Royal Mansour Marrakech 

This property might be made completely by hand, by Moroccan artisans and craftsman trained in the traditional arts of carving, silk weaving, and mosaics, but there is cutting-edge technology embedded into the nooks and crannies.  Every room in one’s private riad has a touch screen wall to control lighting and temperature levels throughout the riad.  And in case the personal butler service gets tiresome (though they come and go so quietly via a network of underground pathways), there is a ‘Do Not Disturb’ button. 

Tweetables: #Marakkech #traveltech

Crystal Cruises

A floating five-star hotel, Crystal Cruises helps guests stay as connected as they want to be.  This September, Crystal’s Computer University@Sea will feature state-of-the-art iMac workstations with 32 inch LED screens, operating on both Windows 7 and Mac OSX 10.6 platforms.  In addition to the existing Windows 7 classes, new introductory Microsoft Office and iPhoto classes for Mac will be offered.  The new systems and curriculum offer guests an ideal opportunity to work with systems that they are most familiar with while traveling, or to try something new with the helpful instruction of CU@Sea instructors. And for those flummoxed with how to upload their photos of the Arctic Sea, the tech concierge assists with all manner of hi-tech items from digital cameras to iPhone applications. 

Tweetables: @crystalcruises #Cruise #traveltech

Anantara Hotels & Resorts

Anantara Phuket Resort and spa

This spring, while New Yorkers waited in line at Apple, guests at Anantara Phuket Villas read The New York Times on the resort’s own iPads and gazed out on Thailand’s Andaman Sea.   Now, sister property Anantara Bophut Resort & Spa on Koh Samui has joined in on the fun.  Guests can check out the iPad to read the newspaper, schedule resort activities, or book treatments at the Anantara Spas. And soon all Anantara properties in Thailand, Indonesia, the Maldives and the UAE will be plugged in, too. 

Tweetables: #Thailand #traveltech

Nantucket Island Resorts

The East Coast island, over thirty miles out at sea and preserved in quaint 19^thcentury style, is the spot to enjoy technology at its most fun and leisurely.  Nantucket Island Resorts offers Flip Video Camcorders for guests to use at each property.  Record the sunset over Nantucket Bay at The Wauwinet, or borrow a Flip Cam from the White Elephant and capture footage of the beautiful boats arriving in Nantucket Harbor.  Even cooler, enter a one-minute video clip in the Flip Out on Nantucket Sweepstakes for the chance to win a grand prize Nantucket vacation worth $15,000.

Tweetables: @WauwinetInn @WhiteElephantMA #Nantucket #traveltech

Pavillon des Lettres

Opening this autumn, Pavillon des Lettres, sister hotel to the beloved Pavillon de la Reine, is located in the 8^th arrondissement. The small upscale hotel has 26 rooms each devoted to a letter of the alphabet and an international writer corresponding to that letter. Think H for Hugo or B for Balzac. Text from the corresponding author’s book will be painted above the bed and a hard copy of the book can be found on the nightstand. Though themed with books and literature, this hotel is not stuck in the past – each room will come equipped with an iPad loaded with international best-sellers and all of the info one would find in the in-room compendium. Website will be launching this summer and room rates begin at €300 per night.

Tweetables: #Paris #traveltech

Andaz Wall Street and Andaz 5^th Avenue

New York City loves to be on the cutting edge and Andaz Wall Street and the newly opened Andaz 5^th Avenue are no different! Skipping the front-desk notion altogether, Andaz properties have floating ‘hosts’ who check guests in using mobile tablets. Check-in while sitting on the sofa in the Andaz Lounge, with complimentary glass of wine or, if you’re in a rush, in the elevator on their way to your room.  The tablets can swipe credit cards and also create room key cards on the spot. 

Tweetables: #NYC #traveltech

An exciting new opportunity from Crystal Cruises! The dedicated ComputerUniversity@sea offers extensive computer classes onboard, and new in September will be state-of-the-art iMac workstations with large – 32 inches! – LED screens, operating on both Windows 7 and Mac OSX 10.6 platforms.  Participants eager for knowledge about new Mac technology can choose from a variety of introductory courses. The classes range from ‘Introduction to Computers using iMac and OS X’ to ‘Processing Photos with iPhoto®’. You will never want to take a computer class on land again!

Anantara Golden Triangle Resort & Spa

• #12, Top 15 Resorts in Asia

Crystal Cruises

• #1, Top 10 Large-Ship Cruise Lines

Palacio Duhau, Park Hyatt Buenos Aires

• #2, Top 20 City Hotels in Central and South America
• #82, Top 100 Hotels Overall

Park Hyatt Aviara Resort

• #44, Top 50 Hotels in the Continental U.S. and Canada

Park Hyatt Melbourne

• #4, Top 10 City Hotels in Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific

Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme

• #9, Top 15 Large City Hotels in Europe

Park Hyatt Sydney

• #3, Top 10 City Hotels in Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific

Parrot Cay

• #23, Top 25 Resorts in the Caribbean, Bermuda, and the Bahamas

Congrats to all the winners! While reading the August issue, watch out for Andaz Fifth Ave, Cocoa Island, and Geejam who are also mentioned in the magazine.

