Jetsettersblog

Wild Planet Adventures is offering packages for Costa Rica’s Veranito season in July, a month-long break in the rainy season that showcases the wildlife expertise of the tour operator with increased chances of seeing rare and endangered wildlife.

A 14-day Costa Rica Ultimate Wildlife Eco-Tour during this season is $4,398 per person double occupancy (single supplement $798) for a program combining jungle lodges and private reserve accommodations, meals, guides, entrance fees to over eight national parks and all activities, including whitewater rafting, a canopy tour, sea kayaking with dolphins, night snorkeling in bioluminescence and more.

Dates coinciding with Veranito are June 25 to July 8, July 2 to 15, July 9 to 22, July 16 to 29, July 23 to Aug 5, and July 30 to Aug 12. Nine-day itineraries from $2,798 are also offered.

Josh Cohen, director, notes that the secret of the Ultimate Wildlife itinerary is that it visits some of the country’s most remote and rarely frequented destinations, thereby allowing highly experienced guides to find more rare and endangered species than any other tour company.

One such location involves paddling on a particular flat-water stretch of the Puerto Viejo River that runs through a remote section of La Selva Biological Preserve in Barullio Carillo National Park.

“Very few people run this lush stretch of the Puerto Viejo River,” he said. “We have seldom, if ever, seen other paddlers there.”

The tour combines wildlife viewing with multi-sport adventures in over eight national parks, reserves, cloud forests and rivers that 20 years of tracking have shown to reach their annual peak of wildlife sightings during Veranito.

Cohen adds that during Veranito days are cooler, off-peak airfares are often less, and the flowering trees and fruits attract an abundance of wildlife — including more rare and endangered species than any other time of year.

The coast-to-coast adventure follows a trapezoidal route east from San Jose starting with the little known Cahuita National Park on the Caribbean (excellent for primates) then north to Sarapiqui, Arenal and Monteverde Cloudforest, then stopping at a number of Pacific coast beaches on the way down to the remote Corcovado National Park.

Accommodations en route that are anything but cookie-cutter take inspiration from their mountain or coastal locations and often themselves offer wildlife sighting possibilities that run the gamut from sloths to primates to endangered sea turtles to Resplendent Quetzals.

The expert wildlife guides of Wild Planet Adventures go the extra mile to explore remote wildlife habitat and study wildlife patterns in destinations not often accessible to the general public.

Thanks to the company’s comprehensive itineraries that balance diverse and complex ecosystems and habitats, guests enjoy wildlife and game viewing that is carefully aligned with animals’ daily and nocturnal migrations.

Following a philosophy that interacting with nature has the power to transform lives, tours are conducted in Africa, Baja, Belize, Costa Rica, Galapagos, India, Laos, Panama, Peru and Thailand. Wild Planet Adventures is recognized by top publications in the travel industry for its itineraries that combine intimate encounters with nature with local culture.

For more information, call 800-990-4376, email josh@wildplanetadventures.com  or visit www.wildplanetadventures.com

Travel Bound is offering 21 commissionable private walking tours in nine cities with PhD-level scholars as guides. Booked in conjunction with any of the wide range of hotels offered by Travel Bound, the new private walking tours are also well suited for families and small groups, as prices are the same for one to six participants.

Scholar-led private tours are available in Berlin, Florence, Istanbul, London, Naples, New York, Paris, Rome, and Venice.

Examples include Berlin, Jewish Berlin, $398; Florence, Uffizi Walking Seminar, $443; Istanbul, Ottoman Architecture, $370; London, British Museum with a scholar, $360; Naples, Underground Naples, $397; New York, Architecture of New York, $300; Paris, Rive Gauche Evening Stroll, $233; Rome, Introduction to Italian Wines, $396; Rome, Vatican artwork tour, includes entrance fees, $561; and Venice Island, Daily Life in Renaissance Venice, $396.

“Independent travel clients tend to be intellectually curious and appreciate travel experiences that give them in-depth knowledge, such as these private tours led by PhD-level experts,” said Richie Karaburun, president of GTA North America/Travel Bound.

“We are constantly looking for unique and authentic travel products that agents can add to hotel and transfer bookings in countries around the globe to create more rewarding vacations for their clients that also earn help them make more commission for themselves.

And remember, with every booking in a different country, agents increase their odds of winning our fabulous ‘Race Around the World’ contest. ”

Travel Bound also offers a range of other private tours on unique themes, such as Foodie London, led by knowledgeable guides around the world, starting at $133 per person (based on two people in a group).

