Jetsettersblog

Icelandair continues to expand their 2011 summer schedule with the announcement of additional flights from Seattle, and increased service to Scandinavia, Continental Europe and the U.K from all gateways.

Starting May 5, 2011, Icelandair will operate up to six flights per week from Seattle Tacoma International with the addition of Thursday and Friday departures.

Further, passengers from North America will have more options to Scandinavia with daily flights to Helsinki starting June 14, 2011, and additional flights to Bergen, Trondheim and Stavanger, Norway.

Frequency to Manchester and Glasgow will also increase with up to four flights per week. Earlier this month, Icelandair announced new destinations in Scandinavia including Billund, Denmark and Gothenburg, Sweden. Additionally, two flights a week to Hamburg, Germany will debut June 3, 2011.

With these additions, Icelandair will operate up to 200 flights per week for the 2011 summer schedule, including nine Scandinavian and five German destinations, giving Icelandair passengers more options when traveling to Europe.

Icelandair offers service to Iceland from Boston, New York-JFK, Seattle, and seasonal service from Minneapolis-St. Paul, Orlando Sanford, Halifax and Toronto. Connections through Icelandair’s hub at Keflavik International Airport are available to over 20 destinations in Scandinavia, the U.K. and Continental Europe. Icelandair also allows passengers to stopover in Iceland at no additional airfare.

For more information, call 800-223-5500 or visit www.icelandair.us

Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc., and its new hotels brand, Aloft Hotels, will open the Aloft Brussels Schuman, the first Aloft hotel to open in Europe.

Aloft Hotels delivers urban-inspired, modern design and an energetic guest experience at an affordable price point. Located in the European Union district, the hotel will feature 147 loft-like rooms including three “Breezy Lofts” (Aloft’s re-interpretation of a suite), a bar scene in the open lobby, an urban-inspired grab-and-go café and industrial design elements throughout.

A vision of W Hotels, Aloft’s stylish urban attitude is designed to occupy the European mid-market hotel scene.

With more than 40 hotels open since its June 2008 debut, Aloft currently operates hotels in five countries — the U.S., Canada, China, the United Arab Emirates and India, with Belgium marking its sixth destination.

Besides opening its first hotel in Europe with the Aloft Brussels Schuman, Aloft is continuing its global expansion with further openings planned in India and the U.S. as well as brand introductions in Thailand and the U.K.

Aloft Brussels Schuman will have atmospheric public spaces where guests can mix and mingle, read the paper, work on laptops, play a game of pool or grab a drink with friends at the re:mix lounge and w xyz bar.

The w xyz bar is a destination bar for hotel guests and local residents alike.

The spacious guest rooms will feature the brand’s signature high ceilings, oversized windows and an ultra-comfortable bed as well as roomy walk-in showers and bath amenities created by Bliss Spa.

Each Aloft room will also be equipped with complimentary wireless Internet access and a unique plug-and-play connectivity solution which connects most electronic devices to the 42-inch flat-screen TV, turning the room into a high-tech office as well as an entertainment centre.

Aloft Brussels Schuman is the fifth Starwood Hotel in Belgium, joining Le Méridien Brussels, Sheraton Brussels Hotel, Sheraton Brussels Airport Hotel and Four Points by Sheraton Brussels.

For more information, visit the banner below.

The James announced the opening of its New York luxury hotel,

The James New York. The Soho luxury hotel, anchoring the southwest corner of Soho at Grand and Thompson streets, is now accepting reservations at its 114 guestrooms and suites.

In conjunction with the opening, the hotel is offering introductory rates starting from $349 and including in-room breakfast.

The Soho boutique hotel, designed by the Office for Design and Architecture (ODA) in collaboration with Perkins Eastman and custom interiors by Amanda Sullivan with The James Design team, blends elements of artistry and community throughout. Every detail of the hotel has been meticulously thought out from room numbers to the one-of-a-kind textiles and light fixtures selected by furniture curator Cristina Grajales.

The James New York will feature a mix of local and international artists, both prominent and up-and-coming.

The curated art collection is an extension of The James Chicago’s extensive, cultural partnerships in Chicago.

