Jetsettersblog

Travellers – particularly those of Scottish descent or lovers of Scots culture – now have the perfect place to immerse themselves in hundreds of years of Auld Reekie’s vibrant history during their next trip to Scotland.

Not only does Fraser Suites Edinburgh offer luxury accommodation, its location in one of the Scottish Capital’s most historic buildings and just steps away from some of Scotland’s most famous heritage sites, means guests can really step back and sample the history of one of the world’s great cities.

The hotel, which officially opened its doors last November, is located in the heart of the city’s Old Town – just a few hundred yards away from the ancestral home of Scotland’s kings and queens, the site of the city’s most notorious underground prison and the hunting grounds of some of Edinburgh’s nefarious criminals.

The Victorian-era building also sits directly above one of the city’s most haunted hidden streets, Mary King’s Close – a former plague-ridden thoroughfare in Edinburgh’s Old Town which has been the focus of numerous paranormal investigations and historical surveys in recent years.

Heather Gilchrist, Regional General Manager Frasers Hospitality Scotland, said: “There aren’t many venues in Scotland – let alone Edinburgh – that can boast as much history as our new hotel. It’s location in the heart of the oldest part of the city makes it the ideal place for visitors interested in Edinburgh’s heritage to come and stay.

“The building that Fraser Suites Edinburgh is actually located in was originally the home of some of the city’s major newspapers, and the street we are located on – St Giles Street – was often referred to as the Fleet Street of Scotland. It’s an area brimming with historical interest and that has graced many famous figures from throughout the ages.

“For those who like to explore things a little spookier, we’ve also got one of the city’s most haunted streets just a few yards away and our very own cellar could be harbouring a resident ghost or two. Some of our housekeeping staff have reported hearing strange thumps coming from behind the door a couple of times – and when you go into the old cellar there is a definitely strange chill at a certain spot in the room.

“I’m certain that anyone looking to explore the historical heart of Scotland’s capital city will not find a better place to stay than Fraser Suites Edinburgh.”

St Giles Street was initially created during the construction and subsequent remodeling of the Bank of Scotland Headquarters by renowned Scottish architect David Bryce in the 1860s.

The 12-18 St. Giles Street part of the hotel was designed by Bryce in 1871 as the head office for the Edinburgh Courant newspaper – one of the earliest regional newspapers in Britain which counted Robinson Crusoe author Daniel Defoe as one of its editors. Fraser Suites Edinburgh have now secured a rare early copy of a Courant which is to put on display.

From the late 19th century until the middle of the 20th century, St. Giles Street was the ‘Fleet Street of Scotland’, hosting (over the years) the offices of not only the Edinburgh Courant and Edinburgh Daily Review, but also the Glasgow News, Glasgow Herald, Glasgow Evening Citizen, the Edinburgh Daily Mail and the Mercat Press.

During the refurbishment – in which much work was done to retain the original features, including restoring high ceilings and ornate cornicing – a number of long-forgotten features were discovered.

These included a set of stained glass panels celebrating one of Scotland’s most famous sons, Sir Patrick Geddes, who was celebrated across the world for his innovative thinking in the fields of urban planning and education.

The central panel bears the inscription Vivendo Discimvs (Latin for ‘by living we learn’) and historians now believe that building was pioneered by Geddes as student accommodation for the University of Edinburgh.

The new Fraser Suites Edinburgh hotel has 75 individual styled bedrooms which provide guests with the ultimate in comfort and sophistication.

Guests can choose from seven room types, ranging from classic rooms to plush one bedroom suites, including the hotel’s top-of-the-range four themed suites, such as the Princes Suite which overlooks Princes Street and boasts the Geddes stained glass panels. Published room rates start at £295 – although promotional rates are regularly available from £105.

Standard features in all rooms include kitchens or kitchenettes (all with microwave and fridge and some with full hobs), satellite television, designer furniture, Villeroy & Boch bathrooms, iPod docking stations and broadband access.

