Jetsettersblog

The Algarve’s Monte da Quinta Resort has enjoyed a star-studded 2011 with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lawrence Dallaglio, Ronan Keating and Steven Gerrard all making the resort their destination of choice.

Real Madrid star Ronaldo enjoyed a family holiday staying in one of the resort’s 70 luxurious villas, while the likes of Arsenal legend Ian Wright; England and Liverpool ace Gerrard; rugby hero Dallaglio and Boyzone singer Keating were among celebrities hosting charity golf events at Monte da Quinta, raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for their chosen causes.

As well as having access to three of Portugal’s finest championship golf courses within the luxury Quinta do Lago Estate, the plethora of celebrities had the opportunity to sample a host of other leisure options including horse riding, clay-pigeon shooting, tennis and water sports. And those who wanted some time out from the action could relax in Monte de Quinta’s Magnolia Spa enjoying the indoor heated pool, sauna, Jacuzzi, Turkish bath and sensorial shower.

Mere mortals can follow in the footsteps of the stars and enjoy a seven-night package, with four rounds of golf, from just €99 per person, per night, during April, May and September 2012.

Breaks include bed-and-breakfast accommodation in a luxurious suite; four rounds of golf at the celebrated Quinta do Lago golf club; a 10 per cent discount voucher for clothes and golf equipment at MQ Shopping and complimentary access to the Magnolia Spa.

Located in the heart of the prestigious Quinta do Lago estate, Monte da Quinta boasts a collection of 132 self-catering suites and a range of two and three-bedroom townhouses and spacious villas. All townhouses and villas come with private pools.

The resort is an ideal base for a lifestyle vacation, located close to the Algarve’s famous golden beaches and surrounded by leisure options including championship golf, tennis and water sports. On-site there are a number of dining options and an extensive Kids’ Club.

For further information, or to book a stay call 00 351 289 000 300, email mqreservas@mqclub.com  or go to www.mqresort.com

For Spring Summer 2012 In Partnership With Harvey Nichols, Knightsbridge

Coinciding with the start of the Spring Summer 2012 season The athenaeum Hotel is delighted to introduce an exclusive VIP shopping service for their apartment guests in partnership with leading luxury fashion destination, Harvey Nichols.

The five star experience begins with a chauffeur driven car from The athenaeum Hotel to Harvey Nichols – a one-stop shop for the world’s most exclusive brands in fashion only half a mile away. Fashionistas will be offered a glass of Harvey Nichols champagne on arrival and led to a private consultation room where a personal shopping consultant will be waiting with a carefully selected edit from the new Spring Summer 2012 collections.

Flying the flag for British designers the team of experts will introduce guests to new collections from Meadham Kirchhoff, Mary Katranzou, Marios Schwab and many more. Accessories from leading labels will also be presented to deliver a complete wardrobe solution. A complimentary hem and cuff alteration service is offered to ensure each item fits perfectly too.

The VIP shopping package enables visitors to London, currently the world’s leading shopping destination, to update their Spring Summer wardrobes in one easy stop. Ideal for both shopaholics and shopa-phobics the stress-free experience can include day and evening, work and weekend wear. At the end of the day the athenaeum will organise for the return of all purchases to the guests apartment.

Back at the apartments at The athenaeum, there is plenty of room to admire new purchases. The apartments have large master bedrooms, kitchen and dining areas with separate sitting rooms and the option of second bedrooms and dressing rooms too. They are perfect for shopping breaks in the capital with all the five star delights and support of the hotel next door, including a twice-daily maid service, 24-hour room service and in-room spa treatments.

As London gets set to steal the limelight next year with the 2012 Olympics, booking specialist for unique city home rentals, Vive Unique, is predicting the following top trends for the topical metropolis.

OLYMPIC CITY
It will come as no surprise to Londoners that their city is set to see an influx of visitors in 2012 thanks to the Olympics. But it’s not just hoteliers who will be benefitting from the boom. This surge of tourists may just give Brits the push they need to follow in the footsteps of savvy New Yorkers and rent out their homes for extra income if they’re choosing to flee the Games. Vive Unique predicts that post Olympics, an increasing number of homeowners will opt to let out their properties when holidaying or away on business.

AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVE
In these more austere times a growing number of holidaymakers are looking for ways to save money. Next year will see a significant swing from traditional city hotel stays to more affordable options. With a growing collection of more than 200 properties to choose from in prime locations across London, holiday rental specialists like Vive Unique offer the ideal solution for cash-strapped travellers.

