Jetsettersblog

Grand Canyon Whitewater launched a seven-night Music & Yoga Inspired rafting trip.

The trip goes through the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River and includes music and guided yoga practices while ashore.

The trip will take place Aug. 22 to 28 and will not carry any additional cost to the basic seven-night Motorized Full Canyon trip price. The trip begins with an included overnight at the Marble Canyon Lodge on Aug. 21.

For more information, call 800-343-3121 or visit www.grandcanyonwhitwater.com

The event includes music, street performers, parades, food and drink.

MUNICH, GERMANY – Stadtgrundungsfest marks the official anniversary of the foundation of Munich and is celebrated with parades, music and food.

The two-day event will take place on Saturday June 18th and Sunday 19th this year and is based around the Marienplatz area of the city.

It involves plenty of food and drink, with the gathered crowds entertained by street performers and a variety of processions, many of which include people dressed in medieval costumes.

The entertainment will be running all day and features a varied programme that encompasses ballet, music and theatre.

While the origins of the destination go back to an eighth-century monastic settlement known as ‘bei den Munichen’, the town was not officially born until many years later, when Duke Henry the Lion founded it.

In a statement, the city’s official tourist board explained: “He destroyed a toll bridge over the Isar near Fohring and then built another one in ‘Munichen’ where he collected his own tolls.

“Henry’s act was finally publicly recognised, thus giving Munich its official ‘date of birth’: June 14th, 1158.”

In addition to enjoying all the temporary food stalls and entertainment facilities, visitors at the free festival can appreciate some of the more permanent features of the city’s tourist trail.

The event is set around many of Munich’s most famous landmarks, such as its town halls and cathedral.

Families will find plenty to do as there is an area dedicated to children, while arty types may enjoy a walk around the crafts fair.

There will also be sporting activities available such as a climbing wall.

The festival will be open from 10:00 to 23:00 local time on Saturday and 10:00 to 22:00 on Sunday.

Revellers can find a host of Munich hotels on LateRooms.com to choose from, including the Hotel Leonardo Munich.

Find out more by visiting this link.

Available via www.DiscountVouchers.co.uk

Consumers around UK able to visit popular voucher codes website to get savings at Wildwood, La Tasca and Ask this month.

Online voucher codes specialist DiscountVouchers.co.uk has this week released new deals from top names on its website to help UK consumers save money when eating out in May and June. Deals redeemable at popular restaurants Wildwood, La Tasca and Ask can be had right now among the offers DiscountVouchers.co.uk has available for over 800 retailers and suppliers.

La Tasca is among the UK’s favourite chain restaurants and offers consumers good quality Spanish food in the shape of tapas and paella plus great wines.

This week sees deals like a starter and 3 tapas for GBP7 on Mondays or dinner for 2 for as little as GBP12 (subject to terms and conditions) being offered among the new La Tasca vouchers on www.DiscountVouchers.co.uk.

Italian food never goes out of style with UK diners, and one of the most popular Italian restaurants around is Ask.

Found in numerous towns and cities all over the country, Ask caters for couples, families and larger groups, and this week consumers can log on to DiscountVouchers.co.uk and use an Ask Restaurant deal to get 2 for the price of 1 on main meals.

Another popular restaurant to be included in the latest DiscountVouchers.co.uk deals this week is Wildwood Restaurant, which specialises in freshly-prepared Italian-style pizza and pasta dishes.

A visit to the dedicated voucher codes site right now allows consumers to print off and use a voucher for a free starter when buying a main course.

Claire Hayes, spokesperson for DiscountVouchers.co.uk, said, “Our team of staff continuously monitors the web to find all the latest deals released by top name retailers and restaurants, and this week we’ve been able to source new restaurant deals. Top name diners like Ask, La Tasca and Wildwood are great places to eat out – especially on a budget.”

DiscountVouchers.co.uk offers consumers money saving deals at major high street brands and specialist retailers, including stores like Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, Travelodge, First Choice, lastminute.com and Boden.

For more information visit www.discountvouchers.co.uk

Luxury hotel chain Sol Meliá is adding another African destination to its portfolio with the opening of Meliá Zanzibar, a five-star resort in Tanzania’s islands of Zanzibar. The opening scheduled for August comes three months after the company opened in Cabo Verde, its most recent African venture.

