Travellers' checks

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Published: 12:00am, 17 Jan 2010

Korea best

The InterContinental Alpensia Pyeongchang is the newest resort in the Taebaek mountains, a two-hour drive from the South Korean capital, Seoul. The 238-room retreat combines world-class facilities with European alpine design. An Olympic-class ski park, a spa, a 27-hole golf course, a Planet Trekkers children's club and Korea's most modern water park make this an all-year-round location for adventure, relaxation and family fun. Meeting rooms, a state-of-the-art conference centre and an open-air concert hall are available for business meetings and events. An Italian restaurant with a terrace and barbecue area allows for out- door dining during the warmer months. For more details, visit www.ichotelsgroup.com/intercontinental/en/gb/new-hotels/alpensia.

Hotel couture

The Armani Hotel Dubai will open its doors on March 18, marking Italian fashion maestro Giorgio Armani's debut in the hospitality industry. The first fruit of an ongoing partnership between the fashion house and Emaar Properties, the hotel will be housed in the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, which opened this month. Adorned with a specially designed line of products from the Armani/Casa home furnishings collections, the hotel aims to be the city's most exclusive destination. Armani Hotels & Resorts plans to open at least 10 more hotels and resorts in the next decade. Next in line are the Armani Hotel Milano, in Italy, and the first Armani resort, in Marrakech, Morocco.

Deal of the week

Valentine's Day falls during the Lunar New Year holiday this year and Bali's Ayana Resort and Spa (www.ayanaresort .com) is offering couples refuge from the traditional festivities. The Lunar New Year Celebration package, which runs until the end of March and costs US$894, includes a three-night stay at the 77-hectare resort, daily breakfast, a romantic three-course dinner, an aromatic petal massage for two and access to facilities such as an 18-hole golf course and a seawater therapy pool. A chauffer will take guests from the airport to the resort, where they can enjoy a complimentary flower bath.