Jetsettersblog

As part of its ongoing efforts to rejuvenate and actively promote the island’s tourism sector, the Montserrat Tourist Board’s revamped and new-look destination website www.visitmontserrat.com  is now live.

The user-friendly and engaging site showcases the key selling points of the destination, its attractions, how to get to Montserrat, as well as where to stay, eat and ‘lime’. Integrating popular social media such as Facebook, users of the website can get a good sense of what to expect when they visit ‘The Other Emerald Isle’.

The homepage of the site features large colourful rotating banner images and a picture slideshow depicting the main tourism product offers of Montserrat, such as volcano watching, hiking, birding, aquatic adventures, unique festivals and events.

It also allows users to view the latest weather, link to the local radio station, read the latest news, view upcoming events, and – at a click of a button – translate the entire site into French, German or Spanish.

Users can easily navigate from the homepage to the information on getting to Montserrat; read and/or sign up for the monthly tourism e-newsletter; view special holiday packages on offer; find the contact details for overseas tour operators selling Montserrat; and also quickly find a directory of local tourism businesses.

One of the key upgrades made to the existing site has been the integration key social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, You Tube and RSS Feeds. On the homepage of the new site, users can get the latest Twitter updates, become one of the more than 4,200 fans that are following Montserrat on Facebook, register for RSS feeds and connect to the ‘Island of Montserrat’ YouTube account to view video clips on the destination.

The site also has a media centre where high-resolution photos can be downloaded, news items and archived news can be found, and the tourism board’s main promotional brochures, including maps, are also available.

Ernestine Cassell, Director of Tourism of the Montserrat Tourist Board, said:

“Visitmontserrat.com continues to be the number one source of comprehensive tourism and general information about Montserrat on the web, and therefore we have to ensure that we have a fresh, dynamic and innovative site that provides the most up-to-date information to our audience”.

To view the new site please go to www.visitmontserrat.com

With some companies still struggling to bounce back from the GFC, travel budgets remain tight. However, rather than not travel at all, companies are looking to make the most of their travel budget. A recent report by Harvard Business Review found that 79% of business travellers thought that in-person meeting were the best way to meet new clients and sell business.

Ann Due, New Zealand Sales Manager for Best Western Australasia said that while the accommodation industry has slowed down, there remains a focus on luring back corporate travellers with added extras.

“Our global Best Western Rewards program is perfect for companies wanting to make the most of their travel budget. First of all, simply by signing up, companies receive a discounted rate off the Best Available

Rate and points are awarded for every stay at any Best Western hotel worldwide. They also receive discounts off car hire and free upgrades where possible. The points can be redeemed for free room nights – so they’re basically getting something for nothing as the program is free to join”.

Best Western also provides companies with corporate negotiated rates, with as much as 20% off the Best Available Rate, which they can use at any time of the year, even peak periods.

Business travellers can also benefit from high-speed wireless access available in most hotels along with conference and meeting facilities which provide great value for money.

For those who need longer stays, it’s best to choose a hotel with a full kitchen or kitchenette, which can help save money on meals. Additionally, save on transport costs by choosing a location close to the airport or city centre, cutting down on taxi fares. Best Western has 13 locations in New Zealand, providing quality accommodation at an affordable price.

There’s no place on earth like LA – and there are no tours like those offered in the world’s entertainment capital.

The star-studded neighborhoods sizzle with behind-scenes movies, scandals and death – and visitors can learn about it all on Dearly Departed Tours’ “Tragical History Tour.”

The half-day drive-by jaunt includes 100 sites throughout Hollywood and Beverly Hills including the last-breath locations of Michael Jackson, River Phoenix, Bella Lugosi and final moments of John Belushi and Janis Joplin.

The “Helter Skelter Tour” follows the Manson murders throughout Los Angeles. LA’s movie star mansions and filming locations are revealed on L.A. City Tours’ “Movie Star Homes & Baywatch Beaches” day tour.

