Jetsettersblog

Las Terrazas on the island of Ambergris Caye, Belize, is offering winter value packages, including a seven-night Belize Adventure priced at $2,549 per person, double occupancy, which is more than a $500 savings. The package includes a trip for two to Altun Ha Mayan Site, a trip to the mainland jungle including cave tubing and the Belize Zoo.

 Also offered is a seven-night Dive the Maya Reef package from $2,199 per person double, which is a more than $450 savings.

The package includes four two-tank dives.

All packages include round-trip local transfers, continental breakfast, high-speed Internet access, use of Kayaks and welcome drink. Three- to five-night custom packages are also available. Refer to promo code “LTWINTER1.”

Prices are subject to 19 percent tax and services charges. Offer is valid until Jan. 31, 2009. Las Terrazas is an island community of 38 fully-furnished townhomes with an additional 40 planned townhomes on 4.8 acres of private beachfront on the island destination of Ambergris Caye, Belize.

Each residential townhome has been fully furnished and handsomely appointed with stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, flat-panel televisions, iPod docking stations, high-speed Internet and cable TV.

For more information, call 800-447-1553 or visit www.lasterrazasresort.com

Costa Rica’s Tabacón Grand Spa Thermal Resort is offering four nights for the price of three in January and February. The deal includes accommodations, a welcome drink, Temazcal, the native Indian sweat lodge for two, $125 credit per room towards any treatment in the Grand Spa, and free entrance to Tabacón thermal mineral springs. Rates for a superior premium room start at $1,208, representing a savings of $361.

Rates for a superior room start at $1,033, representing a savings of $302. The package is available from Jan. 4 to Feb. 28, 2009. The property is also offering three nights for the price of two.

For more information, call 877-277-8291 or visit www.tabacon.com

Goes Farther And Faster To Achieve Top Results

New travel search engine nowfly.co.uk launches today, looking set to overhaul the standards of speed and accuracy established by other well-known market leaders. At a time when finding the best value option is more important than ever to travellers, nowfly.co.uk delivers equal or better fares than its rivals. And it is seriously quick, too.

Cleanly designed and easy to use, nowfly.co.uk was started by a group of online and travel experts with a clear objective to provide an easy, fun, and best priced way of finding a flight, hotel or car rental. The business is headed by Dan Hart, who has extensive experience in the online and travel sectors.

There are a number of factors which set nowfly.co.uk apart from its competitors:

• The site has gone through extensive usability testing and the results have shown that the site is clearly presented and easy to navigate.

• The content is broad and wide, searching more than 340 airlines with routes, fares and availability and giving the user essential information about booking their flight, hotel or car rental.

• The team studied the way flight results are presented with other travel and airlines websites and recognised that the user wants maximum flexibility when booking their flight itinerary. nowfly.co.uk uses an airline-style search, presenting results for each sector rather than lumping outbound and inbound options together.

• nowfly.co.uk searches low-cost, charter and scheduled airlines, giving a well-informed choice to the traveller, along with the flexibility to choose the best departure and arrival times.

• The site has third-party integration with leading, well-known travel sites as well as airlines, hotels and car rental suppliers.

• The website has geo-coded results for all the leading hotel chains and major consolidators, using the Google Maps Application Programming Interface (API) to visually place hotel results.

• Car rental options are found by using the leading car rental suppliers and consolidators globally.

• nowfly.co.uk uses the Ajax web application, retrieving data from the server asynchronously in the background. This means it loads before the user’s very eyes, without the need for a separate wait page.

Utilising cutting-edge technology, nowfly.co.uk is the first site in the UK to employ the full suite of the TRAVELfusion API. Dan has worked closely with TRAVELfusion over the past year. “I knew they were a great, innovative travel technology company and felt that they were the right people to work with,” Dan comments. “I believe that the combination of good content from TRAVELfusion, matched with a great user-face, is a compelling proposition for travellers booking trips online.”

Comments Moshe Rafiah, TRAVELfusion CEO: “This is exactly the kind of partnership that we envisioned when we created our XML API programme. By combining the most advanced travel search technologies developed by TRAVELfusion with innovative applications such as nowfly.co.uk, we have created a winning formula for success.”

