Jetsettersblog

Great Hotels of the World added three properties in Cyprus as members.

The Grecian Park Hotel joins Great Hotels of the World as one of its newest members. The five-star luxury hotel is located in the national park of Cape Greco above Konnos Bay, a short drive from Ayia Napa and around 50 minutes drive from Larnaca Airport. The hotel specializes in beach holidays, weddings and events and has 239 rooms ranging from standard rooms to a King’s Suite as well as 12 meeting rooms with capacity for up to 700 people.

The hotel’s spa and wellness center offers professional treatments and products. For more information, visit www.ghotw.com/grecian-park

Another new addition is the Mediterranean Beach Hotel, situated on the southwest bay of Limassol, among a sandy beach and landscaped gardens.

The 291-room hotel is five miles from the town center and has spectacular views over Cyprus’ southern coastline. Recently renovated extensively, the hotel building, public areas and guest rooms are designed to reflect the nature and spirit of the Mediterranean Sea.

The hotel offers various types of accommodation ranging from deluxe rooms to family rooms and luxury studios making it ideal for families and couples.

It also has a Babor Health Spa, gym and pilates studio, a choice of six restaurants and extensive meeting facilities for up to 270 people, all with audio-visual equipment.

For more information, visit www.ghotw.com/mediterranean-beach-hotel

The Columbia Beachotel also joined. Located in Pissouri Bay, half-way between Limassol and Paphos, the 116-room Columbia Beachotel is surrounded by the white cliffs of Cape Aspro, vineyards, orchards and a long beach.

The hotel’s meeting facilities include a conference room and two seminar rooms, all equipped with professional audio visual equipment.

There are also various programs of activities suitable for incentives including excursions and team-building exercises. Three 18-hole championship golf courses are also within easy reach of the hotel.

For more information, visit www.ghotw.com/columbia-beachotel

The Spa at The Address Dubai Mall offers you a 55-minute real Aromatherapy Experience. After a unwinding enjoy a complimentary Afternoon Tea at Karat, The Lobby Lounge. Enjoy gourmet sandwiches, delicate pastries and a selection of hand picked teas, coffees and mocktails, for a relaxing beauty treatment.

Price: AED 500 per person
Date: Available all week
Time: 10:00am to 10:00pm
Contact: +9714 438 8888 or email: spa.dubaimall@theaddress.com

Perfectly Located on the Waterfront of Abu Dhabi’s Corniche,
The St. Regis Abu Dhabi Joins a Growing Portfolio of St. Regis Hotels in the Middle East

ABU DHABI – 17 April 2010 – Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) has extended its development pipeline in the Arabian Gulf with the announcement of a second St. Regis hotel in the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Owned by International Capital Trading (ICT), The St. Regis Abu Dhabi will dominate the Abu Dhabi waterfront offering extensive views over the Gulf in a location that is both central to the business district and directly on the Corniche.

Located just a short drive from the recently opened F1 circuit, Ferrari museum, Gary Player-designed golf course and the Louvre, Guggenheim and Maritime museums, The St. Regis Abu Dhabi will provide an entrance into a captivating world of opulence offering a unique expression of its location.

The St. Regis Abu Dhabi will be located on the Corniche in downtown Abu Dhabi as part of Nation Towers, the iconic two-tower mixed-use development.

Located at the top of one tower beginning at the 33rd floor, the hotel will feature 281 luxurious guest rooms, including 56 suites, signature restaurants, a destination bar, sky bridge restaurant, more than 4,800 square metres of ultra modern meeting and event space and over 3,000 square metres of dedicated health club facilities, including an outdoor swimming pool. Guests will also enjoy a beach club adjacent to the hotel, which will be operated by Starwood.

The St. Regis Abu Dhabi is Starwood’s fifth St. Regis project currently in development in the Middle East, including The St. Regis Doha, The St. Regis Bahrain, The St. Regis Hotel & Residences Dubai, and The St. Regis Hotel & Residences Sa’adiyat Island.

“The announcement of our second St. Regis in Abu Dhabi is another sign of Starwood’s commitment to developing all nine of its brands in key Middle Eastern destinations,” said Roeland Vos, President of Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Europe, Africa and Middle East. “We are honored to partner with ICT as we build on our existing footprint in Abu Dhabi with this prestigious addition to our portfolio of luxury hotels in the Middle East.”

