Jetsettersblog

The Wingate by Wyndham hotel brand, a subsidiary of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation, announced that Wyndham Rewards loyalty program members who join Topguest can earn 50 Wyndham Rewards points when they check in online at any of the chain’s 165 hotel locations.

Topguest, a free mobile application that also can be accessed via its website, enables members to earn points and rewards when they virtually check in at Topguest-affiliated hotels or hotel restaurants using popular mobile applications including Foursquare and Facebook Places.

These “location-based services” are accessible through mobile devices that use geographical positioning information, or “geolocation,” to determine the user’s location.

Users are shown nearby retail stores, hotels and restaurants where they can “check in” to receive special messages, rewards or offers.

More information is available at www.wyndhamrewards.com

Topguest registration and information is available at www.topguest.com

Topguest’s free iPhone and Android mobile applications are available as free downloads.

For reservations or more information, visit the banner below.

This holiday season, Embassy Suites Hotels is offering a chance to win a holiday travel care package in exchange for savvy holiday travel tips among its Facebook community.

During the busy holiday travel weeks of Nov. 15 to Dec. 11, consumers can visit the brand’s official Facebook page at

www.facebook.com/EmbassySuitesHotels

“like” Embassy Suites and submit their top travel tips for a chance to receive a special holiday travel care package.

Each week, the first 250 fans to submit their top travel tips will get a care package delivered to their doorstep that includes handy, on-the-go items that any seasonal traveler will truly appreciate.

The packages come with personal concierge cards; handy amenity cases to keep personal items organized; carry-on friendly, travel-sized Bloom bath products; and fold-up/expandable duffle bags to stuff full of presents on flights home for the holidays.

On Dec. 13, the top 10 travel tips, as decided by a panel of Embassy Suites judges, will be featured in the Top 10 Tips Showcase on Embassy Suites Hotels’ official Facebook page.

To submit a travel tip, visit www.facebook.com/EmbassySuitesHotels  and click the “Holiday Fun” tab.

The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess has announced it 2010 holiday packages: The Christmas All Wrapped Up family package includes a $100 resort dining credit, a small Christmas tree delivered to the room, a family stocking filled with Christmas treats, cookies for Santa at turn-down and admission to National Geographic Explorers Camp with daily crafts and activities for up to three children.

The Fairmont Scottsdale also offers personal shopping and gift wrapping services. This package is available Nov. 21 through Dec. 28 from a nightly room rate of $299.

The Hanukkah Family Traditions package features a welcome gift of a chocolate “gelt” giving bag and dreidels, a $100 resort dining credit, a nightly Menorah lighting ceremony and full-day admission to the National Geographic Explorers Camp for up to three children, with daily crafts and stories celebrating the Festival of Lights. Traditional Hanukkah latkes with apple sauce are on the menu at LV Bistro during Hanukkah week.

This offer is available Dec. 2 to 9 from $299 per room, per night.

The Sip, Savor and Soothe package starts at $239 per night and includes a $50 daily credit, which can be applied toward any of the resort’s four restaurants or the Willow Stream Spa.

The package is available through Jan. 27, 2011.

For more information, call 800-257-7544 or visit www.fairmont.com/scottsdale

The Vdara Hotel and Spa at CityCenter has introduced “staycation” packages for Las Vegas locals.

Starting at the nightly room rate of $163 mid-week and $213 on weekends, the package includes a $50 “breakfast-in-bed” credit from the in-suite dining menu, two-for-one drinks at Bar Vdara (two rounds), 20 percent off of spa or salon services at Vdara Health & Beauty, a 10 percent discount on spa or salon retail purchases, and 4 p.m. check-out.

An upgrade to a one-bedroom suite is available for an additional $50 per night.

The package is valid through Feb. 23.

In addition the hotel is offering a two-night Escape package, open to all guests.

Priced from $510 per room, double, it includes two spa treatments and two spa robes at Vdara Health & Beauty and a 10 percent discount on spa or salon retail purchases.

An upgrade to a one-bedroom suite is available for an additional $50 per night.

And the two-night Success package starts at $273 and includes a $25 credit for in-suite dining, a $15 credit for laundry and dry cleaning, a $15 credit for in-suite movies and 4 p.m. check-out.

To book, call 866-745-7767 and provide the code VRVM01 for the Staycation, ESCCB for the Escape package and SCCGB for the Success package.

For more information, visit

www.vdara.com

Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit celebrates its annual Gourmet Festival as Mexican cuisine is declared an intangible heritage of humanity by UNESCO.

The recognition from UNESCO comes at the end of a successful XVI Festival Gourmet International, an annual week-long event in which chefs from the region together with internationally renowned chefs orchestrate an epicurean extravaganza.

This year invited chefs included Chef Pedro Ortega, Chef Alejandro Ruiz, Chef Romuald Feger, Chef David Reyes, Chef Masayuki Niikura, Chef Christian Testa and Chef Pascal de Molines.

A guest at the festival, Chef Patricia Quintana, owner of Mexico City’s most highly acclaimed restaurant, Izote, cookbook author and recognized as the most important representative of Mexican cuisine, supported the importance of recovering recipes and retaining techniques of the past.

For more information on UNESCO and Mexican cuisine, visit www.unesco.org/culture.

