Jetsettersblog

“EASY ITALIA – NO WORRY HOLIDAYS”

Tel: 039 039 039

Easy Italia – No worry Holidays is the new phone service offering multilingual information and services to Italian and foreign tourists recently activated by the Ministry for Tourism.

Everyday, including Sundays and public holidays, from 9.00 to 22.00, people visiting the country can call 039.039.039 (three times the international phone code for Italy), for help and emergency services in case of variety of possible accidents and inconveniences such as poor services or tourist services not complying with the contract, requests for medical assistance,
police services, direct connection with information networks in the different areas, travel advice, special consultancy regarding travellers’ rights, up-to-date information on museums, exhibitions, tourist attractions and special assistance for disabled visitors.

In short, everything a tourist may need to make his holiday even easier and safer.

The English, French, Spanish, German, Chinese, Russian and, of course, Italian helpline offers invaluable help to get over language and culture problems quickly and easily, offering immediate and efficient answers for the needs that may arise during a visit to Italy.

Bwlch Tre Banau Estate is a stunning new collection of three beautifully restored, luxury self-catering cottages available through Blue Chip Vacations (www.bluechipvacations.com ).

Set within 104 acres of Carmarthenshire’s lush, rolling hills known as “The Garden of Wales”, the 16th Century estate is home to Wheat Sheaf Cottage, Barley Cottage and Meadow Barn, each of which overlooks the magnificent Brecon Beacons, the estate’s parkland, its landscaped gardens and meadows.

Originally the estate’s miller’s cottage and barn, Wheat Sheaf Cottage sleeps up to five and can be booked from £469 per week.

Its vaulted oak beam ceilings, panelling, maple wood flooring, stone staircase and suspended wooden lifting wheel echo the history of the house, whilst modern touches such as under-floor heating and its beautifully finished kitchen provide all the creature comforts of modern living.

Character features include a collection of paintings, a grandfather clock, a raised feature-woodburner, antique styled pine double beds and roll-top baths in both of the en-suite bathrooms.

The conservatory, overlooking the adjacent walled water garden, provides an ideal place for tranquillity whilst the large private terrace offers breathtaking Southerly views over sunlit valleys and the distant Black Mountains.

For bookings Call 0844 7044987 or visit www.bluechipvacations.com

A traditional two storey stone-built cottage, Barley Cottage, which sleeps six, has been immaculately refurbished using oak timber from The Bwlch Tre
Banau Estate.

Its interior features burnished solid oak floorboards and huge oak beams that suspend the upper floor and give great character to the living and dining room as well as the kitchen.

Special touches include a splendid Welsh slate fireplace with woodburner, a stunning antique four-poster bed,
and a beautiful king-size antique styled pine bed in the second bedroom.

Each of the three bedrooms have their own en-suite bathrooms.

Seven nights in Barley Cottage can be booked from £469 per week. For bookings Call 0844 7044987 or visit www.bluechipvacations.com

Originally used as stables and a byre, Meadow Barn combines a contemporary interior with traditional solid oak doors hewn from oak on the Estate.

The large kitchen boasts cream finished cabinetry, while beautiful traditional style Heritage bathrooms provide the perfect place to relax in a Moorishly warn bath at the end of a busy day.

The living area is homely and cosy while the dining area features an elaborately carved antique styled dining table and matching chairs.

The bedrooms each possess king-sized mahogany beds and period furniture.

Outside, the Barn has its own paved terrace, which is a perfect location to soak up the stunning surroundings. The Barn also has access to the on-site Orangery where guests can relax surrounded by plants and fruit.

Seven nights in Meadow Barn can be booked from 469 per week.
For bookings
Call 0844 7044987 or visit www.bluechipvacations.com

Close by to the estate are the Welsh country towns of Llandovery, Llandeilo and Lampeter, each with their own eclectic mix of restaurants, shops, galleries & pubs. The tiny and picturesque village of Cilycwm is well worth a visit as are the local Country Parks, a nearby Roman gold mine, a series of spectacular waterfalls, historic houses and castles. Day trips
can encompass the vibrant City of Cardiff or the dramatic coastline of Carmarthenshire and neighbouring Pembrokeshire where you’ll find some of the best beaches in the UK.

Jumeirah Restaunts and Caprice Holdings have announced the opening of the Ivy in Dubai, a multi-award winning restaurant that is to take centre stage at The Boulevard, Jumeirah Emirates Towers.

