Jetsettersblog

Oxford is steeped in history, as the city of dreaming spires has long captivated both the hearts of the poetic and the minds of the academic. The Oxford Thames Four Pillars Hotel has a varied history itself, with documents dating the site back as far as the 12th century and linking it with the Knights Templar. It is appropriate, therefore, that the hotel should choose to refurbish its oldest wing (the medieval College House), restoring it to its original glory and giving guests the opportunity for a Knight to remember…

The refurbished bedrooms are due to officially open on 19th February 2011, and promise to reflect the hotel’s status within Oxford’s historic past. Each of the 12 rooms has been named after Oxford Colleges (Christchurch, St John’s, Trinity, Magdalen etc). Colour schemes in the rooms will also reflect the sense of history and status, with rich ruby and amethyst tones, complimented by contemporary ascents. Upgraded Clarins toiletries will also come as standard, along with Divine chocolate bars and a complimentary drinks tray (to include soft drinks, mineral water and mini bottles of wine), robes, slippers and a complimentary newspaper. The majority of these rooms will also overlook the beautifully landscaped lawns leading down to the River Thames, and the majestic St John’s College barge.

Rameth Kurdi, General Manager of the Oxford Thames Four Pillars Hotel, says: “We are absolutely delighted to unveil the newly refurbished College House wing of the hotel. We are keenly aware of the hotel’s status within local history, with the site linked with the Knights Templar of the Holy Crusades, and have gone to great lengths to retain historic character within the rooms. These 12 bedrooms are all individual in style, yet they all echo the College House’s historical roots, and we hope that our guests will enjoy this nod to our place in history”.

Located just three miles from Oxford city centre, the Oxford Thames Four Pillars Hotel comprises a group of medieval buildings with sympathetically designed modern additions, set in 30 acres of parkland on the River Thames. It offers a convenient base from which to explore this historic part of England and offers interesting sightseeing and shopping options.

For bookings, call: 01865 334 444 or visit www.four-pillars.co.uk/thames

With the Royal Wedding fast approaching, Bath Tourism Plus is highlighting the city as a wonderful place to visit for those who want to celebrate the big day. Bath’s Royal connections date back to the city’s very beginning and today there are a host of interesting highlights for Royalty enthusiasts to explore, fascinating stories to uncover and a number of special Royal Wedding events and celebrations to take part in.

Royal Events
The Fashion Museum will be hosting the Royal Wedding Dress Teas on 15, 29 March and 12 April, where visitors can enjoy tea and cakes in the Assembly Rooms whilst listening to illustrated talks on Royal Wedding Dress by museum manager Rosemary Harden. Tickets also include entry to the ‘What Will She Wear?’ exhibition, which begins on 14 February 2011 at the Fashion Museum. Some of the finest wedding dresses from the museum’s collection will be on display, as well as a previously unseen archive of photographs of couture wedding dresses from the 1930s.

At No. 1 Royal Crescent, visitors are invited to enjoy a Georgian Wedding Feast between 16 April and 2 May. To celebrate the Royal Wedding season, No.1 will be taking a closer look at weddings and marriage customs in the 18th century with a special wedding trail. The elegant Drawing Room will be decorated for a Georgian wedding breakfast, with sugar paste decorations, sumptuous cakes and beautiful swags and there will be a beautiful Georgian wedding dress and posy on display in the bedroom.

Ston Easton Park Hotel will be hosting a Royal Wedding Celebration on Friday 29th April where guests will be invited to get into the champagne mood from 10.30 am, with coffee and a brunch buffet being served in the beautiful surroundings of this luxury country house.

Stay and Celebrate
Fosse Farmhouse, situated a few miles from Bath, will be hosting a Royal Garden Party for all staying guests, including homemade Royal Wedding Cake and Earl Grey tea served in the beautiful grounds. Bed and breakfast prices start from £99.00 per night, inclusive of wedding cake and tea. Alternatively, visitors can enjoy a stay in the 18th century Stables Cottage, located in the grounds of Fosse Farmhouse. The building was originally used for stabling the horses ridden in the Beaufort Hunt, which Prince William and Prince Harry are members of today. The Stables Cottage is £660.00 for three nights self catering and sleeps up to six people.

