Jetsettersblog

• Two Okinawa Resorts Join Seven Existing InterContinental Resorts in Asia Pacific
• 13 InterContinental Resorts to be Opened in the Next Couple of Years in the Region

Singapore, 27 March 2009 – InterContinental Hotels Group Asia Pacific today announced the launch of two new co-branded resorts in Okinawa, Japan – ANA InterContinental Manza Beach Resort and ANA InterContinental Ishigaki Resort. These resorts will be the first international luxury resorts located in the scenic and culture-rich Okinawa and are located in ‘the best-of-the-best’ scenic spots.

Both resorts will feature Resort Centres where guests can research and select various activities at one place. The Centres’ Resort Concierge will be on-hand to recommend authentic and enriching activities and experiences for guests to enjoy.

Each “Insider Experience” will let guests discover Okinawa’s secret locations and colourful nuances so they can fully immerse themselves in its unique rhythm that was previously the realm of the locals.

Together both hotels will be able to offer over 100 activities including more than 40 marine activities and various activities within their locale to guests.

ANA InterContinental Manza Beach Resort is located at the scenic point of Manza-mo. The resort is a deluxe low rise resort hotel with all rooms and suites enjoy ocean views from private balconies.

The 399-room resort boasts of 42 “premier floor” rooms and provides all the facilities for an unforgettable holiday – tropical outdoor pool, 5 restaurants, 3 bars, 24 hour room service, karaoke rooms, and extensive water sports including a cabin cruiser, glass-bottom boat, parasailing, wake-boarding, catamarans, diving centre, a putter golf course, a tennis court, a cultural centre, a Kids Club, a beach front banquet facility and 2 wedding chapels

ANA InterContinental Ishigaki Resort is a beautiful high-rise resort hotel sitting on the coast of the city of Ishigaki, the business and transport centre of the Yaeyama archipelago. Offering a stunning array of facilities to cater to the business and leisure traveler alike, the hotel is ideal for visitors to the area. Ishigaki is located along the same latitude as Miami and Honolulu and is the southernmost island group in Japan.

Its mild winters and wonderful temperatures all year round make it an ideal location for outdoor activities. ANA InterContinental Ishigaki Resort is located just in front of Maezato beach where guests can enjoy a marine experience.

The resort will have 255 rooms including 99 “premier floor” rooms, seven restaurants, two pools, spa, a golf course, tennis courts, a Kids Club and a wedding chapel.

With the opening of ANA InterContinental Manza Beach Resort and ANA InterContinental Ishigaki Resort, IHG ANA now has in total of six InterContinental hotels in Japan.

The other four hotels are ANA InterContinental Tokyo, The Strings by InterContinental, InterContinental Tokyo Bay and InterContinental Yokohama Grand.

“Our ongoing consumer research provides the insight that increasingly travellers want to deeply connect with their destinations and this is especially true at resort locations.

This connects perfectly with InterContinental’s mission to provide local expertise so that we can advise guests on the enriching experiences they are seeking,” said Gary Rosen, Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing, IHG Asia Pacific.

ANA InterContinental Manza Beach Resort and ANA InterContinental Ishigaki Resort join a growing family of InterContinental resorts in the Asia Pacific. The others in the region include InterContinental Bali Resort, InterContinental Tahiti Resort, InterContinental Moorea Resort, InterContinental Resort & Thalasso Spa Bora Bora, InterContinental Le Moana Bora Bora, InterContinental Goa Resort and InterContinental Jiuzhai Resort Paradise. 13 more resorts are planned for the region and these include the soon-to-be-opened InterContinental Natadola Beach Resort Fiji, InterContinental Hua Hin Resort, InterContinental Alpensia Pyeong Chang Resort, InterContinental Huizhou Resort and InterContinental Sanya Resort.

To celebrate the occasion, scuba divers were seen diving off the Sony Building in Ginza, Tokyo’s premier commercial district.

Yangtze River from HK$7,649.00

The Yangtze River, the third longest in the world, features landscapes little altered for thousands of years. This 3 night cruise downstream from Chongqing to Yichang explores some of the most famous parts of this ancient river as well as the innovative three gorges dam project.

The Yangzi Explorer one of the newest cruise ships in the region is the smallest and most exclusive boat traversing these waterways. This 5 star deluxe cruise ship with just 62 rooms, all with private balconies, allows you to explore the Yangtze in intimate comfort and style.

