WE KNOW: New York City

/in /by

David Thompson, Manager – Sales & Client Experience at The Travel Authority Corporate in Sydney knows the Big Apple inside and out.

New York City has always been his favourite city, and he had the very great fortune to live there for two years, not so long ago. He visited again earlier this year.

New York moments.

His biggest tip for visitors—particularly first-timers?

“Divide and conquer,” says David.

“Manhattan and the surrounding boroughs are ENORMOUS, so you need to have a plan. On my recent trip, I chose to stay in three separate hotels so I could explore the areas around the hotels without spending half of my time in cab, Ubers and the Subway,” advises David.

Brooklyn Bridge; The Chrysler Building; David’s favourite spot in New York—the rooftop at The Met.

Here’s how his most recent trip played out.

LOWER EAST SIDE

I stayed at the fab Hotel on Rivington, located right in the middle of my favourite area in New York. This hotel features floor to ceiling windows that give breathtaking views of the area.

The East Village, Soho, West Village and Tribeca are all walking distance. Some of the best food and bars in the city can be found here. Try Clinton St Baking Co. for all-day brunch, Sel Rrose for oysters and Champagne, or Death & Co. for award-winning cocktails.

Oysters and cocktails at Sel Rrose.

A must-do is 9/11 Memorial and Museum. Located right on the spot that World Trade Centre building once stood, it is deeply moving and fascinating. Pre-book as the lines can be enormous.

BROOKLYN

Brooklyn is the new Manhattan. There are loads of new restaurants, bars and boutiques, with more opening every day.

I stayed at the Tillary Hotel which is located within an easy walk of Brooklyn downtown with its amazing factory outlets, and the Brooklyn Centre for concerts and basketball.

The Tillary Hotel, Brooklyn.

The impressive Brooklyn Museum is a must-do, too—the building alone is worth the walk. The Tillary hotel is also a short walk to Dumbo (Down under the Manhattan Bridge), which is a refurbished and hugely popular area that runs from the Manhattan bridge to the famous Brooklyn Bridge. Be sure to take a ferry (every 10 mins) from Brooklyn Bridge Pier to Williamsburg.

Williamsburg is THE place to go in New York. Full of on-trend fashion stores, very cool bars and restaurants and fantastic people watching. Go to the William Vale hotel rooftop for some of the best views of New York you have ever seen. Head to Brooklyn Bowls for food, drinks, live acts and even a game of bowls—very Williamsburg.

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN / TIMES SQUARE

Try to avoid the chaos of staying right in the middle Times Square. Look to stay a few blocks away, in any direction, and things calm right down.

I stayed at the fabulous Intercontinental Barclay—a very short walk from Rockefeller Plaza, Grand Central Station and Times Square. This 1926 grand dame has been completely refurbished with modern twists and all the mod cons and exceptional service you would expect from a 5-star New York hotel.

Intercontinental Barclay

From here check out MoMA for one of the best collections of Modern Art in the world. Then head up to the ‘Top of the Rock’ which, as the name suggests, is at the top of Rockefeller Plaza.

Jump in a cab to WholeFoods at Columbus Circle grab some picnic supplies and head across the street to Central Park—the huge green space in the middle of Manhattan. Find somewhere nice to sit and watch the world go by.

Walk across to the Metropolitan Museum (The Met)—the world-famous Museum that holds countless priceless works of art and artefacts from all over the globe. My favourite spot in the whole of New York City is the rooftop on top of the museum.

This incredible space has jaw-dropping views across Central Park, and on to the ever-growing Manhattan skyline and beyond. You can buy a drink and sit and soak up the sun or check out the artworks that change regularly on the rooftop.

David’s room at Hotel on Rivington; elegant interiors at The Times Square EDITION Hotel; and Intercontinental Barclay.

We think David has the Big Apple licked.

Are you ready to divide and conquer on your next visit?

For more information, simply leave us a note in the form below, or CALL US to discuss your specific requirements.

We’d love to hear from you.

UNDERWATER SUITES on the Great Barrier Reef!

/in /by

Our friends at Cruise Whitsundays have announced the opening of Australia’s first underwater suites on the Great Barrier Reef.

That means you’ll be able to spend a magical night with a front row seat—or bed—to the dazzling underwater world of the Reef this Summer.

The two underwater Reefsuites are located below the waterline on the Reefworld pontoon, newly-refurbished after damage sustained in 2017’s Cyclone Debbie.

The Reefsuite experience includes:

  • Return cruise out to the reef
  • Premium king or twin single accommodation below sea level, complete with private glass en-suite and floor-to-ceiling views of the Reef
  • A selection of marine activities
  • Meals and beverages including breakfast, morning and afternoon teas and dinner

Overnight stays at Reefsuites will be priced from $749 per person, twin share.

Pricing and inclusions are subject to change. Beverages include beer, wine and soft drinks. Cocktails and spirits additional cost. Further conditions apply.

In addition to the exclusive underwater Reefsuite accommodation, a renewed Reefsleep experience will be offered which allows up to 28 guests to sleep under the stars on the pontoon’s top deck.

For more information, simply leave us a note in the form below, or CALL US to discuss your specific requirements.

We’d love to hear from you.

WE KNOW: Jaunting Around Japan

/in /by

Patricia Saric, Cruise & Travel Specialist at The Cruise & Travel Authority Terrigal has recently returned from a fabulous journey around Japan.

Traipsing around this intriguing country independently, utilising local transport services like buses and trains, Patricia visited Tokyo, Nikko in the mountains north of Tokyo, traditional Takayama, Hakone to Tokyo’s west, then farther afield to Hiroshima and Kyoto.

