Blogger Justin Delaney

by Justin Delaney on

Introducing a new blogger at Gadling, Justin Delaney…

Where was your photo taken:
This photo was taken in Dahab, Egypt on the Red Sea – one of the coolest places I have ever been. Here I am enjoying a well deserved sheesha after climbing Mount Sinai.

Where do you live now:
I live in Dallas, TX.

Scariest airline flown:
On a flight from Bagan, Yangon Airways had me gripping my armrest in white knuckled terror. As we flew over the plains of Burma, the plane bobbed and weaved nature’s windy jabs, and I felt my stomach slingshot to the back of my throat. Their slogan, “You’re safe with us” seemed ominous under these circumstances. My terror hit a personal threshold when the flight attendant spilled a drink on some guy’s head three rows up. Panic spread throughout the cabin. I kissed the ground when we landed. A few months later, their aviation license was revoked.

Favorite city/place:
Hong Kong is my favorite city. Nothing hustles like HK. It is grimy and beautiful – everything about that city is balanced like yin and yang. Most people do not realize that beyond the forest of skyscrapers, Hong Kong is 40% parkland. My favorite place is 100 feet underwater in Indonesia, getting to know some local pelagics.

Most remote corner of the globe visited:
The rain-forest of Northern Sulawesi in Indonesia is about as far off the map as one can get. I stayed in an old bungalow on a deserted beach about a 2 hour drive and one hour walk from civilization. Not the best place to get food poisoning, but it happened.Favorite guidebook series:
I am a Lonely Planet guy.

Type of traveler:
I am definitely a flash-packer, meaning I carry a backpack, but it is filled with electronics and a Nikon DSLR. I also prefer guesthouses and hotels with free wifi and comfortable beds, though I am fine with slumming it.

When I’m not writing for Gadling, I’m…
Eagerly awaiting acceptance letters from MBA programs.

Favorite foreign dish?
In Rome, I fell hard for Pecorino al Tartufo. It is a Florentine cheese with embedded black truffles. Some people day-dream about beaches or days at the spa; I day-dream about cheese.

Next Trip
This May, I am marrying the love of my life in St. Croix and following it up with a trip to Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Dubai. My fiance, Kristin, also has a passion for travel. We have visited 25 countries together since we started dating in 2008.

World’s highest restaurant opens in Dubai

by McLean Robbins on

Want to get high? It won’t be illegal if you do it at Burj Khalifa’s At.mosphere, which surpasses Toronto’s 360 Restaurant as the world’s highest restaurant. The downtown Dubai restaurant strands at 1,350 feet high (that’s level 123, for those who care).

The restaurant seats 210 guests and offers both a dining and bar area. Both emphasize fresh products and healthy, simple cooking – all food is availalbe grilled, broiled or baked.

Adorned in mahogany walls and ceilings, Adam Tihany furnishings, and floors of cafe au lait limestone and hand-tufted carpet, At.mosphere reflects Dubai’s position as a luxury destination in the Middle East.

Want to know more? Check out what our friends over at Luxist have to say.

Daily Pampering: Dubai Shopping Festival hotel packages

by Melanie Nayer on

You read the title right, fashionistas: There’s an entire festival devoted to shopping that takes place in Dubai, and Emirates Airlines has partnered with hotels and luxury retailers to offer travelers a few good discounts and a place to drop their bags after a long day of shopping.

The 15th annual Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) begins on Jan. 20 and runs until Feb. 20 in the glamorous city of Dubai. Emirates airline has teamed up with beach and city hotels to offer a free night’s stay during the Festival to visitors who book a four-night stay. The pampering continues with tax-free shopping, as well as discounts of up to 50 percent on a wide variety of items during the shopping festival.

Packages to the festival can be purchased through local travel agents or an Emirates sales office, and include a choice of hotels, airport transfers and buffet breakfast. In addition, Emirates is currently offering a Companion Fare offer: any passenger purchasing a flight to Dubai between Jan. 1-31 will get a free second ticket, excluding taxes. This Companion Fare offer is valid in all three classes – first, business and economy – with travel from Jan. 16-31.