What’s new in the Caribbean? LOTS! Our hot list includes new villa rentals in Turks & Caicos, a glamorous new hotel, authentic Farm Dinners and Reggaelates (the new fitness craze) all happening in Jamaica, as well as moonlight yoga classes in Mexico, and an exclusive jazz-themed Caribbean cruise itinerary. Read on to find out more…

Parrot Cay

Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos

Escape to a private paradise and rent one of Parrot Cay’s two new three-bedroom villas. Just three minutes from the main resort by buggy, each villa has its own stretch of white sand beach and lush landscape, creating the perfect secluded retreat, equipped with personal butler service. Designed by Cheong Yew Kwan, the villas are spacious and airy with soaring 20 foot ceilings and a great room for lounging and dining. All have three bedrooms and three bathrooms, along with a study, kitchen, and separate pantry.

What’s New? Live in the lap of luxury for a week as the villas are not only for sale but now are part of the Parrot Cay rental pool.  Parrot Cay’s COMO Shambala Retreat now offers Guinot signature Hydradermie facials.

Rates: Rental rates start at $5,808 in autumn (November 1-December 20).  Villas can be purchased for $10 million.

GoldenEye Hotel & Resort

Oracabessa, Jamaica

The new GoldenEye Hotel & Resort, nestled on Jamaica’s North Coast, will open on 10.10.10. GoldenEye was originally the home of author Ian Fleming and the location where he penned all 14 James Bond novels. In 1976, the now Island Outpost property was purchased by Chris Blackwell, Jamaica-raised founder of Island Records.  Following a two-year complete overhaul, the 52-acre property opens this October.

What’s New? Eleven new Beach Cottages and six new Lagoon Suites have been added to the hotel’s accommodations. The original Fleming villa (

where Fleming’s own desk still resides) and the five villas built by Blackwell in the 70s have all been artfully refit. Two new restaurants and the new lagoon-side FieldSpa at GoldenEye round out the offerings, as well as an array of fun, fitness, and wellness experiences – ranging from Jet Ski Leg and Ab workouts to Stretch and Snorkel classes, which will be lead by Jamaican Olympic athlete, Iona Wynter. GoldenEye’s Beach Cottages and Lagoon Suites are also available for purchase. An added perk – private planes can easily land on newly extended runway in Oracabessa (only a quick 8 minute drive from the resort).

Rates: Introductory rates start at $536/per night, valid from 10.10.10 through 4.29.11, excluding blackout dates and based on availability. Rates are based on double occupancy and include full breakfast. Tax and service charge are additional.

Jakes

Treasure Beach, Jamaica

Jakes, a boutique bohemian resort, located in the quaint fishing village of Treasure Beach offers a collection of vividly decorated villas, suites as well as spacious cottages. The hotel is just a few barefoot steps away from the Caribbean Sea, where guests can enjoy snorkeling, swimming, fishing and canoeing on the private beach. Jakes also offers interactive cooking lessons and tile mosaic class, led by the artist who is largely responsible for most of the unique design found throughout the properties.

What’s New? Farm Dinners are now offered monthly on the Saturday closest to the full moon and feature savory organic dishes prepared and served on-site at local farms. The program supports the small independent farmers of Jamaica’s “breadbasket, the Pedro Plains.

Rates: Room rates start at $95/per night based on double occupancy and does not include tax and service charge.

The Caves

Negril, Jamaica

Perched above Negril’s natural formed volcanic caves, the hotel offers thirteen exclusive accommodations including cottages, suites and one distinctive villa overlooking the Caribbean Sea. Although the resort is located near Jamaica’s central hub, the ten-acre property is well secluded and feels like a tropical castle set above a vibrant town center. Quaint stone pathways wind through the limestone cliffs dotted with palm, sea grape and dogwood trees.

What’s new? One word: Reggaelates – A unique Jamaican fusion of Pilates and reggae music. The hotel will also offer adventure excursions to nearby attractions such as YS Falls and Appleton Rum Estate in the fall.

Rosewood Mayakobá

Riviera Maya, Mexico

Rosewood Mayakobá offers lush comforts in the Riviera Maya. The resort spans a large part of the 1,600 Mayakobá enclave, nestled in the Yucatán jungle and along the Caribbean coastline.

