Jetsettersblog

Golfers from around the world are invited to improve their game with one of professional golf’s top instructors, Brian Mogg, at the new Brian Mogg Performance Center of Hawaii. Lessons will be offered year-round at Oahu’s Hawaii Prince Golf Club for golfers of all skill levels and ages led by Mogg’s staff of Hawaii-based golf pros. Mogg, a former PGA Tour pro, has been named a Golf Magazine Top 100 Golf Instructor for the past eight years and is highly respected among professional golfers as a coach. Most notably, Mogg recently assisted Y.E. Yang in becoming the first Asian man to win a major championship when he took home the 2009 PGA Championship. For more information, visit MoggPerformanceHawaii.com.

The Waikiki EDITION is offering a new Surf and Bikini Boot Camp for visitors to enjoy an active Oahu vacation. The intense four-day program combines traditional workouts and physical outdoor adventures with relaxing spa treatments and quality time immersed in the island’s natural paradise. Each day of the program offers a different itinerary with workouts and activities including yoga at the resort’s Sunrise Pool, hikes to favorite local spots Maunawili Falls and Mariners’ Ridge, kayaking to the Mokulua Islands, and surfing and stand up paddleboarding in Waikiki. The program will be offered on a monthly basis for $775 per day based on single occupancy and includes an upgrade to an ocean view room, meals, spa treatments, and all activities. For more information, visit www.EditionHotels.com

French Quarter Festival
April 7 – 10, 2011
http://www.fqfi.org/frenchquarterfest/fqfi_food.html

For the first time in its history, Louisiana’s largest free music festival has added an additional day, dubbed ‘Locals Lagniappe Day.’ Spring festival season in NOLA will kick off by celebrating life in the French Quarter with some of the city’s finest food and 17 outdoor stages showcasing everything from jazz and gospel to Cajun and zydeci music styles.

The Zurich Classic
April 25 – May 1, 2011
http://zurichgolfclassic.com/

Come watch some of the PGA tour’s best players tee off in NOLA and give back to the community. Proceeds of the event raise $20 million for regional children’s charities, servicing the needs of more than 200,000 kids annually.

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
April 29 – May 8, 2011
http://www.nojazzfest.com/

Arcade Fire, Bon Jovi, Jimmy Buffett, Kid Rock, John Mellencamp, Lauryn Hill, Willie Nelson, The Strokes, John Legend, The Roots & Wyclef John are just a few names Jazz Fest will welcome to the stage. This year’s festival will also host the largest celebration of Haitian culture, for which NOLA has shared a deep connection with for over 300 years, in the U.S. since the devastating earthquake one year ago. Tickets for the festival, including VIP experiences, and a list of hotels offering special rates are available on the website.

Bayou Boogaloo
May 20 – 22, 2011
http://www.thebayouboogaloo.com/

The Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo is a community music festival held on the banks of Bayou Saint John that aims to raise funds for charities supported by the Mothership Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging social change by bringing for New Orleans residents through the promotion of arts, culture and recreationl

New Orleans Wine & Food Experience
May 24 – 28, 2011
http://www.nowfe.com/

Thousands of culinary enthusiasts will flock to New Orleans, which ranks in the Top 10 Food & Wine Destinations in the U.S. and fourth in the World according to the TripAdvisor Annual Travelers’ Choice Destination Awards, for the Food & Wine Experience which will bring together celebrated chefs, world-renowned winemakers and industry insiders together for a showcase of signature events designed to entertain, educate and inspire.

Vieux To Do
June 10 – 12, 2011

Kick off June with three free festivals in one when the New Orleans Seafood Festival, Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival and Creole Tomato Festival come together to showcase local food, cooking demonstrations, parades and live music.

RETURNS TO 32 RESORT DESTINATIONS WORLDWIDE
Golfing Families are Invited to Marriott Properties for a FUN Day of FREE Golf Activities & Instruction

ORLANDO, Fla. – March 15, 2011…Marriott Golf, one of the world’s premier golf operators, is once again reaching out to families all over the world and promoting “togetherness in golf.” Today, Marriott Golf announced its fourth annual International Family Golf Festival program, a year-long series of one-day family golf events taking place at 32 leading Marriott Golf managed destinations throughout the world.

