TRAVEL
Home & Away with Robert Walshe Furniture retailer IKEA is looking to open a budget ‘design’ hotel chain across Europe. The hotels believed to be at least 100 - will not use the IKEA name and will not be run by the Swedish company but by an established hotel operator. Budget design hotels - with boutique style at lower prices - is one of the fastest growing sectors in the industry. IKEA hopes to build the hotels in established markets such as the UK, Netherlands and Poland as well as new markets like Germany.
Holiday Hotspot Four Seasons Seychelles
www.fourseasons.com
Seychelles is an idyllic archipelago nation and the perfect holiday destination. Its 150 plus islands are in the heart of the sparkling blue Indian Ocean, with Zanzibar to the west, Mauritius and Réunion to the south, and the Maldives to the northeast.They have been blessed with some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, many as untouched as when Vasco de Gama first travelled here more than 500 years ago. The islands are a haven for flora and fauna, with six National Marine Parks; a further 40 per cent of the land is protected as National Parks The islands are stunning, and well known as a blissfully isolated honeymoon haven with luxurious hideaways and excellent diving. Mahe is the largest island home to 80.000 people and Victoria is one of the world’s smallest capital cities. It’s a pleasant provincial place with a colourful local market, simple souvenir stores and a handful of bars and restaurants. First established as the seat of British colonial government, it retains remnants of the UK including the roundabout clock tower, modelled on Little Ben in London’s Victoria. There’s enough to merit a
few hours’ exploration here including the Botanical Gardens, the National Museum of History and the Victoria Natural History Museum. The splendid Four Seasons Resort perched on the top of Mahes breath taking beach at Petite Anse offers peace and seclusion unrivalled anywhere on the globe. Each of the villas and suites enjoy a unique tree-house design on stilts over the jungle with magnificent ocean views. Designed in a traditional Creole style, featuring natural timber each has its own infinity plunge pool and outdoor living space. The architect cleverly styled the villas after the dwellings of local people and the rooms use suitable colours which blend in perfectly with the surrounding. The larger residences are a hidden gem and a unique product in the Seychelles. Perfect for families, groups, weddings and events, the range of size and layout options means there is something perfect for every need. The butler service here provides assistance such as breakfast and complimentary afternoon cocktails by a private pool, as well as a personal concierge. The shared public space in the lobby, restaurant and library follow the Colonial histories of the islands with the beach club surrounded by old plantation ruins perfect for a special occasion. There are two fine restaurants at Four Seasons Mahe offering open-air or covered dining options. “Zez “has ocean and sunset views from its hillside setting offering Continental and Arabic cuisine while a full American breakfast and specialty dishes are available à la carte. Mediterranean specialties later in the evening include Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Greek, Turkish and Lebanese dishes which are simply delicious. Creole themed cooking demonstrations take place in Kannel
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Restaurant, where I had the opportunity to learn all about Seychellois cuisine. We were able to savour mouth-watering creations during the demonstration and take home a selection of spices to try in our kitchen thanks to charismatic chef Sherla. Kannel also offers a variety of Creole and International dishes and the seafood is exceptional. If lazing about on the nearby beach is too energetic for you, you can always check out the spa situated at the top of the hill with impressive views. Comprising of seven glass-fronted pavilions, all linked by an extensive space exclusively for yoga, the spa includes eight treatment rooms, private sitting areas, steam rooms, rain showers and outside relaxation tubs. Many of the treatments incorporate island herbs and spices such as frangipani and lemongrass, combined in accordance with ancient recipes. The spa also offers Seychellesown brand Yi-King to bring local natural, biodegradable and organic products to guests. Based around the ancient concept of Yi-King more than 4000 years ago in China it teaches us how the organs are linked to the elements, to plants, and to the food we eat. The daughter of famed local artist & resort neighbour Michael Adams,
Scenic Views
Mahe.