DUBAI, UAE– Jumeirah Restaurants, the restaurant division of Dubai-based luxury hospitality company Jumeirah, and Caprice Holdings, has announced that it will be launching The Ivy restaurant in Dubai.

The new restaurant will open in The Boulevard, Jumeirah Emirates Towers in the spring of 2011.

The Ivy Dubai will offer an ideal place for lunch, dinner or simply a drink at the bar and will be able to accommodate 172 covers including up to 16 guests in the private dining room for a more intimate experience.

The new restaurant will offer a brasserie-style menu with a selection of The Ivy classics, such as its world famous shepherd’s pie and Scandinavian iced berries with hot white chocolate sauce.

The Ivy in Dubai will share the same standards of food, ambiance and service as The Ivy in London, but will also take on board the best that Dubai has to offer.

The Ivy will be the first of the Caprice Holdings’ restaurants to open since the announcement in August of a deal that will see Jumeirah Restaurants roll out the Caprice Holdings’ brands in the Middle East.

It joins sister restaurant, the critically acclaimed Rivington Grill, which opened in December 2008.

The Ivy is a uniquely British institution known throughout the world.

A refurbishment in 1990, with oak panelling, stained glass and site-specific commissions from leading contemporary artists, recast it as the grand restaurant of its early-20th century heyday. It is a favourite with the pre- and post-theatre crowd, as well as attracting a devoted clientele from the arts and media and beyond who come for its unmatchable service, the intimate atmosphere and privacy fostered by its Director, Fernando Peire.

It’s large and unique brasserie-style menu offers dishes from around the world such as Bang Bang chicken and Thai-baked sea bass but has a particular British flavour, with favourites such as Dover sole, roasts and the famous shepherd’s pie, simply but beautifully cooked from the best ingredients.

Caprice Holdings encompasses London’s favourite restaurants.

From the glamour of Le Caprice to the elegance of Daphne’s, the informality of The Ivy to the excitement of Scott’s, these cover a wide variety of atmospheres and clienteles. Their cuisines, too, range far and wide, from the traditional British of Rivington to Tuscan and French and on to the South-East Asian of Bam-Bou.

Jumeirah Restaurants is a company of multiple and successful restaurant concepts developed and licensed globally. An important and strategic addition to the Jumeirah Group portfolio, the company’s mission is to set up and license innovative restaurants worldwide.

The company also has the rights to develop a number of brands from the Caprice Holdings group across the Middle East and North Africa.

About Jumeirah:

Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts are regarded as among the and have won numerous international travel and tourism awards. Jumeirah, the Dubai-based luxury international hotel management group and member of Dubai Holding, owns a number of Dubai hotels. Among the Jumeirah hotels in Dubai is the world renowned Burj Al Arab, the world’s most luxurious hotel, which features an underwater restaurant in Dubai.

Yas Links Abu Dhabi, the new Kyle Phillips designed golf course which debuts at IGTM this week, is the “best course in the Middle East,” according to the latest issue of Golf Course Architecture magazine.

The world-class development on Yas Island, home to the Yas Marina Formula 1 Circuit, venue of the season ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and the spectacular Ferrari World, the world’s largest indoor theme park, has received widespread critical acclaim.

It is the first Middle East design for leading course architect Kyle Phillips, creator of World Top 100 Course Kingsbarns, Scotland, as well as the highly rated Verdura Golf & Spa Resort (Sicily), Dundonald (Scotland), and The Grove (London), who has created an extraordinary links overlooking the Arabian Gulf that rides rolling sand hills along three kilometers of coastline, and features nine seashore greens.

Following a recent visit to the site, Golf Course Architecture editor Adam Lawrence, wrote Yas Links is the, “first pure golf course in the Gulf,” and, “it is a golf experience like no other in the region.”

He added: “I am very confident in asserting that Yas Links is the best course in the Middle East by a distance, and that it has taken golf in the region to a whole new level.”

In a unique twist, Phillips was able to design not only the golf course, but the coastline along which the course runs.

That’s because the channel along the western edge of Yas Island had to be dredged to produce the 1.8 million m3 (cubic metres) of fill used to construct the golf course.

The result is a coastline that lends itself perfectly to exciting golf holes, and one that is also benefiting from an approved environmental programme that has introduced 130,000 mangrove plants.

