Jetsettersblog

Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, located near Traverse City, Mich., offers girlfriends’ getaway packages. The two-night “Mind, Body & Soul Spa Package” includes two nights accommodations, two breakfasts per person in Sweetwater American Bistro, one spa amenity per person, and the choice of six spa treatments of $99 value or less, per person.

Available through May 31, package prices start at $726.80 per person in the hotel and $752.80 per person in the tower. For more information, call 800-236-1577 or visit www.grandtraverseresort.com

PLUS SKY

Princess Cruises is holding an After Thanksgiving Alaska Sale, Nov. 25 to 29. The sale offers up to $1,000 in savings and up to a $50 onboard credit on cruise-tours that combine a Gulf of Alaska cruise with rail travel to Denali and stays at wilderness lodges. For cruise-only bookings, the sale provides a free balcony upgrade and up to $100 onboard credit.

The sale begins on Black Friday, Nov. 25, at 12 a.m. PT and runs through 11:59 p.m. PT on Nov. 29.

Reservations made during the sale require a non-refundable deposit.

Holland America Line in 2012 is offering 17 cruise-tours that combine a land tour in Alaska or the Yukon with an Alaska cruise.

Ranging in total length from 10 to 20 days, all cruise-tours combine a three-, four- or seven-day Inside Passage cruise with overland tours. Some tours include two days at Denali National Park, while six tours also feature Canada’s Yukon Territory. Departures range from May through September.

In addition to major attractions such as Glacier Bay and the Inside Passage, the Alaska cruise-tours visit destinations not accessible via cruise ship, including Wonder Lake, the Dalton Highway, Denali National Park and gold-rush town of Dawson City, Yukon. Interpreters, tour concierges and travel guides are present on most cruise-tours and sailings, and National Park Rangers provide commentary and guided programs at Glacier Bay National Park. Tour concierges travel throughout the land portion.

In 2012, Holland America Line features six Yukon and Denali cruise-tours (Y1-Y6). These 10- to 20-day itineraries include adventures to destinations such as Denali National Park, Fairbanks, Dawson City and Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory. Some cruise-tours also include Kluane National Park and the White Pass and Yukon Railroad.

The eight Denali cruise-tours (D1-D7) range from 11 to 14 days and feature a seven-day Inside Passage cruise that includes Glacier Bay National Park.

Most itineraries offer two-night Denali stays with the Denali Tundra Wilderness experience, a day tour into the protected wilderness where grizzly bears, moose, caribou and wolves are often sighted.

Expedition cruise-tours E1-E3 range from 12 to 14 days and feature a seven-day Glacier Discovery cruise, Redoubt Bay Lodge near Lake Clark National Park and Winterlake Lodge along Alaska’s historic Iditarod Trail. Cruise-tours feature glass-domed McKinley Explorer railcars with forward-facing seats and onboard guides. In addition, Explorer Coaches have roomy leather seats, first-class legroom and no more than 44 travelers. The Alaska cruise-tours start at $999 per person, double occupancy.

The China Guide is including Shanghai’s Xintiandi district into its programs into the city. Xintiandi started as an attempt to save a cluster of historical shikumen buildings in Shanghai’s French Concession. The effort became a complete restoration of the traditional architecture and the area is now home to one of Shanghai’s trendiest nightlife scenes.

Overflowing with restaurants, cafes and boutiques, Xintiandi is a must for those who want a flavor of fashionable Shanghai. Xintiandi also houses two worthwhile sites — the Shikumen Open House Museum and the 1st Congress Hall of the Communist Party of China. The Shikumen Open House Museum gives a glimpse into life in a shikumen in 1920s Shanghai. Surprisingly, not far away is the shikumen where the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China was held on July 23, 1921. The small museum is quite informative and an important monument for those interested in communist history. For more information, visit www.thechinaguide.com

Meliá Hotels International announced new hotel projects in Asia with the addition of two hotels in the cities of Xi’an in China and Da Nang in Vietnam, both strategic growth markets for the Spanish company.

