Jetsettersblog

Elysian Principals Commemorate Launch of Flagship Property

Amongst a sea of guests, the Elysian officially opened its doors today, celebrating the launch of Chicago’s first home-grown luxury hotel brand. Located in the heart of the Gold Coast, the Elysian sets a new standard in gracious hospitality and luxury living. Visitors and locals alike now have access to the finest in accommodations, dining, spa and event space the city has to offer.

“Today marks a very special moment in Elysian history,” said David Pisor, chief executive officer and founder of Elysian. “I am so proud of the team and their dedication to providing a remarkable hotel experience for all of our guests and visitors.”

The beautifully designed property, located at 11 East Walton, features 188 guest rooms and suites built to accommodate the finest tastes. As residents and guests enter the European courtyard, they are transported to a timeless era reminiscent of the grand hotels of Paris in the 1920’s.

Intricate in detail, each light fixture, piece of furniture, featured artwork and cobblestone was customized and hand selected to provide the utmost in luxury for guests.

Fireplaces, furnished outdoor terraces, private bars and advanced technology provide an intimate, home-away-from-home feeling.

“Guests continue to seek authentic and genuine experiences and we are looking to distinguish ourselves by fulfilling this expectation,” said General Manager, Kevin Robinson. “The intimate scale of the hotel provides a unique opportunity to deliver personalized service and this is what will ultimately define us.”

On the third floor, the Elysian’s two restaurants and bars provide guests with a range of exquisite dining and entertainment options.

Balsan is a sophisticated European bistro featuring a truly seasonal menu of simple but polished classics directed by unparalleled quality ingredients from local family farms and artisan purveyors.

Ria is a globally influenced upscale restaurant, offering a world-class menu that gathers the finest ingredients and foodstuffs from around the world. Bernard’s bar offers an array of premium cocktails, creative libations and light fare.

Situated above the hotel’s open-air courtyard is the Elysian Spa & Health Club with a design inspired to reflect the timeless beauty of ancient Greece.

A 14,000 square foot sanctuary, the spa specializes in customized services and overall well-being and features a men’s atelier, mosaic-tiled lap pool, intimate relaxation areas, fitness facility, Pilates and Gyrotonics studio and spa masters committed to guests’ care.

On the Elysian’s fifth floor are four elegant rooms ideal for meetings, parties and conferences.

With 4,500 square feet of function space, world-class cuisine and timeless décor reminiscent of the 1920’s glamour era, the Elysian is an exceptional setting for any type of occasion from intimate gatherings to business meetings to lavish celebrations.

About the Elysian

As the owner, operator and developer of hotels, resorts and private residences, the mission of the Elysian is to restore to hotel-keeping a level of style, taste and grace that is reflective of a bygone era when attention to detail was customary and genuine service uncompromised.

The flagship property, located in Chicago, will set a new standard in hospitality as the company expands to gateway cities and resort destinations worldwide.

Montana lion hunters have a new Web-based education tool aimed at helping to properly identify the sex of mountain lions in the field.

“The new Mountain Lion Identification Course will help hunters and houndsmen learn to identify whether a lion is a male or female and then challenge their identification skills with an interactive test,” said Thomas Baumeister, the education program supervisor for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

The voluntary and free mountain lion identification course is available via FWP’s Web site at fwp.mt.gov . Click, “Mountain Lion ID.”

FWP is asking hunters, guides, outfitters, and houndsmen to take time to review and complete the course to help them better determine the sex of a mountain lion before heading afield. Many of Montana’s lion hunting districts are managed to limit female lion harvests through a quota system.

Baumeister said the identification effort will help reduce unintended female lion harvests. “Our goal is to provide useful education programs for hunters and eliminate the over-harvest of female lions,” Baumeister said.

“This type of training started in Colorado. We feel it will prove to be an excellent way to help hunters participate in the conservation and management of mountain lions here in Montana.”

FWP has required black bear hunters to pass a bear identification course since 2001.

