Jetsettersblog

Westin Hotels & Resorts is set to open two new breathtaking resorts in premium locations this summer. The Westin Resort, Costa Navarino recently made its debut on Greece’s west coast and will be followed by the opening of The Westin Siray Bay Resort & Spa in Phuket, Thailand in August.

This summer will also mark the opening of the brand’s sixth property in Mexico — The Westin Sante Fe, Mexico City.

With the addition of these two new resorts in Greece and Thailand, Westin hotels now boasts a total of 40 resorts in the world’s most sought after vacation destinations.

In addition, the brand is on track to add a total of 14 new properties to its global portfolio by the end of 2010 — 85 percent of which are opening outside of North America. Latin America and Asia Pacific represent two of the most robust markets for the future expansion of the Westin brand.

The Westin Resort, Costa Navarino offers views of the Ionian Sea.

The second Westin to open in Greece, this retreat offers 445 guest rooms and suites, including 123 with infinity pools.

Inspired by old Messinian mansions, the resort’s low-rise villa clusters use natural stone and local design elements to create a motif in perfect harmony with the virgin sandy beach and pristine hillside landscape.

Amenities include four restaurants serving a range of international cuisine, several pools and lounges.

The Anazoe Spa at Navarino Dunes offers a serene sanctuary, with a menu of specialty treatments based on ancient health and beauty practices, and conference facilities.

The resort also boasts Greece’s first signature, 18-hole championship golf course with sea and river views designed by U.S. Masters Champion and Ryder Cup Captain Bernhard Langer and managed by Troon Golf.

Guests can stroll to an adjacent shopping village, home to a variety of exclusive boutiques, restaurants and bars.

The second Westin to open in Thailand,

The Westin Siray Bay Resort & Spa occupies a prime location on Siray Island off the east coast of Phuket.

The resort boasts 261 rooms, suites and villas with panoramic ocean views, as well as a pristine beach, Heavenly Spa by Westin, the brand’s signature WestinWorkOut gym experience, Westin Kids Club and comprehensive meeting facilities overlooking Siray Bay.

The Westin Sante Fe, Mexico City will be the brand’s fifth hotel to open in Mexico and the seventh Westin in Latin America.

Located in downtown Mexico City, this urban retreat is a short stroll from Expo Bancomer Convention Center, corporate offices and the shops and restaurants at Centro Commercial Sante Fe. The hotel offers 265 guest rooms, a Heavenly Spa by Westin, a range of culinary experiences and a WestinWorkOut gym.

The Amsterdam canal district was added to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Heritage List. The decision was announced at the 34th Session of the World Heritage Committee in Brazil, making the canal district the ninth World Heritage Site in The Netherlands.

According to UNESCO, which awarded the title of World Heritage Site to the 17th century canal ring area inside the Singelgracht, “The historical and urban ensemble of the Amsterdam canal district was a project for a new port city built at the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th centuries.

It comprises a network of canals to the west and south of the historic old town and the medieval port that encircles the old town; the district was accompanied by the repositioning inland of the city’s fortified boundaries, the Singelgracht.

This was a long-term process that involved extending the city by draining the swampland, using a system of canals in concentric arcs and filling in the intermediate spaces.

These spaces allowed the development of a homogeneous urban area including gabled houses and numerous monuments. This urban extension was the largest and most homogeneous of its time. As a model of large-scale town planning, it served as a reference throughout the world until the 19th century.”

Amsterdam’s 17th century canal district is a remnant of the Dutch Golden Age, a time when the city led the world in art, trade and architecture.

The zone is composed of four curved canals that run parallel to each other and encircle the Amsterdam city center in a half moon — the Singel, the Herengracht, the Keizersgracht and the Prinsengracht. The bank of the outermost Prinsengracht canal is home to the world-famous Anne Frank House.
The Netherlands now has nine UNESCO-listed heritage sites, including an 18th century collection of windmills in Kinderdijk, about two hours south of Amsterdam.

For more information, visit www.amsterdam.nl/worldheritage

The Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions is the leading marketing organization for the promotion of leisure and business travel to and within Holland. NBTC has a worldwide network of eleven offices and one representative office abroad, with its head office in Leidschendam, near The Hague.

For more information, visit www.holland.com

South Africa’s five-star Steenberg Hotel and Camp Jabulani, a luxury safari camp close to Kruger National Park, are offering the ultimate South African experience with a seven-day, six-night package for $9,613 per couple. Guests start their South African adventure in the Cape Winelands area with a four-day, three-night stay in a Heritage Suite at the Steenberg Hotel.

