Jetsettersblog

Continental Airlines has begun nonstop flights between its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands (PLS). Initially the flights will operate four times a week, on Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, converting to daily service on March 6.

The new service complements the airline’s service to other top Caribbean leisure destinations like Aruba, Punta Cana and Nassau.

A popular vacation destination, Providenciales (also called Provo) is the most well known of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

For more information, visit www.continental.com

The newly passed FAA Reauthorization Act of 2011 includes the Airline Passengers Bill of Rights, written by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) to protect passengers from lengthy tarmac delays and to ensure that “No Child is Left Unbuckled” in a new amendment to the Senate FAA Reauthorization Bill.

Kate Hanni, representing the air passenger advocacy group FlyersRights.org, called the vote a victory for job creation, for the safety of air travel and for protecting the rights of airline passengers nationwide. She also praised the regulation for FAA-approved child restraint systems for infants. The Department of Transportation began implementing key parts of the Boxer-Snowe Airline Passenger Bill of Rights last year, but the bill passed by the Senate would codify those protections into law. The protections include the so-called “three-hour rule,” which requires airlines to give passengers the option of returning to the terminal if they have been stuck on a plane on a tarmac for longer than three hours.

The FAA bill also would require airlines to develop contingency plans — approved by the Federal Aviation Administration — to ensure that passengers are provided with adequate food, water and restrooms, and allowed to deplane in the event of a lengthy tarmac delay.

In addition, Boxer and Snowe added an amendment to the FAA Bill called “No Child is Left Unbuckled,” which would require air carriers to post up front the dimensions of a child safety seat that can be used on each aircraft operated by the air carrier to enable passengers to determine which child safety seats can be used on those aircraft.

The FAA Reauthorization Act will support 280,000 jobs nationwide, according to the U.S. Travel Association, while helping airports modernize their facilities and improve safety. For more information, visit www.FlyersRights.org

The Hotel Andaluz in Albuquerque, N.M., is offering a Tax Amnesty Weekend Getaway, April 15 to 18. Included in the nightly room rate of $139 is entry into either of the hotel’s entertainment venues, Casablanca or Ibiza (a $20 value) and breakfast for two. Tax on the stay will be paid by the hotel.

For more information, call 877-987-9090 or visit www.hotelandaluz.com

One of the most prestigious awards in the hotel and catering industry has been won by Chris Carss, owner of Rothay Garden hotel in Grasmere.

At a glittering ceremony in London last week, Chris was presented with the UK Hotel Excellence Award for “Excellence in Business Management”. The award was presented to Chris by one of the country’s most high-profile travel journalists, Simon Calder, travel editor of “The Independent” and frequent contributor to ITV.

Rothay Garden won the “Excellence in Business Management” award ahead of many other entries from hotels across Britain, after submitting a detailed entry which showed how Chris and his team have bucked the recession by improving facilities and standards at the hotel whilst increasing customer satisfaction and improving occupancy levels and profits.

After a bold redevelopment of Rothay Garden in the first half of 2008, to become the Lake District’s newest four-star hotel, the hotel achieved a staggering 53% increase in turnover for the 2008/09 financial year despite the recession, followed by a 16% further increase for 2009/10. Many factors played a part in Chris Carss winning the award, including his all-round experience in hotel management after some 30 years in the industry, his policy of openness and teamwork with his staff, eight of whom have clocked up an amazing 83 years’ service at the hotel, and innovative new marketing campaigns, including one targeting Bentley owners, and one in which Rothay Garden was the only hotel in the north of England to be promoted in “The Chic Collection’s” special collection for readers of “Vogue” magazine.

As the judges noted, all this was achieved in a year when Cumbria suffered the worst snow and floods in recent times, and in the face of increasingly desperate low rates being offered to customers by hotel groups throughout the UK.

Commenting on his success, Chris Carss said: “I’m absolutely delighted to win this prestigious award. The judges included some of the most experienced hoteliers in the country, and to be voted top in the “Excellence in Business Management” category is a dream come true. The success we have generated in the last two years has enabled me to begin an important new development at Rothay Garden. This includes a brand new Riverside Spa, new Conservatory Restaurant and the creation of luxurious new bedrooms and suites, which will all be completed by Easter”, he said.