Commencing on April 9 at Sprowston Manor, A Marriott Hotel and Country Club, in Norwich, England, the Marriott International Family Golf Festival, which encourages parents and children to learn and play the game together, invites families to Marriott Golf properties for a fun-filled afternoon of FREE golf instruction, clinics, exciting activities, interactive golf games, family golf programs, chances to win a variety of prizes, and so much more! Each year, thousands of families take part in this exciting year-long program.

In addition, after 3 p.m., families and children can play golf for free as part of Marriott Golf’s “Kids Golf-4-Free” program in which an estimated 10,000 parents and children participate each year. The 2011 Family Golf Festival will take place at designated Marriott Golf properties, from April through December, on the following dates:

Property Name:
Location
Date:
Sprowston Manor, A Marriott Hotel & Country Club
Norwich, Norfolk, UK
4/9/2011
Mirage City Golf Club
Cairo, Egypt
4/9/2011
Falcon’s Fire Golf Club
Kissimmee, FL
4/16/2011
La Iguana Golf Club
Herradura Bay, Costa Rica
5/7/2011
Stone Mountain Golf Club
Stone Mountain, GA
5/15/2011
Shadow Ridge Golf Club
Palm Desert, CA
5/21/2011
Camelback Golf Club
Scottsdale, AZ
5/22/2011
Crane’s Landing Golf Club
Lincolnshire, IL
5/22/2011
Hawk’s Landing Golf Club
Orlando, FL
5/28/2011
Cattails at Meadowview
Kingsport, TN
6/12/2011
Toftrees Golf Club
State College, PA
6/12/2011
Tudor Park Country Club
Maidstone, Kent, UK
6/12/2011
Son Antem Golf Club
Mallorca, Spain
6/18/2011
The Rookery at Marco
Naples, FL
6/25/2011
Meon Valley Country Club
Nr. Southampton, Hampshire, UK
7/3/2011
Worsley Park Country Club
Worsley Park, Manchester, UK
7/3/2011
Kauai Lagoons Golf Club
Lihue, HI
7/9/2011
Faldo Golf Institute
Orlando, FL
7/16/2011
Grande Pines Golf Club
Orlando, FL
7/16/2011
Breadsall Priory, A Marriott Hotel & Country Club
Nr. Derby, Derbyshire, UK
8/6/2011
Dalmahoy Country Club
Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
8/14/2011
Desert Springs Golf Resort
Palm Desert, CA
8/21/2011
Westfields Golf Club
Clifton, VA
8/21/2011
Forest of Arden, A Marriott Hotel & Country Club
Meriden, Warwickshire, UK
8/21/2011
St. Pierre, A Marriott Hotel & Country Club
Monmouthshire, Wales, UK
8/21/2011
Griffin Gate Golf Club
Lexington, KY
8/28/2011
Hollins Hall Country Club
Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK
9/4/2011
Royal St. Kitts Golf Club
Basseterre, St. Kitts
9/10/2011
Willow Crest Golf Club
Oak Brook, IL
9/25/2011
Wildfire Golf Club
Phoenix, AZ
10/16/2011
Doral Golf Resort & Spa
Miami, FL
10/31/2011
Starr Pass Country Club
Tucson, AZ
12/11/2011

The Marriott International Family Golf Festival is another effort by Marriott to promote family golf. In 2005, Marriott Golf launched “Kids Golf-4-Free,” a first-of-its-kind program that enables kids up to 15 years old to golf for free when accompanied by a full paying adult after 3 p.m. In addition, Marriott Golf also offers free lessons anytime to kids up to 15 years old when accompanied by an adult who is taking a fully paid lesson from a Marriott Golf instructor. This program, which is available at some of Marriott Golf’s most prestigious resort destinations worldwide, was complemented in 2007 by the “Kids Rent-4-Free” program, which provides kids 15 years old and under with a free rental set of clubs when they participate in the “Kids Golf-4-Free” program.

