Jetsettersblog

Hotel Izulu in Ballito, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, hosted a gala evening on Friday, Oct. 8, to celebrate the hotel’s sixth anniversary and mark the second year of the “Best of KZN — Destinations of Distinction” Association.

The event was attended by members of government, media and the hospitality industry. Guests dined on cuisine prepared by Executive Chef Guy Gorrie from his private signature menus, which showcase what will soon be available in the new GiGi’s Brasserie, a new concept in dining at Hotel Izulu.

The five-star Hotel Izulu, situated in Ballito, is an eco-luxury boutique accommodation. It has an award-winning Impilo Spa, wedding and banqueting facilities, the Chef’s Table in the heart of the kitchen, a wine cellar, the picturesque organic herb and vegetable garden and the Orangery.

Hotel Izulu is a collection of independent, totally individual and owner-driven destinations in the countryside of KwaZulu Natal.

The company has combined various attributes of the area to create tours of interest as no two destinations are alike.

The concept has proved very popular with owner, tour operators and guests with the result that more properties are approaching us wishing to be members.

Hotel Izulu member properties include Cleopatra Mountain Farmhouse, Fugitives Drift, Duma Manzi, Thanda Private Game Reserve and Three Tree at Spioenkop.

For more information, visit www.hotelizulu.com

The Table Bay Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa, launched a community initiative called the “One Street at a Time” project that aims to build Langa, one of Cape Town’s oldest townships, into a sustainable tourism destination in the Western Cape.

It represents a partnership between The Table Bay Hotel and Tony Elvin Associates along with the Harlem Avenue Residents Enterprise Association.

Starting on the richly historical and cultural Harlem Avenue, the social enterprise project is all about cleaning, greening and growing.

The Table Bay Hotel is working with local residents and guests to reinvigorate the township by preserving historic sites and building local businesses such as hotels, cafes, restaurants, and arts and crafts vendors.

The project will restore the homes of famous South Africans like Chris Hani, the influential anti-apartheid activist as tourism attractions.

The first phase of the project is the rejuvenation of the shop-lined street and The Table Bay Hotel is donating all the hardware, supplies, and manpower necessary for a complete makeover.

Six historic homes have retained their original architectural styles on Harlem Avenue and, as part of a revitalized space, are the start of the rehabilitation of the avenue.

Guests are invited to work hands on with residents and hotel staffers, spending either an afternoon or full day helping the community.

The Table Bay Hotel is a Sun International property, located on Cape Town’s Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. Sun International operates resorts and luxury hotels in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, and Swaziland.

The company’s properties also include the Royal Livingstone in Zambia, as well as The Palace of the Lost City in Sun City.

For more information, email SAinfo@sun-int.net  or visit www.suninternational.com

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. will open the first Le Méridien hotel in Istanbul in the autumn of 2011.

The new 260-room Le Méridien Istanbul Etiler marks the brand’s debut in Turkey. Owned by Makyol Construction Industry Tourism and Trading Co. Inc., the hotel overlooks the Bosphorus.

Located in the area of Etiler, near Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge connecting Europe and Asia, Le Méridien Istanbul Etiler will be tailored to both business and leisure travelers.

The 32-story hotel will provide a fully integrated contemporary lifestyle experience featuring 206 guest rooms, 26 suites and 28 serviced apartments, a Creative Hub (Le Méridien’s new lobby concept), destination bar, signature restaurant and rooftop lounge with stunning views of the city.

Le Méridien Istanbul Etiler will also offer meeting and event space, a wellness area including a gym, spa and both indoor and outdoor pools.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts currently operates six hotels throughout Turkey, including three in Istanbul — W Istanbul, Sheraton Istanbul Maslak Hotel, Sheraton Istanbul Atakoy Hotel, Sheraton Ankara Hotel & Convention Centre, Sheraton Voyager Antalya Hotel and Sheraton Cesme Hotel Resort and Spa.

In addition to Le Méridien Istanbul Etiler, Starwood will also open a Luxury Collection Hotel in Ankara next year.

The Israel Ministry of Tourism launched a website targeted to the Evangelical Christian market.

The new website, www.evangelicalisraelexperience.com  includes general information about travel to Israel, as well as news items, places of interest, virtual tours, events, videos and itineraries for key cities in Israel that contain important Christian holy sites.

For more information on travel to Israel, visit www.goisrael.com

Skiers and snowboarders can rent part of Sir Richard Branson’s privately owned chalet, The Lodge in Verbier, Switzerland.

It has a few remaining dates available in December where guests will be able to ski in to an individual room and book hotel style for a stay of up to nine nights.

From Dec. 10 to 19, 2010, guests can book individual rooms for stays of three, four, five, seven or nine nights.

Rates start from GBP 2,760 per room for a three-night stay and are based on double occupancy.

The price includes accommodation at The Lodge, daily breakfast, afternoon tea and dinner, all drinks including alcoholic drinks and house champagne, 24-hour driver service within Verbier and taxes.

It also includes access to the indoor heated pool and indoor or outdoor Jacuzzis and curling on the mini ice rink (weather permitting).

Set arrival dates apply and separate rates apply for children staying in the bunkroom.

For more information, visit

www.virginlimitededition.com

Caesars Palace, Imperial Palace and Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino are launching “PetStay Las Vegas,” a new pet-friendly hotel program.

Effective immediately, the three resorts allow guests to bring their dogs, who get the amenities required for dog travel.

