Jetsettersblog

Thailand  -  The Love Kitchen at ABSOLUTE SANCTUARY is pleased to announce the launch of its new menu.

The launch marks a new milestone for the wellness resort’s popular restaurant. It will see the Love kitchen move from its original focus on a strictly vegetarian menu to one that is spa-cuisine based.

The revamped menu will include an expansion in the range of the restaurant’s popular vegetarian dishes as well as an alternative section of healthy fish, seafood & chicken dishes. In introducing a more comprehensive menu, The Love Kitchen was mindful in keeping true to its fundamental concept of tasty but healthy food.

Executive Director Claire Bostock – Huang says that “ With our new menu we would like to reach out to more people and hope that both vegetarian & non-vegetarian eaters alike will be able to enjoy healthy meals and also understand that healthy meals need not be limited to vegetarian food, are boring or do not fill one up.

Each dish has been put together with the health & nutritional benefits of our guest in mind which is in line with the wellness concept of our resort”

The new menu will continue to feature the restaurant’s signature dishes such as its famous Cheong Mon Burritos & Nori Hand rolls. New vegetarian dishes include Earth & Ocean (seaweed salad in long bean bundles), Brown Rice Tofu, Nuts & Seeds and Soba Noodles with Fresh Spinach & Edamame.

The highlight of the new menu is the “Alternatives” section which will offer healthy fish, seafood and chicken options. Tempting alternatives which have made their way into the menu include Fresh Catch Thai Spa Style, Steamed Tilapia in Banana leaves with Fresh Fruit Salsa, Chicken Breast With Yellow Curry Powder, Cucumber & Yoghurt-Garlic Sauce and Samui Ceviche.

In keeping with the spirit of the resort’s Detox theme, the restaurant continues to offer a specialized section of dishes for those who want to cleanse themselves.

n this section, detox favourites such as Faster’s Salad (green vegetables and purple cabbage served with olive oil and apple cider vinegar), Broccoli Delight and Smooth Move Salad (Green apple & raisin salad tossed with fresh Orange Juice) can be found.

Like all good dining, ding at The Love Kitchen ends on a sweet note with an array of guiltless mouth-watering desserts that do not spoil the waistline. Guests can now contemplate ordering the Coconut Panacotta , Dara’s Apple Strudel in Fillo Pastry and Mango & Yoghurt Mousse on top of the usual favourites.

The new menu is the duo effort of Consultant Chef Lisa Esposito & Executive Chef Dara Duchanee (Ning).

Miss Esposito is a chef with many years of experience cooking for private yachts & private parties for celebrities in the United States.

She is also a yoga teacher thus understands the concept of wellness & eating healthily. Executive Chef Ning’s forte is her training in “Balanced Cuisine” from Evason Hua Hin Resort & Spa under Dr. Gary Nile. With Chef Lisa’s firsthand experience of understanding the nutritional needs of healthy people due to her yoga background & Chef Ning’s training in nutrition & healthy food both have contributed to making the menu stand out from the crowd.

ABOUT ABSOLUTE SANCTUARY

ABSOLUTE SANCTUARY, Thailand’s Premier Detox & Yoga resort is a Moroccan inspired boutique wellness resort specializing in Detox, Spa & Yoga holiday programs situated on Koh Samui, Thailand.

ABSOLUTE SANCTUARY is part of the ABSOLUTE GROUP that owns and operates ABSOLUTE YOGA, Asia’s premier yoga center. Established since 2002, ABSOLUTE YOGA is now the largest yoga studio in Thailand, with 8 yoga centers nationwide and 2 studios in Singapore.

Opened since 1st April 2009 the resort is growing in popularity to be a destination for detox & yoga holidays in Thailand. In December 2008, the resort was awarded the Best Themed Resort award by SKAL International ( Koh Samui).

Paresa, the luxurious Cliffside retreat on Phuket’s “ Millionaire’s Mile” has unveiled its Energy Pool. Designed to recharge and vitalise the body and mind, the pool is made from black terrazzo and lies under one of the resorts strong and inspiring old trees, generating warmth from the terrazzo and peacefulness from the tree.

Located on the main Infinity Pools sundeck; the Energy Pool has stunning Andaman sea vistas.

