Jetsettersblog

Courtyard by Marriott Shanghai Puxi opened its doors as the brand’s largest hotel in China.

The hotel is the third Courtyard-branded property in Shanghai and joins a local portfolio that includes the 318-room Courtyard by Marriott Hotel Shanghai Pudong and the 364-room Courtyard by Marriott Shanghai Xujiahui.

Bright colors, open layout and contemporary furniture throughout the hotel reflect its innovative design that aims at creating a welcoming and sociable atmosphere for travelers.

Guests can check their email in the lobby business center, gather informally with colleagues or simply take it easy in the open-space lobby and lounge areas.

Large guestrooms allow the space to be multi-functional. Deluxe bedding, 37-inch LCD panel TVs, iHome docking stations and satellite channels ensure that guests are able to enjoy down time and unwind while well-lit work areas, high-speed Internet, laptop-size safes and the latest in-room technology tools help to increase productivity.

Courtyard Shanghai Puxi offers MoMo Café, presenting a menu that blends Western dishes with local favorites, from hamburgers to dim sum, pizza to kung pao from its open kitchen and wood-fire oven.

For guests “on the run,” the hotel offers a “grab and go” kiosk called MoMo 2 Go, which provides quick and tasty beverage and snack selections.

An executive lounge on the top floor boasts a panoramic view of the city and offers complimentary breakfast, evening drinks and snacks.

The Courtyard Shanghai Puxi also offers a 24-hour fitness center and an indoor swimming pool. A ballroom and four function rooms with natural light provide 5,382 square feet of meeting space.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc announced that its Sheraton Hotels & Resorts plans to open eight more hotels in China before the end of 2010, and another 18 by 2015.

The Sheraton brand also marked a major milestone this month with the opening of its 30th hotel in Greater China — Sheraton Zhongshan Hotel, which is Starwood’s 60th property in Greater China. Later this year, Sheraton will open Sheraton Guangzhou Hotel, signifying the brand’s debut in the city of Guangzhou, southern China’s largest metropolis and a key transportation hub.

“Sheraton is our most prolific brand in China, accounting for half of Starwood’s current portfolio in this dynamic, fast-growing market. We are delighted to expand Sheraton in established cities like Beijing and Shanghai, while simultaneously introducing the iconic hotel brand to emerging business hubs and resort destinations,” said Simon Turner, president of global development for Starwood.

“We are thrilled with the robust expansion as we announce eight more Sheraton hotels throughout China and continue to expand our established upper upscale brands in various Chinese cities where we are currently under penetrated,” said Miguel Ko, chairman and president of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Asia Pacific.

“Starwood continues to win many new hotel projects in China and this is largely due to the confidence the development community has in our lifestyle brands, noted innovations and consistently strong delivery of results in the region.”

Other key 2010 openings include the brand’s third hotel in Shanghai, Sheraton Shanghai Hong Kou Hotel, and in 2011 its second in Beijing, Sheraton Beijing Dongcheng Hotel. In 2011, Starwood will open Sheraton Hangzhou Wetland Park Resort, the first Sheraton hotel to open in China’s most promising new resort destination. Starwood’s largest brand, Sheraton boasts a current portfolio of 400 hotels in 75 countries and 92 percent awareness among business travelers, higher than all other global hotel brands.

Located in the city’s central business district, the 30th Sheraton Hotel in Greater China will offer 362 guest rooms, three restaurants and bar as well as 2,250 square meters of meeting space. Located in the heart of the Binhu district, the Sheraton Wuxi Binhu Hotel complex is adjacent to a retail mall, dining and entertainment district.

Situated in the heart of the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA), one of the fastest-growing economic zones in mainland China, the Sheraton Tianjin Binhai Hotel is within easy reach of the Tianjin TEDA Administration Commission, the future Modern Service District (MSD), International Convention and Exhibition Centre, shopping and office areas.

