Jetsettersblog

The New Zealand Cycle Trail project has entered a new stage of its development as final funding was approved this week for the last of the 18 “Great Rides” that will form the nationwide cycle network.

The final five trails to have their funding confirmed are Bay of Islands to Hokianga, Hauraki Plains, Te Ara Ahi/Pathway of Fire, Old Ghost Road and Roxburgh Gorge.

The New Zealand government has approved a total of NZ$45.6 million ($33.49 million) for the series of rides.

Prime Minister John Key said, “All 18 trails on the New Zealand Cycle Trail project have now had their funding confirmed. This means all trails are either under construction or ready to enter the construction phase.”

Cyclists will be able to go through some of the most iconic and picturesque parts of New Zealand once the cycle trail is complete.

The 18 “Great Rides” are expected to provide more than 1,200 miles of cycleway once completed.

Construction has already begun on five of the trails — the Bay of Islands to Hokianga Cycle Trail, Waikato River Trail, Central North Island Rail Trail, Te Ara Ahi, Ruapehu-Whanganui Nga Ara Tuhono and St. James cycle trail.

Two major sections of the Ruapehu-Whanganui Nga Ara Tuhono trail were officially launched by Key in July and are expected to be completed before the 2011 Rugby World Cup. The finished trail will traverse two iconic national parks and will take four to six days to cycle, with varying levels of difficulty.

The St. James trail in the South Island, which traverses the St. James mountain range and the greater part of the upper Waiau Valley, is set to open in November this year.

The 30-mile cycle trail is accessible through Hanmer Springs, near Christchurch. Sections of the Waikato River Trail are also currently open for public use.

All 18 trails will be completed by the summer of 2012-13 and about 1,200 miles will be ready to ride by the 2011 RWC.

For more information, visit

www.tourismnewzealand.com

Auckland’s new-look Eden Park, which has just undergone a three-year, multimillion-dollar upgrade for Rugby World Cup 2011, will open its gates on Oct. 10 for a special open day that will allow members of the public to inspect the redevelopment first-hand and get a behind-the-scenes look at what will be New Zealand’s main venue for the Rugby World Cup next year.

Seating capacity has been increased to 60,000 and as well as the finals, the stadium will host the RWC opening and closing ceremonies. Prime Minister John Key will officially open the revamped stadium as part of the Sunday, Oct. 10, open day and all proceeds from the gold-coin donation entry fee will go to the Christchurch Earthquake fund.

The major upgrade of Eden Park includes a new six-level, 21,500-seat south stand, a new three-tier east stand and an increased area of covered seating.

An internal concourse has been developed to improve crowd flow and there have been extensive improvements to food and beverage outlets, toilets, corporate areas, team and media facilities.

For more information, visit

www.tourismnewzealand.com

A slew of new hotel openings, from the quirky to the ultra-luxe, are primed to burnish Singapore’s reputation as a destination in Asia for a diverse selection of properties.

New restaurants by chefs including Daniel Boulud and Mario Batali, and new clubs like Avalon and Pangaea are also set to be unveiled soon.

The following are hotels that have just thrown open their doors and properties slated to open in the second half of this year:

Park Regis Singapore — The Australian-based StayWell Hospitality Group (SWHG), one of Asia Pacific’s largest independently owned hotel management companies, is set to bring its Park Regis brand to Southeast Asia with its first property in the region to open in Singapore.

Scheduled to open before the end of this year, Park Regis Singapore will be located in the main banking and corporate district of Raffles Place, alongside the Singapore River with views of the nightlife of Clarke Quay.

The interior of the 203-room Park Regis Singapore is being designed by Australian firm Woodhead, which is behind some of Singapore’s key developments.

These include the interior design of Changi International Airport terminals 1 and 3 as well as the Singapore National Library.

The hotel’s dynamic range of features will include a 25-meter outdoor lap pool, a spacious gymnasium and several dining options comprising an all-day dining restaurant serving international cuisine, a lounge bar, a pool bar and a chic rooftop bar. The hotel will also feature two meeting and conference rooms with video conferencing facilities. For more information, visit www.parkregishotels.com.

The Fullerton Bay Hotel, which opened on July 8, is Marina Bay’s first and only waterfront hotel. Comprising 100 rooms, five individually themed suites and a luxurious Presidential Suite, each with marina views, balconies and sundecks, the hotel offers bespoke design elements.

