Jetsettersblog

American has installed a new Pet Relief Area at the terminal’s departure level, so that passengers with pets can give their canine or feline friends a final chance to relieve themselves before packing them away in their kennels for the flight. “American Airlines is sensitive to the needs of passengers who travel with their pets,” said Joseph Daly,

American’s facilities maintenance manager at JFK Airport. “Pets that travel have comfort needs, too, so we wanted to provide a way for them to be comfortable before boarding their flight, just like the rest of us.”

The new Pet Relief Area is a 30-feet-by-50-feet enclosure, including a 1,000-square-foot patch of natural grass. It has a five-foot wide entrance gate, a walkway and two benches.

A “Mutt Mitt” dispenser is provided, together with a trash barrel at the gate for waste disposal. A bright red fire hydrant stands at the far end of the grassy area.

American worked with the International Association of Assistance Dog Partners in creating the area, and American’s JFK terminal is now listed on the www.PetFriendlyTravel.com site.

Food and wine aficionados traveling to Italy’s Piemonte region, home to the Slow Food Movement, can now immerse themselves in the area’s deeply rooted enogastronomic heritage through numerous and one-of-a-kind agritourism options. Piemonte’s history-filled farmhouses are typically family-run operations based on or around villas, castles and wineries that can include a wide range of accommodations from a bed and breakfast to large apartments and individual houses complete with fully equipped kitchens and private baths.

Piemonte is home to a variety of local food festivals, with some of the most important held in the fall season, including the Piemonte Hazelnut Festival in early September, the Slow Food International Cheese Fair in September in the town of Bra, and the Alba National Truffle Fair in October.

Travelers can also have the opportunity to participate in individual activities such as horseback riding, mountain biking, swimming, hiking and golfing. Guests can experience first-hand the local history and culture by dining with host families, assisting in the grape harvest, working in the vineyards and hazelnut groves or simply enjoying the peaceful surroundings.

Following are some farmhouses throughout the region, each reflecting the many charms and appeals of Piemonte’s diverse areas:

Zabaldano, Asti Province:

This farmhouse lies at the southern end of Piemonte in the province of Asti. The farm buildings are near the top of a hill overlooking the Bormida River valley and, depending on the season, guests can partake in some of the farm’s activities that include working in the vineyard and the hazelnut groves, making hay and harvesting grapes.

In late autumn, truffle fairs are held in all nearby towns. This restored farmhouse has three small apartments that include a double bedroom, a bathroom with a tub or shower, and a large sitting room/kitchen with one extra sofa bed. The location of the farmhouse is also ideal for walking, mountain biking tours, bird watching and picking wild mushrooms.

A nine-hole golf course and an Olympic size pool are only a half hour’s drive away in Acqui Terme, a town famous for its health and beauty spa.

Cascina Foresto, Biella Province:

Built in 1750, this farmhouse is surrounded by the natural preserve of the Baraggia Orientale National Park. Here a mountain guide can be provided to go exploring through the Biellese Alps or trekking with donkeys through the National Park.

The farmhouse is surrounded with trails good for mountain biking and horseback riding.

It has four double bedrooms with a television, a large reading room with a fireplace, and a dining room for guests looks out onto the farm courtyard.

The Biellese area is home to many medieval villages and is rich in art, culture, and traditions.

Cascina Timoteo, Torino Province:

Located in the green hills of the lower Pellice Valley, this farmhouse dates back to the 17th century. Its location offers views of the surrounding valley and is ideal for going on excursions along mountain paths either on foot or by bicycle. Various sporting facilities are available in the area such as riding stables and ski slopes and throughout the year a host of events are held that feature traditional music and dance. Cascina Timoteo produces typical local items and has a snail farm and sturgeon fishery. The farmhouse can accommodate up to 24 people in eight rooms and each room has a bathroom with a shower, satellite television, telephone, Internet connection, and mini-bar.

Il Cavenago, Novara Province: This 17th century villa is situated on the hills of Moreno between the countryside of Novara and the Alps. Il Cavenago was Conte Cavenago’s country house in 1650 and is today one of the most ancient buildings in the town of Ghemme. Nearby and easily accessible are lakes Orta and Maggiore, the sacred mountain of Varallo Sesia, and Monterosa Ski.

The villa has five rooms that include a large bathroom, satellite television, and Internet. If guests choose to partake in meals at the villa, they’ll be served traditional foods from the area, made with locally grown agricultural products or from nearby farms. Meals are served with wines from the Novara Hills vineyards.

