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The Skylofts at MGM Grand and Joël Robuchon at MGM Grand have received the Mobil Five-Star designation.

This is the first time the Skylofts have received the honor and fourth time for Joël Robuchon. The two-story Skylofts offer a loft environment with personalized service. Joël Robuchon has received the Mobil Five-Star award and the Michelin three-star award — the top accolades from each of these organizations — since it opened in 2005.

In addition, Spa Bellagio, The Signature at MGM Grand and four MGM Mirage restaurants — Aureole and miX at Mandalay Bay and Picasso and Michael Mina at Bellagio — have received four stars.

For more information, visit the Perks Page.

Design Hotels announced the opening of its new member hotel Alila Villas Uluwatu on April 1, 2009.

Alila Villas Uluwatu in Bali is the first all pool-villa property in a new generation of Alila Hotels and Resorts.

It is the first resort in Bali designed from the ground up to achieve Green Globe certification, the highest level of Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) certification.

Thanks to the resort’s attention to water conservation, recycling and energy-saving, guests’ ecological footprint is being kept at a minimum. Atop a 100-meter cliff, Alila Villas Uluwatu is located along the southern coastline of Bali within a 30-minute drive from the international airport. The resort offers 52 one-bedroom villas, two two-bedroom villas, five three-bedroom cliff side villas and 25 three-bedroom private villas, each open to the outdoors, offering Indian Ocean views from bed to bathtub.

Designed by Singaporean architects WOHA, all villas showcase contemporary interiors enhanced with touches of nature and traditional Balinese accents.

These are reflected in planes of wood, water, stone and rattan.

If guests want to further experience the resort, the facilities available to them include a palm-fringed, 50-meter pool, a fully-equipped fitness center, an extensive resort library, yoga and pilates studio, an event center and a wedding pavilion and lawn.

Personalized services include three-levels of butler service options, ranging from private to indulgent.

The Warung and The Restaurant, Alila Villas Uluwatu’s two restaurants, are helmed by executive Chef Stefan Zijta, former sous chef at Vermeer, a two Michelin-starred restaurant in Amsterdam.

The Warung offers traditional Balinese and Indonesian cuisine, while The Restaurant is the property’s fine-dining option, offering contemporary Western cuisine prepared with fresh regional produce.

The Spa features five deluxe spa villas where traditional Balinese massages and beauty treatments are offered.

 For more information, call 800-337-4685

or visit www.designhotels.com

zuji.com.sg Bali Top Flights Deals

Wyndham Hotel Group continues to solidify its position as a leading U.S. hotel company in China with last month’s opening of seven hotels, three of which are all-new construction properties, under its Ramada, Howard Johnson and Super 8 brands.

Among the new hotels open are the five-star, 1162-room Howard Johnson Resort Sanya Bay on Hainan Island, one of China’s premier resort destinations; the four-star, city-center Ramada Wuxi hotel; and the Super 8 Hotel Shanghai Fen Ye Hong Qiao located near the Shanghai Zoo, Guangda Exhibition Centre and Qibao Old Town. “Despite the economic climate and the devastating earthquake in May, Wyndham Hotel Group continues to be a leader in China,” said Tom Monahan, executive vice president of international development for Wyndham Hotel Group International.

 “The addition of these impressive properties further strengthens our position in the country with current and prospective owners and developers.” The Hotel Group currently has over 170 properties in the country operating under the Ramada, Super 8 and Howard Johnson brand names.

The Micronesian island of Palau is promoting itself as a destination wedding center. Palau boasts such options as underwater nuptials to personal encounters with dolphins. Local operators Sam’s Tours, Fish ‘n’ Fins and Neco Tours all offer underwater nuptials. Although no packaged programs exist, each tour company can provide this customizable service for those hard core divers who feel the urge to exchange their vows beneath the surface.

Other available options through these vendors include a wedding on the secluded island of Peleliu at Honeymoon Beach or on board a live-aboard yacht while out at sea.

Dolphin’s Pacific Ocean Blessing package allows couples to enjoy a private affair in the remote Emerald Lagoon alongside dolphins.

 The package starts at $1,500 (eight person maximum) and includes private ceremony at Emerald Lagoon, surrounded by the Rock Islands; boat transportation to and from Dolphin Bay; round-trip land transportation from Palau Pacific Resort to venue; ceremony officiated by a judge; mar mar, lei and bouquet; VIP red carpet and flower and candle arrangements; hair and makeup “Bridal Beauty Package” by Palau Pacific Resort; and photo (CD and album) services of ceremony.

For more information, call 680-488-8582, email e-dream@dolphinspacific.com  or visit www.dolphinspacific.com

The beachside Palau Pacific Resort has hosted many weddings. The resort’s wedding package includes private beach ceremony; personal wedding coordinator; transfers to and from the airport in a VIP vehicle; fresh floral arrangements/flower shower/floral wedding ring pillow; marriage certificate; bridal bouquet and groom’s corsage; champagne toast after the ceremony; bridal beauty package; 80-minute treatment for the bride at Elilai Spa by Mandara; wedding gift especially made by Palau Pacific Resort; exclusive use of a bride’s room for preparations; and a gift voucher for two nights in an ocean-view room for a return visit, valid for one year.

