Jetsettersblog

The eaperly-anticipated ‘Le Spa’ at the Grand Hotel Kempinski Geneva, was unveiled  setting a new benchmark for Swiss well-being.

Being the biggest spa facility in Geneva, this elegant destination spa offers a perfectly balanced menu of authentic, healing Ayurvedic therapies from India and beautifying treatments, creating a natural ambiance of tranquillity in contemporary Asian and Arabian surroundings.

‘Le Spa’ boasts 1,400 sqm across two luxurious levels of this chic city hotel and features twelve large treatment rooms, a traditional Hammam with two scrubbing rooms, a post-treatment relaxation area, a yoga room, an expansive VIP suite complete with private Hammam and oversized tub, a state-of-the-art fitness centre and the largest, private indoor pool in Geneva.

‘Le Spa’ at the Grand Hotel Kempinski Geneva exclusively offers the much coveted and award-winning Cinq Mondes created therapies whose massages, aromatherapy and cosmetics are inspired by ancient cultures.

“Fascinated by massages, aromatherapy and cosmetics, I have spent several years travelling the globe to discover five ancestral cultures and find the best treatments, massages and cosmetic products possible for the most prestigious Spa: the Beauty Rituals of the World” says Jean-Louis Poiroux, President of the brand.

Respecting the five formulation principles – tested under dermatological control, no silicone, no artificial colouring, no animal-based raw materials and no mineral oil – the Cinq Mondes cosmetic preparations benefit from the effectiveness of plant extracts from the pharmacopoeia of the country of origin whilst guaranteeing total safety.

The design of the Spa is unparalleled: carefully selected natural materials like dark wood and bamboo, as well as delicate mosaics and fresh flowers, accentuate the elegance and warmth in the treatment rooms.

The marble floors and golden ceiling add to a refined atmosphere, complimented by the subtle scent of sandalwood and amber diffused throughout to awaken the visitor’s senses.

“With the opening of our Spa, we reinforce our commitment to positioning the Grand Hotel Kempinski Geneva as a unique destination in the heart of the city” says Thierry Lavalley, General Manager.

‘Le Spa’ will be unveiled at a launch party on 21 September at the Grand Hotel Kempinski, Geneva.

Opening packages

For more information and to book a reservation, call us +41 22 908 94 44 or send us an email on

reservation.lespageneva@kempinski.com

If you are looking for a winter sports experience with a difference, then head to Slovenia where two new self catering properties have been launched by Slovenian Retreats www.slovenianretreats.com in the Julian Alps area, close to Kranjska Gora, Slovenia’s best known ski-resort and home to annual world cup slalom and ski-jumping events.

Villas Planina and Nebina offer great value ski accommodation for either those looking for individual apartments or for big groups of up to 20 people wishing to hire out the whole properties.

Villa Planina is situated on the edge of the charming rustic village of Ratece.

Each apartment within the villa are finished to an extremely high quality, with luxury features such as underfloor heating, flat screen TVs, DVD players, wireless internet and a shared pool table and ping pong table, as well as a kid’s communal soft play area.

The villa is situated in a unique location with uninterrupted panoramic views from each apartment towards the Julian Alps and snow capped peaks of Jalovec and Mojstrovka mountains.

Local facilities in the village offer a range of restaurants, traditional taverns (or ‘gostlinas’) and a supermarket, and the villa is just a five minute drive from central Kranjska Gora or even less to the slopes at Podkoren.

Prices start from €60 (Euros) per night for a loft apartment sleeping between two and four people and based on a minimum stay of three nights.

Villa Nebina has been designed in more of a ‘farmhouse style’ holiday rental property and has been reconstructed on the site of a farmhouse originally built over 150 years ago in the traditional Slovenian village of Ratece, just 5 minutes drive away from Kranjska Gora.

The property includes four apartments and many of the original features of the building, such as vaulted ceilings and a traditional enclosed wooden balcony, have been retained at this high quality accommodation.

The four apartments are furnished and equipped to an extremely high standard with alpine solid wood furnishings seamlessly combined with contemporary facilities such as flat screen TVs & DVDs.

Apartment three has its own balcony access and other apartments have shared balcony access – with magnificent mountain panoramas.

Prices start from €60 (Euros) per night for a ground floor apartment sleeping between three and five people and based on a minimum stay of three nights.

A Special Launch Offer from €69 per person, per week is available for house parties – Villa Planina can sleep between 12 and 20 people and Villa Nebina can sleep between 12 and 18 people so both offer great value ski accommodation for big groups. If you wish to get a discount on renting the whole of either Villa Planina or Nebina, then there is a special launch offer available.

