Jetsettersblog

Miami Beach, FL — Airways Hotel Port Moresby – a member of Boutique Hotels & Resorts International – announces the official opening of the Airways Health and Racquet Club, further enhancing the range of facilities and amenities on offer at this truly unique design hotel.

MIAMI BEACH, FL – The Health and Racquet Club covers 600 square meters fitted out in stunning d cor, and includes state of the art “Wellness in Motion” Techno Gym cardio and strength equipment, a 20-metre infinity lap pool, air-conditioned squash courts, floodlit tennis court, aerobics and exercise room, massage rooms, separate male and female steam rooms and saunas, and a Zen garden with views over the valley, the sea, and the mountains, for winding down after a workout or massage treatment.

A full range of professionally organized classes and lessons offers Club members and hotel guests a variety of invigorating fitness and exercise programs and routines. The Airways also has an outdoor exercise trail through the lush botanical gardens.

Airways Hotel General Manager Kevin Yaxley envisioned the Health and Racquet Club to be “another wonderful feature to complement the range of facilities and services available at the Airways Hotel,” and added that it “will certainly enhance the overall experience guests will enjoy at the Airways, and a marvelous facility for Club members.”

In keeping with the hotel’s Green Hotels affiliation, the Health and Racquet Club takes measures to be environmentally-conscious, using water preservation and recycling programs, as well as energy-saving lighting designs.

Other luxury facilities at the Airways Hotel – which lead to it’s nomination as Papua New Guinea’s Leading Boutique Hotel in the 2007 World Travel Awards – include Spa Pua, the Business Centre and Conference Facilities, fine dining in Bacchus Restaurant, Chef’s Master Class Cooking demonstrations, and elegant shopping in Crabtree & Evelyn and The Dunhill Store.

Other facilities include the PNG Dive Centre offering underwater diving excursions and PADI certification courses.

The Airways Hotel room features include simple elegance with superb service, flat screen TVs, wireless internet, in-room safes, crisp linen, luxury toiletries and 24-hour butler service. Fountain Rooms feature private balconies.

About Airways Hotel Port Moresby

Nominated as Papua New Guinea’s Leading Boutique Hotel in the 2007 World Travel Awards, and a member of Boutique Hotels & Resorts International , the Airways Hotel Port Moresby is one of the most unique airport hotels in the world. Just 2 minutes from Jackson’s International Airport, the Airways Hotel is nestled into the mountainside in its own botanical gardens, with stunning views of the crystal clear waters of Bootless Bay and the majestic mountains of the Owen Stanley Ranges.

Book online at www.bthotels.com or this link

About Boutique Hotels & Resorts International

Boutique Hotels & Resorts International is the only trademarked Boutique hotel organization awarding a distinct identity exclusively to authentic boutique hotels around the world that is recognized by travelers and travel professionals for a genuine boutique lodging experience. To member hotels, Boutique is a full service strategic alliance featuring inventive marketing and the latest in reservation and global distribution technology that provides independent boutique hotels with the opportunities to compete with the major hotel giants. Boutique originated in Montreux, Switzerland, is headquartered in Miami Beach, and features the most interesting Boutique hotel locations, from cosmopolitan business centers to exotic vacation destinations.

More information at: www.bthotels.com

Come, See and Experience Germany as it was…and is today.

With the launch of its German American heritage website, www.germanoriginality.com, the German National Tourist Office and the German Information Center and their partners are riding the wave of heritage travel which is now at an all-time high. They are reaching out to German Americans, who at almost 15 percent of the U.S. population, make up the largest ethnic group in the United States.

The opening of two sophisticated heritage museums in Bremerhaven and Hamburg are highlights of any heritage trip to Germany. In Bavaria, the homes and museums dedicated to Levi Strauss (of Levis fame) and to Daniel Pastorius (the founder of Germantown) are must-sees. The nearby UNESCO heritage town of Bamberg and the towns of Fuerth and Regensburg are the birthplaces or erstwhile homes of Henry Kissinger, Sandra Bullock and Oskar Schindler. Further west, history comes alive in the town of Ulm, Einstein’s birthplace in Baden-Wuerttemberg. In and around the beautiful vineyards of the Palatinate, visitors can travel to a number of towns from where many Germans emigrated to America. Berlin offers a plethora of information and personalities on German American heritage especially in the 20th century.  

