Sale, Sale, Sale

We’re right in the throes of the two-week dining-and-shopping orgy that is Chinese New Year, and what better time to take advantage of a travel deal, instead of blowing a ton of cash on clothes at Zara (guilty!)? Book before January 31 and take advantage of 33 percent off weekend stays (Thu-Sun) at the Conrad Koh Samui, valid for visits made until December 30 of this year. It’s a gorgeous, expensive place—so paying two-thirds of the full price actually makes a huge difference. This five-star, all-villa resort opened just last summer on one of the most remote shores of the hotel-packed island. The hotel boasts a cliff-side Thai restaurant as well as private, wine-cellar dining for oenophiles. You’ll also find an on-site diving and sailing center, an alfresco yoga pavilion and a floating jetty perfect as a pick-up and drop-off point for island-hopping trips.

It all faces west, and so get ready for some stellar sunsets; if you prefer, witness them from the hotel’s chilled-out bar, Glow. It’s all part of Hilton’s “Any Weekend Anywhere” promotion—so check www.hilton.com/en/hi/promotions to see which of their 540 hotels worldwide are offering deep discounts.
Pre-discount rates start at 25,000 THB (HK$6,130) per night for a one-bedroom villa. Visit www.conradkohsamui.com or call +66 77-915-888 to book.

Cruise Control

Onto a heavier topic we go. I can’t get the horrifying image out of my mind: an enormous cruise ship, sinking into the water at a jarringly steep angle. On Friday, January 13 (guess there’s something to that superstition), the Costa Concordia ran aground along the west coast of Italy. At press time, at least 11 passengers are confirmed dead, with more than 20 still missing—though that’s on a vessel that was carrying 4,200 vacationers and crew members. The capsize has spurred more than a few questions, namely, if the captain left the ship before assisting passengers. Also, why was the ship closer to shore than its predetermined route plan allowed? The liner’s operator is canceling all journeys scheduled before February 25, but I was still curious how the incident could affect otherwise-cruise-loving Hongkongers who might be scared off by the specter and scale of that kind of mishap. Here’s what Costa Cruises told me via e-mail: “We ha[d] more than 20 Hong Kong travelers on board the Costa Concordia and all are safe. […] Costa is committed to ensuring that no such incident ever occurs again. Our number one priority is always the safety and security of our guests and crew and we comply with all safety regulations.” Costa (which is a subsidiary of Carnival) added that it is doing everything it can to find out what went wrong aboard the boat. I’m not sure if that’ll reassure fearful folks, but it’s definitely a start. In light of the tragedy, I hope it’s not uncouth to unleash a little wisecrack: Let’s just hope the prices of cruises start to fall.

Smart Site

Last month, luxury hotel chain Swire launched a blog all about food, drink, travel and art in the cities in which they have properties—namely Beijing, Hong Kong and Cheltenham, England. As the large photo on the home screen—a mouth-watering ramekin of chocolate cake (you can click for the recipe)—and its name, "You'd Be Much Better Here," suggest, this site is all about how to indulge. You’d think the posts would center on Swire’s hotels, like Opposite House in Beijing or Upper House and East in Hong Kong, but they don’t. There are fun, quick takes on topics from the top 5 noodle shops in Beijing to an art biennale in Sweden. New entries aren’t posted that frequently, but it’s a good page to bookmark for helpful advice, handy travel-related links and absolutely drool-worthy photos. (Yes, I’m still thinking about that cake.)
Visit Swire’s travel blog at www.youdbemuchbetterhere.com.

Email me at halberts@asia-city.com.hk or follow me on Twitter @HanaRAlberts