The Giraffe Manor, Nairobi

 Ahh Africa. So wild, so beautiful, so cultural; it’s an experience as soon as you get off the plane! East Africa is known for its wildlife, stunning scenery, Mount Kilimanjaro and safaris on the savannah, but where could be better to sleep than a place that is both luxurious in comfort with the added factor of beautiful animals in their natural environments? Only Giraffe Manor. And they do it damn well.

Giraffe Manor is merely 20 kilometres from Kenya’s bustling capital city, Nairobi, making it an easily accessible haven from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, and once you get there; it will be a struggle to leave. Yes, the stunning décor, the bedrooms and the roaring fireplaces will take your breath away, but let’s face it. The Manor’s main attraction is the fact that it has a resident herd of Rothschild Giraffes that roam the grounds, frequently poking their spotted faces in through the windows! Talk about wildlife at your doorstep.

 

 

The small five-star hotel is set in 12 acres of private land amongst acres of indigenous forest where a Giraffe Centre was set-up for the endangered species. It began as a breeding centre to boost their population but has now expanded into conservation and educational programs for Kenyan school children, and they include warthogs, hyenas and the odd leopard to maintain the Giraffe’s natural habitat. An amazing project for African wildlife, especially as all the profits of the hotel go towards the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife. It’s also a freaking out-of-this-world experience for animal lovers who get to pass through the area.

Apparently, the Manor houses one of Nairobi’s finest restaurants, as guests argue that the meals defeat anything New York or L.A. has to offer. But they might be a tad biased since the fantastic breakfast spread has the bonus of giraffes popping in to say ‘howdy’ through the open windows. They’ll innocently mooch about the property peering through doorways and windows in natural curiosity and friendliness. It is the only place in the world where you can feed a giraffe from your second-floor bedroom window, at the lunch table or literally at your front door.

 

Nature nature nature is the attraction of Giraffe Manor, plus the exquisite bedrooms to snooze in… but its close proximity to Nairobi make it a great place to base yourself to explore the city.
Of course the catch is its price, which can be up to $500 per night (eek.). Superstars like Mick Jagger, Ewan McGregor and Richard Branson have famously kipped there. Yeah, I definitely cannot afford even one night there, unless I save for a hell of a long time, but if you do have the pleasure and privilege of scoring a stay at the Giraffe Manor, get a second floor room with a balcony. You can’t be grumpy in the morning with a giraffe greeting.

The Ice Hotel, Quebec

Among New York's December rituals, the arrival from the frozen north of the tree sellers from Quebec upon Manhattan's pavements is one of Christmas's harbingers. Mostly college kids and musicians who possess not much beyond their furs and boots, they tumble out of battered vans and erect enormous Christmas-tree stalls.
They have an easy Gallic charm and hanker less for the wattage of New York than to return home to Montreal, just across the US's northern border or elsewhere into Quebec's mysterious villages, prompting some of those who've not been to the Canadian province to want to follow.
Our plan to travel to Quebec in mid-winter meets with unease from friends in New York; to travel in winter is one thing but to choose to go beyond the 45th parallel north into Quebec, to a hotel constructed from ice, seems to them the whim of a masochist.

 

Quebec's Hotel de Glace is Canada's retort to Sweden's famous Icehotel near Jukkasjarvi in the far north. While Sweden's ice hotel has the advantage of being within the auroral oval, the area around the Earth's magnetic North Pole where the northern lights mainly appear, Hotel de Glace is on the doorstep of one of the far north's most exquisite destinations, old Quebec City. Founded in 1608 by French explorer Samuel de Champlain, it was destined to become the hub of New France.
Sculpted from 16,000 tonnes of snow and 508 tonnes of ice, the Hotel de Glace has, for the past 10 winters, been erected each January in the grounds of the eco resort of Duchesnay, about 50 kilometres north of Quebec City. This season, however, the ice hotel opens in a new location, 10 minutes' drive from downtown on the site of the old zoo. The change makes the ice hotel a much more convenient location for those wanting to explore the beguiling old city's twisting cobblestone streets, then retire to arctic sleeping bags and doonas made of reindeer skins.



The relocated ice hotel opened on January 7 and will operate until late March, when the northern thaw draws close. Larger and warmer than its predecessors, this year's ice hotel has bigger lobbies, extra heated pavilions and a theme of celebrating biodiversity. It will house 88 people a night and expects to welcome its 30,000th guest this season.
We travelled to Quebec last February and joined one of the daily tours through the ice hotel. This allows visitors to see all the rooms and suites and linger in the lobbies and bars until late afternoon. The late check-in time (8pm) isn't ideal for two young children, so we stay a few minutes' walk from the ice hotel at its neighbouring winter resort, the Station Touristique Duchesnay - recommended as a back-up for ice-hotel guests lest they find the temperatures unbearable.



