Jetsettersblog

The Tuscany on Grace Bay stresses dining options.

The resort’s 2,000- square-foot three-bedroom suites offer fully appointed gourmet kitchens that features stainless steel appliances, cookware, cutlery, kitchen gadgets and electrics, bakeware and glassware.

With en suite catering service courtesy of Fairways Bar & Grill, guests can receive an assortment of salads, sandwiches and desserts from the restaurant’s tapas menu.

Guests can create a personalized menu and watch it come to life with the culinary skills of a private gourmet chef. Pricing for these culinary options varies and can be obtained from the resort.

For more information, call 866-359-6464 or visit www.thetuscanyresort.com

Hertz is expanding its Hertz Rent2Buy program.

Rent2Buy provides consumers with a wide range of reliable, used rental vehicle options and a three-day rental test drive prior to a decision to buy.

Hertz Rent2Buy is an online car sales program which allows customers to reserve a rental car they might want to buy for a three-day test drive.

Used car shoppers visit www.hertzrent2buy.com  and select the car of their choice at the nearest Hertz location.

Customers have full use of the vehicle for up to three days and if he or she chooses to purchase the vehicle, they simply keep the car and pay the listed price without any haggling and the rental fee is waived.

If the customer decides not to purchase the car, the vehicle is returned to the renting location and the transaction is treated as a standard rental with a $49 per day rental fee, or a $99 per day fee for higher end vehicles such as Corvettes, Mercedes E Class, etc.

For more information ,visit www.hertzrent2buy.com

Castlemartyr Resort Celebrates New Ferry Route That Puts Cork On The Map

Make way for Ireland’s new hotspot; Cork city. It’s been named as one of the top ten places to visit in 2010 by leading global travel insiders* (alongside destinations like Singapore and Vancouver) and now a new sailing route from the UK with Fastnet Line has made it even easier to discover this exciting city in South-West Ireland. To celebrate this, the stylish Castlemartyr Resort is offering two nights including a full Irish breakfast and a gourmet dinner for just £195 per person.**

Cosmopolitan Cork, situated on the River Lee, offers a host of delights for today’s discerning traveller, including a thriving arts and music scene – the city plays host annually to the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, which last year attracted 20,000 visitors from across the globe.

There are also plenty of great shops and restaurants, with Cork being one of the only three cities outside Dublin to boast its own Brown Thomas – Ireland’s luxury fashion and lifestyle department store, which even stocks Victoria Beckham’s exclusive dress range.

Outside the city itself, there are a host of attractions and historic sites, such as the famous Blarney Stone, the Titanic Museum at Cobh where the ship last docked, the idyllic Fota Island Wildlife Park and the Jameson’s Distillery.

Castlemartyr Resort, a stunning five-star retreat just half an hour from the city centre, is the perfect base, giving you easy access to explore the area whilst also enjoying the magnificent 220-acre setting of this manor-house hotel with its 103 stylish rooms and suites, gourmet dining, an impressive spa and wellness centre and inland links golf course.

It has attracted the likes of Jay-Z and Beyoncé, thanks to its combination of traditional five-star standards with contemporary design and world-class facilities.

However, to mark the launch of the new ferry route, Castlemartyr Resort is offering a host of great deals for 2010 – so you don’t have to be a pop star to afford a taste of luxury.

Bryan Davern, deputy general manager of Castlemartyr Resort, commented, “We’re delighted about the new ferry route. Access to Cork from the UK is getting better all the time and we’re certainly seeing more UK visitors.

“There’s so much to discover in this part of Ireland which means it’s best to have a car and now, with the Fastnet Line, you can simply bring your own.

It will particularly appeal to families and golfers, who don’t want to be constrained by airport luggage allowances that are increasingly stringent.”

Fastnet Line’s new return crossing from Swansea to Cork commences 1st March 2010, with some excellent introductory offers – so you can forget about those baggage allowance nightmares and pack as much as you like – whether it’s shoes, handbags or golf clubs – and treat yourself to the ultimate Irish escape.

Guests at Castlemartyr Resort can enjoy a two-night stay in a deluxe room with a full Irish breakfast each morning and a gourmet dinner in The Bell Tower restaurant for just £195 per person.