At the centre of the Energy Pool is a large four kilogram obelisk of Rose quartz crystal, which softens negative energy, instils balance and harmony as well as being good for relationships.

It can also encourage love. Rose quartz is also known to calm and strengthen your inner energy.

Paresa’s Spa Manager, Ms Areewan Tapsorn explains

“ we are excited to be able to offer our guests traditional Thai massage treatments combined with the healing powers of the rose quartz in our Energy Pool, which is believed to aid the heart, circulatory system and skin ageing” .

“Paresa is all about lifestyle and with our Energy Pool, we hope that we can aid in improving our guests life and energy” comments Scot Toon, the resorts General Manager.

Situated on the western coast of Phuket, Paresa is a new pool villa style resort set to rival existing five-star properties on the island. Perched high on the cliff top, surrounded by tropical forests and the blue waters of the Andaman Sea, Paresa’s unique architecture and elegant interiors have been designed to complement the natural surroundings, boasting uninterrupted sea views.

Catch the fantastic sites and sounds of Australia with our suggested routes and tours.

Australia is the perfect place for an adventure.

This huge island is packed with epic landmarks and travel hotspots that provide an abundance of entertainment.

If you want to tour Australia, many fly to Melbourne to kick off their adventure from the south, travelling north along the eastern seaboard.

Starting in the south with Melbourne, it’s usual for adventurers to take in the artistic atmosphere of the south’s major city before travelling north-eastward along the coast to reach Sydney.

Flights to Sydney are also available for those that want to begin their journey from New South Wales’s capital city, located roughly midway down the east coast, offering freedom to either trek north or south.

In Sydney, you can visit well-known landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House, take a walk along the massive Harbour Bridge or relax on the infamous sands of Bondi Beach soaking in the Antipodean sunshine.

Continuing North, reaching Queensland and the Gold Coast, famous the world over for its incredible surf there are also numerous theme parks located here such as Dream World, Warner Bros. Movie World and Wet’n'Wild Water World, to name just a few.

Continuing up the coast to Cairns and Far North Queensland, the climate begins to humidify and the waters become clearer, making for some great snorkelling and diving.

FNQ even has a rainforest system, the Daintree National Park, that rivals even the fabled Amazon for bio diversity and beauty.

Many adventurers choose to skip across to Perth in the west from the north, but those that continue their journey through the Northern Territory have the opportunity to visit the jaw-dropping Kakadu National Park and moving into Western Australia the unique Bungle Bungles.

These Northern landmarks are a must-see and their location offers the chance to pick up on the the North Australian Highways to reach Perth (don’t let the name fool you, it’s predominantly Western.)

At some point during your Australian adventure, Uluru (Ayers Rock) is a sight to behold. Tourists wanting to visit Uluru can grab an internal flight to reach the nearby city of Alice Springs, where there are numerous hotels to stay.

There’s so much to do and see in Australia that it could take a few months to properly explore it – so cheap flights to Australia are always on hand at Flight Centre to make staying there for longer a more affordable option.

Flight Centre can help you plan your perfect Australian adventure, call them today on free-phone 0844 800 8620.

About Flight Centre

Flight Centre is an independent travel retailer with over 1,700 stores around the globe in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the USA and Canada.

www.flightcentre.com

InterContinental Alpensia Pyeongchang Resort opened this week in Alpensia village.

This is South Korea’s newest mountainside resort in the Taebaek mountains, which is a two and a half hour drive from Seoul.

The 238-room InterContinental Alpensia Pyeongchang Resort offers a retreat that combines contemporary amenities with classic European alpine design. Guests can enjoy countryside views within the heart of the Taebaek mountains from the resort.

InterContinental Alpensia Pyeongchang Resort offers instant proximity to a wealth of world-class leisure facilities, including an Olympic-class ski park, a 27-hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and the Ocean 700 water-park.

Extensive concierge services at the resort provide personalized recommendations on leisure activities, and the Club InterContinental Lounge is available for guests who desire greater exclusivity.

Other facilities include the Planet Trekkers kids’ club, spa, state-of-the-art conference center, and an open-air concert hall.

Guests will experience adventure, relaxation, personal and family time amidst stunning alpine surroundings without having to leave the resort. An extensive range of food and beverage options catering to different tastes and price points is available at the resort.

