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If the idea of spending another holiday at home leaves you uninspired, then consider a lifetime experience with COMO Hotels and Resorts. The company, which is defined by high style combining the modern and indigenous, has a range of properties worldwide promising the ultimate, indulgent escape. (www.como.bz)

Why not, for example, trade crowded Bondi Beach for a view of the snow-capped Himalayas by staying at Uma Paro in Bhutan, in the region recognised as the mythical Shangri La? At this time of the year, this inland cultural retreat is bordered by clear ink-blue skies, verdant blue pine forests and sparkling crystal rivers. It is also warm enough to explore by day. At night, relax with cosy wood-burning stoves and delicious, local cuisine which is based on lost Himalayan recipes blended with contemporary accents.

There’s no need to make New Year’s resolutions, as the pujas to Taksang ‘Tiger’s Nest’ Monastery and Kyichu Lhakhang Temple will absolve visitors of all sin, ensuring you start the new year with a clean slate. Uma Paro is offering seven night, privately guided individual packages. (Bookings www.uma.como.bz)

If an exotic beachside location is more your style, then consider renting either of Donna Karan’s new houses on her estate, known as The Sanctuary, through Parrot Cay Resort, also part of COMO Hotels and Resorts. Set in the stunning, unspoilt Turks and Caicos Islands in the British West Indies, the houses are available for rent from early 2008. Each features a screened-in pavilion, four bedrooms (including the second-floor master bedroom with 360-degree island views) limestone floors and individual infinity pools with Jacuzzis. The look combines the understated style and good taste of Donna Karan with that of leading Singapore architect and designer Cheong Yew Kuan.

The private island of Parrot Cay Resort is also made up of Colonial-style, whitewashed beachside villas amidst 1000 unspoilt acres wrapped in sweeps of sand and turquoise sea. The COMO Shambhala Spa, with America’s leading ‘wellness’ specialists in attendance, was recently recognised by Conde Nast Traveller magazine as the World’s Best Spa. The Resort’s restaurants offer both casual and haute cuisine, with menus devised by Australian chef Amanda Gale. (Bookings www.parrotcay.como.bz)

The exclusive and remote Cocoa Island, located in South Male atoll in the Maldives, is found in an undisturbed archipelago where centuries of tides have sifted porcelain-fine sands into a dazzling, cushion-soft white, fringed by hibiscus and palms. Only 35 minutes by speedboat from the airport, the rooms are inspired by local dhoni boats in bleached wood with alang-alang roofs, and each is reached by planked walkways stretching over the lagoon. The restaurant, which draws on South India’s heritage, features the freshest local seafood and organic produce cooked by an award-winning chef. (Bookings www.cocoaisland.como.bz)

Closer to Australia, Uma Ubud in Bali offers total escape in a beautiful landscaped setting in Ubud, the island’s cultural hub. It’s circled by emerald forests and terraced hills, with villas featuring private gardens and courtyards complete with infinity-edged plunge pools. The resort provides easy access to a huge range of activities, including mountain biking, whitewater rafting and guided walks, as well as the opportunity to be part of the island’s rich cultural heritage. (Bookings www.uma.como.bz)

Also in Ubud, COMO Shambhala Estate, recent winner of the Crystal Awards by Spa Asia for Best Wellness Centre and Best Complimentary and Alternative Medicine Centre, as well as the UK Sunday Times ‘World’s Best Hotel 2007’, is a unique residential health retreat which combines holistic wellness with state-of-the-art facilities and exceptional villa accommodation. Christmas stresses will seem a million miles away as you enjoy bespoke Asian therapies ranging from yoga to Pilates and Tai’Chi, all with leading specialists. Regular Retreat Weeks focus on subjects ranging from Yoga to Tibetan Buddhism. The Estate, as it is known, is a place of beauty where silence reigns and guests find the energy to make informed life changes that will last beyond their stay. (Bookings www.comoshambhala.bz)

For those seeking the hip sophistication of an urban setting, The Metropolitan London is located a short walk from the city’s glamorous neighbourhoods of Mayfair, Knightsbridge and Piccadilly, with numerous suites overlooking leafy Hyde Park. While the Met Bar has become a cult classic among the music, media and fashion crowd, the hotel also features the legendary Nobu restaurant, offering exceptional, Michelin-starred cuisine which combines Japanese-Peruvian influences. (Bookings www.metropolitan.como.bz/ Xmas rates 16 Dec – 13 Jan)

The Metropolitan Bangkok, situated on South Sathorn Road beside the city’s buzzing nightlife, blends modern Oriental accents with high style, friendly youthful service and the panache that defines this dynamic city. While the cutting edge facilities in the rooms cater to business travellers, the COMO Shambhala Urban Escape salves the soul, with a pool, gym, Yoga studio, six treatment rooms and a Thai massage pavilion. For dining, guests can divide their time between acclaimed Mediterranean Rim restaurant, Cy’an, Glow for power juices and healthful COMO Shambhala cuisine, and the all-out glamour of the uber-cool Met Bar, which serves delicate Thai cuisine. Later at night, the bar morphs into Bangkok’s most sophisticated club-lounge. (Bookings www.metropolitan.como.bz)

Finally, The Halkin in London’s Belgravia is a contemporary classic which discreetly offers guests respite in huge sunlit conservatory suites featuring floor-to-ceiling marble bathrooms and crisp yet cosseting wools, silks and linens in cool taupes and creams. The Halkin is also home to Nahm, the Michelin-starred Thai restaurant run by respected Australian chef, David Thompson. For those wishing to escape the stresses of the world during the Christmas season, the concierge is legendary for his local knowledge; he can direct you into the sophisticated heart of London, or ensure you enjoy the hotel as an insider’s retreat. (Bookings www.halkin.como.bz / Xmas rates 16 Dec to 13 Jan)

Information about all COMO Hotels and Resorts is on www.como.bz
For further media enquiries and high res images in Aust/NZ:
Jane Corbett-Jones +61 417 772783
Jonica Paramor +61 416 216590