Jetsettersblog

The six-night package features a 4-night stay at Palermo and a 2-night stay at Balcones de Majagual Eco resort overlooking Maderas surf beach.

Daily adventures include horseback riding, volcano hiking and climbing, kayaking, a canopy zip line tour, a day at sea for sailing, fishing, snorkeling and surfing complete with lessons.

A “give back to the community” Spanish language school or local craft market events can be substituted for adventure activities.

The package, which includes continental breakfast and a boxed lunch daily, provides transportation to local restaurants of choice for individual dinners at guests’ own expense. Rates are $2,400 for 2 persons in a double ($1,200 per person); $3,400 for 4 persons in a 2-bedroom villa ($850 per person) including all transportation and 15% VAT. (These rates are commissionable to travel agents at 10%).

The resort’s 50 2-bedroom villas are perfect for short or long-term stays. Fully-equipped homes feature the best contemporary furnishings and amenities in a casual, stylish environment. The villas, as well as the Pacific-rim restaurant, are air conditioned and have cable television with Wi-Fi internet connection.

The villas at Balcones are equally luxurious, located just above Maderas beach.

Palermo Hotel & Resort, located on a 600-acre preserve, is close to the picturesque and historic fishing village of San Juan del Sur.

Its poolside restaurant, bar and catering services, specialize in gourmet food utilizing fresh, local ingredients under the guidance of an international chef and service staff carefully trained to the best European standards. Guests can enjoy meals overlooking the Pacific with wonderful sunset panoramas. The town of San Juan del Sur offers beachfront dining, discos and shopping, a short shuttle ride from the resort. Granada, a larger and beautifully restored colonial town, is an hour away

Villas de Palermo is easily reached by Continental, TACA or American airlines to Managua followed by a 2-hour pre-arranged, inclusive transfer.

CONTACT: Sharon Vonk
TEL: 505-672-0860 (Nicaragua) TEL: 205-304-9127 (US)
hotel@villasdepalermo.com
www.villasdepalermo.com

Urges People To Become Consumer Champions

With an estimated eight million Britons turning their backs on their regular trip abroad in order to holiday in the UK this year, a new review website offers to take the risk out of choosing the right UK holiday cottage.

Launched this month, www.MyCottageHoliday.co.uk the UK’s only independent holiday cottage review website, encourages holidaymakers to post reviews about self-catering properties they have rented. MyCottageHoliday.co.uk offers an ideal opportunity for holidaymakers to exercise some consumer power.

“Until now, you’d have to read the visitors book to get an impartial view of a cottage”, says Andy Brown, the site’s editor. “By then it’s too late if the cottage isn’t quite what you wanted or expected. Holidays are too special to allow that to happen.”

But, with so many more people choosing to take their holiday in the UK because of the economic downturn and poor exchange rates, it’s essential for experienced self-catering holidaymakers to get behind the concept and leave reviews.

“Holidaymakers no longer have to rely solely on what the owner tells them. They can read what previous guests thought,” says Brown. “After all, if you were considering booking a holiday cottage, you’d want to know how other people like you rated it.”

One user, Richard Sullivan, explains why he added a review. ” We were lucky enough to stay in a lovely cottage this Christmas. I’m sure people considering it for their holiday would want to know it is as good as the owner’s description. Adding the cottage and review was very easy. ”

What about holiday cottage owners, how will they feel about this? “The good ones will love the idea,” says Brown. “They’ll want people to know about their properties and they will benefit from the testimonials. Even the owners of accommodation that receives less than glowing reviews will benefit because they’ll be getting invaluable feedback on areas where they can improve.”

Andrew McNaughton, a cottage owner, agrees. “We’re happy to add our properties to MyCottageHoliday.co.uk and encourage our visitors to leave reviews. This is the kind of impartial testimonial that you can’t get elsewhere.”

www.MyCottageHoliday.co.uk is not a cottage booking website but holiday cottage owners can choose to list their own property for no charge and can also respond online to any review.

