Jetsettersblog

Lorraine Gets New TGV

The French province of Lorraine is expecting the startup of the TGV East high-speed train next year to increase arrivals to 37 million travelers. Travelers will be able to take advantage of the proximity of Alsace, Lorraine and Champagne-Ardenne, linking these destinations more directly to Paris Ile-de-France and the western side of the country.

The Meuse TGV station will be located about 19 miles from Verdun and Bar-le-Duc, making it possible to connect directly to them by TGV from Paris, the Ile-de-France, Bordeaux and Strasbourg. The Lorraine TGV station will be located about 16 miles from Metz and 23 miles from Nancy, making it possible to directly connect via TGV from Paris, the Ile-de-France, Bordeaux, Nantes, Rennes, Lille, Strasbourg and Frankfurt, Germany.

Also benefiting the region is the fact that for the first time in 2007, an entire area will be named a European culture capital. Luxembourg 2007 will not only affect Luxembourg but also Lorraine, as one of its four neighboring areas. The program will include a selection of more than 500 projects, involving every manner of art discipline, for a year full of special events.

The program will be broken down into the four seasons, each one of which will be launched by an inaugural festival party, echoing the legends and myths of the Greater Region. Among the festivals in 2006 are recreations of the Battle of Verdun from June 23-29; a medieval festival in Rodemack through July; a Sainte-Croix Children’s Festival in July and August; a Plum Festival in Metz Aug. 19-27; a Festival of Sacred and Baroque Music in Froville through September and annual Christmas Markets in Metz and Nancy in November and December. For more information, visit www.crt-lorraine.fr

Pier at Caesars In Atlantic City

First Wave of Luxury Shops Brings Excitement and Style to Atlantic City Boardwalk

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J.,- On Tuesday, June 27th, the first phase of stores at the highly anticipated Pier at Caesars unlocked their seaside doors to eager shoppers and vacationers on Atlantic City’s boardwalk.

This immense complex will open in stages with the first 30 high-end retail shops and boutiques fully open for business to Fourth of July visitors.

The Pier will steadily roll out additional stores throughout the summer months and restaurants will launch by late summer. Stay tuned for details on more opening dates and events or visit http://www.thepieratcaesars.com/. Some of the retail establishments that opened on June 27th include: Burberry, Stuart Weitzman, Betsey Johnson, Movado, Coach and IT’SUGAR, a two- story, 6,000-square-foot candy shop that features more than 5,000 varieties of sweets, a make-your-own chocolate bar and more than 250 varieties of ice cream.

Many of these luxury merchants have chosen The Pier at Caesars as the first location for a store anywhere in the New Jersey/Philadelphia region. At its completion, The Pier at Caesars will be home to 90 mid to high-end luxury retailers, boasting names such as Louis Vuitton and Salvatore Ferragamo.

This exciting destination will provide serious shoppers the opportunity to find the latest fashions and merchandise by rising-star and local designers. When it comes to food and entertainment, The Pier will be well worth the wait! It has all that even the most serious connoisseurs could ask for, including Stephen Starr’s Buddakan and The Continental, Jeffrey Chodorow’s rumjungle, Patrick Lyon’s Game On, and Sonsie, and Vino Noir, a winebar charcuterie that will contain wireless touch-screen web pad computers for guests to enhance their wine knowledge, are two more surefire hot spots on The Pier. And travelers craving more than a first class shopping and dining experience, can look forward to a spectacular light, sound and music show and electrifying Times Square-style signage atop the building. Atlantic City’s first seaside wedding and banquet event space will also be part of The Pier and will provide full-service planning, from the invitations to the reception. Gordon Group Holdings, the visionary leaders behind the Forum Shops in Las Vegas, and Taubman Centers partnered to plan and create

The Pier at Caesars and other retail ventures throughout the world. Together these companies have created a shopping, dining, and entertainment destination that is sure to propel AC to the top of the nation’s list of premier vacation hot spots. For more information on The Pier at Caesars visit http://www.thepieratcaesars.com

Botanical Treasures of Costa Rica

Calypso Island Tours is offering ” Botanical Treasures of Costa Rica”, a unique 12-day/11-night tour which will sample the rich botanical diversity of Costa Rica. Scheduled for November 23 - December 4, this 12-day adventure will journey into the rugged Southern Pacific mountain range and through the lush, steamy rainforests of the Northern lowlands.

Featured are excursions to a variety of botanical gardens and horticultural research facilities including a visit to the beautiful private gardens of noted Horticulturist, Illeana Tehran, founder of SACRO (Save Costa Rica’s Orchids), an organization dedicated to maintaining natural habitats where orchids grow wild and to Las Cruces Biological Station, home of Wilson Botanical Gardens, Costa Rica’s preeminent botanical gardens. Located near the Panamanian border at an elevation of 4500 feet above sea level, these gardens are a fascinating showcase for tropical plants and the facility serves as a research center for the Organization of Tropical Studies.

While traveling through the Caribbean lowlands, tour participants will be enriched by a visit to the small village of Argentina, who are trying to improve the community’s economy and protect the environment through agro-ecotourism . You’ll have an opportunity to explore their cooperative farms, learn about their cottage industries which produce various products from the rainforest and interact with members of the community. The tour concludes with a workshop on how soaps and teas are made from medicinal plants.

