Travel desk: the Orlando Eye, Game of Thrones and Nelson Mandela's holiday home

The Rise of Orlando

This week saw the opening of Orlando’s newest attraction, the Orlando Eye (above), a 400ft wheel that is the tallest of its kind on the east coast of the USA. Before climbing aboard, guests will get a five-minute, 4D cinema experience of the area (including scented effects, wind and fireworks). It’s part of a new €180 million entertainment complex called I-Drive 360 where you’ll find shops, restaurants and two other attractions: Sea life Orlando, home to 5,000 creatures from the world’s oceans; and Madame Tussauds Orlando, where versions of Taylor Swift, Ryan Gosling and others keep a waxen vigil. See

[ officialorlandoeye.com ]

or

[ i-drive360.com ]

.

Nelson Mandela's holiday retreat

Nelson Mandela’s retreat in South Africa’s Shambala Private Game Reserve is now offering overnight accommodation. The Nelson Mandela Centre for Reconciliation, in a 24,000-acre reserve about two-and-a-half hour’s drive north of Johannesburg, was built for the South African leader in 2001 and he used it to host celebrity guests and visiting dignitaries. Amenities include a heated swimming pool, a private waterhole, outdoor decks as wells as a presidential suite with his-and-hers dressing rooms. The retreat sleeps up to 12 people and is available for €6,000 a night. Also included are meals prepared by a private chef, butler service, game drives, guided sunset walks and cruises on the Douw Steyn Dam. See

[ zulucamp.co.za ]

Dubrovnik opens Game of Thrones museum

Dubrovnik has announced plans to open a Game of Thrones museum on the city’s central Stradun Street. The Croatian city, which doubles as King’s Landing in the popular television show, has seen a marked increase in related tourism and a proliferation of local retailers hawking show-related tat. But the museum’s centrepiece will be the thing most of the characters live (and die) for: the original, sword-encrusted Iron Throne, which will be exhibited from the beginning of June. “We purchased it for not much money, HBO practically gave it to us,” said Dubrovnik mayor Andro Vlahusic.

Get away at home

In need of some

r’n’r

? The Killashee House Hotel & Spa (

[ killasheehouse.com ]

), near Naas, Co Kildare, is offering a night’s B&B in a deluxe double, dinner and two 25-minute treatments for €160pps. Druids Glen Resort (

[ druidsglenresort.com ]

) outside Newtownmountkennedy, Co Wicklow has two/three-night family packages from €490/€675 in a family room which holds up to two adults and two children, one dinner for the adults and one evening’s access to the Kids’ High Tea Club for the kids. Finally, Silver Line Cruisers (

[ silverlinecruisers.com ]

), in Banagher, Co Offaly, have a three-night Shannon cruise aboard a 12-berth cruiser for €400pp. Valid weekends only, until May 22nd.