Jetsettersblog

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines announced details of an 80-night voyage around Africa. Black Watch’s Indian Ocean cruise, departing Jan. 10, 2013, from Southampton, visits several African countries, rounds the Cape of Good Hope, and takes in Mauritius and the Maldives en route to India. The cruise then travels to Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Egypt, with a transit of the Suez Canal, returning via Turkey, Greece, Tunisia, and Libya.

Key ports of call include Banjul, Gambia; Walvis Bay, Namibia; Cape Town, South Africa, for two nights; Port Louis, Mauritius; Dubai for an overnight; Abu Dhabi; Muscat, Oman; Alexandria, Egypt; Piraeus, for Athens, Greece; and Valletta, Malta.

“On the itinerary planning front, cruises featuring ports of call across North Africa and the Middle East have come under scrutiny,” said Nigel Lingard, Fred Olsen’s marketing director. “Despite these constraints, we continue to expand our horizons, offering new destinations wherever possible.”

Prices start at $12,043 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside, twin-bed cabin. Up to $600 onboard spending per person is available, depending on cabin grade. Those who book before May 31 receive early booking savings. For more information, call 800-843-0602, email info@bortonoverseas.com  or visit www.bortonoverseas.com

Ethiopian Airlines Journeys partnered with the Archaeological Institute of America to introduce the archaeology community to the best that East Africa has to offer. On April 28, the AIA will celebrate its 130th anniversary with a gala that honors Harrison Ford and the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. James Delgado, a renowned archaeologist, author and television host who has led many of the most important shipwreck expeditions of the last four decades, will host this evening.

The AIA Gala will offer a glimpse into ancient cultures and civilizations from all over the world. The AIA Gala will take place at Manhattan’s Capitale building with over 450 guests expected to attend.

Ethiopian Airlines Journeys, along with the Tanzania Tourist Board, will be providing a once-in-a-lifetime trip to East Africa that will be auctioned off live during the gala.

The Ethiopian package will feature stops in Axum, the reputed resting place of the “Ark of the Covenant,” along with Lalibela, where travelers marvel at the 12 rock-hewn churches, carved from solid red volcanic rock in the 12th century by King Lalibela.

In Tanzania, travelers will be able to visit the Olduvai Gorge, the “Cradle of Mankind” and Laetoli Footprints, where the Leakeys discovered the first humanoid skull 50 years ago.
The package will not only be auctioned off at the gala, but will be added to the packages that Ethiopian Airlines Journeys offers.

For more information, visit www.seeyouinethiopia.com/archaeology

The Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) is North America’s oldest and largest organization devoted to archaeology. The Institute is a nonprofit group founded in 1879 and chartered by the United States Congress in 1906.

For more information, visit www.archaeology.org

Ethiopian Airlines is one of the largest airlines in Africa serving 53 destinations around the globe. As the winner of the 2007 African Business of the Year and Best African Airline Award for 2006, its service and quality are unparalleled among African airlines.

Featuring five flights weekly from Washington, D.C.’s Dulles International Airport, the airline offers both morning and evening departures, with the morning departure allowing seamless connections to 32 African destinations.

The airline’s website provides excellent information on additional flights, services and special web fares. For more information about Ethiopian Airlines, visit www.ethiopianairlines.com

Ethiopian Airlines Journeys is a single-source solution to plan and realize a truly authentic vacation in Ethiopia.

For more destination information, call 866-599-3797 or visit www.seeyouinethiopia.com

Exclusive Service for Discerning Business Travellers

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has launched a brand new service, Personal Hotelier, across the Crowne Plaza estate throughout Middle East and Africa. Guests staying in Club rooms or on the Crowne Club floor can now enjoy the undivided attention of a hotelier dedicated to catering to their every need.

Crowne Plaza Personal Hotelier is an initiative that provides guests one point of contact, one face, one name and one telephone number to call prior to and during their stay at the hotel. This exclusive service is designed to alleviate the stress of corporate travel, allowing the guest more time and space to think, resulting in making their business trips more efficient and effective.

Commenting on the launch, Haitham Mattar, Director of Marketing Middle East and Africa, said, “Most of our guests are frequent business travellers. While they tend to enjoy travel, it can be exhausting and hectic so we decided to introduce a service to help them get the most of their time with us. “

From the moment a booking for a Club room is made, a member of the Personal Hotelier team will be assigned to the guest, contact them to introduce themselves and then offer them any assistance if required.

