Jetsettersblog

The Stein Eriksen Lodge in Deer Valley, Utah, is expanding its spa for the 2009-10 ski season.

The project will take the facility from 4,300 square feet to approximately 20,000 square feet.

It will more than double the number of treatment rooms, increase the size of the women’s and men’s locker rooms, add separate relaxation rooms, expand the fitness center with separate locker rooms, and build out the pool deck by approximately 2,000 square feet.

The Norwegian spa will offer 16 treatment rooms in the upper level, which include two couple’s treatment rooms with a shared relaxation room and two wet treatment rooms. In addition, there will be expanded pedicure and manicure facilities and a new make-up and hair styling room.

For more information, call 800-453-1302 or visit www.steinlodge.com

The Grand Turk Cruise Center, owned by Carnival Corporation & plc, has partnered with Cockburn Village & Farm, Ltd., to develop Conch World, a new attraction in Grand Turk, which welcomed its first guests, a group from the Carnival Pride. Grand opening festivities are set for fall 2009.

Four years in the making, this million-dollar-plus tourism attraction consists of several brightly colored pink buildings that showcase the Queen conch, which is native to Grand Turk and plays a vital role in the health of coral reefs as it serves as a food source for lobsters, turtles, sharks, octopus and other marine animals.

Conch World is the only tourist facility devoted to the Queen conch located at a cruise destination and is only the second such facility in the world.

The guided tour begins with a video and then proceeds to other air-conditioned buildings where informative displays, pictures and dioramas explain conch lore and conch farming, an important part of the Caribbean’s economy.

The highlight of the attraction is the trained conchs, Sally and Jerry, who love to venture out of their shells and have their pictures taken. Guests can also visit the Bare Naked Conch Café to savor the conch prepared in a variety of ways and the Pink Pearl Gift Shop which sells a variety of conch-related merchandise.

Conch World is the first of a multi-phase development by the locally owned and operated company, Cockburn Village & Farm, Ltd. It will be followed by a commercial conch farm, Arawak Village, a modern facility with buildings resembling 1780s Caribbean dwellings, along with beachfront eco-engineered residences.

The $60 million Grand Turk Cruise Center serves as a gateway to this destination and encompasses a state-of-the-art pier and a 13-acre complex offering a variety of retail shops, including the Caribbean’s largest “Margaritaville”-themed bar and restaurant.

For more information, visit www.Grandturk.cc

The Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the fastest growing hotel companies worldwide, announced the planned opening of the Park Inn Sandton in South Africa.

The 270 rooms-property is scheduled to open in 2010.

Sandton is a suburb of South Africa’s largest city Johannesburg and already home to two Radisson Blu properties — the Radisson Blu Hotel Sandton (opened in early 2009) and the Radisson Blu Hotel Sandton Central (opening in early 2010).

The new Park Inn Sandton will be located on a prime sit on Katherine Street within “Africa’s Richest Square Mile”, as this part of the city is known. Besides 270 rooms the property will feature an outlet of Park Inn’s signature restaurant RBG Bar & Grill.

Meeting facilities include seven conference rooms.

For leisure, guests can enjoy an outdoor swimming pool (with terrace and bar) and a fitness facility.

Marrakech’s La Mamounia Hotel will re-open its doors on Sept. 29 following an extensive restoration project led by interior designer, Jacques Garcia.

The hotel has expanded with 136 guest rooms, 71 suites including seven Signature Suites, and three Riads each with three bedrooms, private terraces, Moroccan salons and a private swimming pool.

The new La Mamounia, under the management of Didier Picquot, will feature a 27,000-square-foot La Mamounia Spa; three signature restaurants headed by two Michelin Star chefs, Alfonso Iaccarino of the Don Alfonso 1890 in Sant’ Agata, Italy, and Jean-Pierre Vigato, owner of Apicius in Paris, France, as well as Fabrice Lasnon, executive chef of La Mamounia; a pool restaurant; five bars; and 20 acres of historic gardens noted for its ancient olive groves and wide array of flora.

