Set against the backdrop of a deep blue sea and sky

Boasting an ideal location on the golden sandy beach of Megali Ammos, Mykonos Grand Hotel is a 5-star, boutique accommodation designed in style, promises you a memorable holiday and lavish hospitality. Location: Mykonos, the Cyclades, just 10 minutes by car from Mykonos Town and 5 km from Mykonos Island National Airport.

Mykonos Grand Hotel & Resort is designed for your optimal comfort and ultimate seclusion. Offer a magnificent panoramic view of the blue Aegean Sea and the famous windmills, suites at Mykonos Grand combine the cube-shaped Cycladic architecture with the restful interior décor. The rooms are equipped with a satellite LCD TV, DVD player, iPod docking station, free Wi-Fi, Jacuzzi and steam cabin. The suites come with private swimming pools. Hotel Rooms: 95 and 12 suites.

Things to enjoy: Althea Spa offers a wide variety of natural treatments based on traditional Greek techniques, a beautiful swimming pool, tennis courts, a state-of-the-art gym, movie nights, yoga Pilates, hotel beach with candlelit private dining, yacht hire, ATVs with picnic baskets, a spectacular outdoor amphitheatre for social events. Guests can enjoy fresh seafood, grilled specialities and other Mediterranean flavours either at the open-air dining room or by the pool offering panoramic sea views.

It’s hard not to be mesmerized by the creative design

Located in the historic area of the city of Porto, MISS’OPO is a guesthouse offering some multi-functioning spaces such as two three-room studio flats and four two-room studio flats and a chic cafe bar and a shop which through their overall fresh design. This is a cultural tourism project, strongly directed to the promotion of all the most contemporary movement of the city of Porto. Lodging maximum capacity is 28 people. Photos by: www. yatzer.com

Increasing and promoting the connection and interaction between the city and those who visit it, Miss’Opo is a unique place which encourages engagement, a creative hub with interiors that have been inspired both by its location and international artistic inspiration. This exclusive design boasts homely comfort within a modern setting. There’s a raw industrial feel to the design, which includes roughly painted grey walls, hanging lights, mesh separating the interior spaces and features such as girders and piping, all left exposed.

The cafe bar with 25 seats is where the building and concept comes to life; a real hub to this home, this is where people are encouraged to meet, greet and eat and is a welcoming space completely lacking in any pretention.

Only the pool separating you from the white sand and turquoise Indian Ocean

Designed by HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates, the Residence Zanzibar is set on 32ha of tropical garden and boasts a 1.5 km white sandy beach on the southwest coast of the island, just minutes from the village of Kizimkazi. This is a top end luxurious resort with great service and the only member of the Leading Hotels of the World in Tanzania and East Africa.

Each of the 66 villas is beautifully appointed, and features all modern amenities you need during your stay. Decorated in a mix of cultures reflecting the various influences in Zanzibar’s history, each spacious villa has its own oasis with a private terrace and swimming pool, but the structures remain modern and natural, fitting in with the surroundings. The spacious bathrooms features separate toilet, double basins, stand alone bath and separate indoor and outdoor shower cabins.

Here you can relax on one of the numerous sun beds or partake in one of the many free sports, such as water-skiing, windsurfing, sailing, deep sea fishing, horse riding, tennis or aerobics. French therapist Jean Marc Weill has created an array of massages exclusively for the Spa at The Residence Zanzibar. Facilities include a sauna, Hammam and fitness centre as well as a number of health programs such as massages, aerobics, reflexology and a full range of beauty and hairdressing services.

Buffelsdrift Game Lodge

Buffelsdrift Game Lodge offers a unique bushveld experience in the heart of the Klein Karoo – the gateway to South Africa’s scenic Garden Route. Luxury accommodation, a restaurant and conference facilities that meet international standards are available to visitors and corporate guests. A charming wedding chapel at the water’s edge is the ideal setting for romantic African country weddings. A wide variety of game, bird and plant species are indigenous to this area and visitors will see elephant, rhino, buffalo, hippo, Cape mountain zebra, giraffe and other antelope.

Thelodge had 25 luxury tents sitted on the edge of the natural waterhole offer beautiful views of the spacious Klein Karoo landscape. Each has its own wooden deck overlooking the water where guests can relax, admire the view and see the game. The environment is one of quiet solitude that offers peace of mind.

The Buffelsdrift Restaurant offers an à la carte or buffet menu that specializes in local Karoo cuisine, home-made preserves, chutney, pickles fresh produce and herbs from the area, as well as a variety of freshly baked oven bread. The selected wine list is a true representation of excellent South African wine and offers guests some of the best award-winning wines on the R62 – the longest wine route in South Africa. The open-air bar is situated next to the conference venue and is an extension of the wooden deck. The bar offers a variety of soft drinks, spirits and a wide selection of local wine and port.