Mr. Hamad Abdulla Al Shamsi, Chief Executive Officer of ICT said “ICT is proud to partner with Starwood on this flagship development Nation Towers on the Corniche of Abu Dhabi. The signing marks another milestone for ICT who announced last year the award of the construction contract for the project.

The combination of ICT’s prime location Nation Towers development together with the world class St. Regis brand will provide arguably a unique luxury hospitality experience in Abu Dhabi.”

Guests of The St. Regis Abu Dhabi will enjoy uncompromising personal care by the legendary St. Regis Butler Service. Available around the clock, St. Regis butlers take pride in attending to every detail and specification.

As the market leader in the Middle East, Starwood currently operates close to 50 hotels throughout the region with more than 20 projects currently in development.

The Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora has added a double hull, custom-designed catamaran, named Navigator, which is available for a variety of activities including sunset cocktail cruises, group snorkeling outings or airport transfers.

The bi-level design is complete with a full bar, dining tables, rooftop sundeck, lavatory and rinse shower.

This catamaran has the largest capacity and offers the most versatile resort transportation option in Bora Bora.

Its low hull design and shallow draft allow access to virtually all destinations by water arrival, creating more flexibility in programming and activity planning.

The walk-down ramp allows guests to easily board and disembark without a dock.

The configuration of the dining and bar areas creates options such as sunset receptions and casual dinners under the stars, whilst sailing to the music of a dual sound system on both decks.

Snorkeling excursions on the turquoise lagoon are made enjoyable with the low back deck for easy access into the warm waters.

A fresh water shower on the rear deck allows guests to refresh back on board.

For more information, visit www.fourseasons.com

Renovations at the InterContinental Moorea Resort & Spa are currently taking place at the InterContinental Moorea Resort & Spa and will be completed by July 1. Some 21 of the 31 overwater bungalows are completed.

The remainder will be ready by the end of June.

Some 18 of the 27 beach bungalows are now completed and all plunge pool’s structures in the garden pool bungalows are completed.

They will be operational on June 26.

The terraces also feature new furniture.

The first pool has been completed and the second pool, which will soon be Moorea’s largest pool, will be ready by the end of June.

For more information, visit www.tahitiresorts.intercontinental.com

In Namibia, private equity firm United Africa Group has enlisted Southern California-based design firm sfa design to create a new luxury hotel.

The vision for the Eliakim Namundjebo Plaza Hotel is of a classic five-star in the nation’s largest city. As the primary entry point for all of Namibia, Windhoek stands as the gateway metropolis. Upon its opening in September, The Eliakim Namundjebo Plaza Hotel will exclusively serve as the premier, luxury destination in the region.

The hotel will feature 136 guestrooms, extensive meeting space and a spa facility.

With 17 years as a private equity firm, United Africa Group operates more than 40 companies in the industries of real estate, hospitality development, financial services and energy production out of Windhoek. Named by Businessweek, as one of “Africa’s Best Small Companies,” the firm is involved in such projects as the construction of premier luxury resorts and the development of Namibia’s newest renewable energy resources.

For more information, visit www.sfadesign.com  or www.namibiatourism.com.na

Located at the heart of Central Kentucky’s famed scenic Bluegrass Region, Lexington is home to legendary horses, the birthplace of bourbon, breathtaking landscapes and a culture rich in tradition.

Lexington is the center of the world’s Thoroughbred horse industry and is where the top racehorses are bred, born, trained, officially registered, bought and sold, retired to stud and buried.

In the Bluegrass, you can meet previous Derby champions – or perhaps catch a glimpse of a future winner on the world’s most famous horse farms. Keeneland Race Course, a beautiful park reminiscent of those in England, holds race meets annually in April and October and sales throughout the year.

The Kentucky Horse Park features more than 50 breeds at work and play on more than 1,200 breathtaking acres. From September 25 to October 10, the Kentucky Horse Park will host the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, the largest sporting event ever held in Kentucky and the largest equestrian event ever held in the United States.

Lexington truly is the Horse Capital of the World!

Designated “America’s Native Spirit” in 1964 by an act of congress, nearly 100% of the world’s Bourbon is produced in Kentucky. Early Kentucky settlers brought recipes and stills with them from the northeast.