Rothay Garden, situated on the edge of Grasmere village, is a former Cumbria Hotel of the Year, Les Routiers national Hotel of the Year, and its Conservatory Restaurant, overlooking two acres of gardens consistently wins two rosettes from the AA for the quality of its food.
Chris Carss acquired Rothay Garden as a 19 bedroom two-star hotel in 1990. Over the years, despite having to weather such crises as Foot and Mouth, petrol shortages, the Cumbrian floods and the current economic downturn, the hotel has actually been considerably improved and extended, to a point where it is now one of the Lake District’s finest four-star hotels.
Chris Carss continually benchmarks Rothay Garden against the best hotels in the country (including recently staying at the newly re-opened Savoy – all in the name of “research”!). Repeat business at the hotel is up from 65% to 68%, and the hotel has moved up five percentage points on TripAdvisor in the last 12 months.
The Hotel Excellence Award for “Excellence in Business Management” is the latest of a number of awards won by Rothay Garden including Cumbria Tourism’s Lady Inglewood Award for People Development, a Silver Award in Cumbria Tourism’s Hotel of the Year awards, and the national HRS Hotel Excellence Award for People Development in Hotels.
Rothay Garden, Broadgate, Grasmere, Cumbria LA22 9RJ – 01539 435334 – www.rothaygarden.com  

Excellent snow fall in Switzerland’s Engadine Valley bodes well for great ski conditions right through to the end of April, but that’s not the only reason to visit the resorts of St Moritz and Pontresina late season.

Great rates are another, making the glitzy resort of St Moritz affordable. Book a week’s “Sunshine Holiday” at the legendary Kulm Hotel St Moritz (www.kulmhotel-stmoritz.ch) from March 27 to April 2 and rates start at CHF1,790 (approx £1,194) per person, a saving of more than 40% on the same holiday in the peak period of February. The “Sunshine Holiday” includes seven nights half-board accommodation, a six-day regional ski pass for the entire Upper Engadine ski region, transfers to and from the train station, a sea salt bath and a relaxing head massage in the hotel’s stunning Panorama SPA & Health Club.

To book, call the Kulm Hotel St Moritz on +41 81 836 8000 or email reservations@kulmhotel-stmoritz.ch; the hotel closes on 3 April 2011.

Sister property Grand Hotel Kronenhof in nearby Pontresina, just 6kms away, also has a great “Sunshine Days” package. This peaceful mountain resort provides easy access to the more famous St Moritz but a refreshing tranquillity at the end of a hard day’s skiing; relax with a walk through the charming streets lined with old Engadine houses dating to the 17th and 18th centuries or retreat to the hotel’s modern spa with its indoor pools, steam rooms, saunas and treatment rooms.

The Kronenhof’s “Sunshine Days” Package includes three nights half-board accommodation, a two-day ski pass for the Upper Engadine or a Kronenhof Spa wellness pass worth CHF150 (approx £98), making it the perfect package for a one skier, one non-skier couple. Prices start from CHF260 (approx £170) per person, per night; this package is valid from 18 March to 9 April, when the hotel closes. To book, call the Grand Hotel Kronenhof on +41 81 830 3030 or email reservations@kronenhof.com.

The Kulm Hotel St Moritz also has a very special dinner, Les Grand Vins de Bourgogne, on 24 March to entice wine-loving skiers. A four-course dinner is being served in the hotel’s gourmet restaurant the K, with each course paired with an exclusive wine from the hotel’s cellars, including a 1959 Beaune Clos des Marconnets 1er Cru and a 1929 Beaune Clos des Mouches 1er Cru. This one-off dinner costs CHF395 (approx £258) per person; book early to avoid disappointment.

In Pontresina, sister property Grand Hotel Kronenhof has the added lure of a Venetian Carnival to entice guests between March 3 and 9. Taking place at the same time as the Venice Carnival, it enables you to tick two holiday boxes in one. Annual skiing trip? Tick. Weekend fiesta? Tick.

