Jetsettersblog

New Pacific Flier Airline Gives Neighboring Island Residents, Visitors a Low-Cost Option to Guam
Tumon, Guam – The arrival of the new Pacific Flier airline at A.B. Won Pat International Airport will give residents and visitors of Palau, the Philippines, and Australia’s Gold Coast another low-cost option to come to Guam, according to Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB).

From January to May 2010, 1,988 visitors total have arrived on Guam from the three destinations.

With easier access and a low-cost airline option for potential travelers, GVB expects that number to increase.

“It’s always a good sign to see more carriers at the airport,” said GVB Acting General Manager Ernie A. Galito.

“We anticipate the increased seat capacity for those visitors from Palau, the Philippines, and Australia, as well as the low cost, will help give more travelers a chance and desire to experience Guam.”

Currently, round-trip tickets on Palau-based Pacific Flier range from $199 to $899, depending on the destination and booking date.

The airline will be utilizing one Airbus aircraft for flights.

Mantis, a group of resorts and lodges, received the two top brand awards at the African and Indian Ocean regional 2010 World Travel Awards ceremony in Johannesburg.

Mantis received Africa’s Leading Boutique Hotel Brand award and Africa’s Leading Game Reserve Brand. Mantis also won a number of awards for specific hospitality destinations. Shamwari Game Reserve won Africa’s Leading Conservation Company Award and Africa’s Leading Safari Lodge Award; Shamwari Townhouse won Africa’s Leading Townhouse Hotel Award; and The Last Word Long Beach won South Africa’s Leading Luxury Beach Hotel Award.

Mantis comprises 43 destinations worldwide, including private residences, boutique hotels, eco-experiences, game reserves and luxury yachts.

Mantis is a partner of the Preferred Boutique Hotel Group.

For more information on the African Travel Awards, contact Mantis at 27 (0) 41-407-1000, or visit

www.mantiscollection.com

Thredbo 22 – 25 July 2010

Veuve Clicquot and The Denman Hotel & Spa present the ultimate skiing indulgence – a series of champagne picnics in the snow on the spectacular slopes of Thredbo, Snowy Mountains.

This is part of the inaugural Clicquot in the Snow 2010 – a celebration of two of life’s great pleasures, Veuve Clicquot and aprés ski.

The inaugural Clicquot in the Snow will be held in Thredbo on Thursday 22 – Sunday 25 July, with champagne flowing at a series of unique Veuve Clicquot experiences. The village will turn “Clicquot yellow” with events including aprés ski parties, exclusive dinners plus tastings. The highlight naturally The Denman Hotel’s gorgeous Clicquot Picnics in the Snow of course!

There are three glorious snow picnics to choose from – Thursday 22, Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 July from 12 noon. Each picnic lunch will be held on the mountain and features a flute of Veuve Clicquot. Booking are essential, so simply email us.

Ed Denny, The Denman Hotel & Spa’s proprietor, states: “We are delighted to team up with Veuve Clicquot to offer these fun events, where the world’s best champagne combines with the Snowy Mountains best cuisine, offering participants a truly celebratory experience”.

Clicquot in the Snow started in Aspen in 2007 and has grown in popularity, with the best bars, clubs and restaurants joining in the celebration each season. For the first Clicquot in the snow in Australia, partners Thredbo Alpine Hotel and The Denman Hotel & Spa have come on board to drive much of the fun.

There are limited places available on each picnic, so be quick. To book skiers should simply contact Paul at The Denman Hotel & Spa on (02) 6457 6222 or via email – stay@thedenman.com.au

Peppers on the Point, Rotorua has entered the hall of fame of luxury accommodation with its recent membership into the prestigious Luxury Lodge Group of New Zealand.

This stunning lodge is only one of nineteen accommodation venues in this highly regarded group of the finest 5 Star and Exclusive Luxury Lodges in New Zealand.

Peppers on the Point General Manager David Smail says it is an honour to receive such a prestigious accolade. “The calibre of the properties in the Luxury Lodge Group is incredibly high and to be recognised is testament to the high standards that Peppers on the Point strives for.”

