Jetsettersblog

Great Hotels of the World, the global sales and marketing alliance, welcomed Hotel-e in Cyprus to its portfolio.

The new hotel, opening in summer 2009, will be a 70-room property with a new spa with six treatment rooms. All rooms, suites and villas are eco-friendly and designed in accordance with the principles of feng shui and all have sea views. The property is located in the seaside village of Pervolia.

Eco-friendly initiatives throughout the hotel include solar-powered water heating, online billing to reduce paper usage, recycled paper used for all sales and promotional material, energy-saving light bulbs and natural spa products. The hotel’s main restaurant, Gaia, serves a wide menu of healthy and fresh Mediterranean and fusion cuisine with a “chef’s table” for up to 14 people.

There is also a rooftop lounge bar and open air cinema. Sports facilities at the hotel include two tennis courts, beach volleyball court and beach soccer pitch, aerobics, a selection of water sports and a diving center.

For further information on the hotel or to book, call 972-894-1182

or visit www.ghotw.com

Hope Lake Lodge & Indoor Waterpark at Greek Peak Mountain Resort will open in Cortland, N.Y., in October 2009.

Construction on 106 luxury condominiums and the 41,000-square-foot indoor waterpark are nearing completion. Reservations for the Hope Lake Lodge hotel condominium will begin May 1. Quarter-share, pre-completion sales of luxury condominiums have already begun and due to pre-opening rates, limited units remain.

For more information, visit www.hopelakelodge.com

Ethiopian Airlines Journeys partnered with the Archaeological Institute of America to introduce the archaeology community to the best that East Africa has to offer. On April 28, the AIA will celebrate its 130th anniversary with a gala that honors Harrison Ford and the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. James Delgado, a renowned archaeologist, author and television host who has led many of the most important shipwreck expeditions of the last four decades, will host this evening.

The AIA Gala will offer a glimpse into ancient cultures and civilizations from all over the world. The AIA Gala will take place at Manhattan’s Capitale building with over 450 guests expected to attend.

Ethiopian Airlines Journeys, along with the Tanzania Tourist Board, will be providing a once-in-a-lifetime trip to East Africa that will be auctioned off live during the gala.

The Ethiopian package will feature stops in Axum, the reputed resting place of the “Ark of the Covenant,” along with Lalibela, where travelers marvel at the 12 rock-hewn churches, carved from solid red volcanic rock in the 12th century by King Lalibela.

In Tanzania, travelers will be able to visit the Olduvai Gorge, the “Cradle of Mankind” and Laetoli Footprints, where the Leakeys discovered the first humanoid skull 50 years ago.
The package will not only be auctioned off at the gala, but will be added to the packages that Ethiopian Airlines Journeys offers.

For more information, visit www.seeyouinethiopia.com/archaeology

The Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) is North America’s oldest and largest organization devoted to archaeology. The Institute is a nonprofit group founded in 1879 and chartered by the United States Congress in 1906.

For more information, visit www.archaeology.org

Ethiopian Airlines is one of the largest airlines in Africa serving 53 destinations around the globe. As the winner of the 2007 African Business of the Year and Best African Airline Award for 2006, its service and quality are unparalleled among African airlines.

Featuring five flights weekly from Washington, D.C.’s Dulles International Airport, the airline offers both morning and evening departures, with the morning departure allowing seamless connections to 32 African destinations.

The airline’s website provides excellent information on additional flights, services and special web fares. For more information about Ethiopian Airlines, visit www.ethiopianairlines.com

Ethiopian Airlines Journeys is a single-source solution to plan and realize a truly authentic vacation in Ethiopia.

For more destination information, call 866-599-3797 or visit www.seeyouinethiopia.com

Langham Hotels International (LHI) announced that T’ang Court, recent winner of two Michelin stars in Hong Kong, will open its first outpost in Shanghai at the new art deco property — The Langham, Yangtze Boutique, with reservations now being taken for stays and dining from May 1.

