DESTINATION U.S.
VEGAS DOES IT AGAIN
 We’ve
claimed before that Las Vegas changes formats faster and more often than
any other destination.
Now Tropicana Las Vegas makes the latest change with its newly designed
hotel
rooms and luxury suites in Paradise Tower…completely redone in South Beach chic. What do the Nevada desert and Florida’s shoreline have in common? Not much, but
Vegas already takes you to Paris, Venice,
and New
York, so
why not South Beach? This is Phase 1 of a $165 million upgrade,
designed
to put that sultry South Beach vibe at the heart of the new Tropicana. The
Miami-inspired décor brings a sense of the tropics indoors.
Heavy drapes were
replaced with white shutters, and dark furniture has disappeared in
favor of a comfortable,
casual look in soft colors.
By 2011,
rooms and suites in both towers will be
completely upgraded, along with the casino and public areas. Additions
will
include several restaurants, bars and lounges, a full-service spa,
retail
stores, a new poker room, entertainment options, a conference center,
and a
nightclub. www.troplv.com
DESTINATION JAPAN:
WHAT’S NEW IN TOKYO
In this
commemorating year of the Visit Japan
campaign, Tokyo opens more doors for
visitors, especially at the Capitol Hotel Tokyu. This flagship
property
of a large Japanese hotel chain reopens in the heart of Tokyo’s government district on October
22, 2010. Its 251
guest rooms include 13 suites in the uniquely
designed 29-story Tokyu Capitol Tower. A calm Hie Shrine garden
greets guests at the entrance of this centrally located luxury spot.
Capitol
Hotel Tokyu has a history of hosting the Beatles and many other major
celebrities. www.capitolhoteltokyu.com/en/
Have you often
wondered what it’s like floating through the sky in one of those huge
blimps? On
April 1, Zeppelin NT (New Technology) introduced cruises over Tokyo in the largest blimp in the
world at 246 feet long and 57.4 in height. Eighty years ago, the famous
German
blimp Graf Zeppelin appeared over Tokyo on its maiden trip around the world. Now its
iconic shape
once again throws shadows over the city as passengers get a panoramic
view of Tokyo’s surroundings. Flights leave
from Harumi Pier on Tokyo Bay and cruise at 1,804 feet
for 40 minutes…90 minutes when adding Yokohama. What a great
experience! www.nac-airship.com/english/cruise.html
Everyone welcomes
news about airport improvements, and here’s Japan’s latest as Narita Airport gets closer to Tokyo than ever before. On July
17, the Keisei Sky Liner train opens a new route that connects the
airport to
Nippori Station in central Tokyo. The trip takes 36 minutes,
cutting the former time by 15 minutes. Travel is on sleek streamlined
trains
zipping along at the maximum 99 mph. More
good news arrives in October, when domestic Haneda Airport,
just 30
minutes from central Tokyo, opens up to international flights. Major US
and
Japanese carriers are now vying for the eight new daily slots. This
development
makes domestic flights much more accessible without travel between
airports,
not to mention faster access to central Tokyo. www.japantravelinfo.com
DESTINATION CANADA:
HIKE,
BIKE,
WALK
IN QUEBEC
Modern
transportation lets you
commune with nature between
two of French Canada’s most vibrant cities. Board your bicycle on the
Via Rail
from Montreal Central Station to Riviere-a-Pierre. You’ll
detrain just a few meters from the Jacques-Cartier/Portneuf
Cycle
Trail created from a former railway line. Pedal the trail
through
neighboring towns where unique attractions and warm welcomes await.
After 68
kilometers, you’ll cross the Corridor des Cheninots to the Domaine de
Maizerets
in Quebec
City. Head
towards the Old Port of Quebec to Gare du
Palais, where you board the train back to Montreal. This total workout covers 94 kilometers,
but if your
energy doesn’t flag along the route, take time to visit Quartier Petit
Champlain and the Louise Basin area. Check out the many events held each
summer in
the heart of Quebec city. www.velopistejcp.com
Quebec Province’s Portneuf area abounds in beautiful trails
for
recreation or adventure. Noted as an environmentally
conscious tourist
destination, the beauty of its nature charms hikers, bikers and walkers
alike. The
attraction this year is the gorge in Riviere Sainte-Anne, where hikers
enjoy
many impressive…and sometimes rocky…trails along the river on the site
of the
eco-chalet.
Six
new
cycling
routes now take
you along secondary roads of Portneuf’s Saint-Casimir, where the
natural beauty will enchant. Vallee Bras-du-Nord has 80 kilometers of
hiking
trails where
nature lovers get up close and personal, and 50 kilometers of mountain
biking
trails for adventurers. It’s also possible now to practice canyoning on
this
spectacular site!
