Final Call

Sydney Morning Herald

Thursday September 25, 2008

Words Mark Chipperfield

The latest travel news and products...

Budget Melbourne You can now stay in the heart of Melbourne without breaking the bank. The newly opened Pensione Hotel is on Spencer Street at the "Moscow end" of town - but rooms start at $95. The 114-room boutique hotel is within easy walking distance of Crown Casino and Telstra Dome, and a short tram ride from Melbourne's major shopping and arts precincts. Rooms have free cable television, wireless internet and ensuite bathrooms. There is also a tour desk, a cafe and bar. Pensione Hotel Melbourne, 16 Spencer Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000. Phone: (03) 9621 3333; email info.mlb@pensione.com.au.

Tartan armies Anyone with Scottish blood should book a place at The Gathering 2009 - a celebration of clan culture. Its centrepiece will be a spectacular Clan Parade and Pageant along Edinburgh's Royal Mile on July 25, featuring 8000 clansmen in full regalia. Clans from all over the world, including Australia, will march. The Gathering (www.clangathering.org) is part of a year-long Hibernian knees-up called Homecoming Scotland 2009, marking the 250th anniversary of Robbie Burns' birth. VisitBritain, Level 2, 15 Blue Street, North Sydney. Phone: 1300 858 589; www.homecomingscotland2009.com.

Happy snaps Want your camera to stand apart from the endless array of SLR cameras? Then Leica's M8 digital (pictured) might be just the ticket. The M8 bridges the gap between the artisan cameras of yesteryear and today's mass-production SLRs. It has an all-metal body, 10.3 megapixel CCD sensor and 6.3-centimetre LCD screen. Leicas have always been popular with photojournalists and the M8 retains much of the look and feel of its manual forbears. Cost: $7495. From Foto Riesel (364a Kent Street, city), Broadway Camera House (1 Bay Street, Broadway) and other leading photographic retailers.

Picture this In an age of travel blogs, pocket city guides and sms travel alerts, Lonely Planet believes there is still room for a luxurious, hardcover travel book. And there is no other way to describe The Europe Book ($59.99), a heavyweight tome that profiles 52 countries, exploring their landscape, people, cities, food, history and festivals. The 256-page coffee table title also contains exquisite colour photographs. It provides six "dream itineraries" and several quirky sections, such as "Europe's outrageous landmarks". Available at selected bookshops from October.

Bay oh bay When the new-look Watermark@Wategos promises "an absolute waterfront" location, they mean exactly that - a prime spot overlooking Byron Bay's most famous stretch of sand. The property comprises three luxurious one-bedroom "residences" overlooking the beach. Each has been decorated with hand-carved furniture and leather sofas and is equipped with reverse cycle air-conditioning and Bose sound systems. Nightly tariff from $390-$590. Watermark@Wategos Beach, 29 Marine Parade, Wategos Beach, Byron Bay, NSW 2481. Phone 6685 8999; email info@wategoswatermark.com.

Bareback luxury For the ultimate Maldives getaway, look no further than the Banyan Tree's Madivaru resort. Located south-west of the capital Male, the enclave features six tented pool villas plus its own Turkish-style yacht. Each villa comprises three individual tents, providing separate living, sleeping, and bathroom areas. Tents are decorated in the tropical style. Activities include snorkelling and dolphin safaris. Doubles from $2000 a night; minimum three-night booking. Offer ends December 23, 2008. Banyan Tree Madivaru. North Ari Atoll, Republic of Maldives. Phone: 1800 050019; www.banyantree.com.