Today we’re feeling thirsty. And not just for any old water. We want seawater. Whole horizons of it. With craggy calderas and bright white bedrooms (to contrast with the blue skies and even bluer seas outside). In this parched, H2O-hungry state, we’re turning to our favourite Greek island, and a handsome hotel by the name of Grace Santorini.

Style Whitewashed waterside palace
Setting Caldera clifftop

Our favourite bits Grace by name, grace by nature – Grace Santorini has the following and then some: clifftop setting, glittering seascapes, minimalist milk-white interiors, accolade-awarded chef, infinity pool that doubles up as a nocturnal party scene, and suites with steam rooms and flashy light installations. We like breakfasting on Greek yoghurt with nuts and blossom honey, too.

Why this week The hotel has set aside a clutch of rooms specially for Mr & Mrs Smith over the popular months of May, July and August. Snap up your volcano-view bedroom fast – or someone else will. It’s a great time of year to visit the island: traditional saints’ feasts in May, plus the lure of boat trips, wine-tasting and sea-swimming in deliciously warm weather…

Mr & Mrs Smith say ‘The hotel’s 20 rooms, gym, restaurant, library, swimming pools and sundecks are terraced into the side of the cliff in a cascade of white walls and black rock buttresses. Inside, the rooms are sheathed entirely in white, and the flooring in cool polished grey concrete. Shelving, bedside tables and seats are hewn straight into the rock, giving the space a very pleasing Francis of Assisi meets Four Seasons monastic feel. Our bed is a vast tract of white linen floating over triple mattress layers of coconut and rubber, all cushioned by layers of plump pillows; while the huge rainshower-studded ensuite is stocked with attention-grabbing bath and body products by local Greek brand Apivita.

Aromatherapy pillow ordered from the pillow menu, Mr Smith sighed at the view of the caldera through the bevelled windows. ‘Or should I get the goosedown instead?’ I wondered aloud, impressed by the gravity of such Solomon-like decisions.’

Read the full anonymous review of Grace Santorini, or search for more Santorini boutique hotels…

Travel Blog – Mr & Mrs Smith Boutique & Luxury Hotels

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Grace Santorini: hotel of the week

Post from: Oh Concierge

Milestones Celebrated

Another China-only car debuted at the Beijing auto show this week, although this one didn’t feature dragons or extra space between the wheels. Shanghai Volkswagen introduced the New Lavida to maintain its position on the top of the very competitive A-segment in China; this model’s predecessor has sold more than 700,000 units since its introduction in 2008.

Shanghai Volkswagen isn’t quite the same as Volkswagen. VW entered into a partnership with SAIC in 1984 as a way to negotiate China’s tight vehicle-importation restrictions. The relationship has proven very successful for both parties ever since.

• Comparison Test: 2011 Chevy Cruze vs. 2012 Ford Focus and Three More Compacts
• Comparison Test: 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco vs. 2012 Honda Accord EX-L, 2012 Hyundai Sonata SE, 2012 Kia Optima EX, 2012 Toyota Camry SE, 2012 Volkswagen Passat 2.5 SE
• Comparison Test: 2010 Kia Forte SX vs. 2010 Mazda 3 s Sport, 2010 Volkswagen Golf

Car and Driver Blog

Post from: Oh Concierge

Volkswagen Launches China-Only New Lavida [Beijing Auto Show]

Self-driving cars have arrived: Google has a fleet of autonomous Toyota Priuses roaming Silicon Valley, Audi raced a driverless TTS up Pikes Peak, and Ford has proven that a modern Walkman can parallel-park better than you. Here’s a handful of ?hacks, tips, and cheats that’ll help humans get back some of their dignity once the digital drivers take over.

INCOMPREHENSIBLE-CABBIE MODE:
INPUT: Right turn signal + radio on + open glove box + left turn signal
RESULT: Switches to barf-inducing full-throttle/no-throttle driving style; plots route from Harlem to the East Village via Teaneck, New Jersey; sets entertainment system to Halal in the Family.

GRAD-STUDENT MODE:
INPUT: Engine start + left turn signal + trunk release + hazard flashers
RESULT: Vehicle possessed by sense of ironic detachment; is unable to start before noon; ashtray self-fills with Nat Shermans.

AVIS MODE:
INPUT: Trunk release + engine start + adjust seats + adjust mirrors + select reverse + set parking brake + wide-open throttle
RESULT: Releases parking brake after onboard text-to-speech function spends 45 minutes upselling insurance.

FOREST-GREEN TOYOTA CAMRY WITH GOLD TRIM PACKAGE MODE:
INPUT: Accessory mode + radio on + engine start + climate-control knob
RESULT: V/max capped at 53 mph; lane selection reset to <<leftmost; wipers and turn signal permanently activated.

SIDESHOW DONUT MODE:
INPUT: Hazard flashers + engine start + window lock + hazard flashers
RESULT: Lidar-guided steering reset to <<left/right tippin’; traction control reset to <<gas/brake dippin’; active restraints reset to <<Casper drivin’; wheel diameters reset to <<honkie confusin’.

LEARNER’S-PERMIT MODE:
INPUT: Open glove box + engine start + trunk release + right turn signal
RESULT: Prevents incompetent 15-year-olds from running down senior citizens; also lets incompetent 16-year-olds pass DMV test.

TVR MODE:
INPUT: Engine start + engine start + open door + open hood + jiggle battery ground + engine start + pound on dash + drive away in another car
RESULT: Ignition cuts out at random intervals; transmission-incontinence value is reset to <<max; shift lever and steering wheel become reachable only by cephalopods.

FIDEL MODE:
INPUT: Engine start + left turn signal + left turn signal + left turn signal
RESULT: Vehicle throws off shackles of parasite meat-sack oppressors and drives chin-high toward glorious revolutionary future. Eventually, runs out of gas.