Yas Links General Manager, Chris White, said: “Kyle has created a breathtaking golf experience at Yas Links and one that is unique in the Middle East.

It is a rolling, heaving golf course, weaving through sand hills and wending its way along the shoreline with views of the Arabian Gulf on all 18 holes.

“It is interesting talking to golfers as they come in from their rounds – you can see the exhilaration and enjoyment in their faces. They know they have played a very special golf course.”

Yas Links is peppered with 119 bunkers, while Paspalum Platinum links grass covers the sand hills and defines the fairways of the 7,414-yard, par-72 course, which has five different tee settings to make the course challenging from the Championship tees, while creating an enjoyable experience for members and visitors.

Yas Links (www.yaslinks.com ) is part of Aldar Properties’ Yas Island development, a global leisure destination.

Golf facilities at Yas Links also include a 5,750 m2 (57,000 ft2) luxury clubhouse and world-class, floodlit practice ranges and golf academy.

Some of the world’s top golfers will experience Yas Links for themselves in 2011 when the world’s most prestigious one-day Pro-Am tournament moves to Abu Dhabi.

The Invitational on January 17, 2011, hosted by Abdullah Al Naboodah, will see some of the world’s best players join forces with 50 invited amateurs for a day of great competitive golf. World No.1 Lee Westwood, reigning U.S. Open Champion Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy, Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia and Ross Fisher plus many more are expected to attend.

Hilton Worldwide has signed a management agreement with Afak Co. for Touristic Development Co., one of the Egyptian Engineers Companies (Zaghloul Holdings), for the newly built 676-room Hilton Makadi Resort, the fourth Hilton Hotels & Resorts property in Hurghada, Egypt.

The hotel is expected to open its doors as a Hilton Hotels & Resorts property in June 2011 with the 330 rooms that make up phase one of the project.

Phase two, the final 346 rooms, is expected to open by the second quarter of 2012. Situated in a prime location in the new area of Makadi Bay, about 30 kilometers south of Hurghada and 35 kilometers from Hurghada International Airport, the hotel overlooks the Red Sea front with a 400-meter, private sandy beach.

Hurghada is also home to Hilton Hurghada Resort, Hilton Hurghada Plaza and Hilton Hurghada Long Beach Resort.

The newest Hilton Hotels & Resorts property, the Hilton Makadi Resort, will feature two meeting rooms, three lounges, an all-day dining and two specialty restaurants and will offer three swimming pools, a health club, spa, and diving center for leisure in addition to a private beach. It will be the 17th Hilton Worldwide property in the country.

For more information, visit the beachbooker.com banner below.

Like Champagne itself, traditional art and craft skills and trades form an integral part of the history and heritage of the region of Champagne-Ardenne, which is so important to conserve.

Wood, glass, textiles, clay, metal …. The region is rich in ancestral skills passed down through the centuries while adapting and evolving to new techniques and changing tastes and trends.

Champagne-Ardenne Tourism has produced a brochure to help visitors discover some of these essential crafts and skills, covering a range of different materials:

Metal: Metallurgic Park : the journey of man and steel (Haute-Marne) – opened July 2010

At the main site of Dommartin-le-Franc, you can discover the secrets of cast iron metalworking in the 19th century.

The former coal store has been transformed into a dynamic interactive museum that presents the remarkable spread of Haute-Marne wrought ironwork across the world.

At Vecqueville, you will discover the history of a factory which produces monumental high-tech items, and last of all, in the heart of the forest, a sign-posted trail leads you to one of the former iron ore pits with its geological rarities: the ‘Poissons Mine’.
www.metallurgicpark.com

Clay: The Colour Mill at Ecordal (Ardennes)

The Colour Mill at Ecordal produces natural pigments, bringing colour to the world since the 19th century! Nine types of earth or clay are specially selected then ground down, dried, heated and carefully mixed by the Mills’ own alchemists to obtain a palette of 85 different shades and colours.

This is the last remaining mill in France specialising in the production of natural pigments.