These include Flavours, an Italian/Korean-inspired all-day dining restaurant with an open show kitchen that allows direct interaction with the chef, outdoor barbeque during warmer months, and a lounge with an outdoor fire-pit.

The Park Hotels group is expanding its portfolio with the addition of the Apsara,

The Park on Vembanad Lake and The Park, Hyderabad.

In December, The Park Hotels launched its first luxury lake cruiser — Apsara — a two-level, eight-cabin cruiser described as “heaven on water” on Kerala’s Vembanad Lake. Designed with luxury and comfort in mind, the interiors combine elements of Kerala’s magnificent heritage with the quiet elegance of European yachting style.

In addition to eight guest accommodations, the 28-meter boat has a crew cabin, galley, dining area (seating 24 people), saloon (with a capacity of 14), sundeck and panoramic forward-seating area (with comfortable corner sofas and tables).

Cabins feature LCD television, DVD player, double bed, desk and chair, mini bar, safe, satellite receiver, and private bathroom.

The textural furnishing applied to the walls and ceilings of the interiors include veneer, rich leather, silk and natural cottons, plus marble in the bathrooms.

An on-board spa deck is ideal for relaxing treatments while sailing.

Rates start at INR 99,000 per person, based on double occupancy, for a four-day/three-night sailing inclusive of roundtrip airport transfers, accommodations, all meals, happy hour (complimentary drinks and cocktails on select pouring brands), and all taxes. The quoted rate is approximately $2,130 per person, double, based on today’s exchange rate.

Single occupancy prices can be provided upon request. A third person/extra bed option is not available.

The Apsara can be hired on an exclusive basis for personalized sailing itineraries, offsite company meetings, and other special occasions.

As a complement to Apsara, the company just unveiled The Park on Vembanad Lake, a sophisticated lakeside resort with 10 luxury rooms (four Deluxe Lakeview Rooms, four Luxury Lakeview Rooms, The Vembanad Room and The Vembanad Suite), a tented spa featuring Ayurvedic and international treatments, a gym, restaurant and bar, a pool, a pool deck and bar, and performance space.

The Apsara boat will dock at the property when it is not sailing. Rates start at INR 17,500 per person, per night, based on single or double occupancy in a Deluxe Lakeview Room, valid Jan. 7 to Feb. 28, 2010 (nightly rates are from INR 15,000 per person, single/double, March 1 to April 30, 2010).

A minimum two-night stay is required. Up to two children under 12 years of age stay complimentary in the same accommodations as their parents.

The quoted rates are approximately $376 (January to February) and $323 (March to April) per person, single or double, based on today’s exchange rate.

Joining the collection in January 2010 is The Park, Hyderabad, the new 285-room flagship hotel.

The property is influenced by Hyderabad’s tradition as a design center and producer of precious stones and distinctive textiles — all reflected in the accommodations, a 3-D horizon pool, three restaurants, two lounges, and two entertainment venues.

On the ground floor of the hotel, retail shops and art galleries are accessible to guests and visitors alike. Rates start at INR 16,500 per person, per night, based on double occupancy in a Deluxe Room, valid Jan. 1 to March 31, 2010 (room only).

The quoted rate is approximately $353 per person, double, based on today’s exchange rate. Single occupancy prices and a third person/extra bed option are available.

For more information, call 800-11-PARK

email regsales.del@theparkhotels.com  

or visit www.theparkhotels.com

Stay in a secluded cabin in Lapland or a cottage in rural Iceland for an unforgettable experience

‘Mesmerising’, ‘enthralling’ and ‘other-worldly’ are just a few words used to describe the Northern Lights. As we approach the darker winter nights, now is the ideal time to witness this ethereal display of lights shimmering and dancing across the sky.

For the ideal base for this memorable holiday, visit www.HomeAway.co.uk where you can find a good range of secluded cottages in some of the best places to spot the magical lights in Iceland, Lapland and Canada, as well as thousands of properties in the northerly parts of the UK, where the Aurora Borealis can still be seen.

Having fascinated the Sámi people for centuries, the spectacular Northern Lights are a purely natural phenomenon shrouded in wonder and astonishment.