A personal hotelier can help guests with everything for business needs, such as updating a presentation, printing documents, making reservations at a restaurant or spa and even personal shopping.

The pilot program, conducted at Crowne Plaza Dubai Festival City, received an overwhelmingly good response.

Results from a survey* conducted amongst guests who participated in the program demonstrated that 95 per cent rated the service excellent with regards to its efficiency and usefulness.

The Personal Hotelier service is available to guest who book Club rooms or on the Crowne Club Floor at all Crowne Plaza properties across Middle East and Africa.

Dinknesh Tours, Ethiopia’s leading tour operator, today announces that their new Buska Lodge will open April 1, 2009.

The Buska Lodge is set to meet the increased demand for a more comfortable level of accommodation in this increasingly-visited remote region of Ethiopia. “There was a very clear need for a new accommodation option for travelers to the South Omo Valley,” says Mulugeta Mersha, President of Dinknesh Ethiopia Tours. “With a significant percentage or our clientele coming from North America, we clearly understand the desires of these travelers and the existing campsites and very basic guest houses in the South Omo River Valley simply were not meeting this demand.

“We are excited to invest in this spectacular region of our country and provide a new opportunity for the local communities there to benefit from the tourism industry.” Buska Lodge, named after Buska Mountain where the lodge is located, rests just outside the town of Turmi and sits on the banks of the Keske river.

The lodge offers twenty en suite rooms, including eleven twins and nine single units, as well as two restaurants and a bar area.

There is also a separate camping area near the lodge. The lodge is providing permanent employment for twenty members of the local community, including lodge management, a shop keeper, gardener and other staff. Dinknesh will also provide formal tourism training to four local students who will then return after training to work in the lodge.

Preliminary lodge photos are available here:

www.hamerlodge.com

This region is home to the Hammer, Karo, Dassenetch and Bume cultures, and is attracting travelers in increasing numbers as an opportunity to learn about African anthropology as well as to journey to one of the last remaining “off the grid” global destinations.

As the cultural tourism experience continues to develop in this region, investment in accommodation and training for the local communities will help ensure a fascinating travel experience for intrepid travelers from across the globe.

Dinknesh Ethiopia Tour is Ethiopia’s premier tour operator.

The word “Dinknesh” is the Amharic name for “Lucy” (directly translated to “you are special”), or scientifically called Australopithecus Afarensis, the first known hominine.

Ethiopia boasts anthropological history, stunning landscapes, unique cultures and historical sights including ancient monasteries and the famed rock hewn churches of Lalibela which have been intriguing travelers for hundreds of years. Dinknesh Ethiopia Tour offers authentic cultural and historical travel experiences with outstanding service.

 To learn more about Dinknesh Ethiopia Tour please visit www.DinkneshEthiopiaTour.com

Explore Egypt with a tourist guide

Hailed as “the travel service innovation of 2008″ by the Irish Times

OurExplorer facilitates with ease the on-line booking of professional tourist guides from all over the world. Save time and money while you explore your next destination with the wisdom and guidance of a local.

Have you ever thought whilst visiting a new destination, “I wonder where the locals eat, drink, fish, ski, shop or party?” OurExplorer suggests its time for us all to stop simply sight-seeing but rather start exploring with the local wisdom and knowledge of a professional tourist guide.

OurExplorer has launched a new travel concept in BETA, a user-rated tourist guide booking tool created exclusively for your personal travel needs.

As the global financial crisis still looms, OurExplorer can save travellers hassle and money by getting the maximum out of their overseas adventure with a private tourist guide.

Enjoy the insight of the best shopping and value for money dining experiences in a city, directly from a native. Some tourist guides are currently offering special discounted rates and free tour hours on OurExplorer.

OurExplorer promote professional tourist guides only. Pre booking, the traveller can view their experience, license, past client testimonials or even chat with the tourist guide.

OurExplorer launched in July 2008 with now over 400 private tourist guides covering more than 80 countries worldwide — making it the biggest professional tourist guide directory in the world and growing all the time!

