LGBT-FRIENDLIER VIETNAM
Vietnam has taken the lead in gay rights in southeast Asia and abolished regulations prohibiting same-sex marriage. The marriage law came into effect on New Year’s Day and experts believe the decision will be a boost to the country’s tourism industry. Visitors to Vietnam have increased from 7.6m to 7.9m in 2014, and tourism is worth in excess of US$9bn to the local economy. Vietnam’s decision contrasts with Singapore, which recently reaffirmed its ban on homosexuality, and Thailand, which is traditionally considered a more liberal society but attempts to introduce a same-sex marriage Bill have stalled.
TRIPADVISOR IN THE DOCK
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Italy has fined TripAdvisor €500,000 for not doing enough to stop false reviews. Following complaints by national hoteliers’ association Federalberghi, antitrust authorities determined that the popular travel planning website had not done enough to introduce measures to stop false reviews. TripAdvisor has said that the finding is unreasonable and will appeal, declaring in a statement that “…the zero tolerance policy of the Antitrust Authority means that it would have found us guilty if just one review in a million was considered inaccurate.
A standard has been adopted that is unrealistic for any business model” and that its processes, which include automated algorithms and a team to detect fraudulent reviews, were “extremely effective in protecting consumers from the small minority of people who try to cheat our system”. This is not the first time TripAdvisor has been brought to task for its practices: in 2012 Britain’s Advertising Standards Authority ordered the company to remove claims that all its reviews were genuine and reliable, while in 2011 French authorities imposed a fine of €430,000 on TripAdvisor, Expedia and Hotels.com for “false and deceitful” practices.
FIVE MEMORABLE HOTELS IN JAMAICA
Bob Marley would have been 70 this year, but his home island of Jamaica isn't going to let the inconvenience of his death on May 11th, 1981, get in the way of celebrating their most famous musical son with events throughout the island beginning the first week of February (his birthday was February 6th). The northwestern coastline between Montego Bay and Negril is ringed with most of the well-known mega-resorts, but here are five memorable places to stay:
Bolt House (Galina, St Mary; bolthousejamaica.com; villa $2000-3000) If you can't get a room in nearby Goldeneye, this cliffside villa is the next-best thing – and has the same views. Infinity pools, yoga decks and hiking trails around its 18 secluded hectares are just some of the options available to guests, who also have access to Goldeneye's private beach. There's a four-night minimum stay.
Goldeneye (Oracabessa, Ocho Rios; goldeneye.com; rooms from $850, cottages and villas from $1,200) Ian Fleming lived in one of the eight villas of this resort – Jamaica's most luxurious – where everything is designed to offer visitors the ultimate experience. The rooms are top rate, the food is exquisite and the private island is for your eyes only.
Negril Tree House (Norman Manley Blvd, Negril; negril-treehouse.com; rooms $12-300) The perfect spot for a chilled-out holiday, the service is friendly, welcoming and hyper-efficient without being over-zealous. Rooms are in lovely white hexagonal rondavels. There's a three-night minimum stay.
SPOTLIGHT ON HARLEM
New York tourist authorities want visitors to follow Duke Ellington and take the A train to experience the cultural and culinary pleasures of Harlem. The historic, largely African-American neighbourhood in northern Manhattan is the latest focus of tourist agency NYC & Company's campaign to encourage visitors to explore New York beyond midtown Manhattan, and has released a short film in which six Harlem insiders recommend what to see and do on and around 125th Street. These include the famous Apollo Theatre, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and the Studio Museum, as well as refuelling stops at soul food restaurant Sylvia's (pictured left). See nycgo.com
Richmond Hill Inn (Union St, Montego Bay; richmond-hill-inn.com; rooms from $125) The Dewars whisky family once owned this house just on the edge of Montego Bay. Rooms have an old-fashioned beach resort elegance; Roger Moore was a guest here when he was filming Live and Let Die.
Time 'n' Place (Glistening Waters, Montego Bay; mytimenplace.com; cottages US$80) This is a tiny resort, with four rustic, almost ramshackle (but very comfortable) stilted beach cabins where you can sit on the deck and listen to reggae amid the sound of lapping waves. Owner Tony Moncrieffe has spent years fending off the bigger hotel chains who want his tiny slice of paradise.
MICRO-GUIDE: PALMA DE MALLORCA YOUR 60-SECOND CITY GUIDE
STAY
Hotel Tres (Carrer dels Apuntadors 3;
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; rooms from €170) 16th-century style meets Scandinavian chic. Very cool.
EAT
Toque (Carrer Federico García Lorca 6;
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; mains from €14) Terrific restaurant behind nondescript frontage; food is Belgo-Mediterranean
DO
Mallorca Rutes Walking Tour (
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; from €15) Explore Palma’s hidden courtyards and palaces, discover its rich history.
