Jetsettersblog

Connect by Hertz, Hertz’s global car sharing club, has significantly expanded its presence throughout Manhattan, increasing the number of locations and fleet size more than 10-fold with the addition of more than 420 cars, situated at more than 170 parking locations.

With the increase in fleet, new cars have been added to the company’s roster, including the Toyota Yaris, Mazda 6, Volvo C70 convertible and C30 hatchback, and the Volkswagon Jetta and Beatle.

The cars suitably fit the “Personal,” “Social,” and ‘”JetSet” cars currently available, which include the Toyota Prius, Toyota Camry and Mini Cooper, respectively.

In addition, with more than 170 new parking locations, cars can be found as far south as Wall Street, as far north as West 91st Street, and everywhere in between. To view the locations’ details, visit www.connectbyhertz.com  , click New York City and then click Locations.

Connect by Hertz has also installed a new interactive screenpad in each Connect vehicle, which allows members to extend and/or end their reservation without calling the Company’s Member Care Center. “Connect by Hertz has the most competitive rates in New York City and the most features in the car share market, including an unlimited mileage allowance,” said Mark Frissora, chairman and CEO of Hertz. “We’ve expanded rapidly since our launch in December and will continue to expand globally to provide members with an economical alternative to car ownership wherever they are located.”

The new Mövenpick Hotel Hanoi has created guest rooms conceived, furnished and situated especially with the female business traveler in mind. “Travelling on business used to be a largely male-dominated activity,” said Knuth Kiefer, general manager of the Mövenpick Hotel Hanoi, “and women have generally been treated accordingly.

Part of our determination to be better than the rest lies in our greater sensitivity to guests’ needs, and the female business traveler, a segment of our customer base that’s increased tremendously, seems like the ideal expression of our approach to service.”

According to the most recent survey conducted by Business Traveler magazine, two of three female business travelers expressed dissatisfaction with levels of service encountered on the road. Current estimates peg the proportion of women among all business travelers at 40 percent, and growing with each passing year.

At the Mövenpick Hotel Hanoi, concessions to feminine sensibilities include both the tangible and the invisible. Indeed, the desire to remain inconspicuousness prompted the Mövenpick Hotel Hanoi to locate these new female business traveler rooms on the same floor as the health club and spa facilities, thus eliminating self-consciousness related to the back-and-forth commute in a robe or workout attire.

Décor in the rooms is understated but cheerful, an ambience more suited to the convergence of femininity and functionality. Features include an extra make-up mirror.

In addition to the usual location, in the bathroom, another is placed at the working desk, for women who prefer applying make-up in natural light. Other gratis amenities conceived with women’s preferences in mind include ultra-high-powered hairdryers, padded hangers (for silk blouses), and make-up removal “kits.”

For more information, call 877-903 2525 or visit www.islanddestinations.com

Pan Pacific Hotels Group celebrated the opening of Pan Pacific Xiamen.

Formerly the Sofitel Plaza Xiamen, the hotel was rebranded and opened as Pan Pacific Xiamen on Aug. 1 following a series of hotel enhancements in line with the Pan Pacific brand. The opening of Pan Pacific Xiamen is a significant milestone for Pan Pacific Hotels Group as it charts its strategic expansion in North America, Asia and Australia. Its next project in China is Pan Pacific Tianjin, scheduled to open in 2011.

To celebrate the opening, guests staying over at Pan Pacific Xiamen on July 31, 2009, were gifted with exclusive mementos.

The first guest of the day also enjoyed a special welcome package of flowers, champagne and gifts, and a complimentary room upgrade. In addition, guests at breakfast on the morning of the opening enjoyed a round of celebratory champagne while an evening cocktail rounded up the day’s festivities.

To mark its launch, Pan Pacific Xiamen will also host a series of high-profile events over the next few weeks, including the Pan Pacific Xiamen Golf Cup and Cocktail Party and dinner events with key industry and community leaders.

