Travel news: holiday and hotel deals - and robotic butlers

This week's travel news and deals.

Botlr, arobotic butler at the Aloft Cupertino. Courtesy Aloft Hotels

Fitness with a side of wanderlust

Wildfitness, a UK-based travel company offering “transformative” holidays in Spain, Kenya and the Isle of Wight in Britain, has introduced two new destinations: Zanzibar and Morocco. The locations offer the same type of package the company specialises in: a minimum nine-day trip comprising of daily rigorous exercise in the form of group fitness sessions, healthy (mostly organic and local) meals, comfortable accommodation, plenty of rest time and two massages. In Zanzibar, the company’s base is in Chwaka Bay, in a quiet corner of the island’s south-east coast.

In Morocco, the course takes place at the luxury retreat of Kasbah Bab Ourika in the Atlas Mountains. There is currently a discount of 10 per cent off bookings for Zanzibar made before September 15. The "nine-day kick start" Zanzibar package starts at £2,586 (Dh15,748) per person with the discount and excluding flights. The nine-day Moroccon course costs from £3,570 (Dh21,742) per person excluding flights (www.wildfitness.com).

Two-plus-one-free-offer at Dusit hotels

Until October 31, Dusit International hotels are offering one free night for every two booked at the company's best available rate. The promotion is valid in all the group's hotels in locations including China, India, Thailand, Kenya, the Maldives, the Philippines, the USA and the UAE. A three-night break in the Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi, for example, starting on September 10, will cost Dh522 per night including taxes for two nights, with the third night free (www.dusit.com).

Aloft brings about robotic revolution

Guests checking into one of Aloft's newest properties in the United States, Aloft Cupertino (www.aloftcupertino.com) are likely to encounter a robotic butler. The three-star hotel, which is part of the Starwood chain, charges from $178 (Dh653) per night including taxes. Its two upright, white-coloured "Botlrs", named A.L.O., glide up and down corridors unaided, are apparently able to perform tasks in the front as well as back of house, navigate around guests and use lifts. Best of all, they do not require tipping. To begin with, the 123-room hotel is using the Botlrs to deliver amenities to guest rooms in lieu of human-staff. "This is currently a pilot at Aloft Cupertino and is under consideration, though not yet confirmed, to be implemented at Aloft Sunnyvale when it opens at the end of this year," said Brian McGuinness of Aloft Hotels. "Based on the success of the pilot, we will look to roll out at our nearly 100 hotels around the world in 2015 and beyond."