eclectictraveller.com

Pampers and powder do mix - especially in Avoriaz

A GP in Avoriaz, has the following tips for keeping your baby happy and healthy in the resort:· Keep babies well hydrated at altitude. They will breathe faster because there is less oxygen in the air, so they will need more fluid intake.

· Don’t overheat your flat. Parents tend to do so in the mountains, but a baby’s bedroom should be 14-18C. Alpine air is dry even without heating. The dry air will irritate the sinuses and could lead to a blocked nose and cough. A bowl of water on the heater acts as a humidifier.

· Go outside with your baby every day. As long as they are dressed properly, they are better off outdoors than indoors.

· Keep the baby’s head and hands well covered when out. Sunglasses and suncream are essential.

· Until babies are six months old, the Eustachian tube is very large, so they are unlikely to experience pressure in the ear from the change in altitude.

· It’s inadvisable to take babies to the mountains if they have an untreated heart or pulmonary problem.

Essentials

· For more details, see avoriaz.com. For help organising a ski holiday with an infant, contact Esprit Ski (01252 618300; esprit-holidays.co.uk) or Ski Famille (0845 644 3764; skifamille.co.uk).

The hotels featured provide :

• Room types that fit various family configurations.
• Cribs and rollaway beds.
• Babysitting services.
• Children’s meals
• Amenities for kids

Parkes Hotel

The Draycott

The Stafford

According to Forbes, the best spas in the world include:

1. Terme di Saturnia Spa Resort, Italy

2. Beau Rivage Palace, Switzerland

3. Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, India

4. Soneva Gili & Six Senses Spa, Maldives

5. Maroma Resort and Spa, Mexico

6. The Island Experience, Brazil

7. Hayman Island Resort, Australia

8. Four Seasons Resorts, Thailand

9. Chiva Som, Thailand

10. Como Shambhala Retreat ved Parrot Cay, Turks and Caicos Islands

According the the Independent two of the most child friendly resorts in Europe are in Italy and France.

Val Gardena, Italy

Children are made to feel like stars in the sun-dappled Dolomites, where skiing is viewed as a family activity to be enjoyed at a leisurely pace. Prices compare favourably to the Alps; children ski and stay free during Superkids weeks, from 15 March 2008. With low-cost flights available to Verona, Bergamo and Innsbruck, and easy transfers from each, Val Gardena is a good destination for families wishing to go it alone. Child care and ski school is available locally or through British tour operators; worth noting is the Family Hotel Posta (www.familyhotelposta.com), which offers week-long activity programmes.

Val Gardena, Italy (00 39 0471 777 777, www.valgardena.it). A week’s half board for a family of four at the Chalet Weisenheim with Esprit (01252 618300; www.esprit-holidays.co.uk) costs from £1,180, including children’s tea and activities
Flaine, France

Modernist architectural relic meets holiday camp: compact Flaine Forum is filled with children frolicking at the foot of the slopes. Up the hill is the quieter Hameau de Flaine village, with echoes of Scandinavia. A new US-style hamlet, courtesy of Intrawest, is under construction. Though small, the resort has the requisite pool, ice-rink, bowling lanes, cinema and climbing wall, plus a gallery and library to amuse parents. The resort’s P’tit Loups crèche (00 33 4 50 90 87 82) takes children from six months, and there are two ski kindergartens.

Flaine, France (00 33 4 50 90 80 01; www.flaine.com). Seven nights for two adults and up to three children with Crystal Families (0870 402 0293; www.crystal families.co.uk) costs from £1,578

Cubic Telecom is making tantalizing noises about free international phone calls from your mobile phone. I don’t have any more information take a look at the website - if they fulfill on the promise they could save money on international phone calls

Conde Nast have more experience than anyone when it comes to luxury hotels. Here’s their list of the best luxury hotels in London.

For our money the best luxury hotel in Knightsbridge is still Parkes Hotel

Rumour has it that a new luxury boutique hotel in Knightsbridge will open in 2008. It’s a competitive market with the title of best luxury boutique hotel in Knightsbridge currently being contested between Parkes Hotel and The Draycott. Watch this space.

“Sassy, noisy and brash, Europe’s biggest city is an eccentric collection of villages, obsessed with celebrity, fame and fortune. London’s buildings, art and street culture have thrilled visitors for generations. Now it’s your turn…”

So says the new site from Frommers called whatsonwhen. If you want to find out what’s on in London or are puzzling over the question what to do in London visit Whatsonwhen. You choose from a worldwide list of cities, only time will tell whether they have the resources to keep it updated, and browse through restaurants, shows and other happenings. Here’s the London link.

As always if you’re wondering where to stay in London here’s a link to a luxury boutique hotel in Knightsbridge

No sooner had I posted about the best organic restaurant in London than three contenders for the title popped up:

Out in the funky up and coming East you’ll find the original outpost of Jamie Oliver’s burgeoning empire: Fifteen

Visit Hammersmith for what some people call the best vegetarian restaurant in London - The Gate

Finally for an unrivalled 7 course vegetarian tasting menu you should wend your way to Pimilico’s Roussillon

Here is a secret.

When you next visit Paris try to find this little known entrance to the Louvre rather than enduring the crowds at the Pyramid . You reach the Lion’s Gate ( Porte des Lions ) via the Tuilleries on the Seine side of the museum. It’s closed on Fridays but open on all other days and queues are rare. Once inside a modern staircase will take you directly to the Grande Gallerie and the Italian collections.