Holiday like the X-Factor
It’s our second favourite bit of the X Factor, after the first auditions of course, when all the contestants are brought to the judge’s house for that final round of tears, tantrums and triumph. In a last minute phone call from boss man Simon, the judges were told which groups they were mentoring. Gary Barlow is in charge of the Over 28s, Louis Walsh has the Groups, Nicole Sherzinger has the Boys and Tulisa the Girls. The big news came that after the departure of Rough Copy, Louis has seven acts in the Judges’ House, while all the others have six. We can sense some tense times ahead. Last weekend was the Judges’ houses round, where Nicole, Gary, Tulisa and Louis whisked away their contestants for some top secret, last minute tuning up. Nicole was in Dubai, Tulisa was in the Caribbean on St Lucia, Louis was in Vegas while Gary was in the English countryside.
So where to go to holiday like the X-Factor? Read on to find out…
From the tiniest detail, holidays in Dubai are pretty mind blowing; even its fountains are impressive. Drenched in sunshine, your jaw will drop like the X Factor Boys at the ornate hotels, indoor ski resorts, white knuckle rollercoasters, exotic pools and unbelievable food. The biggest draw is likely to be the World’s Tallest Building, the Burj Khalifa, which you simply have to check out. Reaching 2km into the sky, it can be seen from miles away, and has everything you could possible want on a holiday. It’s even got an Armani Hotel! If you’re trying to figure out where to stay, The Four Points by Sheraton, Downtown Dubai and the Melia Dubai are well worth a look.
Sunshine, perfect beaches and sparkling blue waters, it’s the simple things that impress in honeymoon favourite St Lucia. The tiny island is a favourite with celebs, so it’s no surprise really that the X Factor Girls will get a taste of the good life with Tulisa. There’s plenty to do, like rainforest hikes, or climbing the Gros Piton (it’s a bit of a walk, but well worth it) and snorkelling. However, our favourite thing is to feel the powder soft white sand between our toes, maybe take a quick dip in the warm Caribbean Sea, before retiring to a hammock for the afternoon. The Anse Chastanet, Soufriere and The Bay Gardens Hotel in Gros Islet are two of our top hotel choices.
Entertainment capital of the world in Las Vegas, otherwise known as Sin City is an inspired choice for the Judge’s House. It’s seen *the* big names in the world of music play, from Frank Sinatra to Tom Jones, Elton to Celine, so why not Vegas? While the groups are busy fine tuning their performances, we’re daydreaming about having a go at some of the casinos, watching the fountain show at the Bellagio, visiting the massive shark tank at the Golden Nugget and maybe taking a trip to one of the little chapels, well, you never know do you? Stay at the budget friendly, Americas Best Value Inn Hotel, East of the Strip or go wild at the 5 star Trump International Hotel, West of the Strip.
Lord of the Manor in the English countryside: We don’t need much of an excuse to indulge in a long weekend, and nothing impresses us more than lording it over the countryside at our own fancy manor house. Ok, it might not be ours, but we can dream right… just like the X Factor Overs. Gary was definitely on to something, with that gorgeous rolling countryside, a quick stroll in the great outdoors, before retiring by the fireside with a glass of port. When in Rome and all that. We like the luxury Ellenborough Park in the Cotsworlds or the country hotel, the Three Horseshoes Inn.