V Australia Takes Off For Los Angeles

Australia’s newest international airline, V Australia, has launched operations with its first commercial service from Sydney to Los Angeles, becoming the third airline to operate transpacific flights between Australia and the United States, after Qantas and United Airlines. 

 

Flight VA 001, departed from Kingsford Smith International Airport at 1500hrs for Los Angeles, landing at Los Angeles International Airport ahead of schedule at 0938 hrs. Onboard the inaugural flight were the airline’s co-founders Sir Richard Branson and Brett Godfrey, Australian celebrity guests including singer Marcia Hines, Getaway presenter Catriona Rowntree, rock band the Potbelleez and paying passengers.

 

Operating the flight was V Australia’s new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, configured with 33 lie-flat beds in Business Class, 40 Premium Economy Club seats and 288 seats in Economy Class. Each seat is fitted with a state-of-the-art entertainment system offering audio-video on-demand and touch screen controls. Some of the unique features onboard the aircraft include 2 inflight bars and a female lavatory with piped music and Australian icons featured on subtle wallpaper murals.

 

Owned by Virgin Blue, V Australia will fly 3 times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between Sydney and Los Angeles, with flights ramping up to daily service from 20 March 2009. Flight VA 001 will depart Sydney at 2130 hrs and arrive in Los Angeles at 1630 hrs before returning as VA 002 at 2300 hrs to arrive back in Sydney at 0915 hrs 2 days later. The airline will also launch flights between Los Angeles and 2 other Australian cities, Brisbane and Melbourne.

Costa Cruises Receives Approval To Operate Cross-Straits Cruises

Costa Cruises has received approval from China’s Ministry of Transportation to operate 3 special cross-straits cruises between China and Taiwan. From April to May 2009, Costa Cruises’ newest addition to its fleet in Asia, the 52,926 GRT Costa Classica, will sail out of Shanghai’s new cruise terminal for the 7-day sailings.

 

The 3 special cruises will navigate a new route, calling at the Taiwanese ports of Hualien, Keelung and Taichung, offering a new and highly appealing destination to Chinese consumers. Guests onboard the Costa Classica will be able to enjoy luxury accomodation and gourmet dining in the 12 restaurants and bars. Entertainment and recreation options include the Colosseo Theater and solarium featuring 2 swimming pools, 4 jacuzzi hydromassage baths, a fitness center, jogging track and the Carracalla spa.

 

Costa Cruises has also officially applied to operate more cross-straits cruises in 2010 and will be increasing its investment in China, homeporting 2 ships in Asia, the Costa Allegra and the Costa Classica. In July 2006, Costa Cruises established a home port in Shanghai, becoming 1 of the first international cruise companies to schedule regular cruises in China.

The Zuri Whitefield Joins Summit Hotels And Resorts

The Zuri Whitefield, Bengaluru, has joined the Preferred Hotel Group’s Summit Hotels & Resorts portfolio in India. Located 45 minutes from Bengaluru International Airport and close to the International Technology Park, Bangalore, the luxury hotel caters primarily to business travellers with exquisite quality and state-of-the-art facilities.

 

The Zuri Whitefield offers 162 rooms, including 2 Presidential and 4 Executive Suites. The Zuri rooms boast a decor of black and silver combined with varied textures to impart sophistication and style. Each room is equipped with a luxury bed, 32-inch LCD television and a 5-fixture bathroom with spacious bath tub and rain shower. The Executive Junior Suites feature a living room, dining area with a small bar, double bedroom, powder room and spacious bathroom. Offering an innovative jacuzzi on the terrace, the 2 Presidential Suites offer a living room, dining room, pantry, double bedroom, a powder room and a large bathroom with bath tub and dressing room, exuding a sense of luxury for guests.

 

With its team of renowned chefs, the Zuri Whitefield offers 5 dining venues serving a variety of cuisines. Kahwa, the all-day dining restaurant, can accomodate up to 114 diners and offers one of Bangalore’s largest buffets for breakfast, lunch and dinner, while authentic Italian cuisine is available at Incanto. With an oriental bar and restaurant, live teppanyaki and cigar lounge, Saké offers Japanese, Chinese and Thai delicacies accompanied by panoramic views of the city from its rooftop location in the hotel. Other food and beverage outlets include the Ibis Executive Bar and Grill by the poolside and the Barolo lounge bar.

 

A fully equipped business center providing meeting rooms and secretarial services with private workstations and complimentary wired and wireless internet access caters to the needs of business travellers. For meetings and conferences, the hotel offers over 600 square meters of banquet and conferencing space, including the Phoenix Ballroom that can accomodate up to 500