Make your trip overseas unique and full of adventure.
You book your flight and accommodation on-line, why not your tourist guide?
Get a tourist guide for land (city guide, mountain guide) or sea (diving guide).

Purpose of OurExplorer:

1. To help tourist guides increase their income thereby benefiting the local community – especially those in poor countries e.g. Kenya, Mexico and Cambodia.

2. Increase cross cultural awareness and acceptance via direct connection with locals e.g. people in USA get the chance to understand those in Pakistan and Israel

“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry but it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends,” said Mahatma Gandhi.

“Less than 9.7% of overseas travelers interact in meaningful discussion with a local,” according to the Tourism 2020 Vision reported by WTO.

The IMF concluded in March 2007 that “direct support of independent local businesses when you travel has the most positive results on local economy”.

“Rather than just donating money, OurExplorer is a sustainable long term solution to help low income families globally,” said David Cunningham (Chief Exploring Officer).

When people think of Africa, they think of the big five safari sightings (lion, leopard, elephant, water buffalo, and rhino) or the big five tragedies of the continent (war, genocide, famine, political corruption, and the HIV/AIDS epidemic). But Africa encompasses much more than wildlife and warfare.

Africa is huge. It’s four times the size of the United States. It’s roughly 5,000 miles long and 4,600 miles wide. Africa makes up 20% of the earth’s landmass.

“There’s a whole continent beyond the cliché that appeals to luxury travelers and intrepid adventurers alike,” says Andy Alpine, co-founder of Specialty Travel Index (SpecialtyTravel.com). “The photo safari is still a big draw, of course–where else in the world can you experience the sight of a lion stalking its prey or the magnificent wildebeest migration across Serengeti’s endless plains? You could track wildlife in every country in Africa and still not get tired of it. But there is a rich cache of African experiences that many people don’t discover until their second trip to Africa–and some may overlook it altogether.”

Specialty Travel Index puts hundreds of African vacations from some of Africa’s best outfitters in one easy to navigate web site. Travel agents and travelers can narrow down their choices by country and by type of trip with a couple clicks.

Here’s a look at just a few of the dream-of-a-lifetime African travel experiences from different outfitters that can be found at www.specialtytravel.com and the magazine/directory Specialty Travel Index:

Ghana arts & Culture

Ghana is a kaleidoscope of arts. Palace Travel’s seven day art and culture tour of Ghana gives collectors and culture buffs a unique and up-close cultural experience. Travelers visit a local casket making shop to see a collection of caskets carved in the shapes of various objects depicting traditional beliefs in life after death (the “Fantasy Coffins” of Teshie Nungua have been featured in National Geographic and galleries worldwide).

They take drumming and dancing lessons on Kokrobrite Beach and learn to make fufu, ground nut soup, red red, and palava sauce in a Ghanian cooking workshop. Then its’ on to the Ashanti craft villages–Pankrono, where potters create colorful hand-built vessels; Ahwiaa, known for royal stools, walking sticks and fertility dolls; Ntonso where artisans hand-stamp patterns on cotton cloth to make adinkra textiles worn for funerals and other solemn occasions; and Bonwire where the famous Kente cloth is handmade on looms, in a time-honored tradition passed down through generations. If your suitcase isn’t stuffed with art by then, it will be after the Kumasi Central Market (also known as Kejetia Market), the largest open-air market in West Africa, where more than 10,000 vendors sell just about everything you could need or want – food, fabric, clothing, furniture, beauty products, and handmade crafts.

PALACE TRAVEL

Diving the Red Sea

The Red Sea, where the desert meets the ocean, is one of the planet’s most fascinating natural sea environments. There are about 200 of coral types and over a thousand species of fish, more species than anybody of water its size. Many divers consider the Red Sea is the best diving in the world world. Lotus International’s Deep Down in the Red Sea diving tour starts in Cairo and gives divers the chance to explore the Abou Dabab Reefs, Elephinstone Reef, Dolphin Reefs (3 dives with the dolphins), St. Johns, Marsa Alam, and West Abu Dabab. LOTUS INTERNATIONAL TOURS