They soon discovered corn was better suited to the Kentucky climate and began replacing it for the rye in their original recipes.

Visit historic distilleries and discover time-honored methods developed in the early 19th century still in use today. Tantalizing aromas follow you from the fermenting tanks to the warehouses where the bourbon rests until its proper age. Woodford Reserve, Buffalo Trace, Wild Turkey and Four Roses offer tours showcasing the heritage of American’s spirit.

History comes to life in Lexington.

Located just a few miles apart, on opposite ends of downtown Lexington, the Mary Todd Lincoln House and Ashland, the Henry Clay estate, reveal 19th century life in Lexington for these two prominent families.

Touring these homes tells the story of how these remarkable individual’s lives were often interconnected and how they
influenced our nation.

Take a short drive out through the picturesque Bluegrass countryside to discover one of America’s historic treasures. Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, a National Historic Landmark and the United States’ largest restored Shaker community, features 34 restored buildings on more than 3,000 acres of preserved farmland.

This living history museum offers village tours, 40 miles of trails, delightful regional cuisine and special programs through out the year.

Getting to Lexington is easy. Centrally located at the junction of Interstates 75 and 64, Lexington is the perfect driving destination. By air, arriving in Lexington is accessible and economical. Fourteen cities with large hub airports and seven airlines maintain daily flights into and out of Lexington. Connoisseurs the world over know Kentucky as the birthplace of bourbon and fine horses, and Lexington is at the heart of it
all.

For a free Visitor Planning Guide or more information, contact the Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau at 1-800-845-3959 or www.visitlex.com

San Diego North’s year-round temperate climate and an abundance of outdoor recreational activities make the resort region a great destination for health and wellness. Visitors can get a whole body work out while having fun and stimulating the mind during a getaway that encompasses all aspects of total fitness: cardiovascular, strength, flexibility, mental and nutritional. Below are some examples of the many wellness activities found in the San Diego North region.

Unusual Health and Wellness Offerings

Visitors can experience activities that encompass health and wellness components characteristic of the San Diego North region, encourage healthy lifestyle choices and promote relaxation for a complete wellness getaway.

• “Surf & Yoga” – The world-famous Surf Diva Surfing School offers a special “Surf & Yoga” retreat where visitors can learn to surf and then stretch out vital surfing muscles with seaside yoga sessions. Healthy meals, rejuvenating massages and facial treatments containing all natural ingredients are also included in the wellness retreat for a complete Southern California experience.

For advanced stand up paddle boarders, the surf school also offers yoga/pilates fitness classes performed on a paddle board in the ocean. The combination provides paddle boarders with a new invigorating challenge in a serene setting.

• Holistic Lifestyle Coaching – The Grand Del Mar’s spa manager doubles as a holistic lifestyle coach, in which visitors can learn about nutrition and healthy alternatives prior to rejuvenating the mind and body through the resort’s therapeutic spa treatments. The resort also offers an assortment of active outdoor adventures including a guided canyon-to-waterfall hike, canyon bike tour, kayaking and horseback riding to a historic adobe ranch house.

• Golf Analysis and Fitness Screening – Visitors can perfect their golf skills at The Grand Del Mar with a customized golf fitness screening and putting stroke analysis. Using tests typically reserved for the pros, visitors will undergo a comprehensive golf and physical evaluation that isolates physical limitations and correlate the findings to individual swing techniques in order to provide a customized golf conditioning program. Golfers can also fine tune their game with a SAM-Putting Stroke Analysis used by top professional players to evaluate putting strokes and calculate specific parameters including rotation, acceleration and swing duration, providing the player with precise information on how to improve their score.

• Circus-Style Fitness – Instead of just watching the circus, visitors can learn trapeze skills and aerial tricks first-hand through circus-style fitness classes offered in Escondido and Del Mar that focus on both mental and physical well-being.

• Ayurvedic Healing – Founded by world-renowned holistic physicians Deepak Chopra, M.D. and David Simon, M.D., the Chopra Center for Wellbeing at La Costa Resort & Spa offers a special integrated healing approach to wellness through ayurvedic techniques, meditation and yoga classes. The center features a variety of workshops and wellness retreat programs to transform the body, mind and spirit for overall well-being.