Villa Perona, Alessandria Province: Villa Perona dates back to the 16th century, when the Perroni family built the castle. Evidence of the original castle is still visible in the underground cellars of the villa. It first developed wine making at the beginning of the 20th century.

In the fall, truffle hunting is organized and throughout other seasons bicycling and trekking is another way to explore the surrounding Monferrato area.

The villa has six rooms with modern furnishings and spacious baths and three additional rooms are located in the rustic house.

Cascina Rosso, Asti Province:

Located in the picturesque town of Roccaverano, Cascina Rosso is situated among the hills and terraces of Piemonte. This farmhouse offers guests a chance to try good food and appreciate the local art and architecture.

Activities can include hiking, bird watching, and sipping local wines while savoring local Robiola cheese. There are two fully equipped apartments that guests may choose from that can accommodate up to four guests.

Villa Ile, Cuneo Province: Surrounded by vineyards, this farmhouse is situated in the hills of the Langhe.

While staying at Villa Ile, guests can participate in various activities including wine tasting lessons, bird watching, and a chef-taught cooking class. The farmhouse has four large rooms; each with its own bathroom as well as a wide terrace with views of the Langhe’s rolling hills.

Cascina Langha, Alessandria Province: This large, ancient farmhouse is located on a hill between the Langhe and Monferrato, surrounded by hills that are filled with small old villages where guests can discover art, historical treasures, and excellent eno-gastronomic specialties.

Cascina Langha has been recently restored respecting the area’s ancient rural architecture by using typical stone walls, a manger for cows, an old oven for bread, and ancient wood trusses. Depending on the season, guests can harvest mushrooms, chestnuts, hazelnuts, flowers, and chop wood for fireplaces. The farmhouse has six bedrooms and includes a large kitchen, a fireplace, terrace-solarium, and refrigerator.

La Ca d Olga, Cuneo Province: Located less than four miles from Alba, this farmhouse is situated on a winding road bordering green fields, hazelnut woods and vineyards. Activities at La Ca d Olga can include horse trekking through the hills, mountain biking, and golfing at one of the finest golf courses in Piemonte. Each apartment can accommodate up to five people and has a fully equipped kitchen. This farmhouse also has a swimming pool and overlooks a courtyard with a wonderful scenic view.

Oryza, Vercelli Province: Inside the thousand-year park of the Desana Castle, in the heart of the Vercelli plain, is the Oryza farmhouse. Here the Vercellone family manages Oryza and its rice farm where varieties of high quality rice are produced. Guided tours of the rice farm can be arranged and cooking lessons on how to prepare risotto, one of Piemonte’s signature dishes, are also offered. Other activities include bird watching, horseback riding along the Sesia River, mountain biking, and a course on how to handle hawks and eagles. Vercelli is known for its art and culture and is home to museums and galleries that contain relics from the Roman era. The farmhouse has six rooms, each named after a different type of rice, with a small kitchen, minibar, television, internet access and a whirlpool shower.

For more information on Piemonte and a listing of agritourism facilities in the region, visit www.torinopiemonte.com  or www.torinopiemonte.com

The Bahamas are promoting all-inclusive private island rentals using Little Whale Cay as an example.

If a group of 10 to 12 rented the entire island of Little Whale Cay in the Bahamas for five nights, it is less expensive than one would think. Little Whale Cay, a private island set in the heart of the Berry Islands in the Bahamas, replete with accommodations, a superb main beach, a marina with a flotilla of boats for sailing, cruising, fishing, water-skiing, off-island excursions, spa and gym facilities, sea-view infinity edged pool, tennis court, and even a chapel.

Plus, a top notch chef and dedicated staff, whose job is to watch over the guests.

It accommodates up to 12 guests in three individual villas, privately set on 93 acres, skirted by white sand beaches.

Villas are all air conditioned, with flat-screen TVs, DVD players, Wi-Fi and telephones. Little Whale House, the main house and usually the popular gathering place, is equipped with a bar and satellite-fed flat-screen TV, two en-suite bedrooms, one double bedded and one king master suite, study with computer, spacious living room, dining room and terrace.

Flamingo House has four bedrooms, two en-suite queen bedded rooms, one twin and one queen that share a bath, living room and terrace, and Peacock House with a king en-suite master bedroom, living room and terrace. Houses are connected by pathways but sheltered for privacy.

The price is $9,500 per day for up to 12 with a minimum of five nights or $3,750 per person for a five-night vacation on a private island including accommodations, food, drinks (including spirits and house wines), and the use of all island facilities, boats, fuel, telephone calls and Wi-Fi Internet connection in each guest house.

