Jetsettersblog

Quad Cities – St. Louis Author, Dean Klinkenberg, virtually lived in the Quad Cities in the summers of 2007 and 2008 exploring any place that might interest visitors. The John Deere factory tour reduced him to a giddy 10-year old; and neighborhood bars introduced him to the daily lives of QC residents. Festivals, the arts, attractions, and historical research kept him busy filling the pages of what would become a detailed and information-packed Quad Cities travel guide.

“The Mississippi Valley Traveler – Quad Cities Travel Guide” is the first book in a series of travel guides under the name The Mississippi Valley Traveler that are designed for budget-conscious travelers of any age who want to explore the Mississippi River and the towns that grew up along its banks.

The Quad Cities is comprised of Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa; Rock Island and Moline/East Moline, Illinois; and surrounding communities.

Dean often comments, that while he lives in St. Louis, he considers the Quad Cities his second home. When he is in the Quad Cities, if he is not watching antique motorcycle races or listening to roots music, you will find him at one of the area’s brewpubs.

He found the people friendly, informative, and always willing to lend a helping hand.

“The Mississippi River is the reason that settlers put down their stakes in the 1830s, and people still flock to its banks to fish, to bike, to enjoy a festival, or to enjoy the view,” said Dean.

“The story of the Quad Cities is the story of a growing America, innovation and industrialization, and the shifting economies that continually make and remake cities. The Mississippi Valley Traveler pays respect to this history, while highlighting attractions well-known and obscure and locally-run restaurants and accommodations.”

The Quad Cities Travel Guide begins with an introduction of the Quad Cities, a history lesson, and an explanation about the author’s “My Picks”.

He then presents special sections on each region in the Quad Cities that highlight the history of the city, attractions, restaurants, entertainment, and lodging. Each section contains a map that pinpoints areas of interest. Cities include Moline, Rock Island, East Moline, and Hampton in Illinois, and Davenport, Bettendorf, Riverdale, and Pleasant Valley in Iowa.

There is also a special section on the Rock Island Arsenal Island. The book concludes with regional information that includes seasonal festivals.

Dean’s next guide book will cover the river from LeClaire, Iowa, to Lansing, Michigan, including historic communities such as Dubuque, Galena, and Prairie du Chien.

He plans to have it completed by the middle of September.

From there, he will continue north all the way to the headwaters region. Klinkenberg expects the series to be completed with the Upper Mississippi by the summer of 2011.

Currently, the Quad Cities Travel Guide can be purchased online at www.MississippiValleyTraveler.com

KUALA LUMPUR -Budget airline AirAsia X has raised the possibility of establishing a new hub in the Middle East, enabling its network to extend to north Africa and Europe.

The Age reports that AirAsia X’s CEO Azran Osman-Rani said a location had already been chosen in a Gulf state but that it would not be disclosed for several weeks.

“This will open up completely new markets, and we won’t always have to have the planes based in Kuala Lumpur, which limits us to an eight-hour radius,” Azran told reporters.

“There will be many in the aviation industry who think this is crazy because the traditional low-cost model is to do only point-to-point flights… to keep it simple,” he said.

Azran said AirAsia X would hire existing services for cargo, catering and maintenance.

Initially, the carrier will operate flights from Kuala Lumpur to the Middle East hub, before branching out next year by using it to jump to destinations that could include Morocco, Turkey, Spain or the Czech Republic.

Azran said the plan was also triggered by potential problems accommodating new aircraft, amid doubts that Malaysia’s airports authority will complete a new low-cost carrier terminal in Kuala Lumpur by 2011 as scheduled.

“It will relieve the pressure of having all our planes in Kuala Lumpur, especially if the new airport is not finished and we do not have enough parking bays,” he said.

Take a spin in the car of your dreams with the Rome Cavalieri

Whether it’s a Ferrari, a Lamborghini, or a Maserati, Italy is synonymous with super-fast, super-luxe cars. Can’t afford your own?

The glamorous Rome Cavalieri is offering guests the chance to drive the Italian car of their dreams with a specially crafted Italian Super Car “experience day” and luxury car rental. So get behind the wheel for the drive of a lifetime in the home of the Italian sports car!

In collaboration with Red Travel, the Rome Cavalieri is now offering guests the chance to experience a 4 hour driving tour on the iconic Mille Miglia route.

