Chris Singh is an Editor-At-Large at the AU review, loves writing about travel and hospitality, and is partial to a perfectly textured octopus. You can reach him on Instagram: @chrisdsingh.
Located in the heart of Iceland’s iconic Golden Circle, adventure travel operator Explore has unveiled a collection of bespoke yurts as a new accommodation concept. Collectively titled Náttúra Yurtel, the gorgeous luxury tents will feature in a new three night, four day trip that officially kicks off at the start of April 2020. Appropriately dubbed…
Every Father’s Day it seems there’s at least one spot doing a dad twist on traditional high tea, with a love of dude food replacing the typical scones and tea for pork belly and beer/whisky. This year that spot happens to be every QT Hotel property across Australia and New Zealand, and given the hotel’s…
Yuin emcee Nooky is looking to continue his fiery run through to Australian hip hop’s forefront with new single “Numb”. Following the likes of “Blackfellas” and a show-stealing spot on B Wise’s “The Code (Remix)”, the Bad Apples rapper sticks to expressive, self-reflexive rhymes as he both embraces and rejects the need and the means…
After catching fire across the world with the “OMG” and “Final Form”, Sampa the Great prefaces new album The Return with yet another soul-stirring single in “Freedom”. The third clipping from this imminent project, Sampa syncs with a soulful backbeat, skipping across powerful vocal support to give us an R&B-flavoured ode to artistic expression. A…
Not only does Brisbane-based songwriter BANFF share the same name as one of the most beautiful parts of the world (Banff, Alberta), this exceptionally talented Aussie also happens to be creating some of the most beautiful music in the country right now. Painfully singing through paralysing writer’s block, BANFF – real name, Benjamin Forbes –…
Sydney-born Three Blue Ducks are about to make their debut in Melbourne with the imminent arrival of their fifth restaurant at the new URBNSURF – Australia’s first surf park, and the first of its kind in the world. The park, which will be built around a crystal-clear, two hectare surfing lagoon with high-quality waves, will…
Say what you want about AirAsia, but it’d be hard – and downright foolish – to deny the low-cost carrier’s ambitious and ever-growing network. Some surprising new routes seem to be opening up every year for the busy airline, and for 2019 the most exciting would definitely have to be the service between Kuala Lumpur…
Not be an entitled crazed fan or anything, but Janet Jackson kind of needs to play the following songs when she headlines the just-announced RNB Fridays Live in November. The annual festival, which always manages to craft heavily nostalgic line-ups of hip hop and R&B, will be headlined by the iconic artist who hasn’t performed…
Australian streaming service Stan are continuing to strengthen their TV show line-up, huddling closer with long term partners Showtime to bring four new shows to the platform. Given Showtime is already a huge present in the TV section of Stan, this new content line-up should be very well received. Especially since it includes Ethan Hawke…
Now pushing forth as one of the largest and more comprehensive lifestyle precincts in Sydney, Darling Square has revealed a few more layers to it’s ongoing development. And this new wave features some incredible new dining and retail concepts, filling the spaces between Darling Harbour and Haymarket with some of the city’s best new openings….
The shimmering silver, reflective ripple-like façade of Shadowplay by Peppers looks awkwardly out of place in overdeveloped Southbank. Melbourne’s major entertainment district is no stranger to impressive buildings, but this new apartment hotel really is something else. It’s as if the building has been ripped from the pages of a futuristic graphic novel, standing at…
As one of this country’s most beloved modern artists, it was only a matter of time before quadruple Archibald Prize winner Vincent Fantauzzo received his very own Art Series Hotel. The Australian hotel brand, now owned by AccorHotels, is a decade on from their first property – Melbourne favourite The Cullen – and has continually…
Anyone who has stayed at a DoubleTree by Hilton hotel before would be intimately familiar with the smell of freshly baked cookies. It’s a brand-wide signature, extending to DoubleTree’s extensive worldwide network and ensuring that each and every property (there may be exceptions, but I doubt it) has a daily-baked batch of chocolate chip cookies…
Surry Hills profit-for-purpose eatery Folonomo has made the big decision to close up their restaurant and transform the venue into an events space for parties and pop ups from some of Sydney’s top chefs. In doing so, it’s become the latest in a handful of Sydney venues able to host some exclusive takeovers, with legends…
The legendary Three Blue Ducks, which most recently jumped into the luxury hotel game as the resident restaurant for W Brisbane, is about to go tropical. Springing off their W connections, chefs Darren Robertson and Mark LaBrooy plan to take their concept overseas for a round of pop-up dinners across W properties in Bali and…