A Bed Fit for a King
Why not stay in a royal property while in Bath? The Duchy is a central Townhouse, recently owned by Prince Charles, and is now available as visitor accommodation. It even features the Prince’s ‘feathers’ carved in beautiful Bath stone as a listed monument above the front door. Alternatively, Queen Charlotte’s Orangery is a splendid bed and breakfast, where you can step back in time and stay where Queen Charlotte (George III’s Queen) stayed during her visit to Bath in 1817. Or why not sleep in the same room that Queen Victoria inhabited during her stay in Bath, at the Royal Hotel? Visitors to Bath can even stay in same room as the Duke of York, Frederick Augustus, immortalised in the nursery rhyme ‘The Grand Old Duke of York’, who stayed at number 16 The Royal Crescent a number of times in the early 19th century. This house is now part of the five star Royal Crescent Hotel, where you can stay in a suite named in his honour – accommodation fit for any prince or princess!

Shop like Royalty
In Bath you can even shop like a Royal at the new Highgrove shop on Milsom Street! The shop sells an exclusive range of high quality, unique gift products for the home and garden as well as a range of organic foods. All the products in the shop are inspired by the Highgrove garden and reflect many of HRH The Prince of Wales’s interests at home and abroad. For those wanting to pick up a souvenir of the Royal Wedding, a visit to Bath Tourist Information Centre is a must with a fantastic selection of products including postcards, mugs, spoons, bookmarks and books.

Bath’s Royal Beginnings
Bath was very much founded on Royal beginnings. Legend has it that around 500BC a young Prince Bladud stumbled upon healing spring waters while exiled for being accursed with Leprosy. The waters cured his affliction and he returned to his family, later becoming King. In gratitude to the healing powers of the spring, King Bladud began the building of the city of Bath.

A statue of King Bladud stands in the Royal Bath at the Roman Baths and you can see many paintings and illustrations depicting the story in the Pump Room.

The first King of England, King Edgar’s coronation was held in Bath Abbey in 973AD. Today, you can see the stunning Edgar Window at the east end of the Abbey, which depicts the ceremony. You can also see a commemorative stone in the Abbey’s floor, celebrating a visit by Queen Elizabeth II in 1973 to mark 1000 years since the crowning of Edgar and the creation of the English Monarchy.

For more information on Bath’s Royal connections, special events and celebrations for the Royal Wedding and for a complete guide to booking a break in Bath see www.visitbath.co.uk  or contact Bath Tourist Information Centre on +44 844 8475256.

*All examples are subject to availability and prices are based on 2 bed basic mobile homes. The first 3 nights should be pre-booked and the remaining nights cannot be booked up until 7 nights prior to arrival on parc. The trip cannot be pre-booked at this price point; the remainder of the itinerary must be set during the trip following the first night’s stay.

*The Eurocamp Explorer Pass is valid for holidays up to and including 30th June 2011. The minimum duration for a holiday is 7 nights, staying on a minimum of 2 different parcs for a maximum of 5 nights per parc. Selected parcs and accommodation are excluded at different dates.

For further information on Eurocamp, please call 0844 406 0552 or visit www.eurocamp.co.uk

Thomson Tailormade continues to respond to the increasing demand for all-inclusive holidays with no hidden costs, giving your purse a much needed break this year. Offering a selection of 3 Star to 5 Star all inclusive breaks in the Caribbean, Mexico, Africa, United Arab Emirates, Indian Ocean and Far East, starting from as little as £599 per person, Thomson Tailormade’s flexible all-inclusive options offer breaks suited to every budget. Benefit from fabulous savings of up to £1,275 per family this year with Thomson Tailormade’s Spring and Summer Family and Adult Only All Inclusive offers:

All Inclusive Bali, departing 28th March 2011, 7 nights from £944 per adult and £612per child SAVING £332 per family of 3.
Thomson Tailormade offers 7 nights at the 4 star Aston Bali Beach Resort & Spa, Bali. The price includes accommodation on an All Inclusive basis, return flights from London Heathrow with Qatar Airways and transfers and is based on departure on 28th March 2011.

All Inclusive Sri Lanka, departing 5th May 2011, 14 nights from £1,145 per adult and £453 per child, SAVING £618 per family of 4.
Thomson Tailormade offers 14 nights at the 4 star Club Hotel Dolphin, Sri Lanka. The price includes accommodation on an All Inclusive basis, return flights from London Heathrow with Gulf Air and transfers and is based on departure on 5th May 2011.

