Jetsettersblog

Although it may be cold outside, you still can try the adrenaline attraction known as aquazorbing, in which a person moves over water in a giant ball.

Just head to a water park.

At Aquapalace in Prague, the largest water park in Central Europe, for example, visitors can treat themselves to this diversion for free every day after eight o’clock in the evening.

At the Babylon centre in Liberec, aquazorbing is also included in the price of entry. Here people can romp about in a clear ball twice a day.

For more information, visit http://www.aquapalace.cz  and www.centrumbabylon.cz

Through space and time. Such is the title of a new exhibition that you can view at the Mariánské Lázně Town Museum with the use of 3D glasses.

At the exhibition, you will see stereoscopic photography from the second half of the 19th century. Stereoscopic photography uses a pair of images modified to create depth perception upon their viewing.

The images that you will see during the exhibition have been additionally processed using modern technology. With the help of 3D glasses which you will obtain upon entering the museum, you will be able to transport to the golden age of Mariánské Lázně and see the city in its expanse and likeness of long ago.

This attractive exhibition will run from 2 March to 30 April.

For more information, visit http://www.muzeum-ml.cz  and www.marianskelazne.cz

The Andaz San Diego has officially opened at the property formerly known as Ivy Hotel. Following the debuts of three other Andaz locations in London, West Hollywood and New York City, the Andaz San Diego is the second West Coast destination and fourth for the global brand.

Located at 600 F Street in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter in downtown San Diego, the Andaz San Diego will embody the brand’s hallmark “personal style,” with a new, simplified check-in process.

An Andaz “host” will combine the roles of front office, concierge and bell attendant, and check in guests using the latest handheld technology.

The 159-room hotel features 13 deluxe suites and four specialty suites.

New complimentary amenities include a glass of wine or gourmet coffee upon check-in, a mini bar stocked with non-alcoholic beverages and snacks, wireless Internet, unlimited local phone calls and “home away from home” comforts to help guests enjoy a good night’s sleep.

A center of dining and nightlife, Andaz San Diego also offers the Ivy Entertainment experience including Ivy Nightclub, a multi-leveled nightclub and lounge complete with signature LipStik, Inc. dancers, world-class DJs, cocktails and bottle service;

Ivy Rooftop, a sultry lounge, pool and sundeck overlooking San Diego’s skyline; and Ivy Wine Bar, featuring 88 wines by the glass from the high-tech WineStations by Napa Technology.

The hotel’s signature Quarter Kitchen will continue to feature lively American cuisine using fresh and locally harvested ingredients created by Executive Chef Nathan Coulon.

Additional amenities also include a business center, 24-hour in-room dining, Andaz Fitness Center, boutique, Escalade service and 10,000 square feet of meeting space. Further elevating the guest experience, Andaz San Diego will be a part of the Hyatt Gold Passport program, which recognizes Hyatt’s loyal guests with exclusive benefits. Guests of Andaz San Diego may register for the program in the hotel or online and all Hyatt Gold Passport members will earn points for stays at this new Hyatt property.

For more information, call 619-849-1234 or visit www.sandiego.andaz.hyatt.com

From April 14 to 18, 2010, Ceiba del Mar Beach & Spa Resort in Cancun, will host FitCamp Cancun in conjunction with Greta Blackburn, the founding editor of Ms. Fitness Magazine, co-author of the new book “Get the Inside Track,” and originator of the “boot camp” exercise concept.

Daily exercise regimens will include Hell Hikes, an authentic boot camp-inspired Obstacle Course, Sprint 8 interval training taught by its inventor, hardcore abs training, and Vinyasa yoga classes for both tested and new mat practitioners.

Physical offerings will complement FitCamp Cancun’s revolutionary “Nuke Aging” program, featuring a line-up of health experts in the field of anti-aging medicine.

Dr. Dave Woynarowski, a supplements expert, will be joined by special guest lecturer Dr. Joe Mercola, a noted osteopathic physician and New York Times best-selling author who was named the 2009 Ultimate Wellness Game Changer by The Huffington Post, and top Masters Athletic Performance Coach Phil Campbell.

Together with Blackburn, this group of visionaries will declassify the secrets behind the science to help FitCampers change their physiology at a cellular level.

The total cost of FitCamp Cancun is $1,599 and includes deluxe accommodations at Ceiba del Mar; nutritious meals; camp activities, classes, seminars, and events; and fitness training from industry pros. FitCampers can share a room with a friend or fellow camper or reserve a private room for $2,295.

Reserve one of only 60 available spaces at FitCamp Cancun by submitting a $250 non-refundable deposit. Remaining balances must be paid in full by March 31.

Guests who sign up before Feb. 14 will receive over $200 worth of body-healthy supplements.

For more information or reservations, call 877-545-6221 or visit www.fitcampcancun.com

InterContinental Hotels Group has opened its first hotel in Denmark with the Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Towers. The 366-room Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Towers stands 85 meters tall with views over the Copenhagen skyline and the whole Oeresund region.