TRAVELfusion is a world leader in constructing powerful travel search and web fare booking tools which search, aggregate, compare and book travel content from the web. Based around the company’s patented TRIPplannerXML platform, TRAVELfusion has integrated hundreds of travel suppliers including air, hotel, car, rail and ferry as well as adding its unique content generated directly by travel suppliers.

Money-saving price comparison websites have grown in reach and reputation over the last few years. According to a 2008 study undertaken by e-consultancy.com, Comparison Shopping Engines (CSEs) contributed to around 10% of online sales for retailers. Approximately 43% of these retailers claimed that their sales had increased in the last 12 months.

The next phase for nowfly.co.uk is to introduce further useful travel tips as well as community-based content to help users make better informed decisions.

The company will also run a number of marketing campaigns to keep users abreast of great travel offers, including ancillary products such as travel insurance, car parking and foreign currency. Product innovation and enhancement is key and will be driven forward to keep nowfly.co.uk looking fresh, without losing sight of the founding principle – fast and highly competitive travel search results every time.

About www.nowfly.co.uk:

nowfly.co.uk was established at the beginning of 2008. The management team comprises a mix of travel and online experts with extensive experience within these fields. The business is headed by Dan Hart, who has worked within the travel and online sectors for over 15 years. Dan worked within the Virgin Group for 12 years, initially starting his career at Virgin Atlantic and most recently with thetrainline.com.

A Feast for the Senses with Luxurious Getaway

Santa Barbara de Heredia, Costa Rica; — Finca Rosa Blanca Country Inn, situated above the beautiful Central Valley of Costa Rica, is an exclusive hideaway that was built with the goal of creating an ecological haven and a sustainable tourism destination in a high-quality, aesthetic environment for visitors who want to experience the biodiversity of Costa Rica.

The hotel is one of the most famous and award-winning hotels, and continues to be a leader in sustainable tourism. Surrounded by towering “Higuerón” trees and exotic flora, the Inn offers spectacular views of volcanoes, cloud forests, and coffee plantations. But it’s not just the stunning views and luxurious setting that will sharpen your senses. Finca Rosa Blanca is located 4000 feet above sea level on a temperate plateau in an environment that is ideal for producing some of the world’s best coffee in the lush volcanic soil.

The inn has 30 acres of hard bean coffee which is certified organic by an international organization called OKO Garantie and is certified sustainable by the Rain Forest Alliance and CICAFE, the Costa Rican National Organization for Coffee. All of the food served at Finca Rosa Blanca is created from the bounty of their organic gardens, orchards, and pineapple fields.

The gourmet meals are prepared with organic produce, poultry, seafood, and meat whenever possible. The team at Finca Rosa Blanca are constantly seeking new sources for the most organic and fresh food available to provide guests with healthy and delicious meals. The chefs draw on Costa Rican and international culinary arts to create a menu that changes daily and it will be enough to make your mouth water with anticipation for the next meal.

The elegant dinners are set around the inviting fireplace with inspiring views of the Central Valley below, leaving both your palate and desire for beauty completely satisfied

www.fincarosablanca.com

RÍOS TROPICALES
CONTACT: James Tracy
TEL: 866-722-8273
E-MAIL: jtracy@riostropicales.com
WEB: www.riostropicales.com

COSTA RICA—Costa Rica is an affordable destination for adventurous families, and Rios Tropicales offers day trips and multi-day trips that cater to every member of the family and are flexible enough to fit into any schedule.

Ríos Tropicales is unique in that it has five major centers in the top areas of the country, and are a top ranked adventure outfitter in Costa Rica that operates day and multi-day tours throughout the country. Their offerings are suited to a wide variety of interests, ages, and skill levels. Families can add a great, affordable day trips (rafting, kayaking, biking, hiking, etc) to an existing Costa Rica vacation itinerary, or can plan a Costa Rica vacation that is entirely arranged by Ríos Tropicales.

