Unique luxury hotels, fashionable travel and much more

Any tourist will know that the siesta is an essential part of Spanish life.

Shops used to close between 2 and 4pm and stay open late into the evening, although this arrangement has become less common because of commercial considerations and work/life balance.

The city of Granada, however, is determined to protect the afternoon nap and has introduced regulations to ensure its residents are undisturbed.

The London Daily Telegraph’s correspondent in Spain, Fiona Govan, reports that a new by-law, approved this week, means that anyone making what’s called ‘unnecessary noise’ in Granada between 3 and 5pm could be fined up to 3,000 euros (£2,640 / $4,100).

Noisy activity includes shouting, singing, dancing or slamming a door. Pets, vacuum cleaners and washing machines will have to be silenced.

Other people now facing fines include those spitting or urinating in the street, beggars, buskers, car windscreen cleaners and gypsies offering tourists sprigs of herbs or wild flowers.

The new regulations have been branded ‘restrictive’ and ‘impossible to enforce’ by some, but the authorities insist they will make it easier to deal with complaints between neighbours.

by Andy Moreton

The city of Granada in Andalucia is home to one of Spain’s most visited tourist attractions – the Moorish citadel and palace known as the Alhambra. For your stay in this historic city, Luxique has carefully selected six superb luxury hotels in Granada with a variety of styles.

The most popular paid-for tourist attraction in the UK – the London Eye – is to have a £12.5 million ($19.3 million) refit that will make it more environmentally friendly.

The 32 capsules that make up the giant observation wheel on the south bank of the Thames are to have their heating and ventilation improved to make them more energy efficient. The aim is to cut electricity consumption by 20 per cent.

One pod will also be updated with four ceiling-mounted screens and enhanced multimedia and wi-fi capabilities, which will enable it to provide music and on-screen visuals.

The owners, Merlin Entertainments Group, said the attraction would remain open as normal during the refurbishment, with the capsules being taken out and upgraded one at a time. The work will begin this summer and finish in time for the London 2012 Olympics.

The London Eye – also known as the Millennium Wheel - has had more than 33 million visitors since it opened in 2000.

by Andy Moreton

The Eye is just one of the experiences awaiting you in London. Luxique’s Top Destination London guide will help you get the best from your visit and we have a hand- picked selection of the finest luxury hotels in London.

The Eiffel Tower in Paris has just celebrated its 120th anniversary with the release of thousands of balloons.

The most instantly recognisable symbol of the French capital was inaugurated in May 1889. Since then it has become one of Europe’s most popular tourist sites, welcoming nearly seven million visitors a year.

To mark the anniversary, there’s an exhibition, Tales of The Eiffel Tower, which runs through to the end of the year. It features photos, posters, films and interactive presentations. It’s on the first floor and stairs of the Tower.

Many 19th century Parisians didn’t care for the Tower. One, the writer, Guy de Maupassant, often ate lunch in the restaurant at its base because he said it was the only place he couldn’t see it.

Another wacky fact: since its opening, the Eiffel Tower has been re-painted every seven years. The nineteenth re-painting job began in March and is expected to take eighteen months.

by Andy Moreton

The French capital is so much more than the Eiffel Tower. Take a look at our Paris city guide and let Luxique help you choose from several award winning luxury hotels in Paris hotel.

I wrote recently about how movie backdrops can do wonders for tourism – think The Third Man (Vienna), Don’t Look Now (Venice) and any number of Woody Allen films (New York).

Now, Washington DC is looking for a boost in visitor numbers with the release of the Night At The Museum sequel. This one has the subtitle Battle of The Smithsonian and it’s set in that prestigious museum and research centre, based primarily in DC.

Like its predecessor from three years ago – that one was set in New York’s Museum of Natural History - the action of the film follows night guard Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) whose job is hampered by the exhibits coming to life after dark.