Guests can drive through hilltop villages along the winding roads of the route that made the “Gran Turismo” (Grand Touring) sports car famous, at the wheel of a Ferrari F430 Spider, a Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 E-Gear and a Maserati Granturismo in one high-octane afternoon.

After meeting in Civitavecchia, guests will be introduced to each car and briefed on how to drive the different models. Your tour director will explain the difference between the 8- and 10- cylinder engines and give guidance on how to handle the F1 paddle-gear shifting behind the steering wheel before you get into the driving seat to take on the most exciting curving roads in the area.

Drivers are led along the route by the tour director and full mechanical support is included throughout the experience.

The Italian Super-Car Experience includes:

4 hours driving experience with a Ferrari F430 Spider, a Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 E-Gear and a Maserati Granturismo at your service.

Full driving briefing

Full insurance up to 50 million euros for all vehicles

Fuel for all vehicles

Parking, cleaning and refuelling of all cars

Reserved parking for all halts

No. 5 powerful radios

Red travel staff including private Tour Director

Photographs taken during the event

Priced from 850 Euros per person including VAT

The Cavalieri also offers full day private car rental for drivers to explore the region and appreciate the breathtaking panoramic views and picturesque villas in style.

Tour the roads of the Castelli Romani wine country in Frascati, passing through vineyards and wooded hills; journey into Bracciano and visit the imposing Castello Odescalchi; and whizz over to Ostia Antica to marvel at wonderfully preserved ancient buildings and magnificent frescoes within this town.

Full day Ferrari 430 F1 Monza Automatic Convertible rental costs from 2,160 Euros including VAT without driver and from 2,400 Euros including VAT with driver.

A Double Room at the Rome Cavalieri starts from 270 Euros per room per night based on double occupancy with buffet breakfast and VAT included. An Imperial Room with Rome View starts from 465 Euros per room per night based on double occupancy with buffet breakfast and VAT included.

Rome Cavalieri (+39 06 35091; www.romecavalieri.com ) 

W Hotels Worldwide unveiled its first hotel in the U.S. Capital with the opening of W Washington D.C., the W brand’s 25th hotel in North America and 32nd globally.

The closest hotel to the White House, W Washington D.C. is located at 15th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. Owned by Nakheel Hotels, W Washington D.C. takes over the historic former Hotel Washington, which opened in 1917.

The new W Hotel mixes the historic building’s Beaux Arts architecture with the designs of Los Angeles-based designer Dianna.

Hotel features include POV (Point of View), the hotel’s destination rooftop bar and lounge; W Living Room (W’s take on the traditional hotel lobby); and two firsts for Washington, D.C.: J&G Steakhouse, from three-star Michelin Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and Bliss Spa, offering manicures, pedicures, facials and massages in a fun, no-attitude atmosphere.

W Washington D.C. will feature 317 guestrooms, including 23 Marvelous suites, seven Wow suites, and an Extreme Wow suite (W’s reinterpretation of the traditional presidential suite).

All guestrooms and suites feature state-of-the-art entertainment options, including flat-screen LCD TV and docking station for MP3 players, and a fully stocked Munchie Box (W Hotels’ twist of the hotel mini bar).

W Washington D.C. features more than 12,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including The Great Room (W’s take on a grand ballroom) and Altitude Ballroom, which overlooks the Washington cityscape. Wong’s design of The Great Room, with a capacity to hold 700 guests, is a modern interpretation of the historic hotel’s 1920s Beaux Arts glamour, featuring a staircase at the entrance, chandeliers (new and 1920s originals remodeled) and columns throughout. Altitude Ballroom, located adjacent to POV rooftop lounge, has a capacity for 220 guests.

Other amenities at W Washington D.C. include Sweat fitness center; Wired business center; 24-hour in-room dining; and dry cleaning, laundry and valet services. Event spaces and WOW suites are connected to the National Press Club’s satellite feed, allowing the hotel’s entertainment and news industry guests to uplink remotes and interviews without the hassle of bringing satellite trucks downtown. W Washington D.C. also offers the W brand’s signature Whatever/Whenever service promise.

Remarking on the resilience of tourism, Turks & Caicos Island’s Premier Galmo Williams welcomed news that the Veranda Resort & Residences on Grace Bay Beach would be complete prior to end of 2009 and would open for business early 2010.

“The opening of Veranda Resort & Residences shows the resilience of our tourism industry in today’s volatile marketplace.

It is no secret that the worldwide economy is experiencing tremendous challenges at this moment in time,” said Williams.