Other features include an on-site gym, restaurant and complimentary city centre shuttle bus. The hotel also features bespoke art commissioned from Edinburgh College of Art throughout.

In a unique first for Edinburgh, the luxuriously appointed rooms provide kitchen amenities – offering all the facilities of a hotel whilst maintaining the comfort of home.

Chiltern Railways is launching a new, faster train line between London Marylebone and Oxford making it quicker for UK travellers to enjoy day and weekend trips to some of the area’s most popular attractions, including Bicester Village shopping mall. The £250m project is due to be completed in 2013.

The new line to Oxford will be the first new rail link from London to a major British city since 1910.

This will include the opening of a brand new station in north Oxford called Water Eaton Parkway, which will benefit from direct links to the A34, A40 and Oxford city centre.

The new links should also help to reduce congestion in the surrounding area.

Chiltern Railways plans to operate two London-Oxford trains every 30 minutes in each direction.

All trains will call at Bicester Town, Water Eaton Parkway and Oxford; some will also call at Islip.

Most trains will stop en-route at High Wycombe with easy connections to Wembley Stadium.

Journey times are expected to be around 66 minutes from London Marylebone to Oxford; 58 minutes from London Marylebone to Water Eaton Parkway; 14 minutes from Bicester Town to Oxford; and 38 minutes from High Wycombe to Oxford.

Bicester Town station will be completely rebuilt to offer a booking office and parking facilities for both cars and bikes, in order to make it a fitting gateway for the town. Islip station will also be rebuilt with two platforms and Oxford station will be enlarged with new passenger platforms. A direct pedestrian link will also be provided to the Bicester Village shopping mall.

Construction is expected to commence in 2011 and is estimated to last for approximately two years. All work will be completely funded by Chiltern Railways.

A new Chiltern Mainline service is also being launched to offer faster trains on the existing line between the West Midlands, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and London. Benefiting the entire region, this will result in faster and shorter commutes, with average journey times between Birmingham and London falling by 20 per cent. The Chiltern Mainline is due to run from 2011.

Chiltern Railways has invested heavily in new trains, extra tracks and new stations and is consistently one of the top train operators in the UK for punctuality and passenger satisfaction.

Lake District takes its place on top table of England’s best Michelin Star restaurants

The Lake District has been named as one of the most prestigious places in England for fine dining as well as being a standard setter for the whole of the North West.

In a league table of the counties with the most Michelin-starred restaurants – Cumbria makes it into the top five in the whole of England with a staggering four establishments each achieving a star apiece. Three are in the Lake District and the other is just on the fringe of the national park in Cartmel.

Only Kent, Yorkshire and London fare better and Cumbria is tied in joint-fourth place with Devon, which also has four Michelin Star restaurants. Across the North West, Cumbria also leads the way with the likes of Cheshire, Lancashire and Merseyside each just having one Michelin star restaurant.

Cumbria also has as many Michelin star restaurants as the whole of Wales, more than Northern Ireland and just two less than the Republic of Ireland. The figures are contained in the new 2010 Michelin Guide to Great Britain and Ireland, the results of which are annually announced in January.

Cumbria’s position on the nationwide food map has been bolstered this year after The Samling at Windermere successfully won back its Michelin star following its takeover last year by the prestigious Von Essen hotel and country house hotel group.

Its sister hotel, The Sharrow Bay at Ullswater, also won a Michelin star. They join regular winners The Holbeck Ghyll, Windermere and and L’Enclume, Cartmel, to make up Cumbria’s leading four.

The Sharrow Bay, has won the Michelin star accolade 14 times in as many years and Lakes-based marketing manager Sam Hall of the group, described the double win as “fantastic news.”

Holbeck Ghyll Country House Hotel has won it every year since 2000. Since establishing L’Enclume in 2002, restaurateur Simon Rogan has won a Michelin star every year since 2005.

