Confetti

 

• A secluded cottage where the Indian Ocean laps at your feet. You dance under the stars while he sings You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves You in his best Frank Sinatra voice. When you tire of dancing pop a bottle of chilled champagne. You finish the night, by makeing slow, passionate love on the balcony.
• A white sandy beach on a deserted Caribbean island where you’re dining barefoot in the sand while watching the midnight butterflies. He draws a big heart in the sand and writes your new married names in it. Then he comes up behind you, blindfolds you and carries you into your bungalow, where he lowers you gently into the Jacuzzi and joins you.
• A horse-drawn carriage drives to a private beachfront villa. He carries you over the threshold. The room is lit by candlelight. Soft jazz plays in the background. Rose petals cover the bed. You kiss passionately, hands gliding up and down each other like they do in cheesy romantic comedies. You've earth-shattering sex, with multiple orgasms.
  

From South Africa to a luxury odyssey through India, here are four rail journeys guaranteed to set your heart aflutter.
By Roslyn Dee

THE DECCAN ODYSSEY, INDIA

The route: Mumbai back to Mumbai, via Goa

The experience: A week-long, luxury train journey that transports its guests to a number of magical destinations in the vast expanse of India’s Maharashtra territory. From Mumbai and Ganpatipule to Goa, Pune and Ellora and from swathes of sandy beaches to magnificent forts and palaces, this luxury train comes with all mod cons (telephones and televisions), a library and even an on-board spa carriage with Ayurvedic massage centre, gymnasium and beauty parlour. Just launched last year, the Deccan Odyssey (named after central India’s Deccan plateau) is glamour beyond imagination – plush cabins, real beds, en suite bathrooms, beautiful fixtures and fittings and high-class dining.

The train operates as a hotel-on-rails with lots of off-train sightseeing so that you can visit the beaches of Goa and Maharashtra or tour the historic sights of Ajanta and Aurangabad.The journey kicks off with dinner on board as you pull out of Mumbai at the start of your Indian odyssey and ends with breakfast, eight days later, as the memorable tour comes to an end back where you began, in Mumbai.

The cost: The trip is priced per day – that leaves a good degree of flexibility so you can opt for a certain leg of the journey if you can’t afford the time, or the money, for the whole week. Priced in US dollars, it’s $295 per day, per person, for a double compartment in low-season rising to $350 in high season. If you want to push the boat out for a honeymoon, then the presidential suite will set you back between $550 and $700 per day. Meals are included.

The schedule: The Deccan Odyssey runs in January, February, March, April (the low-season month), October, November and December.

THE BLUE TRAIN, SOUTH AFRICA
The route: Pretoria to Cape Town

The experience: This is a journey of a day and a night, almost 1,000 miles in length, in luxurious carriages that come with en suite facilities and a personal butler to boot. Picture a five-star hotel on wheels, with a beautiful dining car where white linen tablecloths, fresh flowers and crystal glasses are the order of the day, and you get the idea. Not to mention the superb food and wine. The current trains (there are two of them) date from 1997 and 1998, so, although they have all the appearance of the old-world, they are modern trains with all the comforts of home. And yes, it’s called The Blue Train because it is actually blue – the carriages are of a striking sapphire hue. Following a champagne reception in Pretoria station (or in Cape Town if you are travelling in the other direction) you embark from the Jacaranda City and head south before stopping off for a tour of Kimberly, famous for its diamonds.

Then it’s on through the South African countryside into the heartland of the Great Karoo, through farmland and vineyard territory until Table Mountain looms into view as you approach Cape Town just before lunch-time the following day. If you journey in the other direction the stopoff is at Matjiesfontein, a step-back-in-time kind of place, beloved of Cecil Rhodes and Randolph Churchill.

The cost: From €1,050 per person sharing for a deluxe compartment in low season, rising to 1,400 for a luxury suite in high season. And yes, some double beds are available on The Blue Train. From the dining point of view you’ll find that lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and breakfast are all covered. The price actually includes all food and drinks, unless you have a penchant for champagne – you’ll have to pay extra for that.