The hotel’s “Venetian Carnival in the Engadine” package consists of three nights’ half-board accommodation, including the Venetian Carnival gala evening with Champagne and dinner on Saturday March 5. Also included is a 25-minute partial body massage for men or a 25-minute body wrap for the ladies. There is also a full programme of activities for children, overseen by trained nannies.

The package price starts at CHF1,110 (approx £740) per person.

And then, of course, there is the sunshine for which the Engadine Valley is famous. It’s virtually guaranteed, given that the sun shines on 322 days of the year here.

According to award winning river cruise operator, AmaWaterways, you’re never alone on a European river cruise. The company maintain it’s one of the easiest ways for a solo traveller to discover Europe’s cultural highlights without lugging luggage, checking in and out of airports and hotels single handedly, or sitting conspicuously alone in a hotel restaurant. Daily guided excursions on-shore along the route and free seating at meal times ensure a sociable cruise atmosphere (without the sea sickness) and allow solo travelers to mingle as much or as little as they like. AmaWaterways’ river cruises along the Rhine and Danube take in Central Europe’s riverside cities, vineyards and countryside, including some of the most picturesque surroundings. Departing in April 2011 AmaWaterways has a 7 night cruise through Holland and Belgium, passing carpets of colourful flowers and lush green countryside dotted with windmills and tours of historic towns and cities that include Antwerp and Ghent. Prices from £1439pp, saving £676.

Contact AMAWaterways on 0808 223 5009, www.amawaterways.co.uk

Cruise only

1st April solo travellers £1439pp, saving £676
8th April solo travellers £1499, saving £706
25th April solo travellers £1629, saving £771

Cruise / flight inclusive

1st April solo travellers £1639pp, saving £676
8th April solo travellers £1699, saving £706
25th April solo travellers £1829, Saving £771

Cruise / Rail inclusive

1st April solo travellers £1739pp, saving £676
8th April solo travellers £1799, saving £706
25th April solo travellers £1929, saving £771

To celebrate Oman’s wealth of 2011 events, the Sultanate returns to the Destinations Holiday and Travel Show for the fourth time. The stand will feature all up and coming events in Oman’s 2011 calendar which promise to impress even the most seasoned traveller.

The British Museum London

Since 21 January 2011, the British Museum has brought Oman to the UK audience, hosting a unique exhibit entitled “Adornment and Identity: Jewellery and Costume from Oman” which has been created in association with the Oman Ministry of Tourism. The collection features pieces from the museum’s unique collection of 20th century Omani silver jewellery. Additionally, the Oman Ministry of Tourism has donated exquisite examples of khanjars, swords and traditional dress from Muscat, Sharqiya, Dakhliyah and Dhofar regions to give the British public a full account of traditional Omani heritage. The exhibit will run for nine months, ending on 11 September. For more information visit www.britishmuseum.org

Muscat Festival

Continuing the Spring celebrations the Muscat Festival is not to be missed. Located in the beautiful natural parks of Qurum and Naseem, the festival displays Oman’s treasures in the most picturesque setting. The festival attracts over 2 million visitors every year and showcases Oman’s national heritage at a world class standard. The show will have a number of key highlights including the Tour of Oman Cycle Race; The Oman Heritage and Cultural Village; Oman’s first Food Festival; and Muscat Fashion Week; The Extreme Sailing Series; as well as lectures, poetry reading, carnival displays and fireworks.

The festival began on 27 January and runs through to the 24 February 2011. The Cultural and Heritage Village is open from 4 – 11pm daily. Entry fee is 200 bzs for adults and 100bsz for children (approximately adults 32 pence; children 16 pence).

The ‘Tour of Oman’ (Feb 15-20) takes place on a track designed by Eddy Merckx, UCI cyclist and sportsman whose aim was to bring a version of Tour De France to Oman, giving the event worldwide sporting recognition and takes place over six stages across 848km of breathtaking scenery

The Muscat Fashion week, which starts on 19 February, celebrates Omani culture in style. This year’s fashion week encapsulates the very best of traditional and contemporary Omani heritage. Held in Oman’s metropolitan capital, the eagerly awaited Fashion Week will pioneer Arabic creativity in the world’s top fashion houses.