The company EuroAgentur Hotels & Travel has opened the Friendly Kosher Hotel in the centre of the metropolis. It is the first kosher hotel in the Czech Republic with a consecrated synagogue, daily rabbinical supervision and comprehensive services for Jewish clientele.

The four-star hotel, situated near Wenceslas Square, was consecrated by Rabbi Michel Chamla. The necessary arrangements were made in the hotel to provide a carefree stay for even the most demanding of Orthodox Jewish clients. For example, the kitchen and the area where food is served underwent exacting repairs.

Meals are prepared by expert foreign kosher chefs, who transport some ingredients from Vienna and Paris. The hotel personnel have been trained and are ready to provide all the support and services associated with this denomination.

For more information about the Friendly Kosher Hotel Downtown, visit www.euroagentur.com

Exclusive Estate Pairs Luxury Hotel Services
With Privacy and Security

Nandana, a private resort on the west end of Grand Bahama, is challenging the traditional notion of an exclusive island retreat.

Designed in the style of a Thai beach mansion, Nandana (paradise in Sanskrit) comprises more than 18,000 square feet of living space and offers guests the luxe trappings of a five-star hotel with the discerning service and intimate environs of an opulent private home.

At the center of Nandana is the Great Hall – a soaring main house with living and dining areas and a 40-foot-high ceiling. A wall of sliding-glass doors opens to an expansive veranda which leads to a glimmering 120-foot-long infinity pool overlooking the sea.

Surrounding the main house are five one-bedroom suites, including two 1,000-square-foot beachfront pavilions, two garden Bangalas (bungalows), and a 2,000-square-foot luxury “safari-style” canopy suite.

Design details include Burmese teak wood floors, and walls of Balinese limestone and Italian marble fittings. More than 300 palm trees and tropical plants surround the property which is set directly on the Atlantic Ocean with spectacular 180-degree views.

A private gated estate, with 24-hour security and comprehensive surveillance systems, Nandana is the ultimate hideaway for today’s global jet set.

There is a 5,100-foot landing strip allowing guests to arrive by private jet (only one hour from Miami) and a deep-water canal leading to two sheltered on-site docks able to harbor a pair of 100-foot yachts.

Balancing the discreet nature of the property is the world-class guest service. On-property staff provide the services of an estate manager, concierge, chef, masseuse, personal housekeeper, butler, chauffeur and boat captain.

Every detail, from pillow-top beds enshrouded in fine Italian linens to gourmet menus tailor-made to guest preferences, has been designed for a totally relaxing and completely private vacation.

Additional amenities include:

A 43-foot deep-sea fishing yacht, and luxury 20-foot tender

Private guided charters for deep-sea fishing and world-class bonefishing

Custom Land Rover Defender SW SE

Suzuki all-terrain vehicles and on-property golf carts
Yamaha Wave Runners

A 120-foot-long infinity pool overlooking the ocean with separate Jacuzzi
Fully equipped in-home gym

In-house spa with private masseuse and custom treatment program

Teak paneled library and game room

400-bottle wine cellar and top shelf bar

Home-office with global connectivity and high-speed Wi-Fi throughout the property

Flat-screen satellite and cable TV, iPod docking stations, and one-touch electronics control

For more information and to arrange for accommodations, call 212-621-0350 or visit www.nandanaresort.com

Mad Dog Ski, provider of independent, in-depth information to many of the world’s finest ski resorts is celebrating its fifth season with the launch of its first guide book dedicated to the Chamonix Valley, the eleventh in the Mad Dog Ski series.

Available to purchase on www.maddogski.com and through stockists including Amazon, Snow+Rock and Stanfords for just £8 from the 16th November, Mad Dog Ski’s Chamonix Valley resort guide book provides skiers and snowboarders with insider knowledge on one of the world’s most famous ski destinations.

Host of the first ever Winter Olympics in 1924, 85 years on, Chamonix is still at the heart of the international ski scene and offers amazing off-piste including the legendary Vallée Blanche.

The resort also boasts more than 150km of runs in a stunning winterscape of frozen waterfalls and glaciers beneath mountain peaks clad in a thick blanket of snow.