For more information, call 680-4888-2600, email info@ppr-palau.com  or visit www.visit-palau.com

InterContinental Tahiti Resort announced the opening of the Deep Nature Spa by Algotherm. The new spa features Algotherm treatments and products containing marine vitamins extracted from the ocean’s depths.

The spa menu also includes treatments with traditional Polynesian Hei Poa, the Polynesian massage products. Designed by Algotherm, the Deep Nature Spa is located in the InterContinental Tahiti Resort, near the lagoon. The 3,230-square-foot oasis is host to a number of services and five treatment rooms, including a relaxation area with a steam bath, rain shower experiences to stimulate the senses, a cold plunge, a tea lounge, and a state-of-the-art fitness room with breathtaking views of the lagoon and of the sister island of Moorea.

Deep Nature Spa treatments aim to connect the body with “te moana” (the sea), and “te fena” (the earth).

The connection is made by blending the deep ocean products of Algotherm with local island products found on land.

Treatments include a “Monoï tradition massage by Hei Poa,” “Algospa seaweed body wrap,” “Marine Body Scrubs,” and the signature “Tahitian Wave” massage.

For more information, call 888-IC-HOTELS or visit www.tahitiresorts.intercontinental.com

EASY ACCESS TO TWO OF TULUM’S TREASURED SITES

Adults-only resort in the Riviera Maya, Mexico is minutes away from some of Tulum’s Treasures – the revered Xcaret Cancun Eco Park and Archeological Zone of Tulum –

Catalonia Royal Tulum Beach & Spa Resort, located in Xpu-Ha, Riviera Maya on the Caribbean coastline, offers easy access to two of Tulum’s cherished attractions – Xcaret Cancun Eco Park and the Archeological Zone of Tulum.

Located fifteen minutes away from Catalonia Royal Tulum, Xcaret Cancun Eco Park is Mexico’s magical paradise where culture, ecology and Mexican wildlife meet. Derived from the Mayan word meaning “small inlet,” Xcaret is a natural park filled with all the Xcaret Maya expressions of culture, nature and beauty. Ideal for travelers wanting the true Riviera Maya experience, the Mayan eco-park boasts underground rivers, a butterfly pavilion, coral reef aquarium, white sandy beach, tropical inlets and much more.

 The historical paradise is also home to “Xcaret Mexico Especacular” – the one-of-a-kind celebration honoring the traditions, history and mysticism of Mexico. Xcaret Cancun Eco Park is open 365 days-a-year from 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the winter season and 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. during the summer season.

Catalonia Royal Tulum is twenty minutes away from the renowned Tulum Archeological Zone, one of the best-preserved coastal Maya sites. The ruins are located on 39-footcliffs, along the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula on the Caribbean Sea in the state of Quintana Roo. There, tourists will marvel in the ancient Maya civilization that once was. A large number of cenotes are located in the Tulum Archeological Zone area such as Maya Blue, Naharon, Temple of Doom, Tortuga, Vacaha, Gand Cenote, Abejas, Nohoch Kiin and Carwash cenotes and cave systems. The ancient ruins are the third most-visited archaeological site in Mexico and the site is also popular for its picturesque views of the Caribbean. Guests of Catalonia Royal Tulum Beach & Spa Resort wanting to experience the nature and culture the ancient area offers, may visit the ruins daily via tour buses.

Catalonia Royal Tulum Beach & Spa Resort, located in Xpu-Ha, Riviera Maya on the Caribbean coastline, is a tropical paradise ensconced by natural Mayan vegetation of native jungle trees, indigenous plants, mangroves and cenotes. The resort also boasts a white path constructed as a Mayan ruin surrounded by Mexican vegetation and cenotes called Sacbe, which means “White Path” in ancient Mayan.

The adults-only resort features 288 guestrooms and Junior Suites, in-room amenities and services, full-service spa offering host treatments and therapies including a Mayan ritual therapy, Vichy shower room, hydrotherapy tanks and hydro-massage tubs. The resort also boasts a fitness center, six restaurants ranging in specialties from Italian to Tuscan to Mexican, a Tapas Lounge Bar located amongst the natural vegetation and serving live music daily, four bars including pool and beach juice bar, a host of water sports and activities including complimentary scuba lesson and wireless Internet access throughout the resort.

For reservations and information contact Catalonia Royal Tulum at 011-52-984-875-1800 or   www.hoteles-catalonia.com

Rates are per person, per night and include all meals and beverages. Rate excludes tax and gratuities. All rates are subject to availability. Rates for Xcaret Eco Park vary.

Stowe Mountain Resort has opened Stay Tuned, a new on-mountain, high-tech ski and board tuning and rental shop with the latest Wintersteiger Service Center equipment.

The shop is located inside Stowe’s new Spruce Camp base lodge, the long-awaited modern hub for guest services at the mountain.

The facility includes restaurants, a bar, indoor and outdoor fireplaces, retail, tickets, and public lounge areas that blend the unique dynamics of Stowe’s mountains with the comfort of an innovative luxury base lodge.

