Flight of fancy Eagles Nest, a secluded estate of ultra-luxurious villas on New Zealand's North Island, has just opened its latest lodge, Rahimoana. New Zealand architect Simon Carnahan was commissioned to design the four-bedroom villa, made of flamed and polished granite, copper and steel. The house has two spectacular pools and overlooks the Bay of Islands. For more information visit www.eaglesnest.co.nz Ancient and modern With its interesting blend of traditional Chinese houses and the decaying charm of its ochre-hued colonial architecture, Hoi An, a Unesco World Heritage site, has always been a necessary stopover when travelling down the coast of Vietnam. With the arrival of new resorts in the area, the ancient trading port will soon have other attractions. The first to arrive is the Nam Hai - the newest property from the chic GHM hotel group - made up of 100 sleek, elegant villas sprinkled along a kilometre stretch of the pristine China Beach, just minutes away from the town. Packages include the Nam Hai Luxury Experience, which combines a stay in one of the resort's villas with spa treatments. From US$850 for a one-bedroom villa. Call 84 510 940 000, or visit www.thenamhai.com . Name that tune The Ritz-Carlton, Bali, has launched iPod Butler - an innovative music-on-demand service for its pool-side guests. An iPod shuffle is presented on a silver tray by a uniformed butler to guests as they as they lounge by the hotel's stunning cliff-top pool. The iPods are pre-programmed with a wide selection of music, from chill-out lounge to hip hop, jazz to Japanese pop, allowing guests to groove away while they recline on the seawater pool's semi-submerged waterbeds and take in the phenomenal views of the Indian Ocean. Call 62 361 702 222, or visit www.ritzcarlton.com . Nuts about Brazil Brazil's coastal Bahia region, which is swiftly becoming the jet set's destination du jour, is a chilled alternative to its glitzier European counterparts. While there's much talk about the new hotels that are under construction, especially Anouska Hempel's Warapuru, nothing is quite like having a villa all to yourself. If you are after your own holiday pad, look no further than Brazilian Beach House, the new venture from specialist travel company Azul Latin America's Steven Chew and his partner Sylvia Marques de Azevedo. The firm has an impressive list of contacts in the region but, more importantly, it has the keys to places to stay - from private islands to restored colonial farmhouses - that are perfect for the A-list. For more information visit www.brazilianbeachhouse.com