They reach their peak activity levels until March when conditions are more favourable for this fantastical display to light up the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. Renting a holiday house through HomeAway Holiday-Rentals will give you the chance to enjoy this incredible phenomenon with your loved ones from the privacy of your own home.

For the best opportunities to see the Northern Lights, we have selected below a couple of rentals in Lapland and Iceland, as well as a secluded Scottish cottage, close to the Galloway Forest Park which was awarded a gold status for the darkness of the sky, meaning that people can enjoy amazing displays of stars, as well as the Northern Lights.

NB: Prices quoted are per property per week and all still had good availability at time of going to press.

LAPLAND
Cosy log cabin with private sauna
3 BEDROOMS, SLEEPS 8

www.homeaway.co.uk/p434326  - Built in 2007, the cabin is situated in a quiet location on the edge of Akaslompolo, a traditional Lappish village.

The cabin provides a very high standard of accommodation.

It is modern, comfortable and very cosy. On the ground floor there is an open plan kitchen, dining and living area with a log fire. You can visit the famous ice hotel which is close by, and see the magical Northern Lights outside the cabin.
From £400 per week

Newly built log cabin with sauna & terrace
2 BEDROOMS, SLEEPS 4

www.homeaway.co.uk/p427744 – A beautiful, newly built log cabin in Northern Finland which offers an open-plan kitchen with all amenities, one bedroom downstairs, loft with two single beds, a cosy lounge with log burning stove, a private sauna, terrace and Nintendo Wii.

Experience ice fishing, the Northern Lights safari, Santa visits, husky sleigh rides and much more!
From £440 per week

ICELAND
Spacious rural cabin, ideal for viewing the Northern Lights
3 BEDROOMS, SLEEPS 6

www.homeaway.co.uk/p93742  - ‘Lisuholl’ is a traditional Icelandic wooden cottage located in a wide valley off Hvalfjord, a fjord of spectacular beauty, only 40 minutes drive from the capital city of Reykjavik. Accommodation consists of a double bedroom, a children’s room with bunk-beds, and a loft bedroom with 2 single beds. The cottage has electric radiators in each room and a wood burning stove in the living room.
From £450 per week

Large, modern holiday cabin with outdoor hot-tub
3 BEDROOMS, SLEEPS 8

www.homeaway.co.uk/p420530  - This modern, wooden holiday house built in tradition style is just one hour’s drive from the city of Reykjavik.

Located very close to the highlights of Iceland, the property is ideal for visiting one of the two greatest natural attractions of Iceland, and part of the Golden Circle Tour, the big two: Geysir and Gullfoss.

Sit in the whirlpool after a walk on a glacier or benefit from the 24 hours daylight in the summertime.
From £449 per week

SCOTLAND

A magical haven surrounded by beautiful Scottish countryside & wildlife
4 BEDROOMS, SLEEPS 10

www.homeaway.co.uk/p85214  - Located close to the Galloway Forest Park and nearby Loch Trool, this pretty, white-washed, stone-built cottage features a cosy interior and open views over the Galloway Hills.

In addition, it has a wood-burner, games room, gym and private enclosed garden that is ideal for young children and pets. Relax and watch the wildlife from your window or enjoy the numerous other activities and attractions available nearby.
From £575 per week

On Saint Martin’s day (Nov. 11), the first lodge in Central Europe, the St. Martin’s Spa & Lodge, opened its doors in the Seewinkel in Burgenland, Austria.

The region around Lake Neusiedl and the first National Park in Austria has always been a popular destination for visitors from all over Europe.

With St. Martin’s Spa & Lodge, the region, part of the world-heritage of the world cultural organization UNESCO, now offers an exclusive spa retreat. VAMED, the leading international company acting in the field of health care service, has created a holistic choice of health, vitality and well being, 60 minutes away by car from Vienna, Bratislava and Györ.

The St. Martin’s Lodge & Spa is located near a lake and offers its guests excursions and bird-exploring in the surrounding natural landscape of the Seewinkel, where the foothills of the Alps and the Pannonian Plain meet.

A landscape protection area of veldt and reed regions, the region features oak forests where 320 documented species of birds, water buffalo and the last wild horses in Europe dwell.

The park area can be discovered by hiking, riding, biking or canoeing.