The new book gives readers an in-depth look at everything that skiers and boarders need to know before they travel as well as the in resort low down.

As with all Mad Dog Ski destination guides, the book provides first-hand knowledge on all aspects of a snow-sports holiday, both on and off the mountain.

Unique features include:

• Piste ranking – awarding trails one to three stars (easy to difficult) – which allows skiers and boarders to plan their routes more confidently

• Detailed Mad Dog day trips – each trip is designed to help skiers and boarders explore in and around Chamonix, and also provides recommended lunch and après-ski stops

• Independent reviews of mountain restaurants

• Full reviews of of the best resort restaurants, après-ski and nightlife

• Other things to do – very popular, this gives non-skiing visitors the full low-down on how to have just as much fun off the mountain as on it!

• A separate children’s section – including childcare options, recommended children’s ski schools and off the mountain activities.

With the publication of the new Chamonix guide, this season Mad Dog Ski offers 11 resort guide books:

• Courchevel & the Three Valleys
• Courmayeur
• Méribel & the Three Valleys
• Ski Weekends – featuring nine European resorts ideal for weekend breaks
• St Anton
• Tignes & the Espace Killy
• Val d’Isère and the Espace Killy
• Verbier
• Whistler
• Zermatt

All books cost £8 to purchase, except the smaller Courmayeur guide , which is just £6.

Visit the new-look www.maddogski.com  for all this season’s latest information as well as advice on the best places to ski and booking holidays.

New features include a ‘trip planner’ section, a flight planner which pinpoints all the ski destinations flown to from your local airport, a Snowpedia where users can read articles, kit reviews, understand ski jargon and add their own comments.

Visitors to the site can sign up for the Mad Dog Club to receive a regular newsletter with benefits including special offers, great deals and all the news from the slopes.

Now booking for February 2010

16 November 2009: Ever dreamed of experiencing the excitement of heli-skiing, but weren’t sure if you had the skills, or even how to go about it?

This coming February Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole presents the How-to-Heli Ski Camp, a special three-day, four-night camp offered in partnership with Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and High Mountain Heli-Skiing.

Recommended for the strong, intermediate or expert skier, the on-snow experience focuses on powder techniques and off-piste etiquette, and introduces snow safety education – all necessary preparation for big-mountain heli adventures.

The camp culminates with participants having the opportunity to test their new skills on a privately guided heli-skiing adventure with High Mountain Heli-Skiing, where they will experience stunning scenery and breathtaking runs on virgin snow.

Individually tailored expert instruction is provided by Jackson Hole Mountain Resort’s Professional Alpine Guides on their premier training grounds to give skiers the skills and confidence they need to fulfill their powder fantasies.

Combined with the best on-mountain environment and the world renowned Four Seasons service, How-to-Heli Camp is an unmatched elite skiing experience.

In addition to two days of on-mountain instruction, two days of lift tickets and the final day of heli-skiing, the How-to-Heli Camp includes four nights’ accommodation at Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole, a welcome reception including cocktails and canapés, two mountaintop lunches at Couloir Restaurant during instruction, a gift bag and a closing dinner at the Resort for all participants.

How-to-Heli Camp rates are from GBP 1,782 per person and GBP 2,889 based on double occupancy.

The camp runs from February 3 to 7, 2010.

For more information on winter packages at Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole visit www.fourseasons.com/jacksonhole  or call 00800 6488 6488

Alta Badia (www.altabadia.org ), a stunning ski region at the heart of the Italian Dolomites (recently declared a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site), opened for the winter season.

Alta Badia is made up of six picturesque alpine villages: Corvara/1550m, Colfosco/1650m, La Villa/1430m, San Cassiano/1540m, Badia/1320m, La Val/1350m.

The season launches with a Winter Warm Up promotion, a new hotel, Lagació Mountain Residence in San Cassiano, and a ski-gastro theme launching a Breakfast with Powder Snow package and 10 new dishes – created by Michelin-star rated chefs – for 10 mountain rifugi.

