Jetsettersblog

Promoters of the Bodrum region in Turkey claim the area is already known for Turkish travelers but for Americans, it may be the “best-kept secret in the world.”

“Along with its sister resort region of Antalya, Bodrum is one of the most popular sun and fun destinations for Turks and foreigners alike, offering luxurious accommodations in a setting that both respects the area’s fishing village past and revels in its jet-setting present,” says a press release.

The area has attracted such A-list celebrities as Tom Hanks, Beyonce Knowles, Sting, Elizabeth Hurley and Nicole Kidman.

Jutting into the Aegean Sea in southwest Turkey, the area has a French Riviera feel but at much lower prices, promoters say.

Modern-day amenities are offered such as wooden jetties for guests to sunbathe on the water but the area’s past natural charm is also part of its appeal.

“The magnificent coastline, lapped by the clear waters of the Aegean Sea, abounds in vast and pristine beaches surrounded by olive groves, rocky crags and pine woods,” says a press release.

The area is dotted with 5,000-year-old fishing villages.

For Americans, most journeys to Turkey start in Istanbul and, from there, several daily, direct flights are available to Bodrum Airport. Another popular route is flying from Istanbul to Izmir, where a few miles drive in either direction lets travelers explore the ancient ruins of Ephesus and Pergamon, respectively. Bodrum is a three-hour drive from Izmir.

BeachScape Kin Ha Villas & Suites is the new name and new look for the former Ambiance Villas in Cancun.

The new BeachScape has updated its entrance and facilities to complement its location in Cancun’s hotel district and beachfront.

Guests may select from a private guestroom or one, two and three bedroom suites — each with a kitchen, living space and terrace.

The two-bedroom suites can comfortably accommodate up to four adults and four children, while the three-bedroom suites can accommodate up to six adults and six children. In addition, guests have a choice of booking accommodations only or accommodations with a full American breakfast for adults and up to two children per suite.

BeachScape’s other services and amenities include fully air-conditioned rooms and suites, cable TV, direct dial telephones, hair dryers, an exercise room, massage and salon services on premise, concierge service, babysitting services upon request, a children’s play area, complimentary wireless Internet service in the lobby, a full-service laundry and dry cleaning as well as a coin-operated laundry, and an onsite travel agency and car rental.

And of course, all kitchens are fully stocked with dishes, cutlery, and cooking utensils. For dining there is the Restaurant Bar: La Terraza, and the Restaurant Bar & Grill: La Palapa, which are on site, and guests are just steps away from Cancun’s most popular restaurants.

Business meetings or family gatherings will enjoy the conference room that can comfortably seat up to 50 people or the outdoor lawn space adjacent to the beach.

For more information or reservations, call 866-340-9082 or visit www.kinhabeach.com

Hawaiian Hotels & Resorts (HH&R) is expanding its Romance Centers at its Royal Lahaina Resort on Maui and Royal Kona Resort on the Big Island.

The move is to support the growing romance market since more than 25,000 weddings and countless vow renewals take place throughout Hawaii each year.

HH&R has created a full-service, one-stop wedding department at each property with wedding specialists who help design and carry out plans.

From intimate gatherings with only a few guests to affairs of up to 500 at the Royal Lahaina Resort and 250 at the Royal Kona Resort, the Romance Center staffs handle arrangements for weddings, vow renewals, and receptions.

HH&R also re-launched its websites for its two properties at www.royalweddingshawaii.com . The site provide details and pricing on services and pre-designed packages.

Custom plans can also be arranged with the resorts’ on-site wedding consultants. Services can include arranging all aspects of the ceremonies: wedding officiates, themed and decorated weddings and receptions, beauty salon and spa treatments, garment services to press and steam clothing, photography, floral arrangements, seating, and food and beverage, including wedding cakes, champagne for toasting, and more. At both properties, group hotel rates apply for wedding parties using room blocks of 10 or more.