The beautifully designed building is located adjacent to the new Over Easy transfer gondola, providing convenient access to the slopes of both Spruce Peak and Mount Mansfield.

 For more information, visit www.wintersteiger.com  or www.stowe.com

Wimco Villas has added five new villas to its exclusive-to-Wimco Villas inventory in St. Barts. Several of the new properties also offer flexible pricing options which means not only do weekly prices rise and fall according to the season, but multiple bedroom villas assessed during certain periods can offer the villa as a one-bedroom instead of, for example, the higher rate of three bedrooms.

 “Our villa partners are sensitive to these economically challenged times and are working with us to provide ways to offer the highest level accommodations that will represent the best value possible,” said Stiles Bennet, vice president of marketing and sales for Wimco Villas.

The largest of the new villas is the six-bedroom SIB WIK that’s an easy stroll from its infinity pool to Gustavia and the epicenter of dining and shopping on St. Barts.

The weekly rate from Apr. 15 to Dec. 14 is $25,000. SIB FLO, a one-bedroom hideaway in Colombier, is priced at $2,850 weekly from Apr. 15 to Dec. 14. Balinese-themed SIB VKA offers three bedrooms in Camaruche with the option from Apr. 15 to Nov. 20 to utilize it as three, two or one bedrooms with weekly rates at $7,500, $6,000 and $5,300, respectively.

For more information, visit www.wimco.com/newsletter/20090107.asp

Ambassadors International Inc., owner of the historic Delta Queen steamboat, has chartered the vessel to a Chattanooga, Tenn., businessman, who plans to temporarily operate it as a hotel.

Harry Phillips, owner of Chattanooga Water Taxi and Fat Cat Ferry in Chattanooga, will act as “caretaker” for the 174-guest ship while Ambassadors continues searching for a buyer to operate it as an overnight cruise vessel.

Delta Queen will depart New Orleans and cruise to Chattanooga in February and will moor at Coolidge Park Landing on the Tennessee River. Delta Queen will operate as a boutique hotel, preserved in its current state and managed by Sydney Slome, owner of Chattanooga’s historic StoneFort Inn. Slome purchased the inn from Phillips two years ago.

Ambassadors will also continue pursuing a congressional exemption for the 82-year-old vessel since federal law prohibits it from operating overnight cruise voyages without an exemption due to its wooden superstructure.

Delta Queen is a registered historic treasure of the Department of the Interior and the National Trust for Historic Preservation and is also a National Historic Landmark and a member of the National Maritime Hall of Fame. The Delta Queen was recently nominated for inclusion on the National Trust for Preservation’s 2009 list of America’s Most Endangered Historic Places.

 “The company is committed to preserving this national landmark. In order to maintain the steamboat’s historical significance, provisions of the charter agreement prevent the Delta Queen from being altered,” said Diane Moore, president of Ambassadors Cruise Group.

“We selected Phillips due to his knowledge of restoring and maintaining historical properties and his maritime experience. Chattanooga’s renewed waterfront is an ideal location for people to celebrate the Delta Queen and enjoy her great historical and cultural value.”

Phillips, a licensed boat captain, has acquired and restored several historically significant homes in East Hartford, Conn., and Chattanooga. He has also served on the board of directors of Cornerstones Inc., a Chattanooga non-profit organization committed to historic preservation of downtown Chattanooga properties. Phillips is a former banker, current business owner and real estate investor who has successfully listed two of his Chattanooga downtown buildings on the National Historic Register including the StoneFort Inn, which he restored in 2003.

“The Delta Queen is a national treasure and she will be cared for accordingly until her return to overnight cruise service,” said Phillips. “She truly complements Chattanooga’s vibrant waterfront. Her mooring at the North Shore’s charming Coolidge Park will provide the first opportunity for all ages to experience and appreciate the last operable and most cherished overnight passenger steamboat in the country.”

Although the steamboat will not be able to leave the dock, Slome said he is committed to recreating the spirit of the Delta Queen for visitors and overnight guests during his service to her.

The boat has 87 cabins consisting of queens, doubles, bunk beds, and suites, as well as common areas. Slome plans to book Delta Queen’s entertainment venues and offer Dixieland jazz and shows ranging from cabarets to musical revues.

Group tours will be available, allowing visitors to learn first-hand about steam technology. The Chattanooga Water Taxi service connects both shores, and will expand its schedule as necessary to accommodate the demand from visitors to the Delta Queen.

For more information, visit www.ambassadors.com  or www.chattanoogawatertaxi.com

The new, all-suite Italian Village at Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa opened its doors last week, welcoming guests for the first time to the 162-family suite resort expansion, featuring five gourmet restaurants (for a resort total of 16), an upscale retail area, the island’s largest freshwater pool and Caribbean’s largest whirlpool, and a new lineup of teen- and tween-inspired programming. In March,

Beaches Turks & Caicos will debut the Pirate’s Island Waterpark — one of the largest waterparks in the region featuring seven new slides, a lazy river and the Caribbean’s only surf simulator, plus an all-new aqua-themed teen nightclub, Liquid.