Travellers' ChecksGreat Barrier Reef deals for honeymooners; Suiran Kyoto opens

The swanky One&Only Hayman Island resort, located on the Great Barrier Reef, off the east coast of Australia, is offering a deluxe package for newlyweds, or anyone else looking for an extravagant romantic retreat. Starting from US$3,005 per person, the Honeymoon Escape will be available from April 7 until March next year, and includes: three nights' accommodation in a private Pool Suite (above); a Sunset Escapade speedboat cruise to a secluded beach with wine and gourmet cheese; a three-course Under the Stars dinner at a location of the guests' choosing; and a 150-minute massage for two. The resort was named Australia's leading resort at last year's World Travel Awards. For a virtual tour and package details, visit hayman.oneandonlyresorts.com and click on Special Offers.

French-owned river cruise company CroisiEurope is offering 15 per cent off fares for bookings made by the end of this month. There are plenty of cruises to choose from, but some of the best value offerings are to be found in Venice, on board the MS Michelangelo (above). The 110-metre-long, twin-deck boat contains 78 cabins, a dining room and a lounge, and full-board deals with local cruises and tours offer an economical alternative to the city's very high hotel rates. A fully inclusive, five-day Venice and its Lagoon package costs from US$867 per person, and includes a cruise around the islands of Murano and Burano, with optional city tours. The boat docks not too far from St Mark's Square overnight, and the itinerary allows for plenty of free time to roam around the city. With all meals and unlimited alcohol included, it's an unusual and relatively cheap way of visiting Venice. For more information, visit www.croisieuroperivercruises.com.

The gradual arrival of international hotel brands in Kyoto, Japan, continues tomorrow with the opening of Suiran, a Luxury Collection Hotel. With a Four Seasons hotel several years behind schedule (and still nowhere in sight), this is only the third big foreign name to open in the former Japanese capital. It follows the Hyatt Regency, which opened in 2006, and the Ritz-Carlton, which arrived around this time last year. But while those two properties enjoy convenient downtown locations, Suiran is situated in the far western reaches of Kyoto, about an hour's drive from the city centre, in the Arashiyama district, near the famous Togetsukyo Bridge. It's a pleasant, tree-filled location, popular with locals around the cherry-blossom or autumn-leaf viewing seasons, but too far from the major tourist spots on the eastern side of Kyoto to be a convenient base for serious sightseers. The 39-room, traditional ryokan-style hotel (with Western touches) includes a couple of 100-year-old buildings within its grounds (above) that have been converted into dining facilities. For a closer look and opening rates, it's easier to google the name than attempt to navigate the virtual maze that begins at starwood.com.