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Hot off the press…
AUGUST 2010
Here is our monthly news in tweetable form.
New and Notable
- Up up and away for #BalloonFestival! #HotelParqCentral opens on 9/23/10. Rates starting at $179/night including breakfast and other treats.
Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas
- #AnantaraBophut in Koh Samui, #Thailand will be getting an upgrade! And we have the pics (http://bit.ly/cSwDte) to prove it!
- gwyneth loves como
Turns out Gwyneth Paltrow loves Parrot Cay of COMO Hotels and Resorts and COMO Shambhala! It’s all in the June issue of Spain’s TELVA fashion magazine. Gwyneth says “I get lost in the private Island of Parrot Cay, in the Bahamas, and I spoil myself with a massage in the Shambhala Spa. I come out renewed!”
- with and without the kids
Before school starts, take the kiddies on one last hurrah this summer with a fun family trip. Or, wait ‘til they’re back in school and sneak off for a grown-ups only, post-summer getaway.
- cool pool
Today it’s hot, hot, hot in New York, and all we can think about is diving into a pool. While we’ll have to settle for the A/C, luckily TripAdvisor’s put together their top picks for the most amazing hotel pools in the world for us to dream about. Among the top ten is COMO Shambhala Estate in Bali. What we wouldn’t give for a dip there right now!
- bangkok bouncing back
With the official declaration that order has been restored to Bangkok, and the US State Department cancelling travel warnings, the country and its people are welcoming travelers more than ever. As part of this effort, COMO’s Metropolitan Bangkok’s “Bangkok – Bouncing Back” offer will be enticing adventurers back to the city. From now through September, rates start at just $80 per night (2,600 Baht) for a City Room. (Rack rates normally start at $260, so this is a whopping 69% off and a savings of $180.) Usually prices this low mean reservations must be made at least a week in advance; these rates are available up until the day of arrival. While there, get pampered at the COMO Shambhala Urban Escape or, from mid-July, eat in the new nahm restaurant, which will be in its soft opening.
The Met Bar (left) and a Metropolitan Room.
Terms:
Rooms must be purchased in advance. Rates are exclusive of tax, service charges, and breakfast.
Cancellation less than 72 hours and no-show will incur one-night room charge.
The offer is bookable directly with the hotel, on the website, and on GDS.
www.metropolitan.bangkok.como.bz
Tel +66 (0)2 625 3322
- last minute memorial day getaways
Think you missed the boat on getting out of town for the long weekend? Think again. We’ve rounded up some great escapes that are still available, whether you’re craving beach or mountains, culture, or calm.
Where better to spend Memorial Day than in Lower Manhattan, the most historic part of the city? Stay at Andaz Wall Street, brand new in January, and take in some American culture, Manhattan-style. Federal Hall, where George Washington took the oath of office, is just down the street. Visit the cobblestoned streets of the South Street Seaport and its new Water Taxi Beach, pay homage at the grave of Alexander Hamilton at Trinity Church, or to capitalism at the New York Stock Exchange. And you’re at the ideal point of departure for sightseeing tours of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
Andaz, meaning ‘personal style’ in Hindi, is not your average hotel. Here guests can imprint their own styles on their experiences, starting with check-in. This takes place in the Andaz Lounge where service is simplified, without the middlemen of doorman, bellhop, and concierge at the desk – just one “host” for each incoming guest. Full of clever features like a rotating closet that can open either into the bathroom or the bed chamber, and which innovatively incorporates a hanging area, full-length mirror and minibar and a vanity mirror on the back of the 42-inch flat screen television, Andaz Wall Street is ahead of its time, and has not forgotten the classics like a complimentary shoe shine, suit press, and the day’s paper (The Wall Street Journal, of course).
Rooms start at $275/night, click here for more details.
