Jetsettersblog

Best Western International has expanded its portfolio in Eastern Europe with its first hotel in the Ukraine, the Best Western Sevastopol Hotel in Sevastopol, located in one of the largest sea ports and cultural-historical centers.

“The Best Western Sevastopol Hotel will be ideal for foreign tourists and business people traveling in and out of Crimea’s main resort destination,” said Suzi Yoder, vice president of international operations at Best Western International.

“The Best Western Sevastopol Hotel will be ideal for foreign tourists and business people traveling in and out of Crimea’s main resort destination.”

Built in 1952, the hotel is located in the heart of the historical center of the city.

The 106-room hotel features a conference hall, one of the finest and largest venues in Sevastopol, hosting a variety of events.

Each guest room has high speed internet access, and many have balcony views of Sevastopol Bay.

The hotel is within walking distance of theaters, art galleries, museums, public beaches, restaurants and pubs, making it an ideal destination.

Ocean Breeze Hotels announced the opening of its new hotel, Ocean Breeze Riviera Maya that joins the Ocean Breeze properties in Acapulco, Mazatlan and Nuevo Vallarta.

The Ocean Breeze Riviera Maya offers vacationers a relaxing stay in a boutique hotel while enjoying incomparable services of a world class luxury beach resort.

Located 18 miles south of Cancun International Airport, the newly built hotel has 96 guest rooms, including three fully equipped handicapped rooms, equipped with 27-inch LCD plasma TV, mini bar, Wi-Fi and modern décor with soothing colors and a tropical motif as well as private balcony.

Guests will enjoy the resort’s amenities and services, such as a Jack Nicklaus-designed 18-hole golf course, world class Brio Spa, gourmet restaurants and a 24-hour swimming pool.

The hotel’s variety of dining options ranges from informal poolside snacks at the Terraza Snack to a range of restaurants specializing in international cuisine.

Guests can dine at Tramonto, a casual restaurant with delicious Italian and American dishes or Gong Restaurant which features Asian cuisine. Havana Moon brings a different gourmet experience with a fusion of Asian and Caribbean dishes.

Ocean Breeze Riviera Maya is now offering an introductory rate of $129 per night, which includes breakfast and can be booked before March 30, 2010.

For more information, call 877-282-2115 or visit www.oceanbreezehotels.com

The five-star Hotel Martinez, located on the French Riviera, has recently refurbished its Suites des Oliviers, inspired by the roaring ’20s, the same decade in which the Art Deco resort was built.

To fully capture the essence of the décor and style of the 1920s, interior designer Marc Hertrich incorporated colors and design elements reminiscent of this iconic decade.

The 1,937-square-foot, two-bedroom Suite des Olivers (located on the first floor), has an oversized Jacuzzi and a 2,960-square-foot terrace facing the sea. New lighting, which highlights shades of white, champagne, ivory and beige with turquoise, sea green and taupe, along with the satin-finish, ash-grey parquet, adds natural warmth to the enhanced décor.

HM lozenge (diamond-shaped) monogrammed carpeting and custom made sofas and armchairs complement the suite by adding a touch of elegance and sophistication, while incorporating a 1920s ambiance.

The room’s furnishings are designed by Studio Hertrich-Adnet and are reminiscent of the era.

The mother-of-pearl padded headboards, rock crystal chandeliers, ball lamps inspired by Giacometti, sculpted buffet, two-tone dressing tables covered in white leather and embroidered silk covers, take guests on a journey through the decade.

The Suites de Oliviers offer state-of-the-art technology complete with LCD-LED televisions, and a hi-fi system with built-in iPod dock.

For more information, call 800-888-4747 or visit www.concorde-hotels.com/martinez.

Grenada is currently experiencing many developments that are expected to positively affect the country’s tourism industry in 2010 and beyond. Delta will begin nonstop weekly service to Grenada this summer from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York to the Maurice Bishop International Airport in St. George’s starting from June 5.

The non-stop, twice a week service departs JFK at 12:50 a.m. and arrives in Grenada at 5:40 a.m. with the return flight scheduled to depart at 6:40 a.m. and arriving in New York at midday.

The Port Louis Marina and Creole Village, which was officially opened in January 2008, continued apace with the completion of phase six of its construction of berth spaces along the Lagoon in St. George’s.

Its main focus was to add to its present complement of 50 berths. An additional 120 berths to accommodate yachts ranging in size from 100 feet to 300 feet was recently completed, just in time for the winter cruise season.

For more information, visit www.cnportlouismarina.com

Visitors to Grenada will soon have an additional trail to hike with the commissioning of the Morne Longue Fedon Camp eco-tourism attraction, developed and funded by the United Nations Trust Fund for human security to restore the livelihood in a post-Ivan and Emily context.

