Jetsettersblog

The newly opened CoCo Key Hotel and Water Resort-Orlando has introduced a first for that industry segment – a hybrid canopy-covered/outdoor concept.

The family resort, which opened in April, is part of a growing trend of waterpark resort development that has doubled over the last five years.

Even though the pace of development has slowed with the recent recession, industry analysts expect growth to escalate as commercial lending resumes.

“Hotels with indoor water parks have out-performed family suite hotels and other hotel segments, so the growth is not surprising,” said Jeff Coy of JLC Hospitality Consulting, who tracks waterpark hotel development and recently released an analysis of the segment’s expansion.

“By the end of 2010, the number of waterpark hotels is estimated to be 229, and likely to be followed by another 24 properties in 2011.

The latest trend is expansion into sunbelt markets like Florida, Texas and Arizona as well as in ski resort areas.”

Until recently, development has revolved around hotels with indoor water park facilities in and around the snowbelt areas of the Northeast and Midwest.

These indoor resorts have benefited from the economic downturn that has forced many Americans to opt for more affordable vacations options closer to home.

CoCo Key’s new Orlando location, the tenth in the U.S. for Sage Hospitality, marks the company’s first resort in Florida.

The resort is actually the site of the first hotel on International Drive — Orlando’s tourist corridor.

The 391-room hotel, which has been completely refurbished, now features a boutique Key West motif and offers an affordable room rate starting between $99 and $149 per night.

Water park access is an additional $19 per room, meaning a family of four can enjoy the aquatic playground for less than $5 per person per day.

CoCo Key Orlando also offers guests an indoor/outdoor pairing — a 54,000-square-foot water park that’s partially covered by canopy, while the more daring slides (including the 64-foot Boomerango, a thrill slide which gets guests vertical) are located in a connected, uncovered section of the park.

While Sage Hospitality executives anticipate a strong following at the new resort from local residents, the company also plans to heavily leverage Orlando’s considerable national and international appeal.

“We’re bullish on Orlando’s pull as the world’s premiere leisure destination, and believe the affordable fun and close proximity of CoCo Key makes our waterpark resort a highly desirable family vacation option,” said Ed Baklor, senior vice president for Sage Hospitality, parent company for CoCo Key. “

Clearly the addition of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal has helped propel Orlando as one of this summer’s hottest family destinations.

This development combined with the pent-up demand for a longer haul vacation creates enormous opportunity for CoCo Key.”

Area tourism officials are enthusiastic about the new resort, and its ability to attract families to the northern section of International Drive. “The opening of CoCo Key helps reinforce the value equation Orlando offers to families and creates yet another reason to vacation here,” said Gary Sain, CEO of the Orlando/Orange County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

CoCo Key combines a casual tropical hotel setting with a whimsical water park that features slides, rides and fun amplified with three pools, 14 water slides, poolside entertainment, and splashing good times all specially designed for kids in a safe and friendly environment. Florida’s only canopy-covered water resort is welcoming guests through June 15 for as little as an introductory, midweek rate of $89 per night, including water park access.

For reservations or more information, call 877-875-4681 or visit www.cocokeywaterresort.com

Clients can soak in the atmosphere that inspired the late Welsh poet Dylan Thomas with a stay at Number Five.

Located in Swansea, Wales, Number Five is the birthplace of Dylan Thomas.

The accommodation stays true to 1914, with no TV, microwave or telephone and gives guests a newspaper on the day of their arrival, with the news of the day 96 years ago.

Number Five sleeps up to six guests and can be used as self-catering accommodation.

Individual guests can book bed and breakfast at $91 per night for one person or $152 per night for two people.

For more information, visit www.5cwmdonkindrive.com or www.usa.visitwales.com

The Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort in County Limerick, Ireland, can greet guests by riders on horseback followed by 20 Irish hounds. This unusual welcoming committee then escorts the group through the expansive green parklands of the 840-acre estate to the historic Manor House where they are met by the hotel’s staff lined up outside the door and waiting to welcome them to their rooms.