The new restaurant, located on the second floor of The Langham, Yangtze Boutique will feature the service, ambience and signature dishes that made its Hong Kong counterpart famous. These include the highly-acclaimed Crispy Salty Chicken and Crispy-Fried Eel Balls with Plum Honey Sauce and Baked Oysters with Port Wine.

For more information, visit www.langhamhotels.com  or www.eatonhotels.com

Accor is reinforcing Novotel’s position in Indonesia, with Novotel Manado scheduled to open its doors on May 9, 2009.

Novotel Manado will offer 152 rooms, including 24 two-bedroom suites, in the city center hotel, and will be part of an integrated development with Manado’s largest convention hall, Grand Kawanua International City.

Novotel Manado also boasts a food and beverage selection, including the Square, an all-day dining restaurant, with an a la carte menu featuring dishes from around the world.

The restaurant will also serve one of the city’s most elaborate buffets. An authentic Japanese restaurant, Wasabi, is located on Mezzanine floor and offers a range of modern and traditional Japanese dishes. Dragon Phoenix, serving Cantonese and Szechuan specialties located at lower ground, can accommodate up to 50 guests in an elegant atmosphere.

For places to drink, H2O is an open air pool bar and Lokon Wine & Cigar a comfortable and relaxed venue to unwind for pre- and after-dinner drinks.

Novotel Manado offers event venues, with 7,303 square feet of meeting and banqueting space.

The Grand Kawanua Convention Venue can cater to 2,500 people. Other hotel facilities at the hotel include Wi-Fi in all rooms and public areas, business center with full secretarial services, swimming pool, 18-hole golf course and a children’s club for the younger guests.

For more information, visit www.novotel.com

Authentic, Family-Focused Horseback Riding Vacations

With two new guest ranches joining the prestigious BC Guest Ranchers’ Association, vacationers have even more ways to experience British Columbia’s unspoiled wilderness on horseback.

LONE BUTTE, BC, CANADA – With two new guest ranches joining the prestigious BC Guest Ranchers’ Association, vacationers have even more ways to experience British Columbia’s unspoiled wilderness on horseback.

Chezacut Ranch & Wilderness Adventures is a working cattle ranch, and offers an authentic western guest ranch vacation where guests can take part in real cattle drives. The 4,000 acre ranch is organically certified, and is located 150 km west of Williams Lake, in the Chilcotin River valley.

Another new addition to the BC Guest Ranchers’ Association is the 285-acre Free Rein Guest Ranch on the border of the BC’s Thompson Okanagan region. Surrounded by crown land, Free Rein provides guests with tens of thousands of wilderness acres to roam, where they have the chance to see moose, coyotes, deer, wolves and beavers in their natural habitats.

The addition of the Chezacut and Free Rein ranches brings the total number of BCGRA members to 13. Like all BCGRA members, the Chezacut and Free Rein ranches exemplify the western ranch ideals of personal, homelike hospitality and atmosphere. All member ranches are also approved Tourism BC accommodation.

About BC Guest Ranchers’ Association

The BC Guest Ranchers’ Association represents the best guest ranching establishments in British Columbia. All BCGRA ranches are horse-oriented, and exemplify the western ranch ideal of personal, homelike hospitality and atmosphere.

Information about all BCGRA members, along with a comprehensive Ranch Vacation Planning Kit, is available through the BCGRA website at http://www.bcguestranches.com , or toll free at 1-877-2-STAY-BC (1-877-278-2922) from North America or 1-250-593-0258 internationally.

Warner Leisure Hotels opens four of its historic hotel gardens as part of the National Gardens Scheme

HEMEL HEMPSTEAD, ENGLAND – Warner Leisure Hotels, which was recently awarded the coveted Hotel Chain of the Year Award, is delighted to announce that four of its historic hotel gardens have been accepted into the National Gardens Scheme (NGS).

The Warner Leisure Hotels group which provides short breaks and longer holidays exclusively for adults has a choice of six magnificent beautifully restored historic country houses or mansions, along with three more modern hotels which are full of character and four coastal resorts.