With just 124 guests onboard you can enjoy small groups for the daily lectures and cultural activities, which include silk embroidery demonstrations, mahjong lessons, Chinese calligraphy, Tai Chi lessons, Tea appreciation, as well as expertly guided on shore excursions.

The cruise takes in the famous Qutang Gorge, one of the narrowest points of the river that is marked by sheer cliffs soaring 1,200metres (3,900 feet) in height. So famous is this scenery that it is depicted on the Chinese RMB 5.00 Yuan banknote.

The next day you will disembark from the Yangzi Explorer for your shore excursion to the site of the Three Gorges Dam Project, currently, the world’s largest engineering project. From here you will be given a tour and overview of the project site, which is scheduled for completion this year.

A highlight of the tour is the passage through the lock system of the Three Gorges Dam where a boat from the upper level enters one of the gates, the water level drops taking it down to the level to continue downstream, at the same time a ship traveling upstream can be moved to a higher level to continue on its path.

Enjoy Peak Season in the region, aboard one of the newest cruise ships, at these great prices. This package from ecruising.travel from HK$7,649.00.

3 nights Yangzi Explorer cruise. Chongqing to Yichang. Departs 16 + 23 April 2009.

Special Inclusions:

- Complementary drinks and all daily meals inclusive
- Child under 12 years of age sharing cabin with 2 adults travel free

To Book phone +(852) 8202 6226 and or visit www.ecruising.travel/hk

Click here for more information http://www.ecruising.travel/HK/Details.aspx?id=7021

Opening this summer, Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa will have 142 luxury villas and will be the first resort on the Maldives’ southern Addu Atoll.

With Dine By Design, Shangri-La is moving the dining experience outside restaurant walls to a variety of private locations around the resort. From a torch-lit dinner in the middle of a jungle to a quiet picnic on a beach, guests will enjoy meals prepared by the resort’s expert culinary team.

The resort also has easy access to the longest cycling road in the Maldives, covering an 11-mile route that links the islands of Gan, Feydhoo, Maradhoo, Maradhoo-Feydhoo and Hithadhoo. Guests who pay a visit to the Eco Center can aid conservation efforts while they learn more about the species that inhabit the island. Through the green turtle tagging program, guests can watch turtle hatchlings head out to sea and follow the movements of a particular turtle.

Scuba divers can photograph manta rays for the Eco Center’s tracking program. The Maldives’ second international airport, Gan International Airport, is an eight-minute boat ride away from the resort and Malé International Airport is 70 minutes by domestic flights operating around the clock.

Tourism officials for the Mexican state of Michoacan announced at the 34th annual Tourism Tianguis, held April 26 to 29, 2009 in Acapulco, that the state now has a tourism website, www.michoacan.gob.mx

The site was constructed by the Secretary of the Tourism for the state, in conjunction with the Institute of Technology and Superior Studies for the state of Monterrey and the participation of the University of Michoacan of San Nicolas de Hidalgo, which contributed content, images, videos and service directories. Users can search the site by various geographic regions within Michoacan and then search attractions, hotels, restaurants, activities, events and tours available within each region.

For more information, visit www.michoacan.gob.mx

Auto Europe is expanding its chauffeur drive services to include not only all major cities in Europe, but now available throughout the U.S., including Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Washington, D.C., and all other major metropolitan areas in the United States. Travelers can choose from a diverse fleet including executive sedans, eight- or 10-passenger stretch limousines, Mercedes sedans, up to 14-passenger vans, Lincoln Navigators, Ford Excursions and mini coaches accommodating up to 26 passengers. In addition, Auto Europe’s services are perfect for meeting planners and group services.

Meet and greet arrangements are also available for airport services. Rates include car and professional driver, taxes, fuel and maintenance and passenger insurance coverage (excluding personal property). Fuel surcharges and additional restrictions may apply.

Mexico City Tourism launched a new brand identity for the city at this year’s Tourism Tianguis, held April 26 to 29, 2009 in Acapulco.

The new logo, which features a black ink-like drawing of the city’s statue Angel de la Indépendencía, colored in yellow, with streaks of yellow, light blue and brown through the words “Ciudad de México,” stacked on top of each other to the right of the statue design and below that, the slogan “Capital en Movimiento,” or “Capital in Movement.”

The new logo and slogan were created to position the city as being unique and different and to allow Mexico City to be rapidly identified as a destination for potential tourism or potential business. Mexico City receives annually 12 million national and international tourists who overnight in the hotels and 20 million day visitors.

