winter travel

Secrets Sanctuary Cap Cana Opens New Luxury Spa

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas

Secrets Sanctuary Cap Cana has announced the opening of the new Secrets Spa by Pevonia at the luxury resort in the Dominican Republic. The 20,000-square-feet facility offers a complete spa experience with nine treatments rooms, a thermal hydrotherapy circuit, fitness center, yoga and pilates studio, full-service salon, beauty boutique, juice bar, outdoor relaxation garden and locker rooms.

The design of the spa sets a restful tone with the use of rich materials like natural stone and wood and hand-made blown glass chandeliers. Treatment highlights include the Myoxy-Caviar High Performance Facial with pure caviar pearl and a blend of phyto extracts; the Tropical Oasis Body Wrap which uses mango and passion fruit extracts for smoother, firmed and vividly brighter skin; and Sabai Mineral Therapy that blends micronized minerals of malachite and zincite with the guest's choice of neroli, lavender and rosemary essential oils to stimulate blood and lymphatic circulation.

The nine treatment rooms, inclusive of 13 massage tables and two treatment tubs, are divided between the main spa building (three) and exterior private spa suites (six). The spa's thermal hydrotherapy circuit consists of a sauna and steam bath, cold rain showers, whirlpool bath, cold plunge bath, swimming pool with cascading waterfalls and a tubular air lounger.

Secrets Sanctuary Cap Cana offers guests 14 different suite categories, an array of dining options, 24-hour room and concierge services, pool and beach wait service, activities and live evening entertainment. The resort has a variety of special offers including girlfriend getaways and golf packages.

Tags: cap cana, pevonia, secrets cap capa, winter travel

Zurich's Remarkable Widder Hotel

by Bobbie Leigh (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Art

The Widder Hotel, located in Zurich's historic old city, is a treasure. This is how most people would like to live, surrounded by art in bright sunny rooms with magical views furnished with every conceivable comfort. One example: Instead of wheeling a clumsy breakfast cart into your room, push a button at the coffee table and it rises automatically to convenient dining height. The waiter sets the tray on the table which by the way might have a basket of baked breads and pastries still warm from the oven.

Tags: Designer Hotel, switzerland travel, winter travel, Zurich, Zurich Old Town

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Stowe Mountain Lodge's Winter Packages

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Vermont's Stowe Mountain Lodge has announced packages and specials as part of their third busy winter season. The Four Diamond package offers discounted luxury accommodations for two, dinner for two in Solstice, the AAA Four-Diamond restaurant, a pair of one-day ski lift passes and a bottle of champagne upon arrival.

If your plans take you to Vermont for Thanksgiving you can celebrate it at the Stowe Mountain Lodge where executive Chef Tiffany Sawyer will prepare a classical New England Thanksgiving menu with a maple sugar butter glazed turkey carving station with port and orange scented cranberry sauce, butternut squash bisque, shellfish chowder, bourbon blue cheese sweet potato mash and homemade pumpkin pie. There is already snow on the mountain and it is hoped that lifts will be operational by November 20 so you can work off your feast on the slopes.
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Stowe Mountain Lodge is the only ski-in/ski-out resort in Stowe and the lodge has a complimentary ski valet to keep snow gear dry, warm and organized. For families, the Stowecation package includes movie rental, a make-your-own snowman kit, tokens for the lodge game room and a kid-friendly welcome basket with s'mores, popcorn and hot chocolate.

Tags: hotel deals, stowe mountain lodge, Stowe Vermont, vermont, winter travel

Montage Deer Valley To Open Next Month

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels

The third resort in the ultra luxurious Montage group (following hotels in Laguna Beach and Beverly Hills) is the Montage Deer Valley in Park City, Utah. This resort customer will want different things than the guests staying at the California resorts and so Montage has created more casual, apres-ski friendly attractions including a gourmet gastro pub with games for the whole family, from billiards and bowling to video games and a Wii Lounge.

Daly's Pub is one of four dining venues at the lodge-style Mountain Craftsman resort. It offers four regulation bowling lanes, billiards tables, an English darts room, a Wii Lounge and nostalgic arcade games. The Wii lounge has four fully-loaded game consoles that enable people of all ages to play a variety of motion-controlled games, with high definition action displayed on 55-inch flat screens or go back to your youth with video game consoles featuring Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Galaga, and Frogger.

Other dining options include Apex, Montage's signature restaurant focusing on farm to table ingredients; Vista Lounge & Terrace, Montage's lobby great room and terrace serving classic bistro fare, cocktails and fine wines by the glass and Buzz Coffee & Tea, Montage's café offering specialty coffee drinks, organic teas and gourmet sandwiches.

Montage Deer Valley has 154 deluxe guestrooms and more than 66 suites and private residences ranging from one to four bedrooms, all with fireplaces and expansive views of the Wasatch Front.

Tags: montage, montage deer valley, Montage Hotel Resorts, park city, winter travel

Keys to Staying Warm in Winter Weather

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Whether you're traveling in it or just trying to live your daily life in it, cold winter weather can be miserable and even downright dangerous if you don't dress appropriately. Staying warm is more complicated than simply throwing on a coat and scarf, here are some tips for keeping toasty from your head to your toes.

Layer layer layer!
Not only does layering help prevent drafts and help wick moisture away from the body, but you can remove them one at a time if you start feeling too warm. It's much easier to remove layers than it is to add them. See some good info here about the difference between the wicking layer, warmth layer, and wind layer.