The hunting village of Morne Longue in St. Andrew was selected because the livelihood of many of its residents was badly affected due to the destruction of most of the trees in the village.

The new trail will allow visitors to experience a wide range of birds in their natural habitat, monkeys, views of the eastern seascape and the ruins of Fedon Camp.

Training of persons within the community is being planned so that direct benefits can accrue to the residents of the Morne Longue Communities.
Cruise ship visitors to Grenada for the 2010 winter/spring season now have easier access to the Inner Court Yard or Citadel of Fort George in St. George’s.

The Sally Port Entrance was recently introduced to enhance the opportunity for visitors to explore the historic town. The new Maroon & Regional String Band Music Festival is being planned for April 30 to May 2. Its primary objective is to preserve the island’s culture by having it showcased at a professional level.

For general destination information, call 473-440-2279 or visit www.grenadagrenadines.com

People visiting Naples during Maggio dei Monumenti have the chance to see many exhibitions and buildings that are usually closed to the public.

NAPLES, ITALY – Italy is considered by many to be a cultural country full of interesting artwork, monuments and historical buildings.

People who book Naples hotels are unlikely to disagree with this and if they arrange their holiday for a certain time of year, they may find they have more than the usual range of attractions to keep them occupied.

Every spring, Maggio dei Monumenti, or May of the Monuments, takes place and gives visitors the chance to view many private spectacles that are usually hidden away behind closed doors.

They will be able to feast their eyes on all manner of exhibitions, elaborately decorated churches and impressive palaces for a limited time only.

Similarly, some theatres, opera and concert halls hold special meetings and although some charge an entrance fee, a great deal of the events are free of charge.

Every year, there is a theme to the proceedings and in 2009 it was Viaggio nella Storia, or Voyage in History. The different activities organised in the city centre and areas around Naples are based around this topic.

One gallery in Naples that is open all year round for people to enjoy is the Factory of Arts.

It is currently exhibiting a range of works by Nathalie du Pasquier and these will be on display until February 26th.

Commenting on Maggio dei Monumenti, Jessica Reading, head of marketing for LateRooms, said:

“We strongly urge people thinking of going to Maggio dei Monumenti and who need hotel Napoli to book early to avoid disappointment.”

Rezidor opens latest Park Inn hotel in the centre of Oslo

The Rezidor Hotel Group has opened the Park Inn Oslo. The new hotel features 118 rooms is the company’s sixth hotel in the Norwegian capital.

“This opening underlines the importance our Nordic home markets have for us,” commented Kurt Ritter, president and CEO of Rezidor. “At the same time it further strengthens our Park Inn portfolio.

Launched in early 2003, our young and dynamic mid-market brand today comprises more than 130 hotels with 24,500 rooms in operation and under development. In 2010 alone we plan to open 20 new Park Inns with 3,700 rooms across Europe, Middle East and Africa,” continued Ritter.

Park Inn Oslo is situated in the heart of town – just a short step from the pedestrian area with its array of cafes, restaurants and world class shopping. Norway’s Royal Castle, parliament, Askershus Fortress and major museums are also conveniently close, while the central train station and Airport Express Train are both within easy walking distance.

Park Inn Oslo’s 118 colourful, modern guest rooms aim to offer the best sleep in town. Fresh, bright and spotlessly clean, they are designed to meet Park Inn’s brand standards; and the penthouse rooms have the added attraction of large, sunny balconies. All rooms are equipped with individual climate control, satellite TV, flat screens and wireless internet access.

At Park Inn’s signature restaurant RBG (Red Bar & Grill) the menu features a wide range of drinks, gourmet burgers, light bites, salads and signature dishes.

The hotel’s meeting facilities offer six flexible, high tech conference rooms over a total area of 150 square meters – equipped with the latest audio-visual equipment, plus high speed internet access.

Sixt rent a car, a leading provider of van hire throughout the UK, are offering a brand new free pick-up service available to customers in London.

Sixt rent a car, a leading provider of van hire throughout the UK, are offering a brand new pick-up service available to customers in London. Rather than make their own way to the branch or pay for the vehicle to be delivered renters can now be collected from their home address and driven to the branch completely free of charge.

London has a reputation as a hectic place to travel and customers wanting to rent a van are often faced with the task of having to also arrange transport to get to the rental branch, however the new service from Sixt will offer customer a hassle free way to arrive at the branch.

Customers wishing to use the pick-up service will be collected from their location by a Sixt driver and driven to the Sixt branch to collect their van.

What’s even better is that the new service is completely free to any customer that rents a vehicle for more than three days from any of fifteen Sixt London branches.