An idea : The Mill also offers workshops in decorative painting techniques using natural pigments
www.moulincouleurs.fr

Glass : The Bayel Crystal glass works (Aube)

One of the only remaining traditional factories in Europe where crystal is still produced entirely by hand, the crystal works at Bayel were founded by a Venetian glassmaker in 1678, who had permission from the King, Louis XIV, to set up a crystal making site between Chaumont and Paris. Known as the ‘Cristallerie Royale de Champagne’, the kilns have been alight ever since its founding. Hand-blowing, crystal-cutting, hand-engraving, gilding and enamelling, the master glaziers of Bayel preserve the sophisticated and intricate techniques and skills inherited from the Grand Siècle.

Tours are organised in English by the Bayel Tourist Office next door to the factory where there is also a small museum dedicated to the history of glass and crystal.
www.bayel-cristal.fr

Textiles & Fashion : The Flower Mill at Orges (Haute-Marne)

The Mill dates back to the 14th century when it produced oil and flour. Although the old paddle wheel continues to turn to drive the antique machinery, since 1903, the mill has been producing high-quality artificial flowers – and today also artificial pistils, petals, leaves and fruit – to supply floral creations and decorations to for the fashion industry, including Haute Couture brands such as Chanel, plus top confectioners to decorate their cakes and pastries.

The Flower Mill at Orges is the last remaining centre of production of its kind and is a source of inspiration for numerous contemporary designers.
www.artamin.fr

The 16 page brochure is available in English and 4 other languages.

It also offers suggestions for workshops and creative shortbreaks and can be downloaded from the Tourist Board’s website

www.tourisme-champagne-ardenne.com

 or by emailing

contact@tourisme-champagne-ardenne.com

The website also has a free photo library (in the press section) as well as other themed brochures to download.

DONNAFUGATA GOLF RESORT & SPA (5*), near Ragusa, Sicily

Opened 1st July 2010, part of the NH Hotel Group.

The five-star Donnafugata Golf Resort and Spa is situated on the sprawling
Donnafugata Manor, conveniently located just 17 kilometers from Comiso Airport and within a one-hour drive from Catania International Airport. Set amid pristine beaches and natural and historic conservation areas, the resort offers the possibility of visiting many historical and artistic cities such as Ragusa, Modica, Ibla, Noto and Scicli, famous for their Sicilian Baroque buildings.

The resort itself is a model of historic preservation, with original details remaining intact through recent renovations and facility upgrades.

Each of the spacious guest rooms comes equipped with wireless internet access, satellite TV and a personal refreshment centre.

Three restaurants and two bars provide the gastronomic delights, while a state-of-the-art fitness centre and swimming pool allows guests to continue their usual fitness regime in style.

The Donnafugata is a golf enthusiast’s dream, offering two championship courses (the Parkland Signature Course and an 18 hole Championship Course) and a golf academy complete with 70 driving tees and putting/ pitching greens. www.nh-hotels.com

NEW HOTEL MULINO (4*) in Florence

The new Hotel Mulino is housed in an historic mill dating back to 1330, cited by Dante and already present on the maps of the area designed by Leonardo da Vinci.

The old mill has been lovingly restored and transformed in an exceptional hotel, build on the banks of the Arno river, in the open countryside, yet only 20 minutes from the centre of Florence to which is linked by a shuttle bus operating all day.

The hotel has 36 rooms and one junior suite.

For complete relaxation the hotel offers a spa with a “biological lake” formed by the pools in which the river used to flow to activate the vanes of the mill and a restaurant with a real wood-fire oven.
www.hotelmulinodifirenze.com

NEW EUROSTARS ROMA AETER NA HOTEL (4*) in Rome

The Eurostars Roma Æterna, opened this summer in the historical building that was once the headquarters of the Serono Pharmaceutical Company, which has been totally refurbished to convert it into a hotel of high standing with 144 guest rooms, 9 suites several reception-meeting rooms.

The result of this renovation work is a spectacular building combining the industrial architecture of the beginning of the 19th century period with the most innovative trends in interior design. The classical, straight lines of the façade become mischievous inside to surprise the guests with revolutionary curves, forms and materials. A gigantic glass candle welcomes the guests.

The Eurostars Roma Æterna provides services such as a fitness room, individual saunas and a restaurant which occupies a spacious marble-lined salon that opens up onto a large terrace, surrounded by gardens.

The Eurostars Roma Æterna is located east of the city, where ancient Rome used to end, nowadays one of the busiest commercial areas, in the Pigneto district.

www.eurostarsromaaeterna.com

NEW EUROSTARS HOTEL ST JOHN (4*) in Rome

The recently opened Hotel Saint John boasts an outstanding location in the most central part of classical Rome, near the Basilica of Saint John Lateran and very near the Coliseum. The Hotel Saint John has 84 elegant, recently remodelled rooms decorated in light, marble tones.

