September 14th, 2009
While the fall is beautiful, let’s admit that we all experience some vacation withdrawal after Labor Day weekend. To help carry us over to the holidays, we try to plug a few weekend getaways into the calendar.
Our latest idea for the fall comes from Mexico. We just got a new offer from Rosewood Mayakobá, the gorgeous lagoon-swathed resort on Mexico’s Riviera Maya. It’s simple – stay three nights and only pay for two for any bookings now through December 15, 2009. Full breakfast (lots of fresh, tropical fruits) is included. The only blackout period is over Thanksgiving (November 24-29), so you’re free to go down any weekend (or week) you like.
As you might know, the Riviera Maya is an easy hop, skip, and jump from most major airports – just fly into Cancún and drive a little ways down the coast. Rosewood Mayakobá is about forty minutes from the Cancún airport.
Check out this gorgeous spot here (by the way, it was just voted #1 resort in Mexico by Travel + Leisure readers). When booking, use ‘3FOR2’ as the promotion code. If you do book, please shoot us a note or comment!
September 14th, 2009
Isn’t everything more exciting with a theme? Anantara Si Kao Resort & Spa thinks so. In addition to its cultural activities such as Thai cooking and language classes, Anantara Si Kao offers special Theme Nights four times during the week to ensure that there is never a dull moment at the resort!
Tuesday nights are Starlight Infinity dinners where guests can enjoy a selection of fresh grilled seafood and meats at intimate candle lit tables surrounding the free form infinity pool, the perfect backdrop for dining under the stars.
On Thursdays, guests can go “camping” for dinner at the Forest Enchantment dining experience where they can chill out in teepees overlooking the Andaman while feasting on a campfire cookout.
Saturday afternoons provide a flurry of activity at Anantara Si Kao when the resort plays host to local street vendors and artisans at the Thai Village Market. Guests can shop for dinner and artisanal crafts right on the resort’s grounds and even sample the famous Thai street food without fear as everything is prepared in the resort’s kitchens.
Bringing the weekend to a close, Anantara Si Kao’s Sunday movie nights are a twist on an old classic. Acqua, the resort’s Italian restaurant, serves up local specialties including barbecued meats and seafood to guests as they watch a James Bond movie while lounging on beans bags right on the beach. The resort even provides the popcorn cart!
September 10th, 2009
Today the curtain rises on the 34th annual Toronto International Film Festival. After last year’s events helped propel Slumdog Millionaire to soaring success at the Oscars, all eyes are on the lookout for the next underdog, and of course, the next starlet.
While we’ve mentioned before that Park Hyatt Toronto’s Roof Lounge is the scene of many star-studded soirées that will fill the nights and early mornings next week, the hotel also provides the best spot in town for pampering and prepping for your close-up. We hear stars and locals alike are flocking to Stillwater Spa at Park Hyatt Toronto to take advantage of the special packages available for the next ten days. The spa is offering tailor-made treatments for the three main stages; party, premiere, and post bash.
PARTY: Brow Dry and Style, Stillwater Manicure, and Jane Iredale Lip Gloss ($99)
PREMIERE: Focused Facial, Express Pedicure, and Stillwater Manicure ($150)
POST BASH: Detoxifying Seaweed Wrap, Stillwater Facial, and Hydrating Face Mask ($310)
September 9th, 2009
We are thrilled to announce that Park Hyatt Shanghai has been named Hotel of the Year by leading luxury travel network, Virtuoso®, and its award-winning magazine, Virtuoso Life, as part of its prestigious Best of the Best Awards. This is the third year Virtuoso Life editors in collaboration with Virtuoso’s elite agency members have reviewed its collection of more than 800 world-class properties and recognized the hotels, hospitality professionals, and hotel chains that are setting new standards in luxury travel.
Park Hyatt Shanghai opened in September 2008 in one of the tallest buildings in the world, the 101-story Shanghai World Financial Center. Occupying floors 79 to 93, the 174-room hotel is a sophisticated modern Chinese residence designed by Toni Chi, who sought to create a calm haven in the middle of a frenetic city. The property showcases towering ceilings, sweeping views, minimalist decor, and calming influences. On the 85th floor is Water’s Edge, a relaxation zone featuring an overflowing 66-foot (20-meter) infinity pool, a Wellness Studio with two treatment rooms, a gym, and a tai-chi courtyard, where a master leads tai-chi sessions every morning. The hotel houses the world’s highest restaurant, 100 Century Avenue, which has 82 foot (25 meter) floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing for unparalleled views of the iconic sites of Shanghai, such as the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Jin Mao Tower, and the Bund.