Sydney’s immense Queen Victoria Building is preparing to throw open doors after-hours for QVB After Dark LIVE, set for Thursday 22nd August where the complex’s rich heritage and cultural significance will be illustrated from various perspectives. Promising an interactive multi-floor experience, the building will come alive from 6pm to 9pm with hour-long sessions featuring roving…
Brisbane rapper Jacinta Lal is ploughing through the noise with “Superpowers”, her latest take-no-prisoners single accentuating the young artist’s undeniable swagger and desire to uplift. With confidence in spades, Lal’s follow up to breakthrough track “Miss” furthers her as one of the most promising voices in Brisbane’s booming hip hop scene, and we’re lucky enough…
Sydney indies YEEVS are rolling out a new album soon, and they’ve given us our second taste at what the project will sound like with the delicate “Can’t Be Seen”. Rich melodies and a striking rhythm drive this one, parking it in the same lot as the likes of Boy & Bear, The Teskey Brothers…
Sydney bar The Morrison and its much anticipated Oyster Festival has returned this month for its 7th year running, stretching out to the end of the month with a huge program of oyster-focused events, including a number of bespoke oyster dishes created by chef Sean Connolly. Chicken fried oyster sliders, grilled Pacifics ‘in shell’ with…
The Tasmanian Whisky and Spirits Association (TWSA) are bringing back their annual Tasmanian Whisky Week, opening up all the many highly regarded distilleries for a huge seven day celebration. With more than 20 events taking place across the island state between Monday 12th and Sunday 18th August, the hotly anticipated event will kick off at…
The Peppers brand has always been a valuable player in Australia’s hotel industry, with a penchant for seeking out great locations and turning in interesting accommodations with distinct identities. From the mighty bright Peppers Soul on the Gold Coast, to the fascinating Peppers Silo Hotel in Launceston, which has converted disused silos into luxury accommodation…
Whatever the reason we had to wait so long to get this in Australia, I for one am just glad that it’s here and that it exists. Adelaide-based indie developers Team Cherry truly blessed the gaming community when they released Hollow Knight a few years ago, followed by a widely acclaimed roll-out on all current-gen…
Losing luggage can be devastating for travellers who’ve carefully planned their USA trip. Meticulously going through a to-do list of fool-proof luggage mishaps is now a must for anyone heading over to a country with so many interconnecting flights, but even the hardiest plans can’t completely protect against this travel nightmare. Whether the airline has…
It’s quite clear L.A based singer-songwriter Your Smith wrote her new single “In Between Plans” about the best day of her life. The unbridled energy and free sprit coursing this stunning road-trip-ready production is infectiously optimistic as Your Smith barrels towards the unknown. Hopeful and extremely confident, the tireless soundscape of upbeat synths and pulsating…
Following the opening of food destination Eat Street, Rooty Hill’s immense West HQ development is getting ready to welcome the brand new Sydney Coliseum Theatre. The developers behind the precinct have pulled out all stops to stamp the new venue’s grand opening, rounding up an impressive program of live performances from the likes of Keith…
From California to South Dakota, new luxury hotels seem to be popping up all over the place in the States, each bringing their own unique character to some incredible locations. Whether that’s in the thick of San Diego, or the wide open spaces of South Dakota, the following properties are making full use of historic…
Sydney rap group Triple One just won’t stop stamping their name all across hip hop circles the world over. During the past 12 months or so they’ve put out a consistent string of hits that have both showcased versatility and propelled them to the forefront of Australia’s new-gen hip hop scene, and they still aren’t…
No one wails quite like James Blake. The Enfield artist has a unique way of catching his listeners and drawing them deep inside of his music, coaxing them to the very centre where his vocals are at their most penetrative. He touches your soul, truly, in the same way legends like Sam Cooke and Marvin…
Japan’s largest five-star airline All Nippon Airways (ANA) has today launched their largest sale throughout Asia and Australia to date, greatly reducing prices for flights from 17 different cities to Japan. Aussies who have been enjoying greater access to Japan for the past few years, now have a better chance than ever at heading to…
Over 3,200 of Australia’s best BYO restaurants are now being tracked by GPS thanks to a new smartphone App from wine retailer Cellarmasters. BYO Finder, which launches this week, is a free app created to assist wine and food lovers easily scope out which restaurants in their area allow for BYO, amongst other details including…