Jim Forward, Managing Director of Warner Leisure Hotels said, “We were looking to support a charity that would help causes which our guests can relate to. We are very proud of our locations and we are delighted that the four gardens we put forward have received the endorsement of the National Gardens Scheme. The charity’s criteria were very strict and it’s an acknowledgement of the fine work from our relatively small gardening teams, who have created such welcoming and beautiful garden locations.”

He continued, “This is an opportunity for us to not only raise money for the charity from National Gardens Scheme visitors, but also to encourage our many hotel guests to visit other gardens within the scheme.”

Littlecote House in Berkshire, is a Grade 1 listed Tudor mansion, with 40 acres of landscaped gardens, including a spectacular topiaried yew avenue and a rose garden, all in a picturesque countryside setting. Littlecote House will be open as part of the NGS on Wednesday 10th June, 17th June and Wednesday 8th July.

The majestic Thoresby Hall Hotel and Spa in Nottinghamshire, a Grade 1 listed mansion on the edge of Sherwood Forest, will welcome NGS visitors who can savour the delights of the beautifully landscaped gardens designed by Sir Humphrey Repton and enjoy the tranquillity of the Victorian Rose Garden. In association with the NGS, Thoresby Hall will host guided tours of the gardens on 27th June, 1st, 11th, 15th, 25th, 29th July, and the 1st and 5th August.

The 18th century landscaped gardens at Holme Lacy House are also open to as part of the NGS. The picturesque riverside setting and extensive 20 acres of parkland which was modelled on Hampton Court Palace, along with the walled garden with pear and apple orchard will be open to NGS visitors on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 2nd May until Tuesday 29th September. Historic House & Garden tours are available by appointment.

Finally, amidst the rolling Somerset hills lies Cricket St Thomas Hotel, a Grade ll listed manor house, designed in the regency manner by the famed neo-classicist Sir John Soane and which was the inspiration and location for the BBC hit sitcom To The Manor Born.

The hotel boasts 160 acres of gardens and parkland with spectacular views of the Somerset countryside. The gardens will open for NGS visitors on 5th and 26th July and the 27th September.

About Warner Leisure Hotels

Exclusively for adults, Warner Leisure Hotels’ enjoys an occupancy rate of 95% in its portfolio of 13 properties across the UK.

As well as offering a wide choice and style of accommodation, each with its own personality, the hotel chain is renowned for its Experience Breaks, offering over 600 additional activities from hot air balloon trips and antiques with TV’s Eric Knowles to a Mini Cooper Treasure Hunt and numerous dance breaks.

The group currently receives around half a million guests annually but is expecting even more this year as many people are choosing to stay in the UK and rediscover beautiful Britain.

Source: Warner Leisure Hotels
Website: http://www.warnerleisurehotels.co.uk

Montpellier, France; –France, the most visited country on the planet, continues to remain at the top of many travelers’ lists of dream destinations, but current economic times might make some travelers shy away from going international this year.

Discover France , the leading specialist in bicycle, hiking, walking, and specialty travel services throughout France, offers creative value-focused itineraries that cover all regions of the country from Paris to the countryside.

They offer the best of each region at the greatest possible value to the traveler, giving travelers a way to maximize their travel budgets. Guests are offered nice, comfortable accommodation minus the extreme pricing. Self-guided tours cost much less than guided tours with much more flexibility, and little extras like the inclusion of all breakfasts and most dinners offers travelers a bit opportunity to save on an international trip.

Their website features more than 30 different self guided tour itineraries that last anywhere from four to fourteen days.

These trips offer visitors the opportunity to get more than just a snapshot of French culture and lifestyle–they offer an experience in true cultural immersion.

The Discover France bicycle tours and walking vacations offer visitors a great deal of independence, yet ample support and guidance is provided.

www.discoverfrance.com

PEMBERTON, BC,– Bellstar Hotels & Resorts has been awarded the management contract for the Pemberton Valley Lodge.

