Darwin trip

I'm sure most of my friends are tired of me talking about Darwin when they ask how business is going ... but what can I say, its been a LARGE part of things over the last few months. While I "patiently" wait for the main part of our business to return to normal (that is helping the travel management companies during peak dates), we've been making hay while the sun shines by booking plenty of long-stay accommodation in Darwin.

So a much needed trip to Darwin took place last week. I had been keeping an eye on the Virgin Blue happy hour specials and it paid off as I picked up flights for basically half the normal price and began planning the visit. Almost all of the accommodation we've been booking in Darwin has been at Mantra Pandanas and Mantra on the Esplanade so they were my first point of call when it came to organising a room for myself. Thanks to Angie in sales, I was given a one bedroom water view apartment (pictured below) at Pandanas which was very nice. I was lucky enough to be on the top floor so had great views, the apartment was a good size and of course fully self-contained.

Virgin Blue has only one flight from Brisbane in to Darwin and one flight out each day and they're not pretty. Land at 12:45 am and fly out at 1:40am ... ouch! I didn't mind too much as it was a really quick trip to see the two Mantra properties, say hi and thanks to the reservations staff that have been looking after us and also check out the newly refurbished Holiday Inn. It was a good trip and great to put faces to names that we've been working with so closely.

And yes it was of course pretty warm up there and it took me a few days to catch up on lost sleep ...

Lunch at the South Bank Surf Club

Its been a while since I've caught up with the sales team from Mantra Hotels here in Brisbane so on Friday I was lucky enough to get taken out to lunch by Kate and Jessica (our new sales contact).

We've had a fairly strong last 9 months or so with a number of their hotels around the country (Mantra Pandanas, Mantra on the Esplanade, Mantra on Kent, Mantra Hindmarsh Square and Mantra on Hay), so it was good to get the update on our numbers and everything happening within the Mantra Group.

As mentioned in the title, we had lunch at the Surf Club in the middle of South Bank which is the new restaurant for celebrity chef, Ben O'Donoghue. Its set-up similarly to a surf club but the menu of course is a little bit more fancy and still good value.

The food was great, Brisbane turned on some beautiful weather and I could've stayed there a lot longer than we did!

40 days and 40 nights of chocolate

The chocolate festival at Sebel Citigate King George Square is back! I'm going in 3 weeks time, mmmmmm ... chocolate

Indulge in Bistro Allure's 40 Days and 40 Nights of Chocolate, from Wednesday 1 September 2010.

Back by popular demand, 40 Days and 40 Nights of Chocolate boasts a 'Chocolate Buffet' overflowing with decadent delights to satisfy the sweetest of sweet tooths.

This marks the seventh annual chocolate event which has attracted thousands of chocolate lovers. Tantalise your tastebuds in a chocolate sensation of cakes, gateaux's, slices, tarts, cheesecakes, puddings, ice-creams and complementing mouth-watering sauces.

And if thats not enough, delight in our chocolate fountain offering marshmallows and seasonal fruits.

Bistro Allure Chocolate Buffet -

$25.00 per person

Available for Lunch and Dinner

• Lunch 11.30am to 3.00pm
• Dinner 5.30pm to 10.00pm

Bookings essential. Call Bistro Allure on (07) 3222 1128 or email

So much chocolate and so much time....Bistro Allure's 40 Days and 40 Nights of Chocolate.

For more information, click here.