The greeting is being used to entice meetings and incentive trips.

The Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort is a five-star meeting and incentive venue that offers planners an incredibly comprehensive facility no matter what the size or purpose of the event.

From golf competitions on the Robert Trent Jones Sr.-designed golf course to team building activities including fly fishing, archery, and more, or candlelit dinners in the Minstrels’ Gallery, Adare provides everything a planner needs for the event.

The Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort provides a total of 5,467 square feet of function space, which can accommodate groups from 20 to 250.

Complimentary broadband Internet access is available in all meeting rooms and state-of-the-art audio/visual equipment can also be arranged.

The hotel also features a business center, which is complimentary and fully operational 24 hours a day with high-speed Internet access.

For more information, call 800-462-3273 or visit

www.adaremanor.com

Fed up of the being stuck indoors with just the television and computer for company?

Why not explore the great outdoors without the everyday distractions of mobile phones and gaming consoles with a ranching holiday in Colorado with the family.

As people strive for something more substantial in their annual holiday, last year saw a dramatic rise in bookings for ranching holidays.

Take a step into the Wild West with the chance to eat, sleep and work alongside real cowboys and share their passion to learn the tricks of the trade.

Suitable for couples, families, and singles, guests are invited to join in with riding, herding and the odd barn dance! Some ranches extent to cattle round ups, overnight pack trips and family rodeos for a thrilling experience.

Colorado boasts over 30 approved* all-inclusive dude ranches which offer families the chance to explore life out in the real west and get as hands on as they please.

Ranching is an excellent opportunity for children as well as adults; each ranch has individual programmes for children of different age groups that are fun and educational. Older children can learn to ride their own horses, train in archery, build camp fires with trained guides and learn about Colorado’s gold mining history with the chance to hunt for their own gold.

Younger children can also get in on the action with rides on ranch ponies with the help of Colorado’s finest cowboys.

At the end of the day, children and families can meet up to share their experiences along with other over the campfire as they toast marshmallows and enjoy the evening entertainment.

Participation is of course optional, so if you are after a slower pace of life, the ranches offer a much-needed relaxation – trotting on horseback across Colorado high country during the lazy sun-drenched days, swimming in some of the state’s ponds or a friendly game of golf is an enjoyable way to pass the day.

Contrary to popular belief, dude ranches don’t necessarily mean camping round log fires in the wilderness – although it is still an option. Many ranches now boast luxury accommodation in rustic cabins and modern elegant lodges complete with pools, spas and hot tubs.

To capture your own holiday with some quality time with the family, take a look at some of Colorado’s fine holiday ranches:

Less than 60 miles south of gateway city Denver is where you will find Lost Valley Ranch immersed in the Pike National Forest. Nestled in the wilderness, this resort features premium quality log cabins dotted around a main rustic ranch house.

No matter the weather, optional rides are scheduled for each morning and afternoon across the Colorado Rockies and every rider has their own fitted saddle to ensure comfort throughout.

With a strong emphasis on children and family adventure, camp counselors sit down with each child upon arrival to plan their itinerary to ensure that they get the best experience from their stay. Meanwhile parents with children aged two and under have the option of an on-site babysitting service.

The ranch offers a transfer service between Denver International Airport and the ranch.

Prices start from £695 per person for a 7 night stay all inclusive stay in a standard double and includes accommodation, all meals, ranch activities, taxes and gratuities.

For a chance to don your cowboy hat and work on a real ranch, the Black Mountain ranch is a fully operating ranch that offers guests the chance to get a real taste of the west.

Cattle work is high on the agenda and guests are invited to herd, brand and doctor the ranches’ Texas longhorns.

In a prime location, just outside Vail, there are extensive trails cross country just waiting to be explored on horseback, and an excellent base camp to finely tune your new-found cowboy skills which can be demonstrated at the ranch weekly rodeo.

For the more adventurous, private overnight trips into the wilderness can be taken for your very own cowboy escapade.