About Marriott Golf
Marriott Golf manages 59 golf courses at 43 locations in 12 countries, offering more than 1,000 holes of championship golf. Marriott has been managing golf operations since 1970 and is one of the world’s premier golf operators. Marriott provides golf management and consulting services to a variety of operational environments including resort, private club, daily fee, golf school and franchises. For more information, visit www.marriottgolf.com.

WINE RECEPTION, GALLERY TOUR AND ART AUCTION

‘Sleeping with the Artist’ Salon Showcases Local River North Artists
At Event Benefitting Chicago Arts Partnership in Education

WHAT: Palomar Chicago, a Kimpton Hotel, hosts ‘Sleeping with the Artist,’ an art salon, gallery tour and art auction to celebrate the hotel’s first birthday. Free and open to the public, the event includes complimentary wine and hors d’oeuvres with raffle prizes featuring getaways to Palomar Chicago and dining at Sable Kitchen & Bar.

In partnership with Chicago art curators, Revolving Collections Gallery, Palomar Chicago will offer guided tours of two gallery floors at the hotel in addition to an art salon hosted by the two featured artists, Justus Roe and Darrell Roberts. Each artist will also auction off a painting for charity. The event will raise funds for the Chicago Arts Partnership in Education (CAPE).

Birthday festivities draw inspiration from the hotel’s ‘Art in Motion’ theme that celebrates its art-centric River North backdrop, a neighborhood that is home to the highest concentration of galleries in the U.S. outside of Manhattan.

WHERE: Kimpton’s Hotel Palomar Chicago
505 N. State Street
Chicago, IL 60654

WHEN: Tuesday, March 22, 2011, 5 – 7 p.m,
5 p.m. – 6 p.m.: Artist guided tours, floors 14 and 16
6 p.m. – 7 p.m.: Art auction and gallery talk, 5th Floor Foyer
Complimentary wine and hors d’oeuvres will be offered throughout the evening

OTHER: The event is free and open to the public, and a suggested donation of $10.00 benefits the Chicago Arts Partnership in Education (CAPE). Please RSVP to Christy Nolan at Christy.Nolan@hotelpalomar.com or 312-985-0736.

ABOUT ‘SLEEPING WITH THE ARTIST’:
Palomar Chicago, a Kimpton Hotel, showcases the city’s talented local artists with a special installation titled, ‘Sleeping with the Artist.’ For the first installation, which runs through July 31, 2011, the hallways throughout two floors have been transformed into an exhibit, open to hotel guests, with up to 15 pieces from two Windy City-based painters: Justus Roe and Darrell Roberts. The goal of the program is to initiate conversation about the city’s art scene, and how the Palomar Chicago embodies it, both with the current program, and with the existing hotel décor. Travelers are welcome to browse the original works during their stay, which will be available for purchase. In addition, each artist will host salon-style events throughout the winter and spring season, including a discussion series during evening wine hour, and a reception inviting local residents to check out the installation.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
A graduate of the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana with a BFA in painting, Justus Roe is currently the program coordinator for Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Advanced Arts Education Program (AAEP) at Gallery 37, a not-for-profit city arts organization. An accomplished painter, he specializes in abstract acrylic and marker works, and murals. The second featured artist, Darrell Roberts, is a Midwest native who received his BFA and MFA from the Art Institute of Chicago. A staple on the city’s gallery circuit, with works featured at the Hyde Park Art Center and at Art Chicago through the Thomas McCormick Gallery, he’s celebrated for heavily textured oil painting.