Following the spectacular Asian beach games, the next event in Oman’s water sporting calendar is the launch of the first leg of the 2011 Extreme Sailing Series (22-24 Feb) and welcomes ten top professional teams looking to serve up a spectacular mix of open water races and high-octane ‘stadium’ showdowns. Visit www.omansail.com

For a full list of events and information on timings, venues and how to buy tickets, visit www.muscat-festival.com

SW1 Gallery London – Photographic Exhibition

Oman’s first international photography exhibition “A Day in My Life” will take place in London at the SW1 Gallery (May 28- June 12) showcasing Oman through local photographers.

Destinations Show Announcements

Lastly, the Destinations show will offer a platform to announce the opening of one of Oman’s newest hotels. Following an immensely successful Asian Beach Games, The Millennium Resort in Mussanah is now open to business and leisure guests. Opening its doors on 1 February 2011, the brand new hotel complex offers a vivid blend of Arabian and Asian themes with panoramic views overlooking the resort’s private 54 berth marina nestled on the Gulf of Oman coast. The complex boasts 234 spacious guestrooms and 74 fully furnished apartments, ranging from studios, one and two bed duplexes. Throughout the course of 2011 new leisure facilities will be phased in, ready for the beginning of high season in September. The hotel hosted the BGTW AGM prior to opening giving 100 British media the chance to sample its facilities.
For further information, including reservations, visit www.millenniumhotels.com

Prestige Holidays (www.prestigeholidays.co.uk 01425 480400) is offering couples booking a week’s stay at Cambridge Beaches in Bermuda a £1032 saving on their stay. Those booking a 14 night break at the property can save £2062 per couple.

A week’s break, with saving in April, starts from £1565 per person and a 14 night stay from £2322 per person. The packages include accommodation on a B&B basis; return flights on British Airways from Gatwick and private transfers.

At Grotto Bay in Bermuda, Prestige is offering a saving of £711 per couple off of a week’s stay and a £1421 discount on a two week break. A week’s stay in April costs from £1119 per person and a two week break from £1492 per person.

The package includes room only accommodation; return flights on British Airways from Gatwick and private transfers. The offers are valid for bookings made by 28 February for travel between April and December 2011.

Prestige offers connecting flights for just £61 per person to London Gatwick from:
• Edinburgh
• Glasgow,
• Jersey
• Manchester

Other hotels taking part in the promotion include: Coco Reef, Elbow Beach, Fairmont Hamilton Princess, The Fairmont Southampton, Newstead Belmont Hills Resort & Spa, The Reefs, Royal Palms, Rosedon and Tucker’s Point Hotel & Spa

For further information on Prestige Holidays’ Bermuda programme call 01425 480400 or consult the web site www.prestigeholidays.co.uk/bermuda.

Online ski holiday specialist and top independent UK ski tour operator Directski.com has come up with its definitive list of what to pack – and what NOT to pack for a ski holiday. Here is the ultimate ski holiday packing check-list.

Top ten things to pack for a ski holiday

IPods, IPads and all things Apple
Small, portable and everyone’s got one; the Apple IPod is the perfect device for a ski holiday. It comes into its own at check-in, on the plane, down the slopes and for après ski there’s nothing like drowning out the Euro-Trash.

Sun beaters and blockers
Blocking out the sun at high altitude when surrounded by reflective snow is a ski holiday essential to avoid a reddish panda-eyed tan. Directski.com recommends a good quality pair of ski sunglasses or, to really impress, designer ski goggles. (But remember to remove the protective film). And pack a plastic bag to wrap the suntan cream in to avoid a creamy explosion in hand luggage.

Camera (with extra batteries and a charger)
Forget catching over-exposed ‘family moments’ in the snow, put the camera on night setting for unforgettable shots and let those après ski nights live on forever. And don’t forget, the mountains will give camera batteries brain freeze, so carry a spare set somewhere warm to avoid missing the unmissable.