All Inclusive Dubai, departing 19th June 2011 from £1,495 per adult and £948 per child, SAVING £135 per family of 3.
Thomson Tailormade offers 7 nights at the 4 star plus Jebel Ali Hotel, Dubai. The price includes accommodation on an All Inclusive basis, return flights from London Heathrow with Gulf Air and transfers and is based on departure on 19th June 2011.

All Inclusive Kenya, departing 10th September 2011 from £865 per adult and £630 per child, SAVING £212 per family of 4.
Thomson Tailormade offers 7 nights at the 3 star Papillon Lagoon Reef Resort, Kenya. The price includes accommodation on an All Inclusive basis, return flights from London Heathrow with Kenya Airways and transfers and is based on departure on 10th September 2011.

All Inclusive Mauritius, departing 24th June 2011 from £1,184 per adult and £631 per child, SAVING £810 per family of 3.
Thomson Tailormade offers 7 nights at the 4 star Tamassa Resort, Mauritius. The price includes accommodation on an All Inclusive basis, return flights from London Heathrow with Malaysian Airways and transfers and is based on departure on 24th June 2011.

All Inclusive Maldives, departing 15th May 2011 from £1,990 per adult and £618 per child, SAVING £919 per family of 3.
Thomson Tailormade offers 7 nights at the 4 star plus Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa, Maldives. The price includes accommodation on an all inclusive basis, return flights from London Heathrow with Sri Lankan Airways and transfers and is based on departure on 15th May 2011.

All Inclusive Zanzibar, departing 8th June 2011 from £1,212 per adult and £805 per child, SAVING £775 per family of 3
Thomson Tailormade offers 7 nights at the 4 star Royal Zanzibar Beach Resort, Zanzibar. The price includes accommodation on an All Inclusive basis, return flights from London Heathrow with Kenya Airways and transfers and is based on departure on 8th June 2011.

All Inclusive Antigua, departing 18th May 2011 from £999 per adult and £899 per child, SAVING £725 per family of 4
Thomson Tailormade offers 7 nights at the 3 star plus Jolly Beach Resort, Antigua from £3,796 per family (based on 2 adults and 2 children) saving £725 per family. The price includes accommodation on an All Inclusive basis, return flights from London Gatwick with Virgin Atlantic and transfers and is based on departure on 18th May 2011.

All Inclusive Tobago, departing 7th July 2011 from £1,299 per adult and £995 per child, SAVING £1,074 per family of 4
Thomson Tailormade offers 7 nights at the 4 star Coco Reef Resort, Tobago from £4,588 per family (based on 2 adults and 2 children) saving £1,074 per family. The price includes accommodation on an All Inclusive basis, return flights from London Gatwick with Virgin Atlantic and transfers and is based on departure on 7th July 2011.

All Inclusive Costa Rica, departing 15th March 2011 from £1,149 per person, SAVING £315 per person.
Thomson Tailormade offers 7 nights at the 5 star Occidental Grand Papagayo, Costa Rica. The price includes accommodation on an All Inclusive basis, $75 USD to spend in the resort, return flights from London Gatwick with Thomson Airways and transfers and is based on departure on 15th March 2011.

All Inclusive St. Lucia, departing 13th September 2011 from £1,449 per person, SAVING £492 per person.
Thomson Tailormade offers 7 nights at the 4 star plus The BodyHoliday LeSport, St. Lucia. The price includes accommodation on an All Inclusive basis, return flights from London Gatwick with Virgin Atlantic and transfers and is based on departure on 13th September 2011.

Adult Only All Inclusive Mexico, departing 18th May 2011 from £1,599 per person, SAVING £439 per person.
Thomson Tailormade offers 7 nights at the 5 star Occidental Royal Hideaway Playacar, Cancun, Mexico. The price includes accommodation on an All Inclusive basis, return flights from London Gatwick with British Airways and transfers and is based on departure on 18th May 2011.