The hotel’s interior designs are steeped in Singapore’s history with vintage nautical maps and commissioned contemporary art reflecting the heritage and modernity in the Lion City. Each of the six suites, including the Presidential Suite, are themed to the cultures in Singapore’s population, including Chinese, Malay, Indian, Peranakan and Colonial and are situated on the upper three stories of the hotel.

The hotel’s rooftop bar, Lantern, is centered around the hotel’s rooftop swimming pool where guests can have gourmet snacks and grilled meats, accompanied with champagnes, signature cocktails, wines and beverages. For more information, visit www.FullertonBayHotel.com .

The Wanderlust Hotel opened on Aug. 26 in Little India in a history-laden building at No. 2 Dickson Road.

The four-story boutique hotel has 29 rooms, none of them identical. The same can be said for each floor in the hotel.

Each of four design agencies was given full creative freedom to design an entire level in the hotel, resulting in four, different themes — “Industrial Glam,” “Eccentricity,” “Is It Just Black and White?” and “Creature Comforts.” For more information, visit www.wanderlusthotel.com

Hotel Fort Canning will open this fall in the Fort Canning area.

The new 86-room hotel in what was once the home to the British Far East Command Headquarters during World War II, a colonial building which dates back to 1926. Surrounded by greenery at Fort Canning Park, the hotel’s park setting straddles not only the Orchard Road shopping belt and the Clarke Quay entertainment hub, but the Central Business District, and the Civic District.

The hotel will also feature three food and beverage outlets, landscaped free-form and lap pools filled with mineral water, a THANN Sanctuary spa and more.

The hotel will also offer complimentary broadband and wireless Internet and iPod docking stations.

For more information, visit www.hfcsingapore.com

The Saff, opening in late September, is located in the district of Keong Saik Road, home to trendy architecture, design and advertising agencies. The Saff is housed in authentic, restored shophouses and the name and theme of the hotel takes its inspiration from the spice saffron, incorporating cultural elements from countries such as Morocco, Persia, Thailand, Spain and Turkey. The Saff offers a boutique hotel experience at inexpensive prices while delivering a cosmopolitan experience. For more information, visit www.thesaffhotel.com

Studio M, the newest hotel by Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, opened in the entertainment precinct of Robertson Quay.

Studio M is Singapore’s first loft concept hotel which has designer chic and contemporary functionality for trendy and savvy travelers. Studio M comprises 360 rooms with four categories of Loft Rooms — Studio, Premier, Executive and Patio.

Each room offers a loft concept where the work and sleep areas are separated into two floors, giving guests their own private sanctuary without compromising comfort and style. For more information, visit www.studiomhotel.com  or www.millenniumhotels.com

The Grand Park Orchard Singapore, a member of the Park Hotel Group, has re-opened this summer after a $59 million makeover of the former Park Hotel Orchard.

The 308-room hotel located along Orchard Road offers guestrooms with floor-to-ceiling windows, 40-inch Bang & Olufsen LCD TVs, Herman Miller desk chairs and personal PCs with all-in-one printer, scanner and fax.

A portion of the hotel’s exterior has been redesigned to feature a herringbone-design glass facade that doubles as a media wall.

Business travelers can also enjoy the privileges of the Crystal Club, located on the 11th floor, which offers secretarial and administrative support, buffet breakfast, evening cocktails, and priority check-in and check-out facilities, among others.

For more information, visit www.parkhotelgroup.com

Shangri-La’s Rasa Sentosa Resort is currently closed for a complete makeover of its guestrooms and facilities including the swimming pool, gym, spa, children’s club, food and beverage outlets and function rooms.

The hotel’s renovation is expected to be complete by early 2011 and it will re-open then. Shangri-La’s Rasa Sentosa Resort will be the only resort in Singapore with a beachfront location on Sentosa Island overlooking the South China Sea.

For more information, visit www.shangri-la.com

Klapsons, the 17-room boutique hotel which opened at the end of 2009, has partnered Chivas Regal, to open fabrika by Chivas 18, an al fresco sky terrace bar, this summer. Perched on the 17th floor of the design-driven hotel, the bar offers views of Singapore’s skyline framed by touches of Turkish, Moroccan and Oriental décor.

The bar offers its namesake, 18-year old-whisky by the renowned Chivas distillery along with four exclusive signature Chivas cocktails. For more information, visit www.fabrika.com.sg

A new boutique hotel called mOOn will open in October in the Little India enclave, close to the Bugis MRT (train) station. The hotel will feature elegant fusion-themed interior décor meant to signify warmth and tranquility as suggested by its namesake.

