Latest news with #culturalexperiences
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Travel + Leisure
08-07-2025
- Travel + Leisure
The 3 Best City Hotels in Spain of 2025
Spain is more than sun and sand, and its best city hotels prove it—they offer guests a window into the real Spain through curated cultural experiences, standout dining options, and unbeatable locations in the heart of it all. When Travel + Leisure readers voted for their favorite city hotels in the country, these three properties came out on top. The exterior of the Hotel Arts Barcelona. Every year for our World's Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe—to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Nearly 180,000 T+L readers completed the 2025 survey. A total of more than 657,000 votes were cast across over 8,700 properties (hotels, cities, cruise lines, etc.). Hotels were classified as either resort hotel, city hotel, inn, or safari lodge based on their location and amenities, and they were specifically rated on the criteria below: Rooms/facilities Location Service Food Value For each characteristic, respondents could choose a rating of excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor. The final scores are averages of these responses. Spain has no shortage of spectacular cities—Valencia, San Sebastián, Seville, to name a few. But when it came to ranking the places with the best hotels, readers preferred Barcelona and Madrid above all. Two winners from last year's WBA awards have once again cinched leading spots on the 2025 list, including Barcelona's Cotton House Hotel, Autograph Collection (No.3), a historic neoclassical private residence that's been transformed into a jewel box-like property. The Four Seasons Hotel Madrid, which came in second on this year's list, impressed guests with its 'thoughtful, personal service' and 'great location.' One traveler went even further, calling the 200-room hotel near Madrid's Puerta del Sol, 'Europe's finest.' To find out which hotel claimed the No.1 spot, we'll need to head to the Catalan capital. Hotel Arts Barcelona: Barcelona, Spain Hotel Arts Barcelona's infinity pool. Despite not ranking in last year's World's Best Awards, Barcelona's soaring, seafront Hotel Arts Barcelona—one of the city's original luxury properties—has found its way back into travelers' hearts. While many guests choose the 483-room hotel simpy for its covetable location on the Mediterranean, it's an equal hit among travelers who are looking for easy access to some of the city's coolest new urban developments, like the revitalized Port Olímpic marina, filled with destination-worthy dining, or the walkable 'Superblocks' of the hip Poblenou neighborhood. 'This is the best hotel I've ever stayed at in my 25 years of traveling around the world,' said one reader. Other readers praised the property for its family-friendly atmosphere, 'beautiful rooms,' and 'personalized service.' This is the best hotel I've ever stayed at in my 25 years of traveling around the world. — T+L Reader 1. Hotel Arts Barcelona Reader Score: 94.95 2. Four Seasons Hotel Madrid Reader Score: 93.18 3. Cotton House Hotel, Autograph Collection: Barcelona Reader Score: 90.82
CNA
08-07-2025
- Business
- CNA
Travel agency Trafalgar and sister brands launch 16 new tours, including to villages of France and the Balkans
Trafalgar and sister brands Insight Vacations and Luxury Gold will be launching 16 new itineraries for travel in 2026, marking the largest introduction of new trips in the past seven years. Spanning five continents from Patagonia to Portugal, and the Balkans to the Great Lakes, the newly announced trips aim to meet evolving traveller desires for immersive, personalised and culturally rich travel experiences. The tours will feature a mix of nature escapes, culinary explorations, heritage-rich adventures, and women only departures, offering something for every kind of traveller. 'Asian travellers are looking for more new and meaningful experiences. With an audience that has matured in terms of travel styles and taste, we find that more travellers are embracing a slower, more mindful pace of travel,' said Nick Lim, chief executive officer in Asia for The Travel Corporation, in a press release. 'Our new itineraries are designed to reflect this evolutionary shift.' NEW 2026 TOURS INCLUDE: Trafalgar: • English Adventure – A family-friendly trip through castles, countryside, and culture. • Villages of France – Slow travel through storybook towns, vineyards and rustic cuisine. • Best of South Korea – A modern-meets-traditional tour through Seoul, Gyeongju and Busan. • Best of Sri Lanka – A second, alternate route exploring the island's southern treasures. • Scenic Great Lakes with Mackinac Island – An inland North American gem featuring charming towns and freshwater beauty. • Spain, Morocco & Portugal Whirl – A cross-continental adventure connecting three dynamic cultures. • Best of Romania, Transylvania & Hungary – Gothic castles, medieval villages, and hidden Eastern European treasures. • Balkans Coast Explorer – Discover Albania, Croatia and Montenegro's rising-star coastal charm. Insight Vacations: • Adriatic Escape – Explore coastal gems from Dubrovnik to Montenegro, combining culture, cuisine and sea views. • Wonders of Sri Lanka – A journey through ancient cities, lush highlands and sacred temples. • Soul of the Deep South – Discover soulful cities, civil rights history and iconic music trails. • Soul of the Deep South (Women-only) – Meet the women who championed songwriting, civil rights and cuisine across the soulful cities of the South. • Heart of Patagonia – Traverse one of the world's last great wildernesses between Argentina and Chile. • Contrasts of Brazil & Argentina – Samba, steak and the soul of South America. Luxury Gold: • Spectacular Scotland – From lochs to legends, an in-depth look at Scottish heritage. • Ultimate Portugal – From Porto to the Algarve, a journey through wine, architecture and coastlines. These new trips are available to book now for 2026 departures. Visit the individual brand pages or head to the roadshow at Nex shopping mall from now until Jul 13 at level 1 atrium for more information.
