One of the best things about staying in a luxury hotel is experiencing the in-house restaurant, of which there may be several. It's part of the overall experience and the test of one of the key elements of a fine hotel, to indulge in the excellent food, wine and service all under the one roof. Then follows the satisfying pleasure of heading back to your suite to luxuriate for a rest, nap or long night of sleep.

Have you noticed the prevalence of particular words entering the zeitgeist this past year? There are several words that I know you will be very familiar with now, as there is basically no escape from them.

It was a long time ago that Hong Kong was known as “The Pearl of the Orient”. Now, it is referred to as the rather unglamorous “Asia’s World City”. 2018 certainly feels like a very long time ago. That was the last time I set foot in the city, one that holds many wonderful memories through some pivotal times in my life over the past two decades.

Dining out, in all its variety on offer, remains one of the most satisfying and essential leisure activities of them all. Sometimes a convivial affair, a celebration, or just an easy catch-up with an old friend. Sometimes, simply a solo affair, a need for comforting, familiar and favourite food.

It's not new that Italian cuisine continues its dominance as one of the world's favourites. The universal nature of it is without equal. Mixing and matching around the staple that is pasta is the key to this. As a base ingredient with an incredible variety of shapes designed specifically to hold particular sauces, the potential for both classic and newly creative dishes is endless.

I used to love writing reviews. When luxury travel and fine dining entered my world many moons ago, there was no going back. In those early days, I felt I owed it to the curious to tell of my experiences, good and bad, by way of a review.

OK, so it’s best to say at the outset that this article concerns the Australian national carrier, Qantas. Before you decide not to read any further, I can assure you that I'm not jumping on the barrage of massive (and well deserved) complaints bandwagon that has been so prevalent in the media of late. This little tale concerns one simple thing that is a staple onboard the airline, that I personally feel warrants a disagreeable mention.

I’ve taken only three flights in the past year, all of them domestic short-hops and completely non eventful. That’s a record for me. In the wrong direction. I am really missing the long-haul experience of old. When international flights (beyond New Zealand) become available to Australians, I know the experience will be quite different. But I really hope that one surprisingly special element that I miss, returns.

I have been an avid, proud wine collector for more than half my life. At one point, I thought my passion may subside as I explored new interests. It never has, and I know now that it never will.

I imagine upon reading this stories title that it was about the new “handshake” that some have adopted in these times. The dreaded elbow bump. Nope, not at all, although the elbow is turning out to be a lot more useful that we realise, including up in the skies.

Everyone loves a little souvenir of somewhere special. Most of us search for something to bring home that will remind us of our trips, whether it’s something unique to a countries culture, or an item that is entirely symbolic of that place.

I’ve always been intrigued about how a hotel categorizes its available rooms. Through my years of travel, I have begun to see patterns emerging that are as much about marketing as they are about the actual physical spaces themselves.