September 4th, 2009
Talk about lip service! The Metropolitan London, a main stage each season during London Fashion Week for designers (including Matthew Williamson this fall) has now teamed up with Lulu Guinness. The popular British designer known for her iconic lip clutches will be adding an extra pinch of wit to the already glam “Afternoon De-Light” tea menu at the Met Bar (a members- and hotel guests-only establishment). The menu currently offers healthy treats – fresh fruit purees instead of unrefined sugars, olive oil instead of butter, and flour substitutes – and will be further enhanced by low-fat cookies and cupcakes in the shape of Lulu’s trademark lips, cameos, and roses, so it’s okay to indulge. And for those feeling a little feisty, the tea-time-inspired beverages also come in a “stronger” version.
The special menu is served starting Monday September 14 through Saturday September 26, from 3PM – 6PM, is £24($39) per person and includes a 20% off discount card to Guinness’s Ellis Street store. But when Fashion Week is over, these goodies will be, too, so book now.
www.metropolitan.london.como.bz
September 2nd, 2009
With Crystal’s four New England and Canada itineraries leaving from three port cities (Boston, New York, and Montréal) this fall, it’s easier than ever to sail away, especially for folks on the eastern seaboard! Don’t miss out on exciting shore excursions to choose from, 18 of which are new for 2009 including: kayaking down the Saint John River in New Brunswick; hiking the Dickson Falls Trail; and, for literary buffs, visiting Avonlea, the recreated village of Anne of Green Gables on Prince Edward Island. What more incentive do you need to enjoy the fall foliage in Crystal style?
October 1-8, “Quaint Canadian Classics,” 7-day sailing from Boston to Montréal
- Calls in: Bar Harbor, ME; Saint John, New Brunswick; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Québec City, and Montréal.
- Fares for this Value Collection sailing begin at $2,575 per person, double occupancy.
Don’t miss these Crystal Adventures:
- A Victorian walking tour of Bar Harbor and a visit to historic St. Saviour’s Episcopal Church to view its ten Tiffany stained-glass windows;
- *NEW* hiking the Dickson Falls Trail to the Bay of Fundy for a picnic;
- Exploring Montmorency Falls, Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré, and the Island of Orleans near Québec City.
October 8-19, “Autumn Adventure,” 11-day sailing from Montréal to New York
- Calls in: Montréal (overnight); Québec City; Halifax; Saint John, New Brunswick; Bar Harbor; Boston (overnight), and Newport, RI.
- Fares: begin at $4,050 per person, double occupancy, and include a $500 per person As You Wish shipboard spending credit.
Don’t miss these Crystal Adventures:
- *NEW* A cooking lesson at Ateliers et Severs in Old Montréal for instruction on how to make a mojablito cocktail (mojito with maple syrup), wild Québec salmon tartar with cranberries, and mini Canadian croque-monsieurs with smoked bison;
- A visit to the iconic fishing village of Peggy’s Cove, a must-see for photographers and history buffs;
- Sea kayaking off the coast of Nova Scotia.
October 19-30, “Fall Jubilee,” 11-day sailing from New York to Montréal
- Calls in: Newport, RI; Boston (overnight); Bar Harbor; Saint John, New Brunswick; Halifax; Québec City; Montréal (overnight).
- Fares for this Smithsonian Journey-themed sailing begin at $3,675 per person, double occupancy, and include a $500 per person As You Wish shipboard spending credit.
Don’t miss these Crystal Adventures:
- Take the famous Cliff Walk along Narragansett Avenue in Newport to the historic Vanderbilt mansion, The Breaker’s;
- *NEW* A Boston pub crawl to three of the most historic taverns in the city – The Bell in Hand, Green Dragon, and The Point, and a visit to the Cheers bar recreation;
- An extreme jet boat ride across the Saint John River and Reversing Falls Rapids.
October 30-November 10, “New England Celebration,” 11-day President’s Cruise sailing from Montréal to New York
- Calls in: Montréal (overnight); Québec City; Charlottetown, PEI; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Boston (overnight); Newport, RI; New York (overnight).
- Fares: begin at $3,460 per person, double occupancy, and includes a $500 per person As You Wish shipboard spending credit.
Don’t miss these Crystal Adventures:
- *NEW* A fashion-forward tour of Montréal designers and houses, Mariouche Gagne of Harricana par Mariouche, Envers by Yves-Jean Lacasse, and Boutique Marie Saint Pierre;
- *NEW* A visit to the village which inspired Anne of Green Gables on Prince Edward Island;
- *NEW* Sailing on the famous, seventy-five foot wooden Tall Ship Mar from Halifax.
For more information on Crystal Cruises, please visit www.crystalcruises.com or call 888-799-4625.