Jetsettersblog

Offering Unrivaled Luxury and Bespoke Service at the Heart of the City’s Premium Business and Shopping District

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT), today announces the debut of its St. Regis brand in Osaka, Japan. 

St. Regis Osaka boasts a prestigious address in Midosuji, in the heart of Osaka’s central business district, a short stroll from the city’s most exclusive specialty shopping, art galleries and dining. Inspired by Japan’s rich artistic traditions and Osaka’s sleek, modern aesthetic, The St. Regis Osaka features 160 luxuriously appointed guestrooms and suites each with Kawashima silk wall coverings and Koyto silk bedding, two world-class restaurants, a signature Remède Spa, and state-of-the-art meeting and event space.

“We are delighted to extend the St. Regis brand to Japan, where we will offer our loyal global travelers an extraordinary experience that combines the unrivaled dimension luxury and bespoke service of the St. Regis brand with the modern sophistication of Osaka’s most sought-after neighborhood,” said Paul James, Global Brand Leader, The St. Regis and The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts. “Japan’s second largest metropolis, Osaka offers an enticing mix of business, entertainment, history and culture.

It is an ideal choice for the growth of the legendary St. Regis brand, which began in New York City in 1904 and now has 20 hotels across the globe.”

The ideal destination for both business and leisure travel, St. Regis Osaka invites guests to enjoy specialty dining at its signature Rue D’or restaurant, a classic French bistro, and La Veduta, featuring rustic Italian cuisine. In addition, the hotel offers an intimate wedding chapel and beautiful rooftop garden venue where guests can enjoy stunning city views. Additional facilities include a modern fitness center and more than 700 square feet of meeting and event space.

JAL Hotels Co., Ltd., operator of the luxury Nikko Hotels International group, has announced the opening of a new Nikko Hotels property, Suzhou Qingshan Hotel in Suzhou, China.

The full-service hotel has 91 guest rooms in seven room categories and occupies almost 200,000 square feet.

The hotel’s facilities include four banquet and meeting rooms, including one that accommodates up to 300 guests; a gym and health club; and a mahjong room — a traditional Chinese entertainment pastime.

The dining facilities include a Chinese restaurant, a Western-style restaurant and a bar.

Suzhou Qingshan Hotel is located next to a national high-tech industry development zone with government agencies, IT-related companies and research and development facilities.

The hotel will be the eighth Nikko Hotels International property in China.

Further expansion plans for Nikko Hotels in China include openings of Hotel Nikko Xiamen in 2011, Hotel Nikko Guangzhou in 2012, and Hotel Nikko Suzhou in 2013.

For more information, visit www.jalhotels.com

A theme park in an unlikely location

You’d expect to find theme parks in Orlando but Malaysia?

It’s certainly not as famous as Disney World, but the Lost World of Tambun has a similar allure: thrilling rides and attractions.

Five main elements make up this world of adventure here: Lost World Hot Springs, the Tiger Valley, an Amusement Park, a Water Park, and the Lost World Petting Zoo. There is also jungle trekking, cave exploration, and the ability to camp overnight in villages.

At the end of the day, visitors can immerse themselves in the Lost World Hot Springs.

The 100 percent natural mineral hot springs is “clean and fresh,” park promoters say.

A highlight for children is the Lost World Petting Zoo, where visitors can hand-feed favorites such as Nia the Python, Ruby the raccoon and Wira the Green Macaw.

There’s also a water park with a beach area, wave pool, kids-only zone and water rides.

Two new Holiday Inn Resorts will open in prime beachfront locations in Vietnam’s top-ranked resort destinations of Cam Ranh Bay, Khanh Hoa and Phu QuocIsland, Kien Giang. InterContinental Hotels Group is increasing its presence in Vietnam with the signing of two Holiday Inn Resorts. An agreement with Lucky Star Joint Stock Company to manage Holiday Inn Resort Phu Quoc Duong Dong Beach, and another with Thinh Vuong Joint Stock Company to manage Holiday Inn Resort Cam Ranh Bay increases the momentum of IHG’s growth of Vietnam’s new tourism hotspots.