In close proximity to the Government Administration Center and the central business district, the Sheraton Wenzhou Hotel will offer 303 guest rooms including 76 suites, with wireless high-speed Internet access.

Located in the heart of Guangzhou’s Tianhe central business district, the Sheraton Guangzhou Hotel is part of Teem Mall, the leading commercial and shopping complex in the city.

Only one mile from the Bund, one of the city’s landmarks, the Sheraton Shanghai Hong Kou Hotel will provide 490 guest rooms and suites offering the signature Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Bed, five restaurants and bar, health club, indoor heated pool and spa.

With a city center location, Sheraton Jiangyin Hotel boasts its own attached convention center with almost 3,700 square meters of flexible conference and event space, and state of the art meetings technology including a 2,100-square-meter Grand Ballroom. Sheraton Shenzhou Peninsula Resort offers a beachfront location with many recreational options, including golfing, fishing and water sports.

For more information, visit the banner above for Sheraton Hotels worldwide.

After long delays in construction and several test runs, Suvarnabhumi Airport’s rail link began operating.

The train is offering special discount fares until the end of 2010.

The train shortens travel times for inbound and outbound air travelers.

The line was built by a consortium of B Grimm, STECON and Siemens, and is owned and operated by State Railway of Thailand (SRT). The trains run from 6 a.m. to midnight.

The Airport Link can carry up to 50,000 passengers a day

The Airport Link’s City Line runs every 15 minutes and the Express Line every 30 minutes.

The City Line makes eight stops across the capital, starting at Phaya Thai, before heading to the airport.

The trains take 30 minutes from Phaya Thai to Suvarnabhumi. Passengers using the City Line pay a flat rate of 15 baht (50 cents) for a trip during the promotion period. Fares will range from 15 baht (50 cents) to 45 baht ($1.50), depending on the distance travelled, after Jan 1.

The Express Line is a 15-minute nonstop journey between Makkasan and Suvarnabhumi and the fare is 100 baht ($3.20) per trip.

However, the fare will be raised to 150 baht ($4.79) after the check-in system is fully set up at Makkasan station.

For more information, visit www.bangkokairporttrain.com

Opening near Chanakyapuri, the central business district, is the first luxury hotel to be built from the ground up in India’s capital in 15 years. In November, The Leela Palaces, Hotels & Resorts, one of the country’s leading luxury hotel groups, will welcome its newest five-star property, the 260-room Leela Palace Kempinski New Delhi.

The contemporary hotel was designed to recall Edwin Lutyens’ turn-of-the-century architecture with references from the royal palace architecture of north India.

Spaces are grand befitting a modern palace. Lightly honed limestone walls and oversize windows and doors set the regal tone. Guests are greeted at the porte-cochère by huge stone elephants.

The architectural firm also designed Burj Place Dubai and the Ritz Carlton in Charlotte, N.C.

The Leela Palace New Delhi will feature four restaurants, a 6,500-square-foot spa, a rooftop swimming pool, a fitness center, a whiskey and wine bar, a tea lounge and more than 10,000 square feet of meeting facilities. Guests can dine on regional specialties at Jamavar, The Leela’s signature Indian restaurant or opt for Japanese at Megu, its first outpost in India, which will open in January 2011.

Designed like a glass house, Qube will serve international cuisine from 6:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. Its “show kitchen” will feature chefs preparing wok-fried specialties, pizza and steak.

The Tea Lounge will serve continental breakfast at 5:30 a.m. for early departures, a proper English afternoon tea and hot beverages in the evening.

At the roof-top Italian restaurant, set to open in December, guests can dine at another “show kitchen” while chefs prepare antipasto, handmade pasta and pizza, on the terrace or in the Chef’s Private Dining Room.

The Library Bar, with indoor and outside seating, will have an extensive collection of whiskeys and wines and an innovative Martini menu.

India’s second ESPA spa — the first opened at The Leela Palace Kempinski Udaipur last fall — will offer a comprehensive range of traditional treatments as well as Ayurveda therapies in its seven treatment rooms and couple’s suite.