For reservations or more information, visit www.panpacific.com/xiamen

La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, Calif., has launched a vacation rental program that enables guests to reserve the resort’s villas for one week or longer.

The creation of the formalized rental program stemmed from tracking patterns for longer stays. The property has identified guests as snowbirds anxious to wait out the winter season, sunbirds seeking to escape summer heat, executives on extended stay for business, and local residents who have already sold their existing homes before their new homes are available or have been displaced from their homes due to renovation.

La Costa’s villas feature Spanish colonial architecture and décor with spacious kitchens, Saltillo pavers, fireplaces and patios.

Other amenities include Viking appliances, a stackable washer and dryer within each villa, and plasma televisions.

Packages are available for unlimited golf, fitness classes, tennis clinics and special rates at the Spa at La Costa.

The vacation rental program includes weekly housekeeping service with other services for a fee on request. Villas are pet friendly and require a $100, non-refundable pet deposit.

Vacation rental guests have access to La Costa’s recreational amenities and room service. La Costa’s vacation rentals rates vary by season and unit size, as well as length of stay.

To book, call Lynn Gilford at 760-929-6326 or visit www.lacosta.com/vacationrental

For general La Costa information, call 800-854-5000 or visit www.lacosta.com  Read Jetsetters Magazine feature about La Costa.

Gwanghwamun Plaza in downtown Seoul was formally dedicated and opened to the public.

The Plaza, 34 meters in width and 557 meters in length, is located along Sejongno, the city’s main boulevard in the heart of Seoul that was named after the fourth king of the Joseon Dynasty. Starting at Gwanghwamun, the main gate of Gyeongbokgung (palace), the Plaza runs south to the Sejongno Intersection and Cheonggye Plaza. Built at a cost of $36 million, the project took some 15 months to complete. Sejongno was known as Yukjo Street during the Joseon Dynasty. Yukjo means Six Ministries, all located along the street at the time.

By restoring and accommodating the heritage of Yukjo Street, the Plaza will serve as a place to experience Korean history and culture for citizens.

It will also offer a panoramic view of Gyeongbokgung and Bugaksan, a mountain rising behind the palace. The royal palace and Cheonggyecheon, a stream that runs through downtown Seoul, will be connected from the Plaza, serving as a walking hub for pedestrians.

The first sight that greets visitors at the new Gwanghwamun Plaza is “Haechi Madang,” a sunken square built under the water fountain in front of Admiral Yi Sun-sin’s statue. “Haechi,” an imaginary creature signifying justice and distinguishing good from evil, is a character that also represents the city of Seoul.

“Madang” means court in Korean. Haechi Madang is connected to the Gwanghwamun subway station and a commercial area. A wall display shows the layers of stamped earth of Yukjo Street, which was uncovered last September during the construction of the Plaza.

The display demonstrates traditional ways of constructing roads during the Joseon Dynasty.

Haechi Madang has a reinforced glass ceiling to bring in natural light. It also features an exhibition hall, a nursery room, a powder room for women, and convenient facilities for children and the disabled. Elevators and slopes provide convenient access to the ground level while the “Arisu Fountain” provides fresh water to thirsty visitors. “Arisu” is the brand name of Seoul’s water supply, which is provided directly from water reservoirs without passing through pipes.

A new water fountain was built around the statue of Admiral Yi Sun-sin. The fountain shoots water up to different heights to illustrate the Admiral’s victorious spirit in repelling the Japanese invasion during the Joseon Dynasty.

Another attraction in the Plaza is the “Waterway of History” which flows right and left of the statue of Admiral Yi.

These two 365-meter-long waterways reflect the history of Korea. The eastern waterway is engraved with historical events from the foundation of the Joseon Dynasty in 1392 to modern day, while the western waterway remains without engraving to illustrate the history of Seoul and Korea to come.

A new statue of King Sejong will take its place in the Plaza 250 meters north of the statue of Admiral Yi. King Sejong invented Hangeul, the Korean alphabet, in the 15th century and the new statue will be dedicated on Oct. 9, the day when the invention of Hangeul was proclaimed.

