Jetsettersblog

Several Orient-Express Hotels are offering special packages for Valentine’s Day 2009. Among the participating properties is the Inn at Perry Cabin www.perrycabin.com , in Maryland, where the three-night Valentine’s Day package includes dinner for two in Sherwood’s Landing Restaurant, a candlelight turndown, a couple’s spa treatment and yoga class, room service breakfast for two, and a romantic movie delivered to the room as well as a late check-out at 3 p.m. Rates start at $1,590 for arrival on Feb. 13, 2008. Other Orient-Express Hotels with similar Valentine’s Day Getaways include Keswick Hall, Charleston Place and Casa de Sierra Nevada.

For more information, visit www.orient-express.com

Faithful to the motto, “All around the world, Unique in the world”, Relais & Châteaux has decided to turn its 2009 Guide into a veritable, unique work with a new format, new layout, new column and the exceptional contribution of an ambassador of international renown: Douglas Kennedy.

The new format of the guide has been increased 20% in order to further enhance the 480 Relais & Châteaux properties in 56 countries.

The new layout features personalised pages for each property (the page layout has been the same for all properties in the previous editions of the guide)

The new column “Unique in the world” highlights the truly unique character of each property: a truffle field with 600 oak trees, a beach reserved for children, a double jacuzzi on the roof of a small bastide. A Relais & Châteaux member is not like anything else, not even another member…

Crafted with the support of Young & Rubicam, 800,000 copies of the Guide will be distributed in 6 languages in 60 countries.

Douglas Kennedy, a successful writer who divides his time between Paris, New-York, London and Berlin, agreed to be the first ambassador of Relais & Châteaux 2009. He contributed to the Guide by putting his name to the completely original preface. He will attend press conferences in Paris, London and New York.

For Jaume Tàpies, International President of Relais & Châteaux: “This is not a new Guide but a completely new work. Relais & Châteaux is undoubtedly today the most beautiful way of discovering the world. When leafing through the pages, the reader will be able to draw inspiration and select his next destinations from amongst the 480 unique experiences proposed by Relais & Châteaux in 2009 all around the world”.

For Douglas Kennedy, the 2009 ambassador of Relais & Châteaux: “We are all searching for places which enable us to see the world from a different angle, even if only for a moment. When leafing through the pages of this Guide, you can’t help but think that there’s nothing wrong with escaping from time to time: it’s even a necessity”.

About Relais & Châteaux

Relais & Châteaux is an exclusive collection of 480 of the finest charming hotels and gourmet restaurants in 56 countries. Established in France in 1954, the Association’s mission is to spread its unique art de vivre across the globe by selecting outstanding properties with a truly unique character.

Furthermore, Relais & Châteaux is also a family of hoteliers and Grands Chefs from all over the world who share a passion for and a personal commitment to ensuring their guests are privy to moments of exceptional harmony, an unforgettable celebration of the senses.

From the vineyards in Napa valley to the beaches in Bali, from the olive trees in Provence to the lodges in South Africa, Relais & Châteaux offers all the stops on the finest route for discovering each special place and country.

The Relais & Châteaux signature reflects this ambition:
“ALL AROUND THE WORLD, UNIQUE IN THE WORLD

Medina Apartment Hotels, Vibe Hotels, Travelodge Hotels

Australian-owned Toga Hospitality has just launched online gift certificates for Medina Apartment Hotels, Vibe Hotels and Travelodge Hotels - just in time for Christmas.

Convenient and sure to please that tough-to-buy-for friend or relative, a Medina Apartment Hotel, Vibe Hotel or Travelodge Hotel gift certificate is a wonderful gift - giving that someone close to you the chance to take a break.

To purchase an online gift certificate, simply log on to www.medina.com.au, www.vibehotels.com.au, www.travelodge.com.au or www.togahotels.com.au and follow the links to gift certificates. Once the required information such as dollar amount, chosen brand and payment details has been entered, the gift certificate will be emailed to the purchaser instantly. The gift certificate is valid for 24 months and can be used in any hotel across Australia for the brand purchased.

To redeem, the guest can simply book via our central reservations or at their hotel of choice and present their gift certificate upon arrival at the hotel.