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Travel + Leisure
01-07-2025
- Travel + Leisure
These Are the Best Times to Go on a Safari, According to a Top Travel Advisor
Safaris have a reputation: thrilling, scenic—and often wildly expensive. This is especially true if you're looking for intimate camp experiences led by expert guides. But, as someone who's been planning safaris in Africa for over 30 years, here's an insider tip: The best time to go might be during the off-season, or the 'secret seasons.' Twice a year—in March and April (sometimes referred to as the Emerald Season) and again in November (referred to as the Amber Season)—safari destinations across Africa become less populated as the rains return and the crowds disappear. This is when you can find great deals financially, without compromising your experience. Tourists on a safari drive watching the Emerald Season, the rains return, transforming the bush into a lush, green paradise. This is an exceptional time to go birding, as migrant birds from the Northern Hemisphere are still present in Africa. Many species even develop vibrant plumage in preparation for breeding season. Game viewing, while more challenging due to thicker vegetation, is always rewarding this time of year. You'll find fewer vehicles, and animals may seem more relaxed, having been happily fed over the past months with plenty of food and water. Photographers will appreciate the rich textures, dramatic skies, and striking contrasts of animals against vivid green backdrops. This is also the best time to engage more deeply with cultural experiences. For example, you can visit Botswana's indigenous San people and learn how they survive off the land during this season of abundance, or what they call the "happy time." Camps like Nxamaseri Island Lodge can also take visitors to observe traditional rituals or visit Tsodilo Hills for ancient San rock art. A lioness stalking a herd of Amber Season is the fire-hued finale to the dry season. After many months without rain, the terrain transforms into golden grasslands with hazy sunsets and trees tinged with burnt orange and crimson. Expect to see dynamic predator-prey action as the big cats capitalize on the concentration of thirsty, vulnerable animals. It's also calving season for antelope; many delay giving birth until the rains arrive, ensuring fresh, nutrient-rich grass is available to nourish them as they tend to their newborns. While it's hot, the arrival of the late November rains helps to settle the dust and cool the air. With sparse foliage, visibility is excellent. Showers arrive in quick, dramatic storms, refreshing the landscape and turning the sky into a canvas of moody clouds, vivid rainbows, and golden light. A luxurious interior room of a safari camp. One of the biggest perks of these secret seasons? Top camps suddenly become more affordable. During peak months, staying at a premier safari lodge can get pricey. But in off-peak periods, many lodges have reduced rates, exclusive deals, and other exciting offers. For example, supplements for solo travelers are frequently waived, and with lower occupancy rates at lodges, guests are often treated to a private guide at no additional cost. At the Duba Plains Camp in Botswana, for instance, four nights for two guests costs $13,800 in March, but $33,800 from June through October. And at the Somalisa Camp in Zimbabwe, off-peak visitors get two free nights on a nine-night itinerary when booking through select partners like Explore Inc. On top of big savings, traveling at off-peak times can provide travelers with a more peaceful, intimate experience. You are more likely to have intimate experiences, like watching a leopard descend from a tree or elephants drinking at dusk, without the smell of several other diesel engines or the sound of camera shutters from a crowd. If you're looking for exceptional wildlife, dramatic skies, better rates, and fewer crowds, the secret seasons deliver. It's not about compromising—t's about seeing Africa when it exudes a quieter kind of magic. The grass might be taller and the forecast a little less predictable, but it's all worth it for a safari that's personal, immersive, and just a bit more wild. Cherri Briggs is a member of Travel + Leisure's A-List and specializes in Botswana and Rwanda trips. You can create a tailor-made itinerary with Briggs by contacting her at [email protected] .
