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Harmonious holiday: Banyan Tree has opened a spa resort in the Seychelles offering a choice of beachfront villas with private steam room, pool, outdoor jacuzzi and massage pavilion or hillside villas with private pool, sunken bath and timber sundeck. Villas start at US$750 (HK$5,850) per night and an exotic menu of treatments is available including the signature Harmony Banyan (US$475), a three-hour session performed by two therapists featuring synchronised massage, mint footbath, rice and sandlewood rub and a floral bath filled with fresh blossoms (Anse Intendance, Mahe. Tel: [248] 383 500; www.banyantree.com).
Bargain beds: On the back of Priceline comes octopustravel.com.hk, a bilingual Web site offering discounted rates at 15,000 hotels in 112 countries. Already operating in Europe, the United States and Japan, the easy-to-use site features locator maps, interior and exterior photos, hotel reports from independent travellers and weather forecasts. A search in Hong Kong yielded double rooms at 54 hotels ranging from $360 per night at the three-star Ramada to $1,476 at the J W Marriott; while in Bangkok, double rooms at 95 hotels from $116 at the two-star First House to $1,438 at the five-star Sukhothai.
Summer sale: Anniversary or birthday of a loved one coming up? The Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong is offering discounted room rates until August 31. A weekend stay ranges from $1,599 a night for a harbour view room (normally $3,800) to $3,399 for a 2,000-square-foot theme suite (normally $9,500). American breakfast is included along with a guaranteed late checkout of 6pm (5 Connaught Road, Central. Tel: 2522 0111; www.mandarinoriental.com).
Road less travelled: If you're interested in a guidebook that tells you more about local history and culture and less about shops and nightlife, check out the Odyssey series. Specialising in less-travelled areas, the latest being Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia (and later in the year, Bhutan, the Great Wall and the Three Gorges), the clearly written guides are full of interesting background information which will help you get far more out of your trip. Odyssey Guides cost $189 at branches of Dymocks, Kelly & Walsh and Page One (www.wwnorton.com/odyssey).
Spa attraction: The Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur has launched an In'spa'ration room package ranging from M$380 (HK$760) for a deluxe room to M$680 for an executive club suite. The package includes a one-hour Swedish or Oriental massage in the health club; one butler-drawn revitalising bath; biscuits during turndown and daily breakfast. Club guests can also avail themselves of the five daily food presentations: Continental breakfast, midday snack, afternoon tea, hors d'oeuvres and chocolates. Available until August 31 (168 Jalan Imbi, Kuala Lumpur 55100. Tel: [603] 2142 8000; www.ritzcarlton.com).
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