Holiday habits: A recent survey by travel website Orbitz has revealed 52 per cent of Americans do things in a hotel they wouldn't do at home, such as throwing towels on the floor (25 per cent), using more towels than necessary because they won't be doing the laundry (24 per cent) and eating in bed (19 per cent). When it comes to sneaking things out of hotel rooms, 61 per cent admitted to taking the toiletries, and 20 per cent of respondents have or have considered taking the toiletries off the housekeeping cart when the housekeeper isn't looking. Other 'souvenirs' include towels (18 per cent), ashtrays (14 per cent), bathrobes (2 per cent) and bathmats (2 per cent).
And the award goes to...The 2004 HMAwards for Hotel & Accommodation Excellence, with nominations open to hotels across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, were held recently in Sydney. The Observatory Hotel Sydney was named overall accommodation property of the year (
www.observatory hotel.com.au), while its sister property Lilianfels in the Blue Mountains won boutique hotel of the year (
www.lilianfels.com.au). The Crown Promenade Hotel in Melbourne, opened since January, won best new hotel (
www.crown promenade.com.au), and awards also went out to The Westin Sydney (business hotel, www. westin.com.au); Water Bar @ W Sydney (hotel bar,
www.starwood. com); and Shangri-La Hotel Sydney (hi-tech,
www.shangri-la.com). In New Zealand, Hilton Auckland took the honours for CBD hotel (
www.nz-holiday.co.nz/hilton) and Turtle Island Resort in Fiji won top South Pacific Resort (
www.turtlefiji.com). See the full list of winners at
www.npg.com.au.
Making tracks: SRS Worldhotels is offering business travellers special promotional rates at its three member hotels along the Kowloon-Canton Railway route, until June 30. Rooms are available for $950 at the Harbour Plaza Metropolis at the KCRC terminus in Hunghom; $718 at the Landmark Hotel in Shenzhen, five minutes from the Lowu border; and $858 at the Garden Hotel in Guangzhou. Each deal includes service charge, taxes and breakfast, and SRS can also assist in booking train tickets and arranging transfers (toll- free number: 800 96 8563,
Time for tee: Until July 15, Cathay Pacific Holidays is offering a three-day/two-night Bangkok Golf Getaway priced at $2,190 on weekdays and $2,590 at weekends (twin share). The package includes round-trip economy flights; private car transfers; two nights' stay at the Bangkok Golf Spa Resort (
www.resort.th.com); daily breakfast; travel insurance; and two rounds of golf or two 50-minute aromatherapy massages. There is no handicap requirement, an extra round costs $390 and blackout applies on June 18-19 and June 30-July 1. Golf packages are also available to Bali, Kuala Lumpur, Hua Hin in Thailand, and Johor Bahru in peninsular Malaysia (tel: 2747 4388,
www.cxholidays.com).
Fertile ground: Harley Street- based celebrity fertility expert Zita West, who helped Kate Winslet and Cate Blanchett conceive, is holding a Pre-Conception Retreat at Chiva-Som in Hua Hin, Thailand. The seven-, 10- or 14-night retreats (from $18,837 twin share) are designed to maximise fertility and prepare participants physio-logically, nutritionally and emotionally for childbirth. The retreat is also touted to be ideal for women preparing for IVF. Prices includes accommodation; a 60-minute consultation with West, who will be at the resort from August 24 to 28; three spa cuisine meals a day; and spa, fitness and holistic treatments. Contact Chiva-Som on tel: [66] 3253 6536 (
www.chivasom.com) or Zita West on tel: [44] 20 7224 6091 (
www.zitawest.com).