And there are many exhibits to keep an eye on at the Smithsonian, with more than 136 million items in its collections. These include the Lockheed Vega plane belonging to aviator Amelia Earhart (played in the film by Amy Adams). You might also catch Teddy Roosevelt, Al Capone, Custer, Ivan The Terrible and Attila The Hun.

There’s general agreement in Washington that the release of the movie is good news for the city. “Often times we hear that parents have a civic duty to bring their families to D.C. for a vacation,” said Victoria Isley of the tourism bureau Destination DC. “But we believe Night at the Museum 2 will really help kids inspire visits themselves.”

by Andy Moreton

If you’re keen to visit the Smithsonian and everything else DC has to offer, take a look at the Luxique selection of luxury hotels in Washington DC, including the Four Seasons in Georgetown.

There’s cautious optimism that there will be lasting peace in Sri Lanka after 26 years of civil war.

The government recently announced an end to the fighting after its troops took the last piece of land held by Tamil Tiger rebels, and said it had killed the top rebel leader.

There is much to be done before the island can return to normal – the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, has been there to discuss the plight of about 275,000 displaced people.

While it’s still too early to predict the future course of events, the prospect has opened up of tourists returning to the pristine sandy beaches of the north and east of the country.

“This is a good step forward, but we have to be cautious, there is still a lot of work to be done to bring about a true peace,” said Jean-Marc Flambert, who promotes a number of hotels in Sri Lanka.

Throughout the years of conflict, places like Trincomalee – described by Admiral Nelson as the finest harbour in the world – and Arugam Bay have been off-limits to all but domestic visitors and intrepid backpackers. They lack the hotels and infrastructure of the more developed south and west.

“There is a great potential to develop tourism on that side of the island,” said Mr Flambert. “Obviously people are going to remain cautious for a while but many have been waiting for this day.”

by Andy Moreton

Luxique has a fine selection of places to stay in the south of Sri Lanka – from the ocean-side Saman Villas in Bentota to the peace and tranquility of the traditional eco-village of Ulpotha Sanctuary.

Part of the Acropolis in Athens is to be a no-go area for high heels and chewing gum.

Greek officials say irreparable damage is being caused to the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, a stone theatre structure located on the south slope of the famous tourist site. The theatre attracts 350,000 visitors a year, is one of the main venues of the Athens festival and has hosted the Bolshoi Ballet.

Two years ago, cleaning crews reportedly removed 59 pounds of chewing gum from the theatre’s delicate marble seats. Stilettos are also causing damage during performances at the theatre.

The Culture Minister, Antonis Samaras, has submitted a draft law to parliament, suggesting that anyone caught chewing gum or wearing heels could risk a hefty fine and arrest. A set of guidelines coming into force from next January will also ban food and drink at performances and forbid entry to anyone who is drunk.

Over 18 months of writing these articles, it’s depressing to see how many times I’ve had to report on selfish tourist behaviour – drunkenness, litter-bugging, graffiti on a Basilica terrace in Florence and on the Great Wall of China, and now chewing gum on ancient marble. As the Chinese tell their people: “The cultivation of a congenial and harmonious travel environment benefits every tourist. It is our bounden duty to be a tourist with refined manners.”

by Andy Moreton

A new museum opens at the Acropolis in June (more on that next month). If you’re planning a visit to Greece, Luxique has a varied selection of luxury hotels in Athens, including the celebrated Grand Bretagne.

The Belgian city of Ghent is declaring every Thursday a vegetarian day.

Civil servants and councillors will opt for vegetarian meals and are urging the public to follow suit. Recipes and tips on vegetarian cooking will be offered and about 90,000 ‘veggie street maps’ are being printed to help people find the city’s vegetarian restaurants.

A party was held in the city, 30 miles west of Brussels, to celebrate the first Veggie Day. On the buffet tables were aubergine caviar and broad-bean falafel.