Black Mountain can also provide transfers from Vail Airport and Denver International Airport. Prices start from £1,659 per person for a 7 night all inclusive stay in a standard double and includes accommodation, all meals, ranch activities, taxes and gratuities.

Elk Mountain Lodge is located at 9,600 feet with stunning views overlooking the Arkansas Valley and snow capped Collegiate Peaks in the Chaffee County. This ranch truly is a nature lover’s paradise with deer and elk roaming the surrounding San Isabel National Park. While horse riding is still the main attraction, with each guest having their own horse for the duration of their stay, the ranch also features a petting zoo and has an abundance of leisure activities including fishing, shooting and mountain biking for family fun.

Prices start from £1,065 per person for a 7 night all inclusive stay in a standard double and includes accommodation, all meals, ranch activities, taxes and gratuities.

For complete information on planning your vacation to Colorado, including lodging, attractions and activities, log on to www.colorado.com/english

Hilton Worldwide announced the opening of Hilton Giardini Naxos in Sicily, the third property on the Italian island to open under the iconic Hilton Hotels brand.

Formally known as The Russott Hotel, the property has been converted to a Hilton and operates as part of a franchise agreement with Russott Finance Spa.

Occupying a prime beachfront location, Hilton Giardini Naxos enjoys panoramic views across the Ionian Sea and boasts its own private beach.

The newly renovated hotel offers 296 guestrooms including 28 suites.

Hilton Gardini Naxos offers two full service restaurants and bars, enabling guests to choose to dine in the sophisticated La Sciara Wine Bar & Restaurant which serves traditional Sicilian cuisine, or the relaxed Panarea Restaurant which offers both indoor and outdoor dining.

The hotel’s facilities also include a spa designed and equipped by Klafs, a Hilton Fitness by Precor fitness center and a swimming pool.

For business guests, the property is one of Sicily’s largest conference and meeting venues with 11 rooms designed with the Hilton brand’s international Hilton Meetings product and a total hotel events capacity of up to 1350 delegates.

The hotel’s largest meeting room accommodates up to 950 delegates.

Situated on Sicily’s eastern coast between the cities of Messina and Catania, Hilton Giardini Naxos is easily accessible by train, road (via the Messina to Catania motorway or thePalermo to Messina motorway) and is only 40 minutes from Catania “V. Bellini” Airport.

The hotel convenient to nearby attractions such as the Mount Etna volcano and the town of Taormina. Hilton Giardini Naxos joins Hilton Florence Metropole, Hilton Milan, Excelsior Hilton Palermo, Hilton Villa Igiea Palermo, Hilton Rome Airport, Hilton Sorrento Palace and Hilton Molino Stucky Venice as the iconic brand’s eighth hotel in Italy.

The Hilton brand welcomes the world’s travelers in more countries than any other upscale brand, with more than 530 hotels and resorts in 76 countries.

Room prices start from 180 euros per room, per night.

For reservations or more information, call 0039-0942-51931 or visit the beach girl above.

The new Borgo Egnazia, Puglia, situated on Italy’s Adriatic Coast, is open and will be fully completed this summer.

The newest from San Domenico Hotels, it offers luxury hotel rooms, villas and townhouses as well as the Egnazia Spa, three restaurants serving regional cuisine (with cooking classes), a private beach club, an 18-hole golf course, nearby sites like UNESCO World Heritage town of Alberobello and more.

Starting rates are priced from 210 euros ($266) per night.

For more information, visit www.borgoegnazia.com

Tuscany’s Castel Monastero, which opened last summer and was built within an 11th century medieval village, is offering a weekly holistic health and wellness program in its spa.

The program was created by Dr. Mosaraf Ali, whose approach to wellness incorporates Himalayan traditions combined with modern science.

The hotel’s starting rates are 380 euros ($481) per night.

For more information, visit

www.castelmonastero.com

The Japan Transocean Air (JTA), a JAL Group carrier, is offering a special discount fare for overseas visitors to Japan, the “Okinawa Island Pass.”

Whether traveling to Japan on JAL or on another airline, travelers can fly five inter-islands routes within Okinawa, southwest of Japan.

