October-December 2011: With the year winding down and the festive season at our doorstep, it is time to dig out that travel planner and start mapping out the next holiday. With a profusion of festivals and long-weekends in the offing, Hilton Hotels & Resorts’ award-winning resorts around the region offer the perfect setting to enjoy some time away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Rich in natural beauty and designed in sync with their surroundings, Hilton Hotels and Resorts’ properties deliver impeccable service and world-class amenities with plenty of local charm.
With a luxurious something for everyone – from gastronomes and spa bunnies to fitness freaks and nature-lovers – the resorts’ idyllic waterside locations and charming atmospheres will help make the festive season a time of relaxation, celebration and enjoyment.
Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa
Winner of the coveted Best in Class Award at the 2011 World Travel Awards, the Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort and Spa exemplifies exotic and exciting. Only steps from the tranquil palm fringed beach, all of the stunning villas at this Seychelles resort hotel offer spectacular views, luxury amenities and spacious living areas. Located on the stunning Silhouette Island in the Seychelles archipelago, the hotel is a 40 minute boat ride or a short helicopter flight from the main island of Mahe, an island known for its dramatic mountain peaks, rich cultural heritage and unique biodiversity.
Must-try: Island-inspired cocktails before dining on the finest seafood by the ocean shore, or the colorful Creole cuisine in a unique restored plantation house
Chill-out Amenities: Seven elegant restaurants and bars, modern fitness centre, sparkling outdoor pool, 5-star PADI diving centre and the luxurious Silhouette Spa
Average flight time from Dubai: 4 hours
Average Temperature for Oct-Dec: 29 degree Celsius
Hilton Mauritius Resort & Spa
Two-time winner of the World Travel Award for Leading Spa Resort in Mauritius, the Hilton Mauritius Resort & Spa is an icon of quality, in a destination renowned for its luxurious resorts. Located just an hour’s drive from Sir Ramgoolam International Airport, the resort is a haven of peace and calm. A stone’s throw from the Casela Nature’s Park and the Medine Sugar Estate, it is every nature-lover’s paradise.
Must try: Sailing or snorkeling at the resort’s watersports facilities
Chill-Out facilities: Four restaurants and two bars, a pool complex, watersports, spa and fitness center, kids’ club and 3 floodlit tennis courts.
Average flight time from Dubai: 6.5 hours
Average Temperature for Oct-Dec: 29 degree Celsius
Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa
The perfect base from which to explore the rich history of Egypt, where guests can relax in pure luxury on the banks of the Nile. With glorious, uninterrupted views from its unique, water’s edge location; the newly renovated Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa is a sanctuary at the heart of one of the world’s oldest civilizations. A short distance from the awe-inspiring Temple of Karnak and the Valley of the Kings, the 236-room Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa has been entirely transformed to emerge as a dazzling new retreat that echoes the majesty of the ancient treasures around it.
Must-try: Shisha at the Diwan café – breathtakingly suspended over the east bank of the river, the shisha joint offers plush Arabian-style seating served with Egyptian tea, Turkish coffee and traditional shisha water pipes filled with fruit-flavoured tobaccos.
Chill-out Amenities: Eight stylish bars and restaurants, Nayara Spa – the luxury holistic treatment spa, two stunning infinity pools, shaded cabana hammock and all overlooking the Nile
Average flight time from Dubai: 3 hours
Average Temperature for Oct-Dec: 27 degree Celsius
Hilton Salalah Resort
Closer to home, the Hilton Salalah Resort is a relaxing retreat, surrounded by vibrant bougainvilleas and lush palm groves. This beachfront Salalah hotel is set amidst landscaped gardens and all of the Salalah hotel rooms and suites offer views of the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea, as well as the dramatic Dhofar mountain range. Guests can either spend a day by the pool or take in Salalah’s sights such as the famed Old Souk, the Bird Sanctuary or follow the Frankincense trail. The more adventurous can go off-roading through the Dhofar mountain trails.
Must-try: An outdoor massage in one of the Caribbean style beach pavilions
Chill-out Amenities: Six restaurants and bars, a freeform pool overlooking the white-sandy beach, and a shopping arcade and gym.
Average flight time from Dubai: 1 hour 30 minutes
Average Temperature for Oct-Dec: 26 degree Celsius
