Jetsettersblog

Swissôtel Tallinn is proud to announce the receipt of the prestigious award of the World Travel Association (WTA) as it was singled out this year as “Estonia’s Leading Hotel”. The award ceremony was held in the city of Antalya in Turkey beginning of October.

The World Travel Awards European regional ceremony united senior management and decision makers of Europe’s travel and tourism industry to celebrate their achievements.

Also referred to as the “Oscars of the travel and tourism industry” by the Wall Street Journal, the World Travel Awards was founded in 1993 and is recognized globally as the foremost recognition of excellence in product and service worldwide.

This year results are based on an independent vote by 185’000 travel agents and tourism professionals in over 200 countries.

Swissôtel Tallinn is a luxury hotel with 238 guestrooms and suites set admidst the business district of Tallinn, boasting unrivalled postcard panoramic views across the UNESCO listed Old Town and the Baltic Sea.

Only 10 minutes away from the Airport and in walking distance to all hotspots of the city, Swissôtel Tallinn offers excellent accommodation, a wealth of facilities including three restaurants, the largest ballroom in Estonia as well as the Amrita Spa & Wellness Centre for relaxation and a wide range of treatments.

“Being recognised by the World Travel Awards in this way confirms our company slogan, a passion for perfection, which is based on our warm Swiss hospitality combined with quality, efficiency and reliability”, says Bart Westerhout, General Manager of the outstanding property. “It is pleasing that the Swissôtel Tallinn, which is representing Swissôtel in this extraordinary destination, has within a few years established a reputation to earn this prestigious award.”

P&O Cruises has introduced another exotic tropical island to its Pacific islands holiday program, with Mare in New Caledonia’s Loyalty Islands set to make its debut as a port of call.

Both Pacific Jewel and the cruise line’s latest ship, Pacific Pearl, will make five visits to Mare, which boasts spectacular soft white powder beaches, imposing forest-clad cliffs and small, secluded coves tucked around the island.

Pacific Jewel will be the first P&O Cruises’ ship to call at the island, on a ten-night cruise that includes calls to Vanuatu’s Pentecost Island, home to the brave vine jumpers, as well as Port Vila and Noumea.

Departing April 9, 2012, fares are priced from $1549* per person in a complete four-berth cabin and $1899* twin share.

The cruise is a highlight of P&O Cruises’ new winter program, which offers 55 sailings across 15 different itineraries between April and August 2012.

The program also includes more short cruise breaks, with 10 departures of less than a week on offer.

New to the mix is a four-night roundtrip cruise on Pacific Sun from Brisbane to the Whitsundays, departing May 13, 2012 and priced from $849* per person twin share.

The cruise is just one of 28 sailings from Brisbane on Pacific Dawn and Pacific Sun during winter 2012.

Seven-night cruises to the Pacific islands from Brisbane on Pacific Dawn are priced from $889* per person in a complete four-berth cabin and $1349* per person twin share.

Meanwhile, holidaymakers from Sydney will be able to select the perfect winter escape from 26 voyages onboard the city’s own superliner, Pacific Jewel, and Pacific Pearl.

Fares on Pacific Pearl’s seven-night cruise from Sydney to New Caledonia’s Noumea and Isle of Pines departing May 5, 2012 start from $979* per person in a complete four-berth cabin and $1399* per person twin share.

Jenny Lourey, Senior Vice President of Carnival Australia, which operates P&O Cruises, said no other cruise line offered travellers the convenience of five home ports as well as the pleasures of dozens of destinations.

“The addition of idyllic Mare to our ports of call is sure to delight our passengers, who consistently nominate the nearby islands of Ouvea and Lifou as their favourite stops,” Ms Lourey said.

For more information and bookings contact P&O Cruises on 13 24 94 or visit www.pocruises.com.au

* All prices are per person, twin share. Subject to availability, conditions apply.

Relax with Holiday-inspired Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes therapy at Agave, The Arizona Spa at The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa.