New snow-making machines have enhanced the Alta Badia cross-country ski area. Hotel Rezia in La Villa has upgraded from a 2- to a 3-star hotel and the recently created lift connection between Santa Croce and La Villa has added a new dimension to Alta Badia’s ski area.

Thanks to state-of-the-art snow-making technology, connections between the villages of La Villa, San Cassiano and Corvara opened with other ski links.

Experienced skiers will be able to tackle the famous World Cup black run, Gran Risa, and Bamby 2 and Alting – training slopes for the international giant slalom and men’s slalom -will also be open.

EARLY SEASON PACKAGES:

For participating properties, availability, prices: www.altabadia.org

Superski Dolomiti Premier: to-December 23, special rates continue with a ‘4 nights for the price of 3’ offer inclusive of accommodation, lift pass, ski/snowboard school and equipment hire. For participating properties, availability, prices: www.altabadia.org

NEW PROPERTIES:

Lagació Mountain Residence (www.lagacio.com )  in San Cassiano opens on December 4 with 24 luxury eco-apartments, built to the highest eco-friendly standard using local materials.

Each apartment offers cooking facilities and accommodates from 2 to 6 people on a B&B basis. The breakfast menu changes daily offering breads, herbal teas and jams made by the owner.

Residents may pre-order the ‘bio-box’ containing a variety of local produce from eggs and cheese to milk and speck. There is also a wellness area where guests may use a variety of different saunas and book treatments.

Prices start from €180 per apartment per night based on 2 sharing inclusive of breakfast. Extra beds for children under the age of 3yrs are €50 per night inclusive of breakfast.

Hotel Rezia (www.hotelrezia.com) in La Villa has upgraded this year from 2 o 3 stars.

Owned by the Crazzolara family it offers accommodation from single rooms to family rooms for up to 6 people.

They differ in style from modern to traditional, all are en suite and some have a balcony.

Facilities include bar, restaurant, wellness centre with sauna, vitarium, steam bath and Jacuzzi, and a pool table (the owner will also be delighted to show guests his collection of historic classic cars).

The ski lift is a 7-minute walk (shuttle bus is offered foc). Prices, valid now , start from €72 per person per night on a half board basis.

NEW GASTRO-THEMES:

A Taste for Skiing: Gastronomy is major feature for Alta Badia this winter which sees an important collaboration between the chefs of the 3 restaurants in the region with Michelin stars (La Siriola *; Stüa de Michil *; St. Hubertus**), 7 other Michelin-star rated chefs from the South Tyrol and 10 innovative mountain rifugi famous for their Ladin cuisine.

Each refuge has invited one of the chefs to create a unique dish, with exclusively South Tyrolean produce, to offer throughout winter season, with guests casting their vote for their favourite (winner to be declared during the Chef’s Cup Südtirol).

Breakast with Powder Snow: Arrive at the Col Alto refuge (2000m) by snowcat to start the day with a typical South Tyrolean breakfast, stunning views of the Sella and Sassongher peaks at sunrise, and enjoy perfect packed-powder skiing before the lifts open. Snowcat transfers on Tuesdays throughout the season from the centre of Corvara; departures 7 am and 7.30 am.

DIARY DATES:

• December 20 & 21 : Skiworld Cup Alta Badia – men’s Giant Slalom and Men’s slalom/Gran Risa
• January 12 & 26 : Skikjöring – traditional horse-drawn ski races
• January 17-19 : Chef’s Cup Südtirol – informal competition; ski and cuisine
• February 12 : Slittada da Paur – sleigh procession from Badia to La Villa
• February 23 : Skikjöring – traditional horse-drawn ski races
• February 27 : Tour de Sas – Alpine ski touring race/ Santa Croce
• March 5 : Sellaronda Skimarathon – night ski touring race /Sella Mount
• March (date tba) : Val Mezdí – freeride ski race

ALTA BADIA FACTS 2009/10:

Lifts/Skiing: Alta Badia is part of the world’s largest ski network covered by a single lift pass, the Dolomiti Superski – 450 lifts carry 620,000 skiers per hour serving 1220km of pistes – and is linked to the world famous Sella Ronda, a spectacular circuit of the Sella (3151m) accessible to intermediate skiers – 26km and 4,500 vertical metres of skiing. Cross-country: 38km of trails. Trekking: 80km of well prepared walking paths/tracks.