THE ANDALUS EXPRESS, SPAIN

The route: Seville-Cordoba-Granada-Jerez de la Frontera- Seville

The experience: Take in the majestic sights of Cordoba and Granada, travel though the olive groves of Andalucia and enjoy the scenery amid the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains from aboard ‘Al-Andalus’, Spain’s luxury 1930s train, all gleaming cream and brown carriages complete with ‘Belle Epoque’ décor within. If you fancy a bit of a Spanish adventure, this is definitely the train journey for you. This six-day trip combines the best of both worlds – a luxury train where no expense has been spared on the beautiful compartments fitted with two low beds (there are a few with a queen-sized bed) that convert to day-time sofas, en-suite bathrooms and two lovely restaurant cars. While travelling in the height of unusual luxury, you are also taking in a historical and cultural feast in terms of sightseeing; could there be a more perfect way to spend the first week of your new life together? From the stunning Mezquita mosque in Cordoba to Granada’s world-famous Alhambra palace, its all here. There’s also free time in Jerez, a buzzy town that’s good for shopping and famous for its sherry – it’s home to Gonzalez-Byass of Tio Pepe fame - its horses and its flamenco tradition.

The cost: For the whole six days expect to pay €2,700 per person in a double cabin. That includes accommodation onboard plus breakfasts, lunches and dinners (including wine) and also two lunches in restaurants while sightseeing. There’s a free bar service on the train and entrance fees (e.g. to the Alhambra) are also included in the price. For honeymooners there is a 10% discount.

The schedule: One departure date in March, two in April and May, three in June and in September and October.

THE EASTERN & ORIENTAL EXPRESS, SOUTH EAST ASIA

The route: Bangkok to Singapore

The experience: A perfect add-on (or insert) into a honeymoon in this part of the world, this four day/three night journey is onboard the luxurious green and gold carriages of the Eastern & Oriental Express, a luxury train from the same company stable as the legendary Venice Simplon- Orient-Express. In this case all cabins come with en suite facilities and with air conditioning and there are three different categories of cabin available, from the standard bunk-bed Pullman to the State and the Presidential, both with low, side-by-side beds.The trip starts in Bangkok in the early evening and as you leave behind this city of golden-spired temples you enjoy dinner on the train in one of its dining cars where the finest of Eurasian cuisine is the order of the day. The next morning brings a crossing over Tham Kasse viaduct before disembarking to take in a boat ride on the River Kwai of World War Two fame.

Another highlight is a side trip to Georgetown, the capital of Penang, where you will experience a trishaw ride before returning to the train to continue your journey. Worth noting is that there are all sorts of ‘combinations’ and ‘additions’ possible. You can, for example, opt for what the Orient-Express people call the 10-day ‘Absolute Asia’ tour with hotel accommodation provided at either end in Singapore and in Bangkok.

The cost: The four-day Bangkok to Singapore trip is priced at 1,445 per person for a Pullman cabin, 2,145 for a State compartment and 2,950 for a Presidential suite. All meals are included but drinks are extra.

The schedule: Three departure dates in February, two in March and in April, one in May and in June, two in July, one in August, two in September, three in October and in November and one in December, on the last day of the year.

Still puzzling over where to go on honeymoon? Shane McGinley speaks to those who have been there, done that – and are back to tell the tale…

Your wedding is meant to be the best day of your life; therefore the honeymoon should also be the best holiday of your life! Spain, France and the UK are now, thanks to Ryanair and similar low fares airlines, closer than ever and it is not uncommon for us to nip down to the sun for a quiet weekend when the feeling takes us. However for your honeymoon shouldn’t you really push the boat out a little and go that extra mile? We spoke to some couples who chose what could be considered “less traditional” breaks and they told us, in their own words, whether you should follow them off the beaten track.

1) Conor Murphy and Marta Figueras
Hiking in Koh Samui and Phuket, Thailand

“We picked Thailand because it was a tropical location and we wanted to be able to enjoy the weather and do lots of swimming. Before we went we had heard great stories about how cheap the place was and how friendly the people were. We did activities, such as snorkelling, swimming, walking, hiking and elephant riding. The food was generally very spicy with lots of curries and salads. They liked to eat peppers in all their foods. The weather was great in Koh Samui but terrible in Phuket. However the locals were very friendly and helpful and always had a smile on their faces. The accommodation was very nice, well looked after and the staff were very helpful. In Koh Samui we stayed in a little wooden house. In Phuket we stayed in an aparthotel, but the humidity made it hard to enjoy. Surprisingly, Thailand did not turn out to be the bargain destination we thought it would be. It definitely was a disappointment as much for the way the holiday was organised as for the location. I would recommend checking the season, i.e. rainy season or summer. Also watch the food, I got food poisoning and stuck to bread and soup for the last three days. Must sees are Phi Phi Island, Elephant sanctuary and Patong Beach, just to see how tacky it is. For a honeymoon we think it’s too far to go to for a holiday experience like that - stick with the Caribbean or the Mediterranean."

