"Take Me to the Serena"

Ongoing security concerns mean that there's never an ideal time to visit Afghanistan, but the hardy business travelers and intrepid tourists who make the journey can at least stop worrying about finding a decent place to stay in the capital, Kabul. The city has unveiled its first luxury accommodation, the Kabul Serena Hotel ( serenahotels.com ), offering a sorely needed alternative to those somewhat disheveled media and diplomat haunts, the Intercontinental and the Mustafa, as well as to the dilapidated guesthouses where many visitors have had to hole up.

Costing $35 million to build, the Serena was erected...

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