We can’t put a price on this pampering because of the various hotel options, but we can tell you the shopping package includes accommodation for four-nights for the price of three, airport assistance on arrival at Dubai International Airport, Arabian Adventures welcome pack, airport transfers to and from the hotel by private car, breakfast daily and all taxes and service charges.
Participating beach and city hotels for the Dubai Shopping Festival include:

  • The Westin Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina
  • The Jumeirah Beach Hotel
  • Mina A Salam and Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina
  • The Grand Hyatt
  • Dubai Marriott
  • Al Bustan Rotana Hotel
  • Hyatt Regency
  • Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates
  • Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel
  • The Address Dubai Marina
  • The Fairmont Dubai
  • Shangri-La Hotel
  • Raffles
  • Taj Palace Hotel
  • The Palace – Old Town
  • Premier Inn Dubai International Airport
  • Four Points by Sheraton
  • Al Manzil Hotel
  • Qamardeen Hotel
  • Marco Polo Hotel and Highland City Hotel
  • (Apartment hotels include Dubai Marriott – The Harbour Hotel and Suites and Pearl Residence.)

Travel tip: Make sure to bring an extra suitcase (or two).

Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

Ritz-Carlton ready to open first new hotel of 2011: Dubai International Financial Centre

by Melanie Nayer on

The Ritz-Carlton hotel group is gearing up for an exciting 2011. Amid the flurry of anticipation for the opening of the tallest hotel in the world in Hong Kong, the hotel group is also preparing for its first opening of the year, The Ritz -Carlton, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), slated to welcome guests on Jan. 12, 2011.

The 341-room hotel, with 124 executive residences, will be the second Ritz-Carlton in Dubai and the sixth property in the region.

Located in Dubai’s bustling financial district, The Ritz-Carlton, DIFC graces the skyline wrapped in a French limestone façade and shades of art deco elements. Standing 14 storeys high, the hotel will be a grand fixture among the city’s towering skyscrapers.Unique designs include:

  • A 10-storey outdoor waterfall cascading down the building directly into the courtyard facing the lobby.
  • A total of eight striking water features are situated throughout the hotel playing on the feng shui belief that the constant flow of water signifies wealth and prosperity.
  • A three-storey high lobby ceiling with a glamourous centerpiece – 44 crystal stems designed to resemble frosted branches in the moonlight.
  • A dramatic 30 meter (100 feet) wine wall that is home to 3000 bottles of the finest varietals in the world.

Dining options include Blue Rain, the signature Thai fine-dining restaurant; Can Can, a French all-day dining brasserie and the Center Cut steakhouse. The Lobby Lounge & Terrace will host Dubai’s only chocolate and champagne experience.

The top two floors of the hotel are dedicated to guests of The Ritz-Carlton Club. The hotel will also offer two Royal Suites, each at 220 square meters (or 2,370 square feet) in size and luxury furnished residences that range in size from one- to four-bedroom. Residents will have access to an exclusive rooftop health club and outdoor pool, plus can utilize all services offered by the hotel including housekeeping, catering, concierge, and in- room dining.

Guests staying the hotel will enjoy a fully-equipped health club, indoor pool and The Ritz-Carlton Spa, featuring 13 treatment rooms.

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Abu Dhabi Emirates Palace hotel regrets $11 million Christmas tree

by Scott Carmichael on

Well – that was quick. Just a couple of days after we reported on its excessive $11 million Christmas tree, the Emirates Palace hotel in Abu Dhabi has confirmed that it may have gone a little overboard in decorating the (fake) evergreen.

The $11,000 tree had been filled with almost every piece of valuable jewelry the in-house jeweler could find – including diamond earrings, necklaces and pearls. After all the attention the tree got, the hotel manager admitted he “regretted overloading the tradition”.

Of course, one thing not really pointed out in all the attention was that the “decorations” would all be recovered after the holiday season, so despite their insane price tag, the tree itself was not going to cost $11 million.

Still, while the world is in the middle of its first signs of economic recovery, a tree with this kind of excess sends a rather disturbing message. Then again, this is the same hotel where you can buy gold bars from a vending machine and waste $1 million on a week-long stay.

[Photo: AP]