The Gran Meliá Xi’an Hotel, the second hotel for the company in China after the opening of the Gran Meliá Shanghai Hotel in 2009, is located in New Qujiang district in Xi’an. The hotel will open in 2013 and will have 419 rooms, two restaurants, a bar, Yhi spa, convention center and Red Level service, the VIP service at Gran Meliá which includes superior rooms and other exclusive services.

The Meliá Danang Hotel will open in December 2012 and is located on Non Nuoc beach on the outskirts of Danang, one of the largest cities in southern Vietnam and close to UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The hotel will provide 150 rooms including 10 villas, a restaurant, bar, Yhi spa and The Level executive floor, characteristic of the Meliá brand. Both hotels have been added under management contracts to the portfolio of Meliá Hotels International in Asia, which currently consists of one hotel in China, one in Vietnam, one in Malaysia, four in Indonesia and one more due to open in Indonesia (Meliá Surabaya). For more information, visit www.melia.com

London’s Radisson Edwardian hotels are offering the season’s travelers treats with their new holiday package. Available at the 11 centrally located London hotels and Manchester hotel, visitors can book now to stay from Dec. 9 to Jan. 15. Starting prices range from £99 to £130 ($156 to $203) per room, per night.

The Festive Treats package includes shopping vouchers at four of London’s top shopping destinations which include London’s Liberty department store, Westfield shopping center, Seven Dials and St. Martin’s Courtyard. The package also includes afternoon tea for two, a 20 percent discount on dining throughout all hotel restaurants and a full English breakfast. Guests will also receive a discounted upgrade from a standard room to a deluxe room for £20 ($31), per room, per night, or upgrade to a suite for an extra £50 ($80). For more information, visit www.radissonedwardian.com/christmas

Temporary furnished housing in Paris is currently in the middle of a debate. Parisian municipal authorities are maintaining that furnished homes represent a change in the official use of the properties, making them subject to taxes and licensing that they weren’t before.

“It is clear that the City Hall is using this specific interpretation to preserve a supply of rental housing that it considers to be too touristy and that competes with hotels,” said Fabrice Petit, founder of Lodgis.com. “And yet, contrary to popular belief, furnished apartments are usually rented out by the month to people coming to study or work in Paris.”

Under the new interpretation, a permit is required for these rental apartments. Under this interpretation, a furnished rental could only be considered to be intended for residential use if it serves as the renter’s primary residence. To obtain a change-of-use permit for an apartment, the renter must provide “compensatory” housing — one or more properties that will be converted for residential use. These compensatory residences must be located in the same arrondissement and must be converted to housing at the same time.

There are about 20,000 homes in Paris intended for use as temporary furnished rentals, which represent 1.5 percent of Parisian homes. This figure should be compared to the number of vacant apartments and unused office spaces. Furnished apartments are often used as pied-a-terre by their owners, who will stop renting them if the demand for furnished rentals dries up. The City Hall’s position could eliminate temporary furnished rentals without adding any alternative for people moving to the area from other regions or from abroad. For more information, call 011-33 (0)1 70 39 11 11 or visit www.lodgis.com

Iceland has experienced double-digit increases in visitation this year, moving the country up on American “bucket lists” as a must-see destination in 2012. Over 3,000 readers of Lonely Planet banded together to elect Iceland the Reader’s Choice Best Destination, and Reykjavik as the Best City in the Best in Travel 2012 guidebook. Iceland was also selected a “Best of the World 2012″ trip by the editors of National Geographic Traveler (November-December 2011 issue). The country was also featured on the new ABC television program, “Born To Explore.”

From January through August 2011, travel to Iceland from North America was up over 52 percent compared to the same period in 2010. September and October visitation also increased over 40 percent per month over the year before, according to Sif Gustavsson, area manager of North America for VisitIceland.org.