ABOUT PALOMAR CHICAGO, A KIMPTON HOTEL
Located in Chicago’s vibrant River North neighborhood, Palomar is Kimpton’s newest addition to its Windy City collection. Designed by Orlando Diaz-Azcuy, the hotel celebrates “Art in Motion,” and features pieces that pay homage to Chicago’s 1893 Columbian Exposition and Fair. The evolved boutique concept features 261 guest rooms and suites, all with floor-to-ceiling windows, a rooftop indoor pool, 5,800 square feet of stunning meeting and event space, and an adjacent dining experience, Sable Kitchen & Bar. In addition to an eco-friendly green roof, the hotel operates with more than 80 sustainable practices as part of Kimpton’s brand-wide EarthCare program. Palomar is convenient to many of Chicago’s most popular attractions, including The Magnificent Mile, McCormick Place, Navy Pier and Merchandise Mart, as well as family favorites such as the Chicago Children’s Museum and the Willis Tower Skydeck. The hotel is located at 505 North State Street, Chicago, IL, 60654. For information please call (312) 755-9703 or (877) 731-0505 toll free or visit www.hotelpalomar-chicago.com or www.facebook.com/palomar.chicago.

ABOUT KIMPTON
San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, a collection of boutique hotels and chef-driven restaurants in the US, is an acknowledged industry pioneer and was the first to bring the boutique hotel concept to America. Founded in 1981 by Bill Kimpton, the company is well-known for making travelers feel welcomed and comfortable while away from home through intuitive and unscripted customer care, stylish ambience and having a certain playfulness in its approach to programs and amenities. Each hotel provides a range of exciting culinary experiences through locally-loved, top-rated, destination, chef-driven restaurants. Kimpton leads the hospitality industry in ecological practices through its innovative EarthCare program that spans all hotels and restaurants. Privately held Kimpton has consistently earned high customer satisfaction scores by the Market Metrix Hospitality Index, exceeding other hotel companies including those in luxury and upscale segments. Among the company’s newest properties are the LEED registered Hotel Palomar and LEED registered Square 1682 restaurant by Chef Guillermo Tellez in Philadelphia, PA, which opened in October 2009. Currently, projects are underway in New York City and Chicago. For more information, please visit www.KimptonHotels.com  or call 1-800-KIMPTON

DRAMATIC performances will once again be taking place in Belfast’s spectacularly rebuilt Lyric Theatre from May this year – to the delight of one of its most famous sons and now Patron, Liam Neeson.

The Northern Ireland-born Holywood star, who started his career at the theatre, has been closely involved in raising a substantial part of the £18 million needed to rebuild the ‘Lyric’, hosting fundraising dinners in Belfast, London and New York.

Neeson succeeded in coaxing the likes of Academy Award-winning actor Meryl Streep and Loretta Brennan Glucksman, Chairman of the American Ireland Fund, to support the theatre’s fundraising campaign and help to transform Northern Ireland’s cultural landscape.

Nobel prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney, who is also from Northern Ireland, also lent his support to the Lyric.

The rebuilding, on the same site as the old theatre on the banks of the River Lagan, took place because demand outgrew the previous facilities.

The new theatre will stage a grand re-opening festival fortnight to include a gala performance of The Crucible by Arthur Miller on the Northern Bank Stage on 1 May.

And BAFTA-winning and four-time Oscar-nominated actor and film director Kenneth Branagh is set to return to his native Belfast, where he first made his name.

He will appear alongside British comedian and actor Rob Brydon in the new comedy, The Painkiller, produced by Branagh and Sean Foley, the Olivier Award-winning team behind the West End smash hit The Play What I Wrote.

Other highlights of the theatre’s first season will be the European premiere of Brendan at the Chelsea, a bio-drama of famed hell-raising playwright Brendan Behan.

Behan’s niece Janet wrote the play and Adrian Dunbar will direct and lead the cast as Behan.

Theatre-going visitors to Belfast will also be able to enjoy other performances including local playwright Martin Lynch’s Dockers and family musicals such as The Jungle Book and The Little Prince.

“On the Lyric stages you will see a diverse repertoire of classical, popular and contemporary drama,” promises Artistic Director Richard Croxford.

