Published on January 25, 2010
TRIPS FOR MEMBERS
Hot and cold climates vie for writers’ affections
ALASKA: Alyeska Resort, just 40 miles north of Anchorage, features 2,500 vertical feet of skiable terrain and the new Alyeska Pipeline Superpipe for advanced skiers and snowboarders. It measures 300 feet long and 55 feet wide, with walls 18 feet tall. Home of the longest continuous douoble-black-diamond ski run in North America, Alyeska is blessed with an average annual snowfall of 750 inches. That’s no typo! Media info comes from Sandy Chio (Tel. 907-754-2215, schio@alyeskaresort.com).
ARIZONA: The Boulders, a desert hideaway in Carefree, is bucking the restaurant chain trend. Its Latilla restaurant has reopened with new look, new menu, and new vibe while keeping its integrity and regional sense of place. The AAA four-diamond restaurant is one of seven places to dine at The Boulders,...
a resort with 160 geust casitas and 61 one, two, and three-bedroom villas. Wine dinners are scheduled for the months of February, April, and May. To sample, contact Debora Bridges of The Bridges Media Group (Tel. 602-466-2128, Db@bridgesmediagroup.com).
ASPEN: More than $140 million has been invested in the four-mountain resort of Aspen/Snowmass over the last six years. Mountains, culture, dining, and nightlife beckon both celebrities and leisure travelers. Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk, and Snowmass are all under the same umbrella, with Jeff Hanle director of public relations for Aspen Skiing Company (Tel. 970-300-7022, jhanle@aspensnowmass.com).
BEVERLY HILLS: With six five-star hotels, Beverly Hills is a Southern California oasis that is both a luxury traveler’s paradise and the home of budget-friendly attractions and accommodations. Travel journalists are invited to visit Beverly Hills and experience the latest restaurants, art exhibits, and cultural attractions while staying in the city’s acclaimed hotels. To arrange a visit, contact Kimberli Partlow, communications manager, Beverly Hills Conference & Visitors Bureau , 239 S. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90212 (Tel. 310-248-1015 x127, partlow@beverlyhillsbehere.com).
CALIFORNIA: Laguna Cliffs Resort & Spa is a 377-room resort overlooking Doheny Beach State Park and Dana Point Harbor, home of 2,500 yacht slips. The Victorian-style resort features a 14,000-square foot spa and proximity to major Orange County attractions. To learn more, contact Spence Johnston of BRAINtrust Marketing + Communications (Tel. 702-370-7838, spence@braintrustlv.com).
CANADA: Edmonton, Alberta is a mix of art, architecture, museums, and neighborhoods. The oldest cultural institution in the province, the world-class Art Gallery of Alberta, just relocated to a new building that local leaders are anxious to promote. To arrange a trip, contact Yael Baker at Ruder Finn, Inc. (Tel. 917-862-8147, bakery@ruderfinn.com).
CELEBRITY CRUISES: After winning first place in the mega-ship category of Conde Nast Traveler’s 2009 Reader’s Choice Awards, Celebrity Cruises is building five new ships at a cost of $3.7 billion, the largest new-build commitment for a single brand in industry history. It is also marking its 20th anniversary this year by launching Solstice Class service on its Millennium Class ships. That $200 million investment includes restyled staterooms, new color schemes in all public venues, and redesigned suites comparable to those found in European hotels. Tuscan Grille, a blend of Napa Valley and Italian steakhouse, has been added on both the Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Equinox. Celebrity’s nine ships sail to Alaska, Bermuda, California, Canada/New england, Europe, the Pacific Coast, Panama Canal, South America, the Caribbean, and the Galapagos Islands. To learn more, contact Elizabeth Jakeway (Tel. 305-539-6127, ejakeway@celebritycruises.com) or Tavia Robb (Tel. 305-539-6721, trobb@celebritycruises.com).
