Karisma Hotels Partners with Despegar to Enhance Customer Service with AI Travel Assistant, Sofia

Karisma Hotels Partners with Despegar to Enhance Customer Service with AI Travel Assistant, Sofia

By Nishang Narayan

Published on November 4, 2024

Karisma Hotels & Resorts has announced a strategic partnership with Despegar, Latin America's leading travel technology provider, to license their AI-powered travel assistant, Sofia. This new collaboration marks Karisma’s commitment to enhancing customer service by integrating Sofia’s AI functionalities to provide personalized assistance for guests across their travel journey.

The integration of Sofia will allow Karisma’s customers to experience a streamlined travel planning and booking process. With its AI-driven features, Sofia will offer tailored travel recommendations, seamless assistance, and a comprehensive approach to customer support.

Miguel Ortiz, Chief Strategic Officer of Karisma Hotels & Resorts, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership: “We are thrilled to partner with Despegar and integrate their innovative AI travel assistant, Sofia, into our services. This collaboration underscores our commitment to being at the forefront of hospitality technology, ensuring a personalized and enjoyable travel experience.”

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Damian Scokin, CEO of Despegar, added, “Our partnership with Karisma allows us to deepen our collaboration with a valued partner and position Karisma as a leader in hospitality innovation. We’re eager to expand Sofia’s capabilities, bringing even more value to travelers and setting a new standard for digital engagement.”

This move is part of Despegar’s broader strategy to license AI-powered solutions to enhance customer experiences while expanding their B2B partnerships. In line with this growth, Karisma recently announced plans for the Porta Rai hotel-residential complex in Montenegro, in collaboration with Dobrov & Family Group, further demonstrating its dedication to advancing hospitality through strategic partnerships and innovation.


Palace Hotel Tokyo Welcomes Guests With ‘A Tokyo Christmas’ Holiday Package

Palace Hotel Tokyo Welcomes Guests With ‘A Tokyo Christmas’ Holiday Package

By Hariharan U

Published on September 17, 2025

Palace Hotel Tokyo is ringing in the holiday season with its festive stay package, ‘A Tokyo Christmas’. Designed to capture the magic of Christmas in the heart of the city, the package blends luxurious accommodation, indulgent dining, and a guided tour of Tokyo’s celebrated winter illuminations.

Guests booking the experience can choose between the Premier Suite or Executive Suite for a two-night stay, complemented by Club Lounge privileges that include afternoon tea, evening cocktails and canapés, and a choice of daily breakfast either in-room or at the lounge. Adding to the holiday cheer, each suite will feature a 5.9-foot decorated Christmas tree, along with Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé Brut, festive cookies, and an in-house crafted Christmas cake.

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The holiday spirit extends throughout the hotel with sparkling décor and a 16-foot Christmas tree in the lobby. A highlight of the package is the four-hour ‘Tokyo Illuminations’ tour, chauffeuring guests across the city to admire iconic light displays along Marunouchi Naka Dori, Omotesando, Shibuya, and more. Guests can also explore Christmas markets at Roppongi and Azabudai Hills, with a professional photographer capturing memories along the way.

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Dining takes centre stage at Grand Kitchen, the hotel’s all-day restaurant, which offers a six-course Christmas menu featuring delicacies like abalone, snow crab, steamed flounder with caviar, and premium Japanese beef. Guests may also opt for Michelin-starred dining at Esterre by Alain Ducasse or experience traditional Japanese menus at Wadakura, GO, or Tatsumi. For those preferring the comfort of their suite, an assortment of exquisite Christmas cakes from Sweets & Deli – from pistachio mousse creations to strawberry shortcake and the signature Marron Chantilly are available.

To complete the festive spread, Sweets & Deli also presents European-style Christmas breads such as stollen, kouglof, and panettone, infused with Japanese flavours like yuzu marzipan, kinako, and matcha with chestnuts.

For more details: www.en.palacehoteltokyo.com/offer/a-tokyo-christmas

About Palace Hotel Tokyo:

Situated in the prestigious Marunouchi district, Palace Hotel Tokyo offers 284 rooms and suites, evian SPA, and ten restaurants and bars, including Michelin-starred Esterre by Alain Ducasse and Amber Palace. With a legacy of over 50 years, the hotel continues to uphold its reputation for refined Japanese hospitality and holds Forbes Travel Guide’s Five-Star status for both its property and spa.


Swap Monsoon Grey for Starry Nights Under the Milky Way

Swap Monsoon Grey for Starry Nights Under the Milky Way

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on September 16, 2025

Tired of cloudy skies during the Indian monsoon? This season, swap the grey for clear, starry nights and watch the Milky Way unfold above you. Across the world, there are destinations where light pollution is minimal, skies are pristine, and the galaxy shines in its full brilliance. All you need is a curious mind and a bit of warmth in your backpack.

