2010 April travel tips and stories. Vacations ideas, cruises spa and resorts

Set against the backdrop of the forests of the Zomba Plateau, with spectacular views of the Great Rift Valley and the Shire Lowlands, is Malawi‘s most upmarket hotel. The landscape is veritable Garden of Eden. The slopes and ravines are covered with exotic trees, jungle-like creepers, wildflowers, orchids, and lichen. Yet despite the beautiful scenery and Lake Chirwa with its white-sand beaches, Malawi is not known as a vacation destination and is unspoiled by tourism. Photo by: justme07
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Animal lovers will be spellbound by Singita Faru Faru Lodge, in the heart of the sun-kissed Serengeti. The lodge is positioned on a rocky slope next to the Grumeti River and a watering hole, a region abundant with magnificent animal life all year-round.
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Some hotels are all about the gastronomy and the spa. Although both of these are outstanding at Choupana Hills Resort and Spa, the emphasis there is firmly on the views. The drive to Choupana Hills from Funcal leads past orange groves with trees leaning at astonishingly crooked angles because of the steepness of the road. Do not be surprise if your ears pop, or if you pass one of the hardy locals hiking up the hill without so much as pausing to catch their breath.
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Hoopoe Yurt Hotel is a unforgettable place tucked away in a spectacular corner of Andalucia with 7 acres (3 ha) of olive groves and cork oak trees, nestled twenty minutes walk away from the picturesque village of Cortes de la Frontera.
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Fourteen inner courtyards grace the Parador de Almagro in Spain‘s La Mancha. The building used to be a convent consecrated to San Francisco. Today visitors sleep in the former monks’ cells, which have presumably improved in comfort. Now the rooms have canopied beds and elegant antique furnishings. This air of historic sophistication follows through into the public areas. Photo by: jdsa2001
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Hotel Omm is one of the most unique hotels in Barcelona. Located in the city’s fashionable Passeig de Gracia district (which is great for shopping), Omm is the joint creation of architect Juli Capella and interior designers Sandra Tarruella and Isabel Lopez. The futuristic design and soft lighting immediately make you feel like you have stepped into a surrealist, funky mothership. The style is very much postmodern minimalism. Photo by: Hotel Omm in Barcelona, Spain
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For 250 years, this was the summerhouse of the noble Neapolitan family Marchesi Sersale. Today it still feels like a grand home, may be because it is still run by the family. The hotel-house has attracted legendary writers and Hollywood stars since the 1950s. Rising above the sun-drenched seaside town, the distinguished Le Sirenuse is covered with climbing grape trellises and feels a million miles away from the streets below. Photo by: chogoria
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Located in Soca Valley in the far west of Slovenia near the border with Italy, Hisa Franko is a small boutique hotel that has been making waves far and wide. Deep in the least developed region of Slovenia, the restaurant alone is worth the trip. Run by husband and wife team Valter and Ana, the menu is eclectic – expect nettle risotto alongside scallops, bitter cacao noodles, mountain lamb, rabbit and Mediterranean tuna. 
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These four Alpine cottages for two sit 2,950 feet (900 m) up in the slopes of Mount Kuk. Perched so high that you are even above the cloud level, there are staggering views across snowcapped mountains and green valleys. The wooden and stone chalet are simple but stylish, with a full glass wall looking out to the meadows and woodland rolling down the steep hillside, dotted with roaming wild deer. Photo by: Greta Hughson
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Gazing across the churning jade waters of the Soca River, it is easy to see why this magical corner of Slovenia was chosen as the background for the Chronicles of Narnia film Prince Caspian. Lucky Slovenians, do not have to travel to another world to enjoy this unspoiled alpine beauty.
Continue reading Pristava Lepena