For $50 to $75, families can choose from three day trips: experiencing the Class II rapids of the El Carmen section of the Reventazon River; spending two hours floating on the calm and scenic Corobici River; or watching the jungle transform from day into night on the Twilight Safari Deluxe float trip on the Penas Blancas River. There is a minimum age of seven for both float trips, and eight for the rafting trip. Many of these day trips can also be arranged as shore excursions for cruise passengers.

Families who are looking for an affordable international vacation that includes an up-close experience with nature should consider the four day Curu Sea Kayaking, trip, where adventurers of all ages can sea kayak throughout the Gulf of Nicoya and spend their nights camping at a private island base camp. The five day Multi-Generation tour is new for 2009, and combines biking and a safari wildlife float in the spectacular Arenal/La Fortuna region with three days at Tortuguero National Park on the Caribbean coast. Rios local bilingual guides will take care of all of the logistics, and will share their knowledge of the local culture and history.

A family vacation in Costa Rica means everyone will experience the natural riches of Costa Rica – all trips offer scenic views of the jungle or rainforest, the opportunity to spot wildlife (like howler monkeys and brightly-colored native birds), and the excitement of rafting one of Costa Rica’s popular rivers. Ríos Tropicales operates tours year round, so families can visit whenever is convenient for them, although the best rafting for beginners is from December through April, as water levels are low. Multisport packages and custom itineraries are also available for those with older children, or who are planning family reunions.

For more information on specific itineraries or costs, visit Ríos Tropicales at www.riostropicales.com  or call 866-722-8273.

From Spain to Sri Lanka, Italy to Indonesia, BAILEY ROBINSON (tel 01488 689 700 www.baileyrobinson.com) has handpicked over 170 of the world’s most opulent, lavish and indulgent properties for inclusion in their 2009 LUXURY RESORTS brochure.

Quite simply this portfolio of properties has been selected to offer discerning travellers the best the world has to offer – all the featured resorts are based in stunning locations offering the divine combination of breathtaking views, impeccable service, great architecture and interior design and mouth watering cuisine, not to mention a wide range of activities, health and beauty treatments.

The properties spotlighted below have been selected either because they are brand new products for 2008 or because they are new additions to this Luxury Resorts brochure. The per person price guide below, valid until 30th September 2009, is based on seven nights accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis with international economy flights and transfers, unless otherwise stated.

EUROPE: Italy, Sardinia, France, Spain/Mallorca/Canaries, Portugal/Madeira, Cyprus, Greece/Santorini/Crete

ITALY - Vigilius Mountain Resort : This year round destination - snow in winter, sunshine in summer - is Bailey Robinson’s first European mountain resort selected for its stunning location, excellent food, environmentally friendly design and extensive range of activities. £1,125.
ITALY - Relais San Maurizio: One of Italy’s hidden treasures, this charming property and former Franciscan monastery boasts a splendid wine cellar, superb cuisine, truffle hunting and the award-winning Caudalie® Spa famed for its Vinotherapie products. £985.
FRANCE - Le Couvent de Minimes Hotel & Spa: This new property and former monastery, located in the lavender rich hills of Provence, marries beautiful accommodation and fantastic food – its gourmet restaurant Le Cloître is overseen by acclaimed chef Philippe Guerin - with a world class spa which is also Europe’s first L’Occitane Spa. £1,125.
SPAIN - Read’s Hotel & Spa: A former manor house, this family owned boutique hotel is considered one of Mallorca’s finest properties. The restaurant is Michelin-starred with cookery courses available, whilst the newly opened Vespasian Spa is a tranquil sanctuary. £870.
GREECE – Eagles Palace: This Halkidiki situated property is ideal for families offering a glorious sandy beach, a selection of restaurants and bars as well as providing great value for money – the ideal blend of ancient Greek history and contemporary luxury. £690.