Michelin star restaurants lure gastronomes from all corners of the globe and are famed for offering the crème de la crème of eating and dining experiences – particularly with international visitors.

Cumbria only has a population of half-a-million and the Lake District just over 42,000. While Cumbria is one of England’s largest counties it is also one of its least urbanised making its culinary prowess even more significant.

Ian Stephens, Chief Executive of Cumbria Tourism, said: “To have such a concentration of food excellence in the area is a prestigious honour for Cumbria’s restaurant and hotel industry. It also means our visitors and residents have the luxury of choice for somewhere special to dine that is among the most select company in the country.”

The Lake District and Cumbria has already been declared one of the best places for fine dining in the whole of the UK in the new gastro lovers’ bible, the Good Food Guide 2010.

Compiled by the scrupulously independent Which, it recommends a total of 28 great dining destinations across Cumbria – an increase of five on the 2009 edition.

Two restaurants make it into the prestigious Top 50 Best Restaurants in the UK– the critically-acclaimed L’Enclume, Cartmel, at #13 and the Holbeck Ghyll, Windermere at #23.

In the 2010 guide, Holbeck Ghyll is also listed as one of only six places in England with what the guide describes as a “Notable Wine List.”

Since the guide was founded in 1951, two restaurants have featured regularly almost every year – the Sharrow Bay, which has appeared 49 times in the last 59 years, and the Rothay Manor Hotel at Ambleside, for 41 years. White Moss House at Grasmere has also notched up 37 years in the guide.

Each establishment featured in the guide is awarded a “cooking score” out of ten. However, even a modest score of one is considered a significant achievement in the Good Food Guide.

Overall, Simon Rogan who runs both L’Enclume its sister eaterie in Cartmel, Rogan and Company, achieved the best score in Cumbria – notching eight out of 10.

A score of eight is described as: “A kitchen cooking close to or at the top of its game. Highly individual showing faultless technique and impressive artistry in dishes that are perfectly balanced for flavour, combination and texture. There is little room for disappointment here.”

South Africa, Cape Town, Newlands, -  CELEBRATING her 115th anniversary, the Vineyard Hotel & Spa has clinched the national Hotel Wedding Reception Venue category at the recent VOW awards held in Johannesburg.

Organised by the South African Bridal Industry Academy (SABIA), the Vineyard Hotel & Spa won 1st place from 165 nominations. This deluxe Cape icon is set in 6-acres of beautiful landscaped gardens below the southern slopes of Table Mountain. Making a commitment to ‘living green’, the hotel has an impressive environmental and social awareness ethos making the decision to choose the Vineyard for one’s special day even more desirable.

The hotel has more to celebrate in that Banqueting Manager Robyn van Oudtshoorn reaches her 20th anniversary milestone this year.

Robyn has had the privilege of assisting in the planning of over 500 Vineyard Hotel weddings!

For all your banquet and conferencing requirements call Robyn van Oudstshoorn on (021) 657 4500,

email eat@vineyard.co.za

or visit www.vineyard.co.za  for more information.

Easy Rider – New Electric Bike Holidays Offer Less Pedal And More Power

From this summer enjoy the unspoilt beauty of the Swiss Jura region at an even more leisurely pace. Headwater, the leading cycling holiday specialists, has introduced e-bikes as an option when travelling on a Swiss Lakes holidays, ensuring an effortless adventure regardless of fitness levels or experience.

Unlike their traditional counterparts, the lightweight e-bikes come into their own when faced with hilly inclines or strong winds. As the battery kicks in power is increased by up to 80%, allowing holidaymakers to potentially cover twice the distance with half the effort.

As a result customers have even more time to stop off and discover their own idyllic corner of the canton of Neuchatel, from vineyards to chateaux and picturesque towns to nature reserves.

And at the end of the day guests simply need charge the battery in their hotel room alongside their mobile phone and other essential travel gadgets.