Warm Clothes
A ski holiday wouldn’t be a ski holiday without warm clothes and lots of them. Pack extra pants, tights, t-shirts, fleeces and thermals; snow is very cold. Go for layers rather than thickness.

Extra socks
See above, this one is SO important it needs its own special mention. Lots of socks are a must. And not just any socks, good ski socks. They’ll have padded bits with an ‘L’ and an ‘R’ if they’re the real deal. Taking granny knits or Primark bundle packs isn’t an option.

Duct Tape
It doesn’t matter where you go, what you’re doing and whom you’re with, you will always need duct tape. Bring your roll.

A Pack of Cards
For quiet nights in a deck of cards can provide a perfect evening’s entertainment after a tiring day on the slopes. A deck of cards can also turn a quite night into a rowdy one when combined with the right amount of alcohol, fresh mountain air and a group of friends with a good sense of humour. So, deck of cards? Check.

Your own ski boots
If you’ve got your own ski boots then bring them. If you’re a regular skier, then buy before you fly. Hired ski boots that don’t quite fit can ruin a ski holiday on day one.

Marmite and Colman’s Mustard
Quite rightly these are virtually impossible to find in a ski resort. But for those who can’t manage a week without their ‘Best of British supermarket originals’ had best fill their (ski) boots before they fly.

Fancy dress outfit
This is an absolute must. What says ‘Yeah, I’m still able to have a laugh!’ better than hitting the slopes dressed as Ginger Spice, Superman or Scooby Doo? The more creative the better; there should be trophies for these sorts of things. There probably are.

Top ten things not to pack for a ski holiday

Skiis
Don’t lug them through airports, don’t ski on dated skis and don’t keep the transfer coach waiting when ski hire shops have all the latest models. They’re cheap to rent and the hard work is done. Simple.

‘All-in-one’ ski suits
Leave one-seys at home. Throw them away. They are a throwback to the ’80s and even when they come around again, it will still be as wrong: ditto to anything camouflage or in metallic effect fabrics.

Tea bags
They have tea in ski resorts. And it’s only a week.

Liquid
Leave liquids for the après ski bars. Carrying a 150cl aerosol of anti-perspirant through UK airport security can end up with an inquisition, or a blast of white powder in hand luggage, or both. Leave them out, buy in the Hyper Marché.

Lots of clothes
Contrary to earlier advice, pack light. Ditch heavy sweaters. A good skier should smell like he’s run out of clothes.

Hair dryer and straighteners
Every day is a bad hair day in a ski resort; keep a hat on.

Crocs
The essential year-round footwear for hippies and those from the Home Counties is impractical in the snow. The vibrant colour clashes are likely to clash with ski wear and snow.

A passport
Don’t pack it. Keep it in a pocket or hand luggage; it’s probably going to be needed when entering and exiting country borders.

A good book
Reading must be kept to a minimum on a ski holiday. If you have enough time to read a book, then you aren’t doing enough skiing.

Toilet Roll
‘Be prepared’ is, and always will be, sound advice. But in this instance you can let your guard down. Ski chalets have toilet roll, and plenty of it. There is no need to bring your own; it takes up valuable suitcase space for your duct tape.

For information about the best value ski holidays in France, Austria, Italy, Andorra and Slovenia visit www.directski.com

Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill, the official hotel partner of the Frieze Art Fair, is proud to present Crossroads, the fifth exhibition that it has developed in partnership with the leading cultural consultancy Candlestar. Launching on Thursday 3 March 2011 and exhibited in the lobby of the hotel, Crossroads brings together the different perspectives of six female artists at work today, at a time when the world will be preparing to celebrate the International Women’s Day Centenary on Tuesday 8 March 2011.