NORTH AFRICA & ARABIA: Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Oman, Dubai

OMAN – Al Bustan Palace: This famous beachfront property is set to re-open its doors in November following a multi million pound refurbishment. Guests will encounter history, culture, lavish opulence, excellent dining, relaxation and activities galore. £2,950
EGYPT – Hyatt Regency Sharm El Sheikh: An ideal Red Sea destination for families offering excellent facilities and an impressive range of activities including dancing and handicraft lessons for children and all within a value for money price. £895.
MOROCCO – Angsana Riad Si Said: Located in the heart of Marrakech’s Medina, this property offers a level of opulence befitting royalty, a perfect haven to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. Facilities include a cooling pool and traditional oriental steam bath. £742 for four nights.

INDIAN OCEAN: Seychelles, Mauritius, Maldives, Sri Lanka

SEYCHELLES – Banyan Lagoon 1: This stunning new catamaran offers Banyan Tree Mahé guests (maximum four) an exciting way of exploring the region’s hidden, uninhabited islands with a little help from a full complement of staff, personal sea host and skipper. £950 three nights full board sailing, based on four people sharing two cabins. Flights are not included.
MAURITIUS – Anahita The Resort: This brand new property will appeal to golfers and families alike. Facilities include a challenging 18-hole, par 72 championship golf course designed by South African golfer Ernie Els, a professionally managed kids club and a great selection of restaurants. £2,100, based on four people sharing.
MALDIVES – Stay at Banyan Tree Maldives Maldivaru and sail on Banyan Velaa: This new “camp & sail” option combines accommodation in Maldives’ only tented villas resort with sailing in superior comfort on a stunning yacht built in the style of a traditional Turkish gulet. £5,365 full board and £585 for three nights full board sailing.
MALDIVES – W Retreat & Spa: Outdoor and indoor living combine perfectly on this beautiful island as peekaboo roofs offer glimpses of the Maldivian sky, glass panelled floors expose the marine life and floor to ceiling glass windows slide open to reveal wraparound verandahs. £2,605.
SRI LANKA – Ceylon Tea Trails: Built for British tea estate managers in the days of the Raj, the four colonial plantation houses offer commanding views of an area rich in dramatic ravines, cascading waterfalls and breathtaking mountains. £1,970 per person, full board.

CARIBBEAN & LATIN AMERICA: Barbados, Bahamas, Anguilla, Antigua, British Virgin Islands, St.Martin, St.Kitts & Nevis, St.Lucia, The Grenadines, Grenada, Turks & Caicos, St.Barths, Mexico, Brazil

BRAZIL – Kiaroa: Ideal for activity seekers, this property is set in an ecological sanctuary in north east Brazil and offers visitors access to the Atlantic Forest, one of the world’s most biodiverse areas, as well as a coral reef teeming with marine life. £2,135 half board.
MEXICO – Rosewood Mayakoba: This new contemporary property sits on a two kilometre long white sandy beach on the edge of the Mayan forests facing the Caribbean Sea. This is an easy destination to twin with others in Latin America, the United States or the Caribbean. £2,365.
GRENADA – Mount Cinnamon: This new Peter De Savary hotel/villa venture boasts a hilltop location overlooking world renowned Grand Anse Beach. When not indulging in the Moi Spa visitors can kayak, snorkel and Hobie Cat sail. £1,895.
ANGUILLA – Cuisinart Resort & Spa: This property is located on a perfect three kilometre stretch of white sandy beach surrounded by lush tropical gardens and its own organic herb and vegetable garden. Unique experiences include hands on lunches where guests pick their own produce before settling back to relax and wait for lunch. £1,995.
ST. LUCIA – Discovery At Marigot Bay: Overlooking the bay described by James A. Mitchener as “the most beautiful bay in the Caribbean”, this is a contemporary resort that boasts a rich and varied maritime history. £1,350.