NON-SKIERS 2009/10:

Alta Badia offers many activities for non-skiers including curling, snow-shoeing, Nordic Walking, ice-skating, horse-riding, ice climbing, and sledging – a favourite for all the family.

Trú Liösa Foram Toboggan run: this exciting 3.5km run starts at Piz Sorega (2003m), reached by gondola from San Cassiano, descends 450m through pine forest and meadows to the edge of the village, with safety barriers in the woods.

TOUR OPERATORS:

Winter holiday packages in Alta Badia are available from many tour operators including Thomson, Momentum, Crystal, Inghams, Neilson, ski2, and many more.

INDEPENDENT TRAVELLERS:

Book accommodation via the Alta Badia website: www.altabadia.org

Flights are available to Verona, Bergamo, Brescia, Venice, Treviso or Innsbruck (British Airways, EasyJet, Ryanair) and in winter the Italian Terravision bus service offers transfers from most airports.

For information about transfers to the villages of Alta Badia visit: www.altabadia.org ).

Visit Alta Badia (www.altabadia.org) , the small Italian mountain region in the South Tyrol with a big reputation. Proud people in touch with their roots, cherishing their village architecture, unique Ladin language and cultural traditions for centuries.

Spectacular Dolomite scenery, world-class gastronomy, and an exciting calendar of sporting and cultural events.

Rhodes is continuing to shun its former reputation as a haven for young clubbers by focusing on upgrading its tourism product and attracting those seeking a luxury holiday.

A number of five star hotels have opened on the island in the past two years, with three more due to open during 2010.

Holidaymakers looking for a luxury break now have a wide variety of accommodation to choose from, including intimate boutique hotels and larger five star resorts.

The Kresten Royal Villas and Spa

The five star Kresten Royal Villas and spa is located on the northeastern side of Rhodes Island on a hillside in Kallithea.

The hotel will offer a total of 203 rooms comprising of double rooms, junior suites, villas and grand maisonettes. All suites in the villas – including junior suites – will offer private heated swimming pools. The spacious double rooms include sofa space, modern furnishings, bathrooms with Jacuzzis and balconies overlooking the Aegean Sea.

The Mediterranean Spa is has a fully equipped gymnasium, indoor swimming pool, steam room, sauna and massage treatment rooms.

The Kresten Royal Villas & Spa is just 5.5km from the UNESCO world heritage site, Rhodes Medieval Old Town and within walking distance of the recently restored Kallithea Mineral Springs.

For more information and reservations visit www.thekrestenroyal.gr

La Marquise

La Marquise is a five star complex located on the outskirts of Rhodes Medieval Old Town and 1km from Kallithea.

La Marquise has been designed with the environment in mind. Renewable energy sources, recycling, environmentally-friendly plantations in the gardens, the use of technology in the swimming pools to reduce chlorination and the use of energy-saving lights are just some of the initiatives in place.

The complex is made up of 386 rooms of nine different styles, including family suites, junior suites, bungalows, villas and luxury suites.

A large spa centre is available to guests with a number of different treatments and facilities. For those looking for a little more privacy, there is also a private spa apartment available for treatments.

La Marquise also has a dedicated hotel chapel and honeymoon package for guests wishing to get married in Rhodes.

For more information and reservations visit www.lamarquise.gr

Aquagrand of Lindos

Located on the beachfront in Navarone Bay, the five star Aquagrand hotel is just 1.5km from Lindos Village and the famous acropolis.

The hotel is designed to be sympathetic to its surroundings, with the exterior construction using local materials such as stone, wood and copper. The Aquagrand interior decoration includes artworks by famous Greek artists, handmade carpets, local ceramic products and pure linen and cotton.

The 87 guest rooms, 48 suites and the Queen’s Maisonette each boast modern facilities including smart key access, LCD televisions, hydro shower and bath and internet access.

