Luxury Travel Advisor - January 2008 - (Page 38) BEDROOMS of W’s Ocean Haven open to the Indian Ocean (right). AT MEDJUMBE PRIVATE ISLAND, guests stay in private chalets (double room shown, below). the house no matter where your clients decide to dine. Throughout the year, restaurant reservations can be made as late as your clients’ arrival; however, book well ahead if your clients plan to celebrate the New Year here. Note: In lieu of butlers and concierges, W Retreat & Spa Maldives relies on its able Whatever/Whenever Team to look after each guest’s fancy, whether it’s a frozen cocktail by the pool, a picnic on Gaatha Fushi, the W’s own island, or a day of big-game fishing aboard the resort’s yacht, Escape. Contact Whatever/Whenever Team Leader Mohamed Naadhu (naadhu.mohamed@whotels. com; 960-666-22-22) for special pre-arrival arrangements. Director of Operation Coetzer Deysel (coetzer.deysel@whotels.com; 960-666-22-22) also is happy to welcome your VIPs. Private groups, honeymooners and any other clients whose aim is to enjoy their ocean surroundings in complete solitude will revel in the peace and quiet of Medjumbe Private Island (www. raniresorts.com), in the Quirimbas Archipelago off the coast of northern Mozambique. Resort accommodations consist of 13 beach chalets, all steps from the tepid and tranquil Indian Ocean. Each chalet has its own deck and plunge pool, and all offer unobstructed ocean views. Book by number: Chalets 7, 8 and 9 are best suited for families; numbers 10 and 11 are considered best for active guests and numbers 12 and 14 are the most private and thus are recommended for newlyweds. Note: Although children are welcome at the resort, visitors traveling with kids younger than 12 must book the entire island. Luxury travel advisors should initiate bookings by sending an e-mail to reservations@ranire sorts.com; General Manager Tony Vernon-Driscoll (enqui ries@raniresorts.com; 258-2171-5200/1) is on hand to oversee your guests’ stay. Here’s the skinny on getting there: Pemba International Airport services the Quirimbas and is readily accessible from Johannesburg, Dar Es Salaam and Maputo, to name a few. From Pemba, it’s a 35-minute flight to Medjumbe. Rani Aviation operates shuttle planes to all of the archipelago’s islands, and private helicopter transfers are available; Veron-Driscoll will arrange. Guests of Medjumbe typically spend their days diving, snorkeling, fishing, swimming, sailing, windsurfing and water-skiing. Although there’s no spa, guests can request alfresco treatments by an on-call massage therapist once they’re on-site, or make advance requests through the general manager. For clients looking to spend some time off-property, suggest a day-trip to Quissanga Island, an even smaller, uninhabited island alongside Medjumbe. Private sojourns include picnics, a sleepover under the stars, a quiet dinner—anything your clients desire. Reservations for on-site dining aren’t necessary, as the resort’s restaurant is open only to guests. (Fresh fish dishes are the specialty, and insiders tell us that the cooks obligingly prepare fish that guests themselves hook during their stay.) Tip: Request a table on the beach—or anywhere on the island—to create a romantic setting for couples. The resort is open all year, though August tends to draw the most bookings; for a stay then, book six months in advance. The gleaming white sands and aqua waters of China Beach serve as the breathtaking backdrop of Vietnam’s Nam Hai resort (www.thenamhai.com), in Hoi An. Nam Hai guests stay in 60 one-bedroom villas and 40 38 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | January 2008 http://www.thenamhai.com
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