Amenities include designer platform beds in guest rooms, and luxurious bathroom amenities comprising 100 percent pure cotton towels, bath robes, high-end GROHE faucets and OXO fixtures.

The hotel is billing itself as a property offering an “affordable boutique hotel experience.” The mOOn hotel website will go live shortly.

At The Swissôtel The Stamford’s JAAN Restaurant, a celebrated chef has arrived to debut a new culinary perspective in Singapore.

Presenting Modern Scandinavian cuisine driven by a philosophy of essentialism, Chef Ebbe Vollmer hails from one of Sweden’s most prodigious restaurateur families.

The 36-year-old arrives at JAAN this summer with a resume that includes experiences as sous chef at the three-Michelin-starred Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London, and as chef-owner of his own acclaimed establishment in Malmo, Sweden.

Before that, he worked with other culinary bigwigs such as the three-Michelin-starred British Chef Marco Pierre White and celebrity French Chef Michel Lemoine. For more information, visit www.swissotel.com

For general destination information, visit www.stb.gov.sg

Imperial Tours added new experiences and destinations to its China product line, including Jazz Night in Shanghai,

In Conversation with a former rocket factory girl, Exploring Macau, and the new St. Regis in Lhasa.

“As experts who exclusively sell China, we continue to design unique experiences and add destinations to our portfolio that appeal to our discerning clientele, who expect travel to be culturally enriching,” said Guy Rubin, founder and managing Partner of Imperial Tours.”

The new offerings include: Jazz Night in Shanghai — Shanghai came of age in the jazz era, and maestros were canvassed from San Francisco to Harlem to play in Asia’s most sophisticated dance halls and clubs.

Through this special experience from Imperial Tours, a published expert, passionate about the sounds of the age, guides travelers through the dawn of jazz; the birth of Shanghai is revealed through its sounds, locales and histories. Jazz Night in Shanghai is scheduled for 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., drinks not included.

In Conversation With a Former Rocket Factory Girl –

For a fascinating back story on one of China’s many interesting figures, travelers have the opportunity to spend time with a factory-worker-turned-writer, journalist and social commentator.

A Nanjing native, she was pulled out of school at age 16 and began her decade-long stint at a rocket factory, where she taught herself English.

In 1990, after participating in Nanjing demonstrations, she went to England where she pursued her childhood dream of studying journalism. Her articles have appeared in many international publications including the South China Morning Post, Japan Times, The Observer and Newsweek, and she is a regular speaker on the BBC and National Public Radio. During her time with guests, she will discuss her unusual experience at a Chinese missile factory and her dramatic transformation, which very much reflects China’s own journey.

Exploring Macau — Imperial Tours’ exploration of Macau celebrates the cultural wealth and spirit of the former Portuguese colony. Time in Macau can be customized to fit into a traveler’s needs. Clients can add on Macau to Hong Kong. Highlights of Macau include the Barrier Gate, the historic border crossing between tiny Macau and massive China; A-Ma Temple, thought of as the birthplace of Macau as it was built in 1488 and dedicated to the goddess of seafarers and fishermen; St. Paul’s Cathedral, actually the Ruins of St. Paul, now a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Centre of Macau; and Senado Square.

The new St. Regis in Lhasa — While Lhasa is not a new destination for Imperial Tours, a hotel the caliber of The St. Regis Lhasa Resort (scheduled to open in November 2010) adds a new dimension to the area’s accommodations.

Standing on the roof of the world, The St. Regis Lhasa Resort offers luxury and service in a mesmerizing destination. Imperial Tours offers two types of bespoke FIT vacations — Ultimate China and China Escapades.

Ultimate China is ideal for those seeking a hosted luxury experience and where the “best of the best” is a priority.

A bilingual Western China host accompanies travelers throughout an Ultimate China itinerary to ensure a flawless experience.

China Escapades is targeted to independent and adventurous travelers who seek greater autonomy and are more price sensitive.

They desire to explore China’s intriguing sights, sounds and culture with a less mediated experience in a destination.

For more information, call 888-888-1970, email margot@imperialtours.net

 or visit www.imperialtours.net

Saffire Freycinet, a newly-opened luxury property on Tasmania’s East Coast, has been inducted into the Luxury Lodges of Australia (LLoA), an association of elite tourism products that have joined forces to promote the new breed of Australian, experiential luxury properties both domestically and internationally.