The rooms are divided into eight categories including prestige and exclusive suites, which have private swimming pools.

There are four restaurants and three bars for guests to choose from along with three swimming pools and a sun terrace with wooden deck.

The AquaSenses spa includes four multi-use treatment rooms, three massage rooms, two saunas, Jacuzzi, Turkish steam bath, swimming pool, health bar and an extensive list of beauty treatments.

On request the hotel can also organise limousine hire, yacht charters, scuba diving, water sports and private tour guide.

For more information and reservations visit www.aquagrand.gr

For more information about the island of Rhodes visit www.rodosisland.gr

Miami-based Desires Hotels has been appointed as the management company for the new hotel development Villas CeSar in St. Petersburg, Fla.

The boutique property is the latest addition to the Desires Hotels portfolio and is scheduled to open in June of 2010.

With beach access and a marina on site, Villas CeSar is located on Tampa Bay’s barrier island between the intercoastal waterway and Gulf of Mexico on St. Petersburg Beach.

Guests of Villa CeSar can book a Tuscan villa with 72 oversized guestrooms and suites. Rates will start at $229 a night with each room having balconies that offer either views of Boca Ciega Bay or the Gulf of Mexico, audio visual technology, and walk-in spa showers.

Leisure time amenities feature a swimming pool with poolside bar, full service spa, fitness center, and restaurant that includes an alfresco dining experience. Beach activities are highlighted by recreational seaside walks, biking, fishing, and kayaking.

For the business traveler there are meeting rooms, a business center, 3,000 square foot banquet facilities, concierge, and complimentary wireless Internet.

Villas CeSar is located at 3701 Gulf Boulevard on the southern end of Tampa Bay’s barrier island on St. Petersburg Beach. The hotel is 25 minutes from St. Petersburg/Clearwater International Airport and 35 minutes from Tampa International Airport.

For additional information on Villas CeSar, visit www.VillasCeSar.com.

For more information about Desires Hotels, call 866-593-4330 or visit www.desireshotels.com

The spa and beauty facilities on board Oceania Cruises’ three mid-sized upper premium ships, Regatta, Insignia and Nautica, have had a complete face-lift and now feature the spa, wellness and fitness facility, and full-service beauty salons of the world renowned Canyon Ranch® SpaClub and Beauty Salons.

Canyon Ranch certified fitness instructors conduct daily group and private fitness, yoga and tai chi classes for guests and The Canyon Ranch SpaClub Beauty Salon offers complete beauty services for women and men including hair design and nail care treatments, luxurious spa manicures and pedicures, makeup consultations and makeovers.

The ships’ new spa facilities include Thalassotherapy Pools with recliner lounges, neck fountains, deluge waterfall, air tub and body massage jet benches.

The Thermal Suites feature herbal saunas, Finnish saunas, reflexology basins and an aromatic steam room.

Guests can also partake of the exotic Rasul Ceremony, a medicinal mud and steam treatment derived from an ancient cleansing ritual which takes place in an ornately tiled steam chamber. It is the Canyon Ranch SpaClub Signature treatment.

SpaClub’s array of rejuvenating spa treatments also include massages and therapeutic bodywork, mud, aromatherapy, ayuvedic and seaweed treatments, facials and masks, conditioning body scrubs and therapeutic body cocoons.

Canyon Ranch SpaClub and Beauty Salons are also being incorporated on board Oceania Cruises’ new-build, Marina, due to debut in late 2010. The 65,000-ton, 1,252-passenger cruise ship will feature a visually stunning state-of-the-art spa, wellness and fitness facility, plus a luxurious full-service beauty salon.

SpaClub will offer the most desirable spa amenities available: there will be 16 massage, body and skin-care treatment rooms, a gym and weight room with more than 50 pieces of cardio and weight training equipment, a juice bar, men’s and women’s locker rooms, thalassotherapy pool, two whirlpools and Thermal Suite.

Contact Oceania Cruises on 0845 505 1920 and www.oceeaniacruises.co.uk