Jetsettersblog

Six new destinations have been added to the Romantik Hotels & Restaurants Germany map. Wellness is a main focus on the Baltic Sea, and the spa concept Spa vitambiance is celebrated on three floors of the restored villas of the Romantik Roewers Privathotel. The Romantik Hotel Braunschweiger Hof in Bad Harzburg is one of the oldest family-run establishments in the Harz region and is now lead by the family’s fifth generation. The hotel’s “Beauty Farm” offers a variety of spa treatments in its spacious spa area.

A restored Wilhelminian building is home to the Romantik Hotel Kronprinz Berlin. In the afternoon guests indulge in tea and sherry in the salons before venturing off to explore the capital’s nightlife. The Romantik Hotel Zum Rosenhof in Felsberg is in a 16th century half-timbered house. An atmospheric garden restaurant and the deli “Piazza Culinaria” complete the charm. Castle Anholt is one of the largest moated castles in the Münsterland area, located not far from the Lower Rhine. The front building houses the Romantik Parkhotel Wasserburg Anholt. All guestrooms offer a view of the large park and the restaurant “swims” in the castle lake. The hotel’s own 18-hole golf course surrounds the Romantik Hotel Wutzschleife in Rötz, found in the Upper Bavarian Forest National Park. The extensive spa includes an energy garden and is famous for its Ayurveda treatments. For more information, visit www.romantikhotels.com

The travelling public has spoken – Trip Advisor’s 2011 Traveler’s Choice list is out and among the Top 10 Food & Wine Destinations in Canada is beautiful Banff>, Alberta. Already known for its deep champagne powder, craggy peaks and turquoise blue lakes, the country’s original national park is now known for its fine food.

And in the coming months, cuisine is front and centre on the to-do list in the Canadian Rockies. First up is the granddaddy of luxury wine and food festivals – the Fairmont Banff Springs 20th annual International Festival of Wine & Food. This prestigious event has seen some of the world’s top winemakers and more than 10,000 wine lovers visit Banff over two decades and this year is no different. From the Friday night Vintner’s Reception to the expert tastings and seminars, the black-tie Gala Dinner and elaborate lunches and brunches, this is the wine event of the season for expert oenophiles and newbies alike. It’s a three-day immersion in swirling and slurping, wine regions and vineyards, and a chance to learn from the people who make some of the world’s finest wines.

This year, top wineries including Champagne’s Dom Perignon, Spain’s Miguel Torres, Canada’s Cedar Creek Estates and Napa Valley’s Clos Du Val are on the ticket at the historical railway hotel, Oct. 21-23. And Top Chef Canada winners Dale MacKay, Connie De Sousa and Rob Rossi will be cooking alongside the hotel culinary team (packages from $2,238).

Following up this annual wine-lovers’ bash is a new event for foodies, Banff’s first Bon Appetit food festival, Nov. 17-27. Participating restaurants will offer special three-course menus (three options per course) for a $25 or $35 flat rate. Expect to find local specialties, from elk and bison from their own game ranches at Sleeping Buffalo Restaurant at Buffalo Mountain Lodge, to native-inspired “crossroads” cuisine at the Juniper Hotel & Bistro, seasonal Canadian cuisine at The Bison Restaurant, and handmade, gourmet Alberta beef burgers and milkshakes at Eddie Burger + Bar.

And where do the world’s travellers suggest you go for the best meals in Banff? On the favourites list: Nourish Vegetarian Bistro “that takes vegetarian cooking to a whole new level”, The Banffshire Club for “one of the best meals we’ve had in years”, and The Maple Leaf for its “comfortable elegance”. Or just hook up with a guide from Banff Food Tours and eat your way through Banff’s international noshes.

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts introduced its second Kerry Hotel. Marking the completion of the first phase of a multimillion-dollar renovation, Shangri-La’s Kerry Centre Hotel, Beijing will be rebranded as Kerry Hotel, Beijing. It joins its sister hotel, Kerry Hotel Pudong, Shanghai, which launched the brand in February 2011.

Presenting new facilities, amenities and services, Kerry Hotel, Beijing unveils contemporary Club rooms and suites, a Club lounge, reconfigured lobby and grand ballroom, and is introducing two new dining outlets — Kerry’s Kitchen and Kerry’s Pantry. In addition, the hotel’s Centro bar and lounge has been redesigned for a fresh clean look and added an outdoor bistro-style terrace.

