The best way to see the stars
It's been 400 years since Galileo first recorded his star-gazing activities and changed our view of the universe. So the UN has made 2009 the International Year of Astronomy. To watch the night sky in style, check into one of these hotels.
Study the southern sky
Northern Chile is "a promised land for astronomers", says Mark Rowe in The Independent. The Elqui Valley offers the best views in the country thanks to "predominantly clear skies, the altitude and the immense distance from the urban visual pollution of smog and light".
To see for yourself, take a two-week tour with Audley Travel, which includes visits to the area's internationally renowned observatories and accommodation at the Hotel Astronomico Elqui Domos, where the centrally heated yurts come with "star-viewing windows", says Sophie Butler in Condé Nast Traveller.
The tour costs from £4,000 per person with flights. Visit www.audleytravel.com, or call 01993-838 000.
Star gazing among the dunes
The luxurious Sossusvlei Desert Lodge offers relaxation in the heart of the Namib desert. During the day you can enjoy nature drives and quad biking over some of the highest sand dunes in the world. When night falls, visit the lodge's in-house observatory, says Sophie Butler in Condé Nast Traveller.
The resident astronomer will give you a guided tour of the night sky using a powerful telescope. And when you retire to your room you can continue to star gaze from your king-sized bed thanks to the skylights above.
Doubles cost from £350 at the Sossusvlei Desert Lodge with &BEYOND Africa. Visit www.andbeyondafrica.com, or call 00 27 11 809 4300.
Sleeping under the Northern Lights
The Hotel & Igloo Village Kakslauttanen in Finnish Lapland offers the perfect setting for studying the night sky. Some of the igloos have thermo-glass walls. This means the igloo remains toasty warm, but you can still gaze out at the aurora borealis from your bed, which you can adjust at the touch of a button to make sure you get the best view, says Minty Clinch in The Observer.
During the day – brief as it is in winter – you can take a reindeer or husky safari, try snowmobiling, ice swimming or ice carving.
A night in a glass igloo with dinner, bed and breakfast costs from e384. Visit www.kakslauttanen.fi, or call 00 358 16 667 100 for more.
Learn about the universe's evolution
It was Sir Richard Branson's mother who introduced him to the Kasbah Tamadot in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. Branson fell in love with the palace and bought it to develop as a resort. Now you can go and enjoy the new Berber-tented suites that have been added to the property. The tents are on a hillside five minutes from the main hotel, which is an hour from Marrakesh. The hotel itself is "a fairytale maze of winding paths, staircases and open courtyards" with 18 rooms and suites, says Jane Dunford in The Observer. Cadogan Holidays offers a four-night package for a minimum of eight people, which includes a five-day programme on the evolution of the universe by experts from the Royal Astronomical Society.
The package costs from £2,350pp. Visit www.cadoganholidays.com, or call 0845-6154390.