Wear a hat and cover your ears
While not to the degree that some myths claim, body heat is lost through the head so wearing a hat is important. Ears shouldn't be ignored either, cover them as they're especially susceptible to frost bite.

Go waterproof, and bring backups
Waterproof socks, gloves, and even wind or ski pants can make a huge difference in comfort level. Have extra pairs on hand so you can change in case something does get wet.

Get boots that fit
Boots need to be snug enough not to flop around and trip you up but not at all too tight. Make sure when you're buying boots that you wear several pairs of thick socks so you can ensure there's enough room. Tight boots equal cold feet, and cold feet equal no fun.

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Tags: journeys, travel, weather, winter, winter travel, winter weather, winter-travel-pedia, WinterTravel, wintertravel-pedia, WinterWeather

Winter Travel Emergency Kit: Do You Have One?

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Winter can be a great time to take a trip but traveling through the cold, ice, and snow can pose a real safety risk. Being prepared for the worst is key to preventing the worst, and that means having an emergency kit.

If you're driving the entire way just pack an emergency kit ahead of time and throw it in the trunk. If you're flying and then renting a car pack an emergency kit in something like a small gym bag and pack it into the bottom of one of your checked luggage pieces.

Winter Car Emergency Kit

3lb coffee can, candles, and matches (to keep warm and for melting snow for drinking water)
Whistle and a red bandana/brightly colored garbage bag to call for help/let rescuers know where you are
Some granola or candy bars
A flashlight with spare batteries
A first aid kit (including any essential medications)
A blanket (special foil-type survival blankets fold up to a very small size)
Basic tool kit
Jumper Cables
Ice scraper (most rental cars don't come with them)

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Tags: emergency kit, EmergencyKit, journeys, safety, travel, winter, winter travel, winter-travel-pedia, WinterTravel

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SkiResorts Website Offers Winter Travel Advice And Planning

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Sports

Ski season has begun and winter sports enthusiasts are dreaming of soft powder and bracing trips down the slopes. A new website, SkiResorts.com has launched and promises to be the new resource for planning every detail of your trip. The site has the inside scoop on 50 mountains in North America.

On the site you can map out your entire ski itinerary online, choosing a destination, a place to stay, lift tickets, après ski massages and dinner reservations. The site also includes editorial from experts on subjects like winter style must-haves, tips for getting in shape, top ski schools and more. The site's travel booking capabilities are available through both an online engine as well as live agents and the Deal of the Day feature connects you with discounts on gear and accessories. One stop shopping for winter adventure makes planning your much-needed vacation just a little easier.

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Tags: ski travel, ski trips, skiing, skiresorts, SkiTravel, SkiTrips, winter, winter travel, WinterTravel

Zai Skis Filled with the Spirit and the Granite of the Swiss Mountains

by Deb West (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Sports

When I first opened the Zai web site I was greeted by a poem written by Leo Tour "In the beginning was the mountain". I was sure that I was going to learn about a new bottled water from the purist of mountain springs or possibly even a zen retreat. I was in fact entering a kind of temple, a secular one, where the worshipers follow not a god, but snow and a the sport of skiing.

The word Zai means "tough" in the little know dialect of Sursilvan which is spoken in the mountains of Switzerland and specifically in the town of Disentis where the Zai skis are crafted. As seems fitting, the town lies below an ancient Benedictine monastery. The personal dream of Simon Jacomet, who insists that his skis be made by people who have skiing and the mountains in their heart and soul, the company produces some of the finest and most technologically innovative ski equipment on the slopes. The skis are produced in a small and tightly controlled production plant using state of the art machinery and assembled by hand.

All of the Spada skis are limited editions, only 111 pairs of each model are made. The newest innovation just out for this winter season is a special ski that uses a carbon-stone-technology with a rubber exterior. Zai was the first manufacturer in the world to use a stone core in their skis and is still trendsetting in their product development being the first to use a natural rubber surfacing. It is not just rhetoric that the skis are "of the mountain" as each pair has Grisons granite in the core of the ski. As with all carefully thought out designs the skis themselves are beautiful too, they will definitely not get lost in the pile on the ski racks outside the lodge at lunch.

Available in the United States exclusively at the high end winter sports retailer Gorsuch whose stores in all the nicest ski areas of Colorado, such as Beaver Creek, Vail and Aspen, sell the Zai Spada skis for $5,900.00 a pair.

Tags: Aspen, Gorsuch, skiing, skis, switzerland, winter travel, WinterTravel, wintertravel-pedia, Zai

Calabash Cove To Open In December

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

This winter the latest place to play in St. Lucia is Calabash Cove, a new boutique hotel resort set to open in December 2008. The resort offers three types of suites as well as nine teak and mahogany Water's Edge cottages, shown above, which have plunge pools, outdoor rain showers and hammocks as well as TV/DVD/hi-fi systems, refrigerators and coffee/tea makers, large patios and Jacuzzis. The suit offerings include the "Swim Up" suites which have private Jacuzzis and ar located just steps from Sweetwaters--the resort's designer pool with a 40-foot infinity edge, mahogany loungers and tropical refreshments provided by pool butlers. The swim-up suites afford private access directly from the patio of your room. Calabash Cove will also have a spa, fitness studio and full-service beauty salon as well as the Windsong Restaurant and C Bar. Rates at Calabash Cove range from $295-$895 per night and include the resort's island breakfast buffet. The entire resort can also be rented out for destination weddings for up to 52 guests for $50,000 per day.

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Tags: calabash cove, caribbean, resort, st lucia, StLucia, travel, winter travel, WinterTravel