February 9th, 2010
While the rest of America is busy gearing up for Valentine’s Day, AMPR is holding off on candy hearts and celebrating the start of National Pancake Month! Flapjacks, silver dollars, griddle backs, or just plain pancakes. Whatever you call them, get in the spirit with a steaming, stacked plate at one of these happening locales. You’ll find everything from simple buttermilk pancakes with syrup, to an edgier order featuring poached pineapple and vanilla yogurt. Dig in!
Just in time for Pancake Month, TOPPER’S restaurant at The Wauwinet is now serving breakfast to all of Nantucket! Order up a plate of Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes and a side of Apple Smoked Bacon from their À la Carte Breakfast Menu. Or stop by the White Elephant’s Brant Point Grill for buttermilk pancakes with soft vanilla butter, Vermont maple syrup, and a sweet Nantucket-y classic – cranberries!
Be first in line for breakfast at Andaz Wall Street’s new restaurant Wall & Water. Go on and overdo it with pancakes smothered in whipped cream, berries, and maple syrup. (After all, you can start your diet tomorrow instead, right?)
There’s nothing quite like a long breakfast spent basking in the Caribbean sunshine. Find it at Parrot Cay in Turks & Caicos, where you can choose buttermilk pancakes topped with maple syrup and Vermont butter or with poached pineapple, blueberries, and vanilla-scented yogurt on the hotel’s Terrace. Overdose on pancakes the first day? Enjoy healthy alternatives from the COMO Shambhala menu, including homemade muesli and energy smoothies.
A hearty morning meal is the perfect fuel for a brisk day out on the ski slopes. Try Park Hyatt Beaver Creek’s fluffy buttermilk pancakes with maple syrup at their 8100 Mountainside Bar & Grill. Still hungry? No shame in seconds! Get your daily dose of protein with the organic three-egg omelet and roasted fingerling potatoes.
February 9th, 2010
Some say there are no guarantees in life. Fortunately, Nantucket Island Resorts and Crystal Cruises beg to differ!
Hot Rates, Cool Dates Guaranteed
Hot Dates, Cool Rates by Nantucket Island Resorts are back! For 2010, guests who book by April 1, 2010, get the lowest rate guaranteed at each property.
No April Fools here. If the rate goes lower at any time before a guest’s stay, Nantucket Island Resorts will honor the lower rate. In addition to the guaranteed rate, guests will also receive:
Rates start as low as $125 at Jared Coffin House, $175 at The Cottages & Lofts at the Boat Basin, $195 at White Elephant, $225 at The Wauwinet, and $500 at White Elephant Hotel Residences.
When making reservations online, book and then enter special request code GTDLOW, or call 800.ISLANDS (800. 475.2637) and mention special request code GTDLOW
Crystal Cruises’ Price Guarantee & Assurance
In addition to Crystal Cruises’ Price Guarantee, which protects guests who have already booked by giving them the best applicable fare if it drops, the Crystal Assurance Plan also includes reduced cancellation periods from 75 days to 45 days prior to sailing without penalty, and extended deposit requirements, from three to seven days before deposit is due.
Plus, to celebrate Crystal’s 20th Anniversary in 2010, guests will enjoy 2-For-1 Fares for all destinations, All Inclusive – As You Wish shipboard spending credits of up to $1,000 per guest, free round-trip air with most cruises, and business class air for Penthouse categories in Europe.
For information and reservations, contact a travel agent, call 888-799-4625, or visit crystalcruises.com.
February 9th, 2010
In search of some last-minute loving? Who needs pink champagne and chocolate truffles when you can whisk away to dreamy Anantara Veli Resort & Spa for some real romance in South Malé Atoll. The resort has garnered the #4 spot in this year’s “Most Romantic Hotels in Asia” Trip Advisor Travelers’ Choice Awards.
Reserve your secluded over-water bungalow to share with that special someone and spend the day sun bathing together on your private terrace. Take a more active stance with a private windsurfing lesson on the lagoon and a colorful market stroll through Malé.
Then head to the beach for a private Valentine’s Day degustation, Sand & Sea, sweetened by a palm-fringed view, white sand between your toes, and fresh Maldivian lobster. Or craft your own menu wish list with Dining by Design and enjoy noshing alongside the resort’s master chef!