In the lobby and on the lake terraces, guests can sample regional delicacies and 60 local wines served in the gourmet restaurant and the wine bar.

Together with the cosmetic label Barbor, St. Martin’s Spa & Lodge has based its cosmetic treatments and therapies on regional elements, such as salt, grapes, yeast, champagne and special teas.

The resort’s architects used natural elements such as reeds, wood, gravel and seawater in the building and suites.

The two senior suites provide guests with additional private recreational areas.

This is supplemented with a private beach area by the lake and a beach bar.

The surrounding cities Vienna, Bratislava and Györ are within reach by care in less than 60 minutes and the journey from Vienna Airport is even shorter.

St. Martin’s expects about 300,000 spa- and 70,000 lodge guests every year.

It will be open to same-day visitors from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

It also will be open all year for up to 300 lodge guests.

For more information, visit

http://stmartins.at/298.html

Getting to Montserrat just got easier with the return of a permanent ferry service between Antigua and Montserrat.

The ferry will offer an alternative means of transportation to Montserrat, plus provide significant extra capacity, allowing more passengers to visit the island.

In addition, local airline Fly Montserrat has announced the arrival of its second aeroplane, with another due to be in service before the end of 2009.

“We’re delighted to welcome back a permanent ferry service – it will play a vital role in our growing tourism industry,” comments Ernestine Cassell, director of tourism at the Montserrat Tourist Board.

“Montserrat has a way of charming its visitors like no other Caribbean island and now access is even easier, we hope more people will be encouraged to come and discover the Emerald Isle of the Caribbean.”

Ferry services

A ferry service will resume on 2nd December 2009, with the MV Deluxe providing a short-term service during the busy December period.

The service will run three times in its first week (Wednesday 2nd, Friday 4th and Saturday 5th December) sailing from Montserrat to Antigua in the morning and making the return journey to Montserrat in the late afternoon.

From 7th December, the service will run daily except Sundays until 31st December 2009. The afternoon journey from Antigua to Montserrat is timed so that UK passengers flying into Antigua with BA or Virgin Atlantic can connect to the ferry to Montserrat.

In the latter half of December, the service will be supplemented with the arrival of the MV Mjortof which will offer two daily return trips between Antigua and Montserrat on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays all year round. On other days, the ferry will service the Antigua to Barbuda route.

Additional ferry services to Montserrat will be arranged as required for special events such as St Patrick’s Week and other peak travel periods.

Docking in Antigua for both ferry services will be at the Nevis Street Ferry Terminal, next to Heritage Quay ferry and cruise terminal and around 20-minutes by car or taxi from Antigua’s V C Bird International Airport.

Fares for the ferry service will be EC$150 one-way or EC$300 return (approximately £35 / £70). Both ferries are capable of carrying 100 passengers comfortably, as well as light cargo and passenger baggage.

New trip packages utilising the ferry will be available through day tour operators based in Antigua and Montserrat.

For further details, timetable and booking information, please see www.visitmontserrat.com

Additional airlift

Air capacity into Montserrat is also set to increase as Montserrat-based airline FlyMontserrat commences a scheduled flight service between Montserrat and Antigua on 1st December 2009.

The airline will offer one return flight per day from 1st December 2009, leaving Montserrat at 12:30 p.m. and returning from Antigua at 5:30 p.m.

From December 16th, a second return flight will be added in the mornings, departing Montserrat at 9:00am and returning from Antigua at 10:00am.

FlyMontserrat has just announced the arrival of its second Islander VP-MON aircraft, with a third expected to arrive before Christmas.

Scheduled flights cost from US$55 per person (approx. £32) plus taxes one way.

FlyMontserrat also offers charter services to other Caribbean islands.

Online booking will be available soon at www.flymontserrat.com.

Flights can also be booked by calling

001 664 491 3434 or emailing

info@flymontserrat.com

Further information

Regional airline Winair also operates daily flights between Antigua and Montserrat using 19-seater Twin Otter aircraft. For further information, timetables and bookings, please see www.fly-winair.com

Ferry services between Antigua and Montserrat have operated in the past but were removed shortly after the opening of the island’s new airport in 2005.