They can relax during a private wine tasting at the Steenberg Vineyard, the cape’s oldest wine farm sill producing award-winning wines.

A daily shuttle to the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront and transfers to local shops and restaurants are complimentary so that visitors may take advantage of the area’s many splendors. Guests are presented with a book about the storied Steenberg property so that they may remember the trip for years to come. While at the Steenberg, a daily breakfast is also included.

A short flight from Cape Town to Limpopo Province takes travelers to Camp Jabulani, where guests spend four days, three nights in a Luxury Suite.

Their stay is ripe with adventure, including elephant-back safaris, game drives and guided bush walks.

There is also a visit to the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Center, one of the leaders in the breeding and research of endangered species.

The center also provides a safe haven for orphaned and sick animals and strives to educate the public about endangered species while letting them see the animals firsthand. All meals and beverages are included in the stay, and guests receive a hard-cover book on the elephants at Camp Jabulani.

A 20-minute drive from Cape Town, the Steenberg Hotel, which is a national monuments, dates back to 1682 and has been restored.

The hotel comprises 21 guest rooms and three heritage suites within the original buildings — the Manor House, Jonkershuis (young man’s house) and the Barn. Every spacious, air-conditioned guest room is fitted with luxurious furnishings, amenities and antiques, and overlooks the vineyards, the golf course or gardens.
The original wine cellar is now Catharina’s restaurant, one of Cape Town’s best, where Chef Almazan prepares innovative cuisine, complemented by an impressive list of superb Constantia wines.

A sommelier is on hand to help diners pair the innovative South African cuisine with the perfect wine.

Guests can relax in the hotel’s luxurious spa, where a wide range of treatments are offered. The Steenberg has two swimming pools and an on-site hairdresser.

For relaxing, guests hang out at the pool bar or Bixtro Sixteen82, the new tapas bar. Guests can also play the 18-hole championship golf course designed by Peter Matkovitch.

The exclusive Camp Jabulani near Hoedspruit presents a new dimension to luxury safari holidays in South Africa. With 12 specially trained elephants, the lodge is the first in South Africa to feature elephant-back safaris and the only one to offer elephant-back safaris at moonlight. Camp Jabulani opened in 2004 with six luxurious suites, each with a private deck, plunge pool, fireplace, well-stocked private bar, air conditioning and a bath. Each suite has its own private butler to attend to a guest’s every need or desire.

The open-air lounge and dining area reflect the very finest African style using rich textures that appeal to contemporary tastes.

For families enjoying generational travel or guests seeking a little more privacy, the Zindoga Villa is an ultra-deluxe suite with a maximum capacity of six people.

It boasts two wood-burning fireplaces, two heated pools, as well as a dedicated chef and team to guarantee everything runs smoothly for guests. The Platinum Heritage Experience package is available from Nov. 1, 2010, to Oct. 31, 2011, at $9,613 per couple (excluding Dec. 20 to Jan. 5, 2011).

The six-night package does not need to be booked consecutively and is not available with any other offers.

Steenberg Hotel is on a B&B basis, inclusive of VAT and Tourism Levy.

The package includes three nights in a Heritage Suite, daily breakfast, welcome cocktail on arrival, in-room refreshment bar, private wine tasting, a book on the history of the Steenberg Hotel, butler service, laundry service, daily shuttle to the V&A Waterfront, and transfer to shops and restaurants within a five-kilometer radius.

It does not include day tours, spa treatments, golf or purchases from the pro shop, or meals (excluding breakfast).

For reservations, call 27 21 713 2222 or email reservations@steenberghotel.com

Camp Jabulani is on a fully inclusive basis, inclusive of VAT. The package includes three nights in a Luxury Suite, all meals, select beverages, elephant-back safaris, game drives, guided bush walks, visit to Hoedspruit Endangered Species Center, a book on the elephants at Camp Jabulani, and welcome cocktail on arrival.

It does not include communication costs, travel arrangements to and from the property, additional activities such as hot air ballooning, or premium brand alcoholic beverages.

For reservations, call 27 12 460 5605 or email reservations@campjabulani.com

For more information on Camp Jabulani, visit www.campjabulani.com

For information on The Steenberg Hotel, visit www.steenberghotel.com

Paul Gauguin Cruises is celebrating its first year under its new owner, Pacific Beachcomber, and is planning more improvements for 2011. Included will be the first-ever cruise to New Zealand and the menu creations of a Michelin-starred chef.