Now, if the group should book a hotel for 12 people for five nights, they would get rooms, not an island, for maybe $300 or $400 per day not including food, certainly not spirits, or sports, or boating.

For more information, call 800-783-6904 or www.tvlmarketing.com

Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announces that the historic Turnberry golf resort will re-open as part of the renowned Luxury Collection brand at The Open Championship 2009 following a $65 million renovation by owner Leisurecorp, a division of Dubai World company Nakheel.

Following the $65 million refurbishment, which has focused on the iconic resort’s public spaces and 40 of its 211 guest rooms, Turnberry will host the word’s oldest golf championship on its renowned Ailsa golf course from July 16 to 19, 2009. Redesigned by acclaimed interior design firm Fox Linton Associates,

Turnberry offers guests world class cuisine, a variety of outdoor activities in addition to golf, and a spa. Located on Scotland’s Ayrshire coast, Turnberry, a Luxury Collection Resort, is the newest addition to The Luxury Collection, an ensemble of hotels and resorts including The Grande Bretagne, Athens, Greece; Hotel Marqués de Riscal, Elciego, Spain; Mystique, Santorni, Greece; Hotel Danieli, Venice, Italy; The U.S. Grant, San Diego; and The Joule, Dallas.

This year’s Open Championship will host the world’s leading golfers who will compete on Turnberry’s Ailsa Course, widely viewed as one of the best links courses in the world.

Redesigned by Mary Fox Linton, founder of Fox Linton Associates, Turnberry’s restored accommodations include subtle interior colors, and floor-to-ceiling windows flood the resort with natural light and views of the Turnberry Lighthouse, Ailsa Craig and the links golf courses.

Ensuring that Turnberry’s historical charm was preserved, Fox Linton Associates collaborated closely with Historic Scotland during the restoration of the 103-year-old resort.

For more information on Turnberry, a Luxury Collection Resort, visit, www.luxurycollection.com/turnberry  or www.turnberry.co.uk

Continental Airlines has announced that it has completed installation of DirecTV on 15 aircraft that operate within the continental United States, giving customers the choice of 77 channels of live television programming — more channels than any other carrier — including live sports, news, weather and children’s shows.

The new service is being installed on Continental’s entire fleet of more than 200 Boeing 737 Next-Generation aircraft, including the 737-700, 737-800, 737-900, 737-900ER and the Boeing 757-300. Continental’s new system includes in-seat power ports that do not require the use of an adapter. The company expects to complete installation by the end of 2010.

International architectural company RMJM has designed, on behalf of developer Ozkar Construction Co., a new JW Marriott hotel that will help “green” the Sogutozu district of Ankara, the capital city of Turkey. Located on a 14,000-square-meter site, the 24-story JW Marriott Hotel devotes the first four floors to ballrooms, meeting facilities, restaurants and shops in a sky-lit galleria, with guest rooms starting on the fifth floor.

The plan also includes an underground parking garage. Featuring more than 400 guest rooms, the form of the building allows special opportunities for suite rooms at the corners of each floor. Construction is underway on the luxury hotel, which will be operated by JW Marriott Hotels and Resorts.

The hotel is slated for completion in October 2010.

The hotel will bring innovative sustainable design to Ankara and will include a unique design of vertical stone fins that will act as solar shading devices on the east and west facades.

The glass curtain wall uses environmentally friendly materials such as high-performing, low-e coating and tinting that contributes to the reduced solar heat gain. Plentiful bamboo trees and vegetation will be included in the landscape to offer additional shading at the site. Other hotel features include an upscale bistro on the ground level of the hotel tower along with three other specialty restaurants.

An executive lounge will be located on the top of the hotel tower and will feature sweeping views of Ankara. An outdoor wedding venue will be located on the terrace directly above the main 1,500-square-meter ballroom. A health center and spa will also be included in the new hotel with indoor and outdoor swimming pools. For more information, visit the banner below.

The Rezidor Hotel Group will open the Park Inn Wroclaw in Poland. The mid-market property featuring 206 rooms is scheduled to open its doors at the beginning of 2012 in time for the UEFA European Football Championship where Poland and Ukraine will be the host nations of the final tournament.

“This is our second Park Inn in Poland after the Park Inn Krakow,” said Kurt Ritter, president and CEO of Rezidor.

“At the same time, it brings our portfolio in Eastern Europe to 75 hotels with 18,000 rooms in operation and under development — a clear sign for our commitment to this emerging region.”

Wroclaw is a beautiful city with Bohemian, Austrian and Prussian influences — the most famous architectural and cultural masterpiece is the magnificent market square.