“Emerging markets like Vietnam represent solid, long-term growth opportunities, especially with the rise in low-cost carriers and routes, which have helped to fuel regional travel in Asia Pacific,” said Jan Smits, managing director, IHG Asia Australasia.

“Vietnam is forecasting a 35 percent increase in visitor arrivals compared to last year. And the government’s commitment to improving infrastructure and developing new tourist destinations, such as Phu Quoc, will also increase the appeal of Vietnam as a destination.”

Holiday Inn Resort Phu Quoc Duong Dong Beach sits on a three-hectare beachfront site and will have 250 rooms. Construction will begin in August 2011 and the resort is expected to open in mid 2014. This will dovetail with the government’s expansion plans for Phu Quoc, which includes a new international airport, a seaport and various entertainment facilities. The airport is scheduled to be operational by 2012.

And on the southeastern coast of Vietnam, about 350 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City, is Cam Ranh Bay, which is known for its white sandy beaches. The site for Holiday Inn Resort Cam Ranh Bay has 170 meters of this beach frontage. The resort will have about 250 rooms and occupy 70,000 square meters of the 174,227-square-meter plot of land, which will also feature high-end residential and commercial properties.

Construction is slated to begin in June 2011 and the resort is expected to open in the third quarter of 2013. Holiday Inn Resort Cam Ranh Bay will be a convenient location for travelers as it is only 15 minutes from Cam Ranh International Airport and a 40-minute drive from the Nha Trang city center.

JDB Fine Hotels & Resorts (JDB) has partnered with Ireland’s Blue Book, a collection of Irish country house hotels, manor houses, castles and restaurants available throughout the island and is now positioned as the premier resource in North America for upscale travel services to Ireland.

Reservations at over 40 hotels and restaurants in Blue Book’s collection can be made by dialing a toll-free U.S.-based number, 800-323-5463, or by visiting JDB’s website at www.jdbhotels.com

This new partnership commences a North American marketing strategy that is in concert with Tourism Ireland’s aim of expanding brand awareness and increasing sales to the country.

JDB’s professional reservations and sales staff have been trained on Blue Book properties and are able to design itineraries throughout Ireland. Various staff members have already been appointed to specialize in Ireland in addition to traveling to the country to learn about the properties first hand.

“With the addition of Blue Book properties to the JDB collection, we now have a larger presence in Ireland and will greatly increase sales and exposure in the U.S. travel market,” said Laura Davis, JDB’s Ireland specialist/destination manager. Ireland’s Blue Book is a collection of Irish country house hotels, manor houses, castles and restaurants located throughout Ireland. Properties represented include over 40 elegant Georgian manors, stately castles, historic hotels, cozy bed and breakfast accommodations, luxury boutique hotels and designer lodges.

For more information, visit www.irelands-blue-book.ie  or www.jdbhotels.com

For more information about Ireland visit http://www.discoverireland.com or for a free vacation planning kit call the NY office at 800/223-6470. Read Ireland feature stories from Jetsetters Magazine.

debuts in Top 100 Golf Courses of the World

PGA Catalunya Resort, Barcelona, has been named among the world’s top 100 golf courses for 2011.

The Stadium Course at PGA Catalunya Resort, which will host European Tour Qualifying School Final Stage December 4-9, 2010, is a new entrant (86th) on a newly published list by the authoritative Top 100 Courses of the World website: www.top100golfcourses.co.uk

It follows a similar accolade in June 2010 for the Neil Coles/Angel Gallardo designed course when Golf World magazine named the 2009 Spanish Open venue among its World Top 100 Courses (88th).

PGA Catalunya Resort’s Stadium Course, which was originally built by the European Tour to host the 1997 Ryder Cup, and which is now under the stewardship of international entrepreneur Denis O’Brien, the proprietor of Portugal’s Quinta do Lago, is one of only two Spanish courses to feature in both world rankings.