2) Ann & Larry Newe
Cruising the Shannon

“My partner always wanted to have a go cruising the Shannon. While I was reluctant at first, I gave in and I have to say I really enjoyed it. None of us were boating people and I thought it would be boring but there was always something to do. We brought food with us but we mostly ate out at restaurants along the way. We had fabulous weather on the three nights.
We got a six berth and the accommodation was fine and we had everything we needed so we wanted for nothing. While cruising you could go for a while without seeing people but you were always heading for a town and the maps were very good with planning the route. There aren’t any negatives I can think of; even people who get sea sick will be fine. At night you barely felt you were on water. We had no boating experience and the first time you are going into the locks it can be hairy but you get used to it. I’d advise going for five days and while we went for an anniversary I would recommend it for a honeymoon.”

3) Claire Walsh & Chris Mooney
Skiing in Austria’s Alps

“We were looking for something a little different for our honeymoon and both of us had always thought that Austria was somewhere we would like to visit. Then some friends mentioned Kitzbuhel so I looked into it and thought it sounded lovely and certainly different. I came across the Hotel Schloss Lebenberg which was described as “an enchanting 16th century fairytale castle’’ so we said that’s it! Kitzbuhel itself is a world class ski resort so there is plenty to do, but if you are not into sports there is also a variety of other things to do. There are quaint cobbled streets for leisurely romantic strolls in the snow. Shopping there is a must, with many high class shops such as Louis Vuitton. There is also an abundance of lovely restaurants and bars too. It was February when we were there, so some Christmas decorations were still up, along with lots of fairy lights which at night twinkled against the snowy backdrop. The hotel itself was beautiful and set high above Kitzbuhel with a wonderful view of the famous slopes. We were staying in a suite and it was wonderfully cosy in contrast to the snowy conditions outside.

The food was exquisite and the presentation artistic. The only hardship was choosing what to eat! Speaking of the piste, you couldn’t very well go to Kitzbuhel without trying your hand (or foot so to speak!) at skiing so we did! Neither of us had ever skied before so we got private tuition for two days. It was a bit more expensive than the usual ski classes but so worth it, as it was just myself and my hubby with the instructor so there was less pressure and he was able to condense more into the time and we were spared the humiliation of falling in front of other classmates. One evening we went on a romantic sleigh ride during a heavy snowfall, but we were cosy, all tucked up with warm blankets, while the sleigh took us down the winding streets of Kitzbuhel and out into the countryside where nothing was to be heard except for the horses hooves on the snow and the sleigh bells ringing in the cold evening air. It was truly magical and I would recommend it in a heartbeat.”

4. Lisa and Donal Sheehan
Snorkelling in Cape Verde

“We heard about Cape Verde by word of mouth. Our impressions of it were that it was going to be a beautiful but under-developed place - and it was. The weather was perfect and we swam in gorgeous clear blue seawater every day. Snorkelling was fabulous. Fish is the specialty in Cape Verde and the jetty is a hive of activity when the fishing boats come in. The tuna is so fresh and tasty we hired a four wheel drive for next to nothing and drove around the island and visited the old salt mines. That was quite a unique thing to do and didn’t cost much at all. The locals walk with you down to the salt mines and show you how to wash your body with the special mineral sand. Where we stayed was one of the older resorts and very comfortable with a great bar and atmosphere. We did visit some of the newer hotels and they looked amazing! Only negatives were that flight times when we went there were a bit odd but that could be a different story now. Would we recommend it as a honeymoon destination? Definitely. It is the most relaxing holiday we have ever been on.” You can find travel agents catering to the Cape Verde at: www.itaa.ie