The hotel is located minutes away from Copenhagen International Airport and a stone’s throw from the motorway, underground and overland train stations providing easy access to attractions such as Tivoli, the Royal Castle and Nyhavn.

This makes the hotel ideal for business and leisure travelers alike. The hotel has a bar and a Scandinavian restaurant as well as 3,500 square meters of meeting room space made up of 12 flexible meeting rooms and a large ballroom that can accommodate up to 800 guests.

The Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Towers is one of the world’s greenest hotels with EU Green Building and Green Key certification.

The hotel is a member of the UN Global Compact.

The hotel building is on a journey to becoming carbon neutral. Environmentally responsible technology is used throughout the hotel, including the first groundwater-based cooling and heating system in Denmark, expected to reduce the energy used in the hotel for heating and cooling by almost 90 percent;

low-energy lighting and hand dryers;

the largest solar panel park in Northern Europe to be integrated into a building, covering all the hotel’s sunny facades;

and all bedrooms are equipped with designer furniture, a flat-screen TV, adjustable air conditioning, a mini bar and a safety deposit box. The hotel is operated by Copenhagen Hotel Management under a 20-year franchise agreement with IHG.

Warwick International Hotels added a new affiliate member hotel, the Villa Källhagen Stockholm, Sweden.

It is a small hotel with a location in Stockholm’s Royal Djurgården Park, a one-mile walk from the city center with its numerous attractions.

Opened in 1810, this boutique hotel offers 36 bedrooms which all have views on the Djurgården canal.

The rooms are all decorated with the purpose of linking them to the different seasons in a cozy atmosphere. The gourmet restaurant specializes in traditional Swedish-style cuisine and also offers an extensive selection of fine wines.

The Winter Bar at Villa Källhagen’s atmosphere is accentuated by candlelight and an open fire.

The Villa Källhagen can be reserved through the Warwick International Hotels voice toll-free lines worldwide, through the WK GDS access code, or at www.warwickhotels.com

Aerial surveyors from English Heritage flew two sorties over the North York moorland after a wildfire swept across 62 acres, revealing a prehistoric stone enclosure and multiple stone cairns.

The area had previously been managed as a wildlife habitat for wild red grouse.

Although the site had been plotted on maps, a blanket of heather concealed the terrain.

The New Stone Age or Neolithic Period lasted from around 4,000 BC to about 2,500 BC, during which time the population increased and early forms of agriculture began to be adopted.

Experts believe the cairns at the site could be gravestones.

Wessex Archaeology will now perform a ground survey to examine the features further.

Their report is due later this year.

For more information, visit

www.northyorkmoors.org.uk

The spas of The Dromoland Collection at Castlemartyr Resort and Dromoland Castle in Ireland focus on men with time-honored luxuries of men’s grooming.

The staff at The Spa at Dromoland and The Spa at Castlemartyr will accommodate any request, whether for a quick trim and straight-razor shave or a facial.

Salon services include hot-towel shaving, gentleman’s manicure, gentlemen’s pedicure, and hair and facial hair styling.

Spa services are also personalized using the science-based Anne Sémonin Treatment Collection.

The Made to Measure Massage combines classic techniques and a personally prescribed blend of intensive natural compounds and botanical oil; the Hot Stone Massage uses heated basalt stones to soothe muscle aches and pains by releasing deep-seated tension; and the Back, Neck and Shoulder Massage targets the upper body to relieve muscle tension at its source.

Dromoland Castle features a courtyard hydro spa, sheltered by a gazebo and surrounded by a landscaped garden.

At Castlemartyr Resort, the glass-enclosed spa complex and atrium pools feature views of the Irish countryside.

The Dromoland Collection comprises Dromoland Castle and Castlemartyr Resort, two of Ireland’s finest and most celebrated hotels.

The hotels in this collection embody the legendary Dromoland tradition of incomparable hospitality complemented by exquisite surroundings, yet each possesses a distinctive style, character and charm all its own.

For more information, call Castlemartyr Resort at 011 353 21 4219000 or visit

www.castlemartyrresort.ie 

or call Dromoland Castle 800-346-7007 or visit

www.dromoland.ie 

 or visit www.dromolandcollection.ie

To Launch Stott Pilates Education

The wellness resort which has strong roots in yoga being part of ABSOLUTE YOGA GROUP that owns & operates ABSOLUTE YOGA studios in Thailand & Singapore and also in being a yoga teacher training & retreat center is spreading its wings by partnering with UPTC to host 2 Pilates Intensives: STOTT PILATES® Intensive Mat-Plus™ & STOTT PILATES® Intensive Reformer™. Executive Director Claire Bostock – Huang says “Pilates is a wellbeing practice just like yoga and with our expertise in being a yoga teacher training & retreat center we would naturally like to host a high caliber teacher training program and therefore we have chosen to partner with UPTC for its commitment to quality education.