For more information at the Royal Lahaina Resort’s Romance Center, call 808-270-9765. At the Royal Kona Resort, call 808-930-3243, or visit www.royalweddingshawaii.com

The China Guide is adding a new destination to their sightseeing itineraries with the re-opening of the historical Qianmen Street in the city center.

Qianmen Jie is a historical shopping alley described by The China Guide as a beautiful restoration of Beijing heritage.

A year of renovations based on old photographs has created a space with traditional architecture and a style reminiscent of past centuries. Qianmen was once a prosperous commercial street dating back to the Yuan Dynasty and saw its peak in the 1920s.

To revive this historical feeling, the area now boasts traditional buildings housing classic Chinese brands as well as modern additions including Starbucks and an H&M clothing store. Time-honored brand describes the majority of the Qianmen stores as they have a long history in Beijing, most notable is the Quanjude Duck Restaurant, famous among locals and travelers alike.

The China Guide includes a Peking duck dinner in its itineraries for travelers eager to try this famous delicacy.

Recent additions are adding a fresh element to this historic street, and that includes the Capital M restaurant.

This new eatery offers modern European food while guests take in views of the historic surroundings on the rooftop patio. “We’re delighted that Qianmen Jie has reopened — the street is buzzing! And we are doubly delighted that Capital M is open as well — we’re thrilled to be part of this historic Beijing scene on Qianmen Jie,” said Michelle Garnaut, owner and founder of the Capital M Restaurant Group (www.m-restaurantgroup.com) .

A highlight of Qianmen Jie is its pedestrian-only status, the second in Beijing, which makes strolling through the shops much more relaxed and enjoyable. The only transportation on the street is a tram line operating two restored tram cars that were once operational in the area many decades ago.

A short 10-minute ride will take you between the north and south ends. The China Guide highly recommends a visit to Qianmen Street; its location just south of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City makes for a convenient day of sightseeing. The China Guide will include this Beijing sight in any of their tour itineraries or create a custom tour for travelers.

For more information, visit www.thechinaguide.com

Walden Plantation bed-and-breakfast has opened on the Llano River in the Texas Hill Country. Situated on nearly 17 acres, the property is an 18,000-square-foot southern plantation estate with a Hill Country theme and materials, tile roof, stone exterior, iron railings, sweeping staircases, open-air porches and private parking.

The B&B offers 14 guestrooms, and two two-bedroom suites. Suites include full kitchens, living rooms and third-story balconies.

All rooms include king-size beds with down comforters, high thread count linens, private baths, private entrances, Wi-Fi, LCD TVs, satellite with free movie packages and minibars. Connected to the main house by a walkway is the Guest/Meeting House, which houses the kitchen, dining room and covered porch where gourmet breakfast is served every morning.

Additional features include an outdoor pool, a hot tub, a poolside bar for beer and wine, a practice putting green and an outdoor pavilion with live music on weekends.

For more information, call 817-296-4962 or visit www.waldenplantation.com

St. Maarten is highlighting its duty-free shopping.

No tax is paid on any item purchased on the island, nor any duties when returning to the U.S. St. Maarten’s capital, Philipsburg, features boutique stores lining Voorstraat (Front Street), which stretches for over a mile.

Shoppers will find that most prices are as much as 50 percent less than other countries and are quoted in U.S. dollars saving the confusion of sorting out the exchange rate.

Along Front Street, stores range from Tiffany to Tommy Hilfiger. The Sint Rose Shopping Mall on the boardwalk by Front Street features Cartier, Lalique, and Faconnable. Old Street, situated off Front Street, is highlighted by 19th century houses which contain specialty shops. Maho Plaza (located by the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort) is another area for name-brand stores.

St. Maarten offers buys on jewelry with jewelers offering everything from loose stones to original designs.

International fashion items such as Gucci and Ralph Lauren can be found at reasonable rates as well as fine leather goods, top-of-the line cosmetics and electronics. Citizens of the United States who have been out of the country for a minimum of 48 hours and have not used their respective duty-free allowance within 30 days are entitled to a $600 duty-free tax exemption. Families traveling together can pool their exemptions.