A fitness center comes with all the latest equipment and will have personal trainers, sauna, steam rooms and offer yoga classes. The weather-controlled roof-top swimming pool will keep guests cool all year-round.

Boasting the largest guest rooms in the Indian capital, The Leela Palace’s Royal Club Rooms measure 520 square feet. Nineteen suites range in size from 810 to 1,530 square feet, and three have private pools.

At 4,333 square feet, the Maharaja Suite is fit for royalty — and secure enough for a head of state — with its own dining room, spa room and Jacuzzi. Luxurious furnishings, hand-woven rugs and tapestries and original sculptures create an opulent ambiance.

Lavish baths in Italian marble come with deep soaking tubs and rain showers.

Twenty-four hour butler service is available for all rooms.

All guestrooms are equipped with a two-line Internet Protocol phone and two other phones; Sony high-definition LCD television with Blu-Ray player; Bose iPod dock; high-speed broadband Internet access; and Wi-Fi.

The hotel has also devoted tremendous consideration to security. The Leela has installed an elaborate CCTV network monitored 24 hours a day as well as a state-of-the-art locking system for guest rooms.

A highly trained hotel security team constantly monitors the property, including the elevators, and all entrances and exits are guarded 24 hours a day by professional security guards.

Guests and all luggage enter through metal detectors.

Telephone operators and other staff members have been instructed not to divulge room numbers or guest names, and housekeeping staff knows not to open rooms without checking with security.

Business travelers will appreciate the amenities of the Royal Club accommodations which begin with private limousine transfers from the airport, private check-in and check-out, 24-hour Business Center with Board Room, 24-hour butler service and entrée to the Royal Club Lounge that is open from 5:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. and will feature five different food presentations daily.

The hotel has extensive conference and meeting facilities including the 4,150-square-foot Grand Ballroom, the 1,200-square-foot Royal Ballroom, six meeting rooms and two board rooms. The Leela Palace Kempinski New Delhi will have its soft opening in October when 100 guest rooms will be ready.

Prices start at $500 per room. For more information, visit www.theleela.com

The Westin Denarau Island Resort & Spa is currently undergoing a revitalization process that will enrich their guests’ dining experience.

After 30 years of providing guests with great dining memories, one of the resort’s iconic restaurants, the Steakhouse, is undergoing a refreshing new look.

It will re-open as Moo Moo The Wine Bar+Grill in September, 2010.

With restaurants located on the Gold Coast and Brisbane in Australia, Moo Moo The Wine Bar+Grill will be providing the same Australian cuisine specializing in premium export steak along with other tantalizing tastes which the restaurant is renowned for.

With an award winning wine list to match, guests can expect a dining experience unlike any other.

The restaurant has won countless dining awards including Gold Coast Best Steak Restaurant from 2006 through to 2009.

With interest in wakeboarding in Thailand growing consistently, Actionsportasia.com, a sports portal aiming to promote adventure sports in Thailand have teamed up with Thai Wake Park to promote wakeboarding in Bangkok.

The growth of wakeboarding in Thailand has been impressive and cable wake parks, as well as boat operators have sprung up all over the country to cater for the increase in demand.

The reputation for wakeboarding in Thailand has led to international notoriety and the world tour recently was hosted by Thai Wake Park.

Thai Wake Park is located in Bangkok and is easily accessible for both tourists and locals alike. Featuring state of the art equipment, an on site restaurant and in September accommodation, Thai Wake Park is a great place to enjoy your free time with friends.

Whilst most travelers to Bangkok associate the city with traffic, bars, clubs and temples, wakeboarding is a refreshing way to cool off and is a great form of exercise.

Action Sport Asia is aiming to be the leading wakeboarding information resource in Asia and is teaming up with wake parks throughout the region.

For more information please visit: http://www.actionsportasia.com

About Action Sport Asia

Launched in 2009, Action Sport Asia was born from a desire to exploit the incredible opportunities for adventure sports in Thailand.