From Hollywood Boulevard’s Walk of Fame to The Sunset Strip, quirky Venice Beach, Marina del Rey and the Santa Monica Pier, visitors see it all including film sites for “Get Shorty,” “Pretty Woman,” “Baywatch” TV series and dozens more.

Food lovers discover new flavors in detail with walking food tours by Six Taste.

The guided moveable feast explores LA’s diverse ethnic neighborhoods – one neighborhood per tour – by sampling the food, while learning about the area’s historical and cultural roots.

Participants enjoy tastings and chats with chefs and owners of local restaurants, cafes, bakeries and other ethnic eateries in Little Tokyo, Koreatown and Little Ethiopia. Motorcycle enthusiasts turn LA into hog heaven, with self-drive and guided motorcycles adventures with Eagle Rider Tours.

It’s a thrill-a-minute, cruising The Sunset Strip, rolling past legendary beaches along Pacific Coast Highway and the scenic mountain roads of Mulholland Canyon — or hanging with local bikers at Johnny Rockets on Melrose Avenue, and rolling down Beverly Hills’ Cañon Drive, where Mickey Rourke hangs out
www.dearlydepartedtours.com
www.lacitytours.com
www.sixtaste.com
www.eaglerider.com/losangeles.aspx

Indulgent Harvest Season Travel Package

NAPA, Calif. – Milliken Creek Inn & Spa, an intimate and exclusive luxury boutique hotel in Napa Valley, is pleased to offer Your Carriage Awaits, a romantic, crush season two-night travel package offering style, seclusion, seduction and safety, until – December 30.

Featuring both the practical and luxurious element of chauffeured transportation to local wineries and restaurants – in addition to spa treatments and romantic turndown amenities – Your Carriage Awaits makes this Napa Valley harvest season an indulgence to remember.

“We hope our guests feel like royalty at all times – but even if this escape is their Cinderella story, booking the Your Carriage Awaits package ensures a fairytale weekend,” said Connie Gore, hotel general manager. “We take care of all the planning and execution while guests simply hope the clock never strikes midnight!”

Upon arrival, guests will be taken to one of the Inn’s 12 individually designed, spacious suites where thoughtful and romantic touches such as plush beds with the finest linens, oversized hydrotherapy bathtubs, deluxe robes, flickering fireplaces and charming views invite pampering and romance.

After a quick change, roundtrip chauffeured transportation to dinner in downtown Napa will be provided. Upon return, guests will take pleasure in a romantic turndown service that includes chocolate-covered strawberries, candles and rose petals.

The next day guests further indulge with a 90-minute Grapeseed Body Polish spa treatment at the private and guest-only Milliken Creek Spa.

A chauffeured four-hour wine tour to visit three Napa wineries, and roundtrip chauffeured transportation to dinner in Yountville round out the day. This delightful Napa experience, replete with luxurious services, is priced from $930 per couple per stay.

For full details, visit Milliken Creek Inn’s website or call 800.822.8418 and request offer code “CARRIAGE.”

The Your Carriage Awaits package is available Sunday – Thursday nights until – December 30, 2010.

Additional amenities include breakfast for two each morning served anywhere on property guests desire, daily sunset Magic Hour wine reception with local vintners pouring their favorite reserves alongside a variety of cheeses, complimentary late-night cordials, and concierge assistance in all travel planning. Please note that the package rate does not include tax, service charge, or transportation and spa gratuities.

About Milliken Creek Inn & Spa

This luxury Inn offers a unique retreat. Its hidden location and three secluded acres dotted with redwood trees, Japanese maples, quiet courtyards, Koi ponds, lush gardens, a waterfall and terrace, create the feeling of staying with well-heeled friends.

Milliken features 12 distinctively styled, romantic guestrooms, each with its own special touches. Milliken Creek Inn & Spa is recognized as a 2008 Gold List winner by Condé Nast Traveler, a Nota Bene Travel favorite, a Forbes Traveler pick as a romantic destination, a Martha Stewart Weddings honeymoon pick, a New York Times T Magazine Napa favorite, and was recently selected as One of the Seven Best Inns in America by BootsnAll Travel.

