The great recession appears to have been harder on hotel spa operations than on hotels themselves, according to a new study released by PKF Consulting USA (PKFC).

Dubai hospitality success story Pam Wilby has been named ‘General Manager of the Year’ by the World Travel Awards, just three months after Grosvenor House, Dubai added its second tower, more than doubling the capacity of the iconic luxury property.

Scotland - dubbed the ‘Home of Golf’ - is gearing up to stage its first ever Golf Festival at St Andrews. With the event set to draw international visitors from around the world to celebrate over 600 years of the sport, Breaking Travel News caught up with festival chairman, Richard Wax, to find what the event will bring to St Andrews and why he feels the need to put the fun back into golf.

As major international hotel chains compete for space in Qatar, a growing number of mid-market and budget hotels have also been eyeing the landscape, hoping to get a piece of the FIFA 2022 action. More than US $100 billion worth of infrastructure is expected to be developed by 2022 including the construction of 77 new hotels and 42 hotel apartments in Qatar bringing a total of 21,107 new rooms into the Qatari hospitality market.

When it comes to fishing holidays, Sweden is not a place that immediately springs to mind, nor one that tends to trouble the upper echelons of lists detailing casting hotspots around the globe. This, however, is a good thing as much of the charm and adventure of fishing in Sweden comes from its relatively undiscovered and unknown nature. Unique experiences are on offer in this part of the world that will blossom into unique tales and fond memories.

What is your idea of a luxury holiday? The answer depends very much upon what kind of activities you like to enjoy and who you want to travel with. For some people, it is the exclusivity and seclusion of a fabulous palm-fringed beach resort, whereas others enjoy one of a range of quality package ski holidays with friends. With that in mind, let’s sneak a peek at the list of five top luxury breaks below to see which would best match your blueprint for a fantastic luxury getaway.