An offer of seven nights for the price of six is available if you book the whole of Villa Planina or Nebina for a week.

So, a week hiring out the whole of Villa Planina would start from €1,380 (discounted from €1,610) – this works out at just €69 per person, per week based on 20 people sharing – and for the whole of Villa Nebina it would start at €1,740 (discounted from €2,030)- this works out at just €97 per person, per week based on 18 people sharing.

This offer is not valid for New Year.

Flights from London Stansted to Ljubljana with Easyjet are priced from £22.99 per person, or from London Gatwick with Adria http://www.adria.si

Another airport within an hour’s drive of both villas include Klagenfurt in Austria (serviced by Ryanair).

To make a booking call 0208 123 2898 or for further information go to http://www.slovenianretreats.com  or email info@slovenianretreats.com

The San Dieguito Park in San Diego’s North County recently added a new walking trail for visitors, the San Dieguito Lagoon Boardwalk & Trail, which winds around the 150-acre San Dieguito Lagoon.

The 2-mile trail offers hikers an expansive, picturesque view of the lagoon with information posted along the route highlighting the 150 rare bird species that live there.

For more information, visit www.sdrvc.org

In October 2010, Surf Diva surf school in La Jolla launched a new fitness offering that combines the unique experience of Standup Paddleboarding (SUP) with a relaxing session of Surfer’s Yoga. With the intent of achieving mental and physical well being, this total body workout includes a SUP lesson taught by a Surf Diva instructor and a sunset Hatha Yoga session, set on the beaches of beautiful La Jolla Shores.

For more information, visit www.surfdiva.com

In June 2010, Spa Serenity opened in the Borrego Springs Resort & Spa in San Diego’s East County.

The full-service luxury spa provides a wide range of services including massages, facials, pedicures, manicures, body hydration wraps and scrubs.

A new and exclusive skincare line, which is specially formulated for desert living, is used for the treatments and available for private purchase.

For more information, visit www.borregospringsresort.com

Happy happens in San Diego. For more information on San Diego offerings, including exciting vacation packages and valuable coupons for attractions, restaurants and more, visit the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Web site, www.sandiego.org , or call 619-236-1212. In San Diego, visit the International Visitor Information Center, located along the Embarcadero at the corner of West Broadway and Harbor Drive in downtown San Diego; the La Jolla Visitor Center, located at the corner of Herschel Avenue and Prospect Street in La Jolla, and the California Welcome Center, located in the Viejas Outlet Center in Alpine.

InterContinental Hotels Group announced that the 99-room Holiday Inn Canmore opened Nov. 30, 2010.

Based on the Holiday Inn brand’s latest prototype, the Canmore property, in Alberta, Canada, will be one of 60 relaunched hotels currently open in the Americas.

The Holiday Inn Canmore is located in a resort area and offers a natural outdoor mountain theme on a modern public space. Each guest room looks out to a beautiful mountain view. The hotel offers more than 4,000 square feet of meeting space for up to 130 occupants.

Easily accessible by the TransCanada Highway, the hotel is within walking distance to Canmore Town Centre and a short drive from local tourist attractions including Banff National Park, Silvertip Golf Resort, Stewart Creek Golf & Country Club, Canmore Nordic Centre and Mount Norquay Ski Resort.

The hotel will showcase the new Holiday Inn sign, which is a seal of approval this hotel exemplifies the standards of the $1 billion Holiday Inn brand relaunch program. First announced in 2007, the Holiday Inn global brand relaunch was established to create a more contemporary brand image – improving quality and driving consistency across the global portfolio.

The global estate of more than 3,400 Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express properties are expected to be relaunched by the end of 2010, and more than 2,800 hotels have already been relaunched to date.

Guests at the three-story Holiday Inn Canmore will experience a comfortable and smart environment with innovative preferred guest upgrades to ensure a productive stay while travelling for business or leisure.

The residential design includes business-focused necessities like an ergonomic work station, data ports, complimentary Globe & Mail newspapers and high-speed Internet access with Wi-Fi capabilities.

Guest rooms also feature a 37-inch LCD flat-panel television, microwave and mini-refrigerator.

Additionally, there is a fitness center and an outdoor hot tub. The SimplySmart shower incorporates a proprietary Stay Smart Kohler showerhead, signature shower curtain with curved rod, upgraded 100 percent cotton terry towels and a custom line of cinnamon-scented bath products.

Guests will also enjoy the SimplySmart bedding collection where they will find new, crisp fresh bedding which features an attractive decorative throw, a medium-weight duvet blanket and soft 200 thread-count sheets.

Carlson announced the further expansion of the Radisson brand in Chile.