To request a personal itinerary, purchase a gift certificate or learn more about available packages, call 800.822.8418 or visit www.millikencreekinn.com

Follow Milliken Creek Inn & Spa on Facebook and Twitter.

Want to do something different this Christmas?

Then discover 12 ways to enjoy the festive season at Fawsley Hall, without the hassles of preparation or clearing up.

Fawsley Hall has been hosting the festivities for over 700 years, so as soon as guests drive through the gates, the spirit of Christmas takes over.

Enter the Tudor Great Hall, once host to Queen Elizabeth I, and be instantly taken to a place where Christmases past and present come together. At the heart of the room stands a magnificent tree, one of the tallest in Northamptonshire, illuminated with twinkling lights, church candles and decorations.

A selection of special treats and activities have been thoughtfully planned to keep every member of the family full of Christmas cheer. Feel good Christmas films will play in the cinema, enchanting tales will be told by Fawsley’s storyteller and in the true spirit of Christmas; Carols sung in the Great Hall. The magic continues with midnight mass and not forgetting Father Christmas, who will make his usual appearance on Christmas morning.

Located amid rolling countryside, Fawsley is the perfect place to unwind.

Wrap up warm and enjoy archery, guided walks or VIP passes for a trip to the designer shops in Bicester Village.

Or get cosy on squashy sofas in front of crackling log fires and enjoy the relaxed laid back atmosphere that make Fawsley Hall an ideal bolthole from the usual stresses and strains that can be associated with Christmas.

This year, like the twelve days of Christmas, Fawsley Hall has created twelve ways to eat, stay celebrate and relax this year.

To take part in all the festivities, why not join the Christmas House Party, arriving on Christmas Eve and staying three nights’ costs from £720pp.

Or beat the rush, arriving on the 23rd and easing into the Christmas spirit early, staying in one of the stylish rooms, dining in the Brasserie and enjoying a full English breakfast costs an additional £69.95.

Fawsley has also arranged festive afternoon teas, evening parties, banquets and spa breaks, so there is something to suit every taste and pocket this Christmas.

Fawsley Hall is situated close to major road links, including the M40 and M1, making Fawsley Hall a convenient hour’s drive from London or a short drive from Banbury train station.

For more detailed information and the full list of 12 Christmas packages, please visit THIS LINK

or
call reservations on 01327 892000 to book.

The Great North Museum this week made it into VisitEngland’s Top 20 free attractions in the country. And visitors to the North East have been voting with their feet with the museum also welcoming its one millionth visitor this week.

Since opening in May 2009, the Museum has become the most popular visitor attraction in the region. Attracting 67,000 visitors in the first week and crashing through it its annual target of 300,000 visitors in less than three months.

In addition North East England is home to 414 amazing attractions that offer world class experiences ranging from culture to nature to history and heritage and learning. Some inspire, some educate, some amaze and some offer pure entertainment.

Even better over half of these attractions are free. So if you are looking to get away for less this summer we have tracked down ten of the best free attractions in North East England… for hundreds more go to www.visitnortheastengland.com

Angel of the North, NewcastleGateshead

One of the most visible symbols of North East pride, the celebrated ‘Angel’, built from 200 tonnes of steel, was created by Antony Gormley OBE. It stands 20m high which is taller than four double-decker buses, has a 54m wing span and is seen by 33 million people every year. This magnificent icon was named as one of the Seven Wonders of Britain by the Sunday Times.

Durham Cathedral, Durham City

Magnificent World Heritage Site described by travel writer Bill Bryson as “the best cathedral on planet Earth”. Thought by many to be the finest example of Norman church architecture in England, with the tombs of St Cuthbert and The Venerable Bede, it is cherished not only for its architecture but also for its incomparable setting.

In a nationwide BBC poll held in 2001 it was voted the nation’s best-loved building. Like Hadrian’s Wall and the Angel of the North, it is an icon of north-East England, its image is instantly recognisable to people who love this part of Britain.