February 5th, 2010
Middle photo courtesy of balionstages.blogspot.com
2010 resolutions already abandoned? Start fresh and toast to another New Year with COMO Hotels and Resorts Uma Ubud in Bali. Celebrate Nyepi Day, the Balinese New Year and annual Day of Silence, by booking the resort’s special two-night package, March 15-17.
Arrive in Bali on the Day of the Dead Moon for a three-hour guided tour of Ubud and a taste of the New Year festivities: dancing, parades, and entertainment characteristic of the night before Nyepi Day (much like our New Year’s Eve!). Guests will find themselves immersed in the rich spirituality of Balinese culture through a host of Nyepi rituals and colorful processions of Ogoh-Ogoh, intricately crafted paper mâché models symbolizing evil spirits.
Make sure to satisfy your thirst for exploring on the Day of the Dead Moon. Uma Ubud asks guests to respect the Balinese traditions and remain on the grounds of the resort during the following Day of Silence, when villagers remain indoors, stores close, and lighting is kept to a soft mellow glow. This custom is meant to trick demons and bad spirits (the Ogoh-Ogoh) into abandoning the island, thereby establishing a healthier and happier start to the New Year.
Bask in the calm of the island through self-reflection and meditation with complimentary yoga classes or a relaxing 60-minute COMO Shambhala treatment. Guests will also enjoy a quiet, traditional Balinese Rijstaffel dinner (numerous side dishes served with rice) at the resort’s Kemiri restaurant. Package rates start from $780 based on two people sharing.
Other inclusions:
- Two-nights of accommodation
- Daily breakfast
- One three-course set lunch and dinner
- Return airport transfers
February 3rd, 2010
Picture this: you’re kneeling in the fading twilight with camera in hand, eye-to-eye with an African ostrich. Sound wild? Make this your reality with Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara’s exclusive Stay and Click photography course, March 18 – 21. Set amidst the rugged beauty of the Royal Nature Reserve on Sir Bani Yas Island, this three-night, two-day landscape and wildlife photography class brings both novice and experienced photographers close to nature with cameras and critiques. Students have a chance to photograph the more than 20 different free-roaming species that grace Sir Bani Yas’ shores, including Arabian oryx, antelope, and gazelle.
Join famed photographer Ira Block, who has worked with National Geographic Magazine and National Geographic Books, as you hone your skills and explore the rich wildlife and landscape with your lens.
What’s more, in celebration of the hotel’s one-year anniversary, Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara is giving away one free spot in this exclusive course! Simply submit your favorite desert or wildlife image by uploading it here by Sunday, February 28. Ira and Anantara will announce the winning picture on the website on Sunday, March 7.
Not the winner? Not to worry, you can still reserve a space in the class! Individual rates start from AED 6,550++ ($2,052 inclusive of tax and tourism charge), double rates from AED 8,600++ ($2,716 inclusive of tax and tourism charge). Package includes the two-day photography course, three nights of accommodation, breakfast, lunch, and dinner in The Palm restaurant. Photographers participating in the two-day course must have a digital SLR camera, lenses, and all necessary cables along with a laptop computer and editing software.
February 1st, 2010
All those mocha lattes, you’ve got to do Pilates. Bikini season is still months away, but why not get a head start on your wellness regimen with a Pilates getaway in the Caribbean?
Check into Turks & Caicos’ Parrot Cay from March 11-15 for a series of strengthening sessions featuring COMO Shambhala’s Resident Pilates instructor Lynda Lippin. The Pilates Prop Retreat offers group exercises with a focus on breathing, resistance, and the power of Pilates with the use of props (rollers, balls, bands, and more!).
Book a three-or four-night package, arriving on Thursday and staying until Sunday or Monday. Packages include five hours of mat Pilates on both Friday and Saturday, full breakfast, lunch, and dinner (not including beverages), and round-trip airport transfers for commercially-scheduled flights only. Four-night bookings also include a private Pilates lesson or a COMO Shambhala massage.
Rates start at $3,236 per person (single occupancy) for a three-night package or $4,255 per person (single occupancy) for a four-night package; rates include tax and service charge. Click here to read more about the retreat on Facebook!