SOUTH EAST ASIA: Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia/Bali/Bintan/Lombok

INDONESIA – Banyan Tree Bintan: Under an hour by catamaran from Singapore, Banyan Tree Bintan is a collection of private villas epitomising tropical luxury. Ideal for families and couples, the island boasts world class cuisine, the excellent Banyan Tree Spa, tennis courts and a Greg Norman designed 18-hole championship golf course. £1,450 room only.
INDONESIA – The Kayumanis Collection: Consisting of small private estates in three locations across Indonesia in Nusa Dua, Ubud and Jimbaran, these properties come with their own private butlers. Surprisingly the height of luxury comes with a modest price tag - £1,525, £1,550 and £2,120 respectively.
INDONESIA – Spa Village Resort Tembok Bali: Since opening late last year this property has proved to be a popular choice for visitors seeking to embrace a relaxing, rejuvenating lifestyle and for those looking for a greater insight into the island’s unique healing traditions there is the Spa Village Academy inspired by a 75-year-old Balinese healer from the nearby village of Tembok. £1,430 full board with daily massage.

AUSTRALASIA & SOUTH PACIFIC: Australia, Fiji, French Polynesia

AUSTRALIA – Southern Ocean Lodge: This new resort on Kangaroo Island in South Australia has been hailed as Australia’s first true luxury resort akin to the super lodges of New Zealand. This is the place to spot native wildlife when not being indulged and pampered. £4,450 full board.
FRENCH POLYNESIA – Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora: This new addition to Four Seasons’ acclaimed portfolio is the epitome of chic island living, accommodation options are split between over water and beach front bungalows whose architecture is locally inspired. £3,725 room only.
FIJI – Vatuele Island Resort: With Six Senses this year taking over the management, it is expected that luxury, service and indulgence will reach new heights at this barefoot luxury resort. £3,785 all inclusive.
FRENCH POLYNESIA – Nomade Yachting Bora Bora: new for 2008, this is simply the most indulgent way to explore the Society Islands, having no fixed schedule but maintaining the highest levels of luxury that include Philippe Stark bathrooms and Kenzo amenities. £5,930 full board.

LOTUS, Calif. –Mariah Wilderness Expeditions began exploring Costa Rica by rafting the warm water rivers twelve years ago, and quickly discovered and fell in love with the lush beauty, diversity and spirit of this special destination. Now known as Costa Rica experts, Mariah can help travelers experience the wonders of Costa Rica!

Costa Rica is a unique destination. It is a proudly democratic country with a long history of peace, a tradition of hospitality, great natural beauty and astonishing diversity. In no other country in Latin America can so much be seen and experienced within so small an area. The water is drinkable, and the people are very friendly and helpful.

Costa Rica is a delight to experience. Mariah offers full-service, customized vacation travel planning for independent travelers to Costa Rica, providing carefully planned customized travel arrangements to rainforests, beaches, wildlife reserves, and unique lodges within this lush tropical country, and including active and soft adventures -whitewater rafting on beautiful, warm water rivers, rainforest hiking, birding, sea kayaking, and relaxing on pristine beaches.

Departures: January 16-24, 2009; 9 days, 8 nights (2 nights hotel in San Jose, Costa Rica, 6 nights in jungle lodges), all meals; price from $2050 per person plus international air.

www.mariahwe.com

WILD PLANET ADVENTURES
CONTACT: Josh Cohen
TEL: 415-925-4300
josh@wildplanetadventures.com
www.wildplanetadventures.com

Wild Planet Adventures’ most popular tour, “Costa Rica Ultimate Wildlife Eco-Tour” now features a unique and exclusive departure to Sirena, the Heart of Corcovado National Park, the country’s most wildlife-rich region. The only tour operator offering such an in-depth experience, Wild Planet Adventures features expert naturalist guides to lead travelers through the trails that teem with rare mammals, including frequently seen jaguars and tapirs.

Highlights of Costa Rica’s Sirena tour include:

Interactions with wildlife experts, scientific researchers and expert local naturalist guides, including night hikes for nocturnal animals

Adventure activities that include canopy tours, whitewater and flat-water rafting, hot springs, wildlife refuges and reserves, and 13 paid admissions to national parks and wildlife refuges–twice that of comparable operators

Breathtaking, upgraded rainforest accommodations that have been featured in several nationally acclaimed publications

Sirena, the Heart of Corcovado, is a value-laden variation to Wild Planet’s signature 14-day “Ultimate Wildlife Eco-Tour,” which features Corcovado for days 10-14, accessed via Carate. Travelers wishing a less extensive Costa Rican experience may also opt to participate in Wild Planet’s 9-day “Ultimate Wildlife Eco-Tour.” Both options are specifically designed to optimize wildlife viewing by visiting a wide variety of eco-systems, with no commercial “filler” activities.