To celebrate the dedication and opening of the Gwanghwamun Plaza, the Seoul Metropolitan .

The ceremony will feature a mega-sized Taegeukgi (Korean national flag) made with handprints, a congratulatory speech from the mayor of Seoul, and video messages from mayors of Beijing, London and Sao Paulo. “Harmony in Seoul,” which symbolizes 10 million Seoul citizens banded together, will be performed by a 300-member chorus and orchestra consisting of Seoul citizens as the finale of the ceremony.

For more information, visit www.seoul.go.kr  or www.kntoamerica.com

In the short span of the past six years, Panama’s tourism arrivals have more than doubled, while tourism-based revenue has more than tripled, according to the Panama Tourism Authority.

This growth, along with farsighted, tourism-friendly laws and tax incentives, has opened the floodgates for investment in the country. These funds are being channeled back into the tourism sector by way of improving infrastructure facilities, including power plants, telecom projects, overpasses, roads, highways and bridges.

In fact, the governments of Panama and Costa Rica have announced plans to build a temporary bridge over the Sixaola River, which will eventually be converted to a permanent bridge, costing $13.4 million and increasing the connectivity between the countries.

One of the most notable improvements is the $5.25 billion Panama Canal expansion project, which will double the canal’s capacity and allow more traffic.

Recently, focus has also turned to the Enrique Malek Airport in David, the capital of the Chiriqui Province and gateway to the islands in the Gulf of Chiriqui. In early 2007, Gregorio Montecer, engineer and advisor to the director of the Civil Aeronautical Authority, unveiled a $10 million expansion plan for the David airport to be completed by 2015.

Upon the conclusion of the first phase of the project — a $2 million investment to be completed this year — the upgrades to the runway will allow the David airport to accommodate commercial jets as large as a Boeing 737.

Local developers have begun discussions among each other and with Panama’s tourism authority about how to leverage these upgrades into regular international flights.

Amble Resorts’ new Panama real estate project,

The Resort at Isla Palenque, will be a secluded and sustainable resort community with a unique boutique hotel, ingeniously designed residences, and sumptuous amenities.

For information, visit www.islapalenque.com

Hacienda Petac, a private estate and spa in Merida, on Mexico’s Yucatan, reserved for small groups, is including an excursion package with 2010 bookings.

For a limited time, groups will receive the “Best of the Mundo Maya” tours as a complimentary addition to Hacienda Petac’s seven-night luxury travel experience.
The package includes a choice of guided tours and soft adventures that highlight attractions in the state of Yucatan, the heart of the Mayan world.

Guests choose the tours, Hacienda Petac arranges the details.

Included in this special package for 2010, the seven-night rental (minimum five persons; maximum 10) is the following: any three of the following guided excursions — the Back Roads of the Yucatan, visit the small villages that surround Merida, highlighting the culture, crafts and history of the Mundo Maya; picnic at the Beach (Gulf Coast), sun and sand with the Hacienda Petac staff in attendance; flamingos, tour the 100,000-acre estuary at Celestun, one of two winter homes for 90 percent of the world’s flamingo population; cenotes of the Yucatan, a swimming adventure in the crystal clear water of Yucatan’s underground; Merida, a walking, shopping tour of the “Paris of North America”; and the Ancient Cities of the Maya, guided tour of Uxmal, or Chichen Itza, one of the revised Seven Wonders of the World. Price for rental is $8,400 for one to five persons ($240 per room), and $10,500 for six to 10 persons ($300 per room) including choice of any three excursions above, all meals, snacks, non-alcoholic beverages, 17 percent government tax, daily laundry service, nightly turn-down, and a full service team of cooks, maids, wait staff, manager and concierge.

For reservations or more information, visit www.haciendapetac.com

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts plans to open four hotels under the UAE-based holding company Seven Tides in Dubai within the next 12 months and will be sourcing 2,000 employees. Employers are finding that there is a dramatic increase in the employment market and the candidate pool is both deeper and stronger than it has been in years with experienced candidates, both employed and unemployed, vying for key positions.

