It’s the first Friday of 2010, and most of us are still (feebly) attempting to make good on our New Year’s resolutions. For lots of us, that might mean cutting back and not drinking as much.

So, in light of helping our readers make good on their New Year’s Resolutions, we’re going to share the recipe for a non-alcoholic, yet very tasty, drink this Friday: Masala Chai Tea. Read all about this traditional Indian drink, and find out where we think you should be staying in India to enjoy a great New Year’s detox.

Masala Mixture:
Combine all of the spices and blend well in an electric grinder. You only need a small amount for each cup of chai tea, so store the rest for later.
•    100 grams powdered ginger
•    25 grams cloves
•    100 grams whole black peppercorns
•    60 grams cinnamon, broken small, or 40 grams ground
•    1/2 nutmeg, crushed
•    35 grams green cardamom pods

Chai Tea:
Ingredients (per cup)
•    1/2 cup water
•    1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
•    3/4 teaspoon dried tea leaves – to be traditional, a strong Indian tea such as an Assam is best.
•    pinch of masala mixture
•    1/2 cup milk

Boil water and milk. Then, add sugar, tea leaves and masala until the mixture becomes dark (about 5-10 minutes). The longer you boil the mixture, the stronger the chai tea will become. Strain into teacups to serve.

Best hotels in India to get a great Masala Chai:

Umaid Bhawan Palace:
What about a stay in a gorgeous castle in India? Perched above the desert city of Jodhpur, Umaid Bhawan Palace is the perfect place to kick back like royalty. You’ll be surrounded by gardens and will enjoy one of India’s last great palaces. If architecture is your thing, you may enjoy the fine design touches by architect Henry Lanchester, who blends Eastern and Western influences seamlessly.

The Imperial New Delhi:
As one of the country’s best hotels, this hotel is surrounded by royal palms and lush greens. The Imperial New Delhi has 233 rooms and a staff of around 650, making a great guest experience a certainty. This is a perfect place to relax while enjoying your New Year’s cleanse.

Taj Lake Palace:
Perfect for guests who want to keep cool on the water, the Taj Lake Palace sits on the man-made Lake Pichola in Udaipur, Northern India. Every suite is unique here, and of course, guests get stunning views of the lake and the surrounding area. Spend some time at the spa for a serious detox.

The Claridges, Surajkund, Delhi NCR:
The Claridges, Surajkund, Delhi NCR is the perfect blend of an exclusive business hotel and an extraordinary luxury resort. Every spacious room is elegantly designed to harmonize with the hotel’s contemporary upscale ambiance and is complete with a private terrace overlooking the courtyard and water fountain. Come here to unwind and experience their amazing infinity pool with sundeck and Jacuzzi or relax at their world class spa offering a range of rejuvenating massages.

The Taj Mahal Hotel:
Perfect for an exclusive stay in New Delhi, the Taj Mahal Hotel is located in one of the city’s most affluent neighbourhoods. Accomodation here is designed for VIPs, heads of state and the world’s biggest business leaders. You can’t go wrong with that!

The Taj West End:
Colonial and statement, spending time at the Taj West End is like taking a step back in time. This gorgeous hotel is in Bangalore and is perfect for golfers, honeymooners or guests who just want to relax amongst the its stunning gardens.

Rambagh Palace:
Jaipur’s most important Royal Palace residence, Rambagh Palace is close to the Pink City, great forts and the city’s numerous bazaars. This gorgeous palace overlooks courtyards and gardens and comes with cool verandahs, perfect for relaxing in the sun and enjoying the view.

Taj Lands End:
Sheltered from the urban intensity of Mumbai, the Taj Lands End is a perfect seaside oasis boasting city’s finest restaurants, business center facilities and beautiful panoramic views of the Arabian Sea. The décor here is a mix pale pastels and dark wood create an impression of warmth and elegance. And as a special gesture to woman traveling solo, exclusive woman butlers await you to meet your every need.