Those unable (or unwilling) to brave the crowds and visit Beijing’s 600-year-old Forbidden City in person can now explore the site online. The new 3-D Beyond Space and Time (beyondspaceandtime.com) is a complete, virtual replica of the vast imperial city, right down to the tour guides.

Users can interact with other visitors, check out Ming-dynasty relics, take photos, and even partake in an imperial ceremony. It’s free, and it’s at your fingertips from the comfort of your home.

With the summer opening of Capella Pedregal in Cabo San Lucas, and the November 2009 opening of Capella Bahia Maroma on the Riviera Maya, the new spa brand Auriga will make its Mexican debut.

The two spas in Mexico follow on the heels of the first Auriga, which opened at Schloss Velden, a Capella Hotel in Austria in 2007 and has already garnered several of the industry’s most prestigious honors. Distinguishing the Auriga brand are four signature treatments based on the cycles of the moon.

By tapping into the lunar rhythms, the treatments work to realign mind, body and spirit, restoring balance with nature. Each is offered only during its corresponding lunar phase: New Moon, to stimulate and awaken; Waxing Moon, to “sow the seeds” and nourish; Full Moon, to bring one to the height of his or her potential; and Waning Moon, designed to cleanse body and spirit.

Local fruits, herbs, ancient rituals and traditional healing treatments are incorporated in its health and wellness programs. Auriga’s approach to wellbeing is complemented by three integrative wellness programs designed to provide a balance in Stress Management, Relationship Enhancement and Beauty Inside and Out.

For more information, visit www.capellahotels.com

Wyndham Hotel Group announced its entrance into the Cayman Islands with the addition of two resorts on Grand Cayman island — the 130-room Wyndham Grand Bay Waterford-Cayman Islands and the 170-room Ramada Grand Caymanian Beach Club and Resort. Both resorts are owned and managed by the Grand Cayman-based GFK Group, a property development and management firm.

The Wyndham Grand Bay Waterford-Cayman Islands, the newest addition to The Wyndham Grand Collection, recently began construction and is expected to be complete in the third quarter of 2011.

The property will feature rooms with a British Colonial décor that offer sweeping ocean views from North Sound to Rum Point.

The resort will offer a 5,000-square-foot spa, pre-arrival grocery service, luxury car service, an on-site restaurant and cigar room and 24-hour room and concierge service.

The recently renovated Ramada Grand Caymanian Beach Club and Resort is located adjacent to The North Sounds Club championship golf course on the shores of Grand Cayman’s North Sound Lagoon.

 Guests can choose from studio, one- and two-bedroom suite accommodations with high-speed wireless Internet access, flat-screen televisions, DVD player, personal washer and dryer and full kitchen. The resort also features a business center, on-site restaurant, lighted tennis court, beach volleyball court, freshwater pool, multiple hot tubs, a kids club and a variety of water activities including scuba diving, snorkeling and deep sea fishing. In addition to the completed renovations, the resort will also be adding an additional 44-unit condo hotel and free form swimming pool with beach access later this year.

Terranea Resort is slated to open in June in Palos Verdes, 20 miles from Los Angeles.

Among the resort’s amenities are a Ted Eckenrode-designed nine-hole golf course and The Spa at Terranea. The nine-hole, par 3 short course and practice area with chipping and putting greens offers views to the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island.

 The course features elevation changes, contours, bunkering, views and unobstructed sightlines. The 8th and 9th holes head straight down to the ocean.

The 25,000-square-foot Spa at Terranea also offers sweeping views of the Pacific and Catalina Island. It features 24 treatment rooms, including three VIP suites, accessed by a grand staircase. Treatment options are designed to correspond to the body’s internal rhythms: vibrant and invigorating treatments will be offered in the morning, while gentle, quieting treatments will be offered in the afternoon and evening.

The 5,000-square-foot Fitness & Wellness Center will offer cardiovascular and weight training equipment, a movement studio and an outdoor yoga terrace. Spa cabanas can be found around the spa’s lap pool, and a diversified wellness program includes hiking, cycling, yoga, Pilates, movement, meditation and lifestyle awareness classes. The Spa Café offers a variety of freshly prepared natural food, juices and other drinks.