Other highlights includes an excursion to the venerable Lankester Garden, Costa Rica’s oldest botanical garden located near the colonial town of Cartago, a tour of the majestic Irazu volcano, which looms 11,00 feet above sea level with magnificent views of both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans and an all day excursion to La Paz Waterfall Gardens, home of the world’s largest enclosed butterfly observatory. In addition, there will be leisurely nature hikes and a jungle cruise where you’ll encounter many tropical birds and other creatures of the rainforest.

The tour escorted is escorted by a professional botanist from Costa Rica and is limited to a maximum of 16 people. The price for this 12-day tour is $2389 per person, based on double occupancy, and includes accommodations, touring and sightseeing, all transfers and most meals. International airfare is not included. For more information, call (866) 682-2121 or (650) 866-3654 or visit www.calypsoislandtours.com/trip_info.php?id=11

Miraflores Park Hotel Lima’s Newest Spa

Following an extensive multimillion dollar renovation project, Orient-Express’ Miraflores Park Hotel announces the opening of ZEST SPA, a full service luxury day spa located on the 11th floor with stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and a relaxing array of indigenous treatments incorporating honey and a variety of oils from Peru and the Amazon. With relatively easy access from the States, Zest is an incredible escape and extraodinary value for anyone needing a dose of luxurious sunny pampering, as most treatments are priced at just $60 per hour or $90 for 90 minutes.

Guests can experience the spa’s signature ‘Floating Wrapture’ on Zest Spa’s thermal Dry-Float Bed; this fresh, hand-mixed wrap deeply hydrates the skin and provides a rejuvenating respite for tired bodies.

Other unique treatments include:

Delzura Wrap (60 minutes)

Local honey and oil mixture nourishes and deeply hydrates the skin. After a gentle dry brush exfoliation, the body is enveloped in a luminous moisturizing mixture of choice and gently wrapped. As the skin soaks up the emollient rich mixture, a head and foot massage with rainforest botanicals will gently coax guests into a deeper state of relaxation. A cleansing shower and application of Zest Spa’s Amazonian moisturizer will leave guests with a profound feeling of well-being. Price is US $60.

Peruvian Olive Oil & Brown Sugar Polish (60/90 minutes) Using a scrub native to Lima, this treatment improves circulation and adds natural minerals to the skin. Brown Sugar is drenched in local olive oil and eucalyptus to awaken your senses and smooth the skin.

Peruvian Heated Stone Massage (90 minutes) Soothing heat from volcanic stones deeply penetrates the muscles to release stress and tension before a firm and rhythmic massage sequence allows the stones to release their healing energies. Price is US $90.

All massages incorporate a variety of techniques to help promote relaxation, increase circulation and reduce stress, while invigorating body scrubs stimulate circulation, add natural minerals to the skin and create a fresh, relaxed feeling for both mind and body. Each body scrub is completed with a choice of a 30-minute back massage or a 60-minute, full-body massage.

The Miraflores Park Hotel, Lima, reopened in March 2005 following an extensive refurbishment during which all the guest rooms were renovated and restaurant created on the 11th floor with stunning views of the coastline, a new signature suite added to the 10th floor and a new gourmet seafood restaurant and al fresco terrace named Poissonerie on the ground floor.

ARGENTINA Five Star Hotel Mecca

Buenos Aires can become a five star hotel Mecca In a short term a dozen five star hotels could be added to the 10 already existent five star properties in the capital of Argentina. Hyatt, before the end of the month, will open the Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt Buenos Aires, and in the next months the St. Regis – luxury hotel chain from St. Regis – and the Mexican Mayan hotels are confirmed to open also. Ritz Carlton could also be added, for the company is studying two proposals in Buenos Aires, while other three local investment groups are carrying out negotiations with different international chains and planning to open facilities in Puerto Madero. LAN Argentina announced flight to Miami

Tourist route Yguazu-Misiones is created

Recently the launch of the Project known as the route Yguazu-Misiones was launched in Sao Pablo. This project will cover areas of the province of Misiones (Argentina), the states of Parana and Rio Grande do Sul (Brasil) and the departments of Itapua, Misiones and Alto Parana, considering the great potential of these regions for the establishment of an integrated process that will permit the expansion of the results of tourism in each one of them.

Hertz Arrives to Cusco and Arequipa

Hertz will soon open new offices in Arequipa and Cusco. Inka’s Rent a Car, Hert’z franchise in Peru and Servicios Turisticos signed a contract in which this last company will be in charge of the operations of the new offices.

El Salvador Gets More Hotels

The hotel infrastructure grew by 20.7 percent in 2005, reaching 5,757 guest rooms, stated the Ministry of Tourism. The increase of the availability of guest rooms was due to the expansion of hotels in the cities and the construction of new beach properties on the Ocean Pacific and in mountain areas, stated the official balance.

Cancun Gets info booths

The Secretary of Tourism of Quintana Roo will place 15 information booths throughout different points of the main tourist areas, in order to orient visitors, using the “touch screen” technology

Grupo Posadas launches new hotel chain

The Mexican operator of the Grupo Posadas hotels launched a new five star hotel chain. Posadas plans to build 20 hotels in 10 years under its new concept, called “Lat 19″ because of the latitude of the City of Mexico and it will target close to 350,000 travelers from the individual guest segment. This concept is about hotels with an emphasis on style, concept that has built the reputation of the W hotel chain, of Starwood. Many others have been added, such as Intercontinental Hotels Group, through its Indigo hotels.