The no-shoe shuffle

Never mind hitting the dancefloor – there’s been no chance of so much as a Chinese burn’s worth of moves and grooves in the Maldives... until now. The Diva hotel (www.naiade.com) is about to launch the archipelago’s first seriously hip-swivelling disco. Get into the zone at the Iru Bar, where the concept is “shoeless”, before shimmying your way into the Musik nightclub, where it will probably tend towards legless.

Nice work if you can get it

Morgans (www.morganshotel.com) was the original chic boutique: all monochromatic interiors and model staff (that’s as in looks, not necessarily attitude). While the New York icon’s popularity has not waned over 25 years, those black-and-white interiors have been due a nip’n’tuck for a while. Of the £5m renovation, to be unveiled shortly, the designer opines: “I knew there was something missing, a warmth, a spirit.” Turns out that something was – wait for it – the addition of grey tones to the “colour” palette. Crazy, just crazy.

Swimming with... cuttlefish?

South Australia has produced a list of tempting reasons to visit. It transpires that the state has the country’s saltiest lake, offers the chance to swim with cuttlefish, is home to Australia’s only remaining family-owned brewery and has the largest privately owned telescope in Oz. Good to see they’ve learnt lessons from that disastrous “So where the bloody hell are you?” tourism campaign.

All hail the Chinese G-spot

Hotel G (www.hotel-g.com) looks set to bring some much-needed glamour to the Beijing scene in the run-up to the Olympics. From the people behind the glitzy Hollywood Roosevelt, in Los Angeles, it has a spectacular lobby light show, 1960s-inspired, yeah-baby bedrooms and a dramatic rooftop bar with an open fireplace that promises to become a second home for the capital’s fashionistas and visiting celebs. We’re just slightly wary of the food – Mediterranean with a Tibetan twist.

Worcestershire source

We’re looking forward to the launch of MalvernSpa (www.themalvernspa.com) next month, the first spa to open in the historic Worcestershire town for nigh on 100 years. Not because of 100% natural facials, or because it will have the only sauna in Britain made from kelo wood (which – as everyone knows – is intensely aromatic, because the bark is allowed to peel naturally from the trunk over the course of 30-odd years). No, the thrilling bit is the pool. It’s filled with natural Malvern spring water. Have you seen the price of that stuff in Waitrose? Swim with your mouth open and you could recoup the cost of your treatments.

Times recommends

• Britain's top 10 hotels for 2009
• Rick Stein's guide to eating out in Sydney
• The Times travel photo competition