For more information, please see any of the following websites:
www.medina.com.au
www.vibehotels.com.au
www.travelodge.com.au
www.togahotels.com.au

About Toga Hospitality

Toga Hospitality is one of Australia’s largest accommodation providers, currently operating 46 strategically located hotels and apartment hotels in Australia, New Zealand and Europe. The hotel brands include Medina Apartment Hotels (22 locations across Australia), Vibe Hotels (six locations in Australia) and Travelodge (15 locations across Australia and New Zealand) and boast over 5,800 apartments and hotel rooms. In Europe, Adina Apartment Hotels are located in Berlin, Copenhagen and Budapest (three locations).

Wynn Resorts’ Encore opened last night in Las Vegas next to the flagship Wynn Las Vegas. Conceived as a collection of neighborhoods, the 2,034-suite resort features a European-inspired pool area and an atrium as its centerpieces. Other design elements include lush landscaping, water features, candlelight and layers of textured materials. Encore’s suites are cosmopolitan and residential in style and décor. They’re also large, with Resort Suites measuring 700 square feet and Tower Suites measuring up to 5,800 square feet.

The property offers five restaurants: Sinatra features modern Italian cuisine and music by Frank Sinatra, Switch is a French-inspired seafood and steakhouse, Botero Steak features an art collection by Columbian artist Fernando Botero, Society Cafe Encore was designed with Oscar Wilde in mind, and Wazuzu features pan-Asian cuisine. Encore also offers seven bars and lounges. Encore also brings a new nightclub to the scene. At XS, after-dark impresario Victor Drai combines an outdoor pool environment with the club atmosphere. The club’s design is inspired by the curves of the human body and embraces the European pool and island bar it envelopes.

The dance floor at XS is highlighted by a 10-foot rotating chandelier.

The Spa and The Salon at Encore features a grand Spa Court, a vaulted, softly-lit and glass-enclosed courtyard. There are 37 treatment rooms, 14 naturally-lit garden rooms and four oversized couples’ suites for massages, body treatments and facials.

Two movement studios offering spinning, yoga, pilates, conditioning and meditation classes are part of the new fitness center.

The Esplanade at Encore consists 11 boutiques, including Rock & Republic, Hermes and Chanel. Inspired by the festive energy of the French Riviera, the pools at Encore include the resort pool and the European pool, enveloped by the hotel’s bars, restaurants, casino and meeting rooms.

The pools are surrounded by sculpted gardens and mosaic tiling and feature Jacuzzi spas and 29 cabanas.
At Encore, the casino floor features columned pavilions, canopies and draperies that partition the gaming areas into private chambers. Encore also offers 60,000 square feet of custom-designed, configurable event space, from private boardrooms to an expansive, column-free ballroom. The facility is connected to Wynn Las Vegas, where an additional 200,000 square feet of space is available. Entertainment includes a new show by singer, comedian, actor and impressionist Danny Gans in the Encore Theater, which will debut in February.

For more information, call 877-321-9966 or visit www.encorelasvegas.com

Mohegan Sun announces the newest culinary star to call Mohegan Sun home: chef, author and television personality Bobby Flay. The Food Network talent will open two new restaurants in partnership with Mohegan Sun — Bobby’s Burger Palace in Casino of the Earth and Bar Americain in Casino of the Sky. Both restaurants are scheduled to open in summer 2009. Bobby’s Burger Palace (BBP) offers an array of burgers inspired by Flay’s extensive travels throughout America.

This new burger restaurant will be approximately 4,100 square feet and will pay tribute to America’s regional flavors and traditions.

  Flay opened his first BBP in Long Island, N.Y., in July 2008 and a second opened in New Jersey earlier this month. Flay will open his second Bar Americain just outside of the hotel lobby in the space currently occupied by Fidelia’s.

The restaurant blends the intimacy of a brasserie, injected with authentic American flavors and styles. Flay’s current Bar Americain in New York, which opened in March of 2005, rejuvenates old classics and celebrates the abundance of America’s diverse heritage.

For more information, call 888-226-7711 or visit www.mohegansun.com

The Element Las Vegas Summerlin, a Starwood property, has opened in the Las Vegas suburb of Summerlin, the first Element hotel to open in the western United States. Inspired by Westin Hotels & Resorts, the 123-room Element features a portal that provides an actual bridge to the interior, streams of natural light from a multi-storied window wall, and an outdoor fire pit and barbecue near the lobby where a weekly evening reception takes place.

