where apartment guests can buy food to cook in their kitchen, and everyone can enjoy the bowling alley, sports bar, ice cream parlour, coffee house, restaurants, shops and bars spread out along the marina’s promenade.
Meliá Marina’s huge pool area will delight kids of all ages. Apartment guests have a separate pool area overlooking the marina.
Stays often combined with airfare; consult your travel agent or MeliaCuba.com.
– Ideal for boaters and scuba divers.
– Yhi Spa’s pool with fantastic views over the marina.
– Not on the beach, but guests are welcome to walk or take the shuttle to a lovely one 300m away.
Johanna Read
Contributing Editor