For more information, call 866-366-7474 or visit www.terranea.com

British Airways plans to launch text and mobile services for customers on its new all business class route from London City Airport to New York’s JFK airport later this year.

It means customers will be able to stay in touch via their own mobile phones or PDAs.

They will also be able to access the Internet and send emails from laptops fitted with GSM data cards.

Voice calls may be allowed in the future subject to customer demand and feedback.

BA is the first U.K. airline to announce the introduction of a live communications service on trans-Atlantic flights.

The service will be provided by Mobile OnAir using the GSM/GPRS network, the world’s most widely used and extensive network for international mobile communications.

Cumbria is arguably Britain’s number one cycling and mountain biking destination and for good reason. With quiet country lanes and hundreds of miles of off-road trails covering everything from easy rides to severe mountain challenges, there is something to suit all abilities.

The Lake District also boasts dramatic natural scenery punctuated with pretty villages, plenty of local attractions, great country pubs and first class hotel accommodation at Holbeck Ghyll Country House Hotel where cyclists can relax and refuel.

The popular visitor honeypots around Keswick and Windermere offer particularly good cycling options and The Windermere Cycle Hire Centre provides quality bike hire from only £15 per day as well as route advice and maps.

For an easy ride, take a morning boat or steam train from Ambleside to Lakeside at the southern tip of Lake Windermere and pedal back along the shore to enjoy fabulous views of the lake and the surrounding fells. Alternatively, visit the picturesque village of Hawkshead and Beatrix Potter’s Hill Top, her original home which is run by the National Trust.

For the more adventurous, explore the Claife heights area or press on for the village of Crosthwaite and Knipe Tarn – a small mountain lake surrounded by woodland. After a steep climb cyclists are rewarded with panoramic views stretching as far as the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

After a day’s adventure in the saddle, the ultimate venue to rest is at the award-winning Holbeck Ghyll Country House Hotel. Situated in a prime position overlooking Lake Windermere, cyclists can enjoy luxury accommodation and afternoon tea around a roaring log fire. What’s more, Holbeck Ghyll’s health spa provides the perfect antidote for weary legs and the Michelin Star restaurant is sure to satisfy any appetite!

Accommodation prices start from £125 per person, per night on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis. Visit www.holbeckghyll.com  or telephone 01539 432375 for further information

Kent has more castles and historic houses than any other county – and little wonder. The Garden of England has been playground and home to royals and aristocrats for centuries.

With two major anniversaries in 2009 – the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII’s accession to the throne and the bicentenary of Charles Darwin’s birth – Kent’s contemporary ‘lords and ladies’ trail lets you in on the secrets of yesteryear’s high society.

once coveted by Henry VIII, Knole at Sevenoaks, set in a 1,000-acre medieval deer park, was a former archbishop’s palace and transformed into a Renaissance mansion in the early 17th century by the Sackville family who still live there today.

Controversial novelist and poet Vita Sackville-West was born and spent a happy childhood here. Thirteen state rooms, looking much as they did in the 18th century, house a world-renowned collection of Stuart furniture; paintings by Gainsborough, Van Dyck and Reynolds, and wonderful 17th century tapestries. Go to www.nationaltrust.org.uk/knole

Chartwell at Westerham – home of Sir Winston Churchill from 1924 until his death in 1965 – provides a fascinating contrast with its definitive red-brick Victorian architecture and breathtaking vistas over the Weald. (It’s well-documented that Churchill bought the house for the view.) Family mementos, walking sticks, trademark hats and cigar boxes, his favourite yellow armchair, the inspired dining room and his paintings all evoke Churchill’s personal oasis. Outside, pause to admire the terraced gardens he and his wife Clementine created as well as the lakes, water gardens and Lady Churchill’s Rose Garden. Go to www.nationaltrust.org.uk/chartwell