Standup Paddleboarding Instructional DVD by REAL is out now

Five-time TELLY Award winner, REAL Video Productions, is proud to announce the newest addition to its world famous line of instructional DVDs …Standup Paddleboarding. This DVD will take viewers from their first sessions on the water through basic wave riding.

The sport of Standup Paddleboarding is exploding worldwide! Men and women of all ages, from all backgrounds, living on or near every conceivable body of water are drawn to the sport for its ease of access, simple equipment, excellent core exercise potential and endless learning curve. From paddling the flat water of lakes and rivers to surfing the beach breaks and point breaks of the world, Standup Paddleboarding is a sport that almost anyone can enjoy.

The REAL Standup Paddleboarding Instructional DVD will set a standard within this emerging sport. Topics covered in the DVD include:

GEAR

Board Types, Board Constructions, Fin Choices, Paddles, Deckpads, Wax, Leashes, Wetsuits, Booties, Sun Protection.

GEAR SET UP

Proper Wax Choice and Application, Installing your Standup Deckpad, Installing Leash and Fin, Choosing your Paddle, Paddle Sizing.

THE BASICS

Standing Up, Proper Stance, Holding Paddle, Paddling Technique, Using Paddle to Balance, How to Fall.

FIRST SESSION

Flatwater Session, Basics Review, Finding the Sweet Spot, Advanced Paddling Techniques, Turning Techniques.

WAVE SESSION

Flatwater Review, Paddling over Whitewater, Waiting for Waves, Catching Waves, Riding Waves, Exiting Waves, Falling in the Surf.

BONUS SECTION

Standup Etiquette, Jimmy Lewis Surf and Standup Paddleboards, REAL BVI Slideshows, Cape Hatteras Bonus Footage.

“The REAL Standup DVD was a blast to make and already is getting rave reviews from the viewers. We used the same style of teaching that we developed for our kiteboarding programs, so each lesson is easy to understand and gets you out on the water having fun no matter what your level. This is a sport for everyone, everyday, everywhere.

My 6 year old daughter Annabel does it and so do my 65 year old parents. We are stoked to be able to bring it to watersports enthusiasts around the world in the REAL Standup Paddleboard DVD !” – Trip Forman Director/ Producer REAL Video Productions

www.actiontrail.com

Biarritz — X-Treme Video, Europe’s leading provider of extreme sports content, announced today the launch of its new web Video-On-Demand service. The platform will make available on-line what is unquestionably the largest collection of high quality extreme sports films in Europe.

“With more than 500 films to choose from over 20+ different extreme sports, and various subscription packages on offer, there really is more than enough content to satiate even the most thirsty action sports content consumers at a very reasonable price”, says Pascoe de Glanville of X-Treme Video.

“Prices Range from €1,99 to €3,99 for 3-day film access, with most new releases being made available before the actual DVD release. Up coming surf film VOD releases will include Quiksilver’s Young Guns 3 and the much-awaited documentary about South Sydney’s notorious surf crew, the “Bra Boys”, narrated by Russell Crowe”.

The X-Treme Video VOD experience will offer full-screen near-DVD-quality viewing on any broadband connected Mac or PC, and can be hooked up to the living room TV with simple PC to TV cabling, soon to be available from the same service. In addition to the regular Pay-Per-View and Subscription content, there will also be a large volume of sponsored content available for free, so head over to x-tremevideo.com to start watching now!

