Jetsettersblog

InterContinental Hotels Group and the Real Estate Group Ricsher, S.A. de C.V. have opened the new Crowne Plaza Tuxpan, Mexico.

The property is in a prime location situated on Carretera a La Barra Road in La Calzada neighborhood. The hotel, which was designed by young Veracruz architect José Luis Vázquez Cuellar, has 136 guestrooms, a presidential suite and one Imperial suite, both equipped with a Jacuzzi for rest and relaxation.

In addition, guestrooms are equipped with high-speed Internet access, voicemail, a work desk, ergonomic chair, LCD TV with satellite, direct dial telephone, safe, coffeemakers, hair dryer and vanity mirror.

The hotel has a club floor that offers a complimentary deluxe continental breakfast, wine and cheese during the evenings, and a lounge with a large, comfortable social area. Other features include a gym, outdoor pool and children’s pool.

The hotel has three restaurants: Tambuco, which is a parrilla offering cuisine cooked over a wood fire grill and the capacity for 167 guests; the Tanhuijo Bar with live music and seating for 120; and the original pool bar Tochtli on the river’s edge.

The hotel offers the Tochpan Convention Center with seven meeting rooms that have the largest capacity in the region, holding up to 1,700 people. For more information, visit www.crowneplaza.com

From Oct. 21 to 30, 2011, Key West will host its annual Fantasy Fest, this year with the theme “Aquatic Afrolic.”

Born more than 30 years ago, the festival is internationally recognized for its uninhibited flair and lighthearted spirit.

This year, Fantasy Fest features 10 days of masquerade balls, costume contests, parties and ocean-inspired escapades climaxing in a glittering grand parade set for Oct. 29.

The aquatic action is to begin with a Royal Coronation Ball on Friday, Oct. 21, to crown the festival king and queen. In addition, Key West’s Caribbean roots are to be celebrated with Friday and Saturday’s Goombay street party in historic Bahama Village. Subsequent festival highlights include Tuesday’s “Underseas Odyssey” Headdress Ball, featuring prizes for the best masks, helmets and other headgear. Wednesday brings the offbeat Pet Masquerade and Parade, where furred, feathered and even finned friends showcase their animal magnetism while competing for costume prizes.

Elaborately costumed competitors present high-energy performances on a beachfront stage Oct. 27, during Pretenders in Paradise, Fantasy Fest’s most elaborate costume competition. Key West’s renowned Duval Street becomes the stage Friday as venders of costumes, arts and crafts, food and libations star in the mile-long Fantasy Fest Street Fair.

In addition, the Masquerade March draws schools of “fishy” frolickers in masks and costumes for a walking parade.

For more information, contact Key West visitor information at 800-LAST-KEY or visit www.fla-keys.com/keywest or www.fantasyfest.net

While Greece’s debt is causing problems in financial circles, it means lower prices for American tourists. TourCrafters is taking advantage of the lower prices with their land-only Athens/Mykonos/Cruise package that starts at $1,321.

The package includes two nights’ hotel accommodation in Athens, three nights hotel on the island of Mykonos, daily breakfasts, half-day Athens sightseeing tour, entrance fees, ferry to Mykonos, four-day cruise of the Greek Islands and Turkey (with all meals), and all transfers.

The 10-day/nine-night package starts at $1,500 from Aug. 27 to Sept. 26, $1,380 from Sept. 27 to Oct. 15 and $1,321 from Oct. 16 to 31, for comfortable three-star hotels in Athens and Mykonos and a superior inside cabin on the cruise ship.

Upgrades to four- and five-star hotels are available and TourCrafters reservations agents can offer the best air fares available at the time of booking.

The cruise, on Louis Cruises’ Cristal or Majesty (the date determines the ship), calls at Kusadasi, Turkey, the port for ancient Ephesus’s remains, then it’s on to Greece’s Aegean Islands — hilly Patmos, with the Monastery of St. John; Rhodes, with its medieval city and Lindos Acropolis; Crete, with its port Heraklion (where there’s an optional tour to the Minoan Palace of Knossos); and finally, Santorini, where the town of Fira’s whitewashed houses and open-air cafés cling to a cliff with a view of the lagoon caused by an ancient volcanic explosion (access to Fira is by donkey or cable car).

All prices quoted are per person double, are subject to availability and do not include air fare or port taxes of $105 per person. Reservations must be paid for within 72 hours of booking.

For more information, call 800-482-5995 or visit www.tourcrafters.it

The Hawaii State Department of Transportation (http://hawaii.gov/dot ) has selected SpeediShuttle to provide on-demand shuttle service for passengers arriving at Honolulu International Airport (http://hawaii.gov/hnl ) beginning Oct. 1.

The five-year concession award was the result of a competitive proposal process that included six of the largest ground transportation companies in Hawaii (www.gohawaii.com).

SpeediShuttle’s operating platform utilizes Mercedes Benz Sprinters. The company will deploy an additional 30 of the 11-passenger vehicles on Oahu (www.visit-oahu.com ) at the commencement of service.

In addition to servicing the Waikiki and Aloha Tower, which is the current service area, SpeediShuttle will service all points on Oahu.