Patricia found Japan’s rail network incredibly efficient, and travelled on a range of trains including the iconic Shinkansen ‘bullet’ trains that tear around the country at nearly 300km/h.

“A Japan Rail Pass is absolutely the way to go!”, says Patricia.

This was Patricia’s first visit to Japan and she has returned with a number of useful tips:

  • Pack light if you are travelling on public transport.
  • Research Japanese culture before you go to better understand their way of life.
  • Be sure to visit the ‘teamLab’ art collective in Tokyo – an interdisciplinary group of ‘ultratechnologists’ at the confluence of art, science, technology, design and the natural world.
  • Visit the Hiroshima Peace Museum and Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Bay.
  • Visit Gion—Kyoto’s geisha district—at night time.

Tokyo’s remarkable teamLab space.

And her favourite personal experiences?

Playing in the snow under the cherry blossoms, and exploring the stunning Fushimi Inari shrine from Kyoto.

Sounds divine, doesn’t it?

For more information about Japan or to make contact with Patricia, simply leave us a note in the form below, or CALL US to for a chat.

We’d love to hear from you.

WE KNOW: Abu Dhabi – Capital of the UAE

/in /by

Autumn Moser, Senior Corporate Consultant at The Travel Authority Resource in Fremantle, recently returned from an educational trip to Abu Dhabi, flying from Sydney on Etihad Airways—the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates.

Over the course of five days, Autumn saw Abu Dhabi’s main attractions, headed out into the desert and inspected a range of hotels.

Autumn’s pics of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.

A half-day city tour provided an ideal orientation, and included a visit to Abu Dhabi’s astonishing Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque—the architectural icon of Abu Dhabi. With a capacity for a remarkable 40,000 worshippers, the mosque is epic in scale and delightful in detail evident in semi-precious stone inlays set in dazzling-white marble.

“We did about a 30-minute self-guided tour through the Mosque which was incredible. The artwork and intricacy of this mosque is beautiful and a must-see for anyone visiting Abu Dhabi”, says Autumn.

Emirates Palace hotel, Abu Dhabi.

Autumn also visited Emirates Palace, one of the most luxurious hotels ever built. Emirates Palace exudes extravagance at every level, from its design—the main hotel building stretches over a kilometre from wing to wing, to the 24 karat gold flakes sprinkled on everything from cappuccinos to the hotel’s signature camel burger.

“Our site inspection and lunch at Emirates Palace was incredible. The hotel is exquisite, and the majority of the rooms are furnished in gold and marble. By rights, Emirates Palace should have six or even seven stars”, adds Autumn.

One evening was spent on a 4WD desert safari.

“This was my first ‘dune bashing’ experience, and it was exhilarating! We were then driven to an well-appointed encampment camp for a local BBQ dinner, entertainment and ‘shisha’. All-up, an absolute must-do activity!”, reports Autumn.

From there the pace slowed somewhat with visits to the remarkable Louvre Abu Dhabi, and the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital which is a door into the noble local tradition of falconry. Guided tours of this award-winning specialist hospital take visitors through waiting rooms and wards where the birds undergo general check-ups, are x-rayed, or simply pick up some new flight feathers.

Autumn and feathered friends at the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital.

“We watched a minor surgical procedure, and also held a falcon. These magnificent birds signify wealth and status in Abu Dhabi. We were informed there were some very expensive birds in-house”, says Autumn.

Louvre Abu Dhabi is the first museum of its kind in the Arab world. Opened on Saadiyat Island in late 2017, the galleries are laid out as a ‘museum city’ beneath a vast dome some 180 metres in diameter.

Beneath the dome, Louvre Abu Dhabi.

Neighbouring Yas Island is home to great shopping, and family attractions like indoor theme-parks Ferrari World and Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi. The island is also home to the Yas Marina Circuit and the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix. And being in close proximity to Abu Dhabi Airport, Yas island’s hotels are super convenient for stopovers and families looking to make the most of Yas’ attractions.

Yas Mall, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and the Yas Marina Circuit – Yas Island.

Autumn stayed at:

  • Radisson Blu Yas Island: A great value 4-star hotel close to Yas Mall, Yas Beach, and all of Yas Island’s leisure attractions.
  • Rosewood Abu Dhabi: A sophisticated 5-star luxury property located on Al Maryah Island at the core of Abu Dhabi’s new International Financial Center.
  • Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas: A 5-star beach-side resort on Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island.

Rosewood Abu Dhabi, Premier Executive Suite.

In addition to experiencing these hotels on overnight stays, Autumn also inspected these Abu Dhabi properties:

  • Fairmont Bab Al Bahr: A modern 5-star luxury property located mid-way between Abu Dhabi Airport and downtown Abu Dhabi city. This beach-side hotel enjoys stunning views of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque across the water.
  • Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara: The luxury hotel has a unique mangrove setting on the edge of the city, and an award-winning Anantara Spa with Turkish hammam.

Fairmont View Room at Fairmont Bab al Bahr, Abu Dhabi.

Autumn was invited to visit the Etihad Innovation Center where the airline’s pilots and flight attendants undertake their training.

“This was fascinating. The Innovation Center has mock Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 cabins set up, and we also inspected Etihad’s renowned ‘The Residence’. Designed for two people travelling together, The Residence comprises a living room, separate bedroom and en-suite shower room.

Etihad’s ‘The Residence’ Living Room.

“It costs about $30,000 each way, between Sydney and London. I did note that The Residence was occupied on my flight back to Sydney. It’s an incredible product to have aboard a commercial aircraft”, adds Autumn.

For more information about Abu Dhabi, simply leave us a note in the form below, or CALL US to discuss your specific requirements.

We’d love to hear from you.