The opening of the Radisson Petra La Dehesa Hotel in Santiago marks the brand’s expansion in the country as part of its Ambition 2015 growth strategy.

“Radisson currently operates six hotels in the country with another one in development,” said Thorsten Kirschke, president of Carlson Hotels, Americas.

“The addition of a third Radisson hotel in Santiago represents a continued momentum in our Ambition 2015 growth strategy and is aligned with plans to expand Radisson as a vibrant, contemporary and globally consistent brand in key cities, resorts and airports.”

The 105-room, Radisson Petra La Dehesa is located in Northern Santiago, the most upscale residential area of the city and features an avant-garde design and includes a spa, an indoor and outdoor pool, fitness center and 3,600 square feet of meeting and banquet space.

The hotel’s full service restaurant Zafran, offers Mediterranean and international cuisines.

For more information, visit www.carlson.com

Esencia developers Alberto Remirez, Nicolas Dominguez and Federico Carstens have joined forces to form Hamak, a hotel group in Mexico.

Formerly of Prohotels Management and Hotel Ikal del Mar (currently known as Tides Riviera Maya), the trio launches this new endeavor with a focus toward the creation and operation of eco-conscious hotels throughout Mexico. Together, the three hospitality professionals combine more than 50 years’ first-hand experience operating luxury boutique hotels and resorts throughout Mexico.

In June 2010, Hamak opened Lúmina Luxury Suites (www.luminaluxurysuites.com) in Mexico City.

Located in the heart of Polanco, one of the most dynamic and cosmopolitan areas of Mexico City, Lúmina is encapsulated within a harmonious and serene space.

With only 12 luxurious suites, Lúmina offers guests an intimate space where the art of Mexico and its roots are fused with light and gardens from top to bottom.

On the horizon for Hamak are three distinctive properties throughout Mexico, including Ikal Cancun, a luxury all-inclusive set to open October 2011 in Cancun.

With seven restaurants and bars, three pools, a 17,000-square-foot spa and fitness center, and interior designs by David Rockwell, the hotel promises to offer guests an experience unlike any other in the city.

Their second project is Chable, a destination spa resort in Mérida, another Culturally Greening property. Scheduled to open in November 2011, Chable will offer the ultimate spa destination experience for guests to immerse themselves in local customs and traditions.

Furthermore, located near Tiburon Island along the Sea of Cortez, Hamak’s third project, Itaai, will feature 25 luxury tents. Itaai introduces guests to camping in style. For more information, visit www.hamakhotels.com

In anticipation of the Jan. 14, 2011, release of the 3D action comedy “The Green Hornet,” the vigilante hero’s Black Beauty car is on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.

The car is mounted on the museum’s elevated outdoor display at the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue.

The customized Black Beauty — complete with machine guns, rocket launchers and other weapons — is only the third vehicle to grace the 30-foot-high platform in the museum’s 16-year history.

Black Beauty will be displayed through the end of February and will tease the new “The Green Hornet” exhibit, which will fill the Hollywood Gallery at the Petersen Automotive Museum.

Visitors to the new exhibit can learn what it really takes for a car to be the star as it features six Black Beauties created to appear in the movie.

Also on display will be one of the two Black Beauties from the 1960s television series. “The Green Hornet” exhibit will also be open through the end of February.

Museum admission is $10 general, $5 for seniors and students with ID, and $3 for children ages 5 to 12. Museum members and children under 5 are admitted free.

Covered parking is available for $2 per half hour with an $8 maximum for museum visitors. Museum hours are Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information, call 323-930-2277 or visit www.petersen.org

The Hotel Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg has obtained its fifth star, based on the new French hotel classification.

To earn its fifth star, the Hotel Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg met a new set of specifications, with more than 200 conditions to fulfill in areas including reception, facilities and service.

This classification in line with the international standards puts an end to the “French exception,” which limited the highest hotel classification to four stars luxury.

The Hotel Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg is located near the Champs Élysées, Madeleine Church and Faubourg Saint-Honoré. In 2010, the hotel underwent an extensive refurbishment. From the hotel’s common areas and corridors, to an entirely new landscaped terrace, the renovation touched upon multiple aspects of the guest experience and was overseen by General Manager Véronique Claude.

The refurbishment also unveiled 21 newly redesigned suites as well as a 1,075-square-foot “Couture” apartment by designer Didier Gomez, celebrating the hotel’s history, passion for fashion and esteemed address.

The Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg is the eighth Sofitel address to earn its fifth star in France after Sofitel Paris La Défense, Sofitel Lyon Bellecour, Sofitel Marseille Vieux-Port, Sofitel Biarritz Le Miramar Thalassa, Sofitel Porticcio Thalassa, Hotel Scribe Paris and Sofitel Dijon La Cloche.