These fall and holiday inspired treatments will help spa-goers get ready for a night out or simply give their head, shoulders, knees and toes some tender-loving-care.

The Agave Spa is proud to offer free monthly wellness clinics on the first Tuesday of each month. Guests will enjoy a variety of spa topics dedicated to improving their well being and promoting a healthy lifestyle.

The Forbes Four-Star Centre for Well-Being at The Phoenician warms up to both fall and winter with the return of its seasonal spa program, featuring a trio of unique services that relax as well as rejuvenate.

Available now through January 6, 2011, each treatment serves as a complement to the resort’s published spa menu.

On-the-Go Facial Glow — $59, cleanse, tone, exfoliate or mask, and hydrate the skin with this popular 25-minute service.

It is ideal for those who are trying to stretch time between their full-service facials, or who just need a quick refresher. Pep in Your Step — $99, revitalize and recharge with this 50-minute treatment, which begins with a massage of the back, neck and shoulders.

Next, indulge in a salt scrub of the feet, followed by a cooling peppermint lotion foot massaged. Stress Express — $99, this 50-minute journey is led by our intuitive meditation guide and focuses on freeing the body and the mind of tension and stress.

Alvadora Spa Director, Michelle Kinney, has created new couples’ rituals using lavender, verbena and rose aromatherapies at . From January through March, Alvadora Spa will offer its Fluers de Roman (Flowers of Romance) Ritual, designed for romance and loving connection. The 90-minute ritual for two begins in the Acqua Dolce villa with a lavender, verbena and rose-infused body scrub on duo heated stone tables while water gently cascades from above.

An outdoor eight-foot waterfall shower provides a final rinse and is followed by a romantic, candle-lit bath for two in the Acqua Giardino tub.

A gentle lavender-verbena-rose aromatherapy massage and a glass of Rose Champagne complete the ritual.

This December Spa Avania at Hyatt Regency Scottsdale has created two incredible specials.

The Peppermint Twists Manicure/Pedicure features a warm soak of peppermint essential oils, a detoxifying peppermint scrub, a moisturizing peppermint cream, topped off with a Peppermint Mocha Latte from Canyon Market.

Or you can indulge yourself in a full body experience with the Sugar & Spice Hot Stone Massage. Warm basalt river rocks combine with a custom blend holiday aromatherapy to gently ease stress.

Finish your day with a Sugar & Spice Latte.

The Boulders Resort is offering a new treatment that draws from holistic eastern techniques to improve a player’s golf game. The “Pin to Pin” golf acupuncture treatment, created by the resort’s Golden Door Spa experts, is exclusively for golfers.

The 80-minute “Pin to Pin” treatment blends acupuncture, hot stone therapy and therapeutic massage with a concentration on the muscles engaged during the golf swing. This eastern healing is a new acupuncture golf treatment that can improve your game.

For anyone planning a celebration, reunion or family party this year, Premier Cottages offers a more private alternative to a large hotel or pub. The company, which specialises in Luxurious 4 and 5 star fully equipped properties, has a number of large properties on their books where parties of up to 40 can stay!

Furthermore many cottages offer services such as caterers, party planning, cake making, balloons etc, to ensure that the party or gathering runs as planned.

With many of Premier Cottages’ properties also being clustered into small collections of four or five properties, visitors can still enjoy an element of privacy in their own cottage. Children are equally well considered with many of the properties offering play areas, games rooms and even gadgets such as Playstations and Wiis.

We’ve highlighted a small selection of those available, where the facilities provide an ideal location for catching up with friends and family.

Llanfendigaid Estate

Set in Snowdonia National Park near the famous Cader Idris mountain, Llanfendigaid is a Grade II listed building sleeping 16 guests in 10 bedrooms.

It was originally built before the 13th century and renovated to the current design in 1746 and more recently updated to be luxurious but retaining the original character.

