Holidays

Time off from the ordinary should be extraordinary. The Uber team has uncovered a range of extraordinary holiday and travel experiences where luxury is the common denominator but other features could not be more different. You might want to discover new destinations, try new experiences or submerge yourself in sublime luxury and be pampered. Specialist travel companies can help ensure every detail matches your criteria for the perfect break.

Lazing on a paradise beach has long been a holiday favourite and can be a source of both relaxation and refreshment. Many resorts offer innovative spa treatments alongside dazzling white sands and water sports. Beach holidays have come a long way from the days of bucket and spades, candy floss and gritty sandwiches beside a grey North Sea. These days children could build sandcastles in locations that could be lifted from the film Castaway. Escape to a privately-owned paradise island where you arrive by seaplane; dive with manta rays among dazzling coral or anchor your yacht in turquoise waters off a secluded cove where nothing but tropical birdsong ruffles the tranquillity.

No amount of televised wildlife programmes can compare to seeing animals in their natural element. African safaris are a superb way to get close to nature, but some might prefer the thrills of seeing penguins in Antarctica.

For those who like their holidays action-packed, skiing and snowboarding are the peaks of desire! Certainly, when the sun is shining and the powder is deep, little can compare to the thrill of speeding down snow-covered slopes against some of the most beautiful backdrops in the world, even if the trail you leave behind is not geometrically perfect!

Learning really can be fun on holiday. In a far-flung destination, just being among new people and experiencing some of their way of life means you’ll be absorbing information as effortlessly as rubbing in the sun cream. Or for a more focused learning experience, choose a trip that specialises in art, music, or gourmet food and wine.

Whatever the key ingredient of your ideal holiday, the Uber Collection has the recipe to turn it into a masterpiece.

Discerning holidaymakers knew the secrets of New Zealand's spectacular scenery and friendly hosts long before the Lord of the Rings films brought the country to the attention of thousands. Frozen alpine lakes, lush rainforest, rugged peaks, bubbling mud pools and geysers are just some of the wonders to be discovered.

The Huka Lodge luxury hotel retreat beside the Waikato River in central North Island offers packages as diverse as adventure, fly fishing, golf, hiking, sightseeing and gourmet food, with a suite offering every indulgence awaiting you at the end of the day.

With New Zealand specialists Bridge & Wickers, a helicopter trip over the most dramatic scenery the country has to offer can be one of your choices. Or you could arrive at a remote luxury lodge by 16-seater plane.