Situated on the edge of the walls of the old city of Marrakech, La Mamounia is named after its legendary 200-year-old gardens, originally given as an 18th century wedding gift to Prince Moulay Mamoun by his father, King Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah.

Today, the gardens at La Mamounia cover almost 20 acres with an enviable variety of flora and fauna.

Since the hotel originally opened in 1923, La Mamounia has been symbolic of traditional Moroccan hospitality and a classic example of the great age of grand hotels.

For over 85 years, La Mamounia has been a beloved destination for travelers from around the globe, including royals, heads of state, filmmakers, musicians, actors and fashion designers.

Sir Winston Churchill recalled La Mamounia as “the most lovely spot in the whole world” when inviting Franklin D. Roosevelt to visit him, and Alfred Hitchcock chose La Mamounia as the site to film “The Man Who Knew Too Much” with James Stewart and Doris Day.

Others guests have included luminaries such as Charlie Chaplin, Marlene Dietrich, Kirk Douglas, Charlton Heston, Princess Caroline of Monaco, Nelson Mandela, Jacques Chirac, The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Nicole Kidman, Kate Winslet, Tom Cruise, Yves Saint Laurent and Julio Iglesias.

The list is long and inside the hotel lives a prized guestbook, chronicling the guests’ emotional reactions to the magic of La Mamounia and their love of Marrakech.

For more information, visit www.mamounia.com

The five Nordic countries — Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden — have unveiled the redesign of their web portal, www.GoScandinavia.com

Better looking, more comprehensive and easier to use, the new site makes it simple for both leisure and business travelers to find the information they require and the inspiration they seek to plan their travels to Scandinavia.

It has an expanded list of leisure tour operators serving Scandinavia, plus tour descriptions and links for easy booking.

It has a new traveler’s FAQ section covering everything from average local temperature to sightseeing suggestions.

There is a dedicated news section where travelers can find out what’s on now in Scandinavia, and where they can sign up to receive the Go Scandinavia email newsletter, providing travel news throughout the year.
One section is for Meeting, Incentive, Convention and Exposition (MICE) planners.

And there are links for ordering brochures or to receive information directly from each tourist board. It also has direct links to air carriers that serve the countries of Scandinavia.

At the new GoScandinavia.com site, visitors will find general information about Scandinavia as a whole, information about the individual nations and links to the tourism boards of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, where they can plan itineraries, book accommodations and more.

Go Scandinavia is the brand name of Scandinavian Tourism Inc., a marketing consortium comprising the tourism organizations VisitDenmark, Visit Finland, Iceland Tourist Board, Innovation Norway and VisitSweden in the United States and Canada. It is a cooperative effort to market Scandinavia as a single, unified destination in Northern Europe.

For more information, visit www.GoScandinavia.com

AMAWaterways has christened its sixth new ship in three years, the 148-passenger Amadolce.

The ceremony comes six weeks after the christening of Amadolce’s sister ship, the Amalyra, in Vilshofen, Germany.

The historic town of Durnstein, Austria, served as the backdrop for the Amadolce’s christening.

Located on the Danube in the Wachau wine-growing region, Durnstein is one of the area’s most-visited tourist sites. It is also a popular destination on several of AMA’s Danube river itineraries, known for its hilltop castle fortress dating back to the days of Richard the Lion-Hearted.

Like its sister ships, the Amadolce features an upscale décor and amenities like complimentary Wi-Fi; 170-square-foot standard cabins, with over 82 percent boasting French balconies; plush bedding with down duvets; flat-screen TVs; in-room “infotainment systems” with complimentary Internet access; and marble bathrooms with spa-quality bath amenities, terry robes and slippers. Gourmet meals in the restaurant are accompanied by complimentary local wines, and complimentary specialty coffees are always available in the main lounge and at meals.

AMA vessels also feature a fitness center, a beauty salon, a whirlpool, a walking track on the Sun Deck and a fleet of bicycles for passenger use. A professional cruise director accompanies passengers throughout their entire cruise and land experiences, and expert local guides conduct complimentary city tours at every destination.