However, with the availability of talent comes the task of sifting through resumes and interviewing potential candidates.

“Anyone in the field of recruitment can tell you that 2,000 people hired means 20,000 CVs reviewed and 10,000 applicants screened with half of those going on to a second interview with the departments,” said Dara Pinke, director of human resources for Dubai Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts. “Offers would be made to approximately 2,300 people in the end.” While the number of candidates currently looking for work has increased, the same truth still applies: talented people have options. Employers still need to attract, retain and put forward the effort to engage their workforce.

According to Pinke, recruitment ads bring a response three or four times higher than in previous years. “Candidates now ask questions regarding opening dates and financial stability,” she said.

“Many are looking for assurances about how the redundancy process is handled within your company and how they will be treated if laid off in the future. There are great jobs out there and your best players know it.”

The four hotels set to open during the first quarter of 2010 are the Royal Amwaj Resort & Spa, located on the crescent of the Palm Jumeirah; the Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel, adjacent to the Ibn Battuta Mall; the Oceana Hotel & Spa, on the trunk of the Palm Jumeirah;

and the Mövenpick Hotel Deira. Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, an upscale hotel management company with over 12,000 employees, is represented through over 90 hotels existing or under construction in 26 countries with a concentration on its core markets in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

The international hotel group with roots in Switzerland is expanding.

For more information, call 41 44 828 41 48

or visit www.moevenpick-hotels.com

Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Holistic Retreat & Spa, located on the Pacific Ocean side of the Baja Peninsula in Los Cabos, announced free personalized butler service in all Ocean View Suites.

Guests can relax in the minimalist luxury of Pacifica while personal butlers take care of their every need. From the moment of check-in, butlers assist in every way possible to ensure guests have an unforgettable experience at Pueblo Bonito Pacifica. The personal service team offers guests an in-suite check-in and resort orientation, makes dinner reservations, schedules spa appointments, coordinates dry cleaning, unpacks luggage, arranges an in-suite luxury bubble bath and coordinates in-suite dining.

As part of the complimentary personalized service, butlers also assist in planning excursions or day trips. They make all the necessary arrangements including booking the excursion, arranging transportation and ordering a to-go meal, if necessary. Upon return from the day trip, guests can expect to find their shoes shined and beds turned down in preparation for a peaceful night’s sleep. For guests planning a special event, meeting or cocktail party at Pacifica, personal butlers arrange and supervise all aspects of these important gatherings. Butlers work with hotel staff to prepare refreshments, decorate the venue, invite musicians and arrange for guest transportation.

For more information, visit www.pueblobonitopacifica.com

Traders Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri in Abu Dhabi, opened Aug. 1, 2009 as Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts’ second Traders hotel in the Middle East, bringing the group’s total number of hotels in the region to five.
The new hotel is preceded in Abu Dhabi by Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi, which opened in August 2007. Traders Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi features 301 guest rooms and suites, ranging from 32 square meters (344 square feet) for a superior room to 70 square meters (753 square feet) for a deluxe suite. The Traders Club executive floor features a private lounge with complimentary refreshments and dedicated concierge service.

The hotel also provides a conference space for small to medium-size meetings.

Hotel dining choices include the Afya restaurant featuring international cuisine, a lobby lounge and a pool bar.

Traders Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi is part of the Qaryat Al Beri complex, which offers a wide variety of dining, retail and recreation.

These include an authentic Arabic souk (market), with informal waterfront dining and boutique shopping; CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La; a health club; outdoor swimming pools; children’s play area; and restaurants featuring Chinese, Vietnamese, French and international cuisines. Guests can access the complex by club car or a short abra (Arabic gondola) ride on the waterway. Traders Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi, is the third management agreement between Shangri-La and the Al Jaber Group following those of Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai and Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi.

For more information and reservations, visit www.tradershotels.com