FYI re privacy (and room requests) at SL london >
http://www.theguardian.com/artanddes...rs-hotel-rooms
following article gives detailed first hand description >
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/d8564...#axzz31emPH6OC
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/9b0e3d4a-d...#ixzz31jrSxA4B

-

rosewood manor club for suite guests >
52 suites - beijing (hotel opens this summer?)
44 suites - london (manor club not open yet?)
30 suites - chongqing
also >
5 - phuket "Hideaway home residents have access to a gym, lap pool and lounge for exclusive use"
i hear crillon paris will also have manor club

interesting if marriott has extended STARS from RC to edition as well

odd at FS >
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/christop...ger/12/176/b60
Senior VP Operations - The Americas
then Executive VP Product, Service and Innovation
now silently renamed (not promoted) President Hotel Operations, Americas
(while norton is not President but Executive VP)

some MO / aman history >
http://www.scmp.com/article/34011/hi...-hideaway-tent
http://exquisemag.com/1914/02/28/cle...ula-wine-list/ pen NY wine list - every bottle available by glass
http://newyork.peninsula.com/en/disc...n-by-the-glass

http://www.cpp-luxury.com/st-regis-t...ing-june-2014/

http://www.cpp-luxury.com/bvlgari-ho...open-in-dubai/

I debated starting a new topic for this, but figured I'd just put it here and see what replies I get initially.

I have a major birthday next year (30!) and am thinking about what I want to do so we can factor into work plans and some other commitments we have. We would only have two weeks.

Can I please get some ideas around these trips and also suitability for a 30 and 31 year old gay (not that it matters or we're a stereotype or in your face) couple? Of course pricing can change - feel like India less so than Egypt as the Oberoi cruise is based on a great special that they can't confirm yet if they will run next year. Oberoi seems to run their package rates every year.

My preference is probably slightly leaning towards Egypt, but I feel like India is more bang for buck, would be just as amazing once we're there, and overall a more luxury experience.

OPTION 1 � EGYPT � AU$14,000 (based on current rates and special offers for flights and accommodation)

Two nights Sofitel Cairo El Gezirah (Luxury Room Club Sofitel)
One night Sofitel Winter Palace Luxor (Luxury Room)
Seven nights Oberoi Zahra (Luxury Cabin)
Two nights Sofitel Cairo El Gezirah (Luxury Room Club Sofitel)
One night The Address Downtown Dubai (Deluxe Room)

Attraction is Egypt is a lifelong dream for me. Worried we wouldn�t fit in on a small luxury cruise though (older crowd). Gay factor in Egypt slightly concerning. Extra nights in Aswan and Luxor because I want to see some sights not included on the cruise itinerary. Dubai night and hotel specifically chosen for shopping (and the pool at The Address is pretty cool). Pricing will be pushed up by good private guides in Cairo (thinking two half day, two full day), Luxor (full day to Abydos) and Aswan (Abu Simbel). Didn�t include Four Seasons in Cairo because can�t see point in doubling Cairo costs when Sofitel gets pretty good reviews here and elsewhere.

OPTION 2 � INDIA � AU$11,000 (based on current rates and special offers)

One night Oberoi New Delhi (Premium Room)
One night Oberoi Amarvilas Agra (Premium Room)
Two nights Amanbagh (Courtyard Haveli Suite)
Two nights Oberoi Rajvilas Jaipur (Premium Room)
Two nights Umaid Bhawan Palace Jodhpur (Historical Suite)
Three nights Oberoi Udaivailas Udaipur (Premium Room)
One night Oberoi Gurgaon (Premium Room)
Three nights Trisara (Ocean View Pool Room)

Attraction is India is sitting on both my and my partner�s bucket list, albeit down a few ranks. Oberoi low season special means rates are really good for their properties which I�ve been lusting over for years. Would mean including Aman. I feel like we would need to have a recovery after India so we could take advantage of low season offers at Trisara. Pricing will go up because of car transfers between properties (I�ve factored in Aman though as they have published transfer rates from Agra and to Jaipur). Sightseeing too, but imagine guides cheap in India. Less concerned with private guides here. Gay factor in India may be less of an issue.

Oh please, this is such an easy decision! It has to be India. The quality of the hotels are way above those of Egypt and the sights you will see, too. OK, the Sofitel in Cairo is OK, but it's nothing special.