Catherine Crone, Managing Director of Headwater, said: “ The lakeside routes are perfect for gentle cycling and, as such, are ideal for customers new to this kind of holiday Headwater’s e-bikes ensure guests can keep up with the rest of the family, we hope that the introduction of this new option may tempt rusty cyclists to take to the two-wheel trail”.

Prices for the “Swiss Lakes Cycling” hotel-to-hotel independent cycling holiday start from £978 plus a £169 supplement for the hire of a BikeTec Swiss Flyer e-bike. Due to limited e-bike availability, early booking is recommended and users must be aged over 16. Party members can mix and match traditional and e-bikes as per their personal preference.

The holiday price includes eight nights in an eclectic mix of 3* and 4* accommodation, daily breakfast, four evening meals, the transportation of bags between hotels, panniers, two batteries (including a spare), charger, Headwater route notes, a regional information booklet and a local map kit. As with all Headwater cycling holidays, helmets are strongly recommended but are not compulsory or provided. With flights and transfers, prices start from £1188 per person (plus the £169 supplement for the hire of a BikeTec Swiss Flyer e-bike) flying Heathrow to Zurich with Swiss. Flights can be arranged from most UK airports.

For more information call the Headwater Reservations Line on 01606 720199 or book online at www.headwater.com

OSAKA– This winter, Chinese herbs take centrestage at Swissôtel Nankai Osaka.

Guests of the hotel can now choose from a newly-introduced Chinese Herbal Medicine Cuisine menu or exclusive spa treatments to enjoy the many health and wellness benefits of Chinese herbs.

Swissôtel Nankai Osaka’s recently-appointed Chinese head Chef Leow Leong Hock has created exquisite lunch and dinner menus produced from Chinese herbs for the hotel’s Chinese Restaurant Empress Room.

In addition to its use as a remedy for many illnesses and medical conditions, Chinese herbal medicine is often also used to enhance one’s well-being by increasing energy levels and improving the skin’s appearance and texture.

“At the Chinese restaurant that I worked at previously, I noticed how the professors and lecturers were always fatigued.

Hence, this inspired me to develop a menu that uses supplements to boost energy and improve health. With the Chinese Herbal Medicine Cuisine that I’ve created for Empress Room, I hope to change the typical mindset that Chinese herbs are bitter and tasteless,” said Chef Leow.

The Chinese herbal five-course menu at Empress Room starts from JPY 5,775 for lunch and from JPY 10,395 for dinner. Dishes to be expected include Steamed Egg Custard with Cordyceps and Crab Claw, Steamed Cod Fillet with Cordyceps or Steamed Xiao Long Bao with Poria Cocos Filling.

The advantage of cordyceps is its ability to enhance endurance, reduce fatigue, relieve asthma, improve lung, kidney and liver functions as well as promote cholesterol levels.

Poria cocos, which is often used in beauty products for its moisturising effects, aids digestion and improves appetite.

In addition, Swissôtel Nankai Osaka’s Amrita Spa offers facial and body treatments that incorporate the use of Chinese herbs which have been specially blended to holistically treat body conditions – Spirit, Blood and Water.

Guests who would like a holistic Chinese herbal experience can enjoy the Chinese Herbal Relaxation Package that includes:

• Overnight accommodation
• 60-minute Chinese Herbal body massage
• Chinese Herbal Medicine Cuisine dinner at Empress Room
• Staywell@Swissôtel breakfast at Café Swiss

Terms and conditions: The Chinese Herbal Relaxation Package is available until 30 December 2009.

Room rates start at JPY 38,150 nett per room per night for single occupancy, and start at JPY 66,300 per room per night for double occupancy.

Reservations must be made three days prior to arrival and are subject to availability.

About Chinese Head Chef, Leow Leong Hock

Leow Leong Hock was appointed as Swissôtel Nankai Osaka’s Chinese Head Chef with effect from 1 August 2009. Responsible for Chinese cuisine at Empress Room and banquets, Malaysian-born Chef Leow brings 17 years of culinary experience to Swissôtel Nankai Osaka.