What’s new? The boldly romantic can now take moonlight Tantric Yoga classes as part of the “Honeymoon Mayan Romance” package.  Follow a private yoga session for two with a romantic moonlight massage on an in-suite terrace, then DIY after a couple’s massage tutorial with 30 minutes of “alone time”.  Unwind with an aroma bath for two, including champagne and chocolate, indulgences the Mayans would approve of.

Rates: Rates start at $1152 per night inclusive of a daily buffet breakfast for two, and tax and service, until December 15, 2010; minimum 5-night stay.

Crystal Cruises

 “Jazz Exploration” Caribbean sailing

Crystal Serenity’s “Jazz Exploration” itinerary, with visits to St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Antigua, St. Bart’s, and Grand Turk.  From soft and soulful to bright and boisterous, the vibrant sounds of jazz musicians, expert and novice, permeate the ship on a relaxing voyage through idyllic Caribbean isles. Escape the crowded malls, jam-packed streets, and general pre-holiday stress with this jazz-themed sailing.  The bonus? Duty-free shopping in the islands – beats the in and out from cold weather to over-heated stores!

R/T from Miami, December 11-21.

What’s New? 2-for-1 fares on the 10-day sailing!

Rates:  Rates start at $3575/person based on double-occupancy

In Conde Nast Traveler’s August Cruise Guide, Crystal Serenity received a 93% overall score, the highest of all mid-large ships and the second highest of all that were evaluated! Sailing experiences were judged in such categories as itineraries, excursions, design, service, cabin and food, with Crystal Serenity performing swimmingly across the board. Special credits go to the sushi bar with dishes from Nobu Matsuhisa and Crystal’s service, which is quoted by a guest as being a ‘12’ on a scale of 1-10. Congrats, Crystal!

Most cruisers have an idea of what they want to do onboard, but are often filled with frustration when the spa is booked solid or the restaurant doesn’t have seating available until 11pm. Why worry about these things on vacation? Fortunately, this stress is a thing of the past with Crystal Cruises’ new online Priority Check-in & Planning Center.

Not only can you pre-book dinner, spa treatments, and shore excursions, but this online tool allows passengers to link their credit cards for easier purchases on the ship.  And let’s face it, shopping is way more fun when you don’t have to see the bill until later!

The Priority Check-in & Planning Center feature will be effective starting in July. So, print your full itinerary at home and begin your luxurious and anxiety-free vacation as soon as you step on deck!

For those who care about the environment, there really is a cruise company that does too! Crystal Serenity just aced its intensive safety and environmental audit and as proof to the skeptics, in addition to their stringent Crystal Clean initiatives, Crystal Cruises has recently paired with the Clean the World organization to recycle unused toiletries and amenities to children’s charities around the world.

Crystal also prides itself on its 100% recyclable Ecohanger and reusable garment bags as well its commitment to a ‘sustainable seafood only’ policy.  While cruising with Crystal, you no longer have worry about the environmental impact of this luxurious vacation!

This past Saturday, the stars aligned in the busy schedules of Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony and the long lost siblings found themselves face to face (or bow to bow) while making berth in Barcelona. While Crystal Cruises’ two ships have taken guests on adventures around the world and back again, this rare occurrence provided the delighted guests a chance to mingle with other passengers, share experiences, check out the other ship and be a part of a really cool family reunion.

Always at the front lines of luxury, Crystal Cruises is introducing the first-ever high fashion runway show at sea. Los Angeles fashion designer Lauren Elaine will showcase her Spring/Summer 2010 Black Label Collection on two Crystal sailings this June and September: the June 6-18 voyage “Culture and Couture,” and September 29-October 8 “Fashion Capitals.” Guests won’t only see the show, but experience the places that inspired it — something most Fashion Week participants can’t claim!

Inspired by the ‘sirens’ of both Ancient Greek mythology and those of the silverscreen, Elaine’s collection reflects this in every piece. While cruising the Mediterranean and visiting old Hollywood haunts such as Monaco and Rome, guests will be thrown right into the designer’s vision and will also have a chance to meet her and other industry experts on board.  A 25 look show will take place towards the end of the voyage.  For more information, visit www.crystalcruises.com.

Instead of just working on a golden tan this summer, teens aboard Crystal Cruises can learn to make sushi from a Nobu-trained chef, craft a perfect golf swing with a PGA pro, or learn the native tongue of the next port of call with a Berlitz instructor.

Noting a surge of multigenerational family travel, Crystal is passing on its tradition of Six-Star enrichment for adults to its younger guests. Along with educational activities, kids are entertained with DJ-hosted dance parties, video games, and ice cream bars.  Families can take advantage of the Crystal Family Memories program that provides numerous perks including a complimentary berth, a Private Adventure credit and family portraits. Once en route parents can relax, take in the scenery, enjoy the food…all without ever having to hear the dreaded, “Are we there yet?”