Ponant L'Austral sails up the Liffey

The Five Star luxury cruising ship L'Austral boarded guests from Dublin Port on May 9th to take a tour of Ireland and the UK for the next few days. Five Star cruising is very much like staying in a small boutique hotel with refined luxury, yet being a smaller ship means that the possibility of exotic destination are endless.

I spoke with Stephen Winter, the International Sales director, who flew in from Paris to tell me more about the company. Ponant is a French company and French styling and cuisine is at the core of this brand. Relaxed elegance is insured on these ships and with a fleet of five and in operation for twenty years it is growing steadily and offering something different for the much-travelled cruise passenger. Catering for the active retired, average client age is 60, but with destinations such as the Antarctic, River Amazon and transatlantic to South Africa this brand offers experiences for the young at heart.

I had a peek at the cabins and the four treatment rooms in the spa and was convinced that I would be more than entertained on this cruise ship. Many clients take back to back cruises as the ship itinerary changes often without repeating its course.

Fine dining room with Haute Cuisine

Treatment Room

Owner's suite on board L'Austral

These cruises are not cheap but then again the experience is something uniquely special and perhaps worth saving for. Booking early means making huge savings and as there are only 130 cabins, cruises book up often years is advance, so it's a good idea to plan ahead.
The ship has a small swimming pool and plenty of areas to lounge and sunbathe
If like me you have a dream to reach the Antarctic someday then this is one way of doing it in style. With 26 Zodiac dinghies on board there's plenty of room for all the guests to get up close and personal with the wildlife on one of earth's last remaining wilderness, I wonder what Shackleton would have thought!

For more information see http://en.ponant.com/

Las Vegas in Dublin

Me with Caroline Coyle Snr Vice President of  Marketing LVCVB

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau swept into Dublin on May 9th just as Mercury was making its transit across the sun. They took me and many of the Irish Media for a wonderful lunch in Residence where the director Caroline Coyle told us about the new Las Vegas Virtual Reality Tour. It's easy to download the app http://VRtv.Vegas

New VR headset, just use a phone to sample a trip to Vegas

If you haven't been to Las Vegas this is a great way to get a feel for the amazing spectacle that makes this Luxury destination a favourite for so many. I loved Vegas so much that I was inspired to set my fourth novel there 4am in Las Vegas.

At lunch in Residence Stephens Green

If you are searching for a fun place to celebrate a big birthday or even a honeymoon, then Vegas ticks all the boxes. Fine dining, fun attractions, thrills of the Grand Canyon and entertainment that will not be beaten anywhere in the world check out http://www.lasvegas.com/

Thelma and Louise head west to Farnham Estate in County Cavan

Michelle and Alex AKA Thelma and Louise!

This weekend my friend Alex and I did a Thelma and Louise - with 24 hours notice we jumped in my car at 2pm on Friday and headed west and north a bit on the N3 to Cavan. As we crossed the county border we were greeted by large green signs saying This Is Cavan, a new way to promote this rural county and novel by all accounts. As we passed the agricultural machinery, KFC, McDonalds and signs advertising a gig by a local country and western singer we were feeling eerily like Thelma and Louise as each mile clocked up. But the similarity to the movie ended when we reached our destination at the luxurious Farnham Estate and the Radisson Blu hotel. 

Farnham Estate, with its expansive woodlands, raises the spirits with 7 kms of the most beautifully natural walking trails. Walks range from the more relaxed, shorter routes through to the more challenging, depending on the individual requirements. Along the treks, you can enjoy an incredible range of trees including ancient redwood, cedar, copper beech and Scots pine, as well as wonderful views of Farnham Lake.

But Thelma and Louise were keen to see the Thermal spa. So we dumped our bags and put on our bathrobes and slippers and all the hassles of living in a city just disappeared. Outside our window cows grazed and the gentle rolling green hills made me wonder why I hadn't come this way sooner.

The spa is large with a fabulous infinity pool that runs outdoors to a view of those beautiful rolling hills....and cows! There's plenty to do in the Thermal suite and we almost didn't want to leave when we got the call for our facials. The therapists were very thorough and we were treated to nettle tea in the relaxation room afterwards.

The Botanica restaurant was perfect for dinner and breakfast next morning. The staff were all locals and warm and friendly. I ordered the scallops and Cod while Thelma was equally delighted with the crab for starters and lamb for her main course.

One-night really wasn't enough and we agreed, stealing the lines of another Hollywood movie...'I'll be back!'

To discover what it is that you will take away from Farnham Estate, overnight stays begin from €134.50 per person sharing midweek and from €165.00 per person at weekends including breakfast, dinner and Afternoon Tea.

For further details and to book treatments, consultations and packages please contact on 049 437 7700 or email  info.farnham@radissonblu.com.