Jetsettersblog

To celebrate the launch of a series of meeting and events packages, Focus Hotels are offering companies booking directly a 10% discount plus enhanced commission for agents.

With 12 credible properties in a range of prime business locations throughout the UK and a variety of flexible, excellent value packages on offer, Focus Hotels is the ideal choice for events.

The group has invested £10 million into a substantial refurbishment programme to provide quality hotels offering good value, stylish accommodation and excellent service, ensuring an enjoyable and stress-free experience.

All the properties in the portfolio offer inclusions such as free parking and Wi-Fi and businesses which organise meetings and events will receive complimentary tea and coffee throughout the day meaning there are no extra hidden costs.

In addition meetings with over ten delegates receive tasty bacon butties on arrival and meetings of over twenty delegates will receive free use of a LCD.

Each package can be tailor-made to meet individual requirements, with a light lunch or snacks available for companies working to tight budgets and formal dinners and drinks for those looking to spend a little more.

To give a conference or meeting an added twist, Focus Hotels can also organise bespoke themed packages.

On a balmy summer day cooling ice creams can be arranged instead of hot drinks and biscuits; or why not go for a healthy package which can include cereal bars, fruit and smoothies, to ensure all the delegates feel in tip top condition.

With over 60 meeting rooms, catering for up to 450 delegates Focus Hotels can offer plenty of choice from country houses to modern city centre hotels, providing the flexibility to deliver everything from conferences and training course to team building activities and corporate events.

Each hotel has a single ‘one to one’ point of contact on hand to organise all the arrangements including travel details, equipment and refreshments.

Basic package from £25 per person including the following:
-Room hire – flip chart – stationary – mineral water with cordials – fruit basket
- tea or coffee with pastries, biscuits or cake – choice of a two-course lunch or working buffet -
free Wi-Fi – free parking

24 hour package from £85 per person including the following:

- Room hire – overnight accommodation – three-course evening meal – fruit basket
- tea or coffee with pastries, biscuits or cake – flip chart – stationery – room upgrade for organiser – free Wi-Fi – free parking – choice of a two-course lunch or working buffet – mineral water with cordials

Additional options and incentives include the following:
- free LCD for bookings with more than 20 delegates – bacon butties on arrival for bookings with more than 10 delegates
- half a bottle of wine per delegate with dinner – themed breaks

For more information or to book visit www.focushotels.co.uk/meetings  or call the Focus hotel of your choice.

As many holidaymakers continue to feel the financial pinch it is not surprising that Hostelling International, with its unique assured standards scheme offering hostels in over 4000 locations worldwide and low overnight rates has just announced record reservations for the month of August.

As well as the traditional backpackers, independent travellers of all ages and families helped achieve a record 17% increase in web reservations in August compared to last year for reservations made on www.hihostels.com the global hostel website featuring hostels in over 80 countries. This make a total of over 1.1 million overnights booked on the website during 2010.

Among the top ten booked destinations in August were the hostels in New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Rome and Paris, but up and coming destinations that are growing dramatically in popularity this year include Norway, China and Argentina
Whilst August was a record breaking month, 2010 has generally been a very good year with a growth of over 5% in web reservations on www.hihostels.com

CEO Mikael Hansson said ” we are delighted that the popularity of hostelling is continuing to grow.

The online reservations system is simple and quick to use and enables travellers to book budget accommodation around the world. We have a great variety of hostels like the fantastic HI-New York only a few blocks from Central Park and costing from $34 a night and our unique member ship programme gives our 4 million members worldwide beneficial prices on accommodation and attractive discounts on a huge variety of activities, adventure sports, shops and travel packages all around the world.

The standard of youth hostels and associated services today really do reflect the expectations of the travellers in the 21st century.”

Other facts you might not know about Hostelling International:
Hostels in around 80 countries worldwide

4000 hostels worldwide
4 million members worldwide
40 million overnight stays each year
About GBP 500 million annual revenue globally
13 million annual visitor sessions in www.hihostels.com

To make reservations or find out more about any of the 4000 hostels around the world visit www.hihostels.com

Tongabezi Lodge, the first river lodge at Victoria Falls in Zambia, is offering a package that enables participants to gain insight into Zambian traditions at Christmas (Dec. 23 to 26) or New Year’s (Dec. 30, 2010, to Jan. 1, 2011).

It will be a celebration with drumming nights, cultural dancers and spit roasts. The all-inclusive cost for each three-night stay is $1,350, including accommodations, meals, bar drinks, all entertainment, one spa treatment, and many activities.

Guests are introduced to the “Real Zambia” upon arrival at Tongabezi as they are met by singing and dancing women in traditional dress.