Free VOD Trial Offer with this Coupon Code: XVOD

About X-Treme Video

X-TREME VIDEO is the leader in extreme sports programming distribution in Europe, working with over 150 producers and selling to over 4,500 established retailers in over 18 countries. X-TREME VIDEO was founded by Valérie Martin and Franck Bywalski in 1994. Both individuals came from the action sport industry and identified great potential in providing sport enthusiasts with footage rarely seen on TV. The company started to sell surfing and snowboarding video, and later broadened its catalogue to, include other extreme sports.

The full range now includes skiing, wakeboarding, skateboarding, windsurfing, kite boarding, motor cross, road bike stunts, inline skating, base jumping, body boarding, bmx, mountain biking, long boarding, jet skiing, snowmobile, rock climbing and more. The X-TREME VIDEO brand has been extensively advertised across Europe in speciality magazines and has established itself as the premier name for video distribution in specialty sports shops.

With emphasis on the quality of the visual content offered in the catalogue, X-TREME has built up a strong relationship with the world’s best extreme sports videos producers. Having now gained the trust of these producers, the company handles all their stock footage enquiries in Europe and manages what is considered the best and most current library of extreme sport’s footage in Europe.

www.x-tremevideo.com

Westin Hotels announced what it claims is the hotel industry’s first in-room spa program worldwide.

The spa program includes a portable spa bed, which Westin calls the “Heavenly Spa” after its guest room “Heavenly Bed.” The program also includes a basket filled with a variety of sensory items to be enjoyed before, during, and after treatments.

“We designed our new in-room spa experience to appeal to the growing segment of travelers who expect uncompromised luxury but may prefer the comfort and privacy of their room over a communal spa,” said Sue Brush, senior vice president of Westin Hotels & Resorts, the parent company of the Westin chain.

This program is also geared for business travelers who often have a small window of time for relaxation and pampering, she added.

Westin’s in-room spa program is customized throughout — beginning with a booking — when a staff member gathers information about the guest’s history and preferences.
About 40 minutes prior to the appointment, the hotel staff delivers a spa basket containing bottled water, a compact disc of relaxation music, a treat such as dark chocolate, and a letter explaining what to expect from the treatment. The basket also contains a selection of plant-based aromatherapy oils and room sprays.

Westin’s in-room spa program is now available at 64 of the chain’s 150 properties, with roll-out continuing in the 31 countries where Westin operates.

The recently launched FlightBliss.com says it is the only free web-based travel information service specializing entirely in airline upgrade strategies.

“Any commercial airline passenger can now learn the many different ways to navigate the complex world of seat upgrades to fly First Class or Business Class,” says the site.

The service shows users how to get more value from their frequent flyer miles.

Choose the most comfortable seats.

Leverage airline upgrade promotions.

Book first and business class fares for less than the published rates, and sometimes for the price of coach.

“At FlightBliss.com, we believe the journey is as important as the destination,” said Matthew Bennett, the site’s founder who is also known as “Mr. Upgrade.”

Since 1996, Mr Bennett has published First Class Flyer, an in-depth monthly newsletter for subscribers interested in upgrading.  www.flightbliss.com

Food and wine related travel is escalating in popularity throughout the US and not just in the Napa Valley.

The top 10 fastest growing wine regions in its recent Index release. The Index includes some unexpected “hot” wine destinations such as the “City of Brotherly Love.”

“No matter where you live in the US, you’re probably not more than a few hours away from a great vacation that pairs a nice hotel with a local vineyard,” said Heather Leisman, senior director of merchandising for Orbitz.

Not unexpectedly, California’s Napa Valley is still king. But others include:

Napa Valley, California; Texas Hill Country; Arkansas Wine Country; Puget Sound, Washington; Columbia Cascades and North Central Washington; Grand River Valley, Ohio; Nashville (TN)/Bloomington Area, Indiana; Applegate/Rogue Valley, Oregon; Lake Erie Region, Ohio; Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Some other sometimes surprising findings:

Philadelphia offers much more than monuments and museums. The city is actually in the vicinity of 18 wineries, six of which make up the Brandywine Valley wine trail, located just 25 minutes away.

