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SCMP Reporter

Turkish delight
Bringing a contemporary  touch to an ancient metropolis, W Istanbul has opened in the city's  famed  Akaretler Row Houses. Boasting  134 luxurious guest rooms, including  26 suites, a signature Bliss spa and the  Spice Market restaurant, which operates under the watchful eye of chef  Jean-Georges Vongerichten, the hotel is housed in characterful buildings originally constructed by  Sultan Adbulaziz in the  1870s. Its location in vibrant  Besiktas  is close to the  Bosphorus Strait and the  Nisantasi entertainment precinct, as well as the world-renowned  Blue Mosque,  the Old City and Istanbul's  modern art museum. Suites include duplexes with private gardens, terraces and cabanas while each guest room fuses traditional and modern Turkish design and includes ultra-soft  350-thread-count linen, CD and DVD libraries, MP3 docking stations, broadband and cordless phones. Spice Market serves a luxurious  take on the region's street cuisine, with a focus on curries. To find out more, log on to www.starwoodhotels.com.
London eye
Luxe City Guides has launched its ode to London, a  comprehensive guide to all things stylish and indulgent in one of the world's great cities. With 400 entries, the Luxe guide packs a punch and banks on  its reputation for proudly opinionated  suggestions on where to live it up.  Using 40 local contributors to collate the listings, each entry is  checked by the city editor then the Luxe publishing editor.   In addition to the London guide, Luxe City Guides has released  new books on  Barcelona and  Berlin.  Guides retail for  HK$78. For other titles,  log on to www.luxecityguides.com.
Martini munch
If you like your tropical holidays with a twist, how about a martini brunch at a luxurious island getaway?  Indigo Pearl, a design-driven boutique resort on the Thai island of Phuket, has launched  a sybaritic brunch to be held in its  fine-dining restaurant  Rivet Grill and the alfresco  Rebar every Sunday until November. The  brunch, in association with  EnVision wine bar at  Surin Beach, offers guests  wines and martinis plus delights from several cooking stations, including one for seafood, another featuring a tandoori oven and a dessert table. Dining takes place  against a backdrop of  lounge beats from the  resident DJ and costs  1,490 baht  (HK$363).   Go to www.indigo-pearl.com for more information.
Packed lunch
If you're heading to northern Thailand,    why not try one of the new picnic options from the  Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi (above)? Guests can  enjoy a chauffeured limousine ride from the hotel to their chosen location - popular spots include the edge of a waterfall, a rainforest and a botanical garden - and a hamper of champagne, salads and local delicacies. Log on to  www.mandarinoriental.com to discover more.
Off the beaten tack
Orion Cruises' 19-night Paths Less Travelled island cruise  will depart from New Zealand,   visiting the scenic  Bay of Islands before heading north to tiny  Norfolk Island, a former penal colony first settled by the  descendants of the Bounty mutiny. Then it's on to the  Isle of Pines in  New Caledonia, the Pacific Rim of Fire and the volcanic islands of  Anatom and  Tanna, home to the still-practising  John Frum cargo cult. Climb   Mount Yasur in  Vanuatu and cross  Iron Bottom Sound, a naval battleground and the final resting place for  US, Japanese, Australian and New Zealand warships and planes. There is also plenty of wreck diving,  snorkelling  and shark feeding on offer.  The voyage concludes in Papua New Guinea.  The Orion sets sail on  February 27 next year  and fares  start from  HK$98,920. For  details visit  www.orioncruises.com.au.
Carbon footprint
Design-savvy boutique hotel Carbon has opened in Genk, Belgium, offering business travellers a modern, stylish home away from home. A member of Design Hotels, the establishment features plenty of carbon-based materials, referencing the region?s coalmining history. Each of the 60 rooms is equipped with an iPod docking station and a DVD player, a rain shower, a black-glazed free-standing bath and views over a sprawling terrace garden. The 608 square metre spa and healing centre features a sauna, a hammam (Turkish steam bath) and facilities for chromotherapy - a new-age treatment otherwise known as colour therapy. Visit www.designhotels.com for details.
Deal of the week
Indulge yourself  with a pamper package from the  Shangri-La Tanjung Aru in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.  Its Spa Indulgence package includes a two-night stay in a  sea-view room, breakfast in the  Cafe Tatu and a two-and-a-half hour  'chi'  treatment. This   includes a  foot treatment, a   volcanic mud wrap or  pearl cocoa scrub, a   Himalayan bath and a   massage. Rates for the  packages start at   M$1,790 (HK$4,545) for single or  M$2,320 for double occupancy.  A surcharge of M$130 is applicable  between  July 15 and August 31. Rates are subject to  10 per cent service charge and 5 per cent government tax and are based on availability. Visit  www.shangri-la.com to make a booking.



travellers' checks