All rooms have flat-screen cable TV, Wi-Fi coverage, air conditioning, a mini-bar, a safety deposit box and a full bathroom with hair dryer. There are three suites and several family rooms. Wi-Fi is also available in every part of the hotel, the hotel offers free newspapers and a bar
service.

www.eurostarsstjohn.com

NEW GRAND HOTEL VILLA ITRIA, (4* deluxe) near Catania in Sicily

The Ora Hotel Group has opened on 23 September 2010 a new hotel as part of their Luxury Collection near Catania in Sicily, the Grand Hotel Villa Itria.

The hotel is located in the resort of Viagrande, one time a
favourite holiday destination of the Catania nobility and has Mount Etna as a background and only 15 minutes from Catania.

The hotel was built on a citrus plantation and offers 66 rooms, 7 junior suites and 11 suites. There are also two restaurants serving local Sicilian specialities and international cuisine, a bar, 4 meeting rooms, a spa, one outdoor and one indoor swimming pools and a roof garden. www.orahotelsgroup.eu

RE-OPENING OF THE ORIENTE HOTEL (4*deluxe) in Bari, Puglia

The Oriente Hotel in Bari has re-opened on 1st September after an extensive restoration work of the old Palazzo Marroccoli built in 1928. The Hotel now offers 75 rooms and suites, elegantly furnished and equipped with all modern comforts.

The hotel has a grandiose Roof Garden on the 6th floor with offers unparalleled views over the city of Bari and the Adriatic Sea.

The Oriente Hotel also has a breakfast room, American bar and two meeting rooms. www.alpitourworldhotels.it

NEW MERCURE OLBIA HERMAEA (4*), in Olbia, Sardinia

The Mercure hotel chain (part of Accor Hotels) has recently opened the Mercure Olbia Hermaea in Olbia on the north west of Sardinia in the world- renowned Costa Smeralda.

The Hotel takes its name from the ship “Hermaea” on of the first ships to link Italy mainland in Civitavecchia and the island of Sardinia.

The hotel theme is inspired by this marine theme with
furnishings and decorative elements reminding of a cruising ship.

The hotel has 125 rooms of which 3 suites, 3 meeting rooms, a spacious spa and a restaurant. The hotel is located in Olbia town, but the beach can be reached easily with the hotel shuttle bus. www.accorhotels.com

NEW MO.OM ECO HOTEL-MOTEL (4*) in Olgiate Olona, near Milan

The recently opened MO.OM Hotel-Motel is a luxury 4 star boutique hotel, unique in structure and philosophy and is near Milan in Olgiate Olona.

It is an excellent solution for location, comfort and services, for both business travellers and tourists, and it is an icon of eco-friendly and green-travelling philosophy. MO.OM offers 144 rooms: 62 in the hotel complex, 76 in the motel complex and 6 suites. It also offers: lounge bar,
gym, pool, spa with turkish bath, sauna and massage and a restaurant with a rich and refined menu. MO.OM is near to Malpensa Airport, close to Fiera Milano the center of Milan and Lake Maggiore and Como. www.moomhotel.com

CONVOGLIA in Rome

Convoglia is a new concept of food place born from the desire to offer the customers a whole range of culinary experiences based on the concept of slow food, locally sourced ingredients and traditional cuisine.

Convoglia is located just off the Termini Station in a modern setting and comprises: a Restaurant specializing in cuisine from central and southern Italy, a Pizzeria-Griglieria with oven baked pizzas and grilled meats or fish, a Osteria which offers quick traditional meals and takeways, a Caffetteria for drinks, coffees, sandwiches and cakes and a Wine Bar area.
www.convoglia.com

FILIPPO LA MANTIA RESTAURANT AND TERRACE, at the Hotel Majestic in Rome

Filippo La Mantia is a renowned Sicilian chef who has recently inaugurated his new restaurant in the Hotel Majestic in Via Veneto.

The Hotel Majestic is a historic hotel built at the end of the 19th century and the Restaurant preserves all the elegance and sophistication of a bygone era.