Photographer’s Safaris

There can’t be an amateur or professional photographer alive that hasn’t fantasized about the capturing a shot of lions cubs playing in the grass, a leopard in a tree, or a line of elephants. A professional photographer leads small (10 or fewer) photo-hungry groups on daily game hunts–at a photographers pace–in open vehicles and bushwalks through private game reserves and Kruger National Park. Photographers will spot game from above on an ultra light flight and take a boat through the world’s third largest canyon for hippo and croc shots. In the evening, guests compare shots in the tree house style lodge. AFRICA WILD SAFARIS

Explore the Kalahari

Few parts of Africa can match the mystique of Botswana’s Kalahari Desert. Its unique and striking environment, and its vastness and isolation, leaves a lasting impression on all visitors. In addition to exploring its fragile ecosystem, Travelers with Mountain Travel Sobek’s Kalahari Desert private adventure can experience the cultural richness of the indigenous San (Bushman) people, who live in complete harmony with their environment. From Jack’s Camp, an elegant, traditional East African–style camp (the best in the Kalahari!), you’ll explore the saltpans on quad bikes, search for the elusive brown hyena, and take a walk with a Bushman and learn how the San people have survived for centuries in this harshly beautiful environment.

MOUNTAIN TRAVEL SOBEK

Tracking Large Game on Foot in Big Five Territory

An environmentally-friendly tented camp in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, Bateleur Eco Safaris is in the heart of Big 5 territory. Forming a part of the Greater Kruger National Park, all artificial barriers between the reserves have been removed, allowing the wildlife to roam free. Sightings of lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, rhino, cheetah, antelope, and 350 bird species are common. Guides conduct daily bush walks, which teach guests to track large game on foot and provide a fascinating insight into animal behavior. To ensure an authentic wildlife experience, Bateleur Eco Safaris exposes guests to a variety of activities such as bushcraft and survival skills, bringing them closer to nature than ever before.

BATELEUR ECO SAFARIS

Cradle of Voodoo

The Adventure Center offers a journey of extremes through some of Africa’s less-visited countries: Togo, Benin, and Burkina Faso. Traveling through three very different nations, travelers experience diverse cultures and traditional religions, amazing natural attractions, unique architectural styles, friendly people and vibrant local music. From the Gulf of Guinea to the remote nomadic lands in the north of Burkina Faso, travelers visit fetish markets and python temples, spend a night in a traditional stilt village, witness fire-dancing and mask ceremonies and explore the vast expanse of the Burkinabe Sahel. Sometimes, they are even granted an audience with King Maiga Belko at Arabinda. Adventure Center

Maasailand Safari

One of National Geographic Traveler’s “50 Tours of a Lifetime”, this is the chance to explore the African savanna on foot with Maasai warriors, share stories with elders, discuss world issues of common concern, learn about wildlife conservation and animal husbandry, women’s issues, rites of passage, and discover the fine arts of beading, traditional healing, music and dance, all from a base of specially built guest bungalows in the Maasai village of Merrushi. WILDLAND ADVENTURES

Birding in Egypt

Egypt is a bridge between continents offering migratory species the perfect route for their annual flights from Europe and Asia. A wide variety of Egyptian habitats ranging from high rugged mountains to desert and tropical style jungle along the Nile basin, give it a unique character plus the diversity needed to attract an extremely wide range of bird life– over 430 species of birds are found in Egypt. Travel Egypt, in addition to Nile cruises classic Nile Valley tours, operates a tour during the anticipated peak of migrations to afford birders a vacation with the maximum chance to view and photograph the widest variety possible. Birders visit to important antiquity sites and oasis in both upper and lower Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula with its beautiful beaches, incredible undersea life, and bountiful collection of bird life. TRAVEL EGYPT

Spotting Gorilla and Chimps in Uganda

Uganda’s longest operating Safari provider (operating since 1959), Kimbla-Mantana African Safaris, combines luxury tent camps with real beds, comfortable furniture, thick rugs, and fully stocked dining and bar tents (this isn’t roughing it), with game viewing tin a private fleet of 4×4 Land cruisers. Lake Mburo Camp is set in a beautiful game park that has a wide range of Africa’s wildlife; Bwindi Forest Camp is the base for mountain gorilla treks; and Kibale Forest Camp is the forested base for chimpanzee spotting. Kimbla-Mantana African Safaris

These, and many other African experiences (as well as a myriad of special interest and adventure travel adventures), can be found in Specialty Travel Index and on www.SpecialtyTravel.com