The Luxury Lodges of New Zealand is a mark of distinction available to only a select group of exclusive and luxurious properties who meet the exacting standards for membership. Staying with the Lodges of New Zealand is an experience of the absolute best of the best in New Zealand accomodation.

Peppers on the Point offers guests a beautiful intimate retreat location with world-class cuisine to compliment exceptional hospitality all within an outstanding location.

Just five minutes from the heart of Rotorua City, Peppers on the Point is surrounded by the sparkling waters of Lake Rotorua and features spectacular views to the historic Mokoia Island.

For more information and packages please visit www.peppers.com.au

Plans are underway at Aoraki Mt Cook to convert The Hermitage Hotel’s former Glencoe Lodge into a 50-room backpacker lodge and bring back the much loved Chamois Bar (pronounced Shammie).

The conversion is designed to offer a more complete range of accommodation and entertainment choices at one of New Zealand’s most spectacular destinations.

The lodge, to be called Mount Cook Backpackers, will offer a mix of dorm rooms, single and double rooms, and self contained units.

It will comprise 20 four-bed dorm rooms with ensuites, 23 double/twin rooms with ensuites, and seven one-bedroom units with bathroom and cooking facilities. Prices will start at approximately NZ$35 for a dorm bed.

The original Chamois Bar will undergo a makeover and relaunch complete with a new beer garden.

A favourite local watering hole for many years, the new-look bar will keep the same vibe as before, offering a relaxed and friendly place to enjoy an evening drink, pub meal, game of pool and big screen TV. It will also host events and themed evenings on a regular basis.

The Hermitage Hotel’s General Manager Andrew Cleverley is excited about the new offerings and believes visitors and locals alike will benefit.

“Mt Cook is a both a small community and a world-renowned destination so it’s very exciting to be able to expand its current range of accommodation and entertainment choices to better cater for different budgets and tastes,” he says.

“Demand for backpacker priced accommodation has grown in response to the increased range of activities on offer such as the Glacier Explorers iceberg cruise, 4WD & Argo tours, Stargazing, and the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre’s 3D movie, planetarium and museum.”

Mr Cleverley says the layout of Glencoe Lodge was ideally suited to a backpacker lodge.

“It has budget rooms in good condition, a large entertainment, bar and function area and a central location in Mt Cook Village.

“It’s also very satisfying for us to be able to reopen the public bar. It will provide a more casual night out than the hotel can provide and has previously been considered by many residents as the heart and soul of the village.”

Mount Cook Backpackers and the revamped bar are scheduled to open on 1 October. They will be operated and marketed independently of The Hermitage Hotel.

The last tall ship assembled in Key West, the historic Schooner Western Union, has been relaunched in the island city and is shortly to resume passenger excursions following a million-dollar renovation. The 130-foot vessel underwent an overhaul that included replacing numerous hull, transom and deck planks and refitting all electric, plumbing, engine and steering mechanisms.

Originally launched in 1939, Western Union is the last surviving example of a traditional American coasting schooner. It served the Western Union Telegraph Co. for 35 years and is believed to be the world’s only surviving sailing cable ship.

In 1997, Key West’s Historic Tours of America obtained the Western Union and began operating it for day and sunset sails and charters. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it became widely known as the flagship of Key West.

Late in 2007, Historic Tours’ owner Ed Swift donated the vessel to the nonprofit Schooner Western Union Preservation Society under the condition that it be restored and remain in Key West.

The renovation was funded in part by a $405,000 grant from the Monroe County Tourist Development Council, a $300,000 donation from the Historic Foundation of the Florida Keys and numerous contributions from Florida Keys businesses and individuals.

Plans call for passenger excursions to begin this summer from a dock in Key West’s Historic Seaport. For more information, visit www.schoonerwesternunion.org

North America’s most remote national park has recently become far more accessible via Key West Seaplane Adventures excursions. The company offers morning, afternoon and full-day trips to Dry Tortugas National Park aboard 10-passenger DHC-3T DeHavilland Turbine Otter seaplanes.

Composed of seven tiny islands, the park lies approximately 70 miles west of Key West in the Gulf of Mexico and is home to Civil War-era Fort Jefferson, the largest masonry structure in the Western Hemisphere. Attractions include guided park tours, pristine beaches for sunning, excellent bird-watching opportunities and clear blue waters for snorkeling.