For more information, visit www.mexicocity.gob.mx

Largest Hotel Solar Installation in California

BIG SUR, Calif.– As the hospitality industry struggles with its global carbon footprint, Post Ranch Inn, recognized throughout the world as a leading green coastal property, switched on a 990-panel solar installation, the largest hotel solar project in California and one of the largest in the U.S.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the system is estimated to reduce carbon emissions by 611,000 pounds annually. That is equivalent to removing over 50 vehicles from the road or serving nearly 39 U.S. households’ electricity needs.

The solar array is owned and operated by Recurrent Energy, a distributed power company and leading provider of onsite solar energy. Post Ranch buys its electricity generated by the system from Recurrent Energy through a power purchase agreement (PPA) at an estimated lower rate than Post Ranch would pay the utility company.

In addition, Post Ranch is now insulated from future utility increases.

After 15 years of operation, the hotel can purchase the system at a nominal cost and produce free electricity for itself.

“This solar project is a remarkable event at Post Ranch Inn, which, this year, celebrates its 17th anniversary,” said Mike Freed, managing partner at Post Ranch Inn. “We are now able to run much of the hotel with energy generated at the hotel.

“We hope Post Ranch will become an example how solar can be installed with little cost, yet deliver all the benefits. The hotel industry is perfect for solar as energy consumption is highest during off-peak hours. If green is today’s new luxury, a top-to-bottom sustainable business model that includes solar is the right direction.”

The solar array consists of 990, 210-watt photovoltaic (light to electricity) solar panels that will produce almost 400,000 kWh of pollution-free electricity in the first year alone. It is designed to adjust the panel angle to maximize solar efficiency by following the sun’s progress throughout the day. The installation is a grid-connected system operated in parallel with the utility grid. When less solar power is produced than demand requires, the PG&E utility grid supplies the difference. When more solar power is produced than demand requires, the meter turns backward, generating a credit with the utility which Post Ranch can use as needed.

During installation, guests were already excited about the solar system and asked to learn more about it. To continue to involve guests and staff, a monitoring station, to be located in the hotel’s library, will show how much power is being generated at any one time.

For those wanting more information on the system’s day-to-day performance, Recurrent Energy’s Solar Monitor is available on www.postranchinn.com. The online monitor includes current and historic perfor mance data; up-to-date environmental savings statistics; live weather data from Big Sur; along with general project information and photos.

“Part of our philosophy at Post Ranch is to instill guests with a sense of appreciation for the environment. With this project, we want to help educate guests on solar by including it on our nature walks and exhibiting its performance via the monitor in the library with the hope that they will consider integrating renewable energy sources in their own homes and businesses,” said Freed.

The project received full support from local interest groups. From archaeologist collaboration to ensure zero impact on adjacent cultural and archaeological resources, to compliance with an established Habitat Conservation Plan that included protection and monitoring of red-legged frog habitat, to compliance with conservation easement requirements, the Post Ranch solar array represents a highly successful collaboration.

Such a deep environmental focus is not new to Post Ranch Inn. It is recognized on Trip Advisor’s 2007 “Top 10 Environmentally-Friendly Accommodations” list as the number one green hotel in the U.S. The property’s environmental focus began when it was first planned in the early 1990s. The site, located on the Big Sur coast, was carefully designed to preserve large, old-growth trees; sustainable materials were used; operations, including California’s first commercial grey water system, were structured to be environmentally sensitive; and the food and beverage program set out to support local sustainable farming.

These efforts, and now hosting the solar energy system, are not only environmentally progressive, but enhance the experience at Post Ranch Inn as guests appreciate the extent to which the environmental practice is as artfully executed as the hotel itself.

It also marks an historic year in Big Sur. Billy Post, the son of the original settlers of Post Ranch, general partner and resident of Big Sur, said, “In 1959, electricity made its way down the coast to Big Sur. Now, 50 years later, we are bringing solar energy here. At Post Ranch, from the time my great grandfather came to Big Sur in 1860, we have always had a sense of stewardship for preserving Big Sur and my family’s land: this solar array is another example of our commitment.”

Designed and installed by Suntech Energy Solutions, which is part of Suntech Power, the largest photovoltaic company in the world, the installation is partially visible as guests pass the Post Ranch Inn gates and enter the spectacular 100-acre property. The panels are located out of sight from the reception, restaurant and guest rooms so as not impose aesthetically on the property’s vistas. Nor is the array apparent to drivers on California’s scenic Highway 1.