The selected artists each bring a unique and precise working practice to the exhibition. Rana Begum fuses contemporary western methodology with an ethereal, otherworldly ideology commonly found in Islam and the arts. Kleio Gizeli sculpts intricate domestic scenes, drawing the viewer’s attention to the complexity of the setting, with a somewhat voyeuristic feel, whilst Lisa Holden integrates digital imagery with her vivid enigmatic paintings to convey a sense of aligned dual-reality. Martha Parsey paints female portraits with a defined sense of elegance; some of her portraits have contemporary cubic elements, contrasting her more traditionally painted characters. Susan Gunn’s work relies on texture, skilfully utilising a number of different materials to create tectonic contours on the surfaces of her pieces. Finally, Carol Robertson’s work is rooted in abstract conventions; there is a very precise and formulaic notion to her paintings coupled with an underlying ecstatic hinting at chance and coincidence.

The variety of works attests to the diversity of women practicing within the art world and the exceptionally unique works which are created.

Rana Begum (b.1977), British, Bangladeshi-born artist, Rana creates abstract sculptures and reliefs which reflect her experience of the urban environment. Begum graduated from the Slade with a MFA in Painting. She has exhibited her work internationally including Jerwood Space (London), The City Gallery (Leicester), BU Gallery (Bangkok) & The Third Line (Dubai), and solo show at Bischoff/Weiss (London). Her most recent show at Bischoff/Weiss in 2010 resulted in a sold-out series. Crossroads will be featuring new works by Begum.

Kleio Gizeli (b. 1978) born in Greece, Kleio builds staged miniature maquettes drawing from the ideas of voyeurism. Her works, small and intimate, build from tension of the unknown and the strange. Gizeli’s pieces often have a disturbing element drawing from unfinished narratives. She has studied in Greece, France, and England and has shown in exhibitions in London and Athens, as well as Zurich Art Fair and at the London Art Fair. Her most recent solo exhibition was held at Flowers
Gallery in London.

Susan Gunn (b. 1965), British based artist; Susan has established herself as a successful painter internationally, winning the Sovereign European Art Prize in 2006. Her work focuses greatly on texture, dynamism of lines and cracks so dominate in her paintings. It has been said that her beautiful, prized, abstract paintings ‘combine spiritual weight with surface incident.’ Gunn has a BA Honours from Norwich School of Art and Design. Her work has been nominated and awarded a number of honors, such as the Archant Prize 2005 an shortlisted for the Celeste Painting Prize 2006, and has been shown in the UK and Germany. Gunn will be showing at the same time as Crossroads in a show at the Norwich University College of the Arts.

Lisa Holden (b. 1961) British artist based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Lisa unites digital imagery with hand-painted layers resulting in opposing realities, which reflects her interest and examination of her own history of adoption, displacement, and reflections of self. Holden’s work is truly at the forefront of the capabilities of digital photography and manipulation. Her work is represented in a number of museum and corporate collections, including the Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA; Sammlung Land Tirol (Austria); GasUnie (NL); the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs; AKZO NOBEL (NL); ABN; AMRO; and Interpolis. Her solo show, I Won’t be Your Mirror: Photographs by Lisa Holden, at Diemar/Noble Gallery closed in early January 2011 to much acclaim.

Martha Parsey (b. 1973) Born in London and currently living in Cologne, Germany; Martha studied painting and film at Central St Martins and the London College of Printing, London and at the Hochschuleder Künsteand the German Film and Television Academy, Berlin. Her paintings, and films, have been exhibited widely in solo exhibitions in Berlin, Cologne and London as well as the Museum Ludwig, Aachen. Her work has also been represented at the London Art Fair and at the Art Frankfurt. Parsey’s work was most recently shown in an exhibition at ‘Swab International Art Fair’, Barcelona in May 2010.

Carol Robertson (b. 1955) Born in England and currently residing in London, Carol is an internationally recognised painter. Her work remains firmly rooted within reductive abstract conventions, using shapes and colours to exaggerate the physical presence of her paintings. She is represented in the UK and USA by Flowers Gallery, by Galleri Weinberger in Denmark and by Peter Foolen Editions in The Netherlands. Her paintings, prints and watercolours can be found in public and private collections worldwide. Robertson has most recently been shown in a number of group and solo international exhibitions in 2010, held in Japan, London, Denmark, and Germany.

All of the works featured in Crossroads are for sale and the exhibition available for viewing until the end of June 2011.
Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill has been the official hotel partner of Frieze Art Fair since 2008.