LAFF-RIOT MODE:
INPUT: Engine start + radio on + left turn signal + hazards
RESULT: Vehicle pulls up three feet when incoming passengers reach for door handle; lets outgoing occupants off at deep puddles; delivers random shocks via seat heaters.

ROCKFORD MODE:
INPUT: Engine start + left turn signal + trunk release + window lock
RESULT: Vehicle exits all parking lots via J-turn; Bondonium body panels self-repair on impact; powertrain-control module goes offline when villain of the week kloons with frying pan.

BARRY WHITE MODE:
INPUT: Engine start + engine start + door locks + activate OnStar + engine start
RESULT: Nav system identifies lonely road; vehicle runs out of gas and sprays rear seat with Scotchgard.

• Cadillac’s Super Cruise: Baby Steps Towards Autonomous Driving
• First Drive: 2012 Toyota Prius C
• Instrumented Test: 2010 Audi TTS

Car and Driver Blog

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Automated-Vehicle Cheat Codes: How to Get the Most Out of Cars that Drive Themselves

Carbonyte UNITED KINGDOM will be collaborating along with Limo Broker in the UK to make the world’s initial, super-stretched Audi R8 V10. Fango Broker is already known for his or her development of the stretched Ferrari 360 Modena cape. The project has received so much attention it has reportedly been fast-tracked for completion in the next few months.

The particular fastest car that Audi has ever constructed will retain the five. 2l V10 motor that would normally propel it to more than 190mph but actually will lose its excellent handling and maybe even its dignity as well. Despite the excitement for such a automobile, most likely it is going to generate some debate by car fans just about everywhere. The modified sportscar will seat eight passengers in bucket seats and achieving in and out will be facilitated by the addition of four gullwing doors on both edges.

Fango Broker has announced that work on the 8 seater Audi R8 transformation has already started and they estimate that it’ll be completed by the summer of 2012.

Watch the Audi R8 Fango promo video beneath:

Source: Digital Tendencies

Famous Car Gossip

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The Audi R8 Limo Is Unbelievable

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Celebrity Cars Blog

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Akon’s Car Collection Arrives At Car Show

Sportec has introduced a new fine-tuning package for that Audi RS3 Sportback.

The actual Audi RS has a stainless steel sports activities exhaust system, an arm coilover suspension, that reduces the ride height through 20-40mm, and 20″ alloy wheels that cover high-performance Movit brake systems.

The revised ECU leads to the 2. 5-litre five-cylinder engine producing 408 PS (300 kW and 402 hp) as well as 550 Nm (406 lb-ft) torque capacity – a rise of 68 PS (50 kW and 67 hp) and 100 Nm (74 lb-ft). Non-Swiss variations can be tuned to provide 500 PS (368 kW and 493 hp).

Resource: World Vehicle Supporters

Famous Car Gossip

Post from: Oh Concierge

Sportec Tweaks the Audi RS3

Shoppers have many choices when it comes to buying a car. Once the research begins, it is clear that each automaker has their winners and losers. However, some manufacturers are consistently at the top of the list for reliability and road-test scores. Our automaker report cards highlight how the companies compare, as detailed in the video.

For the first time, Subaru earned the top score in Consumer Reports’ automaker report cards, and other Asian makers make the grade, even though they have slipped a bit.

We have noticed some cost cutting on Toyota and Honda models, which has hurt them in our tests, but they are still produce some of the most reliable vehicles on the road, solidifying their high-ranked status.

The domestic companies have had some challenges in the past, but recent redesigns have helped their performance in our tests. The key to jumping higher in our report cards and competing with the Asian makers is to improve on reliability. On that front, we saw Ford Motor Company tumble this year, while bottom-ranked Chrysler Corp. made notable advances. In fact, its Jeep division is now the top-ranked American brand.

Check out the video below to find out which automakers make the grade. Read the full report on “Who makes the best cars?” with the complete automaker report cards.

Visit the annual auto issue special section for quick access to the latest Ratings, articles, and videos.

Related:
Think twice before buying a car by brand–American automakers are closing the gap

Consumer Reports News

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Who Are The Top Automakers?

April is coming to a close and some of us are looking forward to a tax rebate dropping in our mailbox soon. If you combine returned tax funds with various dealer incentives and rebates available this month, you could get a new set of wheels for a great price. Whether you need a new car to replace a clunker or want to dump your old gas guzzler for one that gets better fuel economy, now can be a good time to buy. Dealers are in the final push to make their end-of-the month quota, putting car buyers in a position to negotiate and come out with a great deal on a good car.

For our April deals, we have 2012 model year vehicles that offer the best discounts — between 15 percent and 20 percent below MSRP. Keep in mind, though, that some dealers may be interested in negotiating further to reach their sales targets and to move vehicles off the lots. Also, you may find local deals and incentives, so check our pricing for full details.

The models listed below are just a few of our Best New Car Deals, meaning they are notable discounts on models that meet Consumer Reports’ criteria to be recommended. These vehicles scored well in our testing, had average or better reliability in our subscriber survey, and performed well in government or insurance-industry safety tests, if evaluated.

See our full list of deals on 2012 models.

Online subscribers are eligible for hassle-free shopping and low prices through the Consumer Reports Build & Buy program. Unlike traditional car buying, there is no pressure or obligation to purchase. Participating dealers are held to high standards of competitive pricing and customer service. Simply click the “Build & Buy This Car” button that appears on the vehicle’s model overview page to access the program.

See all current Best Deals or use our New Car Selector to create your own list of vehicles by sorting and filtering by the factors that matter most to you.

Consumer Reports News

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Best Car Deals For The End Of April 2012