Jetsettersblog

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. opened the doors of its newest hotel, Le Méridien Taipei.

Located in the Xinyi District in Taipei, the 160-room Le Méridien Taipei introduces the signature arrival experience program for Le Méridien brand in Taiwan;

a comprehensive contemporary art program “light and shadow;

two inspiring new restaurant concepts, Humble House and Latest Recipe;

a coffee and chocolate café ChocoArt; and the lobby lounge bar Latitude 25 as well as the hotel’s destination bar Quube.

In addition, Le Méridien Taipei offers 1,700 square meters of contemporary meeting and function space which makes the hotel a perfect destination for creative workshops or board meetings.

The hotel’s signature arrival experience,  “Inner Waves 01,” is an artwork created for Le Méridien by artist Hisham Bharoocha.

The artwork across the hotel’s entrance is a signature element of Le Méridien brand’s arrival experience.

For reservations or more information, visit

www.starwoodhotels.com

or the banner below.

Langham Place hotel in Mongkok, Hong Kong will help keep guests connected by offering iPhone 4s in their about-to-be-launched Essential Place Plus rooms.

The Essential Place Plus is available to book now for stays from Jan. 1, 2011 and offers a additional accessories for the modern traveler.

In addition to the iPhone 4, the room also styles a Bose SoundDock digital music system, complimentary Wi-Fi Internet, and coffee via the in-room Nespresso machine. Each iPhone is equipped with a Hong Kong SIM card for free citywide calling, Langham Place’s own Hong Kong city guide and immediate 24-hour access to the hotel’s x-team (concierge) offering quick assistance for the directionally challenged.

The phones also feature a Cantonese-English translator of must-know phrases, to-the-minute maps of Hong Kong, an intimate guide to using the Mass Transit Railway (MTR), a restaurant locator and an extensive range of lifestyle applications.

Guests can select from 72 Essential Place Plus rooms.

All rooms are also equipped with an XL plasma television, a DVD player and a Cisco IP (Internet Protocol) telephone.

Essential Place Plus rooms are available from HK$2,000 per night, plus service charge.

For more information, visit www.langhamhotels.com

The Port of San Diego has unveiled the Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier.

The Pavilion serves as a cruise ship terminal, as well as a public events facility on days when there are no cruise ships in port.

The two-story, 52,000-square-foot facility was built with sustainable elements such as a photovoltaic system, natural ventilation, a white roof to reflect heat away from the building, low-flow water fixtures, energy-efficient lighting, and shore power for cruise vessels. It also features a public artwork by artist and lighting designer Leni Schwendinger.

The artwork, titled “Tidal Radiance,” illuminates the Pavilion’s facade with colors resembling San Diego Bay.

For more information, call 800-854-2757 or visit www.portofsandiego.org

The Lufthansa in-flight magazine with its stories about aviation and Lufthansa is now available to iPad users wherever they may be, thanks to a free app.

The magazine is appearing in digitalized format for the first time in the December issue. Aside from the magazine’s customary high editorial standards and quality content, iPad users can choose from an array of multimedia options, such as videos, photo galleries and animations as well as direct access to Lufthansa’s Internet portals.

In addition to its usual coverage, each issue also comes with a variety of extras.

The December issue, for example, includes among others a film on Lufthansa’s new A380 flagship and a 360-degree interactive view of the cockpit.

It also has a photo sequence on the evolution of the A380 and an flight-simulator.

An intuitive navigation function makes it easy to leaf through each of its pages.

For more information, visit  the banner below.

Fairmont Turnberry Isle has entered into an agreement with noted golf instructor Bill Forrest, 2006 PGA of America “Teacher of the Year,” to form THEgolfacademy at Fairmont Turnberry Isle.

Forrest, a Golf Magazine Top 100 Instructor, has worked with numerous professional golfers, athletes and celebrities — including Masters Champion Seve Ballesteros, Grace Park, Jimmy Connors and Mia Hamm, among others. He will direct the Golf Academy as well as provide instruction by appointment on a monthly basis.

Under Forrest’s direction, THEgolfacademy will offer private individual instruction for both junior and adult players as well as a comprehensive schedule of single-day clinics and workshops, multi-day camps and golf schools.

In addition, students receive a complete a golfer’s personality evaluation and a 25-page personalized profile that helps them understand their own mental approach to the game.

They also have access to PowerChalk — a personalized online instruction resource with videos of their golf swing and analysis, detailed lesson plans, drills and references materials tailored specifically to their needs and goals.

The day-to-day operations of THEgolfacademy at Fairmont Turnberry Isle will be overseen by Gary Knapp.

He will be joined at THEgolfacademy by a stellar team of instructors, including Christina Trammell and Hiro Suzuki.

Suzuki is a full-time resident golf professional at Fairmont Turnberry Isle and previously served as golf director for Robert Trent Jones Sr. The director of golf at Fairmont Turnberry Isle is Bob Coman. THEgolfacademy team at Fairmont Turnberry Isle will also work in concert with the resort’s new athletic training program headed by Pete Bommarito of Bommarito Performance Systems and Dr. Matthew Cooper, president of USA Sports Therapy and one of the leaders in enzyme therapy, to create the most comprehensive, game-improvement facilities in North America.

For more information, call 800-441-1414 or visit the banner below.

The W Retreat & Spa Bali-Seminyak marks its debut in Indonesia this early 2011, representing another milestone in W’s global expansion.

The hotel is located in Seminyak, the trendy enclave of Bali, where designer boutiques, eclectic galleries, concept restaurants, and chic cocktail bars and clubs predominate.

“We are excited to bring the W brand to Bali,” said Miguel Ko, president and chairman of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Asia Pacific.