Meditation Gardens

San Diego North is home to an abundance of serene gardens containing a colorful arrangement of plants and flowers year-round that are indigenous to the area. These gardens provide visitors with the ideal setting for therapeutic mediation in a unique garden environment.

• Self-Realization Fellowship Temple & Meditation Gardens – Visitors can attend group meditation classes and spiritual services at the center’s temple. The meditation gardens offer a peaceful retreat in the heart of Encinitas for tranquility, meditation and self-reflection with views overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

• Wild Animal Park – With over 1,800 acres of garden area spanning across multiple themed gardens, the Wild Animal Park contains an impressive collection of diverse and rare horticulture specimens. Visitors can find their inner balance at the Bonsai Pavilion, meditate to the sweet smell of fresh herbs at the Chandler Herb Garden or discover Southern California’s native roots at the Nativescapes Garden among the many other themed gardens.

• San Diego Botanic Garden – Given the area’s diverse topography, visitors can choose their ideal mediation setting at the 35-acre gardens from a variety of distinct microclimates including desert succulents, tropical rainforests, sub-tropical fruit gardens and the nation’s largest bamboo collection.

Immersed in Nature

San Diego North’s wide open spaces, year-round temperate weather and unusual proximity to four distinct geographical regions (coastal, valley, mountain and desert) allows visitors the opportunity to explore a variety of natural landscapes including tide pools, winding canyons and desert mud caves. The abundance of active outdoor recreation options such as hiking, biking and nature walks make the region an ideal destination for overall health and well-being.

• San Elijo Nature Center – The LEED-certified nature center features an array of “green” amenities and conservation exhibits in addition to providing guided nature walks along portions of the ecological reserve’s seven miles of hiking trails.

• Torrey Pines State Reserve – Home to one of the nation’s rarest pine trees, the pinus torreyana, which can be found naturally in only one other location on Santa Rosa Island off the coast of Santa Barbara, the reserve contains a variety of hiking trails leading to and from the beach and along the rocky, jagged cliffs that provide dramatic views overlooking the ocean. Visitors can also partake in a guided nature walk or interactive educational presentations at the reserve’s Visitor Center.

• Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve – Spanning over 4,000 acres, the preserve’s natural beauty, rich natural resources and historical adobes make it a popular location for hiking and cycling. The protected preserve is also a great location for wildlife viewing containing over 175 bird species, 500 plant varietals and rare reptiles, amphibians and mammals who reside within the canyon.

Therapeutic Treatments

As San Diego’s resort region, San Diego North is home to an abundance of spas, which utilize the region’s plentiful indigenous organic ingredients to help relax, rejuvenate and revitalize visitors for complete wellness experience.

• Rancho Bernardo Inn Organic Facials – The Rancho Bernardo Inn’s Made Fresh Daily and Made-to-Order facial treatments incorporate all-natural ingredients grown and hand-picked from the resort’s onsite garden. Visitors can customize their own therapeutic facial with a Made-to-Order treatment or indulge in a limited-edition seasonal Made Fresh Daily treatment that is accompanied by a healthy recipe from the resort’s professional chef and an at-home treatment recipe.

• Estancia – Partnering with the Scripps Center for Executive Health, Estancia provides visitors with the ultimate health and wellness experience with therapeutic spa treatments, customized healthy lifestyle plans and an in-depth personal health profile analysis.

The resort’s spa offers a variety of wellness treatments that incorporate organic, natural ingredients. Among the many health and wellness spa treatments are a Rehab Massage that released lactic acid build-up caused from excessive physical activity, an Ayurvedic Neem Healing Treatment that purifies the blood to cleanse and restore balance to the system, and a “Be Centered” – Head to Toe treatment that utilizes Amazonian minerals and essential ingredients to maximize the skin and chakra balancing benefits.

Sustainable Food

With the region’s rare Mediterranean climate and plentiful sunshine, visitors to the San Diego North area can indulge in a variety of healthy food options while sampling native ingredients characteristic of the region.

• Local Organic Farms – San Diego is one of the top destinations for slow food containing the highest number of organic farms among all the counties in the nation in addition to the most organic growers in the nation, according to San Diego County Farm Bureau. Visitors can take a self-guided farm hopping tour or visit the region’s many farmers markets for an organic, all-natural San Diego North experience.