Think it’s impossible to get a good rate over Memorial Day weekend? Not at Inn on the Alameda, where rates start at just $215 a night and include the lavish “Breakfast of Enchantment” served each morning and wine and cheese reception each afternoon. Located in the heart of Santa Fe, it’s ideal for a weekend of relaxation, great Southwestern cuisine, and history. With classic Pueblo-style architecture and attentive personal service, the old-world ambiance of Santa Fe flows throughout the comfortable 71 rooms and communal areas. Mexican tile, handmade furniture, hand-woven rugs, local artifacts, and traditional Kiva fireplaces contribute to the hotel’s warm and inviting atmosphere. Amenities include complimentary parking for guests, two outdoor hot tubs, fitness facility, guest laundry, complimentary Wi-Fi in guest rooms and public areas, coffee service, and toll-free and local calls at no charge.
Over Memorial Day, experience the arts and culture by gallery hopping and shopping at the Jemez Red Rock Arts and Crafts Show, or catch a showing of Hitchcock’s Vertigo at The Lensic, Santa Fe’s Performing Arts Center on Saturday, May 29th.
For reservations and information, contact the Inn on the Alameda at 1-888-984-2122 or 505-984-2121 or at www.innonthealameda.com.
Park Hyatt Beaver Creek, Colorado
The Blues, Brews and BBQ Festival, taking place over Memorial Day weekend in Beaver Creek, Colorado, is the unofficial start to summer in the Rockies. Celebrate the long weekend with an escape to Park Hyatt Beaver Creek, which hosts the largest tasting of Colorado microbrews in the state on Saturday, May 29. Featuring more than 80 special concoctions from 35 breweries, the Colorado Microbrew Tasting has become one of the highlights of festival.
The hotel’s restaurant, 8100 Mountainside Bar & Grill, has joined in on the festivities by offering a special “Featured Brewers Menu” that will pair beer creations from the microbreweries with special dishes.
Package includes:
- Accommodations at the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek, located in the heart of the festivities
- 2 entry tickets into the Blues, Brews and Barbecue Microbrew Tasting
- 2 commemorative tasting mugs
- 30% off services at Allegria Spa
Rates start at $219 per night. To book this package, click here or call 866-471-7658. For tickets to the Colorado Microbrews Tasting at Park Hyatt Beaver Creek, call 970-827-6505. Tickets are $35 in advance or $40 at the door.
Enjoy the Caribbean this Memorial Day without the crowds –or prices – of the high season. Instead of enduring the goose bumps that come after throwing on summer clothes and hoping for warm weather, celebrate on Parrot Cay and kick the summer off early. Check out the amazing deals, all available through September 8, 2010, and if you bring them, kids eat free.
- Four for three deal, starting at $2088
- Seven for five deal, starting at $3480
- 25% discount on packages – applies to all packages, which include the Sun and Seclusion, Parrot Cay Honeymoon, Dr. Perricone COMO Shambhala Experience, Wellness programs, and the brand new Babymoon and Romantic Runaway packages.
- trade the traffic for the tropics
Dreading the thought of spending three tedious hours on the Long Island Expressway in the summer months? Swap the traffic for an easy flight down to Parrot Cay in Turks & Caicos. As if the lure of this tropical paradise weren’t enough, stay any three nights from June 1st-July 31st and get the fourth night gratis! Breakfast is included, as well as non-motorized water sports, use of the gym, tennis courts, and yoga classes. Kids eat free and have a range of activities that includes crafting shark-tooth necklaces and kite competitions to keep them busy while you indulge yourself using your two $50 treatment vouchers to the COMO Shambhala Retreat spa.
Deal Includes:
- Four nights for the price of three
- Complimentary daily breakfast
- Kids under 12 eat free
- Two $50 vouchers for COMO Shambhala Retreat spa
Rooms start from $696/night per room. Blackout dates apply.
- happy new year!
The Thai New Year, or “Songkran Festival,” is upon us. Northern Thailand is considered to be one of the best places to watch the festival. From April 12th-18th, there will be lots of activities, including a three-county boat race, a “Miss Songkran” beauty pageant, and, the most anticipated, water washing! (It’s a tradition at Songkran that everyone gets soaked to wash away any negativity and bad luck from the past year.)
To bring good luck for a prosperous New Year, Anantara Golden Triangle is hosting a series of Northern Thai Khantoke dinners throughout the festival. At $100 per person, these traditional lanna (Northern Thai) dinners showcase the customs of the region in a breathtaking alfresco setting perched above the rolling hills of Thailand, Burma, and Laos.
