tourism

Pamela Anderson Working On A Dubai Hotel

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Celebrity Shopping, Green

Ugh, isn't Dubai full up of celebrity hotels, resorts, and developments already? Apparently not, as the latest celebrity to join the fray of "I have a hotel in Dubai" is Pamela Anderson.

Her hotel will apparently be environmentally friendly, although how exactly we're not sure -- except that she was quoted as saying "It's built with no fossil fuel at all... in Abu Dhabi - where they have all that oil."

Pamela was first inspired for the project after traveling to the area this past June with the Make a Wish Foundation. No word on what her hotel will be called, or when it will open for business.

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Tags: dubai, eco friendly, eco-friendly, EcoFriendly, hotel, hotels, journeys, pamela anderson, PamelaAnderson, tourism, travel, traveling

Bejing Hotels Dropping Their Rates Ahead Of The Olympics

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

While workers put the finishing touches on buildings for the Olympics, Beijing hotels are dropping prices hoping to fill empty rooms for the celebration. Many hotels had raised rates hoping for a huge tourism leap before the Games, which start on August 8. The AFP reports that three- and four-star hotels are cutting prices by 20 percent or more. Five star hotels seem to be faring best, earlier this month the Beijing municipal tourism bureau said that they were 70 percent booked while four-star hotels bookings during the Olympics stood at 44 percent and rates for three-star hotels were even lower.

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Tags: beijing, china, olympics, tourism

The Ambitious Plan For Baghdad Development

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Will Baghdad be reborn as a tourist destination? That's the dream of some developers who plan to create an international village inside the U.S. embassy complex in the Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq. ABC News reports that the U.S. military is pushing a five-year, $5 billion development plan to turn Baghdad's Green Zone into an area with a shopping center, condos and a soccer stadium. Navy Capt. Thomas Karnowski says a deal already has been completed for Marriott to build a hotel in the Green Zone.

Obviously a lot needs to be done, Baghdad's infrastructure is in serious disrepair. There are also some significant questions as to land ownership as well as worries over who decides what businesses in are allowed to come in to the area. And as you might imagine, the issue of security is a huge concern. Certainly there is so much work to do that a five year trajectory doesn't seem like nearly enough time.

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Tags: baghdad, development, tourism

Branson's Latest Place to Play: The Lodge at Verbier

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

For many skiing is one of the saving graces of winter, one of the few things that make the snow and cold worthwhile. This time of year a trip to the Swiss Alps for great skiing, great food, and great comfort sounds like such a treat -- and it really will be if you're headed to Sir Richard Branson's latest resort getaway: The Lodge, Verbier.

The most expensive chalet in the Alps, it just opened last month. According to this review it's quite the haven of luxury and class, as well it should be considering costs will run you about £36,250/week.

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Tags: alps, branson, mountains, resort, sir richard branson, SirRichardBranson, ski, skiing, tourism, travel, traveling

What is the Future of Cruise Ships for 2008?

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Yachts & Sailing

What is the future of cruise travel in 2008? A recent AP article sums up some of the trends and predictions regarding the cruise industry for 2008. Cruising has steadily grown over the past few years and cruising has evolved. Now finding cruise ships with rock-climbing walls, bowling alleys and even mechanical waves for surfing is commonplace. Joining these activities will be a chance to play on a lawn while onboard. In December 2008, Celebrity Cruises will launch Celebrity Solstice which will have a half-acre lawn of real growing grass on the top deck.

More ships are also offering shore trips that range from simple sightseeing to more adventurous excursions such as bike tours. Entertainment and education have also improved on ships. Princess ships will host a film premiere the week of February 11, showing "Bonneville," starring Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates and Joan Allen before the movie is in theaters on February 29. Wine tastings and cooking classes are also common on cruises now as are far more sophisticated spa services than were available even just a couple of years ago.

According to the Cruise Lines International Association an estimated 12.6 million people cruised in 2007 and they predict 12.8 million passengers for 2008. The weakening economy is a concern and so there may be some deals to be had, especially for those who are willing to jump in at the last minute or cruise on one of the older ships in a cruise line. Of course that takes some of the fun out of it. Another more serious concern that really takes the fun out of it is the green factor. A recent post on our sister site Green Daily asks whether or not cruise ships are "floating eco-bombs?" Some companies are making moves to offset the toll on the environment but the green quotient of your desired cruise is yet another actor to consider when planning your dream vacation.