Since then, temporary ferry services have operated during peak periods, but the Government of Montserrat is pleased to welcome back a permanent service linking the two islands.

For more information about Montserrat, see www.visitmontserrat.com  or call 020 7928 1600.

If the idea of traditional winter swimming fails to excite you, try spending three minutes in temperatures of up to 110 degrees below zero!

The luxurious Finnish Haikko Spa located less than 50km east of Helsinki has turned an old pain relieving method into an energising spa treatment subjecting the body to extremely cold conditions and causing the skin’s surface temperature to drop down to between 3 and 4 degrees centigrade.

The use of low temperatures in medical therapy is known as cryotherapy. Initially developed in Japan in the late 1800s to provide pain relief for conditions such as rheumatism, sports physicians have since rediscovered the method and have started applying it in routine treatments and sports therapy.

It wasn’t long before health specialists, particularly in Eastern Europe, started to recognise the positive effects on a range of health problems such as insomnia, stress and skin conditions.

In 2003, the Haikko Spa in Porvoo, Finland became the first Finnish spa to offer super cold treatments and the first cryo-treatment unit in the world to use a combination of electricity and liquid nitrogen to create the necessary cold temperatures.

Guests are recommended to wear a swimming costume and protective headgear, mittens, socks and slippers provided by the spa.

The trained staff will supervise the treatment which involves walking through two insulated rooms with temperatures of -30 and -60°C before entering the super cool treatment room where temperatures will drop down to -110°C. Here guests will spend from between one to three minutes, depending on the specific recommended treatment.

Whilst exposed to such cool conditions, the temperature receptors in the skin send messages to the brain communicating the low temperatures. This triggers reactions in the circulatory, endocrine, immune and central nervous systems which gives a distinctive physical rush.

As a pleasure-inducing experience, the cold treatment is one that needs to be experienced for oneself. The first session leaves you feeling energetic, enhances sleep and reduces muscle tension.

For certain ailments, a series of three of more treatments is recommended for more permanent results.

For more information about the ‘Super Cold’ treatment at Finland’s Haikko Spa, please visit: www.haikko.fi/kylpyla/en_GB/cold_treatment

Loch Melfort hotel offers “the finest views on Scotland’s West Coast” direct from its bedrooms and gardens, and the coming months see the hotel running their second Gourmet Break, battling it out in the finals of the “Hotel Website of the Year” award, and making the most of the publicity surrounding tv star Robson Green’s new series – “Wild Swimming Adventures”.

Owners Calum and Rachel Ross have capped a great season’s trading with the recent Loch Melfort Gourmet Evening and Weekend, which saw over thirty guests enjoy a superb seven-course dinner, with food chosen by Calum Ross and Head Chef Colin MacDonald, matched with fine wines by Mike Cottam of Inverarity Wines. Due to the success of the event, the hotel has just announced a second Gourmet Weekend for 6th March, and it is hoped that over 50 guests will attend this one.

On a national footing, Calum and Rachel have just received word that Loch Melfort has been shortlisted for the prestigious “Caterer & Hotelkeeper” magazine Web Awards – the UK’s hotel marketing “Oscars”. Loch Melfort’s website – www.lochmelfort.co.uk  – has been designed and is regularly updated by local supplier Toltech, and Rachel writes her own Blog on the site, one of the reasons it has been shortlisted for this national award. “We’re enormously proud”, said Rachel, “especially as two of the other three finalists are five-star hotels – including Gleneagles!

Our website has had visitors from as far away as Canada and Australia, and we realise that it’s our main shop-window for the hotel and the wider area”.

As well as running the hotel, refurbishing bedrooms in preparation for 2010, and marketing Loch Melfort to attract future guests,

Calum Ross also finds time to champion the continued opening of Arduaine Garden, the National Trust for Scotland’s flagship garden in the area.

Calum chairs the Arduaine Garden Action Group, and staff at the hotel have been asking all their guests and diners through the Summer and Autumn to sign the petition to keep the gardens open.

Even actor Robson Green, who stayed at the hotel whilst filming his ITV series “Wild Swimming Adventures” this Autumn, was made aware of the campaign by Calum and Rachel and signed the petition during his stay.

“We’re hoping”, said Calum, “that interest in this part of the coast will increase.”