26Isea& iIWINTER 2010 Centenary celebrations Arriving at The Goring Hotel is likevisiting a comfortable, if rather grand, English country house in the heart of London's Belgravia, which is as it should be as this most welcoming of hotels is the only five- star property in London that is still in family ownership. What is more, it has been in the same family since it was opened by the anglophile German Otto Goring in 1910. The fourth Goring to run the hotel now leads the centenary celebrations. It is an anniversary that will be celebrated by hundreds of former visitors, as surely all those who have experiencedthe hotel's mixture of warmth, charm and eccentric style will be hoping it will celebrate another 100 years. www. thegoring. com where in the [ TRACK BACK THROUGH TIME M ore than anyone in history, India's Maharajas knew how to live life with a flourish, and the new Maharajas' Express train, due to embark in January 2010, does this ancient regal institution great honour. The train offers an exceptional travel experience as it sweeps through the Indian countryside on four very distinct itineraries. These include highlights like lunching at the Maharaja of Bikaner's private hunting lodge, a visit to an elephant polo match, and a boat trip on the holy Ganges to see the sunrise at Varanasi. While on board the Express, guests have a choice of 20 opulent suites, 18 junior suites, four main suites and a one- carriage Grand Presidential suite. There is also an observation carriage with its own bar, games table and club armchairs, two restaurants, and princely furnishings throughout. Celebrity chefs and guest lecturers add the finishing touch to your seven or eight- day journey. www. rirtl. com sea& ibrings you the latest luxury travel news world.]

travelnews WINTER 2010I sea& iI27 THOMPSON IN TORONTO S uper- cool Thompson Hotels is taking its success beyond the USA to open its doors in Toronto, Canada next March. The 100- room hotel, with interiors by Studio Gaia and Estudio Mariscal, will have a fabulous restaurant, an exclusive 24- hour burger bar, a roof-top infinity pool, and a members' bar with views over Toronto's fashion and design district. A nightclub, winter ice- rink ( convertible to summer dining area), 40- seat cinema and ballroom add to the attractions. The new Toronto hotel joins the brand's five New York properties, two LA hotels, and Donovan House in Washington DC. www. thompsonhotels. com Ritz- Carlton goes eco It is busy times for the Ritz- Carlton, as the hotel chain celebrates three openings. In October, it launched its first eco hotel with 146 technically advanced rooms, a penthouse wellness centre and an aqua lounge with a saline- treated pool. Gracing the uptown district of Charlotte in the US, the eco hotel scores on numerous levels environmentally, from the vegetated roof that insulates the 18- storey building, to its recycling policies and sustainable ingredients. The chain is also opening a $ 300 million resort in Lake Tahoe ( left) in Northern California, just in time for the ski season. Finally, the first Ritz- Carlton Reserve property ( above left) is set to launch in Abu Dhabi in the Middle East. The Reserve concept - a new venture for the company - offers one- of- a- kind boutique resorts in secluded, exclusive locations around the world. www. ritzcarlton. com Art in Miami The most important art show in the US takes places on 3- 6 December. Art Basel Miami is the sister event of Switzerland's prestigious Art Basel. The Miami show combines an international selection of top galleries with special exhibitions, parties and music, film and design events. www. artbaselmiamibeach. com English retreat A new hotel has opened just outside London in England's idyllic New Forest. Lime Wood is a luxury country- house hotel and invites guests to consider it their own home - albeit one with a Michelin- starred chef and a luxury spa, which is due to open in 2010. www. limewoodhotel. co. uk Snow mean feat Thrill- seekers should sign up now for the Cain's Quest Snowmobile Endurance Race on 13- 20 March. For the hardcore only, it involves over 2,500 kilometres ( 1,500 miles) of racing across frozen lakes, woods and deep snow in Newfoundland and Labrador, in Canada. www. cainsquest. com NEWS IN BRIEF.