To celebrate its rebranding, Kerry Hotel, Beijing offers a special introductory package until Feb. 29, 2012. The package includes Club Room accommodations; one-way Wi-Fi-enabled limousine transfer with airport butler service; Rmb300 dining credit per stay valid at Kerry’s Kitchen, Kerry’s Pantry, The Horizon Chinese restaurant and Centro; complimentary in-room wired broadband Internet and Wi-Fi access; complimentary mini bar upon arrival, excluding hard liquor and wine; and Club benefits and privileges, including access to The Club Lounge located on the 18th floor. Rates start at Rmb2,288 per night, subject to 15 percent service charge, and a minimum two-night stay is required. Reservations are subject to availability and advance booking. Terms and conditions apply. Golden Circle members will earn triple Award Points when booking this package. Conveniently linked to lifestyle and entertainment options via a “sky bridge,” Kerry Hotel, Beijing sits among the head offices of Fortune 100 companies in the heart of Beijing’s business district. For more information, visit www.thekerryhotels.com

The Forum Shops at Caesars has announced holiday events, starting on Nov. 25 (Black Friday). Among the events, Donald J Pliner will give all customers a gift with purchase and serve Mimosas and sweets all day with discounts available from 9 a.m. until noon. Guess will offer 30 percent off customers’ entire purchases before noon. Thomas Pink is offering 30 percent off on select styles of men’s and women’s shirts and accessories. Elie Tahari will offer light bites, as well as 40 percent off of fall merchandise. Escada will offer a 40 percent discount on all fall/winter items. Fresh will offer complimentary gift wrapping, a beverage station, a gift bar, and a gift with purchases of $200 or more. Fresh also will offer a free mini-facial with a skin care purchase.

Throughout the season, The Forum Shops at Caesars is participating in the Red Cross Holiday Mail for Heroes program. Through the program, the Red Cross ensures that all Americans have the opportunity to send a touch of home this holiday season to service members, their families and veterans. Cards are hand-delivered to military bases, hospitals and VA medical centers. Specially designed holiday cards are available at the Guest Services counter through Dec. 4. Shoppers simply need to write a short note expressing their appreciation, and The Forum Shops personnel will mail it. For more information, visit www.forumshops.com. For hotel information, call 800-427-7247 or visit www.caesarspalace.com

Excellence Group Luxury Hotels & Resorts announced the creation of the Beloved Hotels brand, a new concept that combines luxury with a boutique-style, all-inclusive concept in a family-friendly setting. Excellence has selected La Amada Hotel in Playa Mujeres to become the first to be branded in this unique and exclusive category.

This winter season, the hotel group will introduce The Beloved Hotel Playa Mujeres, which features 109 ocean view suites, many of them featuring a plunge pool, as well as a 35,000-square-foot spa, a seaside golf course, a fitness center, various restaurants and a full-service marina. The launch of the Beloved Hotels brand is part of a restructuring of Excellence Group, as the company continuously seeks to better meet the different needs and interests of its audience.

Goway Travel is offering a 10-day World of the Maya trip that presents an opportunity to learn about the enigmatic culture of the Mayans during the year when the Mayan calendar comes to an end. According to Don Forster, Goway’s product and marketing manager for Latin America, although the Long Count Calendar of the Ancient Mayans ends on Dec 21, 2012, it does not necessarily predict catastrophe.

“Though the Mayans have calculated that the date of Dec. 21, 2012 A.D. (13.0.0.0.0 in the Long Count) marks the end of a cycle and a beginning of a new one, they did not stipulate or predict what this ending and new beginning may denote,” Forster said.

According to Forster, there are generally two schools of thought on the matter. One is a more holistic spiritual view in which we see the ending of one phase and the beginning of a new one. The other is what he calls the “Hollywood view” in which a catastrophic event may take place, even the end of the world as we know it.

The trip surveys Mayan culture in El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala with opportunities to extend your trip into Belize. The record of the civilization of the Maya can be found carved on towering temples such as Copan and Tikal as well as in the handiworks and daily life rituals of the modern descendants of the Mayan culture, all seen on Goway’s World of the Maya.

The 2011-12 Latin America travel planner prominently features the journey as well as many other options in to Central and South America. To order a copy of the Latin America Travel Planner, call 888-469-2955, email info@goway.com  or visit www.goway.com

YMT Vacations is offering 12 cruise and tour itineraries starting under $200 per day featuring destinations throughout Europe and the U.S. The cruise packages include accommodations, meals, transportation, and sightseeing. According to the Hotel Price Index, the average per-night cost of accommodation in the Northeast is $183, Hawaii is $153 and Alaska is $137. EyeForTravel reports that the average European nightly hotel rate is $175 depending on the exchange rate.

“When you consider that accommodations and meals are included in one price, you realize cruising is the most affordable way to travel and experience multiple destinations on one trip,” said Jerre Fuqua, president of YMT Vacations. “Cruising, whether it is on the open seas or a river, is the fastest growing segment of travel. YMT offers a wide selection of great itineraries to experience this growing trend in travel.”

