Firstly, congratulations to Joe B who won the TLFL competition to get Hilton Gold membership, let’s hope he soon gets a chance to enjoy the benefits!
In this post:
Extra discounts in the BA sale
British Airways Holidays is offering customers an additional saving for a limited period during the British Airways/British Airways Holidays January Sale. Those booking between 7-12 January 2021 can book a flight + hotel or flight + car holiday and make the following additional savings, on top of the January Sale prices:
- £100 extra discount with a minimum spend of £2,500 per booking
- £50 extra discount with a minimum spend of £1,250 per booking
- £25 extra discount with a min spend of £650 per booking (Flight + Car only)
The BA sale is on until 2 February with travel dates throughout 2021.
Full terms can be found on ba.com/sale and below are some example packages with the discount applied. Some of these are extremely good deals such as the Vegas deal, considering you could pay that just for the flight in the sale.
Halkidiki – British Airways Holidays offers seven nights at the 5* Ikos Olivia from £719pp, travelling on selected dates between 06 – 18 April 2021 inclusive. Includes economy (Euro Traveller) return flights from London, 23kg luggage allowance and all-inclusive accommodation. Book by 12 January 2021.
Tenerife – British Airways Holidays offers seven nights at the 5* Ritz-Carlton Abama from £839pp, travelling on selected dates between 17 – 24 April 2021 inclusive. Includes business class (Club Europe) return flights from London, 2x32kg luggage allowance and accommodation. Book by 12 January 2021.
Orlando – British Airways Holidays offers seven nights, at the 5* Rosen Shingle Creek from £1599pp, travelling on selected dates between 1 September – 30 September 2021 inclusive. Includes business class (Club World) return flights from London, 2x32kg luggage allowance and accommodation. Book by 12 January 2021.
Las Vegas – British Airways Holidays offers five nights, at the 5* The Venetian Resort Las Vegas from £1699pp, travelling on selected dates between 1 November – 30 November 2021 inclusive. Includes business class (Club World) return flights from London, 2x32kg luggage allowance and accommodation. Book by 12 January 2021.
Emirates new A380 for London
With Dubai being one of the few destinations that we may be allowed to visit when lockdown finishes, it is good news that Emirates has announced that it will deploy its latest flagship A380 aircraft featuring new premium economy seats and luxurious enhancements across business and first class to London Heathrow. You can read about it in this article.
Starting from 4 January, passengers flying between Dubai and London Heathrow can experience Emirates’ latest A380. Operating as EK003/004, the aircraft is scheduled to depart Dubai daily at 14:30hrs, arriving at 18:20hrs in London Heathrow. The return flight departs London at 20:20hrs and arrives in Dubai the next day at 07:20hrs. All timings local.
Emirates last week unveiled its latest A380 with brand new premium economy seats that offer a generous seat pitch of up to 40 inches, in addition to new economy class seats similar to those installed on its latest Boeing 777-300ER gamechanger aircraft, enhancements to its popular A380 First and Business Class including its signature Shower Spa and Onboard Lounge, and refreshed colours and fittings across all cabins.
Until more Premium Economy seats enter its inventory, the airline intends to offer these as spot upgrades for its valued customers on a discretionary basis. All other signature Emirates A380 First, Business and Economy cabins are available for reservation on emirates.com or via travel agents.
Emirates currently serves London Heathrow with 5 daily flights of which 4 are operated with an A380. The airline also operates 10 flights a week to Manchester and daily flights to both Birmingham and Glasgow.
A new aspirational Los Angeles LXR Hilton property to save your points for
If like me you are hoping to go to the West Coast of the US when we are allowed back and President Trump has finished wrecking the country, this new property from Hilton is firmly on my wish list for 2021.
I am not a huge fan of Los Angeles, but I do really like the beach area of Santa Monica. Normally I stay around Beverly Hills as there are two Hilton properties there – the iconic Beverly Hilton and the Waldorf Astoria. Now there is a more fun choice of location just across the street from the beach. The property is one of Hilton’s LXR brand hotels which are independent, luxury properties, The Oceana hotel is an intimate 70-room coastal oasis situated along the coveted beach district of Santa Monica. The hotel is within steps from the beach, tucked into an exclusive, residential enclave.