The glorious Welsh coastline with its secluded beaches is only half a mile, or five miles away is the village of Tywyn which is the terminal of the Talyllyn Railway, one of the famous “Little Trains of Wales”.

Facilities at Llanfendigaid include an Aga, fully equipped kitchen, two wood burning stoves, barbeque with garden furniture, heated indoor swimming pool and pool table.

Full or partial catering services can be arranged if required during the stay. A weeks accommodation for mid season costs £2,275. www.premiercottages.com , 07786 231427.

Party Houses

A unique group of seven properties ideal for reunions and celebrations, accommodating between 11 and 30 guests in luxury in the beautiful Peak District.

All properties have comfortable leather sofas, granite work surfaces to complement the well equipped kitchens, charming antique furniture and dining for guests together in one room.

Many of the properties have ground floor bedrooms and wet rooms for anyone less mobile, and there are also games rooms to entertain the children.

Two of the properties can also be booked together for that slightly larger group, sleeping 40 guests in comfort. Many extras can be arranged if required from local suppliers including fine dining, local food deliveries and beauty treatments.

Chatsworth House is a close local attraction, or for the thrill seekers pop along to Alton Towers.

Prices mid season range from £1,300 to £5,300 for one week with weekend and short breaks available on request. www.premiercottages.com , 01538 383099.

Hidelow House Cottages

Located on the edge of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Worcestershire, Hidelow House Cottages have made group reunions a speciality.

The cottages range in size with the largest accommodating 10 or 12 guests in five star luxury.

The Cider House, a stone and timbered cottage from the 17th century with five en-suite bedrooms and The Farmhouse dines 20, with six en-suite bedrooms and two hot tubs are the largest. Only two hours from London and Manchester, Hidelow House Cottages are in a central location making a stay ideal wherever visitors are travelling from.

A chef and home cooked meals and buffets can be arranged on request for a more relaxing gathering.

Other facilities include wood burning stove, BBQ’s with garden furniture, oak dining table, fully equipped kitchen and comfortable sofas. Prices for a one week stay cost £1,160 and £1,900 for The Cider House and The Farmhouse during mid season. www.premiercottages.com , 01886 884547.

Rousdon Estate

Entertaining 14 guests in a large wing of a grand Tudor style Grade II listed mansion house from the 19th century, Peek House caters for groups in classic elegance with modern amenities. Relax in front of the real fire in the 30ft oak-floored sitting room and enjoy the state-of-the-art hi-fi system with iPod dock, or utilise the cinema room with surround-sound system.

Caterers can be arranged for formal three course dinners. Situated in a stunning 350 acre estate just two miles from Lyme Regis, the location is ideal for exploring the many picturesque villages nearby, which include Salcombe Regis and Branscombe.

A one week self catering break costs from £3,000. www.premiercottages.com , 01297 444734.

Higher Wiscombe

The Old Winery is a unique, award-winning five star barn, which can accommodate up to 20 guests in 10 luxurious bedrooms.

This beautifully converted former apple winery, located in a picturesque setting near Devon’s famous Jurassic Coast, is ideal for anniversaries, family reunions and parties. The huge oak dining table can seat up to 32, while the two oak and granite kitchens equipped with range cookers and large fridges enable in-house or external catering on a grand scale. A heated swimming pool is ideal for relaxing, whilst marathon table tennis tournaments are a must in the games room.

A mid season week break costs £4,125 with midweek and weekend breaks also available. www.premiercottages.com , 01404 871360.

All properties are from Premier Cottages (www.premiercottages.com)

Style matters – especially in The Cotswolds, where things are always done that little bit differently to the norm.

So don’t expect to see any soul-less meetings and events venues when you log on to the brand new www.BoardroomStyle.com website.

Expect, instead, the kind of meeting places and corporate hospitality which you are likely to find in one of the best known, and most desirable, locations in the whole of the British Isles.