For bookings call 00 353 214 219000 or visit www.castlemartyrresort.ie

Sailings are six nights a week and there are extensive facilities onboard including bars, restaurants and shopping as well as a cinema and child area to keep the kids entertained. For details visit www.fastnetline.com

For more information about Ireland visit http://www.discoverireland.com  or for a free vacation planning kit call the NY office at 800/223-6470. Read Ireland feature stories from Jetsetters Magazine.

*Source; Lonely Planet, published 2009
**Weekend rate, based on two sharing

A Hyatt Hotels Corporation subsidiary and MKC-RosEvroDevelopment LLC signed a management agreement for Hyatt Regency Rostov-Don Plaza.

The 220-room hotel in Rostov, Russia, will be part of a larger complex located on Bolshaya Sadovaya Street, one of the main streets of Rostov-on-Don.

This new international mixed-use development will also comprise of extensive conference facilities, a retail space and a number of luxurious serviced apartments.

Scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2011, Hyatt Regency Rostov-Don Plaza will include a wide selection of restaurants and bars, a fitness center, an indoor pool and a spa, as well as extensive meeting and banqueting space with advanced technological features.

It will be the second Hyatt Regency hotel in Russia following the opening of Hyatt Regency Ekaterinburg in 2009, and the third Hyatt hotel in Russia with Ararat-Park Hyatt Moscow being the first Hyatt property in the country.

In 2010, Sweden is reaching out to travelers attuned to “eco cool” as lifestyle choice that influences the way they live, work and travel. Sweden is an ecologically oriented country that invites travelers to enjoy its sophisticated and natural assets while leaving behind the smallest of carbon footprints.

Equipped with more than 500 miles of bike lanes and with 75 percent of the population using public transportation, its long-term focus on environmental issues earned Stockholm (www.stockholmtown.com ) the first European Green Capital Award in 2009 granted by the European Commission.

Stockholm’s transportation system runs on renewable fuels. The city’s eco-labeled hotels now bear the Swan symbol that ensures that such sustainability practices as biologically degradable washing and cleaning products, water-saving toilets and low-energy light bulbs.

Every property in the Scandic hotel chain has the Swan designation.

The 30,000-island archipelago is one of Stockholm’s “must sees.”

On the island of Djurgården, visitors can picnic in the world’s first Ecopark and catch such attractions as the Vasa Museum, Skansen and Junibacken. Getting intimate with Stockholm’s deepest nature comes naturally during a guided tour on foot or by kayak.

2010 also marks the 20th anniversary of Sweden’s ICEHOTEL (www.icehotel.com ) in Swedish Lapland, north of the Arctic Circle, in the village of Jukkasjärvi.

This eco-friendly complex, with 62 rooms, an ICEBAR, restaurant and entertainment center, is reconstructed each year from the raw elements of ice and snow, and it plans to be CO2-negative (to produce more renewable energy than it consumes) by 2015.

Soft snow and river ice were the building materials used by an international team of juried artists to create this year’s suites. The ICEHOTEL is open from December through April.

Last fall, Sweden’s first marine national park, Kosterhavet Marine National Park, opened on the country’s west coast near the Norwegian border.

The park enables visitors to explore the marine environment. Expeditions aboard marine research vessels, seal safaris, diving excursions, sea kayaking, and island cycling top the list of park activities. Eco-tourism also rules at Wauglen Vildmark (www.wauglen.sw), a green hostel that hosts adventure trips through the Kynnefjäll wilderness region.

In 2010, a slew of eco-friendly holidays bearing the ecologically sanctioned Nature’s Best accreditation will be launched in West Sweden (www.westsweden.com ).

Gothenburg, the regional gateway for West Sweden, is another of the country’s green hubs.

It is replete with coastal and forest walking paths, rock climbing venues, and more ecologically sound playgrounds.

Located between the Swedish coast and countryside, Gothenburg www.goteborg.com  has four Michelin-starred restaurants.

The cuisine is fundamentally Nordic cooking combined with flavors from around the globe. And a slew of recently introduced culinary inroads such as lobster safaris and oyster tastings, in a hot tub, have amplified the region’s eco-culinary profile.

Malmo, gatekeeper to the region of Skane in south Sweden, made the 2009 list of “Top 12 Fast Cities” by Fast Company magazine, which profiles business initiative and innovation.
Among the reasons cited: Malmo has targeted 2010 for a 25 percent reduction in CO2 emissions, renewable energy already powers most of the city’s Western Harbor, and bike-friendly roads enable residents to cut fuel consumption. Malmo’s Slottsträdgården (organic garden complex) Café is one of an ever-increasing number of restaurants cafes, and boutiques that makes Malmo a “Fair Trade City” designation by The European Fair Trade Association.

