Luxury Travel Advisor - December 2008 - (Page 62) JUST BACK Honeymoon In Asia For VIPs staying at the Mandarin Oriental, contact Lucy Lau (llau@mohg.com; 011-852-2825-4802), director of sales and marketing. After our Hong Kong stay, it was off to the cruise. We knew that Vietnam might be a challenging place to traverse quickly, given its limited infrastructure. With a short time frame, a cruise enables movement into and out of some of the hard-to-access areas that would have been impossible to reach in that time on land. Tip: Be sure to book your clients in a suite that faces Central Hong Kong when the ship is docked. We called first at Hong Gai and jumped on a coach bound for Hanoi. We visited the Temple of Literature, had a lovely lunch and managed to get some shopping in. As coffee lovers, we kept a vigil lookout for the local coffee shops. We also loved the Hanoi Art Gallery in the silk area. The next day we went on a cruise of Halong Bay, known for its monolithic island formations. A day at sea was followed by a stop in Chan May (Hue), which provides access to China Beach, Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue and the Perfume River. We wanted to see a bit more of nature, so we headed for the spectacular beaches. On the last day, in Ho Chi Minh City, we were determined to sample some authentic Vietnamese cuisine and found just that at the Park Hyatt Saigon (www.saigon.park.hyatt. com) and its Square One restaurant recommended by the concierge. There was a great selection of western-style steaks; however, we ordered beautifully presented spring rolls followed by Vietnamese beef noodles with Asian basil. After all our planning, we think we accomplished our goal: The most fabulous honeymoon ever. — Kimberly Ziegler-Newbury ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER of Luxury Travel Advisor Kimberly Ziegler-Newbury and her husband, Jonathan, experienced a romantic and exciting honeymoon in Hong Kong and Vietnam. aving spent our careers in and around the travel industry, my new husband, Jonathan, and I were experiencing more than a little pressure to have the most fabulous honeymoon ever. But where to go? Enter Mark Conroy, president of Regent Seven Seas Cruises (www.rssc.com), who suggested that a cruise in Asia might be just the ticket. Our Itinerary: A cruise down the coast of Vietnam on Seven Seas Mariner, preceded by a few days in Hong Kong. As a hotelier in the luxury end of the market, Jonathan always tells me that the hotel experience begins at the airport. We knew we had made the right choice when we were greeted at the gate by an escort from the Mandarin Oriental (www.mandarinoriental. com/hongkong). After a 15-hour flight, we H felt completely at ease being zipped through to customs on a golf cart, guided through to luggage claim, then shown to our car. Everything they say about the Mandarin Oriental is true—the service is exceptional. We were impressed especially by the spa. In addition to a steam room, there is a pebblefoot bath with aeration that bubbles up as guests walk a path around the spa. Feeling relaxed and ready, we conquered the city. Recommended: a ride across the strait on the Star Ferry (www.starferry.com.hk), high tea at The Peninsula (www.peninsula.com), cocktails at the InterContinental (www. ichotelsgroup.com), a funicular ride up to the top of Victoria Peak, dumplings at Luk Yu Teahouse (011-852-2523-5464) and a journey to the giant Tian Tan Buddha and Po Lin Monastery by cable car on Lantau Island. 62 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | December 2008 http://www.rssc.com http://www.saigon.park.hyatt.com http://www.saigon.park.hyatt.com http://www.starferry.com.hk http://www.peninsula.com http://www.ichotelsgroup.com http://www.ichotelsgroup.com http://www.mandarinoriental.com/hongkong http://www.mandarinoriental.com/hongkong
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