Travel Bound has a portfolio of over 5,000 different sightseeing tours and attractions worldwide which can be combined with private transfers and more than 35,000 accommodations to create customized land packages for independent travelers in over 160 countries worldwide, including the U.S. and Canada.

Agents registered to participate in the recently announced Race Around the World contest have the opportunity to win a first prize worth $10,000 in Travel Bound credits if they book hotels in more countries than any other agent. New scholar-led private walking tours and other special-interest sightseeing tours will be offered in wine-tasting, dining, cooking, photography, eco or shopping tours, plus transfers and accommodations in the US and around the world.

Selling exclusively to travel agents since 1982, Travel Bound is a brand of GTA (Gullivers Travel Associates). GTA is a world leader in the provision of ground travel products and services and uses industry-leading online technology to market and distribute global travel content, including more than 35,000 properties worldwide with instant confirmation, in over 160 countries. Other travel services include sightseeing tours and attractions, private transfers and group travel. GTA is a brand of Travelport, one of the largest and most geographically diverse travel companies, dedicated to creating exceptional travel experiences. For more information, call 800-808-9541 or visit www.booktravelbound.com

The Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea has partnered with Opus One Winery of the Napa Valley to offer an Unforgettable Events dinner under the stars on May 6, which takes place on the resort’s oceanfront lawn.

The event will feature five Opus One wines paired with a four-course dinner, plus an array of hors d’oeuvres. Tickets are $350 per person.

The dinner is one of the Unforgettable Events featured by Four Seasons Resort Maui in 2011. Others focus on tennis, cycling, yoga and surfing experiences with world-class athletes and teachers.

To book the May 6 dinner, call 808-874-2201 or email concierge.maui@fourseasons.com

For more information on Unforgettable Events, visit http://maui.fourseasons.com/edition/unforgettable-events

For general hotel information, call 800-819-5053 or visit www.fourseasons.com/maui.

The first Canadian Best Western Premier hotel, which offers guests upscale amenities, opened earlier this month in Calgary.

The hotel chain has opened seven Best Western Premier hotels in North America since launching its three-descriptor strategy in early 2011.

Guests at the newly developed Best Western Premier Freeport Inn & Suites, located just three kilometers from the Calgary International Airport, will enjoy on-site dining, complimentary breakfast, an exercise facility, an indoor heated pool with a waterslide and a cocktail lounge.

The hotel also offers free parking, a complimentary airport shuttle, meeting facilities that can accommodate up to 80 guests and a business center.

Located at 86 Freeport Blvd. NE in Calgary, the hotel is near shopping, dining and recreation choices, including popular Calgary attractions such as Canada Olympic Park, Calgary Aero Space Museum and the Calgary Zoo.

The 97 guest rooms and suites feature 42-inch flat-screen televisions, premium clock radios with a MP3 connection, and desk with complimentary wireless high-speed Internet access. Rates start at CAD $129.99.

For reservations or more information, including special packages, click the banner at right.

Sol Melia said the all-inclusive Paradisus resort brand is expanding its portfolio with two new properties in Mexico, Paradisus Playa del Carmen La Esmeralda and Paradisus Playa del Carmen La Perla, scheduled to open in late 2011. Located in Playa del Carmen on Mexico’s Riviera Maya, the Paradisus La Esmeralda and Paradisus La Perla include free-form pools, artful landscapes, a YHI Spa, 12 restaurants and 10 bars providing guests with pure freedom to escape and indulge in all the properties have to offer.

Paradisus is introducing the brand’s first adults-only resort with Paradisus La Perla. The resort will offer 394 suites, including 120 Royal Service Suites, two of which are Royal Service Presidential Suites.

Royal Service guests can enjoy adult-oriented amenities, including a private pool, bar and exclusive restaurant surrounded by palapas and Bali Beds in addition to a private beach. Butlers will offer preferential reservations for specialty restaurants, spa treatments, activities and excursions. The resort’s 60 swim-up suites will allow guests to access the free-form pool directly from their terrace.

Paradisus La Esmeralda will feature 512 luxury suites, including 56 swim-up suites, 122 Family Concierge suites and two Presidential suites, allowing for two and three-bedroom suite configurations catering to the luxury family segment.

A family concierge at Paradisus La Esmeralda will provide a private family check-in/out, in-room bath products, milk and cookie turndown services, and exclusive family activities and excursions. Family Concierge guests also have their own exclusive restaurant at La Esmeralda.