The duty-free allowance on alcohol for U.S. citizens age 21 and over is one quart, the value of which must be included within the $600 exemption.

For more information, visit www.VacationStMaarten.com

Island Windjammers Inc., a company formed by fans of now-defunct Windjammer Barefoot Cruises, plans to launch a new sailing ship in the Caribbean on Nov. 15.

The company plans to operate six-day cruises from Grenada on the 12-passenger Diamant, a 101-foot brigantine schooner.

Standard features on the ship include portholes, private facilities and 110V outlets.

Diamant will operate out of the new Port Louis Marina in St. George’s, Grenada.

The ship will call on Carriacou, Mayreau, Bequia, Union Island, Tobago Cays and Palm Island. “Island Windjammers is a group of diverse individuals who have come together with a common goal of filling the void left by the closure of Windjammer Barefoot Cruises,” said Liz Harvey, president of Island Windjammers.

“We are proud to introduce Diamant as the first ship of the Island Windjammers fleet, and are absolutely thrilled to realize the dream of sailing a tall ship in the Caribbean.”

All-inclusive rates start at $1,599 per person.

Rates include all meals, soft drinks, draft beer, wine, port taxes and crew gratuities.

For more information, call 877-772-4549 or visit www.islandwindjammers.com

IHG signed a franchise agreement with KLP Emprendimientos S.A. for development of the InterContinental Mendoza, in Mendoza, Argentina.

It will be IHG’s third InterContinental in Argentina, along with the venerable InterContinental Buenos Aires, and the under-construction InterContinental Nordelta Buenos Aires, Residence & Spa, in the Nordelta area of Buenos Aires.

Slated to open in March 2010, the 15-story InterContinental Mendoza will total 218 guestrooms, inclusive of 62 suites and will be conveniently located next to a convention center.

The hotel boasts 10 meeting rooms totaling 22,500 square feet, including a 12,900-square-foot ballroom. Situated in a new emerging business district, adjacent also to the city’s largest upscale shopping center, Mendoza Plaza, the hotel will be located 10 minutes from downtown Mendoza and 20 minutes from the city’s international airport. Amenities include a full-service spa, swimming pool, gym, restaurant and casino.

Mendoza is located towards the middle section of the country’s western boarder, on the eastern side of the Andes.

The city is a regional capital, positioned on a major international thoroughfare linking Argentina with the important seaports of Chile. The region, rich in natural resources, is the heart and soul of Argentina’s wine country, where European settlers introduced the ancient craft of winemaking in the 19th century.

Wimco Villas still has villas available for the holidays in Caribbean destinations and in Hawaii and Mexico. According to Wimco, a villa rental is almost always less expensive than a comparable hotel when you need multiple rooms for your family.

For example, on Grand Cayman, Wimco Villas’ Villa CM BAY offers nightly per bedroom pricing at $144; in Nevis, Villa HA SEA is $215.

In March on St. Thomas, a new villa, Villa MA LUP’s high season rate is from $240 per night per bedroom.

For more information, visit www.wimco.com

The former Cielo restaurant at the Ventana Inn and Spa in Big Sur, Calif., has reopened as The Restaurant at Ventana after a renovation that followed a structural fire in August 2008.

The restaurant features a new wine room at the entry, lounge area with a redwood bar and oversize copper fireplace, an exhibition kitchen, and an elevated dining room floor offering views of the Santa Lucia Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.

The restaurant also offers outdoor terraces with seating under vines, in front of a rock fireplace and under market umbrellas.

Ventana’s new executive chef, Dory Ford, has created seasonal menus with fresh, local, organic and sustainable ingredients.

Ford comes to Ventana from the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where he created menus for the Portola Café and Restaurant, oversaw the banquet and catering division and served as host chef for Cooking for Solutions, the Aquarium’s annual food and wine event. Under Ford’s leadership,

The Restaurant at Ventana is now participating in the Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program, which contributes to healthy oceans by educating consumers about environmentally sustainable seafood choices.

For reservations, call 831-667-2331. For hotel information, call 800-628-6500 or visit www.ventanainn.com