• Cooks Confab – Passionate about health, wellness and sustainability, many San Diego North chefs hand-pick their ingredients daily from locals farms and utilize naturally raised sustainable meat in their cuisine. This group of renowned San Diego chefs have united and formed the Cooks Confab for the common purpose of sustainability and love for food. The group hosts a variety of Iron Chef-like events using a central theme or ingredient. Among the noteworthy chefs in the group are Jeff Jackson, executive chef of A.R. Valentien at The Lodge at Torrey Pines; and Jason Knibb, executive chef of NINE-TEN Restaurant at the Grande Colonial Hotel.

• Healthy Microbrews – Home to over 30 different breweries, including three of the world’s top 10 according to popular beer website Ratebeer.com, San Diego’s nationally recognized craft beers also contain added health benefits. When consumed in moderation, the silicon found in dark beers can actually strengthen bones by aiding in calcium absorption and is also a good source of important vitamins and minerals including potassium, magnesium and B vitamins. Visitors can experience award-winning brews at La Jolla’s Rock Bottom Brewery or even treat their four-legged friends to a pet-friendly Yappy Hour at La Jolla Brew House.

About San Diego North Convention & Visitors Bureau:

The San Diego North Convention & Visitors Bureau provides visitor information for the 2,000 square mile San Diego North region from La Jolla north to Encinitas, Carlsbad and Oceanside to the valley, mountain and desert communities of Escondido, Rancho Bernardo, Julian and the Anza-Borrego Desert.

For more information, visit www.SanDiegoNorth.com  or call (800) 848-3336.

Sonoma Incentive is a “Suite Deal”

SONOMA WINE COUNTRY, CALIF. – First step: the ring. Second step: Visit sonomacounty.com/weddings to plan your special day.

Wine country wedding says it all: Romance, dramatic settings, a wine for almost every guest’s taste. Can it get any better than this?

In a word, yes. Sonoma County Tourism Bureau is now offering the Suite Deal, a cash incentive to brides and grooms who take advantage of the organization’s complimentary wedding assistance.

Couples can earn $250 toward their hotel bill when at least 10 rooms are booked, and the nuptials are performed in Sonoma County by the end of 2012.

To start, fill out the wedding assistance form at www.sonomacounty.com/weddings . Sonoma County’s wedding expert will work to find great lodging offers for couples and their guests.

There is no one style of wedding in Sonoma County. The scope of the area means that each wedding is specifically suited to each couple:

A ceremony overlooking the vineyards;

atop a cliff with the dramatic Pacific surf below;

underneath majestic redwoods;

or in a simple ceremony in a wine cave.

What will $250 look like at your celebration?

Visit www.sonomacounty.com/weddings and start planning today.

Sonoma County, CA – For travelers looking to get beyond the tasting room, the new Sonoma Vineyard Adventures offer a free, friendly way to explore how grapes are grown, how farmers interact with the environment, and how the best Sonoma County grapes make the best Sonoma County wines.

Sonoma Vineyard Adventures are currently being offered at four wineries in Sonoma County: Mantanzas Creek Winery (Bennett Valley), Paradise Ridge Winery and Balletto Winery (Russian River Valley) and Mauritson Winery (Dry Creek Valley).

“The experience we offer with Sonoma Vineyard Adventures is one that captures the most important piece of our Sonoma County story — our geographic diversity and indigenous bounty,” said Larry Levine, vice president of marketing and communications of the Sonoma County Winegrape Commission. “We’re about making the wine experience more approachable and having our guests in the vineyards to learn about winemaking and sustainable practices is a huge step in the progression of that accessibility.”

Whether traveling as an experienced wine connoisseur or for a relaxing romantic getaway, visitors gain an in-depth understanding of the grape-growing process by exploring the vineyards and tasting the same wine cultivated there.

Each tour, no longer than one mile in length, is designed for all ages to enjoy. Guests receive a detailed map of each vineyard with points of interest along the way that are clearly marked along the route.

Sonoma Vineyard Adventures are free and available to the public year-round. Tasting fees may apply.

For more information and downloadable tour maps, please visit www.SonomaVineyardAdventures.com