SpeediShuttle will deploy boarding pass kiosks at strategic locations throughout the terminals and will have greeters dressed in traditional Hawaiian attire offering service and issuing boarding passes with tablet PCs at any airport location. Call 877-242-5777 or visit www.speedishuttle.com

Sandals Grande Emerald Bay, in Great Exuma, Bahamas, is offering guests who book a minimum three-night stay between now and Jan. 31, 2012 for travel through Dec. 31, 2012 a free first round of golf at the 18-hole, Greg Norman-designed Sandals Emerald Reef Golf Club, located in the Bahamas’ Out Islands.

The offer, which can be booked at the Golf Pro Shop upon arrival, is per-person per-room. For more information, call 800-SANDALS or visit www.sandals.com

The Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa in Dana Point, Calif. (www.danapoint.org ) has extended its End of Summer Getaway offer through Sept. 30. (The original expiration date was Aug. 31.) All two-night reservations that book and actualize through Sept. 30 will receive a third night stay free.

Call 949-661-5000 and use promotional code “BGS” or visit www.lagunacliffs.com

Tickets to the first Los Angeles Food & Wine, a four-day event that takes place October 13-16, are will be available starting at 10 a.m. Pacific time on Aug. 22.

This culinary festival, headquartered at L.A. Live (www.lalive.com) in downtown Los Angeles (www.discoverlosangeles.com), with events featured throughout the city including Santa Monica (www.santamonica.com ), Hollywood (www.hollywood.com ) and Beverly Hills (www.lovebeverlyhills.com ) will gather talent from the entertainment and culinary worlds to celebrate L.A.’s food and drink culture.

More than 100 chefs, including Daniel Boulud, Wolfgang Puck, Tyler Florence, and Nancy Silverton will team up with pop culture personalities, such as duo Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto and R&B sensation Mary J. Blige, to lead demonstrations, seminars, dinners, and dedicated after-hours events featuring tastings from more than 300 international wineries.

Other events will include an opening night red carpet gala, a two-day Lexus Grand Tasting Tent featuring 30 celebrity chefs and more than 100 wineries, live cooking demonstrations and themed wine seminars.

Other events taking place throughout the city include the California Clam Bake with Tom Colicchio in Santa Monica, Caviar and Champagne at the L’Ermitage (www.lermitagebh.com) rooftop, Meat in the Middle featuring Sang Yoon and Chris Cosentino, Tribute to a Culinary Master: Daniel Boulud at the Montage (www.montagebeverlyhills.com ) rooftop, L.A.’s Sweetest After Party hosted by Sherry Yard, Brew B’Que on the Santa Monica Pier (www.santamonicapier.org ), and Wolfgang Puck’s Sunday Brunch & Charity Auction. To purchase tickets (starting at $50) or for more information, call 877-234-8425 or visit www.lafw.com

Hayman, a private island destination located in the Great Barrier Reef, is celebrating the resort’s re-opening after a five-month renovation with the “Hayman Escape” package.

The “Hayman Escape” is priced from $885 per person for three nights’ double occupancy accommodations, plus daily beachfront breakfasts in Azure restaurant.

Every package booked also includes a bonus $400 resort voucher per room, per stay.

This offer is valid for bookings made by Aug. 31 for travel between Oct. 1 and June 30.

As an added bonus, guests booking an additional “Hayman Escape” for their family will receive a 25 percent discount on the second package, plus 50 percent off a la carte menus for children 5 to 12 years, complimentary meals for children 4 years and under, 50 percent off launch transfers for children 5 to 12 years, and special school holidays’ activity programs.

For more information, visit www.hayman.com.au

Central Holidays unveiled its Book Early and Save promotion that offers travelers a discount on Escorted Vacations in Europe. Travelers who book and deposit by Oct. 31 for travel March 1, 2012, through March 31, 2013, can take advantage of 10 percent savings on the land portion of Central Holidays’ array of Escorted Vacations to Italy, France, Spain, Greece, Turkey or Egypt.

Travelers benefit not only from the 10 percent savings, but also will lock in an early guaranteed price when they place a deposit by Oct. 31, 2011. Book Early and Save bookings are commissionable to travel agents.

Visit www.centralholidays.com  and click on “Special Offers” to see details on the above offer as well as other deals and promotions.

For more information, call 800-935-5000 or visit www.centralholidays.com.

Outrigger on the Lagoon Fiji’s Bebe Spa Sanctuary won the Spa Design of the Year Award (Oceania) for the second consecutive year. The award was presented in recognition of Bebe Spa Sanctuary’s superior design and overall ambience at the annual Pevonia Botanica International Spa Awards held recently in Sydney.

Situated above the resort on a hill known by locals as Heavenly Hill, Bebe Spa, pronounced behm-beh, a Fijian word meaning butterfly, has views over Outrigger’s coral-fringed lagoon, Pacific Ocean and the lush, undulating hills surrounding the resort. Bebe Spa therapist Atisha Reddy was also a finalist in the category of Spa Therapist of the Year (Oceania) in recognition of her outstanding performance and knowledge of the Pevonia Botanica range. For more information, visit www.outriggerfiji.com  or www.bebespafiji.com