The city is located on the Odra River and has 12 islands, 130 bridges and several parks. Wroclaw is Poland’s fourth-largest city and the major industrial, commercial and educational center for the region.

At the same time it is a lively cultural center, with several theaters, major festivals, rampant nightlife and a large student community.

The Park Inn Wroclaw will benefit from excellent visibility, located along one of the main arterial roads leading to the city center and near international transit routes to Katowice, Krakow, Berlin and the Czech Republic.

The Park Inn Wroclaw will be the first internationally branded hotel on the main approach into Wroclaw from the south and will also be the nearest hotel to Mikolaj Kopernik International Airport.

According to a report in the Scottish newspaper The Herald, the city of Glasgow is planning a £35 million ($57 million) rainforest zoo beside the Clyde due to open by 2014. The complex on the banks of the Clyde on the outskirts of Glasgow will be inspired by one of Europe’s most successful zoos, Burgers’ Zoo in Holland, where animals are housed in controlled habitats including rainforests and deserts which visitors can wander through.

The city hopes to get the attraction up and running in time for the Commonwealth Games in 2014. A hotel or conference centre could also be integrated into the attraction to help generate cash.

For more information, visit www.seeglasgow.com

2 Night National Express Rail Breaks

Sea life love them almost as much as divers do, and their popularity is growing exponentially.

Artificial reefs are becoming more widely accepted as environmentally friendly havens for scuba divers, and the movement just received a major shot in the arm with the recent establishment of the second largest artificial reef in Key West, FL, according to one expert.

“Artificial reefs for recreational purposes are a complete win-win for divers, sea life and the environment,” said Charlie Hudson, author of the book Islands in the Sand: An Introduction to Artificial Reefs in the USA from Booklocker.com (www.charliehudson.net ). “With the sinking of the 521-foot-long General Hoyt S Vandenberg, intentionally sunk in 137 feet of water some seven miles south of Key West, enthusiasts of artificial reefs have something more to be excited about.”

Located in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, the 65-year-old vessel is now the world’s second-largest artificial reef. It’s part of the “Florida Keys Shipwreck Trek” which consists of several ships intentionally sunk in an area stretching from Key Largo to Key West.

Hudson, who has studied the history of planned artificial reefs back to their beginnings in the 1800s, believes that the future of artificial reefs is brighter than it’s ever been.

“Artificial reefs have long since transcended the days of the many ‘accidental’ ones created by shipwrecks,” Hudson said.

“Many reefs are built by deploying existing materials in order to create a reef. This can be done by sinking oil rigs (through the Rigs-to-Reefs program), scuttling ships, or by deploying rubble, or construction debris. Other artificial reefs are purpose built (e.g. the Reefballs™) from concrete or other approved materials.

Regardless of construction method, artificial reefs are generally designed to provide hard surfaces to which algae and invertebrates such as barnacles, corals, and oysters attach; the accumulation of attached marine life in turn provides intricate structure and food for assemblages of fish.”

Hudson believes that artificial reefs also help preserve living reefs that have been damaged over the years by divers.

“Natural reefs taking hundreds of years to form and even a little incidental damage by visitors can take hundreds of years to heal,” she said. “Artificial reefs help protect natural ones by providing interesting scenery for divers and a solid structure for algae to form, providing food and an eco-system for sea life.”

For practical purposes, artificial reef projects began in the 1950s and gained attention in the 1980s, according to Hudson. Artificial reef projects can be as complex and expensive as sinking a former aircraft carrier or something like a Reefball™ or other special structure done by a small group in a matter of a weekend.

“Recreational artificial reefs can be properly planned and sustained for public enjoyment and economic benefits with no environmental danger,” Hudson added. “More than that, people at literally every age and literally every part of the country can participate in artificial reef projects. It’s one of the oldest ‘green’ causes around, and it makes it possible for every to not only pitch in, but also to enjoy.”

This just in from New Zealand: The NEW Chuan Spa is now open at The Langham Auckland.

The inviting, $2.5 million facility, which counts as the fifth Chuan iteration in The Langham portfolio, dazzles with heated infinity pool and Jacuzzi, state-of-the-art fitness center, and more than 30 unforgettable treatments based on principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine, such as the Tri-Bathing Ritual with dips in a snail shower, an ice experience and herbal steam rooms.

The spa takes its name from the Chinese for “flowing water,” an inspiration reflected in design and scope as it spreads across the entire 2nd floor of the 410-room hotel. For the full-on Chuan Spa experience, check into one of two opulent, Oriental-inspired residential “Havens,” assuring a therapeutic getaway from arrival to departure. www.chuanspa.com