The stylish new website has brought together some of the finest country house boardroom-style meetings places in The Cotswolds under one collective banner, in a bid to tempt even more discerning PAs and meetings and event organisers to look more closely at what is now on offer in-and-around The Cotswolds, Bath, Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon, Cheltenham and Gloucester.

The Cotswolds, of course, is well recognised for leading the way when it comes to boutique hotels, restaurants with rooms, contemporary cuisine and design-led décor.

As such, the collection which is featured at www.BoardroomStyle.com  will quickly introduce meetings and event organisers to a remarkable choice of individually managed country house hotels, where the overriding emphasis is on a philosophy of good service and great quality.

Venues include such well-known ‘names’ as Lords of the Manor in Upper Slaughter, The Feathers in Woodstock, Calcot Manor in Tetbury, Three Ways House in Mickleton, Ettington Park Hotel in Stratford, and The Swan Hotel in Bibury. Edward Jenner’s former family home, in Berkeley, meanwhile, is an obvious choice for medical conferences.

Currently, 21 venues are featured, with membership growing, as are the venue-finding and supplementary services (including Virgin hot air balloon flights) attached to this stylish new collection.

Providing, in effect, a one-stop “insider’s guide” to the best of The Cotswolds, the new website gives a description of each one the 21 properties included in this unique collection.

For further details, visit www.BoardroomStyle.com

Every year lots of tourists come to Spain to enjoy sun, sand and the clear blue Mediterranean sea. But what most people are not aware of is that the sea has much more to offer than a place where you go for sun bathing, build sandcastles with your children or for a cooling swim. Allow us to introduce you to the concept of Thalasso and next time you are there, you might look
differently at the sea…

The word Thalasso therapy consists of the Greek ‘Thalassa’ (= sea) and ‘therapeia’ (= treat) and defines the therapeutic use of seawater and its components.

Thalasso therapy is the use of these ingredients such as sea
water, seaweed, mud and algae in favor of our human wellbeing.

Real Thalasso centres are located within 1 kilometer from the sea. If they are located further away than the water is not pumped directly from the sea.

In those cases, salted water will be used, which has not the same
effect as pure seawater. A visit to a Thalasso centre can do wonders.

Pure seawater is the most complete and best moisturizing nutrient from nature.

The strength of a Thalasso cure is the natural and chemical similarity of the sea to the human blood plasma. It has strong healing properties and prevents possible illnesses, above all in scientific medical tests algae and seaweeds have proven to have powerful antiseptic and antibiotic properties, all purely natural, and both possess a diverse range of vitamins, calcium, iron, protein, minerals, etc.

Thalasso therapy is good for anti-stress, weight loss, cellulite reduction, post-natal toning, back problems, blood circulation problems and joint pains. In fact you can go to a Thalasso centre for almost everything!

Typical Thalasso treatments are: algae baths, algae wraps, shower massages, jet showers, hydro massage, steam baths, etc.. For the best effect, the seawater in heated.

Thalasso is an originally French treatment method, but nowadays there is an increasing number of Thalasso resorts of high quality opening their doors in Spain.

The mild and warm climate throughout the year, especially on the coast, makes of Spain a perfect Thalasso destination!

As an example there is one Thalasso centre in southern Spain, situated on the Costa del Sol and also close to Marbella, which we would like to high light. Selenza Thalasso & Spa in Estepona with her innovative and
pioneering techniques, treatments and equipment, is a benchmark for tourism in the field of health and wellbeing in Spain. With over 2,000 m2 it is the largest saltwater Spa of Andalusia.

Here you can experience different types of Thalasso treatments, all tailored to your individual needs.

Because Thalasso treatments are much more than just Spa treatments, they are all carried out under the supervision of a medical team. At the beginning of the cure you have a consult with a doctor, in which you discuss your personal goal and treatment program.

In that way you know the treatment program is safe and healthy and you can enjoy the wonderful treatments without any worry.

The Selenza Hotel Thalasso & Spa now offers a new and unique wellness concept;

¨ALL INCLUSIVE ¨ Spa program, which means everything from the Thalasso treatments menu can be chosen whatever you want and as often as you want!

