Shilpa Shetty's holiday heaven and hell

Shilpa Shetty's holiday heaven and hell. Shilpa Shetty, the Bollywood actress, on losing her luggage after flying with BA and spending an entire holiday inside the world's most luxurious bathroom.

Which was your best holiday?

'I am a self-confessed shopaholic and I get pretty obsessive about it' Photo: REX FEATURE

I went to Marbella with my husband, Raj, just after Christmas 2008 and we stayed to see in the New Year and had a fabulous time. We stayed at the beautiful Marbella Club, which was ultra-luxurious. The rooms were like villas and we had our own swimming pool, but it was a little too nippy to take a dip. I love the weather in Spain and the fact that you can see all these orange trees laden with fruit, so every time I saw one I would pose in front of it like a fan. I adore the mixture of Portuguese and Spanish architecture and the paella is gorgeous.

And the best hotel you've stayed in?

I've been lucky enough to stay in some of the world's finest hotels and they each have their forte but for sheer ostentation and OTT glamour you can't top the Burj Al Arab in Dubai. It's almost ridiculously luxurious. The spa there is incredible, as are the food and the view. We stayed in a two-bedroom suite towards the top of the tower – we didn't arrive by helicopter, but I believe you can – and the panorama of the ocean was spectacular. And when the sun sets it's quite magical.

What do you need for a perfect holiday?

Top of the list for me is the shopping. I am a self-confessed shopaholic and I get pretty obsessive about it. I like picking up things that I can remember the place by – clothes, artefacts, whatever. I can't leave without a souvenir, so the first thing I do when I arrive anywhere is to check out the local mall. Poor Raj. I brought back these incredible bedside table lamps carved out of real ostrich eggs from South Africa, and I got a giant elephant made from a single piece of wood shipped back from Marbella.

What do you always take with you?

I'm a Oneness University follower, so whenever I leave India I always carry a photograph of my guru, Amma Bhagwan. That is very important to me.

What's your best piece of travel advice?

I always carry one duffel bag and one hard bag because I really believe that you can never go wrong with a duffel bag. You can shove in as many clothes as you want. And secondly, always pack a pair of jeans and a couple of T-shirts in your hand luggage just in case your bags go missing.

Where do you want to go next?

I'd love to visit Bali or perhaps Barbados.
…and disasters?

Which was your worst holiday?

Although the Burj Al Arab was an exceptional hotel, my holiday there was ruined by illness. I had ulcers in my stomach and was in so much pain that I had to be taken by wheelchair from the plane and spent the majority of the three days in the bathroom – which at least was one of the most luxurious bathrooms in the world.

What was your worst ever experience on holiday?

Definitely my illness in Dubai, as it ruined my family's holiday as well as my own. I'd been so looking forward to the whole trip and to sampling the amazing cuisine that it was a crushing disappointment. And people had planned a birthday party for me, too, so I couldn't even attend my own party. I'd rather forget the whole thing.

And the biggest packing mistake you've made?

I flew from Heathrow Terminal Five with British Airways to Miami at the height of the whole lost-baggage fiasco to do an eight-day shoot for a Bollywood movie I was filming, but when we landed not a single one of my five bags was there. I had no clothes, no toiletries, nothing; so I had to buy everything from scratch. Can you imagine how horrid that was? My bags finally turned up from London on the last day of the shoot, which was a nightmare, but you have to learn to take these things in your stride.

Which is the worst hotel you've stayed in?

I was filming a song-and-dance scene in the south of India for a Bollywood movie and the location was actually quite beautiful, with this lovely lush waterfall and stunning scenery. But it was in the back of beyond and we had to stay in a horrible two-star guesthouse – I don't think it was equipped to cater for stars – that didn't even have hot water or a proper menu. I have no idea what the place was called, but if I found myself back there I would run in the opposite direction.

What do you avoid on holidays?

The sun. I was born tanned and I tan very easily, so I use a lot of sunblock and try to stay out of direct sunlight.

What do you hate about holidays?

Packing to come home, especially if I've been shopping. There's never enough space. On a recent trip to London I actually had to put some of the things I'd bought into carrier bags as the airline had cut the luggage allowance during my stay. ( telegraph.co.uk )