Take a bush safari in an open game vehicle to a panoramic lookout point where refreshments will be enjoyed while taking in the natural beauty of the environment. Game viewing on horseback is also an option where guests will be escorted by a trained guide to get a closer view of game roaming the vast undulating hills. Walk with an elephant in the late afternoon to the waterhole and see the sun set on the horizon. Elephant feeding offers an opportunity to interact with our elephants and to get to know these gentle giants. Early birds can take a guided nature walk into the veld to appreciate the splendour of indigenous Karoo succulents and fynbos or catch up on their birdwatching.

Savanna Private Game Reserve

Savanna Private Game Lodge is the ultimate, fully inclusive safari destination in South Africa. The lodge is set in the world renowned 64 000 hectare Sabi Sand Game Reserve, which borders South Africa’s famous Kruger National Park. The management and staff of Savanna are totally committed to maintaining the highest standards of service and hospitality and ensure that all who visit enjoy a truly quintessential African safari.

All the tents are equipped with en suite bathrooms, combine the romance of a tented roof, with the sophistication of a permanent structure that ensures ultimate luxury and privacy. The suites encapsulate “Classic African Safari” with draped Bedouin linen ceilings and spacious uncluttered living space that is truly luxurious but lived in and user friendly.

The Savanna Suite is in essence a private bush villa and is designed to offer high levels of elegance and comfort. Comprising two bedrooms both with their own private plunge pools, bathrooms on suite and separated by a large lounge and dining room the Savanna suite is ideally suited for families.

The lounge, open plan dining room and upstairs loft were architecturally designed with space and comfort in mind and are perfectly positioned with a view a well-visited waterhole providing superb game viewing directly from the lodge itself. Professional chefs serve only the best Pan African cuisine whether dining in the open-air boma, the main lodge or in the lantern lit gardens surrounding the lodge.

The selectively stocked wine cellar ensures that cuisine is married with superb wines allowing for a perfectly rounded dining experience. The truly stellar Savanna safari experience, with highly qualified guides provides for unbelievable viewing of the vast diversities of both mammals, including all of Africa’s big 5, as well as over 450 bird species. Ultimate levels of personal service, sublime cuisine, genuine people and truly stellar game viewing define the Savanna safari experience. Safari starts with an individual’s dreams and Savanna ensures that those individual’s dreams become the individual’s realities.

Peace and relaxation are guaranteed

Nestled on its own secluded island in the North Ari Atoll, with powder white beaches and turquoise seas, Resort Constance Halaveli is the perfect spot for your luxury Indian Ocean vacation. Located a 35-minute seaplane ride and a 75-minute ride from Male, the resort offers its guests total escape and relaxation. A trip to Halaveli is more than a holiday, it’s a place where time seems to have stopped and dreams become reality.

Constance Halaveli Resort features 86 spacious villas with private plunge pools. Featuring hardwood flooring and well-crafted furnishings, open-concept villas feature views of surrounding greenery or the lagoon. Located on the beach or over the water, each air-conditioned villa has also a furnished terrace featuring beach, ocean, or sea views.The villa’s amenities include: 42-inch LCD TVs, iPod docking stations, DVD players, free Wi-Fi, safes, coffee/tea makers and mini bars.

This Halaveli resort has a private beach and the watersports such as fishing and diving are available. Providing comprehensive spa that both the body and mind are well cared for and diving facilities, the Constance has three restaurants serve fresh seafood, Asian food and international dishes, tennis courts. Recreational amenities include an outdoor pool, sauna, well-equipped fitness facility, and a steam room.

Untouched South Nilandhe Atoll

Translates as “Turtle Island”, the secret island of Velavaru is situated in the north eastern corner of South Nilandhe Atoll or about a 40-minute seaplane ride from Male International Airport. Imagine thousands of miles away with swaying palm trees, pristine beaches and a turquoise lagoon. Reached only by a fascinating seaplane transfer, Angsana Velavaru is a picturesque resort brings new meaning to carefree abandon in paradise.

Angsana Velavaru Hotel Maldives consists of 79 villas on Velavaru Island and 33 exclusive InOcean water-villas, all equipped with wireless internet connection. Book a villa at this luxury Velavaru resort and you won’t be disappointed! Each two-storey villa comes with an outdoor deck and its own private pool. All villas are equipped with 32-inch flat screen televisions, and free wireless internet connection. Hotel Rooms: 112, Hotel Chain: Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, Maldives.

Angsana Velavaru’s amenities include: a full-service spa offering award-winning body treatments, massages and beauty services, a private beach and 5 restaurants serve a wide variety of local and international cuisines. A whole host of activities are available such as snorkelling safaris teeming with the world’s most vibrant marine life, night fishing trips in the search for sail fish, wahoo and blue marlin in a traditional Maldivian Dhoni, dolphin-watching excursions in the middle of the Indian Ocean …. Many of dive sites, reefs and islands are virtually untouched, making this one of the most sought-after destinations for marine enthusiasts.