Jetsettersblog

Kempinski opened the Nile Hotel on the banks of the Nile River in the Garden City district of Cairo.

The hotel is conceived as a luxurious European-style retreat, while evoking the essence of Egyptian culture.

The Kempinski Nile Hotel is offering a special opening promotional rate of 200 euros ($256) for a luxurious Madina or Nile guestroom. The rate is available through Sept. 30 based on availability.

Designed by French architect Pierre Yves Rochon, the hotel has 137 rooms and 54 suites. The hotel’s culinary operation follows Kempinski’s philosophy of “simple things done beautifully.”

The rooftop dining destination of Floor 10 offers contemporary French cuisine, while the Osmanly, inspired by the Ottoman Empire, offers guests classic Turkish cuisine.

The Blue Restaurant serves a selection of international cuisine with no official set menu, as it caters to individual tastes and preferences by preparing fresh market cuisine tailored to meet each guest’s requests.

The hotel also offers a number of bars and lounges. The Chocolate Lounge offers a special chocolate menu, while Floor 10 offers a Jazz Bar. The rooftop bar has views across the Nile. And the Shishawy Café offers Lebanese blends of Shisha.

The hotel also has a spa and wellness center with services ranging from soothing massages to facials and beauty services.

For more information, visit www.globalhotelalliance.com

Herod’s Gate, the gate leading into the Muslim Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, reopened after a four-month restoration project.

The Herod’s Gate conservation project was spearheaded by the Israel Antiquities Authority Conservation Department, and included extensive cleaning of the wall’s facades and stones and the removal of dirt, particles and moisture penetrating into the fabric of the city wall.

The electrical and water infrastructures around the gate’s facades were also removed and reinstalled.

Built in the 16th century by the Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, Herod’s Gate, also known as the Gate of the Flowers, was originally a patrolled gate restricting entrance to people and unharnessed animals.

An opening was breached in the gate’s northern façade during the end of the 19th century, which provided direct passage into the Old City of Jerusalem.

Remains of the sentry post that protected the original entrance can still be seen in the gate’s eastern façade.

For more information, visit www.goisrael.com

Solio Lodge, the newest entry of the Safari Collection, will open Aug. 1 in Kenya on the Solio Game Reserve between Mount Kenya and the Aberdare Mountains.

The new property has been built by Tanya and Mikey Carr-Hartley, the owners and operators of the three Tamimi properties — Giraffe Manor, Sasaab and Sala’s Camp.

Solio Lodge has six rooms.

Its design is modern, but in keeping with the environment, thatch roofs plate glass windows, for visibility of the surrounding panoramas. Each room has its own large sitting area, an open fire and en-suite bathrooms.

The reserve is internationally recognized as the most successful private rhinoceros breeding reserve in Kenya, and is now home to over 74 black rhinos and 155 white rhinos.

A wide variety of other species also populate the land, and visitors to Solio have the opportunity to see some of the continent’s most elusive species.

An abundance of diverse and exotic birdlife color the skies above Solio, congregating around the numerous permanent water holes and acacia lined Moyo River. Solio offers a range of activities, including horseback riding, trout fishing, and helicopter flights.

The Safari Collection is a group of vacation properties and safari experiences in Kenya.

For more information, visit www.thesafaricollection.com

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group will manage a new luxury city center hotel and serviced apartments in Doha, the capital of Qatar.

The property, which is being developed by owners DohaLand, is scheduled to open in 2014. Mandarin Oriental, Doha will be the group’s second hotel in the Middle East following its announcement earlier this year that it will open Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi, which is scheduled for 2013.

Mandarin Oriental, Doha will be located in Musheireb, Dohaland’s development of an 86-acre site adjacent to Doha’s cultural gem, Souk Waqif, and the city’s business center in West Bay.

The Musheireb project is set to regenerate the core of the city, recreating a way of living that is rooted in Qatari culture, and reflecting the growing international importance of Doha as a leisure and business destination. Mandarin Oriental, Doha will feature 160 guestrooms and suites, as well as 95 serviced apartments.

Other facilities will include an all-encompassing Spa at Mandarin Oriental which will introduce the group’s award-winning spa concepts to a new audience, providing holistic rejuvenation and relaxation in a serene, meditative setting.

The spa will include 10 private treatment rooms as well as a vitality pool and other heat and water experiences.

Guests will also be able to enjoy the indoor swimming pool and fitness center.

The hotel will also boast extensive banqueting and meeting facilities.