Travel time between Key West and the Dry Tortugas is approximately 40 minutes each way. Half-day trips include at least 2.5 hours to enjoy activities at the park, while full-day trips include at least 6.5 hours at the park.

Half-day excursions are priced at $249 for adults and $199 per child age 12 or younger. Full-day fares are $435 per adult and $349 for children. National park visitors age 17 and older are required to pay an additional $5 per person park entrance fee.

Complimentary soft drinks and snorkeling equipment are provided.

Flights depart from Key West Seaplane Adventures headquarters at Key West International Airport, 3471 S. Roosevelt Blvd. Check-in is 30 minutes prior to departure.

For information and reservations, visit

www.keywestseaplanecharters.com

or call 305-293-9300.

Sharing the history of Marathon and its surrounding islands by personal watercraft is the focus of SeaMonster Watersports, Marathon’s newest jet ski tour outfit, located at 3390 Gulfview Ave. bayside.

Owner and professional guide Ray Dargis hosts singles, couples and families interested in the historical flavor of the area while having some fun on the water.

During two-hour tours around the island participants can learn how Marathon became a strategic settlement in the Keys, the history behind the Seven Mile Bridge, the influence of railroad tycoon Henry Flagler and the significance of Key Vaca and Pigeon Key. Dargis usually incorporates five to six stops for historical highlights.

The weather-dependent tours depart from the marina behind Keys Fisheries Restaurant & Market, and can either follow the “island tour” under the Seven Mile Bridge, around the Key Vaca flats, Boot Key and Sombrero Beach, or head north to Valhalla sandbar. An “owner’s favorite” tour includes the entire length of the Seven Mile Bridge, with either a bayside or oceanside ride around sights such as Pigeon Key and Money Key, peppered with stops for fun and factoids.

Tours cost $130 per watercraft and carry up to three or four passengers including children.

Seasonal specials are available.

To book, call 305-743-6541 or e-mail raydar53keys@att.net

A new lodging property, formerly constructed as condominium and townhouse units, has opened in Islamorada. Indigo Bay Hotel, located at 81450 Overseas Highway near mile marker (MM) 81.5, has 25 contemporary cottages — each with two separate upstairs bedrooms, a spacious first-floor living room and full-size kitchen complete with dishwasher, microwave, stove, pots and pans, blender, toaster and tableware for five.

Each two-bedroom unit is large and comfortable. Amenities include either one and one-half or two bathrooms, ample closet space and full furnishings down to the last dish. Units also are equipped with a washer and dryer.

A neighboring 14-slip marina accommodates boats up to 20 feet long, with seasonal rates for launching and trailer storage. Indigo Bay Hotel expects to partner with other area marinas as well.

Nightly rates are expected to start at $250 with a three-night minimum, with weekly or longer reservations available as well.

For more information, call 877-600-0091 or 305-664-0082, or visit

www.indigobayhotel.com

A Wreck Trek Passport Program, spotlighting the Florida Keys Shipwreck Trail from Key Largo to Key West, now awaits divers visiting the Florida Keys.

Certified divers can explore the destination’s string of sunken vessels and artificial reefs and be awarded for logging back-to-back wreck dives or dives on subsequent visits through Jan. 1, 2012.

Divers taking up the challenge receive an “Official Florida Keys Wreck Trek” logbook upon reserving dive trips with participating dive shops. The dive passport highlights nine shipwrecks from Key Largo to Key West including Spiegel Grove, Duane, Bibb, Eagle, Thunderbolt, Adolphus Busch Sr., Cayman Salvager, Joe’s Tug and Vandenberg, the shipwreck trail’s southernmost addition.

After completing one wreck dive in each district of the Keys, divers receive a personalized collage of Keys wrecks suitable for framing. Upon completing all nine wreck dives, qualifying divers are entered into a drawing for one of several grand prizes including dive equipment and dive-and-stay lodging packages.

Each wreck varies in skill level, and divers are encouraged to contact participating dive operators for information about the wrecks. If divers are not current with their dive training, refresher courses are offered.

For more information about the Wreck Trek Passport Program, visit www.fla-keys.com/diving/wrecktrek