Easter hotel bookings are booming - one city's demand has more than doubled
Plus, why now is the time to book your New Zealand ski pass.
Hotel bookings for the April holiday season are scaling new heights, according to Accor. Australia's largest hotel operator with more than 350 hotels, resorts and apartments across the country has recorded a 27 per cent increase in room bookings for the Easter long weekend this year, compared to the 2024 stats.
Accor hotels in Canberra have recorded the highest spike in popularity - a 103 per cent growth in bookings compared to the same period last year. Victorian hotels are next, with a 39 per cent year-on-year growth, while Queensland, which is recovering from recent extreme weather events, is up in hotel bookings by 30 per cent. Cairns has scored the highest spike in the state, with bookings up by 63 per cent, followed by Far North Queensland (up by 43 per cent) and the Gold Coast (up by 32 per cent), which was battered by Cyclone Alfred last month. Accor hotel bookings in Sydney are up, too - by 14 per cent. all.accor.com
Go down Gatsby lane
Released on April 10, 1925, The Great Gatsby - although received poorly at first - went on to become one of the most beloved American novels of all time. And while a hundred years may have passed, it's still possible to experience the Gatsby magic in New York.
Start off by checking in to The Plaza hotel - on the southern edge of Central Park in Midtown Manhattan - where the heated scene between Jay Gatsby and Tom Buchanan unfolded. Then make your way to Oheka Castle for a tour of one of the grandest estates on Long Island, widely believed to be the inspiration behind Gatsby's mansion. A short drive from there is Old Westbury Gardens, where you'll find manicured gardens replete with old-world elegance. Top off the glamorous excursions with a performance of The Great Gatsby musical on Broadway. iloveny.com
Ski central
In good news for skiers planning a New Zealand holiday this winter, NZSki has just announced its Superpass will give Australian travellers access to 10 ski resorts across the country.
The world-class skiing locations include Coronet Peak and the Remarkables in Queenstown; Mt Hutt in Methven; Snowplanet in Auckland; Turoa and Whakapapa in Ruapehu; Porters in Castle Hill; Roundhill in Tekapo; Mt Dobson in South Canterbury; and Ohau in Mackenzie.
"The Superpass gives travellers the flexibility to book their winter holiday early and explore more of New Zealand, without feeling locked into a date to be on-mountain," says Andrew Waddel of Tourism New Zealand. nzsuperpass.com
Akash is the Deputy Travel Editor for Australian Community Media. He has lived and worked in four cities around the world – Sydney, London, New Delhi and New York – and, at last count, travelled to 42 countries.
My all-time favourite destination is ... New York. You can drop a pin anywhere in Manhattan and start walking in any direction, and the sights and sounds of the city that never stops will begin to stimulate all your senses in an instant.
Next on my bucket list is … Scandinavia - at the peak of summer, when the sun almost never sets.
My top travel tip is … If you’re flying to Sydney from anywhere in the world, pick a window seat far from the wing on the left-hand-side of the aeroplane. If the weather gods and flight path align, you’ll have the most incredible views of the Sydney Harbour and Opera House.
Travel's Top Picks
Travel's Most Viewed
Why you should visit the one place in Canada Australians don't go
I tried Air New Zealand's new economy bunk beds - are they worth the hype ... and $495?
Don't get scammed: the $204 Bali entry trap every Aussie traveller needs to avoid
A broken aircon, a six-hour delay: my $900 domestic Australian flight from hell
Europe's new EES border chaos: why travellers are missing flights and how to avoid it