The Leela Palace Kempinski Udaipur:
Set the beautiful waters of Lake Pichola with breathtaking views of the Aravali Mountains is the Leela Palace Kempinski Udaipur. This luxury hotel features a fabulous haven of wellness at their ESPA providing an abundance of treatments set amongst trees and landscaped gardens overlooking a magnificent view of the heritage city, Udaipur. This is a perfect place to relax and get a fresh start to a new year.

The Claridges, New Delhi:
Set right in the heart of New Delhi surrounded by an expansive lush and tranquil garden setting is The Claridges, New Delhi. This luxury hotel has been a landmark to the area since the 1950’s and creates a magic of old world charm coupled with gracious Indian hospitality. Perfect for business, this hotel offers a boutique of facilities like a lounge, private dining room bar and a fabulous state of the art board room.

Trident, Gurgaon:
Business travelers, and lovers of modern design, will really enjoy spending some time at Trident, Gurgaon. This resort in Gurgaon is characterized by domes, long corridors, inner courtyards and reflection pools. Our favorite suites here are the Presidential Suites and Executive Suites.

The Zuri Kumarakom Kerala Resort & Spa:
Sprawling across 18 lush, tropical acres on the banks of the beautiful Vembanad Lake, The Zuri offers one of the best spa vacations in the country. Bask in a range of either western, Asian or authentic Ayurvedic therapies and partake in meditation or yoga at their Body Temple and Mediation Island.

The Leela Palace Kempinski Bangalore:
The Leela Palace Kempinski Bangalore is a wonderful deluxe business hotel surrounded by a majestic garden and sparkling lagoon in the Garden City of Bangalore. Bringing together the traditions of the past with the comforts of modern luxury complete with a Royal Club, Cigar Room and Champagne Lounge.

Samode Palace:
Know as one of India’s most charming and romantic hotels, the Samode Palace is an exquisitely restored palace where visitors can enjoy India’s natural beauty and rich history. All of the spacious rooms and suites offer a balcony or patio and feature the worm colors and texture of local Rajasthani hand blocked prints and textiles. The cuisine here is absolutely fabulous featuring the finest Rajashani delights as well as a mix of Asian and European influences.

Kiwi Collections luxury online magazine Wow Travel has just put together a new photo feature. This is just a small sampling of some of the hotels beautiful evening settings.

Be sure to take a look at Wow Travel’s full photo feature titled Lantern Love.

The Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong in Hong Kong, China.

The One&Only Palmilla in Los Cabos, Mexico.

The beautiful W New Orleans French Quarter in New Orleans, USA.

The Tanjong Jara Resort in Dungun, Malaysia.

The Singita Boulders Lodge in Sabi Sand Reserve, South Africa.

Le Touessrok in Trou d’Eau Douce, Mauritius.

The Mahua Kothi in Bandhavgarh National Park, India.

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Perfect for family vacations, romantic escapades and food and wine lovers alike, it’s no surprise for us here at Kiwi Collection that Rambagh Palace Jaipur was just voted the “Best Hotel in the World” by Conde Nast Traveller readers.

This “traditional style” hotel in India scored an overall 95.62 and also topped the ‘Overseas Leisure Hotels for Asia and the Indian sub-continent’ category, with the “best ambience/décor’ and ‘location’ of all of the hotels in the ‘category.

There were 7,000 hotel nominations and out of this Rambagh Palace was voted first in the hotel nominations alone.

Conde Nast Traveller’s Annual Readers Awards give the magazine’s readership the chance to voice their opinions on travel and hotels across the world. Conde Nast Traveller’s readers are among the pickiest in the world.

More than 40,000 entries from readers were made this year in 26 categories including hotels from each continent, tour operators, airlines, cities, countries, islands, spas and airports.

Rambagh Palace is found on 47acres of gardens in Jaipur, India. The Palace was first built as a hunting lodge in 1835 and was later converted into a palace, acting as the residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur.
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Celebrated as an official national festival in India, Diwali is better known to westerners as The Festival of lights. This festival literally illuminates the country in its celebration of the victory of good over evil, light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance.