The offer applies to rentals starting between Monday and Friday and 10:00 and 16:00 hours, with free pick-up available from any address within a five mile radius of a Sixt London location.

The free offer is available until the 31st of March 2010.

Bob Baillie, Operations Director, of Sixt believes that the offer will be a hit with London van renters, “As a busy city getting around in London is often time consuming, the last thing a customer wants when they arrive to collect their van is to feel stressed.

” Our new pick-up service offers not only a stress free, but also a cost free way to get to the Sixt branch.”

Sixt customers wishing to take advantage of the pick-up service simply need to call the Sixt branch from which they are renting once they have completed the reservation.

With van hire branches located across the capital customers wishing to rent a van in London can be sure that there is always a local branch wherever you may be in London.

Sixt rent a car offers a first class service with over 26,000 vehicles from more than 150 rental locations in the UK.

For further information on Sixt, or to make a booking, visit their banner ad above.

The magical Northern Lights have bewitched humans since time began. Now you can create your own Aurora Borealis, against a fairytale Norwegian backdrop at www.visitnorway.co.uk/mynorthernlights.

Paint the sky above a dramatic northern Norwegian coastal landscape with your mouse, or use your astrological constellation, in a palette of colour reflecting your mood, to create your own Aurora Borealis. Your personal Northern Lights display will be saved for you to share with your friends via Twitter, Facebook or email. When they click on the link, they will be greeted by a star spangled sky with your very own lights display as well as a star named after the sender.

Viewing the Northern Lights is a powerful, and often emotional personal experience, and virtual displays on VisitNorway.co.uk are accompanied by information about how you can see the Aurora Borealis for yourself.

This wonderful display can be experienced anywhere, from an outdoor hot tub surrounded by snow, during a moonlit husky sledge or snowmobile safari, or like Father Christmas, with you own team of reindeer!

Catherine Foster, Country Manager, Innovation Norway UK, says: “Norway is the ideal setting for seeing the Northern Lights.
Its location and landscape of rugged mountains, awe inspiring coastal fjords, pristine forest and wooden huts, offers a magical backdrop for this stunning natural phenomena.

Hunting for the Aurora is a journey of a lifetime, one that you will want to share with your friends and loved ones. We hope to convey the beauty and mysticism of this once-in-a-lifetime experience through the new site.”

As well as the Northern Lights website, you can learn more about the amazing display in the sky as well as share your own experiences on our blog www.visitnorway.co.uk/mynorthernlightsblog  and via Twitter at: http://Twitter.com/NorwayAurora

History & Archaeology News

In Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia Museum a mosaic image of a six-winged angel, or seraph, has been uncovered. The mosaic had been covered over in plaster during restorations of the Hagia Sophia in 1849 and has now been brought to the light of day again.

It is thought to date to the 9th century and is in a very good state of preservation. Also in Istanbul, excavations are continuing at Yenikapi, believed to be the site of the Theodosius Harbour, which dates to Byzantine times.

The excavations have yielded the remains of a harbour, 33 ships, and numerous ceramics. In 2009, ancient tombs were also found and it is now thought that the history of site goes back 8000 years.

In the city of Bergama in western Turkey, a fortified tower dating back to the ancient Roman era has been made newly accessible to the public after three years of restoration work.

The round, 13-metre-high tower, built in the second century A.D., is one of the best preserved Roman domed constructions in existence.

Major archaeological discoveries were made throughout Turkey in 2009 and it was a year of many ‘firsts’.

At the ancient city of Troy, archaeologists have found the remains of a man and a woman believed to have died in 1,200 B.C., the time of the legendary Trojan War.

The discovery appears to indicate that the lower area of the city was larger in the late Bronze Age than had earlier been thought, and may change scholars’ ideas about the city that Homer chronicled in his epic the ‘Iliad’.

At Catalhoyuk, one of the world’s oldest known human settlement sites, archaeologists have for the first time established the existence of two-level houses at the site.

Excavations at Andriake, located in Antalya’s Demre district have revealed evidence of a Jewish temple dating to the Roman period was found.

This is the first evidence that has been found in the area of a Jewish presence during the Roman period.

And in excavations in Izmir’s Agora, a new Roman temple was uncovered that is believed to have been dedicated to Nemesis, the goddess of justice and retribution.

www.gototurkey.co.uk

A stunning new destination offering a unique style of luxury accommodation in the most enviable city centre location has come to Scotland with the opening of Fraser Suites Edinburgh.

Located over seven floors in a restored landmark, Grade B Listed Building, Fraser Suites Edinburgh blends jaw-dropping Victorian opulence with super-stylish contemporary cool.

Seventy-five individual styled bedrooms – including four sumptuous themed suites – provide guests with the ultimate in comfort and sophistication.