“From the intimacy of the Northern Bank Stage to the energy of the Naughton Studio, and from the youthful creativity of the McGrath Suite to the vibrancy of the café-bar overlooking the Lagan, the new Lyric Theatre will be alive and dramatic at all times.

“There will be no better occasion to fully appreciate the splendour and scale, ambience and ambition of this building than during our opening festival fortnight.

“The Lyric will be bursting at the seams with activity in every corner of the building. This special festival gives many reasons to visit during the opening weeks.

“The Lyric will be a new cultural hub for Northern Ireland. In years to come, you will want to look back and say you were there at the very start!”

www.lyrictheatre.co.uk
www.discovernorthernireland.com

Announced with More to Come

Montreal,— the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal is sending out a summery breeze in mid-March as they present a slate of new concerts added to the 32nd edition program. The world’s largest jazz festival, presented by TD in collaboration with Rio Tinto Alcan, has set its sights higher than high, marrying remarkable quality to incredible variety: offering the finest in jazz along with all its splendid related musical genres. Tickets for concerts in this edition, from June 25 to July 4, are now available for purchase.

Listed below are details on the eight talents added to the roster:

Robert Plant, Band of Joy, June 24, 7 p.m., Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, PdA (Événements spéciaux TD series) — Former Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant presents an expression of freedom, his own songs, and variations of music by Los Lobos, Low and more. Although Band of Joy was once the name of his early band in which he was accompanied by tub-thumper, John Bonham, this pre-opening concert by an absolute legend showcases a reinvention of the band name as well as his unique voice and incredible interpretive skills.

Diana Krall, June 26-28, 6 p.m., Théâtre Maisonneuve, Place des Arts — internationally acclaimed pianist and singer, Diana Krall returns to the 32nd Edition of the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal for her first solo concert series. Rarely performing multiple nights on the same stage, this five-time performer was personally invited by festival director and co-founder, André Ménard in his search for a pianist to perform in an unprecedented format. Krall joins a closed circle of 24 immortal Festival legends selected from thousands of musicians to present their music this year. This popular concert series has already sold out of tickets.

Brad Mehldau and Joshua Redman, June 26, 9:30 p.m., Théâtre Maisonneuve, PdA (Grands concerts series) — Most likely to be the duo of the summer! Two musical prodigies familiar to Festival fans, Mehldau winner of our 2006 Miles Davis Award and an artist who soared in three different series in 2008, and Redman, who blazed through three evenings in the famed Invitation series a year later, during the Festival’s 30th anniversary. It’s a remarkable musical summit, but also a reunion, since the American pianist was once part of the saxophonist’s first “permanent” group, in the mid-’90s, with Christian McBride and Brian Blade. A reunion of two immense musical minds in perfect communion.

Return to Forever IV featuring Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Lenny White, Frank Gambale and Jean‑Luc Ponty, June 26, 8 p.m., Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, PdA (Événements spéciaux TD series) — The return of RTF, the legendary group that blazed the jazz-rock path in the 1970s, is one that’s been building anticipation for months. RTF, which gave one of the highlight concerts of the 2008 festival, is now a quintet: French violinist and Mahavishnu Orchestra alum, Jean-Luc Ponty and the fiery-fingered Australian guitarist, Frank Gambale join RTF’s classic rhythm section, Chick Corea (piano), Stanley Clarke (bass) and Lenny White (drums). The quintet will play Return to Forever’s classic repertoire as well as highlights from each member’s solo career, and new material written specially for this lineup.

Regina Carter, June 30, 7 p.m., Gesù — Centre de créativité (Jazz Beat series) — This lovely and versatile Detroit violinist has kept the Festival waiting with bated breath for 10 years. A classically trained jazzwoman, Carter has played with Aretha Franklin, Lauryn Hill, Billy Joel and Wynton Marsalis, and finally returns to the Festival, with a new album to boot: Reverse Thread, a celebration of African folk. Featuring her violin, of course, as well as kora and accordion, the pieces transport African traditional music into the modern era.