Filippo has however added new modern touches to the design by making the kitchen visible through glass panels and a bar. The restaurant gives onto a magnificent terrace with wonderful views over Via Veneto.

The cuisine takes inspiration from the flavours and tradition of Sicily, but Filippo La Mantia has also introduced a big novelty in its dishes by eliminating the use of garlic and onion in favour of herbs and citrus fruits.
www.filippolamantia.com

GAETANO COSTA RESTAURANT in Rome

Gaetano Costa is a young chef from Naples whose formative years were spent at some of the best restaurants in Italy such as the one at the Excelsior Hotel in Naples, Parco dei Principi in Rome and the Hotel Majestic in Rome.

Now Gaetano has opened its eponymous restaurant in Via Sicilia near the fashionable Via Veneto.

The restaurant serves about 55 people in the main hall and two other small rooms, intended for special events, can be found downstairs in the modern area of the cellar.

In front of the modern kitchen, near to his workstation, Gaetano Costa has inserted a special table, a table where one can follow the chef’s actions and his team and steal the secrets of haute cuisine. Strong technique, high creativity and Mediterranean spirit are the main features of Gaetano’s original style that combines excellent Italian ingredients.

The “Gaetanocosta” is not alive only during lunch and dinner. The chef wants his restaurant to be considered an area of gourmand relax where one can escape the busy Roman afternoons. With this intent he has created the Afternoon Tea, a time devoted to tea in its most valuable declinations.
Costa has selected several varieties of tea leaves from China, India, Japan
and Vietnam to serve from 4 to 7 p.m. with his pastry or in a tasting menu.
www.gaetanocostarestaurant.com

The ‘Seven Colours’ concept has found its spiritual home
on Mauritius; a beautiful island in the southwest Indian Ocean where a myriad of colour is apparent in the cultural diversity, the stunning natural landscape and even in the country’s polychromatic flag.

The use of colour as therapy dates back thousands of years and is today embraced by the new Seven Colours Spa ‘Millesime Collection’ at Heritage Le Telfair Golf & Spa Resort (www.heritageletelfair.mu ) in Mauritius.

Just as ‘millesime’ may describe an exceptional perfume or vintage wine, the Millesime Collection delivers exceptional services, spa rituals and authentic Mauritian treatments, all of which combine with the seven energetic ambient colours, fragrance and music experienced within the
natural, lush environment of Domaine de Bel Ombre.

The Millesime Collection carries a message of well-being that permeates throughout the resort by integrating with wellness activities such as hydrotherapy, yoga, Thai Chi, personal training, wellness cuisine options and the unique Seven Colours Energy Cuisine restaurant.

The spa programme has been developed by naturopath and spa specialist Dr Chase Webber. Previously responsible for operations at One & Only Resorts Spa and Kempinski Spa in Europe, Dr Webber now heads the team at Seven Colours Spa, a uniquely Mauritian wellness brand.

The fundamental difference between this spa concept and others available on the island is the natural, rugged setting of Domaine de Bel Ombre which provides a welcome retreat and an opportunity to rediscover the self in a beautiful and serene environment.

The bespoke programme takes place at Le Telfair’s resort spa village, spread across 2,000sq.m of lush tropical vegetation, and in the adjoining 1,300 hectare Frederica Nature Reserve.

The programme aims to balance body, mind and energy with a tailor-made approach of treatments linked to the client’s need to relax, revitalise or detoxify. Energy and colour are used to create a sensory ambiance to harmonise the chakras related to the seven colours of the light spectrum.

This truly holistic approach provides an overall sense of wellbeing, both spiritually and physically.

Before starting, each guest is guided through a spa assessment by one of the qualified spa therapists to understand their objectives and to ensure that individual expectations are understood and met.

Typical activities available on the programme include:

* A full hydrotherapy experience in the new vitality pool and relaxation areas, incorporating air bubble massage beds, hydro-jets and deluxe pre-programmed experience showers

* Nutritionally balanced breakfasts, lunches and dinners available on all resort menus and in-room meal deliveries (recognisable by the Seven Colours logo)

* Invigorating activities (such as swimming, hiking or mountain biking) or gym sessions with a professional personal trainer

* Yoga, Tai Chi or a meditation classes

* Spa treatments to relax, revitalize or detoxify, tailor made for the individual client

* An in-room bath and pillow mist menu option for relaxation, revitalisation and even romance

* A wellness hike accompanied by a guide in the Frederica Nature Reserve which takes in coastal and dry rainforest, waterfalls, wildlife and protected flora and fauna (Available to guests from January 2011)

To continue the Seven Colours philosophy at home, clients can learn massage or the art of relaxation through unique tutor sessions available within the spa or purchase items from the Seven Colours Spa natural product range. The range includes face and body treatments, masks and room fragrances, all of which stay true to the principles of colour therapy, evoking the inner peace and feelings of wellbeing the client discovered on the island.