February 1st, 2010
Obscure cravings, recurring mood swings, and an ever-expanding waistline? When you’re expecting, the side effects can be less than glamorous. Thank goodness for these soothing babymoon packages, guaranteed to result in that oft-talked about motherly “glow.” So ladies, prop up those swollen ankles, sip on a decaffeinated beverage, and settle in for a few days (or even just an hour!) of much-deserved pampering. Oh baby!
Parrot Cay
Here’s your chance for a second honeymoon: Parrot Cay’s three-night Babymoon Package designed for couples to have some time together before the new arrival. Sink into an indulgent 75-minute prenatal massage, an hour-long private yoga session, and a COMO Shambhala Massage. Seeking some outdoor adventure? Book a snorkeling expedition, kayaking, diving, and fishing. Or snuggle up for some alone time with a castaway picnic or private tiki hut dining.
Prices start at $3,070 per couple. Package includes accommodation in a Garden View Room, breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, return airport transfers on scheduled commercial flights, group yoga and Pilates classes, and non-motorized water sports.
Metropolitan London
Mum’s the word! Stop in chic London Town and book the Metropolitan London’s A Met Mum-to-Be offering. Upon arrival to your room, mother-to-be will find a lightweight COMO Shambhala tote bag (perfect for hauling around all those diapers!) and a Purify Hydrating Mist for refreshment on the big day.
Test out the Urban Escape spa for a COMO Shambhala pre-natal massage incorporating a specially-designed ‘Body Cushion’ for support and relaxation during your treatment. Packages from £319 per night for a Deluxe City Room include mineral water in the room at turndown and a healthy breakfast for two.
Rosewood Mayakobá
Story-telling, diaper-changing, and bathtub-splashing are the most excitement you’ll be seeing in your weekends for awhile. So take advantage of the freedom you have left with a few nights away at Rosewood Mayakobá!
Book the four-night Babymoon Package for two and receive daily buffet breakfast, a prenatal yoga instruction session with consultation for two, choice of a snorkeling excursion or a visit to the photo studio at the resort, and a romantic candlelit beach dinner.
Rates start at $1,183 per night including tax and service for a minimum five-night stay through December 15, 2010.
Nantucket Island Resorts
Frankly, strollers on cobblestones sounds like a painful endeavor. Steal away to the quaint historical streets of Nantucket while your load is still light! Reserve a Nantucket Babymoon Package for two nights at either The Wauwinet or White Elephant and a one-hour soothing prenatal massage at one of these properties.
And hey, mom’s not the only one in need of some pampering! Mr. Mom can use a “Daddy Coupon” of $25 towards any treatment at either spa.
Other package inclusions are the White Elephant’s signature “Trunket” stuffed elephant, celebration cigars for the big day, and complimentary gourmet Continental breakfast at The Wauwinet.
The Peninsula Spa by ESPA
A working mom-to-be and can only get away for an hour or two? Reserve a Maternity Massage at The Peninsula Spa by ESPA, New York. This gentle massage uses nourishing ESPA oils and is designed for mothers-to-be after the first trimester, relieving tension in stress-prone areas such as the lower back and hips.
Indulge in 60 minutes for $195 or 90 Minutes for $295. The Peninsula Spa by ESPA in both New York and Chicago also offer a special Pre- and Post-Natal Treatment. Using signature calendula-infused oil, Pink Clay Mud, and various nourishing creams, mommy or mommy-to-be will enjoy improved skin tonicity and complete relaxation. Cost is $320 for 90 Minutes of utter bliss.
ESPA at Acqualina Resort & Spa
While your growing belly might not be ready for an itsy bitsy bikini beachside, you can still snag some Floridian sunshine in a cover up and chic celebrity-esque shades. Book a room at the Acqualina Resort & Spa through December 23 and take advantage of the resort’s Babymoon Package and ESPA spa. Offering includes an 80-minute Maternity Massage and an 80-minute Deep Tissue Massage to work out any pregnancy-induced knots.
Need some extra TLC during your stay? Reserve an additional 90-minute prenatal treatment at the on-site ESPA spa. The nourishing treatment incorporates natural calendula-infused oils, muds, creams, and advanced massage techniques to relax and nurture.
From now through April 4, the Babymoon Package starts at $675 for an Intracoastal Hotel Room and includes daily continental breakfast for two with a minimum stay of three nights.