Kinda groovy

Fox Linton Associates has created a "grand-groovy" design for the Grove, once the Hertfordshire estate of the earls of Clarendon, which opens on September 8 as a 227-bedroom hotel. The Grove will have three restaurants, the Sequoia health and leisure club, and a championship golf course.

Rooms at the Grove (01923 807807, thegrove.co.uk) will cost from £240 to £900.

Caribbean chic

Gordon Campbell Gray, who created London's chic One Aldwych, has found a glorious Caribbean beach for his latest project: Carlisle Bay in the south of Antigua. Opening in December, it will have 88 suites and apartments, all overlooking the Caribbean.

Seven nights' B&B in a beach suite start from £1,950, including British Airways flights and car transfers, with Elegant Resorts (01244 897999, elegantresorts.co.uk).

Jumbo eclipse

Qantas is to operate a special 12-hour jumbo-jet flight from Melbourne to guarantee a clear view of the solar eclipse over the Antarctic on November 24, as well as an unusual opportunity for aerial sightseeing of the region.

Bridge the World (0870 444 1716, bridgetheworld.com) includes the Antarctic flight with seven nights room-only at the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Melbourne for £1,314, including return flights from London.