p59-60 ttg_lux_t&t reviews Aut09 25/9/09 19:21 Page 60
BRITISH AIRWAYS AIR CANADA
CLUB WORLD EXECUTIVE FIRST
Heathrow to Shanghai Pudong Heathrow to Vancouver
The facts: British Airways flies to The facts: Daily flights this winter
Shanghai from Heathrow Terminal 5. to Vancouver from Heathrow T3.
Fares start from £2,656 and flights Economy returns from £642.
operate four times a week (five in Tel: 0871 220 1111, aircanada.com
winter). 0844 493 0787; ba.com
Style & substance: Like most things
Style & substance: Club service is Canadian, the airline prefers to hide its
friendly, efficient and perfectly light under a bushel, nothing too flashy,
acceptable for those clients who prefer but cleverly conceived and well executed.
the blue-grey corporate approach and Top notch Could try harder
don’t mind missing out on access to
T5’s top lounges. Feeling: From check-in at Heathrow to
ANASSA
Top notch Could try harder lounge welcome in Vancouver, staff were
CYPRUS
calmly polite at all touch points.
by April Hutchinson
Feeling: We’d be fibbing if we said Business passengers avail of the
the decor and plastic Elemis pouch Scandic charms of the SAS/Air Canada
Hidden away in one of the greenest parts of were luxury supreme, but Club’s lounge at Terminal 3; at Vancouver, like
Cyprus, Anassa is a hotel that’s easy to fall in leg-room and flatbed are comfortable. the terminal itself, the Maple Leaf
love with. The atmosphere in Club is lounge is large and very pleasant.
Anassa means “Queen” in ancient Greek, unpretentious and relaxed, staffed by VIP One of the masses
and while the decor is hardly palatial, this is the attentive and refreshingly “real” BA
sort of place a royal could retreat to escape the crew who treat everyone like VIPs. And so to bed: The airline’s recent fleet
peering masses, given its remoteness on the VIP One of the masses upgrade included the new Executive
Akamas peninsula.
HOW TO SELL IT
First cabin of the B767-300. An unusual
The hotel has an infinity pool, a swim-up bar, And so to bed: This depends on where
■ Spa: this is an excellent
layout (24 seats in a 1-1-1 configuration),
a spa, four restaurants and 177 rooms – but it
choice for spa-goers and with
seated: on the outbound leg, I was in the it offers privacy as you snuggle down
doesn’t feel oversized as the rooms are set in
its outdoor and indoor pools,
bustling aisle; on the way home, the in your cocoon. However, couples/
clusters of villas designed to exude the sleepy Anassa works well as a long flight seemed to flash by thanks to colleagues have to talk across the aisle
charm of an ancient Byzantine village. Not
summer or winter retreat
total privacy and comfort of my 25in wide or sit in front of one another – although
having been to one, I can’t comment, but they
■ Weddings: the hotel has its
flatbed. Moveable privacy screen gives there is a stool/footrest. The 20in-wide
were certainly charming.
own Byzantine chapel
option of facing colleague/partner. seat is an easy-to-operate fully-flat bed.
The rooms are simply decorated and Comfortable cocoon Cabin fever Comfortable cocoon Cabin fever
HOW TO BOOK IT
spacious, and it’s lovely to throw open the
Harlequin Holidays offers
doors to your balcony and look out over the On the menu: Extremely edible, varied On the menu: Food not as great as I’d
seven nights at Anassa from
gardens and pools or soak up the sea views in
£1,567pp (based on two
inflight menu, but what really shone hoped. There was no dressing with the
the morning.
sharing a garden-view room)
was the calibre of smooth-bodied fine starter salad, but flavoursome feta
Some suites have private plunge pools and
and including breakfast,
wines (selected by wine guru Jancis made up for it; the pasta was hard and
whirlpools on sea-facing terraces and one of the
transfers and flights from
Robinson, OBE). the rocket past its best with overpowering
best in the house is the Alexandros Residence, Gatwick to Paphos. A fine feast Eat before boarding parmesan. But in essence a good service.
an opulent two-storey villa, surrounded by
Tel: 0845 277 3398,
A fine feast Eat before boarding
landscaped gardens and looking out over
harlequinholidays.com
High-tech v low-tech: The high-tech
Chrysochou Bay. Meals on the terrace of Elemis Travel Spa massage chairs at T5 High-tech v low-tech: Classic films mix
Amphora, in a shady setting, were always
Baths of Aphrodite Road,
surpassed expectations. Onboard it was a with box-office, Canadian with world
8840 Latchi, Cyprus.
delicious and Pelagos is great for relaxed different story: an unhinged TV screen cinema, all viewed via a 12in screen and
Tel: 00 357 26 888 000,
pool-side dining with fresh fish and (annoying, as good films showing), noise-cancelling Sennheisers. In-seat
anassa.com.cy
Mediterrean food served with healthy insensitive touch-screen controls and power, reading light and a table. Ambient
smoothies – or chilled wines. total onboard water failure on flight back. lighting helped with time-zone switch.
Wine tastings can also be arranged at Anassa and for a special dinner, suggest Switched on Switched off Switched on Switched off
clients book a table at Basiliko, hidden away in a stone cavern.
The weather in May was scorching, so a daytrip out on a sailing boat off the Who’s it for: Business folk and Who’s it for: Emphasis on solo business
beach and around the dramatic Akamas peninsula was blissful, including the well-heeled travellers who, affected by travellers, but for the 11-hour stretch to
chance to jump off into the area’s very own “blue lagoon”. the credit crunch, want the perks of Vancouver and ski season in full swing,
The revamped Thalassa Spa offers chemical-free Organic Pharmacy premium travel at better value. worth recommending to snow bunnies.
products and an expanded range of thalassotherapy
tretaments. Spa guests gather in a waiting lounge with a If it were a famous person… If it were a famous person… Keanu
deeply healthy detox drink before being ushered away to Michael Palin. A jovially laidback, Reeves. Like this adopted Canadian, quiet
one of the soothing treatment rooms. The spa decor is well-travelled Brit with a classic style. and brooding with flashes of brilliance.
simple and soothing and after a few hours around the
60
pool, it’s a wrench to head back into the outside world. by Annabelle Hood by April Hutchinson
tried & tested
autumn 09 ttgluxury.com
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