Jetsettersblog

In it’s heyday Club 43 was the venue that bands and artists appeared at after their performances at the Free Trade Hall.

Such luminaries as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holliday, Miles Davis and Humphrey Lyttleton made regular appearances jamming with local musicians to the surprise and delight of fans.

Demolished in the 60s, the club has been “sleeping” since – until now; the club will be resurrected on the site of the old Free Trade Hall in the Radisson Edwardian Hotel’s Alto Restaurant.

The brain-child of general manager Stephen Miles, Club 43 will be more accessible and appeal to fans of live music generally not just jazz enthusiasts. But it will stay true to it’s former roots – jazz will definitely be on the menu plus a specially created Cajun/Creole buffet from Chef Russ Brown.

Fifteen dishes will feature in the supper including chicken Jambalaya, Cajun cabbage, barbecue shrimp, pork loin Creole, sausage gumbo, peas and rice and a heap of salads.

Music will be from the Mark McClaren trio who will perform two 45 minute easy listening Jazz spots. Local DJs Mike Vitti and Steve Quirk from Jazz FM will also be appearing.

Tickets for the evening including entertainment and food are just £15 and available from the hotel – call
0161 835 8904 or book on line at www.radissonedwardian.co.uk  in to the Alto Restaurant.

The recently opened Musée Magritte Museum in Brussels was runner-up in the Overseas Tourism Award category at the British Guild of Travel Writers Member’s Awards held last Sunday at the Marriott Grosvenor Square in London.

The museum, entirely dedicated to one of the world’s most famous surrealist painters, was nominated by guild member Diana Bentley after she visited it earlier this year as part of a trip organised by the Belgian Tourist Office-Brussels & Wallonia.

The Musée Magritte Museum, which opened at the beginning of June 2009, holds the largest body of works by René Magritte ever assembled, including his well-known paintings, photographs, drawings, gouaches, posters and correspondence, as well as films made by him and his friends, and unique works on loan from major private collectors.

Covering every period of his life over 3 floors, the museum is well on its way to becoming one of the most important cultural centres in the Belgian capital. It will also house a research centre containing archives linked to the artist’s life and work.

Commenting on the award, Francoise Scheepers, director of the Belgian Tourist Office-Brussels and Wallonia in London said:” we are really delighted that the museum was nominated for such a prestigious award, particularly since this is the second year running that a Brussels museum has been nominated for an award by the British Guild of Travel Writers.

Brussels is the closest capital city to London and we know that the museum has received many UK visitors since opening at the beginning of last June. I am sure that this commendation will further enhance awareness of the museum in this country.”

The BGTW Overseas Tourism Award went to conCERT Cambodia, while the second runner-up was the Al-Ayoun Trail in Jordan.

Nestled in the heart of Museum Row in downtown Louisville, 21C Museum Hotel, also dubbed the ‘art gallery with rooms’, has been voted the ‘number one hotel in the United States and number six hotel in the world’ in the Conde Nast Traveller’s Readers’ Choice Awards for 2009.

This 90-room boutique hotel not only offers an award winning restaurant and décor, but also shows a contemporary art exhibition from living artists throughout the reception area, making it America’s only museum dedicated solely to art of the 21st Century.

The current exhibition, ‘Creating Identity’, showcases work from emerging and well-known international artists including UK painter, David Hockney.

Enjoy Egyptian cotton sheets, ipods loaded with your choice in music, modern poster art and flat screen TV’s in every room – as well as a steam room, sauna and spa. All situated round the corner from the downtown arts and theatre area of Louisville.

Rooms are available from £119 per room, per night with the Dine with Art package, including a daily £15 voucher for the hotel restaurant, Proof on Main.

To book a room or for further details, visit www.21cmuseumhotel.com

For further details on Kentucky visit www.kentuckytourism.com

21C MUSEUM HOTEL – 21C MUSEUM HOTEL > SDF > 700 W Main St > Louisville > KY > 40202>4.5>From Louisville International Airport: Approximate distance to the hotel is eight miles. Take I 65 north toward downtown/Louisville. Take Exit 136B to Brook Street. Turn left onto East Muhammad Ali Boulevard. Turn right onto S

The Arrabelle at Vail Square, A RockResort in Vail, Colo., has opened a new dining venue, Tavern on the Square, and has also announced the appointment of Executive Chef Douglas Dodd.

Tavern on the Square is a pub-style venue at The Arrabelle, next to the resort’s Centre V European-style restaurant.

Tavern on the Square is just steps away from the Eagle Bahn Gondola and will offer a variety of pub fare with a twist, such as the bourbon-glazed pork chop, roquefort bone-in ribeye, and signature Epic Mountain Burger.

The Tavern will offer affordable beverage specials to thirsty travelers and locals alike, and will serve The Arrabelle’s Communitini cocktail, a pomegranate martini that supports the Vail Charitable Fund with every purchase.

The restaurant will also offer sustainable menu items as part of RockResorts’ Appetite for Life program.

Dodd comes to The Arrabelle from the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles, Calif., where he served as executive chef for the past seven years.