STI is easy to use, on the web site with the “Find Your Adventure” search mechanism indexing tours by both interest/activity (Yacht Charter, Wine Tours,) and destination (Costa Rica, France) and in the magazine using similar choices. Subscriptions to the magazine cost $10 per year (Canada $15; other foreign $25) for two issues: July (Fall/Winter) and January (Spring/Summer). Send orders to: info@specialtytravel.com or order online at www.specialtytravel.com

FA Hotels & Resorts (IFA HR) and JV partner Kuwait Real Estate Company announced the launch of Kempinski Residences Alabadiyah Hills, branded serviced apartments, located in the freehold Alabadiyah Hills resort in Lebanon’s picturesque Dhour Abadiyah village overlooking Beirut and the Mediterranean.

Talal Jassim Al-Bahar, Chairman and Managing Director, IFA HR stated: “Lebanon is one of the most sought after holiday destinations in the Middle East, popular among tourists from the Gulf and expatriates alike. We witnessed great success with our first phase of Alabadiyah Hills which is now nearing completion. Despite the recent unrest in Lebanon, we continued with the construction of the project as we have always had strong faith in the country. We’re looking forward to welcoming guests to the property in the near future. ”

Phase two of the mixed-use complex comprises four towers of four floors each, offering penthouses and one, two and three-bedroom apartments for sale, with all the extras of a five-star hotel and optional furniture packages. The complex will be managed by Europe’s oldest luxury hotel group, Kempinski Hotels, and will also house a number of upscale restaurants and cafes.

Piaras Moriarty, VP Sales Middle East, IFA HR said: “Kempinski Residences Alabadiyah Hills are branded apartments that come with an optional rental programme. Targeted at high-net worth individuals living overseas, the arrangement allows this segment of investors to holiday in their own luxurious apartments and gain an income from letting out idle properties when not in use.”

Ulrich Eckhardt, President Middle East and Africa for Kempinski Hotels said: “This project with IFA Hotels & Resorts creates an ideal platform for us to enter the Lebanese market, and will set the standard for future projects in the region. Kempinski is known for exceptionally high standards of quality and service, which is one of the main advantages for investors in this luxury residence, who would be sure to receive superior five-star services all year round.”

Alabadiyah Hills is comprised of 15 private villas, 30 townhouses and 220 luxury apartments with their own swimming pools and gardens. The development also hosts recreational facilities including a members-only health club, gymnasium and tennis court.

Al-Bahar concluded: “This is another clear message to our investors that we intend to maintain our quality integrated resort development, by partnering with Kempinski, and where we are delivering on the promise made to further invest and develop in the beautiful country of Lebanon.”

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Rotana invites you to holiday in Regal Style in Egypt – recently visited by Prince Andrew

Enjoy a luxurious five-star break with Rotana in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt; the ultimate destination for travellers looking to enjoy the royal treatment and be pampered in paradise.

After a gentle day lazing by the pool or exploring the exhilarating underwater delights on a diving trip, visitors can indulge their tastebuds with a fusion of exotic cuisine, ease away the stresses of daily life in Zen the spa at Rotana or doze on a hammock swaying in the gentle breeze at the luxury five-star Grand Rotana Resort & Spa – recently host to Prince Andrew, Duke of York. Enjoy a stay with Rotana and encounter the magic of Arabian hospitality for yourself.

GRAND ROTANA RESORT & SPA

An excellent choice for adults and children alike is the Grand Rotana Resort & Spa situated on the shores of the Red Sea at Sharm El Sheikh. One of the ‘Great Hotels of the World’, the resort is set amidst 30 acres of lush, tropically landscaped grounds with over 2000 palm trees, water fountains and a 450m long private beach.

The resort boasts exceptional facilities including world class restaurants, ‘Zen the spa at Rotana’ and a magnificent lagoon-style swimming pool equivalent in size to three Olympic pools! A Kids Club with children’s pool provides plenty of fun and entertainment on a daily basis and the Kids Café is a supervised outlet exclusively for children between ages 4-12.