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Tags: cruises, cruising, tourism, vacatiion

China Gets A Swiss Village

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Tourists in China won't need to go to Switzerland to get the feel of a Swiss resort anymore. A new resort based on the Swiss alpine village of Interlaken is opening near Shenzen this month. The village includes a five-star hotel, golf courses, a park and a spa. The 299-room Interlaken OCT Hotel is home to four restaurants and the 1,000-seat 'Interlaken Theatre' which holds evening cultural shows. The village also has three streets of 'gingerbread' houses and there is a large indoor and outdoor spa with pools and springs.

Tags: china, interlaken, shenzen, switzerland, tourism

The Connecticut Wine Trail

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Wine

New York has a network of wine trails but it isn't the only eastern state to have wineries. Connecticut now has a a wine trail, actually two trails, an Eastern Trail along the Connecticut shoreline and a Western Trail along the Connecticut highlands. Wines grown in Connecticut include Chardonnays, Cabernet Francs, dry Rieslings and Seval Blanc as well as late harvest Vidal and Vignoles and sparkling wines and cider. All of the wineries on the trail have tasting rooms where reservations are not needed. A brochure on the wineries can be downloaded from the Connecticut Wine Trail website.

[via The Stamford Times]

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Tags: connecticut, tourism, travel, wine, wine trail, wineries

The Desert Islands Project In Abu Dhabi

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Abu Dhabi is catching up with Dubai in terms of ambitious projects. The latest is their own island project. The Desert Islands will be a tourism destination off the coast of Abu Dhabi's western coastline. It will be eight separate islands including the Sir Bani Yas eco-resort and an onshore gate. The islands will include a nature preserve, a cultural destination and a showcase for world-class environmental, conservation and ecological tourism. The Desert Islands comprise the former Royal nature reserve of Sir Bani Yas Island, Dalma Island and the Discovery Islands – six nearby offshore outcrops, all of which will be linked by a ferry and hydrofoil service, water taxis and sea planes.

The 'Marsa Jabel Dhanna' gate, which will include a 150-room beachfront hotel in Jabel Dhanna and will be the destination's arrivals, departure and logistics hub. Sir Bani Yas Island will be at the heart of the destination and the Arabian National Park, which will be home to free roaming animals, will take up more than three quarters of the entire island with resorts, eco-lodges and campsites, and at its center, the Falcon Lodge Peak, where visitors can take lessons in falconry. Dalma Island, will provide a heritage experience with archaeological finds and a place where traditional fishing, farming and aquaculture livelihoods continue. Two of the Discovery Islands will be protected areas reserved for existing breeding grounds for birds and turtles, two will be devoted to exclusive resort and the remaining two islands will provide a 'wild camp' experience delivering the experience of staying on a deserted island.

The first place will be completed in 2010 and the hope is that the resort will attract over a million tourists by the time the resort becomes fully operational in 2017. An exhibition devoted to the Desert Islands has opened at the Emirates Palace Hotel in the UAE capital city.

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Tags: abu dhabi, AbuDhabi, desert islands, development, resort, tourism, tourist

Hiking by Helicopter

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

What do the companies that offer helicopter skiing do in the summer when the snow has melted? How about helihiking. Canadian Mountain Holidays has six lodges in Canada that serves as luxury base camps. By day you can travel to places that would normally take you many days to backpack to and still be back at the lodge for a restful evening by the fireplace. The packages include helicopter flights each day, meals, services of the guides, accommodations and gear. Three-day packages start at $2,207 (Canadian dollars).

There are also helihiking trips in New Zealand that take you to glaciers and helihikes in the Andes Mountains.

[via Town and Country]

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Tags: adventure travel, canada, helihike, hiking, tourism, travel

Winespring South Africa Tours

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Wine

Combine wine with anything and it just gets better. Winespring offers two tours this November that include both wine tasting and a safari in South Africa. WineSpring -– together with Cape Town-based luxury tour company Southern Destinations – have created a tour that includes the presence of award-winning wildlife photographer Alex Bernasconi on the photo safari part of the journey for six days in the African wilderness. The journey also includes a wine component with vineyard tours and wine-tasting exclusives at prestigious wineries like Vilafonté, Raats and Lanzerac (shown above). Deluxe accommodations includes stays at Cape Grace, Sabi Sabi Lodge, Londolozi camps, and Singita Ebony Lodge. The total cost is $12,495 per person and includes accomodations, breakfasts, lunches and dinners but not airfare. The tours will be open to just eight people each time.

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Tags: photo safari, safari, south africa, SouthAfrica, tourism, travel, trip, vacation, wine

The Longitudinal Cruise

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Yachts & Sailing

I love this idea, the Norwegian Coastal Voyage has introduced a 67-day Longitudinal Wold Cruise that goes from pole to pole. Guests board the 318-passenger MS Fram, begin their adventure in Iceland on September 18, chase the fall foliage down the coast through October and head for the Equator and Spring just as colder temperatures take over.