That evening as the sun sinks and guests gather with their Sundowners, they participate in an interactive drumming session. At first, it is a cacophonous rumble, with guests and drummers playing on hand-crafted Djembe drums.

Then, the drummers teach guests how to play African rhythms. The drummers go into detail about the history and cultural importance of drumming as well as the fun of learning to play. Singing is also included in the performance as the Africans teach guests African songs and tonal melodies.

Guests later dine on a braai, a Zambian rendition of barbecue, with spit roasts.

On the following evening (Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve) The Traditional Maramba National Dance Group, a national dance group set up by the government to preserve Zambian culture through means of dance, will perform.

The dances are from nine different provinces representing the 73 tribes of Zambia and the various cultural aspects of each. The dances signify the coming together as One People. The performance is followed by a five-course dinner by candlelight under the stars.

On Christmas Day or New Year’s Day, guests go to Chundu Island for a brunch overlooking the Zambezi River (after which Zambia was named), as it flows toward Victoria Falls. Later that day, a special lunch is accompanied by the Tongabezi Choir. Dinner will be light snacks around the campfire with mulled wine.

Free time is provided during each day for trips to Victoria Falls, viewing hippos in the river, game drives in the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, spa treatments, and more in this land of rich scenic beauty and abundant wildlife.

For more information or reservations, call 011-260-99-312766, email reservations@tongabezi.com or visit www.tongabezi.com

Educational Fun With The Rough Guide To Accessible Britain
As the kids head back to school, why not prove to your little ones that learning really can be fun by heading to one of the many exciting, educational and accessible attractions that feature in the Rough Guide to Accessible Britain.

The Guide, available FREE to Blue Badge holders and supported by Motability Operations, includes over 180 fantastic days-out ideas that have plenty for visitors both young and old.

Voted Best Family Venue in this year’s Rough Guide to Accessible Britain Awards, London’s Science Museum has more than 2,000 fascinating hands-on exhibits including the chance to take a 3D journey on some of history’s most legendary aircraft. Or you could even discover what your voice would sound like as a member of the opposite sex.

Thinktank in Birmingham is a fun and exciting museum, taking visitors through the past, present and future of science with exhibits such as a full-size Spitfire and its own full-dome planetarium. Alternatively, guests can explore science and technology at Techniquest in Cardiff by launching their own rocket and hot air balloon, and racing electric cars.

The Rough Guide to Accessible Britain, supported by Motability Operations, the leading car scheme for disabled people, is available FREE to Blue Badge holders and Disabled Persons Railcard holders.

To order a FREE copy visit www.accessibleguide.co.uk  or call 0800 953 7070.

An audio guide, with a special introduction by Ben Fogle, is also available to download FREE from www.accessibleguide.co.uk

Il Monastero, a new opening in the Tuscan countryside has the partnerships of Chef Gordon Ramsey and Dr Ali, personal doctor to Charles Prince of Wales and other famous personalities, such as the sultan of Oman, Valentino Rossi, Richard Branson, Michael Douglas, Claudia Shiffer, Donna Karan, Tommy Hilfiger, Boris Becker, Colin Montgomery and Samuel L. Jackson, has begun an exclusive collaboration here, designing and developing innovative, scientifically cutting-edge treatment programmes in the field of preventative medicine.

An expert in ayurvedic medicine and naturopathy with a holistic vision that is to say of the person as a whole, he successfully blends oriental and western medicine in a health concept that he has transformed into treatments offered here.

These exclusive offers allow guests to rediscover their optimum physical form in order to express their vital potential and maintain their health and well-being at any age.

All the dietary menus in the programme have been designed and developed by Dr. Ali together with internationally renowned chef Gordon Ramsay, who also created the menu of the Contrada restaurant cooked by chef Fabrizio Peruzzi.

For more information read the following links:

www.italian-connection.co.uk/italiancollection/details2.asp?propid=2291

www.italian-connection.co.uk/italiancollection/details2.asp?propid=2487

To book your place here, contact Rosa Spatola on 01424 728900

A superb all-inclusive Food and Wine holiday is on offer this November at a
national award-winning hotel in the Lake District.

Rothay Garden Hotel at Grasmere, the current Cumbria Small Business of the
Year, is running a four-night Food and Drink programme from Monday 22nd to
Friday 26th November.

The break is aimed at lovers of gastronomy who want
to explore wines and traditional dishes from famous wine regions across the
globe.

Included in the rate of £435 per person (rising to £485 in one of the
hotel’s superb Loft Suites) are a champagne reception, tutored tastings,
regional dinners, buffet lunches and culinary demonstrations from hotel
owner Chris Carss and Masterchef of Great Britain Andrew Burton.

