February 22nd, 2011
Curry connoisseurs and amateur cooks alike are invited to Park Hyatt Goa’s cooking classes every Thursday (at 3:30pm) at the hotel. The hotel’s chef will lead participants in cooking lessons for various appetizers including Pork Vindalho and Caldo Verde, entrees like Lamb Xacuti and Pomfret Recheiado, and classic Bebinca and Dodol desserts. Chefs-in-training will also get lessons on the hotel’s signature dish, Goan Prawn Curry.
Participants will also receive a customized apron and signature cookbook to continue the practice in their own kitchens. To wash it all down, the sommelier recommends pairing spicy Goan cuisine with a local Sauvignon Blanc or Cabernet Sauvignon from Sula Vineyards, in India’s largest grape growing region, Nashik, located 180 kilometers northeast of Mumbai.
Rajeev Suresh Samant, Founder and CEO of Sula Vineyards, established the vineyards in 1999. It was a pioneering effort and today the area is considered India’s wine capital with 35 wineries. Sula Vineyards is known as the leader and India’s premier wine producer. Mr. Samant was the first to introduce varietals such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Zinfandel and Riesling to India.
February 18th, 2011
Anantara never wants to see guests leave without having the chance to really soak up the sun and all of their unique property offerings, so they are throwing travelers a bone. An extra night, on them! The new Extra Night on Us promotion is available for all bookings now through April 15 (with a minimum stay at all properties).
Don’t leave Si Kao without a wellness consultation, Golden Triangle without playing with the elephants, or Kihavah without enjoying a glass of wine underwater. Happy travels and enjoy your (longer) stay!
February 16th, 2011
Etihad Airways and the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) are inviting visitors to experience all that Abu Dhabi has to offer with the Essential Abu Dhabi campaign. After flying Etihad’s new three class A330-300 aircraft featuring the new Diamond First Class, simply show your boarding pass at participating hotels, restaurants, shops, adventure parks, cultural attractions, and sports facilities – including one of our favorites, Ferrari World – for exclusive offers and deals.
After all the essential action in Abu Dhabi, unwind at Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara located just ninety minutes outside the city in the heart of the Liwa Desert. The landscape is home to some of the world’s tallest sand dunes, and was built from the vision of celebrating the traditions of the Emirate and celebrating the culture of the Bedouins. Enjoy a pampering treatment at the spa featuring a real hammam, a camel ride through the desert, or the 2,500 museum-quality Bedouin artefacts sourced from all over Arabia throughout the resort. It’s hard to know what’s more relaxing, the resort or Diamond First Class – let us know your findings!
February 4th, 2011
If the Super Bowl were Balinese instead of American, maybe we’d be watching sloths instead of puppies!
Parties for this Sunday abound, and every event planner (amateur or otherwise) knows that finding the venue is key. Forget the awesome band or to-die-for hors d’œuvres. If the location is lacking, everything else won’t seem quite as special. Don’t let that scare you, though! Anantara Seminyak Resort & Spa now has the best of venues for your Bali bash!
The one-of-a-kind rooftop Penthouse suite promises distinct glamour and cool with an open pool and contemporary indoor-outdoor spaces. Attendees can enjoy views of the beach, local temples and mountains while sipping signature cocktails and enjoying live music. For when the music dies down, the suite offers two bedrooms with beds suspended on marble and stuffed with down. It will be easy to sleep off the party’s effects! Catering for 30 and hosting up to 70 is available beginning at $2,000. Now that’s a touchdown.
February 4th, 2011
Nantucket Island Resort’s Hot Dates, Cool Rates are back! Guests who book Nantucket vacations by February 18 not only get their first choice of Hot Dates but also receive the lowest rate of the season with the Hot Dates, Cool Rates Guarantee.
Other benefits to booking early include a dinner credit ($25 on $100 spend, or $50 on $150 spend) and two $25 spa treatment credits.
The Hot Dates, Cool Rates for 2011:
- Jared Coffin House from $125 | Relax just steps away from Nantucket’s Main Street in this historic inn’s newly decorated guest rooms.
- The Cottages & Lofts at the Boat Basin from $175 | Enjoy the views of the harbor from the docks, where The Cottages are located on three wharves jutting out into Nantucket Harbor. *Named Best Resort Location in the U.S. on Condé Nast Traveler’s 2011 Gold List*
- White Elephant from $195 | Sip on delicious cocktails on the lawn overlooking the harbor (Lobster Bloody Mary, anyone?) *Voted #1 Resort in Massachusetts in Travel + Leisure’s 2011 World’s Best Awards*
- The Wauwinet from $225 | Play a game of tennis, take a boat ride on The Wauwinet Lady from late-June to mid-September, or engage in a cooking class with Chef Kyle Zachary in the kitchen of TOPPER’S restaurant. *Named 3rd Top U.S. Small Hotel in Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards*
- White Elephant Hotel Residences from $350 | Enjoy all of the complimentary extras that the Residences offers, including access to the hotel’s private swimming pool (in season) with daily fruit and ice cream service.
Nantucket Island Resorts also offers add-on packages at any of their hotels to make your Nantucket experience as unforgettable as possible – these include family, couple, babymoon, girlfriend, and golf packages, or more “Uniquely Nantucket” activities like scalloping, lobstering, and seal- or whale-watching. Or choose to visit during one of Nantucket’s annual festivals including Daffodil Festival weekend (April 30-May 1), Wine Festival weekend (May 18-22), and the Nantucket Film Festival (June 22-26).
To book online, visit the website of the Nantucket Island Resorts property of your choice and enter the booking code GTDLOW, or call 800.ISLANDS (800.475.2637) or 508.325.1000 and mention booking code GTDLOW.
February 4th, 2011
jwpjazz.com
Harlem is visiting the Himalayas tonight… or that’s what they are saying at the Rubin Museum of Art. Starting at 7 p.m., Aaron Diehl and the NJMH Allstars featuring trumpeter Dominick Farinacci will play at the Rubin for an intimate crowd. It’s the perfect opportunity to enjoy Big Band music in a contemporary setting. Tickets are $20 ($16.20 for members) and can be bought at the door. No excuse for no plans tonight!
February 2nd, 2011
If you’re still in need of Valentine’s Day plans, the package from Park Hyatt Washington, D.C. will certainly make you swoon. Couples will receive overnight accommodations in the Presidential Suite, a dedicated butler, welcome amenities including traditional champage, chocolate and strawberries, an in-suite massage with monogrammed robes, a five-course tasting menu with a live pianst, a rose petal drawn path, and breakfast in bed.
However, if you think that’s extravagant, the list continues. As icing on the lavish cake, couples can expect a $2,000 shopping spree at Tiffany’s, chauffeured transportation in Park Hyatt Washington’s BMW7-Series sedan, and a private moonlight tour of the city’s famed monuments. It will be hard not to feel the love with such a sweet package!
January 21st, 2011
It’s an amazing feeling to look a 500-pound gorilla in the eye and have him stare right back. Voyage Privé is giving members a chance to experience the rare wild silverback gorillas in Rwanda with a four-night Gorilla Expedition, one of today’s new exclusive offers available on the Voyage Privé website and new iPhone app. The expedition allows guests to follow in the footsteps of famed American zoologist Dian Fossey and includes daytrips led by expert guide Clare Richardson, the CEO of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.
The Gorilla Expedition includes two full days of gorilla tracking in Rwanda’s Virunga Mountains bordering Uganda and Congo and a visit to the Karisoke Research Center to learn of Dian Fossey’s role in helping this beautiful endangered species. Aside from gorillas, guests will also explore Rwanda by visiting the local markets of Kigali, climbing the Visoke/Muhavura volcanoes, and enjoying full room and board at the stunning Virunga Safari Lodge and five-star Kigali Serena Hotel.
The Gorilla Expedition (June 18-22, 2011) is available on Voyage Privé until midnight on January 28; rates are $4,599 per person, which includes a donation to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.
For full itinerary and inclusions, join Voyage Privé here or download the new Voyage Privé iPhone app.
January 14th, 2011
Bargain hunters and shop-a-holics alike should book a ticket for Dubai! The annual Dubai Shopping Festival dates have been announced (January 20-February 20) and the 32-day long shopping bonanza will feature 6,000 retail outlets and 50 shopping malls. Making it easy to shop until you actually drop.
All items will be tax free and the festival will also include discounts of up to 75% off jewelry, perfume, textiles, handicrafts, and electronics. The festival will also host an opening and closing ceremony with fireworks display, International concerts, Lexus Mega Raffle, Nissan Grand Raffle, Creations (Fashion Show), DSF Desert Camps, Night Shopping, and Heritage events.
To pick up a hint of color (to accent all those new clothes, duh.), stay at Park Hyatt Dubai. Located on the water front adjacent to Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, the hotel was voted the best hotel in the Middle East by Conde Nast Traveler!
January 13th, 2011
Who says thirteen has to be an unlucky combination? U.S. News and World Report recently released its top thirteen destinations for this year – and we felt only fitting to share today!
13. Stockholm, Sweden
12. Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
11. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
10. New York City, U.S.
9. Wellington, New Zealand
8. Valencia, Spain
7. Seoul, South Korea
6. Sri Lanka
5. Copenhagen, Denmark
4. Salta, Argentina
3. Northern Tunisia, Africa
2. Melbourne, Australia
1. Istanbul, Turkey
Park Hyatt is clearly ahead of the curve with hotels in #7 – Seoul, #2 – Melbourne, and #1 – Istanbul (and on the way in #10 – New York) – and for those interested in checking out #6 – Sri Lanka Banyan Tours & Travels offers several itineraries around the up and coming island.
If Stockholm has been recently added to your list thanks to a girl with a striking tattoo, consider taking a Crystal Cruise to the North Cape and relive the action from the pages on the Stieg Larson’s Stockholm Shore Excursion.
Participants will go on a walking tour of the island of Södermalm and a one-hour visit to iconic City Hall, and architectural masterpiece designed by Swedish architect Ragnar Östberg. Continue by bus past the fashionable Östermalm district, the Royale Dramatic Theater, the city center and the colorful Hötorget market, and the island of Kungsholmen. Lastly guests will stop at Fjällgatan to see the Royale Palace, Parliament building, and Royale Opera House.