AUTHENTIC STAY
The trend for travellers seeking authentic experiences is set to become a priority in 2012. Whether staying away on business or for pleasure, more of us are shunning the sterile hotel environment, preferring a home away from home experience. With Vive Unique this translates into everything from stylish apartments with all mod cons to extra touches such as tips on local amenities and booking unique experiences.

“The key buzz words for next year with be affordability and authenticity,” says Claire Whisker, Vive Unique’s co-founder and director. “London is going to be hot property with the Olympics, offering a prime opportunity for homeowners to make some extra income from their investment. At the same time, travellers can benefit from an authentic and affordable home away from home experience, a trend that is set to continue long after the games are done and dusted.”

For more information on Vive Unique visit www.viveunique.com

Shop till you Drop’ at the Sales with Jurys Inn from just £39 B&B

Jurys Inn is offering great low rates during the Sales this New Year so you can ‘Shop Till you Drop’ at some the most fantastic shopping centres across the UK.

Kick back and relax with room rates as low as £39B&B per room per night across the UK city hotels, £69B&B in London hotels (£59B&B Jurys Inn Heathrow) and 59 Euros in Prague for stays between 18th December to 31st Jan 2012.

• Jurys Inn NewcastleGateshead Quays, less than a 15minute drive away from Europe’s largest shopping centre The Gateshead Metro Centre for £39B&B per room per night

• Jurys Inn Aberdeen, ideally located within The Granite City’s Union Square shopping Centre for £39B&B per room per night

• Jurys Inn Chelsea just 8 minutes on the train to Westfield London for £69B&B per room per night

• Jurys Inn Birmingham, right in the city centre and home to some of Britain’s best know retailers including Selfridges and Harvey Nichols and the world-famous Jewellery Quarter for £39B&B per room per night

• Jurys Inn Liverpool, ideally located under half a mile away from Liverpool ONE home to more than 160 famous high street names for £39B&B per room per night

For the lowest rates, book online at www.jurysinns.com  or call 0870 4100 800

Offers Readers A Fantastic Deal To France, Worth Over £400 On A Holiday For Two
Where to Ski and Snowboard has teamed up with The Alpine Club and New Generation Ski & Snowboard School to put together an exclusive offer to the French Alps, including free area lift passes worth £200 per person.

Skiers booking a week’s holiday at one of the Alpine Club’s luxury chalets in St-Martin-de-Belleville, on selected dates in January 2012, will receive a six-day Three Valley lift pass each for FREE. Guests will also be able to take advantage of a superb 15% discount on private lessons with popular Brit-run ski school New Generation, operating out of St-Martin-de-Belleville for the first time this winter.

Where to Ski and Snowboard thinks the special offer from the Alpine Club will appeal strongly to readers wanting to ski France’s Three Valley ski area, but looking to stay in a more traditional village; plus to experience the quiet, homely surroundings of a lovely catered chalet.

Wendy King, assistant editor at Where to Ski and Snowboard says, “This is an excellent opportunity to save money on an essential part of any winter holiday: the lift pass; and to sample the world’s largest linked ski area from an old French village.

The Alpine Club’s two chalets are delightful and very welcoming. A discount on ski lessons is good encouragement to hone your skills from a recommended company too – we have heard nothing but praise for the school from our readers, and from our own staff – enjoying a lesson with them in Courchevel last winter.”

This special offer is for a limited period only and available on a first come, first served basis. Holiday bookings are for selected dates in January 2012. More details can be found on the Where to Ski and Snowboard website at www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com

Where to Ski and Snowboard is Britain’s only annual guidebook to ski resorts worldwide, covering all the major areas and detailed evaluation of over 400 resorts and edited by two of the most respected names in the business: Chris Gill and Dave Watts. The 16th edition is on sale now. The book is published by NortonWood Publishing and available from all good book stores at £18.99, or online at a heavily discounted price from www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com

The Alpine Club has been providing winter holidays in St-Martin-de-Belleville since 2004. Their two luxury chalets, Abode and La Ferme are sensitively converted from the original old farmhouse buildings to combine traditional style and comfort for small groups or couples. For more details, contact Helen at info@thealpineclub.co.uk

New Generation ski school is one of the first British ski schools to be established in the Alps, now in its 14th year and operating out of ten resorts; they have bases in each of the Three Valleys, as well as Serre Chevalier, Tignes, Val d’Isère and the Swiss resort of Verbier. www.skinewgen.com

The expedition takes place 7 – 21 April, and spaces on the team are now available for people to apply. A crossroads of African tribal, Christian, Jewish and Muslim culture for centuries, Ethiopia is a diverse mixture of people and tradition, famed for its fierce independence and resistance to modern imperial advances.

