From British royalty to Victorian winery walkabouts: travel deals June 2, 2013

Mediterranean flavour: Santorini is the final destination
in Maeve O'Meara's Greek gastronomy tour.
Photo: Getty Images

Australia

Queensland
Make a date for a night in at the movies, at the QT Port Douglas hotel. Of course, being in the tropics, it'll be moonlight cinema. Stay any Friday, Saturday and Sunday night between June 22 and October 6 and the Locals Package gives you a complementary upgrade to a one-bedroom villa, as well as two tickets to the flicks and breakfast for two in the Bazaar restaurant. Quote code "moonlight01". Costs from $199 a night. (07) 4099 8900, qtportdouglas.com.au.

Victoria
Discover the rich red and white Rhone varietals and sweet muscats of Rutherglen at the Rutherglen Winery Walkabout, Australia's longest running wine festival, on the weekend of June 8-9 (winemakers.com.au). Stay at the Tuileries and save 20 per cent on Sunday to Friday nights until September 30. They'll include a country breakfast and three-course dinner for two at Tuileries Restaurant, including the unlimited wine buffet, which showcases the region's top drops. Usually $346 a night, costs $276 a room, a night. (02) 6032 9033, tuileriesrutherglen.com.au.

Tasmania

Love a snowy winter but hate long-haul travel? Freshwater on Berry is a two-bedroom lodge in Miena, on the Great Lake in Tassie's central highlands, two hours from Hobart. Opened just six months ago, the local attractions are all natural, from horse riding to bushwalking, mountain biking and hunting. Usually $170 a night, stay two nights or more and save $20 a night, with a bottle of Tasmanian wine thrown in to the bargain. Valid on stays from July 1 to September 30. Costs from $150 a night (two-night minimum).

Northern Territory
Check in to the red heart of Australia, at one of our most iconic hotels, Longitude 131˚, a luxury tented camp that curls along the sand dunes facing Uluru. This three-night package includes all meals and drinks, tours exclusively for Longitude guests and airport transfers, and they'll include a 15-minute helicopter flight over Uluru. Book by September 30 for travel until November 30, and quote "escape". Costs from $2805 a person, twin share. 1300 134 044, longitude131.com.au/escape.

Travelodge Phillip St, Sydney

NSW
Be a city slicker for three nights at Travelodge Phillip Street, main picture, where you can walk to the best museums and art galleries as well as the Opera House, the Rocks and Hyde Park. You'll save 30 per cent on stays until July 31, from $160 a night, with a buffet breakfast included. Costs from $480 for three nights. 1300 886 886, travelodge.com.au.

Western Australia
Warm up in the west, with a winter weekender special saving $100 at the Metro Hotel, Perth. Stay one night in an executive room and get breakfast, a bottle of sparkling wine and chocolates, noon checkout and a $10 Coles voucher. Available on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights until August 31. Costs from $299. 1800 004 321, metrohotels.com.au.

International

Indonesia
Children are welcome at Seminyak's Serene Villas, which have pool fences, toys, cots, movies and games, and a special children's menu. Book a three- or six-night stay and get all that plus two complimentary meals for each child, as well as discounted entry into Bali's ultra-kid-magnets Waterbom Park and Bali Safari Park. Save 20 per cent on stays until September 30. Costs from $1130 for three nights, or $2415 for six nights, for two adults and up to three children sharing a two-bedroom villa. +62 361 730 899, serenevilla.com.

Abu Dhabi
It's official: the best of the Middle East's desert resorts, according to the World Travel Awards four years running, is Anantara's Qasr Al Sarab, in Abu Dhabi's Empty Quarter. It's got all the romance, with camels, sand dunes and falconry. Stay five nights in a one-bedroom pool villa and save up to 40 per cent. Book by July 22 for stays until July 31. Costs from $1026 for five nights. +971 2 886 2088, anantara.com.
 
Oman
Gorgeously traditional, Oman is a glimpse into the real Arabia, without the Dubai glitz. Each of the 213 rooms in the new Crowne Plaza Duqm face the Arabian Sea, with its shipbuilding history and tales of Sinbad. There are five restaurants and lounges and the hotel's opening special sees rooms from $200 a night until September. 1800 007 697, crowneplaza.com.
 


Bolivia
From the witches' market in La Paz to the dazzlingly bright Uyuni salt flats and the pre-Colombian terraces around Lake Titicaca, Bolivia is a blur of colour and contradiction. Save 10 per cent when you book the new 13-day Bolivia Explorer tour. Book by June 30 for departures between June 7 and November 8. Includes transport, guides and most meals. Costs from $2115, twin share. 1300 763 338, bfirsttravel.com.

Greece
Dine like a goddess on the heavenly Greek isles, with SBS Food Safari host Maeve O'Meara leading you off the beaten track to the islands of Evia, Limnos and Lesbos, to finish with a bang in Santorini. "Each day is a perfect little jewel," O'Meara says. "You have a range of the best regional produce, meet all our favourite Greek characters and feast on dishes you'd never find in restaurants." Includes accommodation, internal flights, luxury sailing, most meals and wine. The tour runs from September 3 to 15. Costs from $7250, twin share (save $700), $8200 for singles (save $800). (02) 8969 6555, gourmetsafaris.com.au.

Tour watch

With a royal warrant from the Prince of Wales on its sleeve — the only one of its kind in the world — expect fabulousness when checking in to the Ritz London. Britain is deep in coronation mode, celebrating Queen Elizabeth II's 60th anniversary on the throne, and the Ritz has tickets to the Coronation Festival at Buckingham Palace, from July 11 to 14. Its Festival Fantastic package includes two nights' accommodation, English breakfast (naturally), dinner in The Ritz Restaurant, tickets to the festival, and champagne and canapes when you're there. Valid on check-ins between July 11 and 13. Costs from $1789 a person, twin share. 1800 222 033, lhw.com.

Source: Belinda Jackson, Sun Herald