Luxury Travel Advisor - September 2008 - (Page 18)

THE DELUXE SEA VIEW ROOM in the Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai (top). The luxurious bathroom of the Sea View Room (above). which is the grandest unit at the Taj Malabar. In addition to a living room, it has a parlor/dining area with a view of the water, as well as an enormous water-view terrace outside the bedroom. We also saw the Executive Suites in the Tower, which are the only accommodations at the hotel with balconies and four-poster beds. They connect to Superior Rooms, so they’d be the best bet for families. Tip: If your client wants a sunset view, opt for room Nos. 502, 602, 702 or any of those ending in 10 in the Tower. Bonus: These are corner rooms that look out on to two sides of the property, offering water views in both directions. We loved how local heritage was reflected in décor at the Taj Malabar. Paintings of Kochi scenes and landmarks grace the walls, and arrangements of spices (a major product of the area) are placed here and there for decoration. In guest rooms, drawers and closets have painted ceramic doorknobs—a local craft. The hotel’s seafood specialty restaurant, Rice Boat, is housed in a replica of a kettuvallam (the name of the cane-roof boats that ply the Kerala backwaters). Dining Tip: Order the Keralan specialty pollichathu, which is karimeen (a fish from the backwaters) cooked in a banana leaf with a scrumptious masala relish. Luxury travel advisors can arrange exclusive private dining experiences for clients at the Taj Malabar, including a romantic couple’s dinner inside a cabana at the water’s edge or rooftop dining with music provided by a band. For couples, families or groups, we suggest booking a sadya—the traditional vegetarian feast of Kerala—that is held on a private jetty. Another special experience is cruising the backwaters aboard the hotel’s Cinnamon Coast yacht, which is docked right at the property. The 55-foot Gulf Craft Ambassador carries up to 12 passengers, and can be taken out for a dinner cruise, day trip or even overnight, as there are three staterooms onboard. As Kochi is Kerala’s largest metropolitan area, there are plenty of sightseeing and shopping excursions that can be booked through the Taj Malabar’s concierge, Abdul Salam (abdul.salam@tajhotels.com). A highlight is the half-day backwater village trip by canoe where you meet locals—and perhaps try your hand at their jobs, crafts or cookery. Jose Maxwell (jose.maxwell@ tajhotels.com), the manager of travel operations, is the luxury travel advisor for the hotel; Sales Manager Piali Bera (piali.bera@ tajhotels.com) will assist your Alist clients with kid gloves. After a four-hour cruise from the Kochi area, we pulled right into the jetty outside the lobby of the Radisson Plaza Resort & Spa Kumarakom (www.radisson. com/kumarakomin). In this remote location amid the backwaters and their traditional villages, the Radisson Plaza is a most unlikely property: a deluxe 18acre resort of villas, cottages and hotel rooms laid out around a lagoon, with a showplace spa, an amphitheater and a meditation temple among the amenities. At 15,000 square feet, the gorgeous Maya Spa is the largest spa in south India. Luxury travel advisors should consult with Dr. Keshav Prasad, the spa director (spamgr@radissonkumarakom. com), to sort through the extensive options for your clients. The spa’s relaxation lounge by itself is worth a visit. This oval room features chaise lounges facing a picture window, a fountain and an astronomy ceiling of twinkling lights. Romantics will love the couples’ suites that have a corner Jacuzzi with windows on both sides and a privacy wall outside the windows. Upstairs, the spa has a gym that looks out on the pool, lagoon and its inlet to the lake. The swimming area is a stunner too, featuring a 18 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | September 2008 http://www.radisson.com/kumarakomin http://www.radisson.com/kumarakomin

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Luxury Travel Advisor - September 2008 Contents Publisher's Letter Editor's Letter Provence India Alvear Palace Hotel Oceana Santa Monica English Country Houses Chewton Glen Summer Lodge Chilston Park Hotel Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago Park Hyatt Milan Intercontinental Montelucia Jackson Hole World Cruises French Riveria Spas Voluntourism Vacations Signature Travel Network The Pulse Profile Luxury Travel Expo Sightings Source List Leaders Speak

Luxury Travel Advisor - September 2008

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