For more information, call 800-626-0126 or visit www.amawaterways.com

Warwick International Hotels (WIH) announced a new affiliate member hotel, the Altstadt Vienna, Austria, which marks the first time WIH has partnered with an Austrian hotel.

The building that is known today as Hotel Altstadt Vienna was built in 1902 and is located in the 7th Viennese district, the Spittelberg-area, famous for its artistic flair. In 1991, Otto E. Wiesenthal rebuilt the house into the Altstadt Vienna with 24 rooms and suites.

During the last 10 years the house has been enlarged with apartments and is today a meeting point for artists, musicians and individual travelers looking for a distinctive hotel with good service.

Contemporary art, unique design, charm and terrific comfort feature impressively throughout the boutique Hotel Altstadt.

The hotel’s 42 rooms and suites, part of a grand Viennese apartment block, are spread out across five floors. Each of the exquisitely decorated rooms and suites has a touch of the past.

All rooms have been designed to meet individual needs so that none are alike. Easy chairs, plump floral sofas, classic and design furniture, high ceilings, honey-colored parquet floors, and contemporary art transform each and every room into a personal living room.

In July 2006 nine rooms designed by Italian star architect Matteo Thun were added. Dark parquet, ornate chandeliers and sumptuous wallpapers with damask pattern present a fresh and modern interpretation of the turn of the century in a seductive journey back to Vienna’s “Belle Epoque.” The Red Salon, complete with an open fire, bar, piano and complimentary tea and homemade cakes each and every afternoon, is the ideal location to relax and feel well and truly at home. The Altstadt Vienna can be reserved through the Warwick International Hotels voice toll-free lines worldwide,  or at www.warwickhotels.com

The London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) announced Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express as the Official Hotel Services Provider to London 2012 and a Tier Three commercial partner. Holiday Inn, part of InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), will provide LOCOG with additional capability and expertise in the accommodation sector, supplying experienced personnel to assist in the planning and operation of the Athletes’ Village.

Currently undergoing a £600 million global relaunch, Holiday Inn will supply team members to work with LOCOG’s accommodation and protocol teams in the lead up to the Games in 2012.

Holiday Inn, along with other hotels in the IHG stable, will also provide accommodation and meeting rooms for LOCOG and its partners as it builds towards the Games.

For more information,

visit the banner ad to the right for all brands of IHG.

Check the sports blog for Olympic event updates at www.jetsettersblog.com

Island Packers Cruises, an authorized concessionaire to the Channel Islands National Park, has announced coastal sailing trips off the Ventura County, Calif., coast aboard the Bill of Rights tall ship, which recently established its home port in Channel Islands Harbor, Oxnard.

The Bill of Rights, a 129-foot, double-mast gaff rig top sail schooner built in 1971, is available for three-hour coastal cruises on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Passengers can watch for dolphins, seals, sea lions and other marine life or experience a more adventurous role by helping the crew to sail the historic ship.

The cost is $45 for adults, $40 for seniors (ages 55 and over), and $35 for children (ages 12 and under).

The Bill of Rights is also available for a Fourth of July Cruise Sail on July 3 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and July 4 from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Visitors can watch a fireworks display beginning at 9 p.m. from the ship. The Bill of Rights can accommodate up to 80 passengers, and individuals are encouraged to bring food and beverages for the day and layers of warm clothing. Advanced reservations are recommended.

For more information, call 805-642-1393 or visit www.islandpackers.com

MSC Cruises has recently launched MSC Web TV and 3-D virtual tours accessible online at www.msccruisesusa.com

The virtual tours feature high-quality video in six languages (English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese).

The online 3-D virtual tours highlight the MSC Fantasia, which was christened in December 2008, including its Aurea Spa, restaurants, swimming pools, clubs and lounges, entertainment, shops and staterooms.

Fully integrated into MSC Cruises’ advanced network of interlinked websites, MSC Web TV offers user-friendly navigation and customization, including full-screen mode tailored to the users’ preferences and Internet connection.

For more information, call 800-666-9333 or visit www.msccruises.tv