“Within five hours flying time from the East Coast, travelers can be sitting under the Northern Lights soaking in geothermal spas and indulging in the freshest seafood imaginable,” Gustavsson said. “Combined with great travel deals and a strong U.S. dollar, Iceland is a spectacular winter destination.”

An active solar cycle has lead scientists to predict that 2012 will deliver the best Northern Lights displays in more than a decade. One of the finest vantage points for observing the famed Aurora Borealis is the countryside near the northern capital of cosmopolitan Reykjavik.

Icelandair’s Iceland Northern Lights & Glacier Walk, available until March 26, is a three-night tour that includes a guided walking glacier tour, followed by lobster bisque in an Icelandic village and a tour in search of the Northern Lights. This package includes roundtrip air, hotel stay, the walk, dinner tour, and luxurious spa visit. The package is priced from $763 per person double. For more information, visit www.icelandair.us 

Icelandic Mountain Guides’ Golden Circle & Magical Nights is a light hiking tour that explores Thingvellir National Park, Geysir and Strokkur geysers and Gullfoss waterfall. The trip includes a visit to the newly built Fontana geothermal spa with hot spring bathing, dinner, and a chance to see the Northern Lights. The package is priced from $254 per person double. For more information, visit www.mountainguides.is

Northern Lights Hunt on Sea is a new evening cruise that departs from Reykjavik’s Old Harbor. The tour takes about three hours, and pickup from all hotels or guesthouses in the area is included, as are hot drinks and warm clothing to wear while onboard. The package is priced from $65 per person double. For more information, visit www.specialtours.is.

The Lake Myvatn Northern Lights Special allows clients to hunt for the Northern Lights in Northern Iceland on a five-day package that includes three days exploring the Lake Myvatn area and Akureyri, Iceland’s second-largest city. The Myvatn area is just below the Arctic Circle. The package is priced from $912 per person double. For general destination information, visit www.icelandtravel.is  or www.visiticeland.org

Chase Card Services and British Airways have introduced a British Airways Visa Card with EMV chip-with-signature technology.

“The addition of EMV chip-with-signature to the British Airways Visa Card offers cardmembers a higher level of convenience,” said Naney Pandit, general manager, Chase Card Services. “Since most of our cardmembers frequently travel abroad, we want to provide them with benefits that make them feel right at home, no matter where they are. Cardmembers can now use the British Airways Card at any chip-enabled, point-of-sale device, such as train ticket kiosk, restaurant or gas station.”

The British Airways Visa Card has EMV chip-with-signature technology that features a microchip as well as a traditional magnetic strip to accommodate merchants in the United States. The embedded microchip makes the card extremely difficult to copy because the encrypted chip enables safer processing and storage of data. For more information, visit www.ba.com

Wendy Wu Tours released its 2012 brochure with 12 itineraries with more than 500 departure dates, seven private tour itineraries with daily departures and many short stay programs, with Hong Kong extensions. All tours are absolutely fully inclusive with three meals per day, full touring days and many attractions. Groups are limited to 28 passengers on full sized air-conditioned coaches, a national tour escort and guide.

“I am exceptionally proud of this brochure, and look forward to many people visiting China with Wendy Wu Tours this year,” said Wendy Wu, founder and chief executive officer. “Upon arrival, they will be met by my carefully selected national escorts and local guides. They will share their China with you; they are experts and are all committed to exceptional levels of customer service. Experience all that makes China incredible, safe in the knowledge that our local experts are with you all the way.”

“China is a vast country — spectacular scenery, ancient monuments, a fascinating history and an absorbing culture,” said Mark Grundy, senior vice president. “Our itineraries bring you to all the famous attractions, and many hidden treasures. Whether you are a first-time traveler to China or a seasoned visitor, Wendy Wu Tours has a vacation to suit you.”

Wendy Wu Tours provides first class group tours and luxury arrangements for individuals and private groups visiting China. Wendy Wu Tours has offices in Shanghai, Xian, Sydney, London and New York. For more information, call 212-868-5800 or visit www.wendywutours.com