Additional features of the Soho luxury hotel, include a 16th floor penthouse loft with skyline views of the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges; a fully equipped gym with river views; in-room amenities from Intelligent Nutrients, a certified organic, food-based, natural beauty line; audio technology from Bowers & Wilkins, including Zeppelin iPod docking stations and iPads loaded with customized local shopping and dining guides; and complimentary bicycles courtesy of Public Bikes or use of the hotel’s Lexus RX 400 hybrid vehicle.

The James New York offers a range of offerings for kids and pets alike, including pajama sets and Paul Frank coloring sheets.

For guests traveling with their dogs, beds and doggy bowls will be provided by Soho-based pet retail shop Doggystyle, along with a specially created amenity treat bag.

Other features include the Sky Lobby, a third-floor glass-walled welcome and reception area; an urban garden; the outdoor Garden Bar & Restaurant, which will open in the spring; meeting and event space; and rooftop pool deck.

For reservations or more information, visit www.jameshotels.com/New-York.aspx

The historic Stonepine Estate Resort in Carmel Valley, Calif., is now available to the public.

The 20-room property is offering the two-night Stonepine Estate Experience package, which includes full European breakfast each morning, champagne and hors d’oeuvres and dinner for two at Chateau Noel, one private massage for two, one picnic lunch for two, and a Western riding lesson at Stonepine’s Equestrian Center or a trail ride for two on the estate grounds.

Package rates start at $1,150 per room, double.

In addition, the property’s amenities include The Blacksmith Shop, the resort’s original blacksmith barn that cared for famous horses like Majestic Price and Bolero Lady, which is now a western-themed bar; the Carriage House, a rustic event space that also houses the antique carriages from the Stonepine Carriage Collection; the Waterfall Pavilion, a fully furnished outdoor living room with two waterfalls connecting three ponds, which can accommodate a variety of events;

the Greenhouse, where guests can learn to transplant and pot plants, hear lectures from gardening experts and learn about the property’s historic gardens;

the Cutting and Vegetable Garden, a new garden with fruit, herbs and vegetables, where guests can take continental breakfast;

and the Screening Room and Wine Cellar, where guests can watch DVD’s from the resort’s library while dining.

For more information, call 831-659-2245 or visit www.stonepinecarmel.com

Brendan Vacations has added more than 200 new premium hotels to its FIT offerings in London, Paris, Rome, Venice and Florence.

The new hotels are primarily four- and five-star properties and reflect the increased desire of FIT travelers to stay in higher-rated accommodations.

Five-star additions include the following: in London, Radisson Edwardian Hampshire, Mandarin Oriental, and Intercontinental Park Lane; in Rome, St. Regis, Marriott Grand Flora, and Le Meridien Eden; in Venice, Hotel Helvetia and Bristol, Hotel Lungarno and Continentale; in Florence, Westin Excelsior, Montebello Splendid and Palazzo Magnani Feroni; in Paris, Ritz, Novotel Les Halles and Intercontinental Le Grand.

Brendan Vacations is a leading U.S. tour operator offering a selection of escorted, independent, and locally hosted and group travel options.

Established in 1969, Brendan’s portfolio now includes more than 800 packages and 10,000 hotels in Ireland, the U.K., Europe, Egypt, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Fiji, Mexico, South and Central America.

For more information,

call 800-421-.8446

or visit www.BrendanVacations.com

The Big Thunder Suite (pictured) at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, Calif., is the wildest suite in the wilderness.

Located on the 11th floor of the hotel’s Dreams Tower, the new Big Thunder Suite at the Disneyland Hotel in California immerses up to six guests in 1,400-square-feet of rustic accommodations inspired by the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad attraction at Disneyland Park. The new suite adds to the hotel’s growing portfolio of signature suites that includes the Mickey Mouse Penthouse, Pirates of the Caribbean Suite, Fairy Tale Suite and two regal suites.

Howling wolves sound to the push of the Big Thunder Suite’s doorbell as guests step into a mine shaft foyer inlayed with Fool’s Gold and hear the rumble of a passing runaway mine train.

A button on the wall can be pushed to trigger sound effects from the attraction.

The mine shaft leads into a living and dining area that separates the suite’s two bedrooms.

In many rooms, repurposed wood from a Midwestern barn is used as flooring and paneling, which is complimented by textured earthen walls.

A stone-hearth fireplace in the living area serves as the suite’s centerpiece and houses a mounted flat-panel TV.