Peter Frampton Comes Alive, June 30, 7 p.m., Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, PdA, (Événements spéciaux TD series) — Rather than perform a selection from his recent Thank You Mr. Churchill tour, Peter Frampton presents a recreation of the 1976 concert that produced Frampton Comes Alive, a double album that would become one of the biggest-selling live releases of all time. The English guitarist with the “singing” axe returns with a blockbuster three-hour concert to revive sweet memories of Show Me The Way, Do You Feel Like We Do? and Baby I Love Your Way, hits that dominated radio during the 1970s.

Youssou N’Dour, June 26, 8:30 p.m., Métropolis (Rythmes Bell series) — During his last visit for the 25th anniversary of the Festival, Youssou N’Dour was featured in both his own concert and the following night in the outdoor megashow that celebrated both the Festival and Cirque du Soleil. Considered the most well-known African musician in the world (BBC) and even the African artist of the century (Folk Roots Magazine), he makes a long-awaited and astonishing return with a new album. With Dakar-Kingston, N’Dour temporarily steps away from Senegalian m’balax, his musical trademark, to plunge into the reggae universe with the same brilliant results.

Caravan Palace, July 3, 8:30 p.m., Métropolis (Rythmes Bell series) — This eccentric Parisian sextet draws a powerful response wherever they unleash their contagious and jubilant electro gypsy jazz swing, a sound that just says “Partytime!” By popular demand, Caravan Palace returns to unveil pieces from a new album due this year, a release eagerly awaited by all fans of genuinely irresistible party music, sure to surprise fans just as they did at last year’s massive outdoor show.

Ana Moura, July 4, 6 p.m., Théâtre Maisonneuve, PdA (En voix Rio Tinto Alcan series) — This multi-platinum Portuguese singer, widely considered to be among the world’s finest fado performers (her 2007 Amália Rodrigues Award is proof), has an incredibly powerful voice and a gutsy soulfulness born for saudade, the famed Portuguese music of nostalgic longing. Revered by Prince, she heads to Montreal with her new CD, Leva-me Aos Fados (Take Me to the Fados), a year after closing out the MONTREAL HIGH LIGHTS Festival in 2010.

The 32nd edition of the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal has already announced: Sade (opening act: John Legend); Sing the Truth! Angélique Kidjo, Dianne Reeves and Lizz Wright continue the legacies of Miriam Makeba, Abbey Lincoln and Odetta; Paco de Lucia; Milton Nascimento; Battle of the Bands with the Glenn Miller Orchestra and the Artie Shaw Orchestra; George Wein’s 85th Anniversary Celebration with the Newport All Stars: Randy Brecker, Anat Cohen, Lew Tabackin, Howard Alden, Lewis Nash and Peter Washington; Pink Martini; Madeleine Peyroux; Holly Cole.

In the Jazz All Year Round series (tickets already on sale, details at montrealjazzfest.com): in L’Astral— Brandi Disterheft; Shad; Guy Bélanger; Maurane (opening act: Sophie Beaudet); Bruce Cockburn (opening act: Jenny Scheinman); Gaëtan Roussel; Femi Kuti & The Positive Force (opening act: The Power Dam Initiative); Charlie Hunter; Bob Walsh; Sophie Hunger; Ibrahim Maalouf; The Dave Liebman Group; Bryan Lee—and in Métropolis—Buddy Guy (opening act: Steve Rowe); Johnny Clegg; Salif Keita; Yael Naim (opening act: Emily Clepper).

Tickets for the 32nd edition of the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal are available from Admission and Ticketmaster (admission.com and ticketmaster.com ) excluding those concerts presented at Place des Arts (1 866 842‑2112, www.laplacedesarts.com).

The complete indoor concert program for the 32nd edition of the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal will be announced on April 6, while the program for the free, outdoor concerts will be made public in June. To get the jump on the crowd, the Spectra Newsletter (infolettrespectra.ca) is available via email.