Quebec visitors can download three new podcast
routes,
available in English, from the Tourisme website listed below. Take a
bicycle, a
bus, hike or drive your car, and immerse yourself in the historic
boroughs
of Beauport, Charlesbourg and Sainte-Foy-Sillery. You’ll find more
than a half dozen interesting
attractions in each district. www.quebecregion.com
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DESTINATION
CARIBBEAN:
Go
Bananas in
ST. LUCIA
The
island's summer family vacation package offers a
whale of a
time this summer through Sept. 30, 2010.
It includes free stays and meals for children under 17 years of age,
complimentary excursions, room upgrades and many more choices. Check
the
website to “Go Bananas this summer in St. Lucia.” www.StLuciaNow.com
Here are just a few of the
pleasure spots on this beautiful island.
Sandals Halcyon Beach just completed a 60-room
refurbishment, plus new touches
at the ever popular Piano Bar and Bayside Restaurant overlooking the
sea.
Elegant Cap Maison is celebrating its first anniversary with
you in mind
by offering a 5th night free package. The friendly Coco Palm
resort
recently opened Little Chef
Restaurant and Bar, adding a second choice
for
diners. And that new ultra resort The Landings unveils The
Palms, a
fine-dining restaurant, along with a laid-back newly transformed The
Beach Club
restaurant and bar.
Airlines...American, Delta, Jet Blue and US Airways...also anticipate a rise in interest
here and
are adding new and additional flights from New York, Atlanta, Charlotte and Miami.
To keep visitors feeling and looking good, East
Winds Inn opened a 3,000-square-foot yoga and fitness platform on
its
waterfront/garden estate. Ti Kaye, that boutique spot
that is
literally a cliff-hanger, added a newly renovated gym to its Kai Koko
Spa,
where treatment rooms are perched on the edge of that cliff overlooking
the
bay. At The Body Holiday, LeSPORT, a
seven-day program at the expansive spa/fitness facility includes
acupuncture,
meditation and yoga... all geared toward keeping you in shape. (I
found
the Swedish Needle Shower an invigorating surprise...like going through
the car
wash without the car...but fun!)
Say "I do" at the
new mountaintop lighthouse wedding gazebo at Coconut Bay Beach
Resort &
Spa, or the latest Paradise Pavillion at oh so picturesque Ladera
Resort with a view of the majestic Pitons. This is the very
intimate inn
where guest rooms have only three walls.
We can't forget shopping. Meander through Baywalk Mall in
trendy Rodney Bay, officially opened in April. Its 60 shops
include a
beauty salon, boutiques, restaurants, jewelry and souvenir
stores. When
adventure beckons, go snorkeling, kite surfing and zip-lining at
several venues
around the island. And look for St. Lucia's own parrot on a trek into deep jungle.
DESTINATION
ASIA:
THINK ASIA
WITH RITZ TOURS
On its 30th
anniversary, Ritz Tours pulls out all the stops
with a 16-day Tibet Highland & Yangtze River tour from $2,876
p/person that includes airfare! But you have to
hurry.
Book your tour
asap for July or August, 2010 departure. Dates eligible at this price
are July
3 and 17, Aug. 7 and 28.
Rates include roundtrip airfare
from Los Angeles or
San Francisco, intra-Asia airfares; luxury accommodations in 5-star
hotels
(Grand Millennium in Beijing, Sofitel Xian, Jardin Secret Hotel in
Lhasa and
the like); exploring the Yangtze River with Victoria Cruises;
sightseeing in
air-conditioned motorcoaches; meals and entertainment per itinerary;
taxes,
fuel surcharge and the services of knowledgeable tour guides. Ritz also
provides complimentary Travel Protection insurance, and airfare from
other
major gateways for an additional $100-$350 per person.
This tour combines a
healthy dose of adventure with breathtaking
scenery and ancient wonders. You will be in awe of the beauty of Tibet,
“Rooftop of the World.;” devour Peking Duck in Beijing;
marvel at the Terra Cotta Warriors in Xian; and be mesmerized at Shanghai’s
Chinese Acrobatic Show. www.ritztours.com
DESTINATION CANADA:
The new Guided Gastronomic Tour by Tours
Voir Québec gives food
afficionados the opportunity to explore what's been cooking in
Québec City
through the years. Visitors not only learn about the evolution of Québec City's culinary history, they
sample it! Cheese,
crepes, maple products, beer and wine are all intertwined in the
history of the
magnificent Old City with its French, British and
Native
Peoples influences. Tours run 2-1/2 hours Tues.-Sat. at 2:30pm for English, through Oct. 15.
Cost: approx. $35 for
adults. www.toursvoirquebec.com/en/home
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