Oceana joins the growing collection of more than 10 open or soon-to-be-open LXR properties in the world’s most sought-after destinations. These include the Biltmore Mayfair in London’s esteemed Grosvenor Square, Zemi Beach House on the white sands of Anguilla, Roku Kyoto along the foothills of the Takagamine Mountains in Japan, the magical Mango House Seychelles in the east Indian Ocean, Crockfords Las Vegas in the heart of the Strip, and more to be announced soon.
Personalized Arrival Experience
Oceana provides a rare opportunity to experience Santa Monica like a local resident of the coveted beach district. Driving along Ocean Avenue, the first vision of Oceana is the hotel’s stately, ivy-clad facade, among the neighborhood’s other beautiful residences. Upon entering the stunning living-room-inspired lobby, guests are personally greeted by the hotel’s knowledgeable team and welcomed to their dream beach home.
Luxury Accommodations
Guests can relax and enjoy the breathtaking sea views from lavishly appointed yet inviting rooms that evoke a true sense of warmth and comfort. From rich, deep velvet sofas and sleek suede lounges, to a four-poster bed outfitted with sumptuous Loro Piana bedding and Frette linens, each suite is designed to feel like a private guest house at an impeccably designed home. The experience is complete with spa-inspired bathrooms with Bottega Veneta bath amenities and state-of-the-art innovation including personal iPads that control everything from temperature to light settings and allow guests to order room service.
Thoughtful Design
Interior designer Anna Busta, of Busta Studio in NYC and best known for her high-end residential work, oversaw the hotel’s design, ensuring no detail was overlooked. Her modern perspective captivates the senses and includes soothing color palettes, gold metal accents, bold geometric patterns and extensive wood finishes.
Perched on the Palisades bluff, Oceana delivers panoramic vistas and is surrounded by lush greenery and blooms from landscape architecture firm Perry Guillot of the Hamptons. The extraordinary veranda offers a comforting yet stylish daytime lounge for sunbathing, and an elegant evening escape for al fresco dining.
Locally Inspired Culinary Experience
Throughout their stay, guests are invited to enjoy a truly bespoke culinary experience. Open exclusively for hotel guests, the dining spaces showcase the resort’s signature take on seasonal Californian cuisine rooted in hyper-local ingredients from the world-famous Santa Monica Farmers Market. Meals are always prepared to guest specifications and can be served in any of the dining venues. Oceana’s dining experiences include:
- Sandpiper: Oceana’s main restaurant sets the scene for an intimate experience reminiscent of a private beach home with a picturesque seaside backdrop, but with the added comforts of five-star service and elegant cuisine.
- The Veranda: There is no better venue for al fresco dining at Oceana. Here, guests can enjoy full access to Oceana’s breakfast, lunch and dinner menus with the benefit of enjoying your meal poolside. Whether reclining in James Perse chaise lounges or cozying up by the fire pit, The Veranda is the perfect space to exercise your refined palette while taking advantage of always sunny Santa Monica.
- Sunset Terrace: With panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, the Sunset Terrace is the perfect rooftop lounge location to relax, imbibe and enjoy the majesty of the sun sinking into the horizon. And for sushi lovers, we are excited to announce our exclusive Nobu Pop-Up Experience featuring some of the famed delicacies only Nobu chefs can provide.
Oceana’s authentic expression of Southern California cuisine also includes rare tequila tasting flights in the spring in partnership with Casamigos. To further immerse guests in their culinary experience, the hotel’s executive chef leads private tours of the Santa Monica Farmers Market to hand-pick fresh produce for personalized tasting menus.
Exclusive Amenities
The resort’s main pool, situated at the heart of the property, is lined with olive trees and oversized daybeds.
Beyond the courtyard is a fitness studio equipped with state-of-the-art Peloton and Technogym equipment. Guests have access to personal trainers for one-on-one sessions upon request, in addition to private yoga sessions on the beach each morning. The adjacent spa treatment room offers a full-service spa menu and salon hair services so guests can feel prepped and pampered throughout their stay. To venture into the city, guests can use a private house car, or for a more casual beach day, Oceana offers sea-blue beach cruisers. Guests can also enjoy a private taste of L.A. fashion with an exclusive shopping experience led by stylist and fastidious entrepreneur, Elyse Walker.
Oceana Santa Monica, LXR Hotels & Resorts will be part of Hilton Honors, with stays starting from 95,000 points per night. At around $600 cash per night, this is a good use of points.
Oceana Santa Monica is located at 849 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90403. For reservations and additional information, visit www.hoteloceanasantamonica.com.