This five day festival starts on October 15th with each day having a different meaning. The main festivities however, take place on the third day – October 17th. On this day people light up diyas and candles and seek divine blessings of the Goddess of Wealth. Fireworks are also a part of the Diwali celebrations lighting up the sky with shimmering colours. People from every age and background are sure to find immense enjoyment in this celebration of light and colour.

A visit to India is a wonderful experience in and of itself, and with the entire country in celebration it will be easy to stay at one of India’s luxury hotels.

Taj Lake Palace:

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Set in the middle of Lake Pichola in Udaipur this 250-year-old white marble palace is possibly one of the most romantic hotels in the world. Its unconventional location is wonderfully secluded making it a perfect luxury escape.

At the Taj Lake Palace all guest are treated like royalty with flawless old world service. All rooms and suites are impeccably decorated with a princely-inspired décor, each with their own special touches. Opulent silks, richly colored murals, and ornately carved wood furniture are just a few of the design details that envelope the guests in royal mystique.

Feel free to lavish in relaxation at their Royal Spa featuring an array of treatments and beauty enhancements as well as traditional and ancient Indian healing practices. And like the location a wide array of unique activities can be arranges such as private puppet shows or your own personal fireworks display can be arranged, perfect to celebrate Diwali.

This private island palace is the perfect place to fall in love and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Trident Gurgaon:

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Recently voted “India’s Leading Hotel 2008” at the World Travel Awards, get ready to set forth on a magical journey with Trident Gurgaon. This exquisite hotel is set amongst seven acres of beautifully landscaped gardens, walkways, courtyards, reflection pools and fountains. Located in the business district of Gurgaon, this is the perfect starting point to visit some of the city’s notable landmarks. Sites such as the Bahai Temple, Humayun’s Tomb or the Qutab Minar are all within a short distance.

All rooms and suites at the Trident Gurgaon feature exceptional design with views of either their reflection pool or look out onto the gardens.
Dining at the Trident Gurgaon is sure to satisfy any pallet. With multiple restaurants and bars to choose from such as exotic North Indian cuisine, world class Mediterranean or the fine tastes of Japan.

Rambagh Palace:

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Located close to the walled Pink City, spectacular forts, and all the unique shopping bazaars of Jaipur this palace resort is spread over 47 acres of tranquil, landscaped gardens. For nearly two centuries the Rambagh Palace has been home to generation of royals and it wasn’t until 1972 Taj Hotels took over the reins. Once known as the ‘Jewel of Jaipur’ it now offers its guests a taste of royal living.

Every room and suite is refined and restored offering a distinct experience in princely living. Every corner is rich with history and has a story to tell. Views from Rambagh Palace feature the Mughal Gardens and Chandani Chowk.

Rambagh Palace is also the perfect escape from the festivities of Diwali offering age-old ayurvedic therapies, yoga classes from internationally reputed yoga teachers, relaxation and pampering of your body, mind and soul at their Jiva Grande Spa.

The Imperial New Delhi:

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Often referred to as one of Asia’s finest hotels and as New Delhi’s landmark hotel, The Imperial New Delhi is a legend unto itself. Recently named one of the World’s Best Places to Stay on Conde Nast Traveler’s Gold List for 2009, this hotel is rich in Indian history and exudes contemporary colonial style.

The 231 rooms and 43 suites are all impeccably decorated and finished with all the modern convenience. Each space over looks their verdant gardens which incase the hotel and are perfect for a leisurely stroll.

If you are a lover of art, The Imperial New Delhi proudly displays a priceless collection of ‘British art on India’. Some of the prominent artists include William Hodges, Charles D’oyly, Thomas and William Daniells and many others.

The Imperial also houses many award winning restaurants with a wide culinary pallet to suite any individual’s taste be it Southeast Asian, multi-cuisine and Indian to French and Italian.