When not in use, the TV is concealed by one of the many pieces of attraction concept art found throughout the suite.

The living area also includes a surround-sound stereo system and displays antique tools once used for mining gold, including an 1850s gold scale and pan.

The centerpiece of the dining area is a knotted table with seating for eight, with a wagon-wheel chandelier.

Nearby is a wet bar made of petrified wood and above the bar hangs a “living portrait” of a gold miner who magically changes activities over the course of the day. Rustic décor belies the amenities found in the suite’s two bedrooms.

The master bedroom is appointed with a desk, sitting area, flat-panel TV and king-sized bed with a commanding headboard made of rich wood, brown leather and exposed brackets.

The master bath is revealed through a sliding barn door, where a free-standing copper tub is surrounded by a stone wall.

The tub’s copper finish matches the copper piping in the adjacent steam shower, which is tiled with an earth-tone mosaic. A television is concealed behind the mirror above the bathroom’s bucket sinks.

The Big Thunder Suite is part of the significant “re-imagination” underway at the Disneyland Hotel. The project includes completely new guest rooms, a new pool and water play area with monorail-inspired body slides, a new restaurant and bar and the renovation of an existing pool.

The work will considerably open up the courtyard and pool area, allowing guests a clear line of vision and easy access across the property.

Changes will restore and highlight the original mid-century style of the classic hotel.

The hotel’s original two-story bungalows were built in 1955, just months after Walt Disney’s first theme park opened its gates; the first tower was erected in 1962.

The hotel’s expansion is scheduled to complete in 2012.

For reservation or more information, call 800-854-3104 or visit www.disneytravelagents.com

Accor’s 10th property in Mexico, the Ibis Hermosillo, extends the network to a total of more than 1,400 rooms in the country, including two Novotel brand hotels (Mexico City and Monterrey) and eight units under the leading economy hotel brand ibis in Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara, Aguascalientes, Merida, Chihuahua and now Hermosillo.

Accor started its operations in Mexico in 2002.

In just the past year, Accor has opened four hotels in Mexico as part of its long-term Development Plan and has currently three additional hotels under construction: ibis Ciudad Juarez Consulado (opening late 2010), ibis Cancun Centro (opening January 2011), and ibis San Luis Potosi (opening mid 2011) as well as one more unit under development in Mexico-Tlalnepantla.

Caribe Royale All-Suite Hotel & Convention Center and Buena Vista Suites, in Orlando, Fla., announced a partnership with Stash Hotel Rewards, a hotel rewards program that enables travelers to quickly earn free nights at distinctive, independent hotels without black-outs or inflexible category restrictions.

Guests of Caribe Royale and Buena Vista Suites can now earn points toward free nights each time they stay at any of the 81 distinctive hotels in more than 63 cities that participate in Stash.

Guests can sign up for a free account at the Stash website www.stashrewards.com

Points can be earned immediately and never expire. Additionally,

Stash members have access to exclusive travel deals.

For more information about the Caribe Royale and Buena Vista Suites, visit www.thecaribeorlando.com

The couples-only Jewel Beach Resort and Spa in Mammee Bay, St. Ann, Jamaica, outside of Ocho Rios, said Carol Bourke, the hotel’s general manager, in an interview with the Jamaica Observer.

Owned by Sagicor Pooled Investment Funds and managed by Aimbridge Hospitality, the hotel is the former Sandals Dunn’s River Resort.

The all-inclusive resort features six restaurants, five bars, two swimming pools, tennis courts, a golf course, a sports court, beach cabanas, an updated fitness center and a gift shop.

The resort has retained 300 members of the previous hotel’s staff.

The resort is offering an introductory rate of $113 per person, per night, double occupancy; vacationers who book up to two nights receive a 50-minute complimentary massage.

For more information, visit www.aimbridgehospitality.com

The Carmel Valley Ranch in Carmel Valley, Calif., has completed a $35 million revamp by Hyatt scion John Pritzker.

The 139 redesigned guestrooms now offer iPod stations, wood-burning fireplaces and decks. In addition, the resort added an 11,000-square-foot spa, two new pools, a hilltop yoga program, a two-acre organic garden, a five-acre lavender farm, a cooking class venue and a beekeeping facility.

Nightly room rates start at $425. For more information, call 831-625-9500 or visit www.carmelvalleyranch.com