Designed for people who want more from a holiday than just relaxing by the pool, we aim to be your first stop on the road to a fantastic Thai holiday.

Whatever you are looking to do, from wakeboarding in thailand to rock climbing in krabi and so much more, our site will help you tailor your holiday to your needs.

For more information, please contact

Dan Wallace, Founder and CEO
info@actionsportasia.com

Launched in 2009, Action Sport Asia was born from a desire to exploit the incredible opportunities for adventure sports in Thailand.

Designed for people who want more from a holiday than just relaxing by the pool, we aim to be your first stop on the road to a fantastic Thai holiday.

Whatever you are looking to do, from scuba diving to rock climbing and so much more, our site will help you tailor your holiday to your needs.

Impiana Hotels, Resorts and Spa recently announced the opening of Impiana Private Villas, Kata Noi, Phuket, a stunning 6-star luxurious boutique resort perched directly above the Andaman Sea in Kata Noi, Phuket.

Luxury is imbued into every aspect of the new resort, with each of the four villas and seven suites featuring a private infinity pool, 24-hour personal butler service, floor-to-ceiling sea-front glass walls, deep-soaking bathtubs, flat-screen televisions equipped with all major channels and wired Internet and iPod docking stations. Additional amenities include a fine dining restaurant, wine cellar and cigar bar.

Located 90 minutes by car from Phuket International Airport, the property is nestled among one of the most beautiful beach on Phuket’s the west coast.

For more information, visit www.impiana.com

The Westin Siray Bay Resort & Spa Phuket, Thailand’s first Westin resort, opened its doors.

Located on the picturesque Siray Island on the east coast of Phuket, the property overlooks the Siray Bay, boasting a secluded beach and beautiful ocean views from every vantage point.

Each of the 261 modern guest rooms, suites and villas have ocean views, outdoor balconies, Westin Heavenly Beds®, Westin Heavenly Baths®, rain showers, flat screen LCD televisions, state-of-the-art audio visual entertainment jacks, iPod docking station and high speed broadband and wireless internet. Select guestrooms, suites and villas feature private plunge pools and rooftop relaxation areas overlooking Siray Bay.

Other unique features include a white tea scented lobby, Thailand’s first Heavenly Spa by Westin® (with four single and three couple treatment rooms), a Vichy shower room, Ayurveda wellness room and steam and sauna rooms.

A Westin Kids Club® is also available, and the resort has three large swimming pools, all with adjoining bubble beds, Jacuzzi’s and sun lounges.

To know more, visit: http://www.phuket.com/the-westin-siray-bay-resort

With a Series Of Stylish Events to Round off Dream Calendar 2010

Following a year of hugely successful events, Huvafen Fushi, Per AQUUM’s award winning retreat in the Maldives, is delighted to announce the final global acts that will be gracing the retreats idyllic shores and rounding off the Dream Calendar’s 2010 series of events.

The Dream Calendar is a Per AQUUM concept, created exclusively for Huvafen Fushi four years ago and is the only one of its kind in the Maldives.

It is a yearly calendar of events during which the island hideaway hosts some of the worlds best DJs, winemakers, artists and spa gurus. So far, DJ’s Ravin of Buddha-bar fame, José Padilla from Café del Mar and two time Grammy nominee and official DJ and producer to the Black Eyed Peas, DJ Poet, yoga expert Jessie Chapman and winemakers such as Cristina Antinori and Mouton Rothschild, to name but a few, have been involved.

On October 15th 2010, acclaimed DJ and producer of the Buddha-bar series, Ravin will be touching down to play for guests at the on-island launch of Huvafen Fushi Maldives by Ravin Volume 2, a compilation CD of exotic Maldives inspired musical blends.

Huvafen Fushi Maldives by Ravin Volume 2 features 13 brand new unreleased tracks that promise a unique fusion of cool ambient house mixes that embody the spirit of Huvafen Fushi.