Each guestroom is customizable with multi-purpose, modular furniture; a swiveling, flat-screen television; a large desks with open shelving; and custom-designed closets. Each room also offers a fully equipped kitchen that features Energy Star-rated appliances, as well as a Heavenly Bed and a spa-inspired Heavenly shower. Hotel amenities include a breakfast offering, a fitness center, plenty of indoor and outdoor public spaces, 1,400 square feet of meeting space, an integrated technology center and library, café seating, a workspace, and a flexible lobby space.

The hotel is working toward LEED certification in its first year of operation, as part of the Element brand’s effort to require all its hotels to pursue this certification. The Element brand’s green features energy-efficient appliances and lighting, amenity dispensers in the showers to reduce waste, water-efficient faucets and fixtures, and recycling containers.

For more information, call 877-353-6368 or visit www.starwoodhotels.com/element

The M Resort, Spa and Casino, the newest casino resort scheduled to open in March 2009 on South Las Vegas Boulevard, has begun accepting room reservations. The luxury resort will offer 390 guestrooms and suites ranging from 550 to 2,400 square feet. Beds feature pillow-top mattresses and fine linens. Each room offers a living space that includes high-technology amenities such as a Bose Wave sound system, an iPod docking station and an LCD flat-screen television. The spa-like bathrooms offer marble vanities with double sinks, inlaid mirror televisions and separate bathtubs and showers. All resort rooms and suites feature automatic lighting controls for energy efficiency.

Hotel amenities include a spa, salon and fitness center; several dining experiences and destination bars including a modern wine cellar and tasting room; and the 100,000-square-foot Villaggio Del Sole Entertainment Piazza for concert events as well as several indoor venues including the Ravello and Milan Showrooms for more intimate performances. It will also feature advanced gaming products and the iMagine Rewards Club.

For more information, call 877-673-7678 or visit www.themresort.com

Sol Meliá Vacation Club, an international leisure vacation membership club with locations in the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America and Europe, has opened Phase II of its Gran Meliá Puerto Rico member resort at Coco Beach, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, with 63 additional suites.

The one-, two- and three-bedroom oceanfront suites accommodate four to six people, offering private check-in and members VIP lounge. “The Gran Meliá Puerto Rico is one of the finest quality resorts in the Caribbean and has been a great location for us,” said Denis Ebrill, executive vice president of Sol Meliá Vacation Club.

Sol Meliá Vacation Club at Gran Meliá Puerto Rico is a place where families from around the world gather for special times together in the comfort of home-style accommodations, featuring separate dining and living areas, kitchenettes, elegant marble fixtures, indoor/outdoor Jacuzzis, satellite TV, stereo system and DVD player. In addition to the large luxury accommodations, the resort offers fine dining restaurants with international cuisine and bars, plus recreational activities and amenities that include tennis courts, basketball court, non-motorized water sports and the largest lagoon-style pool in Puerto Rico.

There’s also world class golf nearby at the Tom Kite designed Coco Beach Golf and Country Club, a full-service spa, a casino, kid’s club, children’s pool, evening entertainment and a daily program of activities.

Sol Meliá Vacation Club at Gran Meliá Puerto Rico is located on Puerto Rico’s northeastern coast in Rio Grande, conveniently located to nearby El Yunque National Rainforest. With the recently inaugurated Route 66 Highway, the Resort is just a scenic 20 minutes from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport and the Historical Old San Juan area.

For more information, call 866-379-5950, or visit www.smvc.com

New Five Star Hotel Openings

New hotels and additional flights are set to give the Greek island of Rhodes a bumper 2009.

Continuing to shed its party image and build a more luxury focused tourism; the island will have four new five star hotels opening next year.

The new hotels opening in 2009 included the eagerly awaited the Atrium Prestige Thalasso Spa Resort & Villas in Kalathos on the east coast, The Elysium Resort & Spa in Kallithea, La Marquise luxury resort complex close to Kallithea Springs and Port Royal villas & spa in Afandou.

Atrium Prestige Thalasso Spa Resort & Villas – due to open Spring 2009

The five-star Atrium Prestige is the second hotel to be opened as part of the Atrium Hotels group. It is located on Kalathos Beach in the picturesque town of Lindos providing guests with a stunning outlook over the Aegean Sea.

The hotel will comprise of 254 guests rooms varying between deluxe rooms, junior suites with private pools, family bungalows, Presidential beach villas and superior suites. There are six restaurants offering a wide choice of cuisine from Greek, gourmet, Mediterranean and a barbecue grill.