Adult Only All Inclusive Jamaica, departing 1st October 2011 from £1,295 per person, SAVING £488 per person.
Thomson Tailormade offers 7 nights at the Sandals Negril Beach Resort & Spa, Jamaica. The price includes accommodation on a Luxury Included basis, return flights from London Gatwick with Thomson Airways and transfers and is based on departure on 1st October 2011.
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For Bookings and Information Contact Thomson Tailormade on 0871 664 0273 or visit www.thomsontailormade.com

Relax this Easter in a five-star home away from home in the heart of historic Edinburgh. Designed to keep children (big and small) amused, the three night break offers the chance to take in the sights of the city on an open top bus tour and spend time with the family. Guests can soak up the fresh spring air with a walk up Arthur’s Seat, to roll their decorated egg, and treat the children to the latest hit movie.

Valid from Friday 8 April to Monday 25 April 2011, three nights in a luxury two bedroom apartment costs from just £498 and includes:
• Chocolate Easter Eggs and Egg Decorating Kit for each child in your party
• £25.00 Cinema Gift Card for the nearby Odeon
• A 24 hour hop-on hop-off city sightseeing tour for two adults and three children
• Unlimited free rentals from the extensive family DVD library

Rates also include a complimentary welcome breakfast pack, luxury bathrobes, free Wi-Fi and luxury toiletries.

The helpful, friendly staff are always on hand and will ensure your every need is met during your Easter break. From recommending and booking the best Sunday roast in town to providing insider tips on the best egg rolling spots in Edinburgh.

To book please contact The Knight Residence on 0131 622 8120, email info@theknightresidence.co.uk or visit www.theknightresidence.co.uk.

Located in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town, in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle and walking distance to the city’s best loved attractions, the Knight Residence five-star serviced apartments offer space and comfort, teamed with the luxury of a fully serviced hotel.

The generously proportioned apartments can be more cost effective than multiple hotel rooms and the fully equipped kitchen, with eating area in the lounge, allows family and friends to cook, eat and relax together.

For further information please visit www.theknightresidence.co.uk

Enchanting, magical, unique and surreal, sad yet deeply spiritual, perfect, mystical, an historical fairytale, haunting and eerie? There is a tranquil sacredness and stillness when you are here which is only disturbed by the distant sound of a vespa or perhaps the intensity of the midday sun. Matera shows how creative, clever and able man was and still is, managing to create a city out of a rocky ravine and transforming a landscape into living architecture. However Matera also shows the other side of man, uncaring and blind, becoming Italy’s great scandal.

Matera has been loved by poets and film directors alike, from the writings of Carlo Levi to Pasolini, Rosi, Tornatore, The Taviani brothers and Mel Gibson to name but a few, each commenting on it undisputed standing amongst the best. This is truly a place to visit and to fully appreciate this sacred place we suggest a local guide to take you round and discover its true soul. Here are some simple facts about Matera.

1. In 1993 UNESCO listed Matera as one of the 365 official World Heritage List Locations.

2. The best time to visit is between the months of May and July and mid September, October.

3. With about 155 structures created by monks who dug themselves in and excavated small crypts and tiny rock chapels and even larger churches away in the hills, valleys and ravines around Matera and all this, to get away from the invading armies who were prosecuting them.

4. One of these structures is La Cripta del Peccato Originale (the crypt of the Original Sin) which contains one of the most important 10th-century fresco cycles.

5. I Sassi. An area where over 15,000 people were still living in 1952. This was their home, windowless grottoes with damp walls where the family and humans slept side by side. This was Italy’s scandal and Carlo Levi’s book “Cristo si e fermato a Eboli” contributed to the rest of Italy’s slow awareness of the poverty which was strife in southern Italy. The infant mortality rate in this area was 50% higher in comparison to the rest of Italy and a typical cave sheltered on average 6 children.

6. A typically furnished Sasso can be experienced at Vico Solitario 12, in the Sasso Caveoso district. This will provide you with an authentic impression of the ancient lifestyle of the farmers in the Sassi.

7. Beyond the Sassi – Check out the Church of Purgatory in exuberant baroque style with skeletons and skulls on the façade while the interior is richly decorated with paintings.

8. Seen as the city of man “La Citta dell’Uomo” therefore the city of the future, Matera is now candidate for the European capital of Culture 2019.