The Veranda Resort & Residences is owned by Faez Ltd., a Turks & Caicos company founded by U.K. entrepreneur, Andre Surreys. Surreys and U.S.-based real estate veteran Ron Sutherland of the Hemisphere Group purchased the resort in April 2008.

In January 2009, Surreys and Sutherland appointed Grace Bay Resorts, the company behind the celebrated Grace Bay Club in Turks and Caicos, to manage the new $80 million luxury resort property.

Inspired by British Caribbean architecture, the resort will feature the island’s only private beachfront homes, each with their own pool, as well as 126 residential units available as studios, and one-, two- and three-bedroom condominium units.

In addition, the resort has two separate oceanfront restaurants offering both elegant and casual dining experiences, a dedicated 1,700-square-foot conference center, three pools, an Asian-inspired Wellness Center, Spa and Fitness Facility and a dedicated kids club.

For more information, visit www.verandatci.com

The Rezidor Hotel Group unveiled Cucina, a signature restaurant at Hotel Missoni Edinburgh.

The 136-key property debuted in June 2009 and launched Hotel Missoni, the new luxury lifestyle brand created in partnership with the iconic Italian fashion and interiors house. Hotel Missoni Creative Director Rosita Missoni partnered with Michelin-starred chef Giorgio Locatelli to create Cucina.

The Lombardy natives collaborated on Cucina’s menu and concept, in order to bring the Missoni family kitchen to a restaurant experience. Cucina Missoni features seasonal Italian cooking with an emphasis on sharing and tasting. Head Chef Mattia Camorani and Maitre D’ Alberto Trovato, both of whom worked under Locatelli at his Locanda Locatelli in London, present a summer menu that includes insalate di patate e polipo (potato and octopus salad), sogliola arrosto salsa verde e scarola (roast Dover sole with escarole), and selezione di gelati — a plate of 10 different types of gelato for the table to share.

Cucina is open all day and can seat up to 100 guests.

A regional Italian wine list complements the seasonal menu, and many wines are paired directly with dishes.

Main course menu items start at approximately $15 and antipasti begins at about $12.

Hotel Missoni represents a new breed of design hotel, combining the expertise of leading hotel management company Rezidor Hotel Group with the style of fashion and interiors label Missoni. Hotel Missoni Edinburgh debuted in June.

Future developments include properties in Kuwait City, Kuwait (2010); Cape Town, South Africa (2010); Jebel Sifah, Oman (2011); and Ilha de Cajaíba, Brazil (2012).

For more information, visit www.HotelMissoni.com

The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa officially opens Monday, Aug. 3, becoming the only Hard Rock in the Heartland of America and just the seventh Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in the world.

The launch begins at 1:30 p.m. in the Grand Lobby and will feature keynote addresses by Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chad Smith, Cherokee Nation Entertainment CEO David Stewart, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino representatives, and entertainer Toby Keith, who will be opening a Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill in the casino.

Cherokee Nation is the sole owner of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, which will be operated by Cherokee Nation Entertainment.

The new resort features 350 hotel rooms and suites; more than 125,000 square feet of gaming space; five dining venues, including Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill and McGill’s on 19, a fine-dining penthouse restaurant; and five nightclubs and entertainment venues including the 2,500-seat Hard Rock Hotel & Casino event center scheduled to open in 2010.

Already setting the scene is the recently opened Center Bar, which features an 80-foot-long frozen bar top, and Friction lounge offering a nightlife experience similar to Metropolitan nightclubs featuring live music, urbane décor, a dance floor and specialty drinks. In addition, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino features the Sky Room, a more-than-5,000-square-foot banquet facility enclosed with floor-to-ceiling Chevron glass on the 18th floor; more than 35,000 square feet of meeting space; a Hard Rock retail store stocked with new and traditional favorite Hard Rock merchandise and souvenirs;

the Cherokee Hills Golf Club championship golf course located adjacent to the property; and a soon-to-open Hard Rock Las Vegas-inspired swimming pool set for the fall.

The new Hard Rock Hotel tower will add more than 200 rooms and suites to the property including several Hard Rock suites and a chief’s suite. The 18-hole, 70-par, 170-acre Cherokee Hills Golf Club championship golf course was voted one of the top five public access courses in Oklahoma two years in a row by Golfweek magazine.

For more information, visit www.cherokeecasino.com

Kimpton’s new Hotel Monaco Baltimore is gearing up to open its doors.