So when the might of the British Empire descended on this remote kingdom in 1868 it was the dawn of a new era.

The famed General Sir Robert Napier was chosen for his ruthless tendencies, and typically Victorian determination to glorify Britain by invading Ethiopia after the native Emperor Tewdros II dared to defy Queen Victoria by kidnapping her envoys in the Abyssinian capital.

Napier marched over 35,000 soldiers and camp followers almost 400 miles through lion-infested bush, jungle and mountain from the coast of what is now Eritrea to the mountain fortress of Magdala, where he defeated the Ethiopians in a brilliant stroke of near-perfect military tactics, rescued the hostages, then promptly turned around and marched back!

This was campaign warfare in its purest form and marked the start of British supremacy on the ‘dark continent’.

The modern day expedition will follow the final 140 miles of the route. Starting at Lake Hashengie, a protected eco reserve, the journey will take a ten-man team through deep mountain gorges, across open plains and meeting remote indigenous communities that have seen very few westerners, before finally reaching the mountain fortress of Magdala.

It promises to be a tough but incredible experience for anyone interested in exploration, history or simply a taste of true wilderness in the heart of Africa.

EDITORS NOTES. Secret Compass are currently looking for adventurous people to join the expedition team. Secret Compass is a pioneering expeditionary company. Set up by ex-Parachute Regiment officers, it conducts exploratory expeditions to remote regions following in the footsteps of the original explorers of the nineteenth century.

Travel predictions from Iceland’s low-fare airline

Travellers should get their skates on and head to Iceland in 2012, according to the country’s low-fare carrier, Iceland Express, which believes next year is going to beat 2011′s bumper booking figures.

“Iceland has barely left the headlines over the past year and a half due to its infamous volcanoes and it has brought the destination to the forefront of people’s minds,” says Heimir Már Pétursson, Iceland Express’ Public Relations Manager. “Travellers want to witness this unique country, that they have heard so much about, for themselves.”

Awareness has also been raised by the recent accolades awarded to the destination by Lonely Planet (winner of Top Ten Countries and Top Ten Cities in Best in Travel Reader’s Choice Awards) and Sunday Times Travel Magazine (winner of European Adventure Destination in Readers’ Awards 2011), which will no doubt drive travellers to the Nordic island.

NASA’s prediction that the Northern Lights will be brighter and more spectacular this winter than they’ve been in half a century will also help fuel a surge in interest, with those in the know touting Iceland as one of the best places on the planet to spot this natural phenomenon.

Added to this, many popular and previously affordable destinations, such as sort-haul destinations Paris and Rome, are now proving too expensive for cash-strapped Brits, due to the unfavourable exchange rate. Since Iceland’s economic collapse in 2008, the country is around 40% cheaper for British visitors and offers a range of budget accomodation, such as the newly opened Kex – an old biscuit factory-come hostel in Reykjavik.

Fo more information on Iceland Express visit www.icelandexpress.com or call 0118 321 8384.

Conceptualised and designed by the family behind the world-renowned Le Quartier Français, Delicious, unpacks the traditional hotel offering, giving guests everything they need without the additional wallet-lightening add-ons.

Comprises 3 room categories – ITSY BITSY, TEENY WEENY & BIGGER THAN A BIKINI featuring:
A super comfortable queen-size bed
Beautiful linen and big fluffy towels
An en-suite bathroom (shower only)
A TV with select satellite television channels
HairdryerFree WiFiA laptop safe
Communal lounge and swimming pool

A FAMILY PAD is also available with two rooms, one double and one twin, both en-suite with all of the above amenities and with a private lounge and plunge pool.

Delicious delights in sensational value, a funky and refreshing outlook to room offerings and the ability to include further add ons – supe-up-your-stay.

RATE: A stay at Delicious starts at just R 465 per person per night.

There is a chance to try typical Czech dishes at special festival prices in top-end restaurants highly rated in the exclusive Maurer´s Restaurant Guide – Czech equivalent to the Michelin Restaurant Guide.