The Thalasso Spa Centre will offer a range of services including a gym, hammam and sauna, hot stone treatments, chocolate treatments as well as massages, manicures, pedicures and a hair salon.

The hotel’s leisure facilities include two outdoor and one indoor swimming pools, water slides, watersports, basketball, floodlit tennis courts and mini golf.

For more information, please see www.atriumprestige.gr

The Elysium Resort & Spa – due to open April 2009

According to Greek Mythology, Elysium was an ancient paradise exclusively designated to heroes who had been granted immortality by the gods. The Elysium on the Beach Hotel cannot guarantee its guests such longevity. However the hotel does aim to recreate Homer’s view of Elysium as ‘a land of perfect happiness’.

Situated 9km from Rhodes Town on the northeast coast of the island, the five-star Elysium features a contemporary architectural design and a beachfront spanning 400 metres.

Accommodation is spread across three buildings, with all but nine of the 332 guestrooms offering views of the ocean. Rooms range from standard doubles to two Presidential suites, each of which comprise two bedrooms, a living room, dining table and kitchenette.

The hotel’s leisure facilities include three outdoor swimming pools, a state-of-the -art spa with 12 treatment rooms, fitness centre and tennis court – watersports and an 18-hole golf course are also nearby.

For more information, please see www.elysium.gr

La Marquise Luxury Resort Complex – Due to open May 2009

The five-star La Marquise is located with walking distance of the restored Italian Monument – Kallithea Springs and is just 10km from Rhodes Town.

The hotel will comprise of 386 rooms ranging from guest rooms, family suites, junior suites, bungalows, villas and VIP maisonettes. There are three restaurants offering a variety of cuisine.

The hotel’s leisure facilities include an interlinking lagoon-style outdoor swimming pool, a rooftop swimming pool, a dedicated children’s pool and a heated indoor swimming pool, as well as tennis, squash, a variety of watersports and there is also a fitness suite with a personal trainer available.

The La Marquise spa is dedicated to looking after the wellbeing, relaxation and rejuvenation of its guests and has a range of treatments and therapies available. For guests looking for a little more privacy, a private spa suite is also available.

For more information visit www.lamarquise.gr

Port Royal Villas & Spa – Due to open 2009

The luxury five-star Port Royal Villas & Spa is located on the Blue Flag-awarded sand beach of Kolymbia in Afandou on the island’s east coast.

The 185 rooms include four suites with private pools and a presidential suite with private pool. The hotel also has three restaurants, three bars, two outdoor swimming pools and one indoor heated swimming pool.

For more information visit www.portroyal.gr

With the collapse of XL Airways earlier in 2008 Kiss Flights, which has been set up by Meridian Aviation UK, has taken over the routes to Rhodes from Manchester and London Gatwick. The weekly Wednesday flights operate from May 6 to October 21.

They leave at 0500, allowing maximum possible time on the island. For further details about the flight timetable visit www.kissflights.com and for reservations call 0871 737 4155.

Jet2.com is also adding to its existing Newcastle route to Rhodes with weekly flights from both Manchester and Leeds Bradford. Flights from Manchester will commence on Wednesday May 20 2009 and Leeds Bradford flights will start on Wednesday May 27. Fares will be from just £68.99 per person each way, including taxes. For further details about the flight timetables and reservations visit www.jet2.com 

These flights add to the existing scheduled flights from easyJet giving travellers more options to access the island.

For more information about Rhodes visit www.rodosisland.gr

 

PUERTO RICO’S SAN JUAN WATER & BEACH CLUB HOTEL FEATURES VALUE-ADDED GUEST PACKAGES WITH RATES STARTING AS LOW AS $125 PER NIGHT

-San Juan’s first boutique ocean front property offers special 2009 girlfriends’ getaway package, romantic Salsa package and all-inclusive package with value added rates allowing guests to escape to the Caribbean for less-

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO– Located in the heart of historic and beautiful San Juan along the shores of the region’s finest beach, the 78-room San Juan Water & Beach Club Hotel invites guests to escape to the Caribbean with affordable and unique guest packages during 2009. With rates starting as low as $125 per person, per night getaway options include the “Girls Get Sassy” package, the “So You Think You Can Salsa” package and the “Imagination-Almost All-Inclusive” package, available for two or more guests.