CINCINNATI: April will be a big month in Cincinnati, where baseball opening day (April 5) is a big deal, the local flower show lasts a week (April 17-25), and Fountain Square events start their annual season. The Reds host the Civil Righths Game May 15 and their own Hall of Fame inductions July 17. To learn more, contact Ed McMasters, marketing manager, CincinnatiUSA.com - Regional Tourism Network, Inc., Suite 810, 50 E. Rivercenter Blvd., Covington, KY 41011 (Tel. 859-581-2939, Fax 859-581-2871, emcmasters@staycincinnatiusa.com).
COSTA RICA FAM: Media are invited to discover the Green Dream at Playa Nicyesa Rainforest Lodge, an environmentally-sensitive, multi-sport lodge set on a 165-acre private preserve in the undeveloped Pacific Coast of southern Costa Rica. The solar-powered resort is offering 3-4 nights, meals, activities, and media-rate tickets on domestic flights to the lodge, located in a rainforest alive with more than 250 species of tropical birds amid a backdrop of lush vegetation. To make arrangements for a media member and guest, contact Sylvia Ahonen, Seasmoke PR (Tel. 250-590-3662, Sylvia@seasmokepr.com).
CURACAO: The largest island in the Netherlands Antilles, Curacao measures 38 miles long by from 2 to 7.5 miles wide. Its 140,000 residents represent 55 different cultures, including a thriving Jewish community that attends Mikve Israel-Emanuel, the oldest continually-operated synagogue in the Western Hemisphere (founded in 1651). With 80-degree weather, little rainfall, safe drinking water, and iguana meat reputed to be a powerful aphrodisiac, what’s not to like about the island home of baseball player Andruw Jones? Contact press rep Rachel McLennan, Hill & Knowlton, 909 Third Ave., NY, NY 10022 (Tel. 212-885-0597, Fax 212-885-0570, rachel.mclennan@hillandknowlton.com).
GEORGIA FAMs: Consider a press trip to Eagle Island Lodge, a vacation hideaway for nature lovers 10 minutes by boat from Darien, GA, a fishing village 60 miles south of Savannah. Located on an uninhabited 10-acre private island, the lodge is surrounded by wildlife and plants in their natural environment. Lodge owner Andy Hill provides round-trip transportation with each visit. A trip for print travel writers is slated for March 15-17, while another for Website Travel Journalists is planned for Oct. 12-14. Other FAMS are limited to female print journalists (April 5-7) and outdoor adventure writers (Nov. 2-4). Contact press rep Leigh Cort (Tel. 904-806-3613, leighcort@bellsouth.net).
HAWAII: The Fairmont Orchid, a 540-room property on the Kohala Coast in the northwest corner of the Big Island, turns 20 this year. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has 59 properties with more than 20 new ones in development. Contact Orchid press rep Jaisy Jardine (Tel. 808-887-7548, Fax 808-885-8886, Jaisy.Jardine@Fairmont.com).
ICELAND: With more clear days in January than July, now may be the time to visit the home of the Vikings. Winter is the best time to see the Aurora Borealis, also called the Northern Lights, and the 32-room Northern Light Inn is just 30 minutes from the capital of Reykjavik. That city has seven thermal pools, including the Blue Lagoon, and proximity to glaciers that cover 10 per cent of the country. Gullfoss, the Niagara Falls of Iceland, flows all winter and horseback riding excursions ruin year-round. Press reps are Einar Gusavsson of the Iceland Tourist Board (Tel. 212-885-9786, iceinar@goiceland.org) or Jeff Blumenfeld, Blumenfeld & Associates PR (Tel. 203-655-1600, jamie@blumenfeldpr.com).
MEXICO: New press contact has been established for Hotel Encanto, an ultra-chic boutique property that opened in Acapulco Nov. 28. The 44-suite haven, featuring extensive personal space for guests, overlooks the Puerto Marques Bay. To visit, contact Rose Rodrigues, Carolyn Izzo Integrated Communications, Suite 1, 37 N. Broadway, Nyack, NY 10960 (Tel. 845-358-3920 x12, rrodrigues@ciicnews.com).