“Paradisus La Esmeralda and Paradisus La Perla were designed specifically to cater to our guests’ needs,” said Alvaro Tejeda Schroder, senior vice president for Sol Melia’s Premium Portfolio of hotels. “This is the latest example of how the Paradisus brand has further raised the bar in regards to the service we provide our loyal guests and the experience they have come to expect from our world-class resorts.”

Paradisus La Esmeralda and Paradisus La Perla share a common area referred to as El Zocalo, a term in Mexican culture which signifies a city’s social center. Paradisus guests will find several food and beverage options at this center, including YHI Spa, the “Palapa” Activities Center, a theater, a ballroom and a total of 25,000 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting and convention space featuring 14 meeting rooms. Wi-Fi access is available in all rooms.

El Zocalo will be home to a 20,000-square-foot YHI Spa and Health Club for guests seeking rest, relaxation and rejuvenation. The YHI Spa features a full-service beauty salon, 14 massage cabins, wet and dry saunas, signature water ritual, state-of-the-art workout equipment, the guidance of experienced trainers and specialized workouts including couples training, group classes and personalized one-on-one wellness programs.

Both Paradisus La Esmeralda and Paradisus La Perla will have access to El Zocalo’s 10 restaurants, offering exceptional food, exquisite presentation, extraordinary surroundings and five-star service. The 10 on-property bars will provide variety for guests to explore during their stay. The Gabi Beach Club combines a casual-chic ambiance with elegant design, allowing the bar, restaurant and beach areas to come together.

Both properties are being designed by Sol Melia’s architect, Alvaro Sans, to work harmoniously with Playa del Carmen’s climate, terrain and coastline.

Paradisus’ newest resorts share an impressive amphitheatre overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. Paradisus La Esmeralda and Paradisus La Perla and will join two existing properties, located in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

For more information, visit www.solmelia.com

The 267-room Westin Houston Memorial City has opened on Houston’s West Side as a key element of the city’s upscale Memorial City Complex.

With panoramic views of Houston’s skyline, the hotel is connected via a sky bridge to Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center and Memorial City Mall. Among the property’s amenities is the Westin Sensory Welcome, a blend of white tea scent, music, botanicals and mood lighting in the lobby, which also features a three-story glass and wood staircase ascending to the meeting and banquet spaces.

Guestrooms feature the Westin Heavenly Bath and Heavenly Bed, high-speed Internet access and an ergonomic work space.

The hotel also offers two Club floors and a Club Lounge. The 18th floor infinity pool is the only one of its kind in the city, with a waterfall feature and city views.

Also on the 18th floor is the WestinWorkout facility, with fitness equipment and several spa treatment rooms.

The Westin Houston Memorial City joins two other Westin hotels in Houston and is the third Starwood property to open within the Memorial City Complex, which also features Four Points by Sheraton Houston, Memorial City, and Sheraton Houston West Hotel.

The lobby features a three-story glass and wood staircase ascending to the meeting and banquet spaces, while a second-floor terrace overlooks downtown Houston.

The hotel provides more than 30,000 square feet of flexible meeting and banquet space.

The hotel’s restaurant, Trattoria Il Mulino, was brought to Houston by the restaurateurs who created Il Mulino New York, featuring classic Italian cuisine from the Abruzzi region of Italy, as well as local culinary influences.

There’s also the 024 Lounge.

Thompson Hotels’ Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel has completed a renovation that redesigned the historic Cabana Rooms and added three entertainment venues — the Public Kitchen & Bar, The Spare Room and Beacher’s Madhouse.

The 60 Cabana Rooms, which surround the Tropicana Pool, have been revamped to evoke a jetsetter’s retreat to Palm Springs in the 1950s. Designed with retro-modern accents, they feature hardwood flooring, herringbone-patterned fabric walls, chaise lounges with orange leather accents and white marble bathrooms. Retractable walls of windows in all Cabana Rooms allow for an indoor/outdoor experience, while select rooms offer private patios and balconies.

Located off of the hotel’s historic lobby, the Public Kitchen & Bar by Executive Chef Tim Goodell and The Domaine Restaurant Group has a bustling atmosphere and features cuisine prepared with fresh ingredients, as well as a full bar.

The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as late-night dining and live entertainment.

The Spare Room, located above the lobby and overlooking Hollywood Boulevard, is modern-day gaming parlor with two reclaimed bowling lanes and custom-built backgammon tables.