For more information, visit www.sofitel.com

Marriott International, Inc. announced a new addition to its luxury JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts portfolio, the 261-room JW Marriott Hotel Cannes.

In early 2011, the Palais Stephanie hotel, located on Cannes’ La Croisette, will be re-branded a JW Marriott Hotel under a management agreement with Jesta Group.

The hotel was built on the former site of the Palais des Festivals of Cannes, the original site of the International Film Festival from its inception in 1946 to the mid 1980s.

Earlier this year, Marriott announced its goal of doubling its portfolio in Europe by 2015.

The JW Marriott Hotel Cannes will offer 261 guestrooms, including ocean-facing suites with views of Cannes and the Mediterranean Sea.

The rooftop offers a heated swimming pool and Jacuzzis and the hotel will boast one of Cannes’ only private sandy beaches for guests.

For dining, La Scena Lounge Bar and Restaurant serves up an eclectic menu of specialties from Italy, Japan and France.

The JW Marriott Hotel Cannes will offer an 820-seat theater auditorium and 16 meeting rooms with 12,900 square feet of flexible space.

The JW Marriott brand has growth plans calling for another 20 properties expected to open over the next five years, bringing the total portfolio to more than 65 hotels in 27 countries.

Earlier this year, the brand celebrated the opening of four landmark hotels — the JW Marriott Marquis Miami, the JW Marriott Hotel Chicago, JW Marriott Hotel Los Angeles at L.A. Live and the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa.

Future locations include the JW Marriott Indianapolis Downtown, the JW Marriott Hotel Bangalore (India) and the JW Marriott Gaakoshibee Resort & Spa (Maldives). For more information, visit the banner below.

Portugal’s Porto region has six new hotels around the Grand Harbor. Hotels include the five-star The Yeatman, the four-star Teatro, the Intercontinental Hotel, the hotel Star Inn Porto, the under-construction four-star Inspira Flores Hotel, and Carris Porto Ribeira.

Hoteles Rail, a Spanish Hotel Chain, will open a new four-star hotel located in the historic center and close to the Douro River.

It will feature approximately 90 rooms, with a business-meets-modern concept, comfortable and clean accommodations, and a good price and location.

The investment is a part of a focus on the recovery and reuse of historical buildings in Porto. The hotel will be completed by February.

Celebrating its Centenary this year, the 70-room and suite Vidago Palace officially opened in October and reclaimed its place as one of Europe’s great historical resorts. Located within a 250-acre estate, an hour from Porto, Vidago Palace has been extensively renovated and restored over the last two years. Embracing its Belle Epoque heritage, Vidago Palace is a majestic Portuguese country house with all the services of a world-class luxury hotel.

The Portuguese company UNICER, owners of the Vidago Estate (and the eponymous mineral water brand) commissioned GLA Hotels to oversee the renovation, reopening, and management of the hotel. The brief was two-fold: to restore Vidago Palace to its former glory and to create a fitting emblem for Vidago mineral water, the source of which lies within the estate. For more information, visit www.vidagopalace.com

The Yeatman opened its doors in September as the first five-star hotel in the Portuguese city Vila Nova de Gaia.

All the rooms overlook the Ribeirinha Porto and are decorated in a classical style.

The construction of The Yeatman began in May 2006 by the Fladgate Partnership. It is committed to protecting the environment, and devotes half of the property to crafted gardens including an olive tree more than 1,300 years old, a butterfly garden and endangered plants attracting an array of bird species. It offers a total of 82 rooms, as well as the master suite hotel that is separated from the rest of the building and can be accessed from the garden.

For more information, visit www.the-yeatman-hotel.com

The Casa da Insua is a five-star boutique hotel in a converted 18th-century, baroque-style manor in Penalva do Castelo.

Located to the southeast of Porto, the hotel opened in July of 2009. It offers 21 rooms, nine suites, and three one-bedroom and two two-bedroom apartments.

On-site facilities include a restaurant, a museum, reading and game rooms, a chapel and a wine-tasting room.

The hotel also has a selection of rooms and spaces available for meetings and other events.

Prices include breakfast.

For more information, visit www.casadainsua.pt

Located at the heart of Serra da Estrela National Park, the Casa das Penhas Douradas features some additional new rooms totaling 18, a spa, restaurant, heated pool and bikes.

The rooms are wood birch-paneled with large windows and verandas, offering a view of the mountains.

Each room has an LCD television, a DVD player, and an iPod player, providing a home-away-from-home atmosphere.

For more information, visit www.casadaspenhasdouradas.pt

For general destination information, call 800-PORTUGAL or visit www.insideportugaltravel.com