Aman-i-Khás:

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For visitors looking to get back to nature and experience the outdoors Aman-i-Khás is the perfect choice. Aman-i-Khás (combining aman, meaning “peace”, in Sanskrit, and khás, meaning “special” in Urdu and Hindi) is located on the edge of Rajasthan’s Ranthambore National Park. This exclusive encampment of just ten unique canopied tents is nestled in a pristine wilderness setting compete with every modern necessity.

This location is perfect for wildlife spotting and borders one of the finest tiger reserves in the world. Twice daily excursions can be arranged and with guides offering a range of routes though the National park complete with snacks and drinks. Camel safaris in the outskirts of the park and though traditional villages are also available.

At the camp, Indian cuisine and a range of Western dishes are served. With an unexpected hint of wilderness in every meal the freshest ingredients are used with most of the vegetable and herbs coming from the camp’s organic garden.

Because Aman-i-Khás ensures only the best for their guests the camp is set up for only seven months of the year operating from October to April – the most optimal period for wildlife spotting.

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I’m adding a new section to the Kiwi JetSetter as I was given a new component from the Kiwi geek squad today…a nifty flash gallery of different images in our Kiwi Image collection. Each week, I’ll find and feature a different “dream destination” in a series of stunning images.

One of the most frequent comments I hear from people across this Interweb thingee is how much they enjoy looking at our many fine images housed on the Kiwi Collection website of Luxury Hotels. I know many friends that love to sit back at night with a glass of wine in one hand, and their laptop computer in the other…looking, err…dreaming about some of the properties in the Kiwi Collection.

And who can blame them? I often sit here at Kiwi HQ daydreaming about some remote exclusive area in the world, with the finer things in life and no cares in the world. It almost sounds a little tawdry…but I promise its not something your spouse will get you into trouble over…haha.

So sit back, grab your glass of wine and your drool towel and lets have a look see at this week’s “dream destination”…the Taj Mahal Luxury Palace & Tower in Mumbai, India.

Here’s a little info about this property:

Offering panoramic views of the Arabian Sea and the Gateway of India, The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower is a gracious landmark of the city of Mumbai. The hotel is a perfect embodiment standing apart in service and its facilities.

Built in 1903, the hotel is an architectural marvel and brings together Moorish, Oriental and Florentine styles. Offering panoramic views of the Arabian Sea and the Gateway of India, the hotel is a gracious landmark of the city of Mumbai, showcasing contemporary Indian influences along with beautiful vaulted alabaster ceilings, onyx columns, graceful archways, hand-woven silk carpets, crystal chandeliers, a magnificent art collection, an eclectic collection of furniture, and a dramatic cantilever stairway.

Over the past century, The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Mumbai has amassed a diverse collection of paintings and works of art and is a veritable showcase of artifacts and art of the era. From Belgian chandeliers to Goan Christian artifacts, the hotel incorporates a myriad of artistic styles and tastes.

The hotel boasts a prime location as it overlooks the scenic Mumbai harbour and the landmark Gateway of India. It offers easy access to the main business, commercial, shopping and entertainment areas of the city. It is 32 kms from the international airport and 7 kms from the railway station.

Fun! Obligatory wipedown here… 

Kiwi Collection CEO Erik Haugen offers journey suggestions to travellers based upon his own personal experiences travelling around the globe.

Stay 3 nights in Delhi at the Imperial, one of Asia’s best hotels which has played an integral part in India’s history

Train transfer to Agra

Stay 1 night at the Oberoi Amarvillas in Agra, boasting great views of the World’s greatest monument to love, the Taj Mahal

Hire driver and car

Stay 2 nights in the pink city of Jaipur, staying at the Samode Palace, sumptuously decorated in the local style

Stay 3 nights in Ranthambhore at the luxury tent resort of Aman-i-Khas offering the chance to see leopards and tigers

Stay 3 nights in Udaipur at the 250 year old Taj Lake Palace, one of the most romantic hotels in the world

Stay 2 nights in Alwar to unwind in the countryside at the Amabagh Hotel and Spa