“We are honoured to be included in such a prestigious list of golf courses, and appreciate our position among a relatively small number of courses in Continental Europe to make the highest grade,” said PGA Catalunya Resort CEO Billy O’Sullivan.

“Significant ongoing investment is being made at PGA Catalunya Resort, including the upgrade of the Stadium Course earlier this year, to make it one of the finest golf, resort and residential communities in the world, and it is gratifying to be recognised for the work we are doing.”

As part of an extensive course upgrade programme, the grass on the fairways of the Stadium Course was switched from bentgrass to a bermuda bed overseeded with ryegrass, the same formula used by Augusta National for The Masters Tournament.

The course, which welcomed two-time Masters Champion José Maria Olazábal on November 27, is now looking and playing better than ever and ready to welcome some of Europe’s brightest young talents to European Tour Qualifying School Final Stage.

Billy O’Sullivan added: “While we are very proud of the Stadium Course, we also have an excellent second 18-hole layout, The Tour Course, which will co-host Q School for the third successive year.”

Conveniently situated close to Girona-Costa Brava Airport (5-minutes’ drive) and Barcelona International Airport (1-hour drive), PGA Catalunya Resort features a comfortable, on-site hotel, ideal for golf breaks. It is the perfect place from which to explore the city historic city of Girona, the Catalonian region with its more than 20 Michelin-star restaurants, the Costa Brava and the Pyrenees, with its world-class ski resorts.

Spread over 300 hectares of verdant countryside PGA Catalunya Resort comprises superb leisure facilities and a select number of villa plots, stylish modern townhouses and apartments for sale.

For more information about PGA Catalunya Resort, golf break offers and home enquiries, visit the new social media website www.lifeatpga.com

The Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle, the exclusive private members’ club in the Highlands of Scotland, is famous for its magnificent location in the heart of over 7,500 acres of stunning countryside and for the plethora of outdoor activities available to its members, from shooting to fishing, hiking to golfing.

However there is another sport of the indoor variety proving very popular with members – swimming!

Not your ordinary swimming pool: the fabulous Grade A listed historic pool at Skibo Castle is constructed from stainless steel and filled with ozone-treated water, offering members a stylish swimming experience.

Set in its own glass pavilion, the pool is a rebuild of the original, which was constructed for Andrew Carnegie – the famous steel magnate and philanthropist – in 1904.

It began to fall into disrepair around the middle of the 20th Century and was eventually closed in 2006.

Work began on taking down the original structure in December 2008 and a year later the pool was completely rebuilt.

“The original marble pool was remarkable for historical reasons, but its replacement is one of the most extraordinary you will find anywhere in the world.

“The combination of stainless steel under the water, a vast span of glass above and incredible views in the distance is quite breathtaking.” – James Ogilvy, Founder, Luxury Briefing.

As a modern nod to the commodity that made Carnegie one of the richest men of his day, the pool itself is made entirely of polished stainless steel.

This, along with the clear glass ceiling, gives the swimmer a fabulous feeling of light and space. At 22 metres long, 9 metres wide and with a consistent depth of 1.2 metres, the pool is perfectly designed for serious swimming.

With the building contract awarded locally, this £4.2 million project represented one of the largest private investments in the Highland economy in recent times.

The club and its architects, Archial of Edinburgh, worked closely with Historic Scotland to ensure an authentic finish to the Grade A listed building.

Many of the original features have been retained, including the metal roof trusses and the sandstone pillars with their carvings of mythical sea creatures. An addition to the original is a superb Klafs steam room.

The pool completes the club’s stunning spa facility, which is housed in the original garage where Carnegie kept his collection of cars.

Members and their guests can enjoy Asian-inspired treatments from Ytsara, as well as the Italian-American product line [Comfort Zone].

The Spa boasts a comfortable relaxation area as well as three treatment rooms and a manicure room.