Full details from the hotel (tel. 01539 435334) or at www.rothaygarden.com

SpaFinder Announces 2010 Readers’ Choice Award Winners, Identifying the Top Spas around the World

Most Votes Cast, across More Countries and Categories, in Program’s Eight-Year History – with Many New ‘Faces’ Taking Top Honors

SpaFinder, Inc., the global spa and wellness resource, today unveiled the winners of its 2010 Readers’ Choice Awards, honoring spa-goers’ favorite spas across the globe on six continents and in 35 countries/regions, along with their top ten picks in 31 unique categories.

The 2010 Readers’ Choice program attracted an unprecedented level of worldwide consumer participation than ever before in the Awards’ eight-year history. More votes were cast, across more countries/regions and categories — providing the most comprehensive consumer assessment of the global spa market available.

A complete list of Readers’ Choice Award winners will be featured in the NewBeauty SpaFinder Guide to Global Spa, Wellness & Beauty, arriving on newsstands in November.

The complete list of winners can also be accessed here.

‘Fresh Faces’ Take Top Honors

The significant number of new “faces” taking top honors this year is a reflection of the spa industry’s dynamism and diversity. The majority of Crystal Award recipients (top spa on each continent) and Country/Region winners changed from 2009 to 2010. Additionally, four out of six Crystal winners took home this coveted award for the first time, while 14 Country/Region recipients were first-time winners.

“This year’s roster of winners clearly demonstrates that a new generation of spas, and many ‘fresh faces,’ are attracting and wowing global travelers even while some of the tried and true continue to inspire,” noted Susie Ellis, president of SpaFinder, Inc. “Readers’ Choice is unique among awards programs in that it reflects the real opinions of real-world spa-goers. And now that there are more than 15,000 hotel, resort and destination spas worldwide, whether the spa is a repeat or first-time winner, it’s an extraordinary honor.”

Award Recipients

In addition to nations traditionally recognized by the Awards, ten new spa markets were added in 2010: Bulgaria, Chile, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Hungary, Morocco, Portugal, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. New 2010 Category Awards include “Favorite Day Spa,” “Best New Getaway Spa,” “Favorite Spa Treatment” and “Favorite Spa Product Brand.”

The 2010 Awards were based on votes submitted worldwide at SpaFinder, Inc.’s global consumer websites (including SpaFinder.com) and by readers of SpaFinder publications. Voters were asked to cast ballots only for stay and day spas they’ve personally visited within the past three years.

An asterisk (*) denotes a first-time winner in that awards category.

2010 Crystal Award Winners (Top Spas by Continent)

The Crystal Award (the ultimate Readers’ Choice honor) recognizes the number-one spa on each (habitable) continent. The 2010 standard-bearers are:

Africa: One&Only Cape Town* (Cape Town, South Africa)
Asia: Ananda in the Himalayas* (Narendra Nagar, India)
Australia: Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat (Queensland, Australia)

Europe: Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin* (Berlin, Germany)

North America: Golden Door* (California, United States)
South America: Kurotel Longevity Center and Spa (Gramado, Brazil)

2010 Country/Region Winners

Awards were given for the favorite spa in 35 countries/regions. In addition to the Crystal Award (continent) winners named above (also taking top honors in their country), here are spa-goers’ global favorites:

Argentina: Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires
Austria: The Balance Resort*
Bulgaria: Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena Bansko
Canada: Ste. Anne’s Country Inn and Spa
Caribbean: Parrot Cay* (Turks and Caicos)
Central America: Tabacón Grand Spa Thermal Resort (Costa Rica)
Chile: The Ritz-Carlton, Santiago
China (Hong Kong): Four Seasons Hotel*
China (Mainland): The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing*

Cyprus: Le Méridien Limassol Spa & Resort
The Czech Republic: Mandarin Oriental, Prague
Egypt: Four Seasons Hotel Alexandria
France: Guerlain Spa at Trianon Palace Versailles
Greece: Porto Elounda De Luxe Resort
Hungary: Danubius Hotel Gellért
Indonesia: Conrad Bali*
Ireland: Inchydoney Island Lodge and Spa*
Italy: Lefay Resort & Spa Lago Di Garda*
Japan: The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo*
Malaysia: Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa
Maldives: One&Only Reethi Rah, Maldives
Mexico: Rancho La Puerta
Morocco: La Mamounia
The Philippines: The Farm at San Benito*
Portugal: Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon
Russia: The Ritz-Carlton, Moscow
Scandinavia: Blue Lagoon* (Iceland)
Singapore: Willow Stream Spa at Fairmont Singapore
South Pacific Islands: Four Seasons Resort and Spa Bora Bora*
Spain: SHA Wellness Clinic
Switzerland: VICTORIA-JUNGFRAU Grand Hotel & Spa
Thailand: Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa
Turkey: Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus
United Arab Emirates: Burj Al Arab
United Kingdom: The Gleneagles Hotel* (Scotland)
United States: Golden Door (California)

2010 Category Award Winners

Spas (and their specialties) have never been more diverse.

