Escape the January blues
london living
Dukes Hotel in London, with Buckingham Palace down the road and the Ritz around the corner, is a handsome oasis discreetly tucked away off a side street in St James Place with no obvious signs to direct a first-time visitor. It remains true to its essential traditional English style, reinterpreted by designer Mary Fox Linton. It has a quiet, low-key and comfortable atmosphere, the antithesis of the new, hip hotel style. There's a lovely garden room, an excellent bar (below) serving terrific martinis, and the bedrooms are spacious and luxurious. I had a pleasant afternoon tea served with the staff's friendly and gracious efficiency. The red brick building has about 80 rooms and rates, depending on weekends or weekdays, start at around £145 (€195) for double, going up to £675 (€906) for suites. www.dukeshotel.com. Deirdre McQuillan
crystal clear
If your January escape takes you to Dublin airport, leave plenty of time for retail therapy. The "Travel Value" savings on crystal can be quite substantial, but who's going to buy boxes of wine glasses and then cart them off on holiday with them? Not many of us, it would seem. That's why the Waterford Crystal shop in "The Street", Dublin airport's main retail zone, is offering free delivery on purchases over €150. There's up to €100 to be saved on the "hatboxes" containing six of the popular John Rocha wine glasses, and if you pay for them on departure, they'll be delivered to your door on your return. Marie-Claire Digby
chill out in paris
Anne Fontaine is a name associated with pristine white shirts, each packaged with a sachet of roses. Her company is a global one and each season she unveils 500 new designs that go to her shops all over the world, four of them in London. Her latest venture is a state-of-the-art spa, designed by Andrée Putman. It is situated below her boutique on the Rue Saint-Honoré. Luxurious and Zen-like, its treatments (for both men and women) include traditional massage such as Thai and shiatsu, as well as more unusual ones such as a voodoo massage said to induce profound relaxation. Fontaine has also launched a range of cosmetics and skincare oils, based on silk and linen. Anne Fontaine Spa, 370 Rue Saint-Honoré, Paris. Deirdre McQuillan
ride-on
Travelling with kids in tow is never easy, so any distraction that promises to make journeys en famille a bit easier is worth a look. The Trunki ride-on suitcase is sturdy enough to support two children (recommended ages three to six years), and comes in easy-to-spot pink, lime green or blue colours. It can be pulled along by a secure towing strap, and meets cabin baggage requirements. It costs €37 from wwwthenaturalbabyresource.com,
048-30848050. Marie-Claire Digby
step out in rome . . .
The International Wine Academy of Rome is located on the ground floor of the spectacularly restored Il Palazzetto, a restaurant, wine bar and boutique hotel situated at the top of the Spanish Steps. In very grand surroundings you can have lunch or dinner on the terrace (above), drop in for cocktails, sign up for a short wine appreciation course (conducted in English as well as Italian), or stay overnight in one of four palatial bedrooms (doubles €250 per night until March 2nd). The Academy was established in 2002 by Roberto Wirth, proprietor of the nearby Hotel Hassler, and it hosts a varied programme of classes tailored to amateurs as well as experts. Prices are reasonable, €20-40 on average for a two-hour tutored tasting. See www.wineacademyroma.com or telephone 00-39-06-6990878. The International Wine Academy of Rome, Il Palazzetto, Vicolo del Bottino 8, 00187 Rome, Italy.
Marie-Claire Digby
good to go
There are guide books that provide useful information, and guides that are a great read and make you want to up sticks and go there, immediately. John and Sally McKenna's Bridgestone 100 Best Restaurants in Ireland 2008 and the accompanying 100 Best Places To Stay, fulfil both functions. John McKenna's prose is a sharp and lively as ever, and there are many laugh-out-loud moments, as well as finger-on-the-pulse information provided by the McKennas' battalion of countrywide critics. The stylish little books are slim enough to slip in a pocket. They cost €10 each, including p&p, from www.bridgestoneguides.com. You can also access Bridgestone 100 Best Restaurants in Dublin from an internet-enabled mobile phone, by logging on to www.bridgestoneguides.com/mobile.
Marie-Claire Digby