Moab, Utah, well known for its spectacular mountain biking, also boasts some of the best road biking in the West and is now busy adding paved trails for those not ready for rugged mountain biking.

With the recent completion of the Moab Canyon pathway, connecting the town to two national parks and one state park, there is over a hundred miles of paved non-motorized trails, snaking through absolutely amazing scenery.

Add to this, the existing Mill Creek Parkway that meanders throughout the city, and you have a great road biking experience for any age.

The newest 8.5 miles section connects the Colorado River pedestrian/bike bridge, past Arches National Park and along the old highway through Moab Canyon and is smooth black top that follows the old highway.

The trail then connects with Bar M. Road, which is divided in two, with one side paved for bikes and the other graveled for OHV travel. From the Bar M Road, the path goes under US Highway 191 and emerges on the west side of the highway near the Gemini Bridges trailhead and continues on to join up with Scenic Byway 313, with bike lanes to Dead Horse Point State Park and the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park.

Mountain bikers will also love this new trail as it can be used to access a number of mountain bike trails such as Gold Bar Rim, Gemini Bridges and the MOAB brands trail system.

WHERE IS MOAB?

Moab’s unique combination of beautiful red rock scenery, cool waters of the Colorado River and lush green of the LaSal Mountains (where you can rise to 10,000 ft in less than an hour), has made it one of the most sought after destinations in the southwest. Add amazing scenery the numerous activities that can be enjoyed and Moab because an “outdoor wonderland” for hikers, bikers, rafters, golfers, four wheelers, hunters and fishers, sightseers, photo buffs, historians, heritage culture seekers and so much more. Most Moab adventures can be tailored to fit the visitor, be it mild, wild or extreme, there is something for everyone.

MILEAGE CHART:

www.discovermoab.com/location.htm

HOW DO I GET THERE:

Moab’s extreme popularity is due in part to its unique and remote location. Nestled in a green valley beneath tower red rock canyons on the banks of the Colorado River, Moab is a diamond in the rough and well worth the effort to get there. Located on Hwy 191, just off Interstate 70 in the southeastern corner of Utah, Moab is conveniently located within one day’s drive international airports in four major cities:

Salt Lake City, UT: 235 miles/4 hours
Denver, CO: 355 miles/5.5 hours
Las Vegas, NV: 458 miles/7 hours
Albuquerque, NM: 387 miles/6 hours

While the closest international airport is located in Salt Lake City (SLC), there is an airport Grand Junction, Colorado (GJT) – just 112 miles east of Moab and Great Lakes Aviation connects directly from Denver, Colorado (DEN) to the Canyonlands Field Airport (CNY) located 16 miles north of Moab.

For more info: www.discovermoab.com/airline.htm

WHERE TO STAY AND HOW TO BOOK

Moab offers an array of lodging products from limited service to full service facilities.

* Hotels & Motels – Most within walking distance of Moab’s vibrant downtown.
* Bed & Breakfasts – Nestled in quaint neighborhoods.
* Condos/Guest Houses – More spacious accommodations great for families and retreats.
* Ranches/Resorts – Full Service lodging with activities, spas, and horseback riding.
* Campgrounds – Private campgrounds within the county, with full hook-ups and group sites.

restaurants sans light, blind waiters in Montréal, QC, Toronto, ON.Latest culinary frontier: food you can’t see. Stop in at O. NOIR, stimulate your sensory appetite.

This restaurant’s motto is: “It’s Better in the Dark.” Intrigued? The cutting-edge city of Montréal, QC, has been stimulating people’s sensory appetites since the opening of an innovative new concept restaurant called O. NOIR.

And now in Toronto, ON, you can have the same culinary adventure. Not even a hint of any ambient candlelight here, and no cheating: check your cellphones, cigarette lighters and glow-in-the-dark watches in the lit bar area before being shown to your table and waited upon by a team of blind and visually impaired wait staff, also referred to as “guides.”

“Blind dining” was the brainchild of the Reverend Jorge Spielmann, who opened blindekuh (German for “blind cow”) in Zurich (Switzerland) in 1999.