Ras Al Khaimah, UAE

The northernmost Emirate is a magical stage for stargazing, with the Al Wadi Desert and Hajar Mountains offering some of the region’s darkest skies. Jebel Jais, the UAE’s highest peak, provides an incredible vantage point where the Milky Way’s galactic core is visible between May and October. Guided astronomy sessions at the Jebel Jais Observation Deck and luxury desert resorts make the experience even more memorable.

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Mahé & La Digue, Seychelles

Beyond its turquoise waters and palm-fringed shores, Seychelles transforms into a natural planetarium between May and October. On Mahé, Anse Intendance Beach and Morne Seychellois National Park are perfect dark spots. On La Digue, Grand Anse offers uninterrupted views of the galaxy. With just a pair of binoculars, you can glimpse constellations and even the hidden heart of our galaxy.

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Azerbaijan

The Caucasus nation is a rising star for astronomy lovers. The Shamakhi Astrophysical Observatory, the largest in the region, hosts guided telescope sessions. In the Shahdag Mountains and remote highlands, summer nights from June to September reveal the Milky Way in sweeping clarity. It’s a unique blend of science, tradition, and unspoiled nature.

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Kenya

Kenya is as spectacular by night as it is by day. With its equatorial location, both northern and southern constellations are visible. Regions like Turkana, Laikipia, Samburu, and Amboseli offer skies almost untouched by light pollution. Pair this with safaris, astro-camping, and Maasai star lore, and you have a celestial safari unlike any other.

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Qatar

In Qatar, deserts transform into stargazers’ sanctuaries. The Zekreet Peninsula, Al Aamriya, Dukhan, and Sealine Beach deliver dark skies from March to October. Visitors can join Bedouin-style stargazing safaris or simply spread a blanket and watch the Milky Way emerge. With a cup of hot karak in hand, it’s a desert night of silence, wonder, and whispered shooting stars.

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Negev, Israel

Mitzpe Ramon and the vast Ramon Crater in Israel’s Negev Desert have been recognized as an official Dark Sky Park. From April to October, the galaxy appears in stunning detail across the desert. Guided astronomy tours and the sheer silence of the landscape make it one of the world’s most authentic stargazing experiences.

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The Milky Way reminds us that the best souvenirs from travel are often not tangible but moments etched in memory and stars captured in our cameras.


Wynn Brings Back Signature Hypercar Exhibition 2025 with Luxury Collaborations

Wynn Brings Back Signature Hypercar Exhibition 2025 with Luxury Collaborations

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on September 15, 2025

Wynn is set to redefine the luxury auto exhibition experience with the return of the “Wynn Signature – 2025 Hypercar Exhibition.” Now in its third edition, the exhibition will run from September 29 to November 16 across Wynn Palace and Wynn Macau, coinciding with the prestigious Macau Grand Prix. Visitors can look forward to a spectacular celebration of speed, craftsmanship, and luxury, featuring over 20 of the world’s most coveted hypercars alongside innovative collaborations between leading automotive names and luxury brands.

At Wynn Palace, the highlight will be the Macao premiere of a Formula 1 car, showcasing a striking monogram design created in collaboration with a global fashion house. Other notable debuts include the Lamborghini Huracán GT3 in Roger Dubuis colors, the Huracán in A BATHING APE’s signature camouflage, and the Pagani Utopia with a BAPE crossover design, blending Italian artistry with Japanese street fashion. The vintage Mercedes 300SL Gullwing is also on display, paired with exclusive creations from Swiss jeweler Chopard.

At Wynn Macau, an innovative display by Wristcheck presents limited-edition timepieces in futuristic capsules alongside the Aston Martin Valkyrie Spider, creating a seamless blend of horology and automotive engineering. The exhibition also highlights China’s electric supercar future, showcasing cutting-edge EV hypercars with fast-charging capabilities and sustainable technologies.

Adding to the excitement, Swiss artist Saiff Vasarhelyi will transform a McLaren 600LT through a live spray-paint performance, displayed alongside HUBLOT’s street-art watch collection. Visitors can also take part in professional-grade Formula 1 simulators that replicate world-famous circuits, with hourly competitions rewarding winners with exclusive caps designed by Vasarhelyi. Entry to the competition is available with same-day purchases from Wynn retail or dining outlets.

Exclusive pop-ups further elevate the experience. The “Hyper Shop” offers rare F1 merchandise, LEGO  builds, collectible helmets, and Amalgam models, while the BAPE pop-up presents Asia’s first exclusive Pagani crossover collection.

With free admission open to the public, the “Wynn Signature – 2025 Hypercar Exhibition” cements Macao’s position as a hub for global luxury experiences. By aligning with the Macau Grand Prix, Wynn continues its tradition of creating unforgettable #OnlyAtWynn moments that combine automotive innovation, high fashion, and luxury lifestyle.

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