Tickets are 9,000 yen ($97) per sector (minimum purchase two sectors) and must be purchased outside of Japan.

For more information on eligibility, applicable routes, fare information, and other conditions.

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts will open Shangri-La Hotel, Nanjing and Shangri-La Hotel, Yangzhou in 2012.

The two Jiangsu province hotels will join the group’s existing six hotels in the Yangtze River Delta and two further projects in Shanghai opening in the next two years.

By 2012, Shangri-La will operate 10 hotels in the region and be represented in all major cities of the economic powerhouse and center of business and leisure travel.

The 670-room Shangri-La Hotel, Nanjing, will be located in the city’s Gulou District and will offer views of the Xuan Wu Lake. Shangri-La Hotel, Nanjing will be a center for entertainment, social and business gatherings with dining options to include a rooftop restaurant with skyline views, a Chinese restaurant, a lobby lounge with lake views, an all-day dining venue and specialty restaurants.

The hotel will also offer a Horizon Club executive lounge, a health club with an indoor pool and spa facilities, and a selection of meeting rooms including a grand ballroom.

Nanjing is the capital of the Jiangsu province. The city is a regional transportation hub, with the Nanjing Lukou International Airport and major road, rail and waterways linking the city to major national and international destinations.

Leisure travelers to Nanjing can visit the Fuzimiao Confucius Temple and the Purple Mountain, which is home to Dr. Sun Yat Sen’s Mausoleum, the certified UNESCO World Heritage site Ming Tomb, and the Lingu Temple and Pagoda.

In addition to tourism, the city’s major industries include electronics and information technology, petrochemical production, automobile manufacturing, machine building, and bio-engineering and pharmaceuticals.

The Shangri-La Hotel, Yangzhou will be located to the northeast of Nanjing. Yangzhou will welcome its first international luxury hotel to the city when the 371-room Shangri-La Hotel,Yangzhou opens in the central business district.

Yangzhou is the birthplace of Huai Yang cuisine, and the hotel’s Chinese restaurant will specialize in serving the dishes of the region alongside Cantonese favorites and dim sum.

The hotel will offer three additional restaurants and bars and a variety of meeting space, including a grand ballroom.

Additional facilities will include a Horizon Club executive lounge and a fitness center with an indoor pool and tennis courts.

Set at the junction of the Yangtze River, the Grand Canal and the Huaihe River, Yangzhou has historically been a major political, financial, and trade center. Boasting a 2,500 yearhistory dating back to the Spring and Autumn Period, the city is home to over 500 historic sites including the Slender West Lake with its Qing Dynasty architecture, the Daming temple, and the He and Ge gardens.

Many well-known poets, such as Li Bai and Su Dongbo, made Yangzhou their home during the Tang, Ming and Qing dynasties. And more recently, the city was the birthplace of former Chinese President Jiang Zemin.

Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Asia Pacific’s leading luxury hotel group, currently owns and/or manages 66 hotels under the deluxe Shangri-La and mid-marketTraders brands, with a room inventory of over 30,000.

The group has over 40 projects under development in Austria, Canada, mainland China, France, India, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Russia, Qatar, Seychelles, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

The Shangri-La Hotel, Ningbo celebrated its grand opening, marking the completion of all facilities at the hotel.

The hotel is the newest international luxury brand hotel in the city, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts’ 28th property in mainland China and sixth hotel in the Yangtze River Delta region.

Shangri-La Hotel, Ningbo celebrates its grand opening by offering special rates starting from RMB888 ($130) per night single or double occupancy.

Valid until June 30, the grand opening rate offer includes complimentary daily breakfast. Futian Shangri-La, Shenzhen is offering “A Night on Us.” Guests who stay for two consecutive nights at the Best Available Rate will receive a third night free.

Valid until Aug. 31, additional value-added privileges include 25 percent off all spa treatments, complimentary in-room broadband Internet access and late check-out until 2 p.m.

For more information, visit www.shangri-la.com/en/property/ningbo/shangrila