Previously operated by the Kempinski chain (Zamani Kempinski), the hotel will reopen under the Spanish company’s most international brand, Meliá Hotels & Resorts, joining the portfolio through a management contract. The hotel is located in the northeast of Zanzibar, also known as the Spice Island, a major African tourist destination known for being a unique cultural crossroads of Oriental, European and African influence, as well as for its beautiful, exotic beaches and coral reefs.

Meliá Zanzibar will have 100 rooms and seven villas, the latter with their own private pool, solarium, living room, kitchen and butler service.

In addition, the hotel offers a spa, beauty and fitness center, outdoor sports facilities — such as tennis courts and swimming pools — as well as different venues for meetings and events and dining options in two restaurants, three bars and a Beach Club.

With this hotel, the Spanish company now has six hotels on the African continent, joining the four hotels in Egypt and the recently opened Meliá Tortuga in Cabo Verde, a destination in which two additional hotels will be opened between 2012 and 2015.

As the company announced in its latest earnings report, 91 percent of the hotels pending incorporation are located outside of Spain, in line with the strategy of geographical product diversification and opening new markets.

Sol Meliá was founded in 1956 in Palma de Mallorca (Spain) and is one of the world’s largest resort hotel chains, as well as Spain’s leading hotel chain.

It currently provides more than 300 hotels and 76,000 rooms in 26 countries on four continents under its brands

– Gran Meliá, Meliá, ME by Meliá, Innside by Meliá, Tryp by Wyndham, Sol and Paradisus.

Its product and service portfolio is completed by Sol Meliá Vacation Club, the only vacation club operated by a Spanish company.

Accelerating its global portfolio growth, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced this week’s opening of its first Westin hotel in South America — The Westin Lima Hotel & Convention Center in Peru.

Located in San Isidro, the financial and shopping hub of Lima, Peru, The Westin Lima Hotel & Convention Center features 301 rooms and the largest meeting and convention facilities in Peru.

“Starwood’s growth leader in Latin America is Westin Hotels, which is set to double its portfolio in the region by 2012,” said Osvaldo Librizzi, president of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Latin America. “Fueled by the success of Westin, we are experiencing strong demand from owners and developers for all of our world-class brands across Latin America, strengthening Starwood’s position as the largest four and five star hotel operator in the region.”

The Westin Lima Hotel & Convention Center is opening under a franchise agreement between Grupo Libertador and Starwood. The two companies previously partnered to open two Luxury Collection properties — Hotel Paracas Resort in 2009 and Tambo del Inka Resort & Spa in 2010, located in Valle Sagrado, near Machu Picchu.

The Westin Lima Hotel & Convention Center boasts more than 28,000 square feet of space, including 10 meeting rooms and a grand ballroom.

Additional facilities include a three-meal restaurant and a fine dining restaurant headed by Chef Rafael Piqueras.

The hotel also features an In Site Bar to enjoy international cocktails, lobby lounge, and an additional lounge on the 29th floor. Designed by Miami-based Arquitectonica and renowned New York designer Tony Chi,

The Westin Lima Hotel & Convention is a notable addition to the Lima skyline.

In the rooms, guests will find the Westin Heavenly Bath experience, the Heavenly Bed, high-speed Internet access and an ergonomic work space. The Westin Lima Hotel & Convention Center features a 24-hour WestinWorkout gym, an indoor pool and the SuperfoodsRX menu. Located on the second floor of the hotel, the Heavenly Spa by Westin features 14 treatment rooms and a choice of signature Heavenly treatments created by Comfort Zone, the Italian spa brand. With the addition of the new Westin Lima Hotel & Convention Center, Starwood now has nine Westin Hotels in Latin America, six Westin hotels in Mexico, one in Guatemala and one in Costa Rica. Overall, Starwood Hotels & Resorts now has 65 hotels and resorts in 13 countries in Latin America.

Be An Underwater Pioneer And Help Protect The Coral Reefs Of The Musandam Peninsula

LONGWOOD, FL.;–This scuba diving volunteer vacation by Biosphere Expeditions takes a group of international volunteer divers to the remote and mountainous Musandam peninsula of Oman to help study the diverse coral reefs fringing the areas where the mountains plunge into the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

This one week volunteer vacation is a pioneering study to map this currently unprotected underwater environment and gives volunteers the opportunity to work side by side next to marine biologists to carry on this important research while exploring a beautiful marine environment.

The reefs boast a rich mixture of beautiful corals and a multitude of fish and other animals.

Data on the current biological status of the reefs and of population levels of key indicator species are therefore crucial for educational purposes and to be able to put forward ideas for future marine protection areas.

