F.U. Knighted: The world’s worst airline

by Jessica Festa on




While most people have experienced some form of bad customer service in their lives, I’d be surprised if it topped the treatment these two honeymooners receive trying to get on board a flight for F.U. Knighted Airlines. Luckily, the clip isn’t a documentary of real life but a humorous skit directed and edited by Nathan “Party on Fifth Ave” Moore that pokes fun at bad customer service in the airline industry. The video was written by the actors who include Moore, Lana McKissack, and Paul Peglar. If you’ve ever had a bad experience on an airline, you will definitely appreciate this.

You can click the cast’s names above to find more entertaining videos on their YouTube channels, or follow them on Twitter:

Lana McKissack: https://twitter.com/#!/lanamckissack
Nathan Moore: https://twitter.com/#!/TheNathanMoore
Paul Peglar: https://twitter.com/#!/ppeglar

Luxury resort harbors Tanzania’s last tropical coastal forest

by Kraig Becker on

For adventure travelers, the classic visit to Tanzania begins with a climb up Kilimanjaro, followed by a safari on the Serengeti, and is topped off with a relaxing beach experience on the island of Zanzibar. The first two items on that list are unmatched experiences that simply can’t be beat, but those looking for alternative to the beaches of Zanzibar may want to consider a stay at the Ras Kutani lodge, an eco-resort that offers access to the last tropical coastal forest in the country.

Located just 20 miles from Dar es Salaam, Ras Kutani offers beautiful and tranquil beaches along the Indian Ocean. The warm coastal waters are home to a vibrant and thriving coral reef system, which is home to dozens of species of fish, and is visited frequently by dolphins, sea turtles, and even whales. This makes it an ideal setting for snorkelers, although sea kayaking and boogie boarding are also popular activities when the surf is up.

But the main draw to lodge is the spectacular coastal forest that surrounds the resort. Charles Dobie, the owner of Ras Kutani, made it his mission to save and preserve the coastal forest there, and as a result, he now owns one of the last remaining examples of that amazing ecosystem. The lodge is surrounded by 100 acres of this lush forest, which is home to more than 130 species of trees, four different types of monkeys, a wide variety of birds, as well as baboons, wild pigs, and the rare and beautiful Civet Cat.

Visitors to the lodge can stay in one of nine unique and spacious cottages, or four hilltop suites, that have been designed to mesh harmoniously with the environment. In addition to the relaxed beach activities, they are also able to take a self-guided tour through the coastal forest, where they can explore its natural wonders for themselves. Afterward, guests can enjoy the lodge’s famous gourmet cuisine, and relax by the ocean, where if they’re lucky, they may catch sea turtles as they hatch, and make for the sea.

To learn more about the Ras Kutani lodge, and everything it has to offer, visit the resort’s website.

Hotel Missoni to add Mauritius location in 2014

by McLean Robbins on
Hotel Missoni, the luxury lifestyle brand of the Rezidor Hotel Group, is set to open in Mauritius, marking the 66th country in which Residor is present.
Rezidor Hotel Group, parent company to Hotel Missoni, has this week announced the addition of what is to be the brand’s sixth’s hotel, Hotel Missoni Mauritius, scheduled to open in 2014. The hotel will join already-open locations in Edinburgh, Kuwait and soon-to-open hotels in Jebel Sifah, Oman (2013), Antalya, Turkey (2014) and Ihla de Cajaiba, Brazil (2014). Ironically, the brand does not have any hotels in Italy.

The hotel, a “bold, contemporary” luxury boutique hotel that draws its name from the famed Italian designer, will boast 80 luxury suites with unobstructed views of the ocean, Hotel Missoni’s signature restaurant “Cucina” with an authentic seasonal Italian menu; “Choco Café”, a further all day dining restaurant, a lounge bar and a beach/pool bar. Leisure facilities will include a 650 meter sandy beach, outdoor pools, a fitness area including gym and tennis court, a kids club and a 900 square meter spa.

“Combining Missoni’s iconic design with the local culture influenced by Europe, Africa and Asia, the hotel will be truly unique in Mauritius”, said Kurt Ritter, President & CEO of Rezidor.
“Having been passionate about Mauritius, an island of beauty and charm, its colourful culture and its wonderful population for over 30 years now, I am delighted to partner with Rezidor to bring a new kind of luxury hotel in Mauritius under the prestigious Missoni brand, which will surely be a great success and a new flagship premium quality hotel of the tourism industry in Mauritius”, added Gilles Bouigue, Executive Chairman of Bouigue Développement, owner of the property.
Each suite of the new hotel will feature Missoni’s signature patterns and fabrics, and will have a large covered outdoor living area, known in Mauritius as a “Varangue”.
The number of tourist arrivals to the island nation continues to grow, reaching nearly one million in 2010. The government plans to further increase arrivals (a new airport terminal is currently under construction, and new airlines and routes are under negotiation) and to focus on high quality tourism products such as 4- and 5-star hotels.

Waldorf Astoria Maldives launches coral reef regeneration project

by Jessica Marati on

The Maldives coral reefs comprise the eighth largest reef system in the world. But active tourism and fishing industries, as well as global phenomena like climate change and El Nino, are taking its toll. And because the islands of the Maldives are low-lying, the coral reefs are even more important as a barrier against sea-level rise and storms.

To do its part, the Waldorf Astoria Maldives is now allowing guests to help restore its surrounding coral reef ecosystem through a partnership with Seamarc, a marine consultancy that has developed an innovative new coral propagation technique for “replanting” parts of the reef.

For $150, guests can select and transplant a small portion of coral reef in the area surrounding the resort. The whole process takes one hour, and involves selecting a plot of living but damaged or threatened coral that has been harvested by Seamarc, attaching the plot to a lightweight frame structure, and transplanting it in the resort’s lagoon. Guests can then monitor the growth and progress of their coral reef plot through a dedicated website.

The program may not completely offset the environmental impact of the Waldorf Astoria and other luxury resorts on the Maldives coral reefs, but it’s a start.

Amsterdam’s Schipol Airport gallery opens winter exhibition (about winter!)

by Sean McLachlan on


I love airport art galleries. They offer the delayed passenger something far more satisfying than eating fattening toxins in the food court. The gallery at Schipol Airport, Amsterdam, is one of the best because it’s run by the world-famous Rijksmuseum.

The gallery has just opened Dutch Winters, a collection of winter scenes by Dutch artists. Interestingly, the curators didn’t go for the usual Dutch Masters and their depictions of the harsh winters of the 16th century, when Northern Europe shivered under the Mini Ice Age. Instead, they’re displaying works from the 19th century.

A January Evening in the Wood at The Hague, shown above, was painted by Louis Apol in 1875. A member of The Hague School, Apol made realistic images typical of that school’s style. Below is Charles Leickert’s Winter View, which he did in 1867. Leickert’s style harkens back to the Dutch masters with its rural scene, detailed architecture, and numerous lifelike figures.

Fans of the Dutch Masters of Holland’s Golden Age won’t be disappointed. The gallery has a permanent exhibit of some of their works.

Images courtesy Rijksmuseum.