“Distinctive wines combined with southern hospitality have vaulted the Texas Hill and Arkansas Wine Countries to the #2 and #3 spots respectively. And the Pacific Northwest is gaining on California as the place to be when it comes to wine excursions” says Orbitz.

Three of the top ten fastest-growing regions in the US are from points of interest in Washington and Oregon. And before snow starts to fall in the Midwest, there are a number of growing wine regions that have given destinations in Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee and Michigan four of the top 10 spots.

In Mexico, tequila is king but Sonora is home to half of Mexico’s vineyards. The Baja region and Ensenada are also known for their wines, and food and wine festivals.

And in another surprise: in Canada, the Okanagan region features some of Canada’s best scenery and wine.

Conrad Chicago is situated on the Magnificent Mile in the heart of the retail district. This prestigious address is adjacent to Nordstrom and above the Westfield North Bridge shopping center. Conrad Chicago is moments from “The Loop” (Chicago’s business district), fine dining, exclusive retailers, attractions and entertainment.

Booking a Bed & Breakfast* at Conrad Chicago is the perfect way to ensure your clients experience mornings on their own terms with a sumptuous breakfast served in the privacy of their room – or in The Restaurant at Conrad. And the luxuries don’t stop there, every guest room features:

• 500 thread-count Pratesi® linens

• Luxurious pillow-top beds

• 42-inch plasma televisions

• Hi-fi Bose® 321 entertainment systems

• iPod alarm clock with charging/docking station

Enhancing your experience:

• Complimentary wired and wireless internet access

• Complimentary pillow menu

• Complimentary daily newspaper menu

• Complimentary nightly turndown service

The following additional enhancements to complement your stay may be arranged at an additional fee:

• Bath butler service/bath menu

• In-room manicure

• In-room pedicure

• In-room facial

You travelers will never view ordering room services in the same way again after they experience all that the Bed & Breakfast package has to offer.

RATES START FROM $285 A NIGHT

Based on Single Occupancy. Valid December 1, 2007 — December 31, 2007.*

Conrad Hotels participate in the Hilton HHonors program. HHonors members can enjoy HHonors benefits, amenities, awards and points accrual at the Conrad Chicago.

A published report by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), put the percentage of Israeli land devoted to nature reserves, national parks, farmland and forested areas at 16 percent compared to 11.7 percent in France, 7.7 percent in Spain and 0.5 percent in Lebanon. Conservation efforts in the Mediterranean basin are of particular importance, according to the IUCN report, as the area boasts more than 25,000 species of flora, approximately half of which are unique to the region. And many of the area’s fauna, including certain freshwater fish, sharks and marine mammals, are in danger of extinction.

For more information on Israel, visit www.goisrael.com

The Schlitterbahn Vacation Village, located in Kansas City in Wyandotte County, Kansas, hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on Sept. 18. The first elements of the Vacation Village are scheduled to open in the summer of 2009 and will include the first phase of the water resort, several lodging components, and the initial shops and restaurants to be developed along the projects themed Riverwalk. Other parts of the Schlitterbahn Vacation Village will continue to be completed through the summer of 2011. The Vacation Village is a $750 million year-round, retail entertainment destination comprised of multiple shopping, dining, lodging and entertainment venues connected by a Transportainment River System. In the Vacation Village, manmade rivers carry guests between lodging units and a water resort along with a covered Riverwalk including shops and restaurants.

The Kansas project is the first expansion outside of Texas for the popular Schlitterbahn group of waterparks. Schlitterbahn currently operates three Texas waterparks — Schlitterbahn Beach Waterpark, South Padre Island; Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark, Galveston Island; and the flagship Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort, New Braunfels. The 370-acre village is expected to entertain millions of guests per year and will create several thousand jobs. Family-owned and operated, Schlitterbahn Waterparks offer family amenities that include free parking and free inner tubes. Guests are also welcome to bring a family picnic basket, excluding alcohol and glass containers, into the parks.

For more information, call 830-625-2351 or visit www.schlitterbahn.com