9. Do not miss out on the Festa Della Madonna Bruna celebrated on July 2nd. It goes back to 1389 and is religiously very significant and involves everyone in Matera. Ending with the ritual of the straccio where the faithful attack and destroy a professional cart in order to take home a fragment as a trophy. This will guarantee fortune and prosperity. This is then followed by fireworks Italian style.

For details of best places to stay contact The Italian Connection on 01424 728900 / rosa@italian-connection.co.uk

Your future. Our past. A hotel in one of Manchester’s most beautiful buildings, the Radisson Edwardian Free Trade Hall. A home to music, culture, and the spirit of Manchester for over 150 years. Inside, find understated luxury, sensuous and romantic spaces, inspiring art and tactile furnishings, with service that is thoughtful, professional and pleasingly natural.

Can you imagine a more wonderful place to hold your wedding celebration? We invite you to join us for a glass of champagne on the following dates throughout 2011: Saturday 19th March, Saturday 3rd September and Sunday 30th October to share your ideas and allow us to take care of the details for your special day.

Neil Armstrong, our Head Chef will be available to help you choose your personal menu. Take a tour of the Hotel and view our selection of spaces available; rooms which are perfect for a small intimate gathering of 50 guests and rooms which are perfect for a stunning celebration for up to 280 guests. We will offer advice on wines, music, flowers, entertainment and style themes.

To make an appointment on one of these dates please telephone 0161 835 9929 or for more information on the hotel visit www.radissonedwardian.com/manchester

With many European resorts awaiting fresh snow, Ski Club Freshtracks is helping skiers get more from their holidays by ensuring they find the best snow and pick the best slopes for the snow conditions.

Despite sparse snowfalls, snow conditions in the Alps remain good. But it can still be a challenge to find the best snow.

Ski Club Freshtracks holidays are all accompanied by Ski Club Leaders and all off piste holidays are also accompanied by fully qualified mountain guides. It is their mission to seek out the best snow on offer and the snow conditions that suit the needs of the Freshtracks’ groups. This can be the ideal recipe for adventure and the perfect chance to improve skiing ability.

For skiers looking to improve their ability to tackle varied snow the Freshtracks ‘Off Piste Progression’ trip to Tignes departing 20th March is the perfect chance to master those skills.

The Klosters Coaching Week departing 19th March is another chance for skiers to improve their ski technique whilst at the same time exploring the famous Swiss resort.

For those simply looking for adventure the ‘Tarantaise Exploration’ departing 12th March gives the guides the flexibility to choose the best snow each day in and around the myriad resorts near Bourg St Maurice by heading away from the marked runs using ski touring skis.

“The best way to get better at skiing off piste is to challenge yourself in all snow conditions” says Ski Club Freshtracks mountain guide Stuart Macdonald.

“Ski Club Freshtracks holidays are about getting the most out of the conditions on offer. Many of our clients cannot believe how well our mountain guides can find great snow even if it hasn’t snowed for weeks” says Jonny Cassidy, General Manager of Ski Club Freshtracks.

Ski Club Freshtracks has availability on a range of on-piste, off-piste, exploration and ski touring holidays this season. All holidays are graded by ski standard.

Bookings at www.skiclubfreshtracks.co.uk and 0845 45 807 84.

Off-piste progression 4
Sun 20 Mar 2011 – Sun 27 Mar 2011 – Tignes. Seven nights chalet board, twin share, return charter flight and coach transfer, six days instruction, avalanche transceiver hire and Ski Club Leader. £1095.

Klosters Coaching Week
Sat 19 Mar 2011 – Sat 26 Mar 2011 – Klosters. Seven nights half board, 3* hotel, twin share, Swiss Rail transfer ticket and Ski Club leaders and local instructor. £995.

Tarentaise Exploration 2
Sat 12 Mar 2011 – Sat 19 Mar 2011 – Bourg St Maurice. Seven nights half board 2*, twin share, Ski Club Leader, 6 days instructors/guides, daily transfer service, avalanche transceiver hire. £925.

Ski Club of Great Britain
The Ski Club of Great Britain is a not-for-profit snowsports club which offers membership benefits to 33,000 members. Membership costs £56 for an individual, £87 for families and £20 for under 24 members.

Travellers looking to book a New Zealand adventure this year can make exceptional savings with 35% off a selection of great Kiwi Experience passes when booked 3 months (90 days) prior to departure up until 31 December 2011.