“After the opening of W Retreat & Spa-Vieques Island and W Retreat Koh Samui, W Retreat & Spa Bali-Seminyak will be our third retreat to open in Asia Pacific. W Retreat & Spa Bali-Seminyak will redefine the resort experience and bring a new and distinctive product to the hotel market in Indonesia.”

Guests may choose from one of 158 retreats and suites. The retreats are one of the largest on the island with the majority of them offering views of the Indian Ocean. Villa retreats are available at W Retreat & Spa Bali-Seminyak, which includes 79 villa retreats with a private entrance. They comprise of one-bedroom villa retreats, two-bedroom villa retreats, and three-bedroom villa retreats, with access to features and W Happenings in the Retreat.

For more information, visit www.whotels.com/baliseminyak

The Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur will open Casbah, a contemporary Arabian-style lounge steeped in the traditions of the Orient, in December 2010.

Casbah, which literally translates to “castle” or “palace,” will complement the adjacent Sultan Lounge. Designed by interior design company the SWOT Design Group, and featuring sofas and soft mood lighting,

Casbah will feature an extensive menu of mezze and tapas from the Eastern Mediterranean, North Africa and Spain. Upbeat DJ lounge music with exotic Arabian sounds and rhythms will be available until the early hours.

Song Saa Private Island in Cambodia’s Koh Rong Archipelago hopes to set a new standard in responsible high-end luxury.

When the resort opens in late 2011, it will feature 25 rainforest, beach and over-water villas built from sustainable materials, in harmony with the ocean, rainforest and white sands.

It’s the first luxury island development in Cambodia, which is better known for the ancient temple city of Angkor, and owners Rory and Melita Hunter have been careful to set a responsible precedent.

Said Song Saa Chairman Rory Hunter, “Think Thailand 40 years ago, before Koh Samui or Phuket became the international hubs they are today.

We have the pristine rainforests and empty white sand beaches but without the over-development or crowds.”

The resort will span the two islands of Koh Ouen and Koh Bong, connected by a footbridge over a marine reserve established to safeguard the islands’ reefs and marine life including dugongs, seahorses and exotic species of tropical fish.

The two discreet islands are known locally as Song Saa, which is Khmer for “the sweethearts.”

The hotel established a marine reserve that covers 1 million square meters and extends 200 meters from the outer edge of the reefs around both islands.

Guests can explore the island resort’s own reefs, wander the rainforest or lie on one of Song Saa’s beaches.

With more than 20 deserted islands close by, there are also opportunities for offshore exploration. The resort’s chef will be available to prepare BBQ at individual villas. Each villa has a private pool, top of the range sound system and Wi-Fi broadband.

Song Saa Private Island is 30 minutes on the resort’s luxury speedboat service from the newly opened Sihanoukville International Airport, which links Cambodia to Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Seoul, Tokyo and Beijing.

“We plan on opening another two Song Saa resorts in Cambodia in the next few years, and then hope to look further afield to other emerging markets in the region, using the same model of protecting the environment and helping local communities while also delivering uncompromising luxury to our guests,” said Hunter.

For more information, call 011-855-23-224-480 or visit www.songsaa.com

Hilton Hotels & Resorts continues the global growth of its leisure portfolio with the opening of Hilton Pattaya.

The 302-room new-build, full-service hotel enjoys a prime location on Pattaya Beach, one of Thailand’s family resort destinations.

The fourth Hilton-branded property in the country, Hilton Pattaya offers amazing 180-degree views and the vacation destination’s only rooftop sky venue.

Owned by CPN Pattaya Beach Co.Ltd, and managed by Hilton Worldwide, Hilton Pattaya is located in the heart of the popular resort town and is part of the new Central Festival at Pattaya Beach complex, which is Southeast Asia’s largest beachfront, lifestyle, shopping and entertainment center.

The 240,000-square-meter mixed-use development comprises of over 300 shops and restaurants, and is in the vicinity of many other recreational facilities and attractions.

With an exclusive ground-floor entrance, the main lobby of Hilton Pattaya is on Level 16, with guest rooms and suites located from Level 19 up to Level 33 of the hotel tower.

All rooms have been designed with the property’s beachfront location in mind, offering 180-degree views of Pattaya Bay from individual private balconies. Selected rooms and suites have been fitted with panoramic outdoor bathtubs.

The resort houses three restaurants offering views of Pattaya Bay and Pattaya City, including the only rooftop sky venue in the resort town, which will begin operations in early 2011, a lobby lounge bar and a poolside restaurant, as well as 24-hour room service. There are also wellness facilities such as a spa, an outdoor infinity edge swimming pool and a health club, set among a landscaped garden.

Hilton Pattaya also boasts a 635-square-meter ballroom and four individual meeting rooms including a dedicated boardroom.

On March 1, 2011, Riu Hotels & Resorts will open its 10th hotel in Tunisia and second hotel on the island of Djerba.

The ClubHotel Riu Palm Azur will be an ocean front property located six miles from the shopping area and 30 miles from Djerba airport.

This all-inclusive ClubHotel will feature 390 rooms, a conference room, four restaurants, four bars, two outdoor pools and a children’s pool for the warmer months and a heated indoor pool for winter season.

The Riu ClubHotel Palm Azur offers a wide gastronomic menu in its main buffet restaurant and three specialty restaurants — the Asian, Tunisian and Mediterranean restaurant.

The hotel offers as well an extensive menu of domestic and international cocktails in its four different bars.

The new ClubHotel offers a gym, spa, playground, tennis courts and beach volleyball and non-motorized water sports.

And for those golf lovers, there is a golf course with 27 holes only 10 kilometers away.

For more information, visit the banner at right.