5) Geoff Hill and Cate Cox
Lake Bled in Slovenia

“I have been to Slovenia a couple of times as a travel writer, once skiing at Kransjska Gora and Mount Vogel, and once around the Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj area. I loved it both times and it's like an unspoiled and much more peaceful and inexpensive version of Austria. As a skiing destination, the slopes were good enough to satisfy anyone up to intermediate standard, the queues were small, the people more polite and the social life excellent. In both summer and winter, Lake Bled is one of the most stunning destinations on the planet. The lake, the castle on the cliff and the church on the island, see it and come down with Stendhal's Syndrome (named after the author who was so overcome by the beauty on his fist trip to Italy that he fainted regularly and had to be revived with copious amounts of brandy). Everywhere you look has all the elements of a children's picture postcard: the castle on the mountain, the white church in the woods, the little railway station, the timber houses, their gardens bright with flowers, the farmer working in his hayfield. On a pragmatic level, everything is clean and efficient, and the people endlessly helpful and friendly. We picked up a hire car in Ljubljana then drove the hour and a quarter south east to Catez, to spend our first night in the most romantic setting possible: the medieval Castle Mokrice, on a wooded hill near the border with Croatia. You can either do everything, like skiing, walking, para-sailing and the like, or just enjoy pottering around enjoying the spectacular scenery. Cate, whose first time it was, was stunned at the beauty. The only question is when can we go back?”

6) Sheila and Ralph Averbuch
Visiting the Azores Islands

“We had been to Portugal on our honeymoon so on our first anniversary we decided to go to the Azores, which are Portugese speaking islands in the Atlantic. It is very unexploited as a tourist destination and the attitude of the people is is very much “here we are and we are pleased to see you”. I hated that in Lisbon when you were eating dinner you had people hassling you to buy t-shirts and things. As in Portugal, they have fabulous mosaics everywhere as part of their public works. Outside the city was a lot more rural, and you could easily find yourself driving behind a donkey pulling a milk cart. It was also an expensive place to go. The flights were not cheap in the first place (you could go to New York for the same price) and getting around and about wasn’t cheap. Having said that it wasn’t as expensive as home, just not as cheap as we had found Portugal to be. It is very focused on seafood but if you are self catering they have an excellent selection of food in the supermarket. The thing you can’t buy is milk, it is all UHT milk in packs, which tastes like the real thing on your cornflakes. The only negative, was ants as the flowers were going crazy and they are everywhere during late May. We went early May last time and it wasn’t a problem. We stayed in a converted windmill and grand old farmhouse, which was a working farm. I would definitely advise you to go there on honeymoon and if you have a baby go back as they love kids.”

7) Ken Moore & Aoife Cullen
Shopping in Dubai

“We heard by word of mouth about Dubai and sourced a package via Internet. Before we went my own impression was that there would not be much to do apart from lying in the sun and shopping and that it would be remote seeing as our hotel was 40mins from the city centre. Aoife’s impression was that it would be “fabulous” a term she came to use frequently during the week – as it was just that “fabulous”! The hotel had a multitude of activities, from watersports to golf to clay pigeon shooting. Often it was just too hot to do anything apart from getting in and out of the pool; the sea is literally like a warm bath and the sea water provides no relief from the sun. The pools are chilled so they are a much better option to cool off, but being able to get into the open sea at any time day or night and to have the water so warm was fantastic. Dubai is tax free so on the whole we found it not expensive at all, which was great.

The shopping was fantastic, clothes were one third of Dublin prices in many cases and this was in the various shopping malls we visited. A tip for would be shoppers: bring nothing. Buy cases there and load up! Our problem was we could not buy all we wanted due to luggage. Dubai exceeded my expectations I must say, Aoife’s word for the week was ‘fabulous’ so enough said there, and the fact we would go back tomorrow is proof in that. Dubai will blow your mind – I can’t express it in words it has to be seen to be believed!”

Winter weddings don’t have to be all about the sun. Why not batten down the hatches and snuggle into a gloriously cosy hideaway instead? Emily O’Sullivan finds eight to tempt

1) FALSLED KRO, FYN (FUNEN), DENMARK

2) HAMEAU ALBERT, CHAMONIX, FRANCE

3)LLAO LLAO HOTEL & RESORT, PATAGONIA, ARGENTINA

4) HOTEL ALTSTADT, VIENNA, AUSTRIA

5) NO 1 SILVERBANK, CONISTON, LAKE DISTRICT, ENGLAND

6) THE POOL HOUSE, ROSS-SHIRE, SCOTLAND

7) THE THREE SISTERS, TALLINN, ESTONIA

8) ROSA ALPINA, DOLOMITES, ITALY

Florence has something for every taste. Nick Wilkinson travelled there on his honeymoon last summer and is still smiling…

Soon, airlines will be paying customers to fly. Well, we’ll see, but even if you don’t receive a crisp note with your boarding pass, one hopes that the bribery needed to fill seats will include more deals on good hotels.

