Sun International Shines
December 12, 2009 by punchin
ZURICH’S BAUR AU LAC WINS TOP AWARD
December 6, 2009 by punchin
ZURICH’S BAUR AU LAC WINS TOP AWARD FROM
THE LEADING HOTELS OF THE WORLD
Zurich’s Baur au Lac was recently honored with the Commitment to Quality award in the Europe category by The Leading Hotels of the World during its 2009 annual convention, held in Venice. 
The Leading Hotels of the World is the largest international luxury hotel brand with what are considered the most stringent standards in the industry. The Commitment to Quality award recognizes a select group of hotels throughout the world with the highest levels of excellence in accommodation, facilities and services.
ZURICH’S BAUR AU LAC WINS TOP AWARD
December 6, 2009 by punchin
ZURICH’S BAUR AU LAC WINS TOP AWARD FROM
THE LEADING HOTELS OF THE WORLD
Zurich’s Baur au Lac was recently honored with the Commitment to Quality award in the Europe category by The Leading Hotels of the World during its 2009 annual convention, held in Venice. The Leading Hotels of the World is the largest international luxury hotel brand with what are considered the most stringent standards in the industry. The Commitment to Quality award recognizes a select group of hotels throughout the world with the highest levels of excellence in accommodation, facilities and services.
KINDLE ROMANCE IN KENYA WITH MICATO SAFARIS THIS VALENTINE’S DAY
November 29, 2009 by punchinGuests Can “Dream of Africa” with Kindle Wireless Reading Devices
Pre-loaded with Epic Tales of Love and Adventure in the African Bush~
Few love stories are as well-known — or well-loved — as Karen Blixen (aka Isak Dinesen)’s sweeping memoir, “Out of Africa”, the epic tale of her life and loves in the African bush. What better time to kindle (or re-kindle) romance, then, than 2010, which marks the 25th anniversary of the classic film version of “Out of Africa”, starring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford?
Micato Safaris’ Kindle Romance in Kenya itinerary offers a perfect balance of adventurous wildlife viewing, luxurious, private accommodations and romantic activities—all certain to inspire love. And, to set the stage, Micato will send all booked guests a Collector’s Edition DVD of “Out of Africa” and a Kindle wireless reading device pre-loaded with tales of love and adventure in East Africa, including Ernest Hemingway’s “Green Hills of Africa”, Anita Shreve’s instant classic “A Change in Altitude”, and Beryl Markham’s renowned novel, “West with the Night”. The Kindles will also be loaded with guides to East African flora, fauna and culture. Perfect airplane reading for the journey to Kenya!
The special touches continue once guests land and they experience Micato Safaris’ unparalleled personalized service and passion for excellence, ensuring the creation of warm memories that will last a lifetime.
The 9-day journey, departing Wednesday, February 10, 2010* includes:
Day 1 Depart the U.S.
Days 2-3 Giraffe Manor, Nairobi
TWO MICHELIN STARS FOR ANNE-SOPHIE PIC AT THE BEAU-RIVAGE PALACE
November 21, 2009 by punchin
Lausanne, Switzerland – November 20, 2009: Chef Anne-Sophie Pic has been awarded two Michelin stars for her restaurant Anne-Sophie Pic at the Beau-Rivage Palace in Lausanne, 
Switzerland, it has been announced by the Michelin Guide. This distinction brings Chef Pic’s total number of Michelin stars to five, including a coveted three-star rating for her restaurant Maison Pic in Valence, France.
Though open for less than a year at the Beau-Rivage Palace, Anne-Sophie Pic’s restaurant has already redefined dining in Lausanne and added an exciting dimension to Switzerland’s most legendary palace hotel.
Anne-Sophie is the third generation of her family to hold the coveted 3-star rating and is currently the only female chef in France with the distinction. Now she has taken her culinary recognition to an even higher level by adding Michelin stars in Switzerland.
Exploring Ancient China with Abercrombie & Kent
November 21, 2009 by punchinFollow the Fabled Silk Road
For more information on Exploring Ancient China and The Chinese Silk Road consult Abercrombie & Kent’s Orient, India & the Pacific 2010. Download or order a complimentary copy at www.abercrombiekent.com or call 800 554 7094 to speak with a destination specialist.
Just as the Golden Age of the Pharaohs exhibit sparked renewed interest in ancient Egypt, a new exhibit at New York’s American Museum of Natural History is expected to generate interest in the fabled Silk Road that linked China with the Islamic world. Ancient travellers trekked for months on foot or by camel, through inhospitable deserts and mountain passes, but Abercrombie & Kent takes modern-day adventurers behind the façade of modern China to experience the wonders along the Silk Road in luxury and comfort on Exploring Ancient China (fifteen days from $7,995). (Prices are per person, double occupancy.)
Designed by Gerald Hatherly, named a “Top Travel Specialist” by Conde Nast Traveler, Exploring Ancient China takes travellers from modern-day Beijing to the far reaches of the Gobi Desert and the capital cities of ancient dynasties, places that have changed little in the intervening years. “It’s a journey that captures the romance of the Silk Road by travelling far off-the-beaten path to reveal the cross-cultural influences in this historically- and culturally-important region,” explains Hatherly. “Places like these — which once required a difficult and arduous journey — can now be explored in relative comfort.”
