Ultratravel directory: new hotels and novel packages for winter 2016-17

Courtesy Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces

Courtesy Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group

Courtesy Travel Local

Courtesy Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts

Courtesy JA Resorts & Hotels

Cruise of the South Pacific, hike through Colombia, treat the kids to a Winnie-the-Pooh package, take a staycation at JA Ocean View Hotel, Dubai, or check out new hotels in Rajasthan and Marrakech.

Cruise of the South Pacific

Head to the South Pacific in March with Travel Counsellors’ Cruise of the South Pacific with Celebrity package. The nine-night itinerary begins with a tour of Sydney – stopping at the Sydney Opera House and Bondi Beach – before heading off to the Isle of Pines, New Caledonia. Travellers will then head to the uninhabited Mystery Island in South Vanuatu, before spending a day in Lifou on Loyalty Island exploring secluded beaches and caves. The last leg of the cruise will be spent in Nouméa in New Caledonia, home to one of the world’s longest barrier reefs.

The itinerary will depart from the UAE on March 24, and is priced from Dh15,028 per person, based on a two-person share. Accommodation aboard the Celebrity Solstice, meals, return flights with Qantas, and taxes are all included; travelcounsellors.ae

Resort Pushkar Bypass Ajmer, India

Those heading to Rajasthan can check out the recently opened Gateway Resort Pushkar Bypass Ajmer by Taj Hotels. The property, located in the Aravalli Mountains, boasts 81 rooms, each with a private balcony and in-room yoga facilities. A swimming pool in the courtyard offers views of the surrounding mountain area. The on-site restaurant, Aravali, offers all-day dining and serves up regional, homestyle cuisine, while the 24/7 active studio means guests can keep fit throughout their stay. Those who wish to venture beyond the hotel can explore the pilgrimage sites of Pushkar, one of India’s oldest cities, or follow the spiritual trail of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer.

Rooms at The Gateway Resort Pushkar Bypass Ajmer start from 9,810 Indian rupees (Dh540) per night, including taxes; tajhotels.com

Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London

Grab the family and head to London this winter for Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park’s Pooh Bear package. The offer was created to celebrate the bear’s 90th anniversary with Winnie-the-Pooh-themed treats and activities. The package features one night’s accommodation in a suite, full English breakfast for up to two adults and two children, and a Winnie-the-Pooh 30-book box set as well as a Pooh teddy on arrival. Also included is a Pooh Bear afternoon tea in The Loggia room for two adults and two children, which will feature honey-based treats from The Hive Honey Shop.

The Pooh Bear package at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London, is available until December 31, and is priced from £1,000 (Dh4,500) per night, including taxes; mandarinoriental.com

Active Colombia

Grab your hiking gear for this 15-day itinerary with Travel Local. The trip begins with two days exploring Bogotá before moving on to the underground Salt Cathedral at Zipaquirá. Also included are tours of Barichara and its artisan workshops, a trek to the Chicamocha Canyon, a four-day hike to Machete Pelao and the Lost City, and a stop at Tayrona National Natural Park.

Prices for the Active Colombia trek start from £1,960 (Dh8,825) per person, including accommodation, some meals, domestic transfers and taxes; travellocal.com

Mövenpick, Marrakech

Book into the recently opened Mövenpick Hotel Mansour Eddahbi Marrakech in Morocco. The property offers 503 rooms, and is just a few minutes’ walk from the central Medina. Visitors can choose from five on-site restaurants and those wishing to stargaze can take to the property’s rooftop lounge. Sightseers can unwind with one of the treatments at the O de Rose spa.

Prices at the Mövenpick Hotel Mansour Eddahbi Marrakech start from €125 (Dh510) per night, including breakfast for two and taxes; movenpick.com

JA Ocean View Hotel and Bateaux Dubai dinner cruise

Unwind and take a staycation this season with JA Resorts & Hotels. The JA Ocean View Hotel, located in the heart of The Walk at Jumeirah Beach Residence, is currently offering guests a 30 per cent discount on stays. Those wishing to head off the property for dinner can book the JA Resorts & Hotels’ Bateaux Dubai dinner cruise. A new menu features 27 new dishes – from Canadian lobster and braised veal cheek to vanilla panna cotta – crafted by chef Eka Mochamad.

Prices at JA Ocean View Hotel start from Dh772 per night, including taxes; jaresortshotels.com