His goal was to teach the sighted about the sightless: after sitting through a whole meal in darkness, people would learn how taste and smell are heightened and conversations more focused when there are no visual distractions.

Don’t worry, O.NOIR’s menu takes into consideration the diner’s limited ability to handle cutlery when there is zero light.

No steak with T-bones to be negotiated; O.NOIR serves filet mignon instead. At the risk of putting me in the category of those who grasp whatever light they can find in life, I’d opt for the grilled octopus. The trace amount of phosphorus in whitefish is known to emit a faint glow.

www.ontariotravel.net
www.bonjourquebec.com

video:
Sustainable Dining in Vancouver
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anZ_T62x7Bo
Winnipeg’s Iconic Salisbury House
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUJezhQVuA0
Indulging in Halifax’s Local Bounty
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhqvPYJ1KKA
Prince Edward Island’s Culinary Food Traditions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mGIcpgTvU8
 Unique Dining in Yellowknife: Wildcat Café
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o34n1jzx9I
Unique Local Foods in Whitehorse
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x40nJEZu6oI

LA QUINTA, Calif. — Earning international recognition for an outstanding golf program and facilities, La Quinta Resort & Club and PGA WEST have been recognized as the “Golf Resort of the Year” for North America by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO), the global trade organization for the golf tourism industry.

The prestigious award – designed to distinguish and honor special destinations for their contributions to the golf travel market – was presented at the IAGTO Awards Gala Dinner, held on November 18 in Valencia, Spain, at the City of Arts and Science Complex.

According to Gary Sims, managing director of La Quinta Resort & Club and PGA WEST, more than 340 golf tour operators from 51 countries were asked to nominate what they considered to be the best performing golf resorts this year.

“There are more than 1,000 golf resorts in the United States alone, so this is a tremendous honor for us, and reflects the increasing quality of our resort and its golf program, as well as the dedication of our staff and commitment to providing our guests with exceptional levels of service,” Sims said.

Tour operators who voted for these awards judged the properties on multiple criteria, including customer satisfaction, quality of golf courses and accommodations, value for money, accessibility to tee times, speed of communication and quality of service of golf resort sales, marketing, reservation, administration and management staff.

Established in 2000, the IAGTO Awards recognize exceptional resorts in the world of golf travel. The golf resort of the year is split into three regional categories: North America, Europe and the Rest of the World.

La Quinta Resort & Club joins a distinguished list of acclaimed international golf resorts that have received the prestigious Golf Resort of the Year/North America Award in recent years, among them Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina; Pebble Beach Resorts in Carmel, Calif.; the PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.; and the Doral Golf Resort & Spa in Miami.

La Quinta Resort & Club and PGA WEST feature world-class accommodations, dining, golf, tennis and fitness. Known as The Western Home of Golf in America®, the world renowned destination is home to 90 holes of award-winning golf courses – designed by legends Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Pete Dye, Greg Norman and Tom Weiskopf – as well as instruction at the Jim McLean Golf School.

In addition to great golf, La Quinta Resort features 796 elegantly appointed casitas, suites and villas; 23 tennis courts; the 23,000-square-foot Spa La Quinta® with 41 pools and 53 hot spas; and exceptional cuisine at Morgan’s in the desert, Twenty6 and Adobe Grill. La Quinta Resort & Club is a member of Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts.

For more information, visit www.laquintaresort.com

About Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts

WALDORF ASTORIA is Hilton Worldwide’s luxury brand of landmark hotels, with each one as singular and timeless as the brand’s namesake, The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York.

From classic elegance to modern grandeur, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts and Waldorf Astoria Collection hotels each represent worldly sophistication and unparalleled guest service.

From sumptuous spas and culinary excellence to world-class golf, each hotel & resort offers the exquisite accommodations and signature accoutrements that define refinement and sophistication. Discover Waldorf Astoria by visiting www.waldorfastoria.com