It is an “earth watch” group that promotes the payment of a fair price as well as social and environmental standards for suppliers. The recently opened Barista Fair Trade Coffee Café is also a popular spot. All of its coffee, tea, chocolate and sugar are fair trade while all dairy products and juices have the eco-label Krav.

 For more information, visit www.skane.com

SpaFinder picked its Top 10 Spas of Ireland. Spas were chosen based on treatments, accommodations, activities and entertainment.

From 16th century country estates to golf meccas, and from five-star dining to programs designed specifically to heal, the choices were made by personal editor picks and by Reader’s Choice votes.

Several of the featured Spas accept SpaFinder Gift Certificates and others are offering special packages for Spring Break and Mother’s Day.

The spas on the list are Samas at the Park Hotel Kenmare, Kenmare, County Kerry; Farnham Estate Health Spa, Farnham Estate, Cavan; Europe Hotel & Resort, The Fossa, Killarney; Aghadoe Heights Hotel and Spa, Lakes of Killarney, Killarney; Monart Destination Spa, The Still, Wexford; Brehon, The Muckross Road, Killarney; G Hotel, The Wellpark, Galway; K Club, The Straffan, Kildare; Muckross Park Hotel & Cloisters Spa, Lakes of Killarney, Killarney; and Temple Country Retreat and Spa, Moate, County Westmeath.

For more information, visit the spafinder banner ad right.

For more information about Ireland visit http://www.discoverireland.com or for a free vacation planning kit call the NY office at 800/223-6470.
Read Ireland feature stories from Jetsetters Magazine.

Lufthansa’s elite passengers traveling through Munich are in for a Bavarian first.

Beginning March 23, 2010, status customers and business-class guests can relax in a Lufthansa lounge featuring its own beer garden.

In cooperation with Munich’s Franziskaner brewery, Lufthansa passengers will enjoy draught beer tapped from the barrel and Bavarian pretzels while relaxing at traditional beer tables overlooking the scenic Bavarian Alps.

The beer garden is integrated in the refurbished Business Lounge in the Schengen departures area (Gate Area G, opposite G 28) of Terminal 2.

Covering a total floor space of 11,840 square feet (1,100 square meters), the lounge is equipped with more than 300 seats and has new opportunities for passengers to work, or simply unwind and relax.

In addition to a re-designed bistro area, the Business Lounge offers six new satellite bars and a large bench accommodating up to 28 passengers.

The People’s Map of London received a Silver Award in the Best Digital Product category at the recent International Map Trade Association (IMTA) Gala Awards Dinner. The annual awards ceremony, part of a two-day conference held in Bayonne, France, attracted entries from all over Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The awards were presented by Allen Carroll, president of cartography for National Geographic, while other guests came from as far as Australia and the Dominican Republic to see the latest mapping developments.

Over 40 entries were received for the three different award categories being awarded, Best Wall Map, Best Book or Atlas and Best Digital Product, with an overall winner going forward to the World Best Map at the IMTA Global event later this year.

The People’s Map received the silver award for its 1:12,000 scale mapping of Central London which was launched in November 2009.

The mapping was derived from high-resolution aerial photography captured by Getmapping.

A number of businesses and private individuals used the simple online editing tools to create the mapping.

All data was then verified and rendered by mapping experts XYZ prior to publication.

The People’s Map is already available for the whole of the U.K. at 1:1,000,000 scale with the 1:100,000 scale map currently in production. 1:12,000 scale street mapping is also available for Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Bath, as well as other cities in progress such as Bournemouth, Brighton, Cardiff, Portsmouth, Southampton, Coventry and Milton Keynes.

The People’s Map of London can be purchased from www.getmapping.com  or www.peoplesmap.com

In the heart of London’s Gentlemen’s club land, Dukes, St James’s has been welcoming guests for over 100 years, from royalty to writers, to poets and politicians.