Ghent’s initiative is aimed at drawing attention to the impact of livestock on the environment. The UN says livestock is responsible for nearly one-fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Councillor Tom Balthazar said that abstaining from meat for one day a week was ‘good for the climate, good for your health and good for your taste buds.’ “There’s nothing compulsory,” he added. “We just want to be a city that promotes sustainable and healthy living.”

by Andy Moreton

Belgium is often neglected by tourists doing the grand European tour. Luxique can help you book some of the top luxury hotels in Brussels, the capital, as well as beautiful luxury hotels in Bruges.

An animal welfare charity says horses and donkeys used to ferry holidaymakers around in some parts of the world are paying a heavy price for overweight tourists and cheap rides.

The Brooke charity says that in areas popular with British and American visitors, such as Egypt and Jordan, the animals take tourists between historical attractions, often across rocky terrain. The Brooke says there’s no protection for them and they’re often over-worked, under-watered and under-fed.

Here in the UK, new rules were introduced which mean that beach donkeys carry only holidaymakers of eight stone (112 lbs) or less, have an hour’s break at lunch and a day off in the week to rest.

The Brooke has also warned that as tourists haggle down the price in an effort to save money in the recession, it’s the animals who suffer. Struggling owners are tempted to over-work the animals to bring in enough money to feed their families.

The Brooke spokeswoman, Kimberly Wells, said: “We see first hand the painful results - exhaustion, injuries, dehydration, heat stress, beatings and wounds: over-worked animals suffering for tourism.”

“Tourists can have a hugely positive impact on how communities treat their animals, so we are urging them to play their part and work with us to reduce animal suffering across the world.”

by Andy Moreton

Some of the hotels on Mexico’s Caribbean coast have offered free vacations for three years to any tourist catching swine flu while on holiday there.

The flu outbreak in Mexico, from which 58 people have died, has sparked mass cancellations of bookings to one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations.

“The ‘flu-free guarantee’ assures three years of free holidays to travellers who present flu symptoms eight days after returning from their trip,” said Fernando Garcia, the director of one of the participating hotel groups.

The hotel owners are also sending letters to the American government - to be published in US newspapers - calling for a lifting of the alert against non-essential travel to Mexico.

The Health Minister, Jose Angel Cordova, has underlined that several top Mexican beach resorts, including Cozumel on the east coast and Puerto Vallarta on the west coast, haven’t registered any swine flu cases.

“Tourist destinations are safe in Mexico, people can return calmly, we are carrying out intensive checks,” said Mr Cordova.

The flu’s impact, including on tourism, was expected to cost Mexico’s economy around $2.3 billion (£1.5 billion).

by Andy Moreton

If you’re reassured by the Health Minister’s statement, Luxique can offer the best rates at luxury hotels in both Cozumel and Puerto Vallarta.

A recent survey on a TV consumer programme concluded that the standard of service here in the UK had become much worse over the past few years.

It was refreshing, therefore, to read the thoughts of hotelier Gordon Campbell Gray in the June edition of the magazine Condé Nast Traveller. “We are in the kindness industry,” said Campbell Gray. “I think it’s an insult to charge for the internet or a piece of fruit.”

Campbell Gray runs One Aldwych in London (where, reportedly, three pieces of fresh fruit are delivered to every room, every day). Also in his stable is the chic Carlisle Bay in Antigua with its barefoot luxury.

He tends to hand pick everything that goes into his hotels and says that when his staff members say “it’s my pleasure”, they mean it. His maxim is said to be: “Show me the doorman and I’ll tell you how the hotel is run.”

Now Campbell Gray has a fresh challenge – he’s opening a new hotel, Le Gray, next month … in the centre of the Lebanese capital, Beirut. “I think Beirut’s time has come again,” he said. “It’s a marvellous location – you have the sea and the mountains – and I think the people are the most glamorous on earth.”

by Andy Moreton (with thanks to Reggie Nadelson)

Luxique can find you the best rates at Carlisle Bay, One Aldwych and at Duke’s Hotel in London, which is also managed by Gordon Campbell Gray’s company.