“Saffire stands alongside the likes of qualia, Southern Ocean Lodge and Wolgan Valley as some of the best luxury accommodation in the world, and we look forward to the opportunities presented to us through the LLoA program,” said Saffire General Manager Matt Casey. The association’s website,

www.luxurylodgesofaustralia.com.au  , provides information on 17 Australian Luxury Lodges, along with direct contact details.

It also features useful “Plan Your Trip” tools which assist with forming itineraries to some of Australia’s most exceptional but remote regions, and offers important information about getting between lodges.

Saffire features 20 accommodation suites, each with sweeping views of Great Oyster Bay and the Hazards Mountains and complete privacy from the neighboring suites.

Tasmania’s freshest produce and finest wines and beers are showcased in Palate restaurant and The Lounge bar.

The resort also features a premium spa facilities and on-site gym.

Exclusive signature experiences are being developed accessing little-known areas of the Freycinet Peninsula, and a range of other activities can be tailored to suit guests’ desires.

For more information, visit www.saffire-freycinet.com.au  

or www.luxurylodgesofaustralia.com.au

Wyndham Hotel Group announced the opening of the new Ramada Hotel & Suites Bangkok, the company’s first managed Ramada hotel in the Asia Pacific region.

The new Ramada Hotel & Suites Bangkok is a tranquil oasis in the heart of the city of Bangkok.

Owned by Sookjai Condominium Co. Ltd, a subsidiary of the Kokar group of companies, the 11-story hotel features spacious studio and suite accommodations.

The larger suite accommodations are particularly well-suited for extended-stay business travelers looking for apartment-size accommodations.

Additional amenities include complimentary continental breakfast, a full-service restaurant and bar, fitness center, business center and large outdoor pool and garden.

The Ramada Hotel & Suites Bangkok is one of the four managed Ramada hotels set to open in Thailand by 2012.

Agreements have already been signed on the eight-story Ramada Encore Bangkok, a new-build property located in the Sukhumvit area; the 37-story Ramada Hotel Bangkok, located close to the Asok BTS sky train station; as well as the seven-story Ramada Plaza Bangkok, also owned by Sookjai Condominium Co. Ltd. in the Sukhumvit area.

The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore is the latest addition to the Marina Bay waterfront. Seated on Marina Bay’s prime waterfront location in the Central Business District and the historical Arts and Cultural precinct, the hotel will be comprised of 100 rooms, five individually themed suites and a luxurious Presidential Suite, each with Marina Bay views and exclusive balconies.

With three signature dining destinations designed by Asia’s highly sought-after design wunderkind Andre Fu, the hotel plans to elevate waterfront dining to new heights.

The hotel’s glass façade is a diamond-shaped glass structure set against the city skyline.

Guests enter the hotel through a wide lobby at the historic Clifford Pier, an important heritage site which saw the arrival of many of Singapore’s early settlers.

The hotel’s interior designs are steeped in Singapore’s history with Fu using vintage nautical maps and commissioned contemporary art that reflect the celebration of heritage and modernity in the Lion City.

Utilizing materials and designs such as polished rosewood and latticed screens, as well as leather and chrome, LCL Architects created a refined atmosphere in the bedrooms with a predominantly natural palette throughout.

This classical look is combined with the latest technology to ensure that the hotel’s modern travelers are always kept in touch.

Each of the hotel’s six suites, including the Presidential Suite, are individually themed to reflect the wealth of cultures in Singapore’s cosmopolitan population, including Chinese, Malay, Indian, Peranakan and Colonial and are situated on the upper three stories of the hotel, in prime-angled positions facing the stunning views of Marina Bay waterfront.

For more information, call 011 (65) 6333 8388 or visit www.fullertonbayhotel.com

Fifteen of Australia’s leading independent luxury tourism properties have formed Luxury Lodges of Australia, a new association launched in 2010 to promote the uniquely Australian breed of luxury experiential lodges, domestically and internationally.

The 15 member properties represent both long-established and new lodges and camps, with a common theme of offering guests an outstanding experience connected to a clear sense of place – while ensuring key luxury standards.

Ranging from wilderness lodges to vineyard retreats and dining destinations; island hideaways to luxe outback camps; the lodges demonstrate high levels of innovation and are clearly aiming to be the ‘best’.

“In recent years, we have seen the emergence and consolidation of a new, unmistakably Australian breed of luxury properties and experiences.

Luxury Lodges of Australia brings together a portfolio of sophisticated, experiential properties and will showcase it on the world stage for the first time,” said Andrew McEvoy, Managing Director of Tourism Australia.