The Grand Hotel Park Gstaad is finishing its first post-renovation ski season and gearing up to attract clients for summer holidays. The hotel will be open from June 17 to Sept. 18 for the summer season. The property will offer special summer rates for a double room (forest view) with special amenities at check-in (flowers, fruit, water), welcome cocktails in the chic Bar where everyone gathers or on the Terrace, buffet breakfast for two in the Greenhouse, access to the Spa, tax and service, all for CHF 450 (approximately $480) per room per night. Other packages are also available.

Life shifts outdoors when summer comes to the property. A beautiful terrace will be open, located just outside the hotel’s Grand Restaurant, and there will be a bar for al fresco drinks in the garden (near the swimming pool and tennis court). Hiking, walking and biking are the main pleasures by day. But guests can also try paragliding, climbing, adventure walks, jeep “safaris,” canyoning, river rafting and hot-air ballooning with the hotel’s own balloonist. A full calendar of summer events and activities will unfold in Gstaad, including a Beach Volleyball Tournament, Swiss Tennis Open, the Grand Hotel Park Pro Am Golf Tournament, Polo Cup, Gstaad Classic (an antique car race) and, of course, the Menuhin Festival (classical music) and Country Night (country music with stars from U.S.).

The gondolas are running and the restaurants on the slopes are open. There are also activities for children and families including small zoos and playground areas. The hotel has its own small screening room for movies and a game room. The Grand Hotel Park Gstaad Spa has a signature body treatment called “Mountain Indulgence” created by Aromatherapy Associates, and facials from Euoko. For more information, visit www.grandhotelpark.ch  or www.doyougstaad.com

Insight Vacations said it would resume promoting tours in Egypt. In light of the political unrest seen in the country over the past few months, the tour operator said it had put a hold on any advertising of Egyptian departures. Now that most governments have lifted their restricted travel advisories on Egypt, Insight has decided to start promoting its Egyptian product once again.

“We have been monitoring the situation in Egypt very closely and are completely confident that our tours will operate effectively and safely,” said Marc Kazlauskas, president of Insight Vacations. “Our staff in Cairo, Aswan, Luxor, as well as our hoteliers in St Catherine, Alexandria and Sinai, are all ready and eager to be receiving Insight guests once more. Egypt is a country with an amazing culture and is the trip of a lifetime for many people. By travelling sooner, rather than later, you can see some of the greatest monuments in the world without the crowds.”

Kazlauskas also announced another reason why “travelling sooner, rather than later” is beneficial to travelers: “Insight has negotiated major savings on tours in Egypt through Aug. 31,” he said. “By offering these discounts we really want to pique interest again in Egypt and show people how confident we really are that the time to book Egypt is now.”

Discounts will be available for those booking Egypt tours departing from May 1 through Aug. 31. Clients who are already booked on Egyptian departures for this time period will have the reductions automatically applied to their current bookings.

For example, customers can save $145 per person on the 10-day Wonders of Egypt NOW priced from $2,154 per person double (land only). They can save $180 per person on the 13-day Splendors of Egypt, which is now priced from $2,519 per person double (land only). They can save $180 per person on the 12-day Jewels of the Nile, Lake Nasser and Abu Simbel, which is now priced from $2,770 per person double (land only). And they can save $280 per person on the 18-day Grand Tour of Egypt, which is priced from $3,495 per person double (land only)

Insight Vacations features nine Egypt itineraries including five-star hotels, a deluxe Nile cruise, more included sightseeing with “must-see, must-do” inclusions and smaller group sizes. All Insight tours are escorted throughout by local experts and qualified Egyptologist tour directors. For more information, call 714-937-4990. For reservations, agents can contact Insight Vacations at 800-582-8380 or visit www.insightvacations.com

Lion World Tours is offering a nine-day trip to Cape Town, South Africa, from $1,599 per person including international airfare from New York (JFK) or Washington, D.C. (Dulles) on South African Airways, domestic flights within South Africa, fuel surcharges, airport transfers in South Africa, six nights of accommodation, six breakfasts, and a half-day WinelandsTour. The package has no single supplement fee. This price is valid for travel May 1 to 16 and Aug. 11 to Sept. 30.