Prior to joining Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts, Chef Leow was the Chinese Executive Chef at a 300-seat Chinese restaurant operated by the National University of Singapore Society. He also received a Gold Medal from the Singapore Restaurant Association in 2007.

He moved to Singapore from Malaysia in 1994 and was Head Chef for Pioneer Seafood Restaurant which was publicly voted “Top 5 Most Popular Restaurants in Singapore” for three consecutive years in the Singapore Gourmet Hunt, an annual food competition jointly organised by MediaCorp Radio and the Restaurant Association of Singapore. Besides restaurant cooking, Chef Leow has also cooked for up to few thousands of guests before, hence is undaunted by banquet preparations.

About Swissôtel Nankai Osaka (www.swissotel.com/osaka)

Conveniently located in the heart of Osaka just above Namba railway station, Swissôtel Nankai Osaka is directly connected to Kansai International Airport by train and only steps away from the city’s business, cultural and entertainment districts.

Swissôtel Nankai Osaka offers 548 exquisitely furnished guestrooms including 13 suites. Amrita Spa tempts with a full selection of massage and spa treatments while a fully equipped gym and in-door lap pool provide ample workout choices. To meet a full spectrum of conference and banquet needs, Swissôtel Nankai Osaka has a multitude of function rooms that can cater for a capacity of 10 to 1400 people.

For gastronomic pleasures, guests can choose from nine restaurants and bars – Tavola36 Italian Restaurant and Sky Bar, La Tour French Restaurant, Empress Room Chinese Restaurant, Minami Teppanyaki Restaurant, Hana-Goyomi Japanese Restaurant, Sh’un Kushiage and Wine, Café Swiss for all day dining, The Lounge for afternoon tea and evening cocktails and Mela Cafe for light meals and freshly baked pastries, breads and cakes.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., recognised as the global leader in luxury hotels, service and lifestyle, is proud to announce the opening of Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve on December 22, 2009, in Krabi, Southern Thailand.

The world’s first Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Phulay Bay will embody the attributes, philosophy and unique style and design of the Reserve brand extension. Appealing to affluent and discerning travellers seeking more from their leisure time, Ritz-Carlton Reserve will offer exquisite resorts in secluded and naturally beautiful locations around the world.

Set on the shores of the Andaman Sea, Phulay Bay is a hideaway 54-villa and pavilion boutique hotel with unspoilt views of the towering limestone karsts which make up the beautiful landscape of this part of southern Thailand. Coupled with sandy beaches, a coastline flecked with more than 200 islands, surrounded by a national forest with rugged rock formations and hidden waterfalls, Phulay Bay is a natural wonder.

“Ritz-Carlton Reserve will feature signature, one-of-a-kind boutique resorts positioned in unique settings, each with a distinctive personality and sense of place reflecting its history and culture,” said Simon F. Cooper, president. “A refuge from the expected, Reserve is for travellers seeking to discover a singular location and peerless resort that will offer guests’ exotic, hand-selected ‘hideaway’ destinations in a relaxed, casually elegant atmosphere. Phulay Bay in Thailand is a natural choice for the first Reserve,” said Cooper.

The essence of Phulay Bay will be about enlivening the senses. Guests will subtly and gently have their senses enriched and stimulated with the resort’s own scent, signature drink, beautiful and stunning scenery both inside the suites and in the environment of the resort, as well as by the sounds of traditional Thai music coupled with the gentle lapping of the sea on the shores of Phulay Bay.

This will be coupled with the environment of tactile natural Thai silk soft furnishings and coverings to help guest’s truly relax in this unique and special environment.

Nestled on the shore of the Andaman Sea, the exclusive resort is the vision of in-demand Thai architect Lek Bunnag and features modern styling and architecture with accents of Thai culture and design to create a harmonious synergy of luxury and tradition to compliment its secluded location.