YMT’s cruise packages range from the popular 12-night Hawaii Cruise and Tour from $1,499 to the exotic 20-night Panama Canal Cruise and Tour priced from $2,099. The company has just released a 2012 Cruise Brochure, which offers a guide to all cruise and tour options. In addition, YMT is featuring special offers on the March departure of the Trans-Atlantic Cruise aboard MSC Cruises and the April departure of the Romantic Rhine and Elegant Danube River Cruises if booked by Dec. 22.

Guests on the river cruises will receive $200 in free optional tours on select cabin categories. The Trans-Atlantic Cruise and Europe Tour guests will save $800 per cabin on ocean-view balcony cabins. Based in Los Angeles, YMT Vacations has been offering travel packages since 1967 to destinations including Alaska, Hawaii and Europe. For more information, call 800-922-9000 or visit www.ymtvacations.com

TourCrafters put together a Rome and Sicily Special that takes advantage of winter prices, enabling the operator to offer a seven-day/six-night package from $699, including roundtrip air from New York, arrival transfer in Rome, flights in Italy, a Hop-On-Hop-Off tour of Rome, three nights’ accommodation at the Rome Garden Hotel, three nights’ at the Porta Felice Hotel in Palermo, daily breakfast and hotel service fees and charges. The package is valid until March 15, 2012.

Optional tours of Rome are available, as well as free time to enjoy an aperitivo at Terrazza Caffarelli in Rome’s Piazza Venezia, take in the shops on Via Condotti, dine on spaghetti carbonara in Trastevere and sightsee in the Roman Forum and Vatican Museums. In Palermo you’ll want to gaze at the beautiful palazzi and churches, take pictures in the Vucciria market, relax with a coffee and brioche (a pastry filled with ice cream), and take an optional side trip to Monreale, to see the 12th century Norman cathedral with its splendid mosaics.

The package is also available in an eight-day/seven-night version and hotel upgrades are available. All prices are per person, double occupancy, are subject to availability and do not include fuel surcharges of approximately $420, airport taxes of approximately $105, or minimal city taxes that must be paid directly to the hotels in euros. For more information, call 800-482-5995 or visit www.tourcrafters.it/tour.lasso?ID=79.

Brendan Vacations released its 2012 European Guided Vacations brochure featuring Ireland, Italy and for the first time, Eastern Europe and the Balkans. The new brochure offers 13 new guided vacations for 2012, all guaranteed to depart on days scheduled. The brochure features several emerging European destinations for experienced travelers to Europe.

New destinations include Italy, Russia, Serbia, Baltic States, Ukraine, Hungary, Poland, Albania, Macedonia, Croatia, Slovenia, Czech Republic and Germany. All of Brendan’s guided vacations highlights the region’s most culturally rich and stunning landscapes and now include additional immersive and personal touch components which will significantly enhance the understanding and appreciation of the local culture, peoples and sights. These include “Welcome Receptions,” “You’re Personally Invited” immersive dinners hosted at local homes and upgraded hotel accommodations in certain cities. Book any 2012 Europe or Ireland Vacation before Dec. 1 and save up to $1,000 per couple.

New programs include Crossroads of Cultures and Contrasts: Bosnia, Croatia & Slovenia, 12 Days; From Greece to Dalmatia, 17 days; Highlights of Slovenia, eight days; and Fabled Cities of Europe: Zagreb to Venice, 15 days. Established in 1969, Brendan Vacations offers escorted, independent, locally hosted and group travel options to destinations around the world. The company’s portfolio now includes more than 800 packages and 10,000 hotels in Ireland, the U.K., Europe, Egypt, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Fiji, Mexico and South and Central America. For more information, call 800-421-8446 or visit www.brendanvacations.com.

The Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel, Chicago opened this month, offering guests the first example of the design vision for the upscale Radisson Blu brand in the United States. The hotel is located on the first 18 floors of Chicago’s 81-story Aqua Tower. The property was designed by Jeanne Gang of Studio Gang Architects, with interiors by U.K.-based designer Jim Hamilton of Graven Images.

The hotel features subtle and overt design references to the Chicago. Heavy steel work pays homage to the Windy City’s reputation as the birthplace of the modern skyscraper. Gang weathered steel over a period of months to gain the orange patina to contrast with the warm gray polished concrete and reclaimed brickwork utilized throughout the hotel. Other materials evocative of the city include Corten steel, Krion and weathered oak, plus finishes designed to gain luster and patina over time.

The check-in area is located to the left of the lobby and features mirrored desks in front of a weathered steel wall accented by brightly colored light fixtures. “Mansion House” guest rooms feature sophisticated strong lines, deep rich timber finishes, flashes of chrome and a clubby, refined aura. “Naturally Cool” is a contemporary design featuring splashes of color, soft, sensual white beds, metal lamps, wood flooring and dramatic paper art. For more information, call 312-565-5258 or visit www.radissonblu.com/aquahotel-chicago