a few miles south, but several centuries apart, is Hever Castle near Edenbridge – the 13th century, double-moated castle belonging to the ambitious Boleyn family. Daughters Anne and Mary both attracted Henry VIII’s roving eye (the inspiration for Philippa Gegory’s novel The Other Boleyn Girl filmed with Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman) but Anne won his heart to become his second wife. Many artefacts plot the fateful course of their liaison including two rare prayer books inscribed and signed by Anne, one of which she is said to have clasped as she stepped to her execution in 1536 having failed to provide an heir. Outside, explore Italian, rose and Tudor gardens, topiary, maizes, Anne Boleyn’s Walk and the new Hever Lake Walk. Go to www.hever-castle.co.uk

Henry VIII sometimes stayed at Penshurst Place at Penshurst en route to woo Anne at Hever. Since 1552 it has been the seat of the Sidney family and today is the much-loved home of Philip Sidney, 2nd Viscount De L’Isle, his wife Isobel and their two children. Inside the mellow sandstone manor, surrounded by ancient parkland, you’ll discover generations of family history; changing fortunes and tastes; movers and shakers; the odd black sheep – and one of Lord De L’Isle’s favourite rooms where he recalls moonlit ghost-hunting with his sisters. A charismatic forbear was the 16th century poet and soldier Sir Philip – favourite of Queen Elizabeth 1 who often went to Penshurst (particularly for the dancing and the entertainment!) Lord and Lady De L’Isle believe the beautiful 11-acre formal garden – a rare surviving example of Elizabethan design – should be constantly evolving to keep everything fresh and surprising. Go to www.penshurstplace.com

Dudley, Lord North put Royal Tunbridge Wells on the map after he discovered Chalybeate Spring in 1606 and told all his friends how he had been rejuvenated by its cool, iron-rich water. Queen Anne and Princess (later Queen) Victoria flocked here – as did diarist Samuel Pepys and famous dandy Beau Nash – but it was Edward VII who added royal to the town’s name in 1909. Sample a glass of the spring water served by costumed ‘dippers’ in summer or pamper yourself with state-of-the-art treatments in the Royal Day Spa or while you’re staying at The Spa Hotel and boutique Hotel du Vin. The elegant 17th century colonnaded Pantiles is the place to watch the world go by in the enticing cafés, pubs and wine bars. Go to www.heartofkent.org.uk

The 900 year old Leeds Castle near Maidstone is set in 500 acres of beautiful parkland. Encircled by a moat, it’s one of the most romantic and awe-inspiring of England’s castles, filled with antique furnishings, paintings, tapestries and treasures. It was listed in the Domesday Book and originally the site of a manor for the Saxon royal family. The castle has been a Norman stronghold, royal residence for six of the medieval Queens of England, palace of Henry VIII and a retreat for the powerful and influential. (Among the many dramas that have been played out here was the scandalous royal romance that gave rise to the Tudor dynasty and changed the course of English history!) Its last private owner Lady Baillie lovingly restored the castle with the help of the finest French architects and designers and indulged her passion for wildlife by establishing a duckery and aviaries. Her glamorous house parties attracted princes, dukes and ambassadors. She bequeathed the castle to the nation under a charitable trust – the Leeds Castle Foundation – on her death in 1974. Go to www.leeds-castle.com

Goodnestone Park Gardens near Wingham, Canterbury is a tranquil haven hidden away to the east of the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The FitzWalter family, who count leading courtiers and politicians among their ancestors, built their house here in 1704 and over centuries have created one of England’s most appealing country gardens. In the last four decades the current Lady FitzWalter has restored and expanded it. Enjoy the quintessential English view to the church tower through the Walled Garden, and while contemplating the house and glimpses of 18th century parkland from the new Gravel Garden, picture novelist Jane Austen arriving on one of her frequent visits. After one sojourn in 1796 she was inspired to write Pride and Prejudice. A trip to Goodnestone must include a visit to the tearoom for delicious homemade cakes, ham cooked by Lady FitzWalter and salad fresh from the garden. Go to www.goodnestoneparkgardens.co.uk