The 85-suite hotel is located in the heart of the Pemberton Valley, just 20 minutes north of B.C.’s iconic 4-season mountain resort – Whistler Blackcomb. With the addition of the Pemberton Valley Lodge, Bellstar’s portfolio of boutique and luxury hotels and resorts continues to grow in key tourism destinations in Western Canada, including the Okanagan Valley, Rocky Mountains and Coastal regions.

David MacKenzie, General Manager for Pemberton Valley Lodge, cited Bellstar’s centralized operating platform, expert senior management team and full complement of resources in the decision to award the management contract. “Bellstar has a proven record of providing a disciplined approach to operations and proactive sales and marketing to drive market share and enhance revenues,” said MacKenzie.

“Independent and Bellstar-branded management contracts in strategic locations are major opportunities for growth,” said Jon Zwickel, Executive VP of Bellstar.

“More than ever, Bellstar can be a turn-key solution to owners of independent assets looking to strengthen their core business and increase incremental profit.”

Pemberton Valley Lodge offers guests contemporary mountain design and decor, upscale amenities and spacious guest suites. The resort includes 85 fully-furnished suites with Studio, 1- and 2-bedrooms, fireplaces, full kitchens, in-suite laundry, and private balconies all with stunning views of the surrounding Coastal Mountain range. Common amenities include a swimming pool and hot tub, fitness studio, coffee bar, massage studio, winter ski shuttle service to Whistler, and an executive meeting room.

Bellstar manages and develops destination resorts and boutique hotels in Alberta’s Rocky Mountains and in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley and Coastal Regions. The boutique hospitality brand combines award-winning service, employment standards and marketing excellence to deliver exceptional resort experiences for guests and owners alike.

For more information on Pemberton Valley Lodge

visit www.pembertonvalleylodge.com 

for Bellstar, visit www.bellstar.ca

For the first time, travelers to Holland will be able to use an iPhone or a mobile web browser to explore the city of Amsterdam from the palm of their hand. The Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions, dedicated to providing free advice and resources on travel to Holland, announces the launch of the Amsterdam Mobile Guide; a new, free iPhone application available now in the Apple App Store. Anyone with a mobile web browser can also view the Amsterdam Mobile Guide at www.us.holland.com/mobile

The Amsterdam Mobile Guide provides iPhone users with striking images and regularly updated information on Amsterdam’s most popular attractions, including museums, restaurants and bars, hotels, shopping and much more. Whether a visitor is planning a trip or already in Holland, the Amsterdam Mobile Guide points travelers to “must-sees” in Amsterdam while providing easy ways to contact any of the nearly 200 venues of interest by phone, email or the web, directly from the application. Helpful features such as Google Maps and the GPS “Near Me” function assist travelers in finding their way around Amsterdam in real-time, making it easier than ever to navigate Amsterdam’s historic canals and shopping districts.

For new visitors, the Amsterdam Mobile Guide includes designed itineraries specific to an eight-, 48- or 72-hour trip to Amsterdam. Travelers can create their own itineraries on-the-go by setting personal preferences and choosing from categories like Entertainment, Attractions, Gay and Lesbian, Night Life, Shopping, Restaurants and Architecture to create a unique Amsterdam experience. Users can get more detailed information on all the features of the Amsterdam Mobile Guide at www.us.holland.com/iphone.

“With the launch of the Amsterdam Mobile Guide, the Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions is once again connecting travelers to Holland in a progressive and meaningful way,” said Conrad van Tiggelen, director of North America for the Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions. “By providing free, current information on Holland through mobile and social media platforms, we are now able to engage with visitors on multiple levels.”

In conjunction with the release of the Amsterdam Mobile Guide, the Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions invites visitors to ask questions and tap into travel and lifestyle resources via a variety of social media outlets.

Follow @VisitHolland on Twitter, become a friend of Holland on Facebook, view and add photos to the SeeHolland Flickr account, listen to music on Visit Holland’s Blip.fm page and join Holland on Tumblr to get the latest news on Holland travel tips, events, culture, design, fashion and much more.

For more information, visit www.holland.com/us