CastaDiva Resort & Spa. Courtesy Small Luxury Hotels of the World
CastaDiva Resort & Spa. Courtesy Small Luxury Hotels of the World

Travel news: Food and facials with European break deal and more



Celebrate Eid with a Russian break

Take a break this Eid at the Corinthia Hotel, St Petersburg, with the brand's White Nights Eid Al Fitr package. The property, located in the heart of the Russian city, is offering GCC residents private airport transfers, breakfast at the Imperial Restaurant, Executive Club benefits, early check-in and late checkout. The package costs from 52,840 roubles (Dh2,976), based on a two-night stay for two people, including taxes. For more information, visit www.corinthia.com.

New tented safari camp in Kenya

Safari tourists in Kenya now have another accommodation option with the opening of the Loisaba Tented Camp, which is part of the Elewana Collection. The new lodging area, on the site of the former Loisaba lodge, offers six en suite tents, three family combinations — each consisting of two en suite tents with adjoining walkways — and three "Private Residence" houses, which feature a private dining area and infinity pool. The camp's restaurant offers an à la carte menu dominated by locally sourced ingredients, including fresh produce from the camp's garden. Two infinity pools and a number of activities including bush walks, mountain biking, lion tracking and fishing are also available to guests. Stays cost from US$300 (Dh1,102) per person, per night, including full board, select activities and taxes. For more information, visit www.elewana.com.

A cheaper staycation with Anantara

Get more from your staycation with Qasr Al Sarab's Summer Villa offer. The Anantara property, located in the Empty Quarter, is offering an overnight stay in a one-bedroom pool villa. The villa is equipped with a private pool, sunbathing deck, cabana and outdoor shower. Guests can also take advantage of sunrise and sunset desert activities, and book a treatment at the spa. The offer is available until September 30, and costs from Dh2,200 per night, including taxes and breakfast for two. For more information, visit www.qasralsarab.anantara.com.

Food and facials with European break deal

Holiday in Switzerland and Italy in style with the A Shore Affair: Lake Como and Lake Maggiore offer from the Hotel Eden Roc and CastaDiva Resort & Spa. From now until October 15, guests will receive a buffet breakfast, a six-course tasting menu cooked by Michelin-star chef Gennaro Esposito, a 50-minute massage or facial treatment (at CastaDiva), and garage parking at both locations. The package costs from Dh7,090 per person, based on a two-night stay at each property, including taxes. For more information, visit www.edenroc.ch.

alane@thenational.ae

The bio

Who inspires you?

I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist

How do you relax?

Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.

What is favourite book?

The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times

What is your favourite Arabic film?

Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki

What is favourite English film?

Mamma Mia

Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?

If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.  

 

The specs

  Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now

Scoreline

Real Madrid 1
Ronaldo (53')

Atletico Madrid 1
Griezmann (57')

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US households add $601bn of debt in 2019

American households borrowed another $601 billion (Dh2.2bn) in 2019, the largest yearly gain since 2007, just before the global financial crisis, according to February data from the New York Federal Reserve Bank.

Fuelled by rising mortgage debt as homebuyers continued to take advantage of low interest rates, the increase last year brought total household debt to a record high, surpassing the previous peak reached in 2008 just before the market crash, according to the report.

Following the 22nd straight quarter of growth, American household debt swelled to $14.15 trillion by the end of 2019, the New York Fed said in its quarterly report.

In the final three months of the year, new home loans jumped to their highest volume since the fourth quarter of 2005, while credit cards and auto loans also added to the increase.

The bad debt load is taking its toll on some households, and the New York Fed warned that more and more credit card borrowers — particularly young people — were falling behind on their payments.

"Younger borrowers, who are disproportionately likely to have credit cards and student loans as their primary form of debt, struggle more than others with on-time repayment," New York Fed researchers said.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
PROFILE OF SWVL

Started: April 2017

Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: transport

Size: 450 employees

Investment: approximately $80 million

Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani

Suggested picnic spots

Abu Dhabi
Umm Al Emarat Park
Yas Gateway Park
Delma Park
Al Bateen beach
Saadiyaat beach
The Corniche
Zayed Sports City
 
Dubai
Kite Beach
Zabeel Park
Al Nahda Pond Park
Mushrif Park
Safa Park
Al Mamzar Beach Park
Al Qudrah Lakes