With savings of up to £365, Kiwi Experience is New Zealand’s leading hop on, hop off adventure bus touring company. With 21 years in the business, it is ideal for the budget conscious traveller or ‘Gap Yearer’ who wants the expertise of knowledgeable guides, fascinating itineraries and the choice of unforgettable activities. With the flexibility to stay as little or as long as they like, for up to a year from the date of departure, travellers also have the added option to choose and book accommodation along the way, tailor-making it to their individual needs, from inexpensive hostels or ‘flashpacking’ hotels and lodges.

With the 35% discount available on the following passes – 32 day Full Monty, 22 day Kitchen Sink and 26 day The Whole Kit and Caboodle, there are plenty of adventures to be had along the way.

For example:

- Explore Northland. Rich in history and Maori culture with pristine waters, huge kauri forests and 144 islands to explore. Swim with dolphins, experience speed on the waves with a thrilling Excitor ride out to the famous ‘Hole in the Rock’, body board down gigantic dunes and discover the magical mythology of the meeting seas at Cape Reinga, New Zealand’s most northern tip.
- Visit Middle Earth. Explore the bubbling mud pools of one of New Zealand’s largest geothermal wonderlands with its spectacular geyser, savour the rich flavours of a traditional Maori feast – ‘hangi ‘ and descend into the depths of the fascinating underground glow worm cave system at Waitomo, a world easily imagined to be inhabited by ‘Gollum’.
- Venture to Westland National Park. Cross the Cook Straight to the South Island through the magnificent Marlborough Sounds to Abel Tasman National Park before heading down the wild West Coast. Heli-hike on the amazing Franz Joseph glacier with its groaning and ever changing flows of crystalline blue ice and literally reflect on the whole experience at the mirror-like Lake Matheson.
- Discover Southland. Following an adrenalin-filled stay in New Zealand’s adventure capital Queenstown, soak up Scottish heritage in Dunedin. Head to the extreme South with the Catlins, offering a pristine wilderness of 180 million year-old fossilised forest and beaches dotted with yellow-eyed penguins and monstrous sealions. For an unforgettable kiwi experience, cross to remote Stewart Island and get up close and personal with these wonderful birds on a night tour.

With all three passes offering ‘unlimited travel’ through both islands, hooked adventurers have the option to repeat their journey as many times as they like provided they keep on travelling in the same direction. All passes also include a number of free activities including a cruise on New Zealand’s awe-inspiring Milford Sound with its plunging waterfalls and fascinating wildlife.

Passes start from the following when booked over 90 days in advance:

32 day Full Monty – was £1,044 now from £679, saving £365
22 day Kitchen Sink – was £735 now from £478, saving £257
26 day The Whole Kit and Caboodle passes – was from £836 now £543, saving £293
(Terms and conditions apply.)

To book, contact STA Travel on 0871 230 0040 or one of your local UK travel agents.

Travel Impressions is offering five-night hotel packages to Denarau Island in Fiji with rates starting at $625 per person, based on double occupancy. Vacation packages include hotel accommodations for five nights, roundtrip airport/hotel transfers, hotel tax and service charges. Sample rates, quoted per person, based on double occupancy, are as follows: Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa, $625 per person; Radisson Resort Fiji Denarau Island, $839 per person; Westin Denarau Island Resort & Spa, $849 per person; Sheraton Fiji Resort, $849 per person; and the Fiji Beach Resort & Spa Managed by Hilton, $975 per person. The rates quoted are based on travel April 18 to 23. Rates are available for alternate travel dates and vary according to dates selected.

Vacationers traveling from Los Angeles to Nadi, Fiji, can take advantage of Air Pacific’s Buy One, Get One 50 Percent Off promotion. Through the offer, travelers purchasing a full fare ticket will receive a 50 percent discount on a second air ticket (V class). Tickets must be booked by May 31 and ticketed within 14 days of booking in order to receive the promotional discount. Travel must be completed by June 14. Government imposed taxes and surcharges are additional.

As an added incentive, travel agents will earn a 1 percent commission bonus for Fiji reservations (no minimum stay required) made through Travel Impressions reservations department. For more information, call 800-284-0044 or visit www.TravelImpressions.com