While the ancient Silk Road was once unsurpassed in moving goods across entire continents, just as important was the exchange of cultures and ideas fostered by the camel caravans. Discuss these influences with scholars at the Dunhuang Institute, the leading research facility devoted to the study of the Mogao Caves, then join an expert guide for a tour of select caves (including some normally closed to the public) that heralded the rise of Buddhism in China. In the great walled city of Pingyao, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its narrow streets dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties, explore Buddhist and Daoist traditions at the ancestral Temple at Jinci. Travel to Zhengzhou to meet the warrior monks of Shaolin and meditate in the great Chan (Zen) Temple at the foot of Mount Song, the central pillar of the Daoist world. Later attend a private performance of Shaolin wushu (martial arts).
While Chinese Buddhist traditions are familiar to most people, the influences exerted by Islam and Judaism are not. First constructed by Persian merchants who travelled to Xian via the Silk Road, the Muslim Quarter is home to the Great Mosque, the oldest and largest in China. Unlike mosques in Middle Eastern countries, it is Chinese in its construction and architectural style, with a series of serene courtyards leading to the mosque entrance. Ancient Kaifeng is home to an unusual living legacy: a tiny Jewish community founded 1,000 years ago where you meet a local family and learn about their historic ties to the Silk Road.
CRUISECOMPETE ENRICHES OFFERINGS WITH UNIQUE CRUISES TO CLASSICAL CIVILIZATIONS
November 14, 2009 by punchinCruise travelers with affinities for history and antiquities, art, archaeology and adventure travel can now opt for unique cultural destination experiences through CruiseCompete.com’s addition of Voyages to Antiquity cruises.
CruiseCompete.com, where travel agents compete to offer consumers the best deals on cruises, caters to savvy vacation travelers and is pleased to announce this additional offering.
Voyages to Antiquity, the new cruise line introduced by Orient Lines’ founder Gerry Herrod, provides innovative destination experiences at incomparable value. The inaugural season begins May 2010 and features itineraries focused entirely on the Mediterranean, Adriatic and Aegean Seas, as well as North Africa and the Red Sea.
TAJ BOSTON OFFERS PRIX-FIXE THANKSGIVING DINNER IN THE CAFÉ
November 14, 2009 by punchin
Enjoy Three-Course Feast for $75
Get a Head-start On Holiday Shopping Along Fashionable Newbury Street;
Luxury Accommodations Begin at $75 Per Person Per Night for the Thanksgiving Weekend
With Thanksgiving Dinner for Two
Foodies are certain to give thanks this Thanksgiving: Taj Boston, the landmark hotel at Arlington and Newbury streets overlooking the Public Garden, is offering a three-course prix fixe chef’s menu in The Café on November 26 for $75 per person, and a special holiday guestroom rate of $75 per person per night, based on double occupancy and the purchase of Thanksgiving dinner for two.
Available from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m., the delectable Thanksgiving menu designed by Executive Chef Franck Steigerwald includes choices for appetizer, entrée and dessert:
- Appetizers include Smoked Salmon with lemon cream and basil salad; a Terrine of Foie Gras with citrus salad and apricot marmalade on mini brioche, or Pumpkin Soup with poached egg, parmesan and roasted pumpkin seeds
- Entrée choices include a Traditional Turkey Dinner with accompaniments; Grilled Beef Striploin with rutabaga mousseline and wild mushroom Madeira sauce, or Seared Halibut with fricassee of asparagus and golden beets with porcini sauce
- Desserts include Pumpkin Cheesecake with dark chocolate feuilletine, caramel loops and vanilla ice cream, or Apple Puff Tartlette with apple cider sauce, peppered walnuts and cinnamon ice cream
The Opposite House Receives Top Honors in Beijing
November 8, 2009 by punchin
Adding to the string of international and local Beijing publication awards won since its opening a year ago, The Opposite House was named one of the country’s best in Robb Report China’s Best of the Best 2009 issue. The hotel was also awarded the "Best Urban Hotel" and "Best Design Hotel" from The Bund, one of China’s most well received publications.
Restaurants Bei and Sureño also received the "Best Taste" creation award from Surface magazine.
"It’s great to get this recognition. It really is a tribute to our fantastic designers Kengo Kuma + Associates and Neri + Hu Design and Research Office and our passionate team of young people delivering the service everyday," says Anthony Ross, general manager of The Opposite House.
Two-Year Trial Memberships in the Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club
October 25, 2009 by punchin
An Affordable and Maintenance-Free Alternative to a Second Home
Experience the extraordinary as a member of the Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club with a limited-time offer of unprecedented access and flexibility. Each spacious residence – typically 4,000 square feet with four bedrooms and at least four bathrooms – is a comfortable home away from home for family and friends, and the perfect place for life’s most cherished memories.
“This two-year trial offer is designed for those considering a second home or who simply want an extended opportunity to experience club life before making a long-term commitment,” says Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club President Scott Wiseman. “Families can enjoy the privacy of a spacious home in their choice of popular resort destinations for much less than the cost of comparable hotel suites. Club membership is an affordable, maintenance-free alternative for those thinking about buying a second home.”
This limited time offer will enable qualified individuals to experience the benefits of Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club membership for up to two years with no up-front capital contribution required. Two-year trial members will pay normal Club dues with a 10% premium — a premium that will be credited to their capital contribution should they later join the Club as a permanent equity member. Trial members can choose from a 15-night, 30-night or 45-night annual plan, and they can immediately reserve and enjoy residences owned by the Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club, complete with A&K’s world-renowned service from start to finish.