Prices start from at £1,269 for 7 nights and include all activities, spa treatments and meals. Contact Spa breaks on 0800 043 6600 or visit www.spabreaks.com

Villas De Maitre has extended its luxury Seychelles collection with the addition of this rare residence built with the nostalgia of the colonial era, real passion and love of exquisite craftmanship.

The villa is located overlooking Intendance Bay, South Mahe within a short distance to Banyan Tree Seychelles. Built in colonial style the villa has 2 bedrooms in the main building and a separate guest suite on the other side of the swimming pool .

The main villa and guest suite are surrounded in front and on the side with the typical Creole colonnaded veranda.

By the infinity pool on a large granite rock is the Sala, which can be used for outdoor dining or for massage.

In a rock cave next to the Sala there is a large Jacuzzi.

The villa has generous proportions with three spacious bedrooms, two with king size bed and the third is a twin with one king and one queen size bed. The master bedroom has a large dressing room adjacent to the bathroom and an elevated work/study area.

There is a fully equipped kitchen/dining room downstairs.

The main lounge designed to include a large granite rock has an elevated library with entertainment section Satellite TV and stereo. Two rooms have Dolby Surround Sound. Wireless Internet.

The villa has expansive outdoor living areas surrounded by large granite rock formations and a high perimeter wall providing absolute privacy and exclusivity.

“We welcome Residence on the Rocks to our collection for guests looking for the luxury of total privacy in beautiful surroundings.

We are finding that many guests are looking for an alternative to a 5 star hotel stay on the Seychelles and this villa is a private home of exceptional quality and style.” Says Julie Gauthier Director and Co-Founder of Villas de Maitre.

STYLE AND FINISHING

The owner wanted to create for his home the true Creole style and feel by mixing the blend of French, Chinese African, Indian and English cultures. Architectural antiques were painstakingly chosen and the villa built around them. The 16 large, old Haveli Palace doors sourced in India were of slightly different sizes the walls had to be “built” around them.

These various open doors combined with the heavy insulation of the roof areas allow the circulation of constant sea breezes throughout reducing the need for air-conditioning.

The floors are all of recycled old Burma teak. The colonial metal windows were imported from Kenya.

The cast iron rail was acquired in Burma.

Many of the furniture are original antique British colonial pieces imported from India and Burma. All carpets were woven in and bought from traditional tribal village cooperatives in Northern India.

The owner, a great traveller himself, has collected over the past 30 years the objects d’art from Central Africa and South East Asia, including some valuable tribal art pieces.

The Residence on the Rocks fits in well with the incredible beauty of its location and the guests enjoy an exceptional experience.

Standard Services

Housekeeping includes daily sheet changes and turn down services, gardening and pool maintenance, room service, golf buggy, private butler for 8 hours and security. Nanny and private chef available on request.

Other facilities include access to Banyan Tree Seychelles – all restaurants, bars, the spa, the hotel pool, the Gym as well as tennis court

Special launch offer 6=7 12=14

Residence on the Rocks is the most luxurious private villa situated in Takamaka, Mahe Seychelles and sleeps up to 6 adults and 1 child.

Additional guests could be booked into Banyan Tree Seychelles.

www.villasdemaitre.com/hotelinfo.asp?SupplierID=1685

About Villas De Maitre

Villas De Maitre is a leading luxury private villa company providing access to some of the most beautiful and exceptional villas in Mauritius and Seychelles.

Villas De Maitre directors personally inspect and evaluate each villa guaranteeing that passion for excellence and quality expected by their clients.

As well as providing accommodation and destination information, Villas De Maitre can organise extra services to suit every client’s needs, whether these are chefs, nannies, catamaran trips or excursions.

Villas De Maitre, market leader in Mauritius luxury private villa rental, has over 16 years experience of representing some of the most exclusive private luxury villas on the island.