For more information, call 866-662-ROCK

or visit www.rockresorts.com

Celebrating its 20th anniversary with a new logo, website, train design and route names

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada – Rocky Mountaineer is gearing up to celebrate 20 successful years in business and will relaunch its brand, strengthening its position as one of the world’s best travel experiences.

Consistently committed to innovation and excellence, Rocky Mountaineer’s new logo and branding will be implemented throughout the entire company, starting with the recently released 2010 brochure and newly launched, user-friendly website. The elegant gold logo and train design better reflects the exceptional and world-class onboard experience, while the new route names depict the unique scenery and highlights found along Rocky Mountaineer’s four different rail journeys.

“As a company, we continually strive to create the very best travel experience for our guests, always setting the bar higher and higher,” says Hubert Wat, Vice President, Marketing of Rocky Mountaineer. “With our 20th year upon us, we wanted to freshen up our look and create a brand identity that better represents our company, solidifying our product as an iconic travel experience.”

The newly introduced route names tell a story about each distinct rail journey, appealing to the tastes of a wide variety of travellers. Whether its main highlights are historical landmarks, rugged undiscovered wilderness or majestic mountain ranges, each route has a unique charm.

True to its new name, this route retraces the historic Canadian Pacific Railway, famous for uniting the country and connecting British Columbia to Canada 125 years ago.

First Passage to the West is Rocky Mountaineer’s flagship route and continues to be the most popular with visitors from around the world. Highlights include the Spiral Tunnels, an engineering masterpiece and Craigellachie, which is the location of the last spike on Canada’s transcontinental rail line.

With the top usually covered in clouds, Mount Robson, the most prominent mountain in the Canadian Rockies, is the highlight of this route. On a clear day, lucky guests may get a glimpse of the very top! Travellers also experience scenic valleys, the Coast Mountain Range and the Fraser Canyon with its spectacular raging white water and dramatic landscape.

Launched in 2006, Rocky Mountaineer’s newest rail journey travels through pristine and rarely seen wilderness. With some of the most breathtaking and varied scenery, this route is known for its dramatic transformations from coastal rainforest to the desert-like conditions of the Fraser Canyon and over the ranchlands of the Cariboo Gold Rush region.

Entering its fifth season in 2010, the Whistler Sea to Sky Climb is a three-hour train trip that travels along the Sea-to-Sky Corridor between Vancouver and Whistler, BC, host cities of the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. Guests have a unique vantage point as they roll along Howe Sound, past cascading waterfalls, old-growth forests and snow-capped mountain peaks.

For more information on Rocky Mountaineer or to order a copy of the 2010 brochure, please contact Rocky Mountaineer directly at (800) 665-7245.

Check out the newly launched website at www.rockymountaineer.com

Rocky Mountaineer offers unique Canadian vacation packages and four spectacular rail routes through British Columbia and Alberta.

Best known for the internationally-acclaimed Rocky Mountaineer train, a two-day, all daylight rail journey through Canada’s West and the Canadian Rockies, the company also offers a three-hour experience between North Vancouver and Whistler, BC.

Since its inception in 1990, the company has grown to become the largest privately owned passenger rail service in North America and welcomed its one millionth guest in 2008. Rocky Mountaineer has been honoured with four World Travel Awards as “World’s Leading Travel Experience by Train” and was named by National Geographic as one of the “World’s Greatest Trips.”

Hilton HHonors, the loyalty program for the Hilton Worldwide portfolio of hotels, announced a partnership with Virgin America, the California-based airline. Now, members of the Hilton HHonors frequent-guest program and the 1.1 million members in Virgin America’s Elevate Frequent Flyer program can earn points toward free Virgin America flights for stays at any of the more than 3,400 properties across Hilton Worldwide’s portfolio of hotel brands. Hilton HHonors and Virgin America Elevate members earning either fixed or variable points and miles will have the opportunity to earn one Elevate point for every $2 spent at participating Hilton Worldwide hotels.

Members who choose a fixed points earning style and stay at a participating Hilton, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Doubletree, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Grand Vacations and Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts will earn 250 Elevate points per stay, or 50 Elevate points per stay at a participating Hampton, Homewood Suites by Hilton and Home2 Suites by Hilton hotel.

Elevate is Virgin America’s first-of-its-kind Frequent Flyer program, which offers guests the ability to redeem points for any unsold seat, on any Virgin America flight, at any time.

Elevate offers web-based redemption with dynamic pricing and no black-out dates, so guests do not have to jump through hoops to find or book the flights they’ve earned.

For more information, visit www.HiltonHHonors.com

Guests can now book their stays at Pan Pacific Suzhou, due to open on Jan. 11.

The 484-room property features traditional Suzhou gardens and ancient Chinese aesthetics fused with modern comforts and luxury.

Prior to its opening, Pan Pacific Suzhou is undergoing refurbishments to deliver the level of personalized experience synonymous with the Pan Pacific brand.

Guests can book online at the Pan Pacific website, www.panpacific.com , as well as Pan Pacific’s toll-free voice reservation centers.

Their guest preference information will also be captured in Pan Pacific’s proprietary reservations and distribution platform.