If you want to ring in the New Year in Bangkok, The Metropolitan Bangkok is offering a Songkran Package. Stay three nights for the price of two in an oversized room and enjoy a special Songkran meal for two at Glow restaurant. Refresh after celebrating with a 20% discount on spa treatments and a 10% discount on retail products at COMO Shambhala Urban Escape.
Can’t make it to Thailand on such short notice? Head down to Kittichai in SoHo for a five-course feast in honor of Songkran. Learn the rituals of the holiday from executive chef Lulzim Rexhepi before your meal of traditional dishes from various regions of Thailand, like massaman curry and cod cooked in broth. It is $75 for five courses, including a welcome cocktail and wine pairings, and a portion of all the proceeds will be donated to Action Against Hunger. To reserve call 212 219 2000 and mention “Zagat Presents.”
- newlyweds rejoice!
The high season for weddings has begun! Below find a round-up of honeymoon packages to suit all kinds of couples, from the couple who wants to just do nothing together to the couple that wants to do everything together.
For the laidback couple: beach time
Riviera Maya, Mexico
Rosewood Mayakoba knows that running around town to pick up save the dates, sample wedding cakes and find the perfect dress is hard work, even with the help of a great wedding planner or maid of honor so the five-night “Honeymoon Mayan Romance” package begins with top-shelf tequila upon arrival, and is all about chilling out. Take a Tantric Yoga class and enjoy a Moonlight Massage for two on your suite terrace. Glory in your private plunge pool and butler and end the day in an Aroma Bath with champagne and chocolate. You’ll also get a Couple’s Massage instruction session with 30 minutes of “alone time.” Let stress slip away at this gorgeous resort, nestled between the Yucatán jungle and Caribbean Sea that marries high design with serious luxury. Rates start at $1152 per night.
Visit www.rosewoodmayakoba.com or 888-ROSEWOOD for more details.
Maldives
At Naladhu, the Island Romance package begins before you even reach the property. A speedboat will meet you as you leave the airport to take you directly to this Maldivian island resort. A House Master will lead you to your private house, where Champagne cocktails and fruit are waiting. Spend the day by the pool or snorkeling in the reef then relax with a complimentary coconut milk bath for two. As if that wasn’t enough, chocolate cake to share is included! Nightly rates for the Island Romance package begin at $1,475 per night with a four-night minimum (rate excludes service charge and Maldivian government bed tax).
For the stress-crazed couple: inner peace
Bali
Begin your journey together in Bali’s spiritual heartland, at the COMO Shambhala Estate, with a Wellness Program tailored to your needs. Give your marriage the brightest possible beginning by learning how to stress-battling techniques based on the philosophies of Yoga, Chi Kung and Tai Chi. Then let the experts in holistic healthcare go to work using massage, acupuncture, Ayurvedic therapy and hydrotherapy (using water from the Estate’s sacred, mineral-rich spring). Rates begin at $2,100 for a three night Stress Management program in a Garden Room. Visit http://www.cse.como.bz/rates-2010 for more details.
Turks & Caicos
Stay at Parrot Cay and simply ‘be’ as a couple in one of the few pristine places in the Caribbean: a 1,000-acre private island where the spacious, teak-filled bedrooms spill out onto a mile of powder soft beach. Recover from the pre-wedding jitters with complimentary extras like Pilates and yoga classes and use of windsurf boards and catamarans. A seven-night Parrot Cay Honeymoon also includes 60-minute couples massage, a candlelit dinner in the COMO Shambhala Cottage and a bottle of champagne on arrival. (BONUS: The COMO Shambhala Stress Management program is available here as well!) Rates start at $6,012 per couple.
For the classic couple: New England whimsy
Nantucket, Massachusetts
The Wauwinet, a natural, stunning waterfront setting in Nantucket, is perfect for the couple that doesn’t want to go stray too far from home. Newlyweds can stay at one of the Wauwinet’s charming garden cottages, just slightly removed from the main buildings. Arrive at the hotel via the Wauwinet Lady, the hotel’s private charter, then indulge in couples treatments at The Spa by the Sea. With Nantucket Island Resort’s Hot Dates, Cool Rates promotion, rates at the Wauwinet start at $225 for 2010.