Hospitality Net
13-06-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
Cultural Experiences Fuel Business Travel, Says Hyatt
LONDON - Hyatt saw more than 147,000 meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) enquiries in Europe in 2024, an increase of 9.6% compared to 2023, driven by a growing demand for authentic cultural experiences embedded into business trips. Hyatt's UK properties accounted for more than 25,000 of these enquiries, amounting to a 22% growth year on year. The UK market saw the highest number of MICE enquiries throughout the entirety of Europe, Africa and the Middle East (EAME), reflecting the popularity of Hyatt's UK portfolio amongst business travellers. This comes as global business travel spending is projected to reach $1.64 trillion in 2025, up from $1.48 trillion in 2024, according to the Global Business Travel Association, signifying strong momentum for the continued recovery and growth of the segment. With global spending expected to surpass $2 trillion by 2028, the ways in which travel companies are agile in responding to evolving customer demands is critical.1 We are increasingly seeing business travellers look to make the most of trips by bolting on days to experience local surroundings. While business travel is well and truly back, there remains an undertone of cautious spending from travellers and companies, meaning this segment is more than ever about getting the highest return on investment from business trips. This also means that companies are laser focused on delivering high quality and engaging events that inspire productivity, requiring greater attention on unique and personalised settings, activities and F&B. Paul Dalgleish, VP Sales, Revenue and Business Development EAME Dialling-up downtime with Together by Hyatt Behind this growth lies Hyatt's world-renowned hotel brands and a strong, long-standing reputation in the corporate travel segment, which alongside its meetings and events platform, Together by Hyatt, allow for the delivery of best-in-class meetings and events. Together by Hyatt guides the way Hyatt properties create experiences and deliver more connected meetings and events, with organisers and guests at its heart. The platform provides event organisers with the tools, resources and support they need to deliver unique and elevated events, prioritising what matters most to them, whether that's wellbeing with waste reduction and thoughtfully sourced food, providing efficiencies through a real time planner portal, or curating unique experiences with bespoke event experience guides. Shaping this growing demand is appetite for unique experiences that bring business travellers closer to the destination, whether that's through food, team building, or learning a new skill. From harvesting honey while learning about the environmental benefits of beekeeping in Jabal Akhdar during a stay at Alila Jabal Akhdar, to truffle hunting in the forests of Hungary while staying at Párisi Udvar Hotel Budapest, or even unwinding with a yoga experience during a stay at Hôtel du Palais Biarritz - The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, the opportunities to dial-up events via unique experiences are endless when partnering with Together by Hyatt. Business travellers are particularly drawn to authentic lifestyle experiences. We are seeing strong demand for meaningful connections with local surroundings, whether that's through tasting local food, learning a new skill like beekeeping or exploring surrounding heritage. We only see this trend growing as demand for business travel continues on its upwards path, and travellers seek out the types of experiences that transform a business trip into a truly memorable experience. This is why we have ensured that across our brand bar, travellers are spoilt for choice when it comes to elevating any business trip, from Grand Hyatt and Hyatt Regency in our Classics collection, to Lifestyle brands like Andaz and The Standard. Gareth Cummings, Regional Vice President EAME, Hyatt Sales Force Bespoke buyouts in stunning locations Pivotal to the evolving corporate travel sector is the growing appetite from larger corporates to privatise entire hotels for MICE purposes. Whether guests are delivering energised sessions in a conference room, practicing meditation under the stars or strengthening connections over an authentic dish, corporates are increasingly recognising the benefits of an exclusive buyout that enables any meeting, conference or event to be elevated. Hyatt is responding to this demand, alongside the desire for increased return on investment from events, by offering greater flexibility for customers to deliver tailored, exclusive events with a full or partial buyout at a Hyatt hotel