The Sage Gateshead, NewcastleGateshead

The Sage Gateshead was designed by Lord Foster on a landmark waterfront site on the banks of the Tyne and houses two outstanding performance spaces. The spectacular Concourse has river views of the Tyne and Gateshead Millennium Bridges, BALTIC and the NewcastleGateshead Quays.

Northumberland National Park

Officially England’s most tranquil place and the perfect escape for walkers and wildlife-watchers alike.

The parks dramatic hills and sheltered valleys stretch from Hadrian’s Wall to the Cheviot Hills. To the North there are the breathtaking rolling moors and grasslands of the Cheviot Hills, with their ancient hillforts and pure rivers.

In the centre is the Upper Coquet Valley with the landmark Simonside Hills and the beautiful villages of Harbottle and Holystone.

To the West are the valleys of the North Tyne and Redesdale, wild and inspiring. Once home of the Border Reivers today the area is inhabited by red squirrels.

In the South is the iconic ridge of the Whin Sill with Hadrian’s Wall striding along its crest.

Mima, Tees Valley

Middlesbrough’s Institute of Modern Art is a dramatic building set in the middle of the largest civic space in Europe. Exhibits over the summer will include a display of contemporary jewellery from mima’s own collection and the best of British sculpture.

Great North Museum, NewcastleGateshead

The new £26million museum include a large-scale, interactive model of Hadrian’s Wall, major displays showing the wonder and diversity of the animal and plant kingdoms, spectacular objects from the Ancient Greeks and mummies from Ancient Egypt, a planetarium and a life-size T-Rex dinosaur skeleton.

For more free museums in Tyne & Wear visit www.twmuseums.org.uk

North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

The North Pennines offers a variety of walking experiences in a nationally designated landscape full of character and features to enrich your journey.

From the challenges of the open moorland landscape of the fells to the more intimate feel of the dales. If you’re into walking can’t afford to miss it.

BALTIC, NewcastleGateshead

Housed in a landmark industrial building on the south bank of the River Tyne in Gateshead, BALTIC is the biggest gallery of its kind in the world – presenting a dynamic, diverse and international programme of contemporary visual art. It provides an ever-changing calendar of exhibitions and activities that give a unique and compelling insight into contemporary artistic practice.

BALTIC’S programme ranges from blockbuster exhibitions to innovative new work and projects created by artists working within the local community.

Visitors can experience innovative and provocative new art, relax, have fun, learn and discover fresh ideas, and complete their visit with a relaxing coffee overlooking the magnificent quayside.

Hamsterley Forest, Durham Dales

A 5,000 acre mixed woodland that include a forest drive, woodland walks, cycle routes (hire available), picnic areas, adventure play area and permanent orienteering courses.

There is also a visitor centre displaying exhibits on forest wildlife and forestry and a forest shop selling a range of gifts and souvenirs.

National Glass Centre, Sunderland

Housed in a spectacular glass and steel building situated on the north bank of the River Wear in Sunderland, the National Glass Centre is a unique cultural venue and visitor attraction. Vistors can enjoy a full range of exhibitions exploring ideas inspired by glass through exhibitions and galleries, workshops and activities.

It is home to the UK’s largest art glass making facilities for kiln forming, stained glass, lampworking and hot and cold working.

For more information on North East England

www.visitnortheastengland.com

Jet2.com has launched new ski flights to Geneva from Newcastle and Edinburgh.

Newcastle flights will depart from December 26 to January 9 and then from February 20 to March 27. The new Edinburgh service will operate from February 20 to March 27.

Flights are on sale now and cost from £29.99 one way including taxes.

Jet2.com chief executive Philip Meeson said: “Our winter ski flights are extremely popular, with the UK’s ski and snowboard enthusiasts unable to resist their annual fix of Europe’s snow-capped mountains.

“With this growing demand we have increased our services from the North for this season, giving people in the region an even greater choice of winter holiday destinations.”

Switzerland’s trains are among the best in the world, and these two trains – the Glacier Express and Bernina Express – are the best in Switzerland.

Your clients will thrill to the pure precision of the Swiss railway system and the sparkling beauty of the Alps visible outside gigantic picture windows.

