THREE HAUTE HOSTELS
Freehand, Miami: This one-of-a-kind hostel boasts handcrafted design just a block from the beach (below). It's a reinvention of the famous Indian Creek Hotel, one of Miami Beach's classic 1930s Art Deco buildings, and definitely worth a stay: from €30; thefreehand.com
Slo Living, Lyon: With the ethos that "all good things take time", this beautiful French hostel sets the bar for budget stays. The locally sourced food and exceptional decor make this a break with a difference: from €26; slo-hostel.com
Cocomama, Amsterdam: Elegant private rooms start at just €102, and with their own in-house cinema and serene garden, this boutique hostel draws the world's coolest clientele; cocomama.nl
NEWS
Eastern Promise: ClickandGo.com is offering an exclusive cruise from Hong Kong to Japan from September 17th. The eight- night trip begins in Dublin with flights to Hong Kong (above), where guests will board the ship for an epic journey to Okinawa, Hiroshima and Beppu before returning to Hong Kong. Flights, a one-night pre-cruise stay in a luxury hotel and all board and entertainment from €1,199 per per- son. clickandgo.com
Jet Set: Dubbed the "Netflix of the sky", Surf Air has announced its first European operations schedule, with daily flights from London, Geneva and Zurich from October and weekend flights to Dublin, Paris, Amsterdam and Barcelona to be introduced in the new year. The private jet service offers travellers unlimited air time for a set fee per month. surfer.com
Feast Fest: Cliff Townhouse Oyster Fest offers a month-long celebration in September of all things oceanic. Discover the world of pearls, enjoy wine pairings and savour the season's best (theclifftownhouse.com). Inchydoney Hotel & Spa hosts guests during the Taste Of West Cork festival, September 9th-18th (inchydoneyisland.com).
MOROCCAN DETOX
Back to school season takes its toll on the best of us, which is why a new slew of detox breaks are on our radar this month. Top of our list is the new Natural Moroccan Detox Retreat at La Sultana Oualidia, a week-long lesson in relaxation the Moroccan way. Pilates, yoga and meditation sessions take place in the lush gardens and the hotel's private lagoon at sunset; spa treatments take the form of classic Moroccan hammam treatments, with body scrubs and deep tissue massage; and the food here is anything but sparing – argan fruits, seasonal seafood and Moroccan classics take centre stage come meal time. Check prices and availability online. lasultanahotels.com
GET 'APPY
Just Ahead: Travel guides by top writers from National Geographic, Outside and the American AA. It works offline and includes GPS-guided tours. Download it at The App Store and for Android.
DEALS
Morocco: get a Christmas tan with Club Med in Marrakech and Agadir. Direct flights from Dublin for eight nights on December 15th, from €1,429pps all inclusive; 01-2366800; sunway.ie
Boston: Try turkey for Thanksgiving and experience Black Friday shopping. Travel on November 23rd from Dublin or Shannon, €689pp for four nights; 021-4277094; shandontravel.ie
Ski: Crystal Ski are giving two-for-one ski-lift passes for December 31st trips, and buy one, get one half price for the rest or the season except half term; 01-4331055; crystalski.ie