Baked eel with beet-root ravioli accompanied by hazelnut vinaigrette, beef cheeks with morel mushroom sauce braised for 12 hours in a strong sauce and served with heart shaped puréed violet potatoes and celeriac, sirloin of venison with cream sauce complemented by traditional dumpling with pumpkin seeds and fresh cranberries – just a taster from the festival menu prepared by the participating restaurants.

Not only Prague but 12 regions of the Czech Republic are involved – Central Bohemia, South Bohemia, Pilsen Region, Karlovy Vary Region, Liberec Region, Pardubice Region, Vysočina Region, South Moravia, Olomouc Region, Moravian-Silesian Region, and Zlín Region.

“The festival is an ideal opportunity for anyone interested in outstanding cuisine to visit the best restaurants in the country while paying token prices” explains Pavel Maurer – the publisher of Maurer´s Guide and the founder of the Grand Restaurant Festival.

One of the last year’s highlights – the “Yummy Bus” will be taking visitors on four different tours around selected restaurants for meal tasting and meeting top Czech chefs.

www.grandrestaurantfestival.cz

CzechTourism is a proud partner of the festival with its project Czech Specials -

Taste the Czech Republic. Its main goal is to support and present top quality Czech cuisine stressing the importance of traditional recipes using local and seasonal products.

For more information about national and regional specialities, recipes, list of recommended restaurants visit: www.CzechSpecials.com

Looking for a simple detox which can deliver immediate results? Blythswood Square has the answer with their new Lemon Detox Packages. Favoured by celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna and Beyonce, the Lemon Detox programme offers instant weight loss, clearer skin, increased energy levels and improved sleep.

The Lemon Detox cleanses the body from the inside out, the Lemon Detox formula, which replaces your food intake, comprises Madal Bal Natural Tree Syrup, pure water, fresh lemon juice and cayenne pepper or ground ginger. The formula is mixed to individual taste under professional guidance and then taken throughout the programme.

The 5* Blythswood Square offers the ultimate luxury in which to participate in a detox programme. The Spa at Blythswood Square covers 10,000 square feet and features the exclusive Blythswood Thermal Experience – a seven stage journey of alternating temperature experiences to soothe, relax and detoxify the body prior to treatments.

The Spa also includes a unique Scottish Seaweed Bath containing fresh hand harvested seaweed from the Hebridean coast, rich in vitamins, minerals and anti cellulite properties. The Seaweed Bath speeds up the metabolism, cleanses the intestine and helps to eliminate toxins from the body.

The Spa also features nine spacious and tranquil treatment rooms including a double suite where guests can enjoy a full range of face, body and holistic treatments, a decadent Dark Pool where guests can relax in warm waters, a Rhassoul, a choice of wet and dry relaxation rooms and a spa lounge.

The Lemon Detox Day comprises:

Relaxation and full use of all the spa facilities including the Thermal Experience
30 minute Seaweed Bath
Consultation
Choice of 60 minute ila Energising and Relaxing Detoxifying Body Scrub or 60 minute Detoxing Body Wrap
Lemon Detox
Formula mixed to your individual requirements and taken throughout the day (up to 6 glasses)
Price: £200 per person

Lemon Detox Break comprises:

Day One – as above day package plus

Relaxation and full use of all the spa facilities including the Thermal Experience
Lemon Detox
Formula mixed to your individual requirements and taken throughout the day (up to 6 glasses)
Overnight accommodation with the use of an ila CD in room for meditation and peppermint tea for refreshment

Day Two

90 minute consultation plus any massage or facial from our treatment menu
Relaxation and full use of all the spa facilities including the Thermal Experience
Overnight accommodation with the use of an ila CD in room for meditation and peppermint tea for refreshment
Lemon Detox
Formula mixed to your individual requirements and taken throughout the day (up to 6 glasses)

Day Three

Final 30 consultation
Relaxation and full use of all the spa facilities including the Thermal Experience
Lemon Detox
Formula mixed to your individual requirements and taken throughout the day (up to 6 glasses)
Price: £570 per person or from £940 for two people sharing a room

Blythswood Square is situated in the heart of Glasgow on one of the city’s green spaces. The hotel has 100 bedrooms including four spacious suites and a top floor penthouse. It also has a restaurant, bars, a private screening room and event facilities. Blythswood Square is one of Scotland’s most environmentally-friendly hotels through the incorporation of renewable energy technologies to achieve reduced carbon emissions.

For further information visit
www.blythswoodsquare.com
telephone 0141 248 8888.