Pacific Beachcomber President and CEO Richard Bailey will accompany the line’s first cruise to New Zealand. Departing Nov. 6 and Nov. 21, the inaugural sailings will explore Tahiti as well as Rarotonga and Auckland, New Zealand.

Beginning in 2011, the Gauguin will offer a menu by Jean-Pierre Vigato, owner and chef of the two-Michelin-starred Restaurant Apicius in Paris. Vigato’s menu will be featured in the Gauguin’s La Veranda restaurant. Additionally, Vigato will join the Gauguin on the July 30, 2011, departure to the Cook and Society Islands.

“I am proud to have welcomed the Gauguin — now in her 14th year — into the Pacific Beachcomber family. Her first year with us has been a success, and we look forward to continuing to welcome our guests aboard,” Bailey said.

With more than 25 years of experience in the French Polynesian tourism market, the Pacific Beachcomber group also manages six hotels — InterContinental Tahiti Resort, InterContinental Bora Bora Le Moana Resort, InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa, InterContinental Moorea Resort and Spa, the Maitai Bora Bora and the Maitai Rangiroa.

Paul Gauguin Cruises has offered savings of 50 percent off standard cruise fares and free roundtrip air from Los Angeles on all 2011 sailings. 

Most recently, Paul Gauguin Cruises implemented a higher land commission of 10 percent for agents booking pre- and post-cruise travel.

For more information, call 800-848-6172

or visit www.pgcruises.com

The new five-star Langham Place, Beijing Capital Airport will open later this month next to the new Terminal 3 of Beijing’s only international airport.

The hotel is close to the New China International Exhibition Center and Tianzhu Airport Industrial Zone and a 15-minute train ride to the city. The six-story hotel will offer 372 bedrooms and suites with the Dream Big bed, IP telephones and Wi-Fi.

Food and beverage facilities will include a sibling of the Hong Kong two Michelin star restaurant — Ming Court and Tokoro — an authentic robatayaki restaurant, Fuel; a modern ribs and pizza dining concept; and The Place, an interactive all-day dining restaurant.

It will also feature Portal-Work & Play, a lounge bar concept that will serve cocktail and tapas in an entertaining, contemporary atmosphere.

With over 2,800 square meters of flexible function space and a choice of 22 function rooms, as well as an inspired catering service, Langham Place, Beijing Capital Airport will also cater to the events business.

Langham has a hotel heritage dating back to 1865 when The Langham in London originally opened as Europe’s first Grand Hotel.

The group is pursuing an aggressive portfolio growth strategy using its brands and affiliate — The Langham, Langham Place and Eaton. Currently 20 hotels, including affiliates, are open or in the pipeline across four continents.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. introduced Aloft Chennai OMR-IT Expressway, the first Aloft hotel to open in India and the 42nd Aloft hotel globally.

A second Aloft hotel opened on Aug. 1, 2010 in Bangalore. Urbanedge Hotels, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) of Auromatrix Hotels Private Limited, plans to set up several properties of Aloft hotels in the country over the next few years.

Aloft Chennai OMR-IT Expressway features 130 loft-like rooms and accessible technology.

The hotel is located on the Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR), the hub for IT development in Chennai.

The hotel is also adjacent to over 5,000 square feet of meeting space and a restaurant. Aloft Bengaluru Whitefield will include 170 rooms, and access to a large restaurant as well as more than 8,500 square feet of meeting space.

The hotel will be located in Whitefield, Bangalore, one of the city’s two major clusters of IT industries, home to several IT parks and an export promotion zone.

For more information, visit the banner below.

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts continues its expansion momentum in Asia Pacific, announcing an agreement with Rockwood Hotels & Resorts Ltd. to debut the Sheraton brand in the city of lakes, Udaipur in India.

The Rockwood Palace Resort and Spa has been re-branded as Sheraton Udaipur Palace Resort & Spa from Aug. 1, 2010, and is managed by Starwood Hotels & Resorts, with another five Sheraton hotels to open in India over the next three years in Bengaluru, Visakhapatnam, Chandigarh, Mysore and Amritsar.

The 240-room Sheraton Udaipur Palace Resort & Spa is located on the banks of Fateh Sagar Lake in one of India’s ancient cities. Located three kilometers west of the city center, Sheraton Udaipur is close to many of this historic city’s cultural, historic and natural attractions. Other resort facilities include approximately 600 square meters of meeting space and three gardens, four restaurants and bars, a spa and an upcoming club floor.