MICRONESIA: Located in the westernmost corner of Micronesia, Palau is an archipelago of more than 586 islands with about 20,000 inhabitants. Blesssed with 1,400 species of fish and 500 species of coral, it is known as one of the world’s best dive destinations. Story possibilities range from World War II history to eco-tourism, romance, adventure, or swimming with jellyfish. To arrange a trip to one of the Underwater Wonders of the World, contact Molly Blaisdell, Hook, Line & Thinker PR, P.O. Box 6625, Moraga, CA 94570 (Tel. 925-388-0164, Cell 925-300-7252, Mocahill@aol.com).
NORTHERN ARIZONA FAM: Eight writers on assignment will be invited to join the Spring 2010 media tour slated for April 11-16. Participants will tour Williams, Page, Navajo Nation, and Hopi via the air gateway of Phoenix. The trip includes the Grand Canyon Railway, Lake Powell cruise, and visit to Monument Valley, one of the most photogenic spots on the planet. Air transportation, meals, attraction, and lodging are also included. Send credentials and story commitments to mediatours@azcomgroup.com.
ORIENT-EXPRESS: The world’s most famous express train, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, still symbolizes the Golden Age of Travel, with restored 1920s and 1930s carriages and itineraries, crossing Europe from Paris and Venice to Prague, Krakow, and Istanbul. A sister train, The Royal Scotsman, journeys to the Scottish Highlands while another, the Eastern & Oriental Express, operates from Singapore to Bangkok and back, crossing the newly-built Friendship Bridge over the Mekong River between Thailand and Laos. See www.orient-express.com or contact press rep Anita Cotter at Geoffrey Weill Associates, 27 W. 24th St., NY, NY 10010 (Tel. 866-PR-WEILL, acotter@geoffreyweill.com).
PALM SPRINGS: More than $2 billion in new resort construction is planned through next year, with projects that include the $40 million ACE Hotel & Swim Club, a 4.5-acre property featuring classic mid-century desert style; the $150 million “The Show” entertainment complex at Agua Caliente Casino, Resort, and Spa; and the $500 million Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage. The region’s press rep is Mark Graves, director of communications, Palm Springs Desert Resorts Convention & Visitors Authority, 70-100 Hwy 111, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 (Tel. 760-969-1330, Fax 760-770-9001, mgraves@palmspringsusa.com).
PENNSYLVANIA: The proximity of the Poconos to the great population centers of the East works well in wild winter weather. In addition to skiing, recreational outlets range from tubing to snowshoeing and sleigh rides. Contact Alicia M. Quinn at the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau
(Tel. 570-421-5791, Alicia@poconos.org).
PERU: Titilaka Hotel, on the shores of Lake Titicaca, sits at 12,535 feet above sea level in the Central Andes between Peru and Bolivia. When the weather warms, the Andean Experience Co. offers visitors the chance to sail the highest navigable lake in the world. Guests can opt for one of 14 Lake View Suites or 14 different travel excursions. Contact Ann-Rebecca Laschever at Geoffrey Weill Associates (Tel. 866-PR-WEILL, arlaschever@geoffreyweill.com).
PHILADELPHIA: The National Museum of American Jewish History will be the newest member of Independence Mall when it opens this fall. The ultra-modern, five-story building, a block north of Independence Hall, tells the continuing story of Jewish achievement in America. The museum welcomes all people, inviting them to discover what they have in common with the Jewish experience in America and to explore the features that make this history distinctive. Press reps are Jay E. Nachman (Tel. 215-923-5978, jnachman@nmajh.org) or Ilana Blumenthal (Tel. 215-923-3811 x148, iblument@nmajh.org), National Museum of American Jewish History, Independence Mall East, 55 North 5th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106.