The compilation is currently available to buy from all major record stores. Ravin will also be playing at the Hay Festival closing party on October 16th 2010. This spectacular event, held on the Presidential island of Aarah, is the accumulation of a four day arts extravaganza across the Maldives.

Hot on his heels, Michael Canitrot – DJ, producer and creator of the ‘So, Happy in Paris?’ parties – will be jetting into Huvafen Fushi to mix his eclectic, rhythmic and melodic beats in a exclusive party on November 3rd 2010.

One of the most sought after DJ’s today, Michael Canitrot has created bespoke sound designs for Dior, Cartier, Versace, D&G and the Crazy Horse Cabaret.

Michael is also behind the ‘So, Happy in Paris?’ concept parties in 2005 which has since taken Europe by storm and is the first Official DJ for the International Cannes Film Festival.

From November1st – 7th 2010, Huvafen Fushi will be hosting a showcase of bespoke jewellery by Asia’s finest new luxury online boutique, Qismet.

Sophisticated and chic in design with a touch of attitude, select pieces of jewellery and accessories from the Qismet collection have been handpicked from international labels MAWI, Erickson Beamon and Buba – whose pieces are usually seen on First Lady Michelle Obama, style icon Sarah Jessica Parker and Bollywood beauty Aishwarya Rai.

These are the last in the series of A-list personalities to visit Huvafen Fushi, each adding an edgy, ebullient vibe to the exclusive Dream Calendar series of events for 2010. ‘It is a collection of rare opportunities for guests’ to connect with celebrated photographers, chefs, designers and musicians,’ says Neil Palmer, CEO, Per AQUUM. ‘Guests who visited this year were treated to an exclusive performance by the Black Eyed Peas DJ Poet, a fashion shoot by top fashion photographer, Milan Josipovic and Charles Schillings launched his first double disc compilation, ‘Like A Radio’.

For 2011, look out for an elite line up to celebrate the 5th Anniversary of the Dream Calendar.’

Huvafen Fushi is located in the North Malé Atoll and enjoys a pristine private island setting featuring 44 naturally modern bungalows and pavilions, the world’s first and only underwater spa. Managing company Per AQUUM Retreats • Resorts • Residences is dedicated to delivering an experience beyond each guest’s highest expectations, while remaining dedicated to the sustainable development and resources of the Maldives.

Lead-in Rate – Nightly rates at Huvafen Fushi, Maldives start from USD$800 (£527)* per room, per night, in a Beach Bungalow with Pool, including breakfast and all taxes. Call Huvafen Fushi on +960 66 44 222,

email reservations@huvafenfushi.com  or book online at www.huvafenfushi.com

Shipwreck mystique at ‘Graveyard of the Atlantic,’ herds of wild horses make this crescent-shaped grassland an intriguing destination.

Canada’s newest national park will be the 40-km (25-mi) narrow crescent of grassland, mud flats and sandy beaches nicknamed the “Graveyard of the Atlantic.”

Sable Island, 300 km (186 mi) southeast of Halifax, NS, is the site of some 223 known shipwrecks since the mid-1700s.

It’s also home to a famed herd of about 400 wild horses, descendants of horses a Bostonian clergyman sent over to graze on the island.

In late May, the governments of Canada and Nova Scotia announced the island will be designated a national park, affording its sensitive habitat the highest level of protection.

In addition to the horses, wind-swept Sable Island harbours the world’s largest congregation of breeding grey seals and several at-risk species and sub-species.

One, the Ipswich Savannah sparrow, breeds nowhere else on earth.

Between 100 and 200 people visit the island each year, most of them researchers or federal employees, but about 50 are visitors.

As a national park, Sable Island will be open to travellers, though the number will likely be limited. Federal Minister of the Environment, the Honourable Jim Prentice, said, “Canadians deserve to witness the beauty and the significance of this historic island.” And so do travellers.

www.novascotia.com