| Today's Travel News |
|
|
| · August 5, 2003 · |
|
For More About
Where To Go Next |
· Luxuriate In A Holiday Season That Honors Tradition And Soothes Your Soul Orient-Express Properties Make The Most Of Their Special Destinations(August 5, 2003) - Opulent toy trains, worldly travelers bearing gifts, hands-on explorations of holiday traditions and more make the properties of Orient-Express truly magical and memorable places to spend the winter holidays. Charleston Place, Charleston, SC Its opulent, uniquely Southern lobby is transformed each holiday season by the arrival of the miniature Orient-Express train [photos available], whose cobalt blue visage winds its way through a tiny, wintry fairyland entrancing to young and old. Thanksgiving feasts, Teddy Bear Teas, and special affairs held on Sundays during December make our youngest guests feel oh-so-Continental during their holiday visit to elegant Charleston, SC. The week-long Gift of Charleston Package, includes: six nights of luxurious accommodations, a Christmas tree ensuite, themed turn-down service nightly, complimentary gift wrapping, $200 worth of gift certificates for use in the Shops at Charleston Place, two spa treatments of choice at the hotel's European Spa, one dinner at the Charleston Grill, a Christmas Day buffet in the Palmetto Cafe, a private carriage ride through the historic district, a Magnolia Plantation Christmas tour, and afternoon tea for two in the Lobby Lounge. The rate for the "Gift of Charleston" package is $2,839 (based on double occupancy, tours and meals are for two, does not include tax.) Individual room night rates from Thanksgiving to December 26th start at $169 based on availability. This year, the hotel will also introduce its Holy City Holiday services; ensuring guests have the opportunity to make the holidays even more special. Guests are invited to worship at the church of their choice during the season and can avail themselves of a special carriage ride to midnight Mass, a Hanukkah-season service at the nation's oldest reform temple, gospel services at an historic AME church or any number of other celebrations occurring on the peninsula. Or, book our Luxury Livery, six hours of limousine service for a choice of a guided tour of the historic city dressed in its holiday finery, or a special escort to accommodate one's last minute shopping needs. Prices available upon request. Located in the heart of one of the world's most romantic cities, Charleston Place offers unparalleled accommodations, five-star amenities, the Mobil Four-Star Charleston Grill, a full service European-style spa and world famous shops that have earned Condé Nast Traveler readers' vote as one of North America's best hotels for nine consecutive years. For reservations or information: 1-800-611-5545 or www.charelestonplacehotel.com. The Inn at Perry Cabin, St. Michaels, MD The bounty of the Chesapeake and the special charms of St. Michaels make this nautical haven a delight at the holidays. Special stay and dine packages have been created for Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. During Christmas week, guests will enjoy special turndown amenities that evoke our special home by the sea. Hand-hewn fishing lures, special confections and other surprises will cap our guests' lovely days at the Inn. Prices start at $355 (double occupancy, plus tax and gratuity) and include one nights accommodation, afternoon tea and a holiday meal. In addition, the Inn is launching a new party designed to appeal to its holiday season guests of all ages. The Sea Farers Soiree is a combination clambake and cocktail party, held on the grounds of the Inn. Featuring fresh local seafood, exquisite imports such as caviar and foie gras, and even staples such as gourmet mac-n-cheese to please a toddler's palate, the Sea Farers Soiree is more than a food and wine feast. Storytellers and historians will be on hand to evoke local lore. Gathered with our guests around a blazing bonfire, they will perform traditional sea shanties, tell tall tales of the high seas, and recount the romantic history of this region. The Sea Farers Soiree will be held on Saturday evenings from Thanksgiving weekend through the end of December. Cost per person is $150 for adults, children under 16 free. The elegant, circa 1816 Inn at Perry Cabin occupies 25 breathtaking acres overlooking a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay, and within strolling distance of historic St. Michaels. The 80 individually decorated guestrooms are filled with classic antiques, and visitors are seduced outdoors by the intricate gardens and serene landscape, all of which have contributed to the Inn's inclusion on numerous best of lists. For information or reservations: 800-722-2949 or www.perrycabin.com. Keswick Hall at Monticello, Charlottesville, VA A manor house as elegant and refined as this becomes a wonderful place to partake of holiday traditions. The season features special meals, afternoon tea offerings and celebrations from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day. Fires will roar in each of the nine drawing rooms, and our wait staff will be on high alert to make holiday dreams come true. Evenings will find an assortment of intimate events, including holiday stories read by the fire, tastings of some of the area's finest wines, impromptu snooker games, leisurely conversation and pampering spa treatments. Families staying with us on Christmas morning will delight in a visit by Father Christmas, whose sack will be filled with special treats for children aged 18 and under. Each guest of the Inn will also find a stocking filled with something special to keep. On New Year's Eve an elegant house party takes over Keswick Hall with food and beverage stations set throughout the country estate for the New Year's Eve World Tour. Gourmet savories and sweets will celebrate flavors from around the world while musical entertainment helps you celebrate the evening's festivities and the luxury of this resort. Christmas packages start at $375 per room (one night accommodation, one Christmas lunch or dinner for two and afternoon tea.) Available December 24th and 25th. New Year's Eve World