After a week of relaxation, in which you have experienced all the special characteristics of the sea, you will feel reborn.

A Thalasso spa is a real treat, and is good for you at the same time! Look at the Spanish Costas with different eyes and dive into a sea of sensations…

Please go to

www.spa-in-spain.es/package/estepona-3-4-or-7-nights-sea-of-sensations

or contact us through below contact details to learn
more about this unique Thalasso program!

If you think museums are boring – think again! With more than 300 museums across the nine counties that make up South East England, there is huge variety on offer and every visitor to the region will find a range of choices to stimulate and inspire them.

Year of the Museum in the South East, and the following is just a small selection of the inventive, thought-provoking and fun ideas for a great day out. Be prepared to be surprised!

Top places for Children:

Dinosaur Farm Museum (Isle of Wight)

Listed in the Guardian Family Friendly Awards 2009, this museum is bursting with fossils and bones and offers guided fossil hunts and other hands on activities for kids. www.dinosaurisle.com

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard (Portsmouth, Hampshire)

Home to the Mary Rose, HMS Victory and HMS Warrior 1860, this is a great day out for the whole family, with the Action Stations activity centre offering climbing walls, helicopter simulators and other cool stuff for kids (and dads!). www.historicdockyard.co.uk

Credit Crunch Culture – free museum experiences Museum of History & Science (Oxford, Oxfordshire)

With one of the largest collections of early scientific instruments, this is also one of the world’s oldest surviving purpose-built museums.

There are plenty of events, gallery tours and talks to keep you interested at no cost at all! www.mhs.ox.ac.uk

Booth Museum of Natural History (Brighton, East Sussex)

Free of charge to enter, this museum-cum-gallery has an outstanding collection of quirky and unique photography.
www.booth.virtualmuseum.info/visitor_information.asp

Museums for getting your hands dirty

Amberley Museum and Heritage Centre (Arundel, West Sussex)
Amberley is a 36 acre open-air site dedicated to the industrial heritage of the South East.

The museum offers a wide range of exhibits and industry-
based collections, but it’s the opportunity to try different crafts that makes this a special day out.
www.amberleymuseum.co.uk

Chiltern Open-Air Museum (Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire)

Houses and workplaces of past generations are disappearing from our landscape day-by-day. But at the Chiltern Open Air Museum the built heritage of the Chilterns is being preserved and interpreted for the future – join the fun and take part in a traditional wash day, rag rug making and ‘make do and mend’ sessions. For the more serious enthusiast, a range of craft workshops and courses are also available.
www.coam.org.uk

Bursledon Windmill (Southampton, Hampshire)

Try grinding your own flour at this traditional mill near Southampton, one of 19 separate museums and specialist sites across the county of Hampshire.

Other highlights include The Allen Gallery at Alton with its outstanding ceramics collection, and Andover’s Museum of the Iron Age, which tells the story of the Danebury Ring hill fort.
www.Hants.gov.uk/museums

Literary Giants

Rochester Guildhall Museum (Rochester, Kent)

Charles Dickens spent many years living in Kent and you can learn about this in the Discover Dickens Room at the Museum – which was actually mentioned in Great Expectations!
www.visitmedway.org

Dickens Bicentenary 2012 (Kent)

In 2012 the county of Kent will celebrate the Bicentenary of Charles Dickens’ birth, with a range of activities and events planned. Key spots to join in the fun are Dickens World (Chatham) and the Dickens House Museum (Broadstairs), while across the county you’ll find spots that inspired the author and featured in many of his finest works.
www.VisitKent.co.uk/dickens

Jane Austen House Museum (Chawton, Hampshire)

We can’t promise Mr Darcy, but complete with learning centre and garden, this museum offers a wide range of new activities based on the interpretation of Jane Austen’s life.
www.jane-austens-house-museum.org.uk