Walmer Castle and Gardens was built in the 16th century as part of a chain of coastal forts to withstand the wrath of the French and Spanish following Henry VIII’s break with the Roman Catholic Church. It later evolved into an elegant official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, an ancient title that originally involved control of the five most important ports on the south coast. The Duke of Wellington, a lord warden for 23 years, loved staying there and you can still see many of his possessions including a pair of original Wellington boots! Another holder of the title, the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, also enjoyed regular visits and her magnificent garden – given to her on her 95th birthday – is an idyllic haven. Admiral the Lord Boyce is the current Lord Warden (as well as the Constable of Dover Castle.) Tuck into homemade lunch or tea in the Lord Warden’s Tearoom. Go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/walmer

And finally…a dramatic tale commemorated in a stained glass window at St George’s Church, Gravesend – burial place of Pocahontas. The Indian chief’s daughter from Virginia, USA helped early settlers in the New World; married John Rolfe and came with him to England. Tragically, the princess fell ill on the voyage and died, aged 22, in 1617.

For full details of Kent’s famous castles, historic houses and visitor itineraries go to www.visitkent.co.uk

Despite the global economic turmoil, one place continues to defy the doom and gloom as even more tourists and investors are expected to flock to Portugal’s Western Algarve following the recent opening of the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, a brand new state-of-the-art race track near Portimão.

And, according to the annual top 20 survey in the current issue of A Place In The Sun magazine, Portugal is the biggest climber leaping from 12th to 3rd position as the UK’s favourite place to buy property around the world.

The Algarve is already renowned for its golf courses, beaches, water sports, culture and good food and wine. With the new venue, the region is expected to welcome a further 1 million tourists a year. In November it hosted the Portuguese round of the Superbike World Championships and Formula 1 testing took place in December. Other major international events are scheduled and there is talk of it trying to lure an F1 race in the future.

As well as the circuit, the complex includes a karting track, technology park, 5-star hotel and sports facilities. At around €195m it is the biggest single investment ever in the Algarve and as well as the creation of over 1,000 new jobs, tourist levels are expected to substantially increase as visitors flock to see the sporting contests, all of which should have a positive impact on the local and national economy.

A member of Alderley Edge-based The Emerson Group, Jones Homes Portugal has two residential and leisure developments just 10 minutes drive away from the Autódromo. Both look set to benefit as buy-to-let investors seek to take advantage of higher expected occupancy rates for rental properties in this area.

The opening last year of a brand new clubhouse with fully equipped gym and luxury health spa has enhanced Boavista Golf Resort’s claim to be one of the Algarve’s top golf and holiday destinations, bringing new levels of comfort and luxury to owners and guests alike. Located near Lagos, a choice of detached villas and golf village properties start at €365,000 and, under a new freehold quarter share scheme, a 13-week per year rotating occupancy can be purchased from just €112,000.

Jones Homes’ other major development on the Western Algarve, Oásis Parque, is located between Alvor and Portimão. With a country club atmosphere, Oásis Parque provides unrivalled facilities for residents and tourists – huge outdoor pool, kiddies’ pool and playground, heated indoor pool, Jacuzzi, tennis courts and on-site restaurant. A range of detached villas and apartments start at €205,000.

Prospective purchasers hesitant about buying abroad need have no fears about the reputation of the Cheshire-based residential property developer, which has enjoyed almost 30 years of continuous successful development on the Algarve and almost 50 years here in the UK. Many property purchasers, whether they want a permanent or a holiday home, opt for a proven product, a recognisable name synonymous with quality and professionalism – for them, Jones Homes’ developments in Portugal would seem to fit the bill.

www.joneshomesportugal.com or ring 01625-548405.

For more information about Jones Homes’ properties on the Algarve visit website

For holidays to both Oásis Parque and Boavista Golf Resort book online at www.algarveselect.com  e-mail reservations@algarveselect.com  or ring freephone 0800 716136.