THE QUEEN MARY: After more than 70 years as an ocean liner and hotel, the Queen Mary has found herself listed as one of the ten Most Haunted Hotels in America. Rose Kennedy was a passenger during her first voyage in 1937, just a few years before Bob Hope gave his first USO show in the Queen’s Salon and Winston Churchill signed the D-Day invasion papers in his on-board suite. Used as a wartime troop carrier, the Queen Mary still holds the record for most people on board at one time: 16,683. Her Art Deco art collection, one of the world’s largest, matches her Art Deco architecture. The annual Art Deco Festival, held every Labor Day weekend, raises funds for preservation. To stay on the ship, now a hotel moored in Long Beach, contact Christopher Zappia, director of marketing, The Queen Mary, 1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach, CA 90802 (Tel. 562-499-1701, Fax 562-432-7674, christopher.zappia@queenmary.com).
ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga.: The King and Prince Beach Resort is marking its 75th anniversary in 2010. Originally opened as a private dance club in 1935, the venerable resort has been restored to its original elegance, with regal parlors, a stately ballroom, and elaborate boardwalk, and palm gardens that hosted a myriad of outdoor events. A member of Historic Hotels of America, this property has been a safe haven for celebrities, dignitaries, and business travelers since it opened. To check it out, contact Leigh Cort Publicity, 4325 Blue Heron Drive, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082 (Tel. 904-806-3613, leighcort@bellsouth.net).
SWITZERLAND: Baur au Lac won the Commitment to Quality award in the Europe category from Leading Hotels of the World during its 2009 convention in Venice. Operated by the same family since 1844, the venerable Zurich property recently emerged from a $45 million facelift that converted 32 rooms into 22 suites, junior suites, and deluxe doubles. Media contact is Suzanne Meyers (Tel. 866-PR-WEILL, smeyers@geoffreyweill.com).
UTAH SKI FAMs: Ski Utah a Wellness trip slated for Feb. 22-25 and a Women’s trip for March 15-19. To reserve a spot, contact Jessica Kunzer, director of communications, Ski Utah (Tel. 801-433-2016, Cell 801-647-2510, jessica@skiutah.com).
VANCOUVER, B.C.: The Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad is the first multi-cultural event planned to coincide with the Winter Games. The two-month festival, which began Jan. 22, features more than 600 performances and exhibits in 60 venues in Vancouver and Whistler. Tickets start as low as $5. To learn more, contact Carla Mont, travel media relations specialist, Tourism British Columbia, 12th floor, 510 Burrard St., Vancouver, BC, Canada V6C 3A8 (Tel. 604-660-1957, carla.mont@tourismbc.com).
VIRGINIA: A great escape in any season, Virginia’s winter options include cozy cabins and cottages, luxurious lodges, seaside retreats, historic homes, and more than 20 all-in-one resorts that range from waterparks to golf havens. Visitors can vacation at 3,200 in Mountain Laurel Lodge atop Warm Springs Mountain, noted for 50-mile views, or Miriam’s House, a three-bedroom historic Rappahannock County structure on a 328-acre green estate that conveys the feeling of a living in a private state park. Learn more from Tamra Talmade-Anderson, public relations director, Virginia Tourism Corporation (Tel. 804-545-5573, ttanderson@virginia.org).
WEST POINT, NY: The historic Thayer Hotel, built in 1926, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of the only full-service hotels on the Hudson between the George Washington Bridge and Albany. Originally built for the U.S. Military Academy, it has hosted such famous names as Presidents John F. Kennedy and Dwight D. Eisenhower, actors George C. Scott and Gregory Peck, and the Philadelphia Flyers hockey team. Call publicist Mary T. Prenon, Thompson & Bender (Tel. 914-762-1900, mary@thompson-bender.com).
YOSEMITE: Thinking ahead to summer? Yosemite National Park has spectacular views, trees, and waterfalls; the venerable Awhahnee Hotel; Half Dome; wildlife; and recreational pursuits that range from rafting and boating to hiking and goldpanning. To arrange a visit, contact Marc Gendron at the Yosemite/Mariposa County Tourism Bureau (Tel. 559-326-2037, marcg@marcommpr.com,).
PRESS REPS: Mention in this column is free. Send short, complete blurbs to The Wayfarer, 10 Ballard Place, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410-3601 (Fax 201-791-3349, e.mail dan@natja.org). No phone calls please.
