travellers' checks

The Nam Hai, which opened in December a few kilometres outside the historic town of Hoi An in central Vietnam, is running a Luxury Experience package until the end of this month. For US$500 the resort is offering one night's accommodation in a Pool Villa, with dinner, breakfast, free mini-bar, afternoon tea, evening drinks and canapes, limousine rides to Hoi An and Danang, plus other sweeteners for guests staying two nights. A third night comes with all those extras plus a 60-minute Vietnamese massage. From April 1 the rate will increase to US$850 a night. One-bedroom villa packages are also available, for US$300 a night (US$550 from April 1), and include airport transfers and breakfast for stays of more than a night. You'll have to travel first to Danang, of course, which involves changing in Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi. The Nam Hai is 30 minutes' drive from the airport. For further details and reservations, visit www.ghmhotels.com.

Sofitel Hotels and Resorts reopened an interesting property near Melbourne last month. The Sofitel Mansion and Spa (formerly the Mansion Hotel) is in the grounds of Werribee Park and is attached to Werribee Park Mansion (above), an Italianate-style property that dates back to the 1870s. The name of the hotel is misleading because guests don't stay in the mansion itself but in a converted seminary built next to it decades later. The older building is open to the public and the grounds of the park have several attractions, including an equestrian centre, the Victoria State Rose Garden and the Werribee Open Range Zoo. The hotel has 91 rooms, six tennis courts, a 17-metre pool and an onsite winery. For a taste of the outdoors the zoo offers Slumber Safaris, with gourmet barbecues and luxury tents for an overnight 'African' experience, so guests may wish to figure in an extra night. Hotel bookings can be made online at www.sofitel.com and Slumber Safaris and other zoo packages can be booked online at www.zoo.org.au.

Two nights at the Caravelle Hotel (right; www.caravellehotel.com) in Ho Chi Minh City, with round-trip, economy-class flights on Cathay Pacific, are on offer from Farrington American Express Travel for HK$2,650 a person, twin share. The Park Hyatt Saigon (www.hyatt.com), across the street from the Caravelle, is another option, at HK$3,390. Both prices include breakfast and insurance and will be available until the end of May (with a blackout period covering May 23 and 24). Flight times are convenient and allow for a full three days away. For further details call Farrington American Express Travel on 3121 3000 (Hong Kong) or 3121 3900 (Kowloon), or e-mail [email protected], quoting package ID: L2007FSP0044.