The four-star Protea Hotel President is situated in the heart of Bantry Bay, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and Lion’s Head. It is an ideal base from which to explore Cape Town and is close to some of Cape Town’s famous landmarks, including the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Two Oceans Aquarium, Clifton and Camps Bay Beach, Table Mountain and Canal Walk shopping center. The tour offers an abundance of free time to allow travelers to choose the activities in Cape Town that interest them most. For more information, call 800-387-2706 or visit www.lionworldtours.com

Frelonâs Fabulous France is helping clients to discover hidden Burgundy this summer with a bespoke cooking and wine holiday with an itinerary of professional culinary instruction, private wine tastings and insider access to fascinating venues, all set against a backdrop of flowering vines, lush countryside and trickling streams. From a Cremant wine tasting upon arrival to a farewell dinner at three-Michelin-starred Restaurant Bernard Loiseau in Saulieu, guests at the meticulously restored La Ferme de la Lochereâ, a private estate with accommodations for up to 10, are immersed in luxury. Optional master classes and excursions ranging from a full day of bread making in Dijon to golf at Chateau de Chailly, an 18-hole golf course set in the rolling countryside, help guests to personalize the itinerary. Prices for the seven-day holiday range from $1,895 to $2,653, to $2,300 to $3,220 per person double.

Host Katherine Frelon, who has cooked for a member of the royal family, provides fascinating hands-on cooking demonstrations incorporating fresh summer ingredients, including mushrooms, wild asparagus and Jerusalem artichokes from her own garden as well as the local market. When not in the kitchen, guests will have insider access to the magnificent Abbey of Fontenay, exclusive wine tastings at some of the best known vineyards of the area, a privately guided tour of the Hospice de Beaune, and lunch at Michelin-starred Le Charlemagne. There are tours of the Vineyard of Flavigny, the town which hosted the filming of “Chocolat”; dinner at the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Bernard Loiseau; visits to the colorful markets of Dijon; and trips to the medieval town of Semur-en-Auxois and the charming Chateauneuf-en-Auxois. A demonstration and tasting at the local chocolatier, and a visit to a local cheese maker, are two additions recently added to the impressive itinerary.

An array of additional excursions and master classes are available to help personalize the itinerary to the individual needs to each guest, with prices starting at $49. Options include a cycling tour through the Burgundy countryside, complete with a gourmet picnic and experienced cycling guides; a hot-air balloon ride accompanied by a bottle of champagne; and a cooking demonstration with award-winning Chef Laurent Peugeot at Michelin-starred Le Charlemagne. Rates for the holiday include accommodation; all meals prepared on the property; culinary instruction and ingredients; transfers to and from the Montbard train station; attractions specified in the itinerary; meals from set menus designed with seasonal ingredients by the head chef at both Michelin restaurants, complimented with wines especially selected by the sommelier; and a complimentary cookbook from Frelon.

La Ferme de la Lochere is a 400-year-old private estate in the heart of Burgundy, four hours from London and one hour from Paris by train, and meticulously restored to reflect the rich history of the area while providing guests with modern amenities. The property includes several charming courtyards, an extensive library, mezzanine lounge area, heated swimming pool, a spacious state-of-the-art kitchen and five individually designed, airy bedrooms with gorgeous views of the mountains and vineyards, each with private bath, fresh flowers, LâOccitane products and Wi-Fi. Each luxurious itinerary is complemented by free time for guests to lunch on the rolling hillsides, bike along the Canal de Bourgogne, stroll through the scenic countryside, shop in the unique towns, and much more.

Frelonâs Fabulous France provides tailor-made, luxury vacations in Burgundy from April through October. Information, brochures and reservations can be obtained from Frelonâs Fabulous France, 6 Rue de la Lochere, 21150 Marigny le Cahouet, France. For more information, call 33 672 865 609, or visit www.Frelonâsfabulousfrance.com