For general destination information, visit www.rivieranayarit.com

Atlantic City is celebrating its third annual Restaurant Week from Feb. 27 to March 5, 2011.

Approximately 67 of the area’s best restaurants have signed on for this year’s event, with more expected to join, and will feature special three-course prix fixe menus for only $15.11 for lunch and $33.11 for dinner per person.

This year’s participating restaurants include Arturo’s or Casa di Napoli; American cuisine at Teplitzky’s or the historic Knife & Fork Inn; Latin flair at Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar; and a taste of Asia at Buddakan from restaurateur Stephen Starr.

For more information on this year’s participating restaurants, special menu options and chef bios, visit www.acrestaurantweek.com

InterContinental Hotels Group continued its growth in Latin America’s largest nation with the opening of its first hotel in the city of Cuiabá, Brazil — the Holiday Inn Express Cuiabá.

The hotel is the 13th IHG property in Brazil and the 39th Holiday Inn-branded hotel in Latin America, with nine additional Holiday Inns currently under construction.

The 128-room Holiday Inn Express Cuiabá is developed and owned by Diamante Azul Hotelaria and is located in the Jardim Leblon neighborhood within 20 minutes of the Marechal Rondon Airport in Cuiabá.

The new hotel features a fitness center and a business center as well as 12 meeting rooms of premium event space with capacity for 500 people.

Cuiabá is the capital of the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, which is located in the center of Brazil.

The Holiday Inn Express Cuiabá features the brand’s new logo.

A new formula for Düsseldorf’s historic Christmas Market — seven separate Christmas themes and attractions instead of one large market — was introduced after the city’s tourism board took over the market’s organization in 2005.

More visitors come to Düsseldorf during the holiday season, and hotel nights during December have increased by 65 percent (263,000) compared to 2003 (156,000), with many taking advantage of special hotel packages available through the city’s tourism website.

While Düsseldorf has long been a major shopping destination (Koenigsallee is one of Europe’s premiere high-end shopping boulevards, and the city’s other shopping streets have risen to ranks No. 4 and No. 5 among German cities in the past years), visitors during the holiday season add overnight stays for extended shopping and sightseeing.

International visitors include many from nearby Belgium, Netherlands, France, and England.

The innovative experience takes visitors through seven separate Christmas villages, each featuring a different theme, design, vendors, and attractions transforming a holiday stroll into a multi-stop marvel.

This year, the Heinrich-Heine Square will become the “Angel’s Market,” with angels and thousands of lights turning the area into a sea of light. Town Hall Square will become a village of artisans working on wrought-iron, glassblowing, and candle making. And the market on Flinger Strasse will feature booths that are replicas of Düsseldorf’s historic town houses.

In addition, there will be an extensive program of family entertainment in a heated tent, a brand new ice rink for free skating and many culinary treats for adults and children. Düsseldorf’s luxury shopping avenue “Koenigsallee,” which dazzles shoppers all year long, will be ablaze with holiday cheer, thanks to thousands of lights and decorations in the giant chestnut trees that line this elegant street.

The market is open Nov. 18 to Dec. 23. Every Friday and Saturday, the city’s tourism board offers guided holiday-themed walking tours of the Old Town.

For more information, visit www.duesseldorf-weihnachtsmarkt.de  or www.visitduesseldorf.de

Voila Hotel Rewards, a hotel loyalty program for independent hotels, continues its global expansion by entering the Russia marketplace with the addition of the Nevsky Hotel Grand — the flagship of the Russia-based Nevsky Hotels Group.

Voila is the world’s first points-based hotel loyalty program that unites a network of more than 250 four- and five-star independent hotels and luxury brands.

The Nevsky Hotel Grand is a business-class hotel located within easy walking distance of Palace Square and the State Hermitage Museum.

The Nevsky Hotel Grand also boasts five luxurious suites featuring a king-size bed, personal sitting area, telephone, television, air conditioner, sauna and private Jacuzzi. Voila Hotel Rewards will announce program launches for several other new hotels in Russia soon.

For more information, visit

www.vhr.

or www.voilahotels.com

British Airways said it will begin 12 weekly flights a week between Heathrow and Paris Orly to complement its flights to Paris Charles de Gaulle.

The Orly flights will begin on Jan. 10, 2011.

“This is an excellent addition to our short-haul network, allowing business travelers easy access to the Paris financial district, which is close to Orly airport,” said Colm Lacy, British Airways’ general manager network planning.

“Customers will also be able to make smooth connections on to BA subsidiary OpenSkies’ services between Orly and the United States, and on to oneworld partner, Iberia.”

The route will be served by A319s, A320s and A321s and will offer two classes to choose from, Euro Traveller and Club Europe. Customers selecting the Club Europe cabin can take advantage of Terminal 5’s lounge facilities, allowing them to work or relax prior to their flight.

Return prices including tax will start from £359 in Club Europe and £119 in Euro Traveller.

British Airways offers two nights from £195 per person at the two-star Antin Trinite, including economy flights to Paris Orly and continental breakfast and two nights at the four-star K and K Cayre from £475 per person, including Club Europe flights and breakfast.

One night at the Holiday Inn Paris Orly Airport costs from £37 per person per night, excluding flights and breakfast.

For more information, visit www.ba.com/paris.