UPTC features STOTT PILATES® method which is often referred to as the “Ivy League” school of Pilates”.

UPTC lead by Cholthicha Srivisal (Thicha), a Fully Certified STOTT PILATES® instructor is committed to training & certifying high potential candidates as STOTT PILATES® instructor.

Says Thicha “I hope that with these intensives I will be able to bring quality Pilates education to a bigger population not only in Thailand but also in ASIA. That is why I have chosen to partner with STOTT PILATES® which has a strong international branding and one of the best training programs internationally and ABSOLUTE SANCTUARY for their expertise in hosting & organizing retreats.”

She further elaborates “We combine the best of world class training through STOTT PILATES in a wellness and resort center environment. We believe the combination provides an excellent learning environment.”

The move by ABSOLUTE SANCTUARY to host a Pilates Training program is in line with ABSOLUTE GROUP’s direction to expand into offering Pilates reformer group classes together with UPTC at its studios in Bangkok in February 2010.Says Bostock-Huang “

With this inaugural Pilates training program we hope to expand our repertoire to include not only yoga teacher trainings & retreats but also other forms of teacher trainings & retreats so that there will be more qualified people in the market to promote the overall health & wellbeing of individuals”

The STOTT PILATES® intensives will be led by an Instructor Trainer of STOTT PILATES® and will be facilitated by Thicha at ABSOLUTE SANCTUARY at the following dates:

8th May – 18th May 2010: STOTT PILATES® Intensive Mat-Plus™ (IMP)

18th May – 30th May 2010: STOTT PILATES® Intensive Reformer™ (IR)

Prices start from USD 1,925 & USD 2,550 for the IMP & IR respectively.

Prices include accommodation, meals & the training programs.

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 not only growing in popularity to be a destination for detox & yoga holidays in Thailand but also as a yoga teacher training & retreat center. In December 2008, the resort was awarded the Best Themed Resort award by SKAL International (Koh Samui) & in October 2009 the resort was nominated for Best Spa Cuisine of the year by Asia Spa awards.

For more information, please visit

www.absolutesanctuary.com

ABOUT ULTIMATE PILATES TRAINING CENTER (UPTC)

Ultimate Pilates Training Center builds its core competency around indentifying, qualifying, and then certifying high potential candidates as STOTT PILATES instructors.

We feature STOTT PILATES® method. STOTT PILATES® provides you with the depth of knowledge and practical programming options to teach effective group or personal training programs to clients of any age or fitness level. UPTC is committed to providing high quality and up to date Pilates training and certification courses.

For more information, please contact:

Claire BOSTOCK-HUANG
Executive Director
Tel No: +6683-188-2240 (Thailand) +659-392-0886 (Singapore)
Email: Claire@absolutesanctuary.com
Website: www.absolutesanctuary.com

Oh so delicious…Duck Spoons, Chilli Cocktail and Soft Shell Crabs make their debut on Sea Level Food & Wine’s inaugural menu.

Rydges Tradewinds Cairns starts 2010 afresh by launching its new and innovative signature restaurant and bar, Sea Level Food & Wine.

With uninterrupted views of Cairns Esplanade and waterfront, Sea Level Food & Wine is aptly named while promising an idyllic setting for guests.

The venue, formerly known as E-Bar has, over the past months, received a complete refresh with interiors and decor to reflect 2010 and its innovative dining concept; a key characteristic of Sea Level Food & Wine.

According to the hotel’s general manager, Matt Hurley, Sea Level Food & Wine has been revised to reflect the city’s laid back vibe and waterfront setting.

“Instead of going down the traditional menu path of entrée, main and dessert, we put a lot of thought into how this outlet is enjoyed and in particular, is pleasing to guests. That is how and why we came up with the small, share and large plates concept. While the very nature of its location is great for a ‘sundowner’, a clever menu is now destined to make it the perfect meeting place for lunch, cocktails or dinner.”

While fresh farm produce and seafood feature in Sea Level’s menu in all options – be they from the small plate, salads or large plate dishes, it is the tapas or share plates that will appeal to those in search of a stylish cocktail venue.

This versatile option invites guests to make their own platter to share – be it a choice of two or three small plates.

Sea Level’s executive chef John Crank predicts guests will be pleased with the new menu that combines the best of the best this region has to offer in terms of produce while adding a good dose of global flavours and flair – be it Asia, the Middle East, Europe or Australia.

“For those wanting to try something a little different and delicious, I recommend our Soft Shell Crab, Kicked-up Bloody Mary oysters or Tempura Prawn Shooters (all small plates) to start with while the large plates comprise many highlights including Beef Cheek, Roasted Kangaroo Fillet or house specialty, Potato Gnocchi.

Added to this, are a good choice of health laden and flavoursome salads and sides that include some exotic newcomers like Skordalia Potato Mash and Sea Level’s signature Caesar Salad.

Sea Level Food & Wine is open seven days from 12 noon until late. To book, call 07 4053 0300.

Group bookings welcome.