For more information, visit www.mandarinoriental.com

Morgan’s Rock
CONTACT: Eugenio Cortez
TEL: +505-2254-7989
Email: info@morgansrock.com
WEB: www.morgansrock.com

OCOTAL BEACH, NICARAGUA—Next season’s “Survivor” series, the CBS popular reality drama will take place in Nicaragua, close to the southern Pacific town of San Juan del Sur and not too far from the secluded Morgan’s Rock Hacienda and Ecolodge.

But the “Survivor” contestants will be worlds away from the kind of luxury that the guests at Morgan’s Rock enjoy.

Located on the protected, sandy Ocotal Beach, Morgan’s Rock is designed for travelers who love nature with all the creature comforts.

The pristine, private beach and a unique 4500 acre protected primary dry forest environment surround the resort and provide the ideal setting for an intimate vacation. Some guests visiting the contestants during their ordeal are expected to stay at Morgan’s Rock.
Morgan’s Rock Hacienda & Ecolodge features fifteen hand-detailed private bungalows made of exotic tropical hardwoods with decks open to spectacular views of the ocean, forest and birds.

Each offers a king-size bed, a full bathroom, an exterior double hammock and an open-air shower.

The La Bastide restaurant, which serves all local produce grown on the resort’s farm and fish caught by its own boats, overlooks a beautiful pool and the Pacific beyond. Special rates for the period from June to October, 2010, including 3 meals a day with non-alcoholic beverages, tax and service plus a daily tour, will start at $258 per person in a double.

Fascinating day tours explore active volcanoes, national parks, handicraft markets, and the picturesque colonial town of Granada. Other leisure occupations such as fishing and kayaking are always available.

Morgan’s Rock, located southwest of Granada, the oldest city in the Americas, is easily reached by American, Delta, TACA and Continental who all fly to Managua with arranged transfers.

Born Free Safaris
CONTACT: Ehron Asher
TEL: 1.800.4SAFARI or 1.800.472.3274
EMAIL: ehron@bfsafaris.com
WEB: www.bornfreesafaris.com

Nothing gets the adrenaline pumping like the anticipation of the unknown and the thrillof the wild; until excitement turns to anxiety, when the idea of taking on nature in its rawest form on an African Safari conjures up thoughts of facing dangerous animals, braving mosquitoes, and forgoing the basic comforts of home.

Many would-be adventurers settle for a day trip to the zoo and a traditional vacation to a resort. But an African safari doesn’t have to mean sacrifice.

Born Free Safaris & Tours has transformed the meaning of an African safari, offering fabulous accommodations, great food, friendly people, safety, and personalized attention from professionals with over 34 years of experience in Africa.

Born Free Safaris & Tours is not simply a booking agent, but rather a hands-on tour operator that takes the fear out of journeying through Africa.

Tour guides are members of the Association of Professional Safari Guides and are trained in first aid, vehicle maintenance, culture, wildlife, foreign languages and conservation, just to name a few.

Guides are carefully matched with tours based on special interests, areas of specific knowledge, and personality and function as game trackers, problem solvers and personal drivers. Born Free Safaris & Tours has been named a top African tour company by the world’s most prestigious travel publications.

Whether it’s a traditional African style safari, or a high comfort soft adventure, Born Free Safaris & Tours has a program to fit every taste and budget with a range of themes unmatched by any other African tour operator including: tours in over 30 African countries; budget trips or luxurious excursions; wildlife, walking, and air safaris; cultural, historic, and religious tours; diverse accommodations such as such as campsites, lodges, bed and breakfasts, private homes, and ranches; and activities from hot air ballooning, whitewater rafting, canoeing, golfing, hiking, horse-camel-elephant safaris, weddings, honeymoons, and more.

Born Free Safaris and Tours service the young and old, able-bodied and disabled, the wild and the tame by working together to create the ultimate African safari experience.

Born Free Safaris & Tours are pleased to accommodate travelers of all ages and abilities, is an eco-friendly company, and are committed to conservation.

For more information about rates and trip options, contact Born Free Safari’s & Tours at (800) 4-SAFARI, or visit www.bornfreesafaris.com

Witness Pristine Beauty And Amazing Wildlife

OSA PENINSULA, Costa Rica —The tiny patch of Costa Rica’s last remaining tropical humid rainforest holds about 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity, making it an ‘unspoiled’ travel destination for visitors who want to experience Costa Rica in its most pristine form.

El Remanso Lodge beckons both adventurers and people looking for a relaxing getaway in the exquisite natural paradise of the Osa Peninsula.

El Remanso Lodge’s 185 acre private reserve offers endless possibilities to discover the magic of a tropical rainforest acting as a buffer zone to the famous Corcovado National Park and sea kayaking offers an up close and personal look at the beauty of the peninsula.

Paddlers can enjoy private sunset kayaking expeditions where they are treated to a variety of fish, birds, dolphins, and rays as they explore the beaches and mangroves of the Osa Peninsula in a kayak.