Data collection follows an internationally recognized coral reef monitoring program, called Reef Check, and will be used to make informed management and conservation decisions within the area.

The expedition includes training as a Reef Check EcoDiver. With this volunteers are also eligible to apply for PADI or NAUI Reef Check Speciality Course certification.

Participants must be fully qualified divers to take part in the expedition. Oct 9-15, 16-22, 2011. www.biosphere-expeditions.org

Warwick International Hotels has entered into a management contract with Winter Valley Tourism Investment Company, P.L.C., owner of a resort on the coast of the Dead Sea in Jordan.

Soft opening is scheduled for August 2011, with the grand opening planned to take place before the end of this year.

Known as the Winter Valley/Warwick Resort & Spa, Dead Sea, Jordan, the resort will consist of 161 rooms, each with a view over the Dead Sea and access to the beach.

This seaside resort is also equipped with a gourmet restaurant, a lobby café/bar, a deli, an outdoor dining area and a pool bar.

It also features a ballroom with breakout rooms, a spa and gym and three outdoor swimming pools and a kids club.

Warwick International Hotels will continue its expansion on two directions — further acquisitions of hotels and resorts when appropriate opportunities arise, and organic growth by way of management contracts and affiliations.

Several projects are now under study in the Middle East.

For more information, visit

www.warwickhotels.com

Travel Impressions is offering an eight-day/seven-night customized itinerary to Rome, Florence and Venice.

This Italian getaway is priced from $1,753 per person double occupancy, and includes airport/hotel transfers in Rome and Venice; hotel accommodations for seven nights (Albergo Cesari in Rome, Grand Hotel Villa Medici in Florence and Luna Hotel Baglioni in Venice); daily breakfast; one-way Eurail from Rome to Florence and from Florence to Venice; suggested tours (Rome by Night with Pizza Making Tour, Chianti with Wine Tasting Tour, Sightseeing on Foot and Gondola Tour); and hotel tax and service charges.

Rates quoted are land-only, per person double occupancy, and are valid for travel July 16 to Aug. 31 and on new bookings only.

Additional travel dates are available with pricing varying according to dates selected and airfare can be added from gateways nationwide. Black-out, holiday, and peak season surcharges apply. Admission to the Vatican Museum is not included in the rate nor are transfers to/from rail station and hotel. The program includes Rome, Florence and Venice. Travel agents earn a 1 percent bonus commission when booking travel packages online with Quest for Agents.

Founded in 1974, Travel Impressions is one of the nation’s largest leisure tour operators and a wholly owned subsidiary of American Express.

The company offers FIT vacations to more than 200 destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America, Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean, Dubai, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, the Islands of Tahiti, Canada, Hawaii and the Continental U.S., and features more than 2,700 resorts, hotels and luxury villas.

For more information, call 800-284-0044 or visit www.TravelImpressions.com

Jamaica’s GoldenEye resort is offering special summer rates of $448 per night, a 33 percent discount off high-season rates. GoldenEye guests also enjoy complimentary rum punches made with Blackwell rum daily between 11 a.m. and noon. For more information, visit www.islandoutpost.com/goldeneye

Carnival Cruise Line’s newest ship, Carnival Breeze, is set to debut in June 2012, introducing Caribbean-inspired interiors and staterooms.

Staterooms will feature island-inspired bright colors and pastel hues, with images of palm trees and other tropical elements adorning hallway corridors. Contemporary furnishings and light fixtures enhance the atmosphere.

Aside from a colorful new interior design, Carnival Breeze will feature popular amenities such as the Caribbean-inspired RedFrog Pub, SportSquare recreation complex, Cucina del Capitano family-style Italian restaurant, a wrap-around open-air promenade called The Lanai with whirlpools that extend over the ship’s sides, the WaterWorks aqua park, and Ocean Plaza, an indoor/outdoor café and live entertainment venue. More features on Carnival Breeze will be announced in the near future.

To see stateroom renderings, as well as images of Carnival Breeze features and facilities, visit www.carnival.com/breeze.

Carnival Breeze is scheduled to enter service June 3, 2012, with a one-time voyage from Venice to Barcelona, positioning the vessel for a summer schedule of 12-day Mediterranean voyages through Oct. 25, 2012.

Following a 15-day trans-Atlantic crossing from Barcelona to Miami, Carnival Breeze will launch year-round six- and eight-day Caribbean cruises from Miami on Nov. 24, 2012.