The hotel will feature Pan Pacific’s exclusive, premier executive club, the Pacific Club, at the hotel’s new Towers Wing. Pacific Club guests will have butler service and access to the enhanced Pacific Lounge serving complimentary breakfast and evening cocktails.

Additionally, guests will have access to business amenities, including fully equipped meeting rooms and comprehensive business services.

The brand new Towers Wing, unveiled in February 2009, features 99 deluxe rooms and suites.

For more information, visit www.pphg.com

Iberostar Hotels & Resorts announced the opening of two new properties, Iberostar Grand Hotel Salomé in Tenerife and Iberostar Club Boa Vista in Cape Verde. “We are expanding our offering in Tenerife to cater to both families and luxury travelers with the addition of the Iberostar Grand Hotel Salome,” said John Long, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Iberostar Hotels & Resorts.

“Iberostar is also entering a new market with the opening of Iberostar Club Boa Vista, bringing our star service to guests in Cape Verde.”

The Iberostar Grand Hotel Salomé is a luxury boutique hotel situated within the grounds of Iberostar Anthelia, which is located by Costa Adeje shore, in the south of Tenerife. Iberostar Grand Hotel Salomé offers a private resort setting comprised of 23 upper-level suites all overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

The hotel features three à la carte restaurants, Thai Zen SPAce wellness center, fresh water pool with bar service, terrace and chill-out areas.

This hotel was formerly the VIP area of Iberostar Anthelia, which is now a family-friendly property. Guests of Iberostar Grand Hotel Salomé have access to the amenities and services at Iberostar Anthelia.

Iberostar’s first property in Cape Verde, the Iberostar Club Boa Vista, boasts 273 rooms and suites appointed with a balcony, satellite television and fully stocked mini bar.

Guests can enjoy a swimming pool with sun loungers and parasols and towels — all of which are free of charge — as well as an à la carte restaurant, an Irish pub, a pool bar and the Beach Club, which offers a range of snacks throughout the day. Iberostar Club Boa Vista also offers a Miniclub and Maxiclub for children between 4 and 12 years old, which is packed full of fun activities, games and sports.

For reservations or more information, call 888-923-2722 or visit www.iberostar.com

Canouan Island, home of the Raffles Canouan and Grenadines Estate villas, is now more accessible than ever.

 In time for the holidays and winter season, Caribbean regional airline LIAT started operating two non-stop flights per week from San Juan (SJU) to Canouan (CIW).

LIAT flight 383 leaves San Juan on Fridays and Saturdays at 4 p.m. and arrives on Canouan at 6:20 p.m. LIAT flight 384 departs Canouan on Saturdays and Sundays at 10:50 a.m. and arrives San Juan at 1:10 p.m.

Each aircraft has a maximum capacity of 50 seats.

The flight service now attracts new feeder cities such as Atlanta, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Boston, which allows guests to fly to Canouan with only one same-day layover.

In March 2009, LIAT also announced service from Barbados (BGI) to Canouan (CIW) operating four flights per week.

The Canouan Island airport runway was also extended last spring to 5,900 feet, which accommodates ATR 70-seater planes at full capacity (previously, ATR planes landed with maximum capacity of 35 passengers).

Additionally, as a result of the airstrip extension, the landing of most private jets — including the Airbus 319 and 320 and Boeing 737 — is now accepted at the Canouan Airport.

For more information, call 866-589-2450 or visit www.raffles.com/canouan  or www.liatairline.com

Let All The Family Have A Winter Holiday – Aph.com Offers Parents Useful Information On Kids Clubs Abroad

The table compares the kids club facilities at hotels in ski resorts available with five of the largest UK tour operators; Mark Warner, Thomson Ski, Club Med, Crystal Holidays and Neilson, highlighting information on the various childcare age groups, staff qualifications, babysitting services, daytime activities and safety information.

The research found that three of the five tour operators offer childcare for infants under six months, however Crystal Holidays and Thomson Ski only offer care for children aged six months and above.

All the kids clubs provide daytime activities, lunch and some form of evening childcare. Neilson offer an extensive range of childcare facilities at the Hotel Aalborg in Les Deux Alpes, France.

However, parents will need to organise childcare arrangements themselves at other Neilson ski resorts.

Parents should also be aware that they will need to fill in a Child Health Form when they arrive at their destination. All the tours operators recommend that kids clubs should be booked at the time of making a holiday reservation.

Nick Caunter, managing director of APH, says “With the ski holiday season fast approaching, and many families leaving their booking much later than previous years, we chose now to highlight the options for families this winter”.

Airport Parking and Hotels Ltd is one of the UK’s leading booking agencies and has over 29 years’ experience as a retailer of pre-booked airport parking and travel extras.

APH offers parking at all major UK airports, ports and Eurotunnel terminals plus airport hotels packaged with parking, airport lounges, travel insurance, car hire and holiday taxis. APH is also a carbon balanced company and has through the World Land Trust helped purchase more than 1,000 acres of Belize rainforest.

For further information visit www.aph.com  or call 01342 859515.