Food and beverages are also available here. And Beacher’s Madhouse is a Vaudeville-inspired theater on the hotel’s lower level, with European influences and echoes of the Folies Bergére. Guests enter the theater through an inconspicuous passageway behind a library bookcase and travel through a light tunnel.

The venue extends 2,500 square feet and features tiered glass stages, oversized objects, and floor-to-ceiling crystal chandeliers. The walls are embedded with a mish-mash of objects, such as mannequins and old pieces of furniture.

For more information, call 800-950-7667 or visit www.thompsonhotels.com/hotels/la/hollywood-roosevelt

Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa on Hawaii’s Big Island as debuted the Sunset Family Luau show, which allows keiki (children) perform a hula on stage.

The luau takes place every Saturday at sunset at the resort’s Luau Grounds. Dancers teach an authentic hula to the children so they can perform the opening act.

In addition, kids can participate in hands-on cultural activities such as pu (conch shell) blowing, ‘ulu maika (stone bowling) and coconut husking before the show begins.

The Sunset Family Luau includes an aloha welcome with picture taking and Red Gecko Punch, keiki hula lessons to prepare for the opening performance, a cultural tour of the ancient Hawaiian fishponds that front the resort and surrounding areas, a conch shell-blowing contest, talk story with Hawaiian entertainers, Hawaiian crafts and games, a traditional ceremony to unearth the imu (underground oven) to reveal the Kalua Pig that will be eaten at dinner, a special keiki dinner buffet, and Polynesian music and dance performances culminating with the Samoan fire knife dance.

Admission is $98 general, $50 for keiki ages 6 to 12 and free for keiki ages 5 and under. For kama‘aina (locals) with valid Hawaii ID, the price is $75 for adults.

Premier seating, which includes first-row seating, a lei greeting and a Hawaiian pupu (appetizer), costs $123 general, $75 for keiki ages 6 to 12 and $25 for keiki ages 5 and under if requiring a seat. For luau reservations, call 808-886-6789.

For general hotel information, call 800-922-5533 or visit www.waikoloamarriott.com

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Hilton HHonors, the loyalty program for Hilton Worldwide’s 10 distinct hotel brands, announced its latest global promotion called Grand Nights. From April 1 through June 30, 2011, members can earn 1,000 additional Hilton HHonors Bonus Points each night at any of Hilton Worldwide’s 3,600 hotels participating around the world. Hilton HHonors members who book and stay between April 1 and June 30, 2011, will earn an additional 1,000 HHonors Bonus Points each night at any participating property in the Hilton Worldwide portfolio of brands, including Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels and Homewood Suites by Hilton. To participate in the Hilton HHonors Grand Nights promotion, members should register at www.HHonors.com/Grand. All stays at participating hotels must be completed by June 30, 2011. For more information or to join Hilton HHonors, visit www.HHonors.com

Blue Sky Tours, a leading Hawaii wholesaler, is incorporating Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, to its family vacation packages. Blue Sky Tours is booking Aulani for the opening of the resort on Aug. 29 and beyond. Aulani draws its inspiration from the traditions and heritage of the people of Hawaii. Walt Disney Imagineers, with the help of local architects, artisans and historians, are weaving Hawaiian stories into the buildings, art and gardens of the resort.

“Blue Sky Tours has been selling Hawaii for 30 years and Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, is a perfect fit for us as we are both committed to the destination of Hawaii and the culture of its people,” said Kevin Wilmore, vice president/general manager of Blue Sky Tours.

Aulani is located on 21 acres of oceanfront property on sandy beaches of Ko Olina. This family resort community offers four restaurants, four whirlpool spas, ten recreation facilities including three pools, as well as its Tubestone Curl tube slide and Volcanic Vertical tunnel slide. Upon its completion, Aulani will include 359 traditional hotel rooms and 481 two-bedroom villas in two towers, each with thrilling views of the ocean, mountains and the magnificent grounds.

The property will also offer an 18,000-square-foot spa and fitness center with 15 treatment rooms, a comprehensive outdoor water area and a separate spa for teens.

The property offers Aunty’s Beach House as a kids’ club, where children can explore Hawaiian culture through supervised entertainment, including interactive touch tables, wildlife and nature programs, arts and crafts, Disney movies and traditional Hawaiian games.

Blue Sky Tours was founded in 1981, is headquartered in Albuquerque, N.M., and is a member of The Mark Travel Corporation. For more information, call 800-678-2787 or visit www.blueskytours.com