across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The stunning properties companies can enjoy an exclusive buyout at across Europe, Africa and the Middle East include: Alila Hinu Bay Grand Hyatt Al Khobar Hotel and Residences Grand Hyatt Doha Hotel & Villas Grand Hyatt Dubai Hyatt Regency Aqaba Ayla Andaz Prague Andaz Vienna am Belvedere Hôtel du Palais Biarritz Hyatt Centric Malta Hyatt Regency Amsterdam Park Hyatt London River Thames Grand Hyatt La Manga Club Golf & Spa Hyatt Regency Kotor Bay Resort La Zambra Resort Magma Santorini Secrets Lanzarote Resort and Spa Zoëtry Mallorca The term 'Hyatt' is used in this release for convenience to refer to Hyatt Hotels Corporation and/or one or more of its affiliates. About Hyatt Hotels Corporation Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company guided by its purpose – to care for people so they can be their best. As of June 30, 2024, the Company's portfolio included more than 1,350 hotels and all-inclusive properties in 78 countries across six continents. The Company's offering includes brands in the Timeless Collection, including Park Hyatt®, Grand Hyatt®, Hyatt Regency®, Hyatt®, Hyatt Vacation Club®, Hyatt Place®, Hyatt House®, Hyatt Studios, and UrCove; the Boundless Collection, including Miraval®, Alila®, Andaz®, Thompson Hotels®, Dream® Hotels, Hyatt Centric®, and Caption by Hyatt®; the Independent Collection, including The Unbound Collection by Hyatt®, Destination by Hyatt®, and JdV by Hyatt®; and the Inclusive Collection, including Impression by Secrets, Hyatt Ziva®, Hyatt Zilara®, Zoëtry® Wellness & Spa Resorts, Secrets® Resorts & Spas, Breathless Resorts & Spas®, Dreams® Resorts & Spas, Hyatt Vivid Hotels & Resorts, Alua Hotels & Resorts®, and Sunscape® Resorts & Spas. Subsidiaries of the Company operate the World of Hyatt® loyalty program, ALG Vacations®, Mr & Mrs Smith™, Unlimited Vacation Club®, Amstar DMC destination management services, and Trisept Solutions® technology services. For more information, please visit Forward-Looking Statements Forward-Looking Statements in this press release, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "may," "could," "expect," "intend," "plan," "seek," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue," "likely," "will," "would" and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable when made, are inherently uncertain, and are subject to numerous assumptions and uncertainties, many of which are outside of Kiraku, Inc. or Hyatt's control, which could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such statements. Forward-looking statements made in this press release are made only as of the date of their initial publication and neither party undertakes an obligation to publicly update any of these forward-looking statements as actual events unfold, except to the extent required by applicable law. If one or more forward-looking statements is updated, no inference should be drawn that any additional updates will be made with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.
South China Morning Post
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Intangible cultural heritage and Hong Kong examples as city celebrates inaugural ICH month
If you live in or are visiting Hong Kong, you may have watched the Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade from the fishing village's stilt houses last week, or mastered the art of making cha kwo (steamed sticky rice dumpling). You may be heading to Sha Tin later this month to learn a paper-crafting technique, or make temple offerings at the Che Kung Festival. A plethora of such cultural experiences is being widely showcased at the moment – more than usual – because June is the inaugural Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage Month. In addition to tours in six characteristic districts – Yau Tsim Mong, Tsuen Wan, Tai Po, Sha Tin, Eastern, and the Islands – there are carnivals, exhibitions, seminars and workshops being held across the city. Appreciating a culture's heritage through its historic sites and monuments, buildings, and material artefacts – such as clothing, jewellery, weapons, art and sculpture – is a familiar practice. Such tangible heritage has long been presented in museums, recognised, shared and even returned to its rightful communities. Cantonese opera is listed on the Representative List of the ICH of Hong Kong under performing arts. Photo: AFP Intangible cultural heritage (ICH), on the other hand, comprises non-physical intellectual wealth, such as folklore, customs, beliefs, traditions, knowledge and language. ICH received less recognition until recent decades, despite its crucial role as a mainspring of cultural diversity, and a guarantor of sustainable development.