Bunnag draws strongly from Thai traditions and cultural heritage to create an environment where relaxation and enjoyment are the very bedrock of the guest experience.

The architecture, landscape, interiors and accessories fuse to create a marriage of style and design that is completely in keeping with and tied to the natural environment of the location. Oversized beds, pillows, chairs, baths and doorways create a sense of comfort and welcoming that sets the guest at ease and welcomes them into the resort.

Combining contemporary Thai styling in the buildings with preservation of the environment, the natural flora of existing trees and plants relies on the past and tradition to create something sustainable today and for the future.

The use of traditional Lanna art forms both in architectural structure and design, as well as paintings and artworks on the walls and doors of the villas, further create a contemporary setting that draws on tradition to offer a unique and luxurious environment and further enlivens the senses.

“When styling and designing Phulay Bay, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve, we were very conscious of the abundant natural beauty surrounding us which is what makes people fall in love with Thailand,” explained Estelita Sebeto, the resort’s General Manager.

“We want guests to enjoy and discover the extraordinary diversity and beauty in this part of the country in a setting of relaxation and rejuvenation. So we have worked with nature to maintain a setting that evokes the very best of the natural environment of the hotel and sourced local and sustainable materials in its construction and styling. We see the resort as an ambassador for the local environment and for the tradition of the land here in Phulay Bay.”

With an emphasis on personalised, bespoke experiences, guests can ‘design’ or tailor make their visit to perfectly suit their needs and desires. A light BBQ lunch in your favourite area of the resort? A meditation class with local monks? Elephant trekking to a remote picnic spot? A sea plane tour of region’s dramatic scenery? No problem. The resort will tailor-make your visit and personalise your experience, to make it a truly unique and one-of-a-kind visit.

The sense of arrival will immediately let guests know they are somewhere special and unique. High aubergine walls and ‘hedges’ made from indigenous trees create a sense of wonder from the outside and a great sense of peace and stillness once on the inside. Guests enter the resort over a stepping-stone walkway that leads them to a wooden Thai pavilion situated on an island surrounded by thousands of gently flickering candles.

Phulay Bay, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve will offer world-class culinary experiences throughout the resort including a sea front pavilion with private rooftop dining, a signature Thai restaurant creating traditional Thai cooking in a modern, minimalist setting using the very best of ingredients and cooking traditions from Thailand’s southern region.

An infinity pool bar will offer soft loungers and silk pillows by day with lighter more relaxed culinary offerings, while the resort’s sunset lounge, will offer day beds, oversized pillows, chill-out lounge bar music and candle lanterns for a truly intimate and relaxing feel. The perfect place for a glass of champagne or a stylish martini as the sun sets over the seemingly endless horizon.

The ESPA at Phulay Bay promises to be a sanctuary for relaxation and rejuvenation with stepping stones meandering through the spa leading to decked walkways and relaxation terraces surrounded by vegetation and reflection ponds that perfectly capture the unique character of Phulay Bay.

The Spa itself comprises three traditional Thai pavilions set over two levels offering 11 treatment rooms including single and couples massage rooms and two VIP treatment suites.

The opening rates for Phulay Bay, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve are as follows: Resort Pavilion THB19,550;

Ocean Pavilion THB21,250; Beach Villa THB 27,200; Reserve Villa THB44,200 and Royal Beach Villa THB68,000. All rates are subject to 18.7% service charges and taxes.

Hard Rock International announced the opening of Hard Rock Hotel Singapore.

Launched with a ceremonial lion dance and ribbon-cutting, the luxurious, 360-room hotel is part of Resorts World Sentosa, a $4.4 billion resort destination on Sentosa Island.

Opened in January 2010, the 49-hectare Resorts World Sentosa is Singapore’s first integrated family resort destination, complete with Southeast Asia’s first and only Universal Studios theme park, the world’s largest Marine Life Park, six unique hotels offering 1,800 rooms, more than 60 dining outlets and a casino.

The Hard Rock Hotel Singapore, a nearly $223 million venture, is one of six unique destination hotels at Resorts World Sentosa, which include Festive Hotel, Crockfords Tower, Hotel Michael, Equarius Hotel and Spa Villas.

The hotel offers 360 keys (including nine suites and 351 rooms), modern conference facilities with 26 meeting rooms and Asia’s largest column-free ballrooms with seating for 7,300 guests.

Featuring the latest in audio-visual equipment, the ballroom will be an ideal venue for concerts, seminars, performances and banquets and can be further subdivided into smaller ballrooms or separate conference halls for more intimate affairs.

The Rock Pool, a quintessential Hard Rock element, is a focal area for both music and relaxation, as well as a social gathering place. The hotel offers Starz Restaurant, with al fresco dining area overlooking the Rock Pool.

Inspired by the healthy and energetic lifestyle of Singapore, the restaurant’s buffet-style dining with live cooking stations complements an A la Carte menu with the culinary flavors of Morocco, Europe, Middle East and Australia.

The Rock Bar, located on the second level of the hotel, is a trendy lounge and bar complete with a DJ spinning rock and techno music.

Rang Mahal Group’s latest dining concept of Indian cuisine is housed at the Hard Rock Hotel Singapore.

For more information on Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos, visit www.hardrockhotels.com    For more information on Hard Rock International, visit www.hardrock.com

Pimalai Resort & Spa, a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the world, has just been voted “Winner 2009 – Luxury Villa Category” at the Annual World Luxury Hotel Awards.

The very best performances of top hoteliers from across the world were recognized and celebrated at the 2009 “World Luxury Hotel Awards” glitzy gala ceremony in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 27th, 2009.

The “World Luxury Hotel Awards” is about congratulating hotels that have taken the extra step with regards to their facilities and service excellence and, as such, they are differentiated from “good hotels” to become recognized as “exceptional hotels”. Mrs Paninart Tiyaphorn – Managing Director of Pimalai Resort and Spa was on hand to receive the 2009 Luxury Villa Category Award.

The magnificent beach resort property, the pioneer of the deluxe hospitality on the Island of Lanta in Krabi province, sets on 25 hectares of lush tropical land with direct access to 900 meters of beach. It boosts exceptional facilities, including Deluxe rooms, Suites and Pool Villas, eight restaurants & bars, conference facilities, a spa, a scuba diving center and a wide range of recreational facilities.

Peace, Serenity, Solitude….. These are the words that come to mind for Pimalai. Add to that elegance, nature and genuine friendly service.

Be it for a honeymoon or a break from it all, Pimalai nestled in a lush tropical forest, is the destination to set your sights on.

The resort combines all the right ingredients – subtle five star comfort, natural beauty, far from the crowds, with no noise except the sound of the waves sliding in and out and slowly breaking onto a pristine sandy beach.

Franck de Lestapis, General Manager, generalmanager@pimalai.com

 www.pimalai.com

Take an exciting short trip to Korea in the palm of your hand with the Korea Attractions Grid Puzzle – a new game developed to celebrate the 2010-2012 Visit Korea Years promotion.

Korea Tourism Organization has selected twenty images that best portray the beauty and attractions of Korea and made them into fun puzzles.

The images feature Korean culture, food and historical sites such as Cheonggyecheon Stream, Korean totem poles (Jangseung) and traditional Korean dress (hanbok).

There are twenty different puzzles to test your game skills.

You must complete the 20 piece (4×5) puzzle in 30 seconds flat to continue to the next puzzle.

A bright flash appears every time a piece is correctly placed and a cloud will appear when it’s in the wrong position.

The Korea Attractions Grid Puzzle is now available at Apple’s AppStore, waiting for your free download: Go get it today and have some fun on your way to or from work.
Visit:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/korea-attraction-grid-puzzle/id345256906?mt=8