India is also much safer right now. The only thing I would change is at the end of your trip, don't stay at the Oberoi Gurgaon, but stay at its sister property next door, The Trident Gurgaon - it is MUCH MUCH better - better design, smaller, more intimate, better service, better food etc etc. Oberoi can book this for you, too.

What time of year? Weather could be a factor.

Personally I'm still wary about the political situation in Egypt

Very end of wet season probably - planning a bit far in advance so can lock in another couple...

http://www.hotelmanagement.net/opera...hut-down-27909

mandarin oriental >

http://www.hotelmanagement.net/event...he-minds-24790
http://www.neudesic.com/wp-content/u..._2013_0130.pdf
http://www.partech.com/wp-content/up...lobalGuest.pdf
MO owns 96.2% leasehold stake in hotel, set to expire in 2026 (so 11 years early)

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/8...riental-manila
posted 3 hours ago in another forum >

edit >

i found an old PH proposal for london site that peninsula hotels parent company acquired 50% stake in
94 hotel >
33 46-55m2
52 56-80m2
7 81-145m2
2 200-315m2
(+57 apartment)

http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/20...ear_Until_2019

Bloody well about time! That hotel is a bit past aging gracefully.

44yo gay married (and Jewish raised!) here who travels the world. My partner (now husband) and I visited Egypt for 2 weeks in June 2001 before 9/11 but after their terrorist attacks in Luxor in 1997. We had NO issues being gay in Egypt, though our private tour guide certainly had questions for us that we encouraged. We took an A&K based cruise for 4 nights on the Nile--an amazing experience--and we were right in the age range, surprisingly. That may have changed, but I wouldn't let that dissuade you. The Oberoi cruise is almost certainly going to be nicer, but you may find a fairly large Euro contingent as well as Americans of Egpytian descent making a return to their home.

Surprisingly, we've had almost NO issues traveling in Muslim countries as gay men (and again, I'm Jewish raised). I LOVE Muslim countries. We don't flaunt our gayness, but we still kissed each other in public and didn't really worry about it--and no one really seemed to care (though I'm sure it might have surprised some). Sometimes, you get what you project, so we've found not worrying about it has played well for us no matter where we've traveled (even kissing in Red Square this past fall after their anti-gay propaganda law had passed). Staying in luxury accommodations and traveling with private guides also likely helped us in that regard. We rarely choose to avoid a country because of anti-gay feeling, though we are going to Rwanda in Dec instead of Uganda for obvious reasons.

I must disagree that India is obviously somehow more exciting or a better destination than Egypt. We LOVED Egypt--but we do have yet to visit India (likely to be in the next 2-3 years, since we've been 3 times to Asia in the past 5 years and need a break!). We love ancient civilization destinations, and Egypt was tremendous--regardless of the hotels you choose. If you scuba dive, I HIGHLY recommend adding in Sharm el Sheikh, as it still remains the gold standard of diving for us (we stayed at the RC there, before the FS was built). We did stay at the FS Cairo, but there are many more options now.

India and Egypt are both wonderful destinations--it isn't a zero sum game. You eventually will visit both, I'm sure. So make your choice and don't worry about which is better--just enjoy and then visit the other when your schedules allow. Enjoy!

vuittonsofstyle is extremely knowledgeable, evidenced so often herein, so even if I disagree with his assessment that India is better than Egypt, I still WOULD take his advice here if/when you do go to India!

I have to say that in Muslim countries I wouldn't be openly affectionate even as an heterosexual. I do think we should all respect the culture and customs of the countries we visit. I shudder when I think of how I used to dress in Muslim countries when I first visited in my early 20s!

We all can act as we prefer, of course. Respecting the culture is not the same as accepting discrimination. I therefore disagree with you about being "openly affectionate even as a heterosexual". If straight people can kiss in public, I feel it is our human right as gay people do so, as well. We aren't flaunting it by doing anything more. That we almost never have any issues is largely because we do not try to flaunt it, but act naturally and sensitively--but not consciously trying to avoid being who we are.

Being gay and kissing (e.g. not sucking face with) your loved one is not the same as wearing conservative clothing to show humility in another culture's religious sites. You can choose what clothing you where but you can't choose your sexual orientation. Sucking face in public, on the other hand, is uncool everywhere for anyone.