Representing nearly ten percent of earth’s lush biodiversity, Costa Rica is the ideal destination for Wild Planet’s special wildlife focus. In this beautiful, unspoiled country, travelers will experience the thrill of unparalleled wildlife encounters—up close and intimately. Sightings regularly include over 200 species of mammals, such as four species of monkeys, sloths, wild cats, as well as over 600 species of birds, including parrots, trogons, mot-mots, and Resplendent Quetzals. In fact, Costa Rica boasts over 60 species of unique hummingbirds alone!

Also on display to curious travelers will be the Sloth Wildlife Sanctuary, which Wild Planet has an exclusive relationship with, Arenal Volcano and hot springs, Monteverde Cloudforest, the remotely secluded Sarapiqui and Puerto Viejo rivers as well as the fabled Pacific and Caribbean beaches.

2009 Pricing

Wild Planet’s signature 14-Day “Costa Rica Ultimate Wildlife Eco-Tour” - $3,998
Wild Planet’s special departures 14-Day “Costa Rica and Sirena: Ultimate Wildlife Eco-Tour” - $4,398

To reserve a space on one of the 17 available 2009 departures, certified carbon neutral through CarbonFund, please visit http://www.wildplanetadventures.com

Arenas del Mar Nature & Beach Resort
CONTACT: Nancy Harrison
TEL: 970-568-7423
nancy@atmstravelnews.com
http://www.arenasdelmar.com

MANUAL ANTONIO, Costa Rica—Arenas del Mar Beach & Nature Resort, built to achieve the highest level of certification by the Sustainable Tourism Program (CST), is now taking another step as a pioneer of luxury ecotourism: They’re creating soap from kitchen waste that has the potential to pollute local rivers and streams if disposed of.

In such rural areas of Costa Rica, where proper waste management controls are not supported, the disposal of oils produced in hotel restaurant kitchens can have serious implications on the surrounding environment, including the pollution of local rivers and streams.

In an effort to lead change throughout the region, Arenas del Mar has begun treating its used cooking oil, which is produced on-site, to create naturally-scented soaps for employee housing. This new, environmental initiative is part of the hotel’s waste reduction program, which includes a recycling program and advanced waste water treatment plant, as well as several other eco initiatives.

For more information on Arenas del Mar’s environmental efforts, please visit the Arenas del Mar website.

One hundred percent sustainable, Arenas del Mar is a 38-room resort, which, by using a mere 25 percent of its property for actual building, has left plenty of space for the private nature reserve that serves as an ecological corridor for the many species of mammals that wander through the jungle.

By making wise vacation decisions, tourists are taking a stand to support true environmentalism and the protection of Costa Rica via socially-responsible travel.

Costa Rica Adventure is a Physical Challenge for the Guys

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Canada–Ready for the physical challenge of a lifetime? Got some human power to put in turbo charge? Mountain bike, hike and whitewater raft from the Pacific to the Caribbean in 15 days.
Testosterone will pump and guy groups who participate in BikeHike’s “Coast to Coast” Costa Rica trip will go across the Continental Divide and the Talamanca and Central Mountain ranges, and whitewater raft for three days from the Pacuare River to the Caribbean Sea. Yes, we are talking human steam to cross the country!

No motorized vehicles - just you, your guy friends and the open terrain! Dividing male groups into teams sweetens the bragging rights pot. Free days will be spent in Orosi Valley and Tortugero. Tours include five nights at luxury camp sites (Naranjillo mountain range and outside the rainforest in El Nido del Tigre) and other nights in hotels. BikeHike Adventures offers this trip year-round. Participants must be in good to excellent physical condition. Land cost only is $2,599/off-peak and $2,600/peak (Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter holidays).

www.bikehike.com