The association’s website www.luxurylodgesofaustralia.com.au  provides discerning travellers with a comprehensive information and planning tool for completely Australian itineraries, linking closely and smoothly to each property’s own website and booking systems.

The properties are spread across more than a dozen diverse regions of the country and include Wolgan Valley; The Louise; Lizard and Bedarra Islands; qualia; Longitude 131; Cape Lodge; Lake House; Spicers Clovelly Estate and Spicers Peak Lodge; Capella and Southern Ocean Lodges; and Wild Bush Luxury’s Arkaba Station, Bamurru Plains and Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef.

Luxury Lodges of Australia was formed following a meeting in late 2009 where Jim Carreker, the owner of The Louise, invited the owners of the country’s top lodge properties to discuss the potential of collectively marketing a diverse and uniquely Australian luxury portfolio, both domestically and internationally.

James Baillie of Baillie Lodges, and Chair of Luxury Lodges of Australia noted that the collection brought together many of Australia’s innovators and leaders in hospitality, tourism, food and wine, and regional development.

“Having commitment and hands-on input from significant achievers such as Alla Wolf-Tasker, Skroo and Jude Turner, Charles Carlow and Jim Carreker reinforces my belief that now is the time to showcase the diversity and depth of Australian luxury experiences,” he said.

“The association sets a benchmark for luxury travel in Australia and the hope is that a handful of new lodges that are in keeping with the ethos of a luxury experience, connected to a sense of place, will join in the next 18 months. Pooling our marketing resources will greatly help us raise Australia’s profile as a luxury destination.”

In the first ever Lonely Planet Awards to be announced this month, avid worldwide travellers voted swimming in the azure waters off Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia as the ‘Greatest Outdoor Experience’.

High on the list for snorkelers and scuba divers, Lizard Island’s crystal clear waters, fringing reefs and shallow coral gardens captivate visitors with an exceptional array of technicolour marine life rarely experienced elsewhere in the world.

Paul Harding, Lonely Planet author ‘Queensland & Great Barrier Reef’ commented: “While parts of the reef can sometimes seem a little crowded, Lizard Island is a wonderful exception.

This, and the surrounding chain of islands, is one of those rare places that makes you sit down and think: ‘Wow’. Powdery white beaches, warm turquoise waters, tropical sensuality all without the crowds.”

Surrounded by 24 exquisite beaches, Lizard Island is one of Australia’s most iconic Great Barrier Reef resorts. Boasting unrivalled dive sites such as the world famous ‘Code Hole’ where divers can come face to face with curious potato cod, giant clown fish, sea turtles, stingrays and ‘friendly’ sharks, it also has outstanding snorkelling just off its beaches including the magnificent 100 year old clam gardens that are home to myriad fish and other small sea creatures.

An award winning all-inclusive resort, Lizard Island has just 40 beautifully appointed suites.

Complementing its very special location, the property offers the best of understated luxury with five-star gourmet dining on fresh Australian produce and a wine cellar to match including unlimited French champagne, indigenous inspired spa treatments at the Azure Spa and a wealth of water sports and activities.

The resort also organises visits to the Lizard Island Research Station to give guests a better understanding of the precious underwater world that surrounds them.

For more information: www.lizardisland.com.au

For Tourism Year 2011

Four new trekking routes will be opened up to visitors to Nepal in 2011. These are the Annapurna Conservation Area, Limi Valley Trekking Route in Homla, Dudhkunda Trek in Soulukumbu and the Panchpokharai Bhairav Kunda Trek.

The Great Himalayan Trail (GHT), which will be highest and longest alpine trekking route stretching some 2,800 miles along the full range of the Himalayan region, is also scheduled to be inaugurated on Jan. 14, 2011.

“Nepal’s three main trekking routes, Everest, Annapurna and Langtang, attract thousands of visitors every year.” said Kashi Raj Bhandari, Director, Research, Planning and Monitoring of the Nepal Tourism Board.

“However, with visitors preferring new trekking destinations and the country’s strategy to diversify tourism products to other regions, this concept has been implemented,”

The GHT is not new, but this initiative seamlessly connects old and new itineraries to create the world’s longest and highest alpine trekking route with the long term aim of connecting Pakistan, Tibet, India, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar via a route covering more than 4,500 km of the Great Himalaya range.

Other improvements for Nepal Tourism Year include the opening of the 5* Kasai property in Lumbini, as well as the refurbishment of the Kathmandu’s Yak & Yeti Hotel. Pokhara and Siddartha Airports will be upgraded and a programme to improve Nepal’s roads has been also implemented for Tourism Year.