Dine with culture – restaurants with a Museum attached:

Waddesdon Manor (Nr. Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire) The old kitchen and servants’ hall at the 130 year-old Waddesdon Manor have been transformed into the waiter-served Manor Restaurant, perfect for lunch or a traditional High Tea in between strolls around the magnificent gardens.
www.Waddesdon.org.uk

Osborne House (Isle of Wight)

Great for a family day out, this house was built by Queen Victoria and offers a fascinating glance into the royal family’s history. The terrace restaurant provides spectacular views across the Solent.
www.english-heritage.org.uk/osborne

Stay outside the Museum!

Ashdown House (Newbury, Berkshire)

This beautiful house, located on the Berkshire Downs, is surrounded by woodland, making it idea for picnics and days out in the sun.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-ashdownhouse

Hatchlands Park (Clandon, Surrey)

Built in the 1750s, this house is full of nautical motifs and paintings – as well as the Cobbe Collection, Europe’s largest collection of keyboard instruments, with some associated with Bach, Elgar and Chopin, there is also 400 acres of parkland to explore.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hatchlands

Youngsters’ Favourite Stories

Roald Dahl Museum & Story Centre (Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire)

This family-friendly, award-winning museum is jam-packed with facts and fun, as well as boasting an interactive storytelling centre.

Relive those childhood stories of giant peaches and great glass elevators!
www.roalddahlmuseum.org

Kenneth Grahame (The Wind in the Willows) – River & Rowing Museum (Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire)

The River & Rowing Museum holds a permanent Wind in the Willows exhibition where Mr Toad, Ratty, Badger and Mole come to life with 3D models that depict their adventures.
www.rrm.co.uk

Getting Hitched: museums to be married at The Historic Dockyard Chatham (Kent)

This is a magnificent location for a wedding ceremony or reception, aboard
the Victorian naval sloop HMS Gannet (1878) – one of three warships on
permanent display.
www.thedockyard.co.uk

Horsham Museum (Horsham, West Sussex)

This medieval timber framed building, located on one of Sussex’s most
picturesque streets, would be the perfect spot to say ‘I do’ with a
treasure trove of local history objects in 26 galleries.
www.horshammuseum.org

For a unique wedding in a truly idyllic lakeside setting, boutique retreat Wineport Lodge in Athlone, County Westmeath offers the perfect choice for those seeking stylish surroundings and exceptional cuisine, coupled with warm Irish hospitality at this family-run hotel which is just an hour’s drive from Dublin airport and ferry ports.

Set on the shores of Lough Ree, your guests will enjoy lakeside views from each of the 29 individually-designed rooms and suites, and the peaceful waterways are a delightful backdrop for those once-in-a-lifetime wedding photographs. Civil ceremonies can be arranged in the Harbour Room and Wineport’s own dedicated wedding planner works closely with brides and
grooms to tailor every detail for each exclusive event.

Wineport Lodge is known throughout Ireland as the home of leading Irish celebrity chef TV show, The Restaurant, so happy couples can be assured of a delectable wedding feast, created with locally-sourced produce, for parties of up to 150 guests.

You’ll find plenty to entertain the wedding party during the celebrations too – from a Champagne cruise along the tranquil lakes to a spot of pampering; with a range of spa treatments from Yonka and Lu’lur – as well as a rooftop hot tub for the ultimate indulgence.

Happy couples, meanwhile, will love the finishing touches at Wineport Lodge, such as the red carpet entrance where they’ll be greeted with Champagne, personalised printed menus, table names, table plan, cake table with stand and knife, beautiful table settings including flowers, tea lights and white linen napery and the bridal suite on the wedding night with Champagne, flowers and chocolates.

Wedding banquets start at £75 per person, for a minimum of 80 guests, including sparkling wine reception, delicious canapés, four course banquet meal, wine for each guest and pink bubbly for the toast.