For the foodie couple: Southwest seasoning
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Stay at the Inn on the Alameda and explore our oldest capital city’s culinary and cultural delights for your honeymoon. With the Taste the City Different package, couples can take a three-hour walking tour around beautiful and historic Santa Fe with a chef guide to introduce you to the city’s most unique dining destinations. The next day, see who’s got better mincing skills with a cooking class and lunch to follow. When you’ve had your fill, the hotel’s Kiva fireplaces, triple-sheeted beds, and afternoon wine and cheese will be waiting. Don’t forget to bring home those authentic Southwestern recipes ‘por dos.’ Rates begin at $675 for a three-night package.
For the adventurous couple: exotic escapades
Bhutan
Honeymoon in the largely unspoiled kingdom of Bhutan, and participate in adventurous activities that include rafting, archery, camping and fly-fishing at Uma Paro. Then hit the road with biking and trekking courses that visit local monasteries and villages for a slice of culture. And don’t forget, the Bhutanese measure their wealth in Gross National Happiness, so the joy of recently married duos will certainly spike that statistic! Stay in a Como Suite and you’ll have a stunning 180 degree view of the Paro Valley. Rates start at $595 per night.
Chiang Saen, Thailand
High in the rolling hills of Thailand’s north, Anantara Golden Triangle Resort & Spa is the perfect locale for the adventurous honeymooners to hang their hats before setting off for an unforgettable adventure. Never a dull moment at the resort, couples can learn to ride, bathe, and feed Thai Asian elephants at the on-site elephant camp. Choose the Mahout Discovery package for a three-day intensive mahout training course and learn all the sublties of elephant driving, or partake on a tri-country expedition on the Mekong through northern Thailand, Laos, and Burma, with the Three Country Discovery package. Nightly rates for the Mahout Discovery package begin at $480 for a Deluxe Room, double occupancy, and at $682 for a Deluxe Room, double occupancy, for the Three Country Discovery package. Certain restrictions and conditions apply. Please refer to the package links for details.
For the couple who wants it all: beach, adventure, culture
Changlang Beach, Trang, Thailand
Anantara Si Kao Resort & Spa in Thailand will satisfy the couple looking for an unforgettably full cultural experience. Try pretty much every water sport imaginable, from sailing, snorkeling, diving, windsurfing, waterskiing, to even swimming with sea cows! Need something to hang beside the marriage certificate? Get scuba-certified on site with the resorts 5-star PADI scuba diving center. And you both can learn how to prepare a full Thai meal with staff-led cooking classes. More creative couples can partake in the art of Kae-Sa-Luk, Thai fruit and vegetable carving. Book your stay online 40 days in advance between now and December 20, and receive 20% off and daily breakfast buffet for two with the Early Bird Bonus special package. Nightly rates begin at $270 for a Deluxe Garden Terrace room.
- wallet-friendly wellness
Pasty complexion, dark eye circles, and permanent frown lines (ugh): the treacherous side effects of a long, cold winter. But there’s hope for renewal! Get the luster back in that lackluster skin with some serious springtime spa savings at COMO Hotels and Resorts.
Hop on a short flight to Parrot Cay in Turks & Caicos for the weekend, and take advantage of 25% off all packages, including the Sun and Seclusion, Parrot Cay Honeymoon, Dr. Perricone, COMO Shambhala Experience, Wellness programs (including the famed Aryuvedic and Stress Management), and the resort’s newest packages, Babymoon and Romantic Runaway. Offering is available now through September 8 for all room categories including Private Residences.
In need of a more intensive, extended getaway? It’s COMO to the rescue once again! Book it to Bali for one of the select three-, five-, or seven-night wellness program packages at the COMO Shambhala Estate. Enjoy up to 20% off through the end of May, with discounts of 20% off Bespoke Programs and 15% off Stress Management, Get Fit, Cleansing, and Rejuvenation programs.