In the meantime, budget flights give us the opportunity to spend a little more on our stay. Florence is a perfect example. Getting there is becoming easier and cheaper. It is within short flying time of Dublin and once you get there, it has more to do and see than you could possibly fit into one trip.

 

Florence is not a large city. The centre is small and attractions are within easy walking distance of each other. It may be sacrilegious to say so, but it is possible to visit and never set foot inside a museum or gallery. It is a fun, modern city with an elegant old soul. Its pleasures can be as simple or as sophisticated as your tastes dictate.

Filled with great bars, restaurants and clubs, it is as popular with lovers of eating and nightlife as it is with lovers of art. For shoppers, almost everything, from well-cut Italian clothes to gourmet food, is cheaper, (or feels like better value) than in Ireland. The city’s location also makes it a perfect base for exploring the unspoilt Tuscan countryside.

Choosing the right hotel will make your Florence experience even better. Worldwide, most are pretty mundane places. They all have baths, beds and bars, but generally feel like any other. And the best hotel needn’t be the most expensive. Big names can inspire the biggest yawns. It is well worth spending a little time looking for somewhere different to stay.

Florence’s JK Place is different in the best possible way. Don’t be put off by the breathless psychobabble on their website. For instance, the owners call it a ‘House’. (Most people would call it a boutique hotel.)

It is stylish without being self-conscious and doesn’t sacrifice comfort for the sake of cool. The friendly staff are the best you’ll meet anywhere and help make it an incredibly relaxing place to stay.

From the outside, the narrow Florentine mansion in the Piazza Santa Maria Novella looks like it could be a suite of plush offices. Inside, there is no reception desk - just a wood-panelled ‘library’ where the staff welcome guests. Next door is a sitting room with two deep armchairs and a long sofa in front of a Charles X fireplace. Contemporary art and photography hang side by side with antique prints while the panelled ceilings look down on art deco zebra skin ottomans and 1950’s lamps. A huge bookcase against one wall is filled with photography and design titles.

 

Every room is decorated differently, but with the same old-meets-modern eclecticism. Each has an LCD flat screen TV to play the huge collection of DVDs they keep in the library. Afine breakfast will be brought to your bedside with a paper of your choice, or you can eat in the glass-covered courtyard downstairs. In the evening, have cocktails on a huge leather sofa on the roof.

If JK Place is a slick new cocktail, then The Grand Hotel Villa Cora is a vintage brandy. Situated just outside the Boboli gardens, it’s a short distance from the city centre. Being away from the major attractions is an advantage. Courtesy cars ferry guests in and out of town at regular intervals. In its heyday, before upstarts like JK Place arrived, they used to have a Rolls Royce to do this. In the summer, when Florence bursts with tourists, being able to leave them behind and sit by Villa Cora’s swimming pool is a joy. In fact, it is one of the only hotels in Florence to have one.

The Villa Cora was one of the city’s most opulently decorated palaces. Built as Florence was about to become Italy’s capital, it was famous for the luminaries who were entertained there in lavish style. Previous inhabitants include former Empress of France, Eugenia de Montijo Bonaparte.

Ask for a room on the first floor. Each has an original, exquisitely detailed fresco ceiling. The ballroom is as magnificent as any of the royal suites in the Pallazo Pitti (but you can’t sit there sipping champagne). During the hottest months they have cocktail parties on the roof terrace, which has amazing views over Florence and her surrounding hills.

Villa Cora allows you to daydream of an entirely different era, while JK Place offers something altogether contemporary. Whatever you decide to do in Florence itself, both hotels will make your holiday memorable by being more than just a place to stay.

Our son will be 2 years old when we get married and we don’t like the idea of leaving him while we go on honeymoon. Any suggestions for a toddler-friendly holiday?