The sunset tour offers a special look at a simply stunning part of the day.

For more information about sea kayaking on the Osa Peninsula, visit

www.elremanso.com

Resmark Systems is providing a 24-hour reservations booking service for canopy-inspired destinations.

The canopy tour concept that arrived in the U.S. in 2003 began to boom in 2005 and, by the end of 2009, there were 85 commercial sites, a number expected to grow to 120 this summer. Resmark Systems is a marketing, reservation management, and back-office platform that allows customers to book trips online, day or night.

Targeted to the needs of large or small tour operators, many of whom have complex product offerings, the system reduces labor costs while at the same time enabling reservationists to spend more time converting phone inquiries to sales.

The system also features an automatic online lead generation program that includes automatic, personalized follow-up to every lead generated.

In addition, Resmark tracks commission expense, provides net rates, easy payment collection and automated communications in dealings with travel partners: travel agents, hotels, subcontractors and other tour operators.

With more than 16 years experience as a consultant to this growing segment, Michael Smith, president of AdventureSmith, evaluated over 15 reservation systems in order to find one to recommend to clients.

Zipline and canopy tour operations, a growing segment of the adventure travel world, are expected to increase by 41 percent this summer for a total of 120 operations in the U.S. and Canada, according to ZiplineNirvana.

“While there were a number of systems that offered some of the features I was seeking, many lacked efficiency and from a functionality standpoint, they were limited. Resmark was clean, efficient and powerful.

As a marketing specialist, the integration of the automated emails was the icing on the cake,” said Smith.

Bruce Lessels, owner of Deerfield Valley Canopy Tours, said that Resmark Systems is “an essential component of our continued success.”

Because it allows guests to book at any hour of the day, the system “facilitated our initial growth and has sustained our growth through this (our second) season when we expect to nearly double our first-year numbers.

In addition to offering real-time inventory online, Resmark provides a simple, professional-looking interface for guests booking their own trips and a robust back-end interface for our in-house reservationists.”

Other canopy tour companies that have signed up with Resmark include Island Routes in the Caribbean, Long Point Eco Tours in Canada, Navitat Canopy Adventures in North Carolina and, just recently, several other companies throughout the United States including New York Zipline Adventures, Captain Zipline, Zipquest, Beanstalk Journeys and Berkshire East. Clients include Western River Expeditions, Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC), Sandals & Beaches Resorts, Orange Torpedo Trips, Long Point Eco Adventures, and Zoar Outdoor.

For more information, call 802-737-6275 or visit www.resmarksystems.com

The Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa has partnered with Green Car Hawaii to offer hybrid rental cars by the hour or day.

Typically, visitors use their cars during 30 to 40 percent of their stays, and renting a car by the hour streamlines usage and minimizes waste.

A self-service kiosk in the hotel lobby enables guests to make reservations at an hourly rate of $15, including all fuel and insurance costs.

Daily rates are also available.

The car is delivered to the guest by the hotel valet.

Cars come equipped with iPads that providing interactive, GPS-based island maps and virtual tour guides. Current inventory includes four Ford Escape Hybrids.

For more information, call 888-591-1234 or visit www.grandhyattkauai.com

The Peacock Inn, a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World group, opened in Princeton, N.J., following an ownership change and three-year, multimillion-dollar renovation, which created a 16-room boutique hotel featuring a gourmet restaurant and bar.

The Peacock Inn is one block from Princeton’s main street, Nassau Street, and a short walk from Palmer Square on the Princeton University campus, an area featuring numerous shops and boutiques.

The building dates back to the 1700s and has operated as an inn since 1911, hosting members of the Continental Congress as well as famous figures including Albert Einstein and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

The inn’s basement is believed to have been a Prohibition-era speakeasy.

The 16 guest rooms and suites are individually decorated in traditional and contemporary styles featuring designer furnishings.

Seven of the rooms offer a decorative fireplace.

Other amenities include flat-screen Plasma televisions, Internet FM radio, iPod, complimentary Wi-Fi, bathrooms with heated floors and tile showers, Molton Brown bathroom amenities, Frette towels, Hollandia mattresses, down pillows and down comforters, Sferra comforters and blankets and Frette slippers which guests can take home.

The Peacock Inn Restaurant is under the helm of Executive Chef Manuel Perez. Perez trained at Le Bernardin in New York and later refined his skills at New York’s Water Club and Restaurant Nicholas in Red Bank, N.J. Hotel rates range from $250 per night for a Preferred Guest Room to $425 per night for a Jacuzzi Suite.

For more information, call 609-924-1707 or visit www.thepeacockinn.com