Guests will also delight in the Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Bed.

The hotel will also be adding nine private pool rooms as well as three family suites with direct garden access. India is a key focus of Starwood Hotels & Resorts’ expansion efforts.

The hotel giant remains on track with its plans to grow its portfolio in India by 60 percent by 2013. Starwood’s legacy in India began in 1973, when its Sheraton brand debuted in Mumbai.

For more information, visit www.sheraton.com/udaipur

Langham Hotels International plans to open its second property in Shanghai — The Langham, Xintiandi, Shanghai in the Xintiandi district.

The 24-story property will have 357 elegant rooms and 23 suites and will incorporate designer boutiques, art galleries, eclectic restaurants and bars.

Interiors are being designed by leading hospitality designer Peter Remedios.

Three new restaurants and bars will also open, including XTD, a lifestyle bar set on a terrace overlooking Xintiandi with cabanas and day beds for lounging; and Ming Court, serving a choice of Cantonese and Shanghainese specialties.

Cachet will include a lounge for Langham afternoon tea, a Café for international culinary dining, a Juice Bar for a refreshing pick-me-up, a Martini Bar for an evening tonic, as well as Alfresco, an outdoor terrace to see and be seen.

Guests can have pampering treatments in Chuan Spa, work out in the modern 24-hour gym, or take a dip in the 25-meter indoor pool.

The hotel has a modern ballroom and eight large meeting spaces, which can be tailored to the event. This new flagship is the 21st property in the expanding Langham Hotels International portfolio. Langham Hotels International opened The Langham, Yangtze Boutique, Shanghai, on May 1, 2009, to critical acclaim, winning six major awards in its first year. Meanwhile, the first Langham Place property will open at Beijing Capital Airport in August.

Langham dates back to 1865 when The Langham in London originally opened as Europe’s first Grand Hotel. The group is pursuing an aggressive portfolio growth strategy using its distinctive brands and affiliate — The Langham, Langham Place and Eaton. Currently 21 hotels, including affiliates, are open or in the pipeline across four continents. Eaton, a premium affiliate brand, aims to surprise and delight guests with a value-for-money proposition that delivers a stylish, modern level of comfort with spirited, can-do service. Langham Hotels International is a wholly owned subsidiary of Great Eagle Holdings, which was founded in 1963 and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 1972.

For more information, visit www.eatonhotels.com

BANGKOK, — The Kempinski Residences Siam Bangkok opened 22 July at the same time as the Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok. The 98 serviced apartments of the Residences adjoin the new 303-room luxury hotel in the centre of the Thai capital.

Guests at Kempinski Residences Siam will have unlimited access to all hotel facilities such as the ultra modern gym, the free-form pool in the tropical gardens, the European-Thai spa, a fully appointed kids’ club and five exceptional restaurants.

Siam Kempinski management believe the location in the very centre of Bangkok at Siam, adjacent to the Siam Paragon lifestyle mall, BTS skytrain interchange station and numerous office towers is ideal for business travellers and families staying in the Thai capital for anything from a month to a year.

“Extended business trips to Bangkok, family relocations and city living can now be highly pleasurable experiences when staying at the Kempinski Residences Siam,” said Thomas Klippstein, General Manager of both the Residences and the hotel.

“Every room has a garden view.

The Kempinski Residences Siam are a haven of calm in the heart of the city,” he said.

The Kempinski Residences Siam offer 59 studio, 26 one-bedroom, 13 two-bedroom accommodations and one 260 sqm penthouse for the ultimate in inner city luxury living. All units have been designed for comfortable long-stay living based on the principles of digital connectivity, in-room comfort, access to the hotel’s luxury amenities, and Kempinski’s globally acclaimed hospitality standards.

Four weeks before opening, 35% of the units have been contracted already.

Each Residence unit offers free internet access, two phone lines with voicemail, a 105cm (42 inch) flat screen LED TV with multiple international channels, DVD player, and docking portals for I-pods, USB, and HDMI devices (high definition multimedia interfaces).

All units offer a well equipped kitchen, daily food delivery service, a balcony overlooking the hotel gardens, access to a private outdoor rooftop pool, a gym, and a business centre with secretarial services.

The Bistro in the Residence offers all-day (0600-2300) casual dining including a generous buffet breakfast, which is included in the rate.

The opening of the Kempinski Residences Siam adds the Thai capital to Kempinski’s existing Residence portfolio which includes seven properties in China, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Turkey and Doha.