To help consumers identify the best spa for their specific goals, SpaFinder readers also cast votes for their favorite spas across 31 unique categories, from “Best for Affordability” to “Best for Men” to “Best for Romance.”

Ten additional LUXE City Guides Mobile iPhone apps are now available to download, totalling 20 destinations to choose from. LUXE City Guides Mobile can now take you to the best of the best in Barcelona, Florence, Tokyo, Berlin, Beijing, Seoul, Venice, Dubai, Istanbul and Los Angeles, as well as New York, Hong Kong, Paris, London, Shanghai, Singapore, Rome, Bali, Sydney and Bangkok.

And all for an introductory price of US$ 5.99.

With over 1 million guides sold to date, LUXE City Guides is already a trusted source for reliable, ultra researched travel information covering everything from hotels and restaurants, to spas and bars.

And now LUXE just got a whole lot more convenient. LUXE City Guides just got a whole lot more convenient.

Employing local editors and contributors, LUXE lists over 400 ideas to fast track you right to the essence of a city. How glamvenient is that!

Want to avoid the touristy celeb-spotting sites and dine where the city’s stylish residents really hang out in Los Angeles?

Want perfect cocktails in funky speakeasies in New York? Or perhaps you want to be personally guided through Barcelona’s famous Gaudi architecture by an expert? LUXE City Guides Mobile has got it covered.

LUXE City Guides Mobile apps are packed full of extra features. You can check out rich content anytime, save your favorite spots, arrange and build personal itineraries, touch dial telephone numbers, navigate with handy on and offline maps and clickable websites.

Furthermore, each app comes with a year of free updates sent directly to your cell; when the year is up, re-subscription is half price.

LUXE City Guides Mobile apps are now available to download on iTunes for an introductory price of $5.99 (originally $9.99) for a limited time through February 15, 2011.

(Sundance, UT) …..Book your winter stay at Sundance Resort and ski free with our special promotion for all lodging guests.

Ski all day and then relax in the comfortable elegance of your Sundance mountain cottage.

Sundance is offering this special opportunity for all guests to receive two passes per day when they book their stay at Sundance.

Passes include both day and night skiing on nights available.

So, book now at www.sundanceresort.com

The only dates that are excluded from this offer are during the Sundance Film Festival from January 20th-30th, 2011.

Group rates qualify to receive one pass per day.

In addition, there is an Early Bird Special! Those who book early who will receive 25% off of a four night stay or more during ski season (12/10-4/2) but you must book by November 15 to receive this special discount.

Utah’s Mount Timpanogos soars over Sundance at 12,000 feet. Timp’s powdered slopes offer 450 acres of breathtaking terrain with a vertical drop of 2,150 feet.

Ski or snowboard some of Utah’s best powder.

Enjoy an afternoon at Sundance’s mountaintop skier’s café with amazing 360 degree views. Sundance’s PSIA Certified Ski School offers specialized workshops and a ski school.

Sundance was ranked ninth in Conde Nast Traveler’s “Best Places to Ski and Stay” and was also the worthy subject of a 12-page article in Ski Magazine just two years ago.

Last year, the resort increased offerings with night skiing on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays throughout the season. This season night skiing will operate on the same evenings from 4:30 to 9 p.m.

Sundance is scheduled to open for all winter sports on Dec. 10.

Founded by Robert Redford in 1969, Sundance is a haven for discovery and inspiration.

Located just 50 minutes from Salt Lake International Airport, Sundance is an exquisite destination retreat dedicated to maintaining the balance of art, nature and mountain recreation.

Nestled at the base of 12,000-foot Mount Timpanogos, Sundance offers diverse mountain recreation experiences and encourages the cultivation of art and self-expression, as well as the preservation of the land.

Guests who are drawn to Sundance are as diverse as the multitude of activities offered here, from alpine skiing or snowshoeing through Aspens to throwing a pot at the Art Shack, there is something for everyone.

When Robert Redford founded Sundance, he envisioned a year-round destination for artistic expression, nature and environmental stewardship.

It was not until 1988 that overnight accommodations were added and the Resort has since slowly and conscientiously added more lodging.

Today, Sundance is comprised of 92 guest accommodations, a selection of mountain homes, an outdoor theater, screening room, a live performance theater, restaurants and bar, a General Store, public spaces, conference facilities and 41 ski runs.

All are built from local materials–stone quarried in the area, indigenous cedar, fir, and pine–and are constructed to blend in with the surroundings.

Chauffeured Rides and Luxurious Pampering Ensure the Royal Treatment with 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 from 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.