Globejotter: The real Italy, new hotels in Palm Springs and Viking Star's maiden cruise

Inghams has launched a campaign to bring the 'real' Italy to travelers (Inghams press image)

The holiday

Inghams has launched a dedicated Italy brochure for 2014 with a goal “to bring the real Italy to people”, says product development manager Fiona Attrell (inghamsitaly.co.uk)

The hotels

California’s desert city of Palm Springs has two new hotels: the rustic Sparrows (sparrowshotel.com) and Hard Rock, where you can have a Fender guitar delivered to your room (hrhpalmsprings.com)

The cruise

Viking River Cruises is to launch its first ocean liner in May 2015. The luxurious 928-passenger Viking Star’s maiden voyage will be in Scandinavia and the Baltic (vikingcruises.co.uk/oceans)