From the glacial fields of the Bernina line to the iconic Matterhorn at the terminus of the Glacier Express, the sights never stop coming. Perfect for old & young alike.

This trip uses four-star hotels and first-class trains and starts and ends in London so clients can have the joy of traveling on the Eurostar, too!

Tour Highlights:

• Full day on the Glacier Express from St. Moritz to Zermatt, with a delicious lunch on board

• Bernina Express over the UNESCO World Heritage Bernina Line, celebrating its 100th anniversary

• Ride on the Gornergrat Mountain Railway to the summit at 10,134 feet

• The Alpine Museum in Zermatt

• Cruise on Lake Maggiore

• Free days in St. Mortiz and Zermatt to explore on your own, utilizing your First Class Swiss Travel Pass

• Eurostar and TGV trips
More tour details found at:

www.irtsociety.com/journeyDetail.php?id=124

Holidaymakers are invited to take a stroll with a hawk at the Lake District Visitor Centre next month.

LAKE DISTRICT, ENGLAND — People who fancy seeing a bird of prey up close while staying in Lake District accommodation may be interested in a forthcoming event.

On Sunday October 24th, the Lake District Visitor Centre at Lake Windermere will be running Walk with a Hawk.

This event offers holidaymakers a chance to explore the grounds of the Brockhole centre, which is located between the towns of Windermere and Ambleside, while a hawk flies alongside them.

Several sessions will take place throughout the day, with the first walk beginning at 11:00 BST.

Recommended for families and children, the event last for 45 minutes and participants are advised to wear appropriate footwear.

The Walk with a Hawk will cost visitors GBP3, although admission to the Lake District Visitor Centre is absolutely free.

Open daily between 10:00 and 17:00 BST, the facility offers a tourist information point, adventure playground, cafe and gift shop in a picturesque lakeside setting.

The centre is also popular on account of its beautiful landscaped gardens, which offers stunning views of the lake and attract a variety of wildlife.

Windermere is England’s largest natural lake and has been a focal point of tourism activity in the Lake District since the 1840s.

A warm club-hotel atmosphere with the intimacy of a private chalet ~

Perhaps you don’t want to take a whole property and would prefer to meet other like minded skiers or families in the convivial atmosphere of a larger shared chalet.

VIP SKI’s CLUB chalets are reserved by the room, have chefs and a more flexible menu plan, canapé receptions every evening, complimentary beer and wine, breakfast and cleaning every day and priority ski guiding.

A holiday in a VIP SKI CLUB chalet gives you the very best of both worlds: the fun atmosphere of a club-hotel with the intimacy and exclusivity of a private chalet, all wrapped up in ubiquitous VIP SKI service.

VIP SKI’s CLUB properties are Bellevarde in Val d’Isere; Pierre in Meribel; Chateau in Alpe d’Huez and Alaska in Morzine.

As at all VIP SKI chalets, food is taken very seriously. Guests at CLUB chalets are gently eased into the day with a wake up drink followed by a deliciously hearty breakfast on 7 mornings and afternoon tea on their return to the chalet after a day on the slopes.

A daily canapé reception before dinner allows guests to share tales of their day’s skiing adventures over a drink from the free bar (wine and beer).

CLUB chalets have a chef and hostess on hand to ensure guests’ every wish is met.

Rooms are sublimely comfortable with crisp white bed linen and plump, feather duvets…the perfect spot to slumber after a hard days skiing.

In the en suite bathrooms, complimentary toiletries, bathrobe and slippers come as standard.

CLUB chalet guests enjoy priority ski hosting to allow them to really get the most out of their time on the slopes.

And after a great day skiing what better way to relax than with an invigorating massage enjoyed in the privacy of your room (local charge).

Families are very welcome at CLUB chalets during school holidays.

However, children under 12 are not permitted outside of these dates.

VIP SKI (0844 557 3119; www.vip-chalets.com)  offer 7 nights at CLUB Pierre, Meribel from £819 per person on a catered accommodation basis including return flights and transfers.