Be stirred, not shaken
Fleming was a frequent visitor to Dukes Hotel in London’s St James’s and created the line ‘shaken not stirred’ while sipping martinis in the bar. To mark the hotel’s 100-year anniversary, the Bond About Town package is perfect for anyone who’s harboured a secret fantasy to be a 007 agent. First up, you will need to look the part, so gents start with a wet shave at the renowned Truefitt and Hill barbers, while ladies have a Miss Moneypenny Manicure. In the evening, take a masterclass on how to mix the perfect martini. The Bond About Town package is £450 per person based on two people sharing. dukeshotel.com
Get Goldeneyed
Stay in the house where the world’s most famous spy was created. All 14 of the Bond novels were penned in Fleming’s Caribbean bolthole, a three-bedroom luxury villa at the Goldeneye Village resort. Hidden among tropical forests and stunning gardens, the residence is set on the north coast of Jamaica in Oracabessa. Fleming praised the place for ‘the blazing sunshine and natural beauty’. With stunning beaches and secret coves, it’s easy to see the inspiration for some of the exotic Bond scenes. Wannabe Bonds can sip martinis in the outdoor bathroom or take a tour to Laughing Waters, the setting for the most iconic Bond scene: Ursula Andress emerging from the sea in a white bikini. The Fleming villa starts at £1,740 per night full-board including tax and service. The resort has four other villas (all named after Bond characters – Vesper, Honeychile, Solitaire and Tiffany & Domino) from £430 per night full board. Visit islandoutpost.com. BA flies to Kingston and Montego Bay.
To Venice, with love
Fans of From Russia with Love will remember Bond’s adrenaline-packed journey on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express train. The Venetian Overture trip has all the glamour, but less drama. It includes a one-night journey from London to Venice on the famous luxury train, two nights at the Cipriani, Venice’s most famous hotel and a BA flight back to London. For those who want to take the actual Bond route, the Venice-Istanbul leg is part of an annual trip departing from Paris and following a unique journey across seven countries, leaving on 28 August 2008. The Venetian Overture package starts from £2,260 per person. +44 (0)845 077 2222, orient-express.com
Go on a secret service
As the setting for that famous round of golf between Bond and Goldfinger, the Stoke Park Club in Buckinghamshire has a reputation for being one of the finest parkland (27-hole) golf courses in the world. The hotel itself is the ultimate in stately home decadence. The Centenary Celebration package including two nights’ accommodation, 18 holes of golf, a spa treatment and three-course dinner starts from £425 per person. stokeparkclub.com
I spy… a 007 hideaway
One of Bond’s favourite locations, the Bahamas was used as a location during the shooting of Thunderball and Never Say Never Again. Check in to the palatial 007 suite at the British Colonial Hilton, dedicated entirely to the globe-trotting spy. Renovated last year for the release of Casino Royale, it has everything a Bond fan could need including a private martini bar, a four-poster bed and a collection of classic Bond DVDs. The suite starts at £248 per night based on two people sharing. Certified divers should head out to explore the famous underwater James Bond set wrecks south of New Providence. bahmasdiving.com, hiltoncaribbean.com/nassau
The One&Only Ocean Club, has a magically secluded beachside resort used for the setting of Casino Royale and where Daniel Craig stayed during filming. Seven nights costs from £2,329 per person including BA flights. British Airways Prestige Collection: +44(0)844 493 0752, ba.com
Licence to thrill
With a history as intriguing as one of Ian Fleming’s novels, the Taj Lake Palace in Rajasthan is the epitome of the opulence of Indian royalty. Built in 1746 by a prince of the royal Mewar dynasty, the dazzling white-marble hotel originally served as a summer pleasure palace in which to conduct his love affairs away from disapproving eyes. Over 200 years later in 1983, the Taj Lake Palace was the home for the title character and her all-female army in Octopussy. Sitting on a four-acre island in the middle of the beautiful Lake Pichola, the hotel can only be reached by boat and is one the most romantic places in the world. The Royal Palace Retreat package for two nights based on two people sharing and including a heritage tour of the palace, champagne and dinner and complimentary use of spa wet areas starts from £513, until September 2008. Contact +91 294 242 8800, tajhotels.com. BA flies to Delhi and Mumbai. Visit ba.com.
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