Today, Dukes, to ensure that women feel just as at home as gentlemen, the hotel has launched “Duchess Rooms,” a service tailored to female business and leisure guests. Women travelling alone, on business or with friends can expect the following feminine touches, as standard: a personal welcome card from General Manager Debrah Dhugga; a female room attendant escort guests to their rooms and handle all room service and housekeeping requirements; makeup mirror, hair dyer and styling accessories are positioned at easy reach from the dressing table; female slippers; fresh flowers brighten every room and a complementary fruit bowl is on offer; female amenities, including a sewing kit, are in every bathroom; a choice of glossy lifestyle magazines are laid out on the dresser or coffee table; and quiet corner table is allocated to female guests dining alone, when available.

“Duchess Rooms” start from £225 ($342) per room per night based on two sharing a Classic Double and excludes VAT at 17.5 percent.
For more information, visit www.dukeshotel.com

With the recent expansion of the TGV East line, France is again at the forefront of rail technology. Traveling at nearly 200 mph, the new line cuts travel time by almost 50 percent between Paris and the eastern regions of France. Additionally, the frequency of train services along these new routes has increased by as much as 20 percent.

Popular TGV destinations south, east and west from Paris include Paris to Avignon, two hours and 38 minutes, prices begin at $87; Paris to Aix-en-Provence, two hours and 57 minutes, from $87; Paris to Biarritz, five hours and 14 minutes, from $81; Paris to Bordeaux, three hours and seven minutes, from $74; Paris to Lyon, one hour and 57 minutes, from $68; Paris to Marseilles, three hours and two minutes, from $87; Paris to Nice, five hours and 38 minutes, from $101; and Paris to Reims, 45 minutes, from $47.

Connecting France with the rest of the European continent via expanded Thalys and Eurostar high-speed service provides access to 17 major cities with faster point-to-point service than ever, offering travelers over 80 round trips per day.

For example aboard Thalys, Paris to Amsterdam takes just three hours and 18 minutes and Paris to Cologne just three hours and 14 minutes.

Increased Eurostar service to London’s St. Pancras Station adds travel options for tourist and business travelers along with greater connectivity to visit other U.K. cities and Scotland. Special Eurostar fares from Paris to London start at $129 for a standard economy class single-day roundtrip ticket.

For clients who are planning on traveling to three or more places in France, a France Railpass can be substantially cheaper than buying individual point-to-point tickets.

Add to savings by booking online on www.raileurope.com  and take advantage of Rail Europe’s web-only fares which will further reduce total cost by as much as 10 percent. Rail travel days do not have to be consecutive.

A France Railpass offers three days of unlimited rail travel within one month, from $288 (second class) and $338 (first class). A France Saverpass offers three days of unlimited rail travel within one month, for two or more traveling together, from $248 (second class) and $289 (first class) per person. France Senior Pass (60 and older) offers three days of unlimited rail travel within one month from $309 (first class only). France Youth Pass (under 26) offers three days of unlimited rail travel within one month from $212 (second class) or $249 (first class).

France Rail ‘n’ Drive provides two rail days and two car rental days using first class rail and a choice of car categories, from $352 for one adult (economy car). Additional rail days, car days and car categories are available.
Discounted passholder fares are available on high-speed international trains such as Eurostar, Thalys and many more.

The pass offers a 10 to 20 percent discount on Mercure, Novotel and Suite Hotels. A 20 percent discount on the Strasbourg City Pass (www.ot-strasbourg.fr ) , Nancy City Pass (www.ot-nancy.fr ), Dijon City Pass (www.dijon-tourism.com ), Rouen guided city tours and Chamonix sightseeing excursions and free admission to the national monuments, such as Arc de Triomphe, Mont-Saint-Michel and La Chapelle (www.monum.fr) .

Besides individual train tickets, rail passes and rail ‘n’ drives, Rail Europe also offers North American travelers attractive tour products.

For those who can’t decide which museum to explore or monument to visit in Paris, the Paris Pass, which is new for 2010, is a good recommendation.

A smart-chip card provides free metro and bus transportation in central Paris, priority access to the major museums and monuments and special discounts at restaurants and shops.

The new Paris Pass integrates both the Paris Visite and the Paris Museum pass and exists in three convenient options.

A Two-Day Paris Pass in priced at $144 (adult), $73 (youth) and $39 (child); a Four-Day Pass is $208 (adult), $108 (youth) and $56 (child); and a Six-Day Pass is $257 (adult), $123 (youth) and $72 (child).

For more information, click the rail europe ad above.