About Post Ranch

Located just off Highway 1 and spanning 100 acres, Post Ranch Inn offers 40 uniquely designed rooms, each with panoramic vistas of the Pacific Ocean or the Ventana Mountains.

Recognized for its organic architecture, dining, wine collection, spa, dramatic location, services, and dedication to the environment, Post Ranch Inn embodies a soulful experience for those seeking to rejuvenate, reconnect, or celebrate a special occasion such as a honeymoon, anniversary or romantic getaway.

Post Ranch is managed by Passport Resorts of San Francisco. Passport owns and operates small upscale hotels and resorts, including Post Ranch Inn, Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort, Cavallo Point — the Lodge at Golden Gate and the Sea Ranch Lodge. These hotels have received numerous awards and garnered international recognition for environmentally and socially responsible business practices.

The Steele Point Estate added its newest villa, Blackbeard’s Hideaway, which is open and available for immediate rental. Blackbeard’s Hideaway features ocean views, manicured gardens and lush vegetation. The two-bedroom villa has a fully equipped kitchen, an open living and dinning area, a large pool deck, outdoor dinning areas and two identical bedroom suites separated by a fabulous great room with a soaring 18-foot ceiling. Each bedroom suite has a king bed, its own balcony and private bathroom with an outdoor shower offering views of the tranquil ocean below.

Blackbeard’s inviting ambiance, romantic appeal and simple design make this lovely cliffside vacation home very desirable. Premier Caribbean Properties, Inc. is a Philadelphia-based company which owns and operates the Steele Point Estate.

For more information, call 800-260-3554, email Maureen@steelepoint.com  or visit www.steelepoint.com

KazKazi House is the exciting new edition to the prestigious Kizingoni Beach Collection on the Kenyan Island of Lamu. The house consists of four towers, is designed around an elevated 16m infinity pool and sits back from the beach on 1.85 acres of landscaped gardens.

It is aptly named after the northerly monsoon wind, which for thousands of years carried the dhows to Lamu from Asia, laden with treasure.

The design of the house gives guests the king of the castle feel with the two front towers accommodating four extraordinary bedrooms, each with private terrace and private bathroom.

The back two towers house the communal areas, kitchen and the sumptuous master bedroom with star gazing bathtub and rustic outside shower. Shady makuti-covered terraces run between the four areas, providing privacy for the pool area while allowing the breeze to blow through and gently sway the hanging day beds. Entertaining is well catered for at KazKazi, with a welcoming bar and baraza area by the entrance, a large lower dining area, a rooftop dining/recreation area and plenty of room around the pool for dining under the stars.

A key focus at Kizingoni Beach is the cuisine. Your own personal chef discusses personal preferences ensuring they are always indulged and uses fresh local ingredients to create imaginative menus.

The vegetables, herbs and fruits are all home grown on site and an array of fresh daily caught fish are all skillfully blended to make delicious local and international flavours.

Activities at Kizingoni Beach focus mainly around the alluring Indian Ocean. Each of the houses private boat captains are on hand to show guests some of the best snorkeling and one of the top 10 deep sea fishing spots in the world. The conditions are perfect for all water sports, including waterskiing, tubing, wakeboarding and kitesurfing.

There is also a rare opportunity to swim with dolphins and enjoy a dhow cruise around the bay, watching the East African sunset with cold drinks and fresh oysters.

Virgin Trains opened the refurbished and significantly extended First Class lounge at Euston Station. Open seven days a week, the lounge can be used by anyone with a valid First Class ticket from Virgin or First ScotRail.

With capacity for 140, the first-floor lounge offers a sophisticated set of environments, catering to both business and leisure travelers. Complimentary hot and cold drinks are available. Richard Shotton, Virgin Trains’ stations director, said,

“We’ve brought the Virgin difference to our trains with the introduction of our new fast timetable. We want to bring the Virgin difference to our stations too, and the Euston First Class Lounge is a major part of our program of improvements. With a smart and modern design and variety of spaces we’re sure our First Class customers will love it.”

Fully Wi-Fi enabled and with desks for laptop use, the corporate area provides space for catching up with business. Bloomberg has provided two stand-alone PCs for those travelling without a laptop, and a screen provides the latest Bloomberg business news.

A pre-bookable room is available for private meetings. Virgin Trains is the brand name of Virgin Rail Group which has operated the West Coast passenger train franchise since 1997; the current franchise runs to March 2012. Virgin Rail Group is owned 51 percent by Virgin Group and 49 percent by Stagecoach.

For more information, call 011 44(0)845-000-3333, or visit www.virgintrains.com