For bookings and further details on weddings at Wineport Lodge call 00353 90 643 9010 or visit www.wineport.ie

For great flight deals to Dublin from as little as £19.99 visit www.aerlingus.com

For great ferry deals via Dun Laoghaire and Dublin ports, ideal for those wanting to avoid baggage restrictions, see www.stenaline.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.

Kempinski Hotel Barbaros Bay is one of the best kept secrets on the Aegean coast of Turkey.

The stunning hotel is nestled between the Turkish hillside and the beautiful blue of the Aegean and now offers guests the use of two luxurious day cruisers, a marvallous extra
that will make a visit to this wonderful resort even more memorable.

Kempinski Hotel Barbaros Bay is home to 25 lavish suites and 148 luxurious rooms, each with its own balcony and spectacular views of the Aegean Sea.

The hotel offers a world of leisure and unique experiences beyond guests imagination characterised by luxury, such as a jacuzzi terrace, helipad and helicopter upon pre-reservation, a private bay, a marina, and of course the new private day cruisers.

The private Vicem day cruisers are docked in the Kempinski Hotel Barbaros Bay marina, and allow guests to sample a world where excellence meets the ultimate luxury – their own private yacht.

The two cruisers can be used at guests discretion either for a short trip to Bodrum, arriving in style to wonder through this magnificent Turkish coastal town, or for a romantic candle lit dinner in one of the hotel’s surrounding bays. The day cruisers can also be hired for the entire day, that way guests can explore the hidden beaches of this superb coastline.

Hiring the Day Cruiser costs from €350 and for up to 11 person.

The private shuttle cruiser costs €55 and there is room for 8 passangers.

Nightly rates at Kempinski Hotel Barbaros Bay start from €360 per room based on double occupancy in a superior room including breakfast.

To book or for further information visit

reservations.barbaros@kempinski.com

- www.kempinski.com/bodrum

Counties of Regen and Freyung Grafenau: The Bavarian Forest National Park, the oldest National Park in Germany, will celebrate its 40th birthday this year with a range of events and the active support of its National Park Partners.

The 76 Partners – hotels, guesthouses, bed and breakfasts,
restaurants and self catering accommodation providers – work with the Bavarian Forest National Park to provide holidays in harmony with nature right through the year.

One of these is ‘Bavarian Forest Holidays’ in Bayerisch Eisenstein, whose English owners came to the Bavarian Forest from England in 2004.

More and more English speaking international visitors are making their way to the Bavarian Forest – thanks to the marketing activities of Margaret Leach and Martin Holborow who have also designed their 9 holiday apartments (8 with 5 stars and 1 with 4 stars, awarded by the German Tourism Association) to specifically meet the needs of international guests.

‘We are always particularly pleased when we can introduce foreign guests to our adopted home and the unique natural features of the National park region,’ says Margaret Leach.

The National Park, which includes the largest area of forested wilderness between the Atlantic and the Urals, offers opportunities for peaceful walking and cycling as well as seeing rare indigenous wildlife such as lynx, wolves, brown bears and capercaillie in vast enclosures in the forest.

The National Park visitor centres also provide education and entertainment related to the National Park.

The Bavarian Forest National Park also directly borders the Sumava National Park in Czech Republic, providing access to nearly 100,000 hectares of protected nature.

The National Park Partners offer quality accommodation and comprehensive information on the area to their visitors.

They make an important contribution to sustainable tourism and exceed the usual criteria for eco-
friendliness and quality. All are passionate supporters of the motto of the National Park ‘Let nature be nature’. Once they have qualified to become Partners they are obliged to attend regular briefing sessions and hikes in
the National Park in order to keep their knowledge up to date.

This year the Bavarian Forest National park celebrates its 40th birthday with many events during the year in the Lusen National Park Centre.

For more information on Bavarian Forest Holidays, go to:
http://www.bavarian-forest-holidays.com

For more information and an overview of all National Park Partners, go to:
http://www.nationalpark-bayerischer-wald.de/partner