Whether it is a fun-loving girls’ getaway centered around shopping and relaxing, a romantic escape for two to learn the art of the Latin Salsa or just an affordable island getaway for two, the San Juan Water & Beach Club Hotel provides deluxe accommodations, high-end amenities and the convenience of Puerto Rico’s easy island access.
Girls Get Sassy Package (available exclusively through hotel Web site):
-Available through December 23, 2009
-From $275 per person, per night

Girls Get Sassy Package Inclusions:
Ocean Front room with king bed or share a deluxe room with two beds
Shopaholic Girls! shopping mall discount book
Shopping guide to Old San Juan
$20 off a spa treatment
Sailing & snorkeling trip to Icacos Island
Farewell dinner at Tangerine

So, you think you can “Salsa”? Package
-Available for all week with two night minimum stay now through January 31, 2009
-Package is Available February 1- March 31, 2009 for arrivals Sunday through Thursday. Weekend stays (Friday-Saturday) add $30.00 to package rate.
-From $350 double occupancy, per night or $300 single occupancy, per night

So, you think you can “Salsa”? Package Inclusions (available on GDS and Web site):
• Partial Ocean View room
• Welcome Package including book on Salsa history, disposal camera to capture the moves
• Two Cha Cha drinks on arrival
• Salsa lessons at the hotel or in studio (1.5 hours)
• Contestant car service to and from Nuyorican Café and entrance fee included

“Imagination” Almost All-inclusive (available exclusively online or by calling the hotel)
-Available for stays Sunday through Wednesday with two night minimum stay.
-From $125 per person, per night (minimum of two people required)

Imagination” Almost All-Inclusive Package Inclusions:
• Daily full breakfast for two
• Daily dinner for two in Tangerine Restaurant, room service or Wet Lounge
• Complimentary Survival Kit for beach which includes towels, umbrella, lounge chairs and suntan lotion
• Daily drink for two at Wet Lounge from well
*The hotel’s Manager of Desires/Ambassador will assist you in fulfilling additional requests such as from visiting the El Yunque, Bacardi Run Factory, Vieques Island getaways plus much more. Should you want to make this a romantic getaway, let us help with the planning as we are experts in this field.

As Puerto Rico’s first beachfront boutique hotel, The San Juan Water & Beach Club offers chic yet comfortable accommodations. Each of the spacious 78 guestrooms offers either full or partial ocean views and features custom-designed bedding, which allow guests to take in the spectacular views. In-room amenities include H20 Aquafina bath products, a swivel entertainment center with TV, CD player, MP3 alarm/radio, “Spoil Me Basket” mini bars and much more. During their stay guests are invited to enjoy the hotel’s two on-site restaurants including Tangerine, which is open for breakfast and dinner and offers lavish Caribe-Asian fusion cuisine fused with a Puerto Rican touch, and Wet Lounge & Sushi Bar, which is set in a spectacular open-air roof top setting overlooking the coastline of San Juan. Wet Lounge & Sushi Bar, open for lunch and dinner, features a sizeable sushi bar in addition to a menu of appetizers and finger foods.

Rates are subject to availability and not inclusive of taxes. For more information and reservations, please contact The San Juan Water & Beach Club Hotel at 888-265-6699 or 787-728-3666 or log onto www.waterbeachclubhotel.com
* * * *

The San Juan Water & Beach Club Hotel, located at 2 Tartak Street, Isla Verde Carolina PR 00979 is managed by Desires Hotels, the boutique division of Tecton Hospitality.

Tecton Hospitality provides a wide range of management services to both institutional and individual owners of hotels in the United States and Caribbean. The Miami-based company operates branded hotels, including full-service properties and resorts under the Sheraton, Marriott, Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn and Best Western names, as well as boutique hotels through the Desires boutique-hotels division. The Desires Hotels portfolio currently includes the award-winning 78-room The San Juan Water & Beach Club Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the 93 room Sagamore Hotel, the 66-room Wave Hotel, the 40-room Hotel Astor, the ultra luxury 61-room Betsy Ross Hotel and the 87-room condo hotel The Strand Ocean Drive in Miami Beach, Fla., and the 235-room Hotel Mela in New York.

For more information about Tecton Hospitality, call (305) 577-8484 or visit www.tectonhospitality.com  or www.desireshotels.com