Grand Rotana Resort & Spa, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt

For more information on the Grand Rotana Resort & Spa, please visit www.rotana.com

Kuoni Travel (see banner above) offers seven nights at Grand Rotana Resort & Spa, Sharm El Sheikh on a bed and breakfast, basis in a superior room from just £912 per person, based on two sharing. Price includes flights with Egyptair from Heathrow via Cairo with transfers in resort. Departures throughout July 2008.

Longwood Holidays (0208 418 2525 or www.longwoodholidays.co.uk)  offers seven nights at Grand Rotana Resort & Spa, Sharm el Sheikh on a bed and breakfast basis, in a premier beach front room, from just £2,948 for a family of four. Price includes return flights from London Gatwick with Monarch Airlines, transfers, taxes and surcharges. Departures throughout August 2008.

Dubai, UAE: The highly anticipated Rixos Hotels Group has entered the Middle Eastern market following the success of the chain’s existing nine hotels, and requests from worldwide clients and tourism industry professionals. Their first venture is a luxurious resort on the Palm Jumeirah Dubai, designed and built by ZSML Construction, a partnership between SML Construction- a sister company of Rixos Hotels- and Zabeel Investments. Owned by Zabeel Investments, the hotel is set to be the first lavish ethnic-themed resort in the UAE.

The Rixos luxury hotel concept is the brainchild of the Turkish businessman Fettah Tamince and was first launched in the year 2000, in Antalya, Turkey. Mr. Tamince’s vision has always been to expand the brand globally and become an international industry leader without losing the distinguished personal touch that makes Rixos stand out in the sector. All Rixos hotels are designed, built and operated by the Group itself, providing 100% guest satisfaction and exquisite service. The spectacular Hammam concept, developed uniquely by Rixos, is iridescent in bridging old Turkish traditions with modern luxury, making the hotel chain the number one in providing flawless Turkish hospitality. The chain presently owns and operates 9 luxury hotels in Turkey, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, with further hotels set to open in Dubai, Croatia and Austria later this year.

Mr. Tamince, the Entrepreneur and Founder of Rixos Hotels Group and SML Construction companies, said, “We are very excited to enter to the UAE market as Rixos, especially at such a prime location as the Palm Jumeirah. Without a doubt, Rixos will make the distinction amongst the residents of Dubai, as well as all of those who travel to Dubai as an attractive tourist destination. Our concept is different to that of other hotel chains, and certainly unique to this region. I look forward to the opening soon and also to being involved in the bright and buoyant hotel industry of the Middle East.”

Testament to the high standards observed by the Group are the many international awards the hotel has received, including the “TUI Holly Award” and the “Five Star Diamond” from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences. Rixos Hotels have also been included in the Top 100 Hotels of the World rankings numerous times and almost all of the resort beaches have been awarded a Blue Flag due to their high quality standards. Properties of Rixos are built on a grand scale, including the legendary Hammam Spa, the world-class restaurants and bars, the most desirable brands and boutiques of the highest caliber, movie theatres and show arenas. These combined features, as well as the entire experience of being a Rixos guest, make each property a ‘destination in itself.’

Rixos Group Established in 1999, Rixos Group has implemented a great number of successful projects in the tourism sector with its hotel brand, in the construction sector with Sembol Construction Company, and in the jewellery sector with Lydion. This group of companies achieved the relative positions as market leaders by much within such a short time period. Rixos believes that the key factor in this success is its ability to combine a youthful, dynamic and specialist market leader concept with an international business vision. Rixos Hotels Group provides a service of the highest quality at its 9 hotels in 4 countries namely, Turkey, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Croatia, and has more than 3,000 rooms with an accommodation capacity of 2 million per night. Customer satisfaction is of the highest level due to the “Perfection in Service” standard which Rixos defines as “All-inclusive – all-exclusive”. All Rixos Hotels are acclaimed by tour operators as having the most comprehensive and most exclusive all inclusive boarding system. Rixos realizes a way of life through this concept in order for all individuals at any age to feel privileged in respect of their different expectations. The Eastern and Central Europe, the Mediterranean region, the Gulf region and Central Asia where Rixos Hotels are located are of strategic importance both in terms of business and leisure tourism. Other new hotels of the chain are yet to come in Budaia/Bahrain, Vienna/Austria, Almaty/Kazakhstan, Kiev/Ukraine and Dubai/UAE in 2008.