Tour packages start at $675 per room (one night accommodation, and two tickets to the New Year's World Tour, as well as Afternoon Tea and New Year's Day Brunch for two.) Additional room nights start $195 per night plus tax and gratuity. A prime example of Italianate architecture, the 48-room Keswick Hall and Club are set amid formal and informal gardens on a lush, 600-acre estate in Virginia's rolling hills. Complete with an Arnold Palmer golf course, three pools, six tennis courts, a renowned restaurant and chef and a full complement of highly trained butlers, Keswick has been ranked by Condé Nast Traveler as one of The World's Best Places to Stay. For information: 1-800-274-5391 or www.keswick.com Maroma Resort and Spa, Riviera Maya, Mexico The warm intimacy that characterizes this exquisite beachside spa becomes especially inviting during the winter holidays, when the joyous traditions of the Mexican Riviera envelope guests in our region's own special love of life. This year, the private beach resort wishes to bring its guests into the feeling of family with a series of special, hands-on experiences that will make every holiday season to come resonate with memories from Maroma. Guests will be invited to learn how to create traditional Mexican Piñatas, which are integral to the Mexican Posadas celebration. On Christmas Eve, our chef Stephanie Rowe and her crew will bring the warmth of the holiday kitchen to all as they work with our willing guests to prepare traditional Mexican dishes and cocktails, which will be enjoyed by all in a communal meal filled with surprises. Guests awake Christmas morning to find the piñatas they created filled with a special gift from their friends at Maroma. During this special week, our guests will also experience special afternoon teas featuring seasonal treats, holiday choirs that will perform traditional Mexican holiday songs and more. Rates from December 20th to January 3rd start at $510 per night. This rustically luxurious, 65-room hideaway was built by hand in the tradition of Mexican haciendas and offers warm hospitality and unsurpassed privacy to its international clientele. With its white-powder Caribbean beach and the lush jungle that forms its back yard, the 500-acre resort's idyllic atmosphere has earned raves from The New York Times, Town & Country, and Vogue as well as World's Best Beach by the Travel Channel. For information or reservations: 1-866-454-9351 www.maromahotel.com. La Samanna, St. Martin, French West Indies -- Borrowing from our French tradition and our extraordinary island home, the staff of La Samanna makes every guest's Christmas holiday superb. The week between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day finds guests experiencing exuberant musical demonstrations. Families will be invited to partake in a special treasure hunt on the beach, featuring tropical beverages, pirate ghost stories and themed treasure hunts and games. During the Christmas season, La Samanna maintains a 12-night minimum stay. Guests staying for Christmas will awake and gather for Pére Noels (Santa Claus) arrival. Per La Samanna tradition, this Jolly Character arrives bearing gifts for the children via a different mode every year, ranging from parachuting to waterskiing. The resorts famed Elyseé Spa will also feature special treatments designed to help guests weather the winter that will greet their skin, hair and temperaments upon their return home. Room rates from $820 per night (plus tax and gratuity.) Overlooking a private, crescent-shaped bay and pristine white beach, La Samanna is St. Martin's most luxurious resort. Legendary for its extensive wine cellar, cuisine made perfect by flown-daily provisions from France and a luxurious spa, the resort evokes a French spirit with a Caribbean soul, earning it numerous accolades, including Bride magazine's nod as Most Romantic Destination. For information or reservations: 1-800-854-2252 or www.lasamanna.com. Windsor Court Hotel, New Orleans Revel in holidays, Big Easy style with a special Noël Package, which includes two nights of accommodations in a junior suite, a sumptuous Reveillon* dinner in the award winning Grill Room, where acclaimed chef Jonathan Wright will delight your palate and your soul with seasonal delicacies and holiday favorites. A special Christmas stocking of goodies delivered to each room from the hotel staff completes the effect. Prices from $558 per junior suite based on amenities and meals for two people. Additional nights are available for a holiday rate of $175 per night, with a complimentary upgrade to a full suite for stays of two nights or more (subject to availability.) The package is valid from December 14 through December 29, 2003. Price includes taxes and gratuities on package inclusions. (*Reveillon is the traditional meal enjoyed after midnight on Christmas eve, when fasting Catholics sat down for a feast.) Make even more of your holiday visit to the Big Easy with our Reveillon and On program. This menu of special offerings brings guests of the Windsor Court to the very center of New Orleans' seasonal celebrations. Guests are invited to enjoy a special guided tour of the city via luxury sedan, as they enjoy the benefits of a special VIP pass to the 100-plus holiday events that light up the city from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day. On Christmas Eve, guests may join the throngs aboard a Mississippi River boat and take in the seduction of the Christmas Eve bonfires that blaze up and down the mighty river. Prices and arrangements available through the concierge. In the heart of New Orlean's business district, the Windsor Court Hotel provides dignified respite and easy access to this historic city's most popular haunts. The hotel's $8 million collection of British art, opulent suite accommodations, memorable Grill Room restaurant and festive lounges have earned distinctions from Travel + Leisure, Conde' Nast Traveler and others. For information or reservations: 1-800-262-2662 or www.windsorcourthotel.com. Media Contact: Audra Poole (407) 599-9935 Public Relations for Orient-Express Hotels |
| Produced by Judi Janofsky, Rich Steck and the Golf Press Association |