Each participating resort hosts a designated PetStay area within the hotel, equipped with welcome packets that direct guests to outdoor relief areas and dog-walking routes as well as specialty room service menus.

Guests participating in the PetStay program get in-room amenities including a mat, food and water dishes, disposable waste bags and dog treats.

Information about additional dog-friendly items for purchase and nearby dog services (such as grooming, walking and veterinary care) is available upon check-in.

Dogs staying at the three hotels must weigh 50 pounds or less and be present at the time of check-in.

Dogs are permitted to walk through designated common areas while on a leash and accompanied by the owner. Dogs left unattended in a guest room must be crated at all times; crates are available for rental.

Hotel room rates for owners traveling with a dog are priced at a $25-per-night upgrade for designated pet-friendly accommodations in the Augustus Tower at Caesars Palace;

a $20-per-night upgrade applies to similar accommodations at Imperial Palace and Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.

For a list of policies, rates and availability, visit www.PetStayLasVegas.com

For more information, call 800-427-7247 or visit www.harrahs.com

Choice Hotels is celebrating the second anniversary of Ascend Collection, which offers participating hotels the Choice Privileges rewards program, which provides properties with exposure to its network of 10 million Choice Privileges members.

Member hotels also become part of the company’s worldwide distribution system, and are featured on one of the ChoiceHotels.com website.

Member properties have an average daily rate of approximately $123, and revenue per available room year to date of $66. As part of Ascend Collection, hotels maintain their individuality while gaining marketing and operational support from hospitality veterans and industry-leading tools designed to enhance reservations and performance.

The Ascend Collection features 37 member properties and more than a dozen others under development in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean, the program is exceeding its goals across the board, according to company officials.

The network’s current markets include New York City; Chicago; Golden, Colo.; Bloomington, Minn., near Minneapolis; Little Harbor, Anguilla; San Juan, P.R.; Fall River, N.S., outside Halifax; and destinations throughout Hawaii, California and Florida, among others.

For more information, visit www.ascendcollection.com or the banner below.

Waikiki Beach Walk has three new tenants — two casual eateries and an island boutique.

Sushi 2 Go by Kaiwa has opened on the street level of the Wyndham Vacation Ownership building next to the Honolulu Cookie Co.

Sushi 2 Go buys from local purveyors and uses the freshest tuna and ogo in Hawaii with all their sushi made fresh-to-order.

The store is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Open for several months, Subway at Waikiki Beach Walk is open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Located one door over from Cheeseburger Beachwalk on the center’s second level, locally owned Na Pua O Hawaii features resort fashion apparel and accessories, including Tori Richards, Anne Namba, Jams World, Eric Javits-New York, Harari-Beverly Hills, Christine Alexander and more.

Open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Waikiki Beach Walk is an open-air, multi level shopping plaza in the heart of Waikiki along Lewers Street.

For more information, visit

www.WaikikiBeachWalk.com

Virgin Galactic’s first commercial spaceliner, VSS Enterprise, made history on Sunday, Oct. 10, when it made a successful glide from its mother ship, WhiteKnightTwo, from an altitude of 40,000 feet before returning to earth in the Mojave Desert.

More than 340 Virgin Galactic “astronauts” have already signed up to fly on the spaceliner at cost of roughly $200,000 each.

The trips will launch from a new dedicated Spaceport currently being built in New Mexico.

Virgin Galactic flights are being sold by special space travel-accredited Virtuoso travel agents.

“Today was a huge milestone as Virgin Galactic’s VSS Enterprise spaceship was released from VSS mothership and glided to a beautiful landing in the Mojave,” wrote Matthew Upchurch, CEO of Virtuoso, in a Facebook post. “This and being at Spaceport America last week sure makes the future feel a lot closer!”

The process of reaching this milestone also has been documented for the premiere of National Geographic Channel’s (NGC) four-part series, Virgin Galactic, which will document the historic process and milestones leading up to the first commercial space flight.

Premiering Monday, Oct. 18, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on NGC, Virgin Galactic is providing exclusive documentary coverage Virgin Galactic’s Sir Richard Branson and legendary aeronautical engineer Burt Rutan as they strive to be first to make space tourism an everyday reality.

Also included in the premiere episode will be the backstory of the venture, including Rutan’s win of the Ansari X Prize with SpaceShipOne and WhiteKnightOne.

For a video of Sunday’s test flight, see

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDUVe3a496Y

For more information, visit www.virgingalactic.com/glideflightor  www.virgingalactic.com

The Chatwal New York, Manhattan’s newest luxury hotel located on West 44th Street, unveiled The Chatwal Spa by Kashwére.

The Kashwére brand has joined forces with The Chatwal New York for a first-time collaboration.

The 2,400-square-foot The Chatwal Spa has three treatment rooms, each fitted with light therapy technology; three private changing suites with steam shower and private bathroom; a relaxation area with made-to-order healthy spa cuisine; two saltwater plunge pools (both hot and cold); a saltwater lap-pool able to simulate natural water currents; a manicure and pedicure room; and a cardio/strength fitness studio.

Therapies include Intraceuticals oxygen facial treatments, organic beauty lines SwissClinical and Spa Technologies, and body treatments crafted from organic oils designed by Body Bliss.

Several unique signature treatments include the Chatwal Luxe massage, the Barefoot on Broadway pedicure and the In a New York Minute facial.

Treatments are available on an individual basis, or for small-group celebrations or business meetings, either in spa, in suite or on one of the suite’s private outdoor terraces.

For more information, visit www.thechatwalny.com