Rixos Hotels are equipped with all the necessary facilities of latest standard and technology. The range of culinary, leisure and entertainment facilities on offer is spectacular. Different restaurants to suit all tastes and moods, all headed up by world-class chefs, serving everything from traditional Turkish, gourmet French and classic Italian to Russian, Viennese, Asian and Seafood. In each and every Rixos Hotel a carnival atmosphere is created to rival that of Rio or Venice, with regular shows by Kenyan and Chinese acrobats, Brazilian dancers and other world-class performers. For children and teenagers a world full of experience, fun and excitement are created in the Rixy Clubs at Rixos Hotels. The concept of Rixos Hotels consists also of a revitalizing Wellness & Spa Center along with its unique Hammam, a modern twist to ancient Turkish rituals.

Rixos Hotels also have highly executive services like Rixos Aviation and Rixos Yachting. Rixos Aviation is a premium air transportation service company and provides transportation solutions for time-sensitive customers with the Bombardier Learjet-60 Special Edition. Rixos Yachting also provides an exclusive luxurious experience for its guests.

 

Middle East hotel giant unveils renovated hotel in undiscovered UAE city

Rotana has announced the near completion of the Al Ain Rotana Hotel expansion project, which will be finished in April 2008. Al Ain is situated close to the Abu Dhabi/Oman border and is the fourth largest city in the United Arab Emirates.

The impressive expansion project adds 72 luxurious rooms, 12 suites and two new chalets to the existing five-star hotel. The new recreation facilities include two squash courts and a state of the art Bodylines health & fitness centre.

Since its opening in 1999, the Al Ain Rotana Hotel has been popular with business travellers and holidaymakers. The expansion is designed to accommodate that mix of guests, with state of the art in-room facilities, that meet visitors’ needs precisely.

“Every room features online connectivity, communications and internet, complemented by exclusive guest amenities. We understand our guest mix and took their needs in to consideration early in the planning,” Says Ayman Gharib, General Manager of Al Ain Rotana Hotel.

The hotel is ideal for MICE organisers as the property offers a choice of ballrooms and meeting rooms. Facilities include intricate lighting, high-end acoustics and the latest audio-visual equipment.

The Al Ain Rotana Hotel prides itself on its exceptional conference services and can host an incomparable event, be it a large gala dinner reception or a top-level executive meeting. The hotel also has the capability to undertake outside catering, serving from 30 to 10,000 guests.

Al Ain is known as The Garden City of the Gulf. The city’s history dates back to the 4th millennium BC and is now a green and fertile destination with tree lined boulevards, gardens and parks. Its attractions include historical museums, several restored forts, the Hili archaeological site dating back to the Bronze Age, the Al Ain Oasis, a zoo, an amusement park and a heritage village. Sheikh Zayed’s vision and commitment has seen Al Ain grow into a modern city and one of the greenest in Arabia today.

From the moment guests step into the Al Ain Rotana Hotel, they will be captivated by the warmth of traditional Arabic hospitality and the splendour of modern luxuries that can only be found at a Rotana property.

The Al Ain Rotana Hotel offers a host of leisure, sport and health facilities including Bodylines leisure and fitness club, a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, sauna, two squash courts and massage rooms. Bodylines offers a fully equipped gymnasium, aerobics classes, squash courts, steam room and the temperature-controlled outdoor swimming pool is a great place to unwind.

The combination of its award-winning restaurants, state-of-the-art business facilities, stylish and luxurious guest rooms together with an ultra-modern gym and leisure facilities has lead the Al Ain Rotana Hotel to be regarded as one of the finest hotels in the region.

About Rotana

Rotana currently manages 25 properties throughout the Middle East with an aggressive expansion plans to double the size of the portfolio with a further 36 projects in the pipeline out of which 10 new properties to open in 2008. At Rotana, we have chosen to acknowledge how precious time is to you by making all time spent with us, Treasured Time. This means that we pledge to understand and meet the individual needs of all our guests. In so doing, we have evolved our product brands to include, Rotana Hotels & Resorts, Centro Hotels by Rotana, Rayhaan Hotels & Resorts by Rotana and Arjaan by Rotana.

Further information on any Rotana property, its brands or reservations can be obtained by visiting rotana.com or by contacting one of our regional sales offices across the globe.