This was published 2 years ago
Greece is the word: Radisson Blu Zaffron Resort opens on Santorini
By Julietta Jameson
Radisson Blu Zaffron Resort.
If anyone needed evidence that the world is ready to holiday again, they should look no further than a report by travel research agency, AirDNA that found strong growth in short-term rental demand in Europe, with Greece leading the charge, enjoying a whopping 232 per cent increase on future summer bookings at March 1, 2022, compared to the same date last year.
That's despite Omicron wreaking havoc in Greece early this year (though that's now eased somewhat). Greece even opened its tourist season on March 1 instead of the traditional mid-April in response to demand and many airlines are resuming their routes to smaller Mediterranean holiday destinations, including the much-loved Aegean island of Santorini, where a new Radisson Blu hotel awaits.
Glamorous digs abound on Greece's most iconic island but what sets the 103-room Radisson Blu Zaffron Resort apart are some impressive collaborations.
Zaffron is home to an outpost of Genova Italy's Zeffirino restaurant, family-run for five generations (since 1939), with legends Sophia Loren, Frank Sinatra, Luciano Pavarotti, Muhammad Ali, and Pope John Paul II in its history of clientele.
With "hedonism" a happily stated core value, Zaffron also features a beautiful beach setup, where sunset parties headline an entertainment program that includes celebrity DJ events and dinner parties in collaboration with modelling agency Elite Model Management London.
Beautiful people and cameras go together like peas in a pod but another partnership, with world-renowned photographic agency Magnum Photos, will be more about art, offering immersive workshops with award-winning photographers for hotel guests.
Australians entering Greece from Australia, need a COVID-19 vaccination certificate that's no more than nine months old, no time limit if triple-vaccinated. There are rules enabling unvaccinated travellers in – though as of mid-April 2022, travel to and from Australia for these people remained problematic.
From about $390 (€220) a night. See zaffronresort.com
IN OTHER NEWS...
VIEW TO A THRILL
A $40 million renovation has just been completed on the 419-room landmark, Pullman Melbourne on the Park, a stone's throw from the MCG. The upgrade, by architects DKO, has prioritised views with the introduction of specially designed windows with metal shrouds to act like frames, while inside, each room has a chaise perfectly positioned for gazing out. From $329 a night. See pullmanonthepark.com.au
WALK ON THE WILD SIDE
Wild Bush Luxury's new seven-night, no-tech-allowed guided swag walk through the 24,000-hectare Arkaba Conservancy in South Australia's Flinders Ranges is a back-to-basics experience designed for reconnection to nature. Participants on an Arkaba Wilderness Trails walk carry all their own equipment with no set itinerary, going where the mood, and nature takes them. Departures are in May, September and October. From $3200 a person. See arkabawalk.com
LOCAL HEROES
Evolving guest preferences sees Oceania Cruises introducing its new Go Local shore excursions, which take participants into the lives and homes of local families and their way of life rather than to usual tourist sites. The suite of excursions include a Walking Tour from a Local Perspective in Sitka, Alaska. See oceaniacruises.com
NEW WAY TO WA
Jetstar has begun direct flights between Melbourne Airport and the Busselton-Margaret River Airport in Western Australia. Travellers on the Melbourne to Busselton route before November 30 receive a $100 credit towards participating tours, experiences and attractions around the Margaret River and South West region. See jetstar.com
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