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Paul Chai

Paul Chai has been a travel writer for over two decades. He has dived with great white sharks in South Australia, walked the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival and stuffed himself with enough food and wine working on the Good Food Guide to make his GP shake his head. Chai is currently managing editor of Dream by Luxury Escapes.

AustraliaVictoriaReviews

Old World Charm at the Grand Hyatt Melbourne

Embrace the buffet, visit the mega-gym and enjoy the retro Art Deco beauty of one of Melbourne’s first truly grand hotels. The clue to the pull of this venerable luxury hotel is in the name. We don’t really call things “grand” much anymore but when this imposing accommodation opened in 1986 as simply the Hyatt […]

AustraliaVictoriaExploreReviews

An Exciting Fusion of Old and New at Lanson Place Parliament Gardens

One of Melbourne’s newest hotels is in a Goldilocks position for those wanting peace but also city convenience. The heritage facade of the Salvation Army Printing Works from 1901, with its grand arches and cream and red-brick colouring, forms the grand entrance to this new Melbourne hotel. Inside the historic building, that also has a […]

USACalifornia

Paradise City: Rock ‘n’ Roll Revelry on the Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip

Dive Bars, rockstar legends, and secrets hidden in plain sight – West Hollywood’s Sunset Strip is a wild, star-studded ride through six decades of rock ‘n’ roll mayhem. Flying televisions, hidden celebrity boltholes and an access-all-areas pass: Paul Chai turns it up to eleven on a blistering tour of the rock ‘n’ roll history of […]

AustraliaNew South WalesNorthern TerritoryQueenslandTasmaniaVictoriaNews

Key Decisions: Michelin Guide Brings Hotel Awards to Australia

For the first time since its inception in 2024, the Michelin Guide’s Keys have arrived in Australia, with 35 Australian hotels getting the coveted award – but just one Queensland property has received all three. The Michelin Guide’s global Keys were announced this week at an exclusive ceremony at Musée des Arts Décoratifs, in Paris. […]

DestinationsEuropeMalta

Wall-to-Wall Fun: 5 Unmissable Things to Do in Malta

Malta is having a moment, becoming one of the most in-demand destinations to visit in the Mediterranean. Here, uncover the best things to do for your visit. Malta and the neighbouring island of Gozo are an enchanting mix of battle-scarred medieval fortresses and calming coastal bliss. They are home to neolithic engineering feats that predate […]

AustraliaNew South WalesQueenslandVictoriaEuropeFranceExploreMiddle EastUnited Arab EmiratesAbu DhabiNewsVietnam

Arrival Hall: All the Travel News You Need

Travel news from the past month including a new hotel for Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay, a Cannes Michelin star and a musical Melbourne coffee shop. All-star karst: InterContinental set to open in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam Set to open in summer 2025, InterContinental Halong Bay Resort will be situated at the gateway to Ha Long City, in the exclusive […]

Middle EastUnited Arab Emirates

The Dubai EDITION is an Oasis of Calm in the Dizzying Desert Town

Ian Schrager’s design hotel chain, EDITION, is a lesson in style and substance, and The Dubai EDITION brings some chill to a city that has a lot going on. Like the living embodiment of a refresher towel, entering the cool-white surrounds of The Dubai EDITION hotel is immediately calming and revivifying, a salve for the […]

Explore

Brisbane Weekender: Miss Midgley’s Offers a Storied Stay Just Behind the Story Bridge

An autumn weekend at the historic Miss Midgley’s allows for the discovery of Brisbane’s bustling food scene, from a delicious Middle-Eastern brunch to a Melbourne classic transplanted to the Brisbane riverside. With a heritage James Street abode for the weekend, you are just walking distance from some of the best shopping and eating in Brisbane, […]

Explore

Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Returns to Splendour After Major Renovation

Sofitel Sydney Wentworth started life in 1966 as a hotel created by Qantas for its staff (and fellow travellers). After six decades (and an extensive renovation) we discover why it’s still a modern hospitality masterpiece. The hotel’s architecture has the sweeping curves that were fashionable with the jet-set crowd at the time and the renovation […]

Explore

The Seafood Frontier: an RV Road Trip Along the Untamed Eyre Peninsula

South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula is surrounded by marine life, from the famous oysters of Coffin Bay to the scores of migrating cuttlefish that set the coast of Whyalla aglow. We take a road trip in a Star RV to the famous seafood coast. On an anonymous piece of coastline in Whyalla, hundreds of people swarm […]

AsiaAustraliaIndonesiaMiddle EastNews

Arrival Hall: Travel News You Need to Know

Travel news from the past month, including a new chef at Bamurru Plains and more thrilling ways to see the Victorian High Country. Explore trending travel news from the last month and get ready to bookmark for your upcoming holiday plans. Tree change: Norfolk Island makes its debut in Australia’s Best Beaches list Norfolk Island, […]

Cruise

5 Reasons To Maximise Your Time Onboard a Royal Caribbean Cruise

Leave the crowds behind for days of leisure onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise, where family fun is never far away. Paul Chai lets the landlubbers head ashore while he and his son get the Spectrum of the Seas (almost) all to themselves. Skipping a popular port excursion can mean more time and less crowds, so […]

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