Long-stay Opening Rate Announced

Effective from the opening on 22 July, the Kempinski Residences Siam’s “Opening Long-Stay Special Rates” start (in honour of the current year) at 2,010 Thai baht (US$63) per day for a 44 sqm studio room. The 84 sqm one-bedroom rate is 4,000 baht (US$125). The 96 sqm two-bedroom rate is 4,883 baht (US$153). All rates include buffet breakfast and utilities such as electricity and water. The rates are subject to 10% service and 7% VAT. The special opening rates are only available for contract bookings for one year or more.

With the Land of Smiles on the road to recovery, Radisson Hotel Bangkok Sathorn introduces “Wellness Suites in the City,” a special hospitality package available for short or long term stays catering specifically to the needs of medical tourists.

Rooms and suites under this package are specially designed to provide extra comfort for short staying guests coming in for wellness or standard medical check-ups. This package is also available to long-staying guests and patients undergoing treatments and hospital procedures, giving them the option to stay at the Radisson® Extended Stay Suites during the time of their full recovery. The hotel provides a complete range of accommodation to meet the needs and budgets of all guests, from standard rooms to suites. All rooms are equipped with cable television with a wide range of channels including foreign-language programming, a microwave oven, refrigerator, personal safe, complimentary wireless internet access and extra-beds for the convenience of friends and family. Dietary requirements and food selections can be customised and arranged with the hotel’s food and beverage department.

Guests can choose from the hotel’s 436 guest rooms in both east and west towers offering a selection of studio rooms (39.25 square metres), one-bedroom suites (64 square metres), two-bedroom suites (121 square metres) and three-bedroom suites (188 square metres), considered as some of the largest accommodation spaces among the city hotels.

Samir Wildemann, general manager, Radisson Hotel Bangkok Sathorn said, “Thailand has received a lot of recognition from foreign nationals requiring medical check-up and treatment, and is fast becoming a centre for healthcare in Asia.

The unique selling points are the state-of-the-art medical technology, professional doctors and medical specialists, easy access to the country, reasonable medical costs, and excellent hospitality.

In addition to these, Thailand is also a major holiday destination for tourists from all over the world, as we have many wellness and recovery options.

This includes beaches and islands, mountains, art and culture, Thai cuisine, entertainment, shopping plus more, which they can experience after receiving treatment.

This also includes the families and friends of those people receiving treatment who come with them to Thailand, and they can be considered as quality tourists who have the high potential to purchase and utilize the variety of tourism products and services including accommodation, restaurants, spas, shopping centers, etc.

Therefore, it can be seen that tourists who come for medical check ups and treatment are very important to the country, as they will create income dissemination for related stakeholders within the Thai tourism industry.”

“Radisson Hotel Bangkok Sathorn is all geared up to become the hotel of choice for medical tourism source target markets in Thailand.

Aside from our well-appointed accommodation and ideal location, we also have facilities that carry an urban resort atmosphere ideal for wellness and recovery.

Our Senses Spa is now open for further relaxation and pampering to our guests.

 

When medical tourists stay with us, we upgrade their rooms and suites into what we call the Wellness Suites in the City, which are set-up to provide extra care and comfort for the guests. Radisson Bangkok Hotel Sathorn is fully-equipped to serve this market which is an important tourism revenue sector for Thailand,” Wildemann further added.

Radisson Hotel Bangkok Sathorn’s location also stands within the crossroads of the city’s business, leisure and recreational points. Access from Radisson Hotel Bangkok Sathorn to the best medical, wellness centres and hospitals around the city is convenient. It is within minutes to the entry point to elevated motorways and highways, the Bangkok Skytrain and Metro, and right across the newly-opened Bangkok’s new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).

Travel time from the hotel to well-known hospitals such as the Bangkok Medical Centre, Phyathai Hospital, Samitivej Hospital, Rama 9 Hospital, and Bumrungrad Hospital are all within 15 to 30 minutes.The Radisson Hotel Bangkok Sathorn is part of the Radisson® Hotels & Resorts, the leading upscale, full-service brand of Carlson Hotels. The Radisson Hotel Bangkok Sathorn located at 36 Narathiwat-Ratchanakarin Rd., Yannawa, Sathorn, Bangkok, Thailand.

For reservations and inquiries, please call telephone +66 (0) 2 2109000 fax: +66 (0) 2 210 9001 and e-mail: sales.bkksathorn@radisson.com  or visit http://www.radisson.com/bangkokth_sathorn