The Hotel Monaco Baltimore is accepting reservations now for arrivals.

Originally constructed in 1906, the 202-room Hotel Monaco is located on the corner of Charles and Baltimore streets and is close to the Inner Harbor, Baltimore Convention Center and attractions such as the National Aquarium in Baltimore and the Maryland Science Center, making it easily accessible to a full range of cultural, entertainment and dining options. Located adjacent to the hotel is B&O American Brasserie, which features the menu of Chef E. Michael Reidt.

The restaurant also features a bar with a selection of artisanal wines and classic hand-crafted cocktails and an exhibition kitchen with a pizza oven and counter seating.

The Hotel Monaco features tall rooms with extra-long 96-inch king-sized beds, extra-long giraffe print robes, high ceilings and raised showerheads.

Additionally, the hotel is pet-friendly and welcomes these special members of the family in any of its guest rooms. For meetings and special events, the Hotel Monaco offers more than 6,000 square feet of fully equipped, meeting space, perfect for any occasion whether for business or pleasure.

There are six separate meeting rooms, including break-out space and a permanent board room.

The rooms — Athens, Vienna, Caracas and the Tokyo Board Room — are all named after international cities, adding to the hotel’s grand adventure atmosphere, and are conveniently located on the second level near the hotel’s living room lobby.

For hotel reservations or more information, call 866-973-1904 or visit www.monaco-baltimore.com

The Maldives will see the opening of the first international-class hotel for its capital city, Malé. The 117-room Holiday Inn Malé will open on Sept. 1, 2009.

At 15 stories, Holiday Inn Malé is the city’s newest and tallest hotel in the Maldives and in a 750-kilometer radius, commanding an unrivalled view of the harbor and beyond. Just a short, five-minute speedboat ride from the international airport, the hotel will offer meetings and conference facilities, food and beverage outlets, extensive recreation and communication facilities. Located on the corner of Ameer Ahmed Magu, Holiday Inn Malé lies near the harbor front, shops and markets and within a short walking distance to the various historical places of interest like the Old Friday Mosque, Sultan Park and The Presidential Palace.

The hotel provides a base for vacationers heading out to outlying resort islands.

Sporting a new livery, quality facilities and service of the global Holiday Inn brand family, Holiday Inn Malé boasts of 117 rooms which include 17 superior rooms, 77 deluxe rooms, 13 deluxe ocean-view rooms, nine premiere rooms and a presidential suite.

All rooms feature either a king bed or two twin beds and offer amenities such as broadband Internet, LCD TVs, mini bar, complimentary tea/coffee making facilities and in-room safes.

As for dining and entertainment, there is a Lobby Café, an all-day dining restaurant, a rooftop restaurant offering European/Japanese fusion cuisine and a 24-hour in-room dining. The hotel also has a rooftop swimming pool, a well-equipped fitness center and the first branded Spa in Malé, Coconut Spa.

Other activities include scuba diving and snorkeling, big game fishing, island excursions and picnics, Malé city tour, photo flights, resort day visits, submarine trips and others.

For corporate meetings, there are four versatile meeting rooms including the Grand Ballroom offering 255 square meters of space, all equipped with the latest technology.

They provide the ideal space for a range of function requirements, from seminars, board meetings and exhibitions, to wedding banquets and private celebrations catering for up to 180 persons, banquet style, or 240 for a reception.

The Radisson St Martin Resort, Marina & Spa announced the opening of the Le Spa and fitness center. Le Spa offers a full menu of services in multiple treatment rooms, including one especially designed for couples.

One poolside cabana is available for outdoor treatments and guests can enjoy the tropical breezes off the Caribbean Sea.

A nail salon is also available for manicure and pedicure services including a PerfectSense Paraffin Treatment.

Signature spa treatments include the Lulur, Lotus and Frangipani Body Scrub, Five Energy Treatment Facial and Lotus, Frangipani and Galets Massage.

The spa features the leading spa lines of Carita facial products and La Sultane De Saba skin care products that are used in services and available for purchase in the spa boutique.

Special spa vacation packages from five to seven days are available and include accommodations, treatments, breakfast daily at Le Marché, and welcome cocktails.

Le Spa reservations can be requested by visiting www.lespabyradisson.com or calling directly at 590.590.87.67.01.

Reservations at Radisson St Martin Resort, Marina & Spa can be booked through Radisson Hotels & Resorts 800-333-3333 or at www.radisson.com/stmartin