Daily buffet breakfast for up to two persons is included with the complimentary nights. www.fourseasons. com/seychelles Organised activities on Mahe are limited as most people come to enjoy the beach and do very little – but diving, fishing and boat excursions can also be arranged. A visit to the island is not complete without a trip to the nearby Takamaka Bay rum distillery, situated at La Plaine St. Andre, an old colonial homestead on the south east coast. It was built over 200 years ago and sympathetically renovated to showcase its natural heritage. The Trois Freres Distillery itself was built and developed by brothers Richard and Bernard d’Offay in 2002. Since then, the Takamaka Bay family of products has grown to include white rum, & coco rum. www.takamaka. sc Emirates Airline operates a Dublin to Dubai daily serv-
ice departing at lunchtime. Dubai to Seychelles is a double daily service departing at 2.05hrs or 8.25hrs. Current prices start from €765 (Economy Class) inclusive of taxes or €2586 Business Class Fare. The airline’s chauffeur-drive service is available to both First and Business Class passengers across the island of Ireland. All Emirates’ customers can enjoy in-flight telephones, SMS and email and children’s activity packs. Highly trained cabin crews from across the globe, including Irish & UK nationals are on hand to serve gourmet chef prepared meals. www. emirates.com For all travel information to the Seychelles visit www.seychelles.travel Robert Walshe is a freelance contributor / broadcaster and Travel Editor for River Media newspaper titles across the island of Ireland. www.robertwalshe.com
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with Kathleen Murray
and if we don’t we can look it up in any pet shop in a book, yet this is a regular complaint from people and a reason to re-home a dog, apparently. This is irresponsible. A cute little pup will grow into an adult dog so if you are thinking of getting a dog then please look at the adult version before taking a pup home with you. It is important to know that you can cater to a dog that size. Many dogs are re-homed or passed on in some way between the ages of eight months and 18 months. This is usually because nobody taught the dog any manners and now it has grown into a big ignorant dog that jumps on people, knocks over children, chews things, goes to the toilet in the house, chases cars, pulls on the lead,
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MBE, Alyssa has lived in Seychelles for most of her life, and uses her insight into the local area to create wild and colourful work that reflects her habitat. She created two limited edition prints in a series called Petite Anse about the beauty and mystery of the jungle that surrounds the resort. The prints are available to buy exclusively for guests as a memento of their stay in this secluded paradise. Four Seasons Mahe also operate a successful internship with the Shannon College of Hotel Management providing students with professional on the job training before graduation and I was delighted to meet numerous students from across the island of Ireland while there. A reminder that Four Seasons Seychelles are offering their “Stay Even Longer – Sixth and Seventh Nights Free “promotion. Complimentary night(s) must be used in conjunction with initial stay. Package can be booked back to back.
Dogs can grow so big When people come to me with dog problems we take a look at the situation and see what can be done to resolve the problem… but there is a bigger problem that I need to think more deeply about. That problem is that there are people who get a dog for their family and after a few months they want to get rid of the dog. Reasons given for this range from “It’s pulling the washing off the line” to “I didn’t know it would grow so big”. The first problem is easy to solve, the second one is way more difficult. When someone gets a dog, e.g. a golden retriever, and then after six months comes and says “I didn’t know it would grow so big” I have difficulty with that. We all know what a full grown golden retriever looks like,
Living
raids bins etc etc etc. Who wants a dog like that in their home? Owners create that by not educating their dogs from the day they bring them home. This is not a lost cause because this can be dealt with. Thankfully, a dog can learn new ways when it is shown how, in the proper manner, at any age so it’s not too late to start, no matter how bleak things appear. It doesn’t matter how many holes there are in the garden or how many times the dog has bulldozed into visitors at the door. It can be sorted. If you think you have tried everything and nothing has worked then ask for advice. There is a way. Deal with the dog rather than dump the dog. It’s not the dog’s fault.
and experience one of Europe’s most amazing cities. Offer valid until 30th November 2012. Travel between 1st November 2012 - 30th April 2013. Offer not valid between 28th December 2012 - 13th January 2013. Minimum stay 3 nights, maximum stay 1 month. www.turkishairlines.com