The ice hotel assures guests that the overnight room temperatures will not drop below a chilly but definitely survivable minus 5 degrees. While all rooms are moderately heated, guests are urged to take a hot-tub plunge before retiring in order to elevate body temperature, layer up and crawl snugly into the hotel's sleeping bags.
Work begins on building the ice hotel's 36 rooms and themed suites in early December each year. The interiors are vast, with ceilings 5.4 metres high, lending the ambience of gigantic ice caves. In the hotel's ice bars, drinkers wear gloves to hold their glasses, made of ice, of course. The hotel has an ice cafe, hot tubs, saunas, working fireplaces, a room for receptions and even an elaborate chapel with pews and an altar carved from ice. Wintry weddings are frequent.



Of course, children love the fairyland enchantment of the place. The hotel's many interior statues, columns and engraved ice walls are works of art. The lighting is equally elaborate and gives the appearance of flooding from deep within the hotel's shell. Just try wrestling children off the 20-metre interior ice slide or away from the large ice statues of bears, mermaids and penguins.



The ice hotel's builders are a mix of tradesmen and artists. They take five weeks to build the 1.2-metre-thick walls and roof, starting with large wooden moulds. Once the structure is set, the craftsmen and artists sculpt huge blocks of ice into beds, tables, bars and stools.
An ideal time to visit is during Quebec City's fabulous winter carnival, from January 28 until February 17. The city fills with snow sculptures, music, dog-sled races, ice skating and late-night dance parties, where hundreds of people dance through the night in the snowfields, in front of a castle made of ice. Later, everything melts into the ground, leaving only cool memories.



The Hotel de Glace in Quebec City is open until March 27 and has rooms from $C235.50 ($237) a person and suites from $C599.50 a person. See icehotel-canada.com.

Cappadocia Cave Hotel, turki

 


 Hot Air Balloon Flight
A hot air balloon flight is different from all other experiences of flight. Traveling at heights up to 1500 feet you feel peaceful and tranquil, with no sensation of motion. Within moments after lifting off, you become at ease while you effortlessly drift over the treetops and the spectacular Cappadocian landscapes.
The deep canyons, lush fertile valleys and fairy chimneys of Cappadocia provide balloons with an ideal playground for a unique and memorable flight. Gentle winds carry you over places that could never be viewed except by balloon. Ballooning can be such fun! In season, you can even pick apricots from the trees.



Horseback Riding
Experience the incredible and unusual beauty of the Cappadocian region on horseback. A cross between the Grand Canyon and a moonscape, Cappadocia boasts some of the world?s most unusual and spectacular landscapes, and brings riders in touch with the area?s breathtaking beauty. Forget the tour buses or even the rental cars ? this astonishing region of Central Anatolia can best be explored in the way of its historical inhabitants, on horseback.



Trekking
A ?Walking Tour? takes you into traditional village life of Central Cappadocia. Visiting local homes, engraved rock villages and exploring many spectacular unknown valleys will truly leave a lasting impression. You can walk through many valleys of Cappadocia that offer a variety of hiking experiences from one to four hours or more. Paths lead through vineyards and past streams, and all paths and hikes are accessible within five minutes? walk of Cappadocia Cave Suites.



Cycling
If you are in the mood for an adventurous excursion, Cappadocia offers exciting and scenic cycling tours. This is a wonderful outing for those of all cycling abilities to enjoy. Do not forget that you don?t have to cycle for kilometers to visit a sight or museum. All of these important sites are very close to each other.



Jeep Safari
Explore the exotic surroundings of mystical Cappadocia by Jeep.After leaving Goreme, you arrive at old Cavusin Village, crossing between Kizilcukur and Gulludere Valleys. Then drive from Cavusin Village to Pasabag, which has fairy chimneys, and make one of many photo stops at Deverent Valley, where natural tufa formations resemble human and animal figures. Also, visit wineries in Urgup.

• Local tours
• Rent a car service
• Find a professional guide for your local tours
• Organization and reservations for a local Turkish night
  

Reservations for these activities may be made at the reception desk. Special discounts are available.

Prepared in our own kitchen, breakfast and dinner buffets include a rich variety of local delicacies and traditional items. Breakfast is served from 7:00 A.M. until 10:00 A.M. Dinner is served from 7:00 P.M. until 9:00 P.M. Lunch is available upon request.

The Historia Restaurant : The main restaurant reflects our interest in local foods and traditions. All products are carefully selected for their freshness. Recipes are selected for their authenticity. Menus are also available for individual selections.




Sunset Café : Wonderful valley and sunset views are visible from this terrace. Here, you can enjoy light menu choices and hors d?oeuvres.

Dionysos Wine Fountain : Chat with your friends while you drink from the delicious grapes of the Cappadocia region.

Sultan Bar : Accompanying our rich selection of music, you may find selective Cappadocian wines and domestic and international spirits and cocktails.