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.

While its marvellously central setting in St Giles Street, just off the Royal Mile and just a few minutes from both Edinburgh Castle and Princes Street Gardens, means it is ideally placed to cater for both leisure or business travellers to Scotland’s Capital.

Fraser Suites Edinburgh also marks an important landmark for its parent company Frasers Hospitality, with the multi-million pound investment providing the group – a global leader in serviced residences – with its first ‘boutique hotel’ in the world.

The site of Fraser Suites Edinburgh, in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town, dates back to the 1860s where it was built to house the Edinburgh Courant – one of the first regional newspapers in the UK and whose editors included Robinson Crusoe author Daniel Defoe.

Heather Gilchrist, Regional General Manager Frasers Hospitality Scotland, said Fraser Suites Edinburgh will be an impressive new addition to the hotel sector in Scotland.

She said: “Fraser Suites Edinburgh is a landmark development, not just for Frasers Hospitality, but for Edinburgh as a whole. It’s brought back to life a prime city centre site and provides a new benchmark in high quality accommodation.

“We have gone to great lengths to preserve and reinvent this fantastic building, retaining the original features, including high ceilings and ornate cornicing, and carefully blending these with contemporary designs and finishes.

“We think we have created a hotel that offers guests the chance to enjoy the best of the best of comforts but also to step back into history and feel part of the rich heritage of Edinburgh.

“We also are offering guests something very different to what they experience in other Edinburgh hotels – luxurious bedrooms with addition of the facilities of a serviced residence.

“It means guests, especially long-stay visitors, get the best of both worlds – they can enjoy the services of a top class hotel while making their stay a home from home.”

Acclaimed architects Holmes were commissioned to restore the historic building from a derelict shell to a luxury boutique-style hotel. Working with senior staff from Frasers Hospitality, Holmes were also responsible for the interior design – spending months researching ideas, fabrics and finishes from around the world to conceive the entire look and feel of Fraser Suites Edinburgh.

Guests at Fraser Suites Edinburgh 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 unique 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.

As well as the head office of the Edinburgh Courant, from the late 19th century to the middle of the 20th century, the St Giles Street site was known as the ‘Fleet Street of Scotland’ as it was home to a number of national newspapers. It was laterally used as university student accommodation and as offices for Edinburgh City Council, but has lain empty since 2007.

Fraser Suites Edinburgh also marks a ‘home coming’ for Frasers, whose pioneering founders, Scotsmen John Fraser and David Chalmers Neave, ventured to Singapore and in 1883 incorporated Fraser & Neave Limited, which is now a Singapore-based conglomerate which owns Frasers Hospitality.

With the opening of Fraser Suites Edinburgh, Frasers Hospitality now operates 12 properties in Europe, eight in London, one in Glasgow and two in Paris.

Guus Bakker, Frasers Hospitality Chief Operating Officer for Europe and the Middle East, said: “Edinburgh is a major centre for business and tourism and is an integral part of our growth strategy in Europe. Currently, Frasers Hospitality’s global footprint extends across North Asia, Southeast Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Australia to close to 5,000 individual residences.

And with another 5,655 residences already on the drawing board, the company is on course to manage more than 10,600 residences by the end of 2012.

“Our other premises across the world are all luxury serviced apartments, so Fraser Suites Edinburgh actually represents the first ‘boutique hotel’ investment for the Group.

Because of the nature and location of our building in Edinburgh, we realised that it would be better suited to hotel accommodation rather than comprising exclusively of apartments.

“This represents a significant multi-million pound investment for the Group and one which we hope will help us strengthen our position in the Scottish tourism industry.”

Councillor Tom Buchanan, Economic Development Convener at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Frasers Suites Edinburgh is a valuable addition to the Old Town’s premium accommodation offering. Their sensitive refurbishment of a historic building has led to unique, high quality rooms which are in-keeping with their auspicious surroundings.

“Business tourism is a vital element of the city’s economy and Frasers Hospitality’s decision to locate here shows that Edinburgh is seen as a well-respected destination for businesses across the globe. We look forward to working with the company, which has its roots in Scotland, to harness the opportunities of their extensive business network.”

Sinead Feltoe, VisitScotland’s Regional Director said: “Tourism growth is critical to the future of Scotland and so it is extremely encouraging to see Frasers Hospitality opting for this expansion in Edinburgh city centre.

“With its rich heritage and an innate sense of style, Edinburgh is the ideal destination for such a development. In the current economic climate this sort of confidence and investment is more crucial than ever and today’s launch further strengthens Edinburgh and indeed Scotland’s position as a truly outstanding visitor destination.”

For more information or reservations on Fraser Suites Edinburgh – www.edinburgh.frasershospitality.com