Overall the 17-country, four-continent expedition takes in 44 ports of call and offers 102 optional shore excursions. Optional shore trips include a bicycle tour of Nova Scotia's rugged coastline; lunch with an astronaut at Kennedy Space Center; cave tubing in Belize; dolphin encounters; tour of a banana processing plant and a visit to Chilean ghost town. The ship also has an Internet café, a large glass-enclosed observation salon , restaurant with ocean views, wellness center with saunas, work-out room and two glass-screened heated outdoor whirlpools. Full cruise rates are $10,999 to $39,999 per person, double; with segments from 8 to 52 nights offered at prices of $2,499 to $25,599.

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Tags: cruising, longitudinal cruise, norwegian cruise, NorwegianCruise, tourism, travel, world cruise

Welsh Castle To Become Luxury Hotel

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Gwrych Castle, a crumbling beauty in Wales, will have an new life as a five-star country-house hotel. Clayton Hotels has purchased the building for £850,000 and plan to spend a total of £6 million restoring the building to its former glory.

Gwrych Castle was built in 1819 by Lloyd Hesketh Bamford-Hesketh, grandfather of Winifred, Countess of Dundonald. The Countess of DunDonald inherited Gwrych in 1894 and her will declared that Gwrych should be bequeathed to King George V and the Prince of Wales. This request was declined and it was given to St John of Jerusalem. In 1928 the Earl of Dundonald (Winifred's husband) bought back the Castle for £78,000 and sold the contents of the building to cover the cost. Later during WWII, the castle was requisitioned and used to house Jewish refugees. The castle was opened as a tourist location for many years but then had a variety of owners and different uses and eventually was closed in 1985.

The castle will be home to 90 luxury rooms, a spa, a fine dining restaurant and meeting facilities. The restoration should take two or three years to complete.

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Tags: clayton hotels, gwrych castle, GwrychCastle, hotels, tourism, travel, vacation, wales

Controversial 'Luxury Taxes' Passed in Sardinia

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

In what seems to be a strange turn of events in today's tourism-driven world, the island of Sardinia is making an attempt to preserve it's natural beauty (and make a little money) by limiting tourism. The President of Sardinia, Renato Soru, has been fighting for a long time to put "luxury taxes" into effect, and he's finally won. Aimed mostly at the super rich (after all, Sardinia has been nicknamed "the playground of the rich"), the steep set of taxes will affect mostly items like second homes, private yachts, aircraft, and hotel rooms. Opposition of the new taxes are afraid it will drive too much tourism and development out of Sardinia, not to mention possibly give the country a negative image.

As much as I hate taxes, I always have to support efforts to preserve natural beauty and prevent too much tourism -- even if they do make money doing it.

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Tags: luxury, luxury tax, luxury taxes, LuxuryTax, LuxuryTaxes, sardinia, tax, taxes, tourism

Dubai Plans Worlds Largest Shopping Zone

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Services

40 million square feet of shopping...okay, stop drooling. It's no joke, though. Dubai is in the development stages of planning the world's largest shopping zone, complete with several different malls and both underground and on-street shopping areas. It will also all be linked to Bawadi's 31 hotels for easy access and convenience for all the millions of shoppers they're hoping to attract.

No word on when exactly this massive project will be completed, but as motivated as they seem to be over there to attract tourists I'm sure they're not going to waste any time!

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Tags: bawadi, dubai, dubailand, economny, mall, shopping, tatweer, tourism, tourist, world's largest, World'sLargest

Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahrezeiten Set To Open

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

The town of Hamburg seems to be headed for a tourism revival. The Fairmont hotel chain has announced their new hotel in Hamburg, Germany, the Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten, will join the collection on April 30.The hotel is located on the western side of the Inner Alster Lake shore and is home to four restaurants, two bars, a spa and fitness facility and function space. The hotel was originally founded in 1897 by Friedrich Haerlin and once offered only 11 rooms but Haerlin gradually bought up one house after another until he had the whole block and the hotel now has 157 rooms and suites. The public areas of the hotel are furnished with a collection of 16th- and 17th-century Flemish Gobelin tapestries, baroque cupboards and Renaissance chests. The hotel is offering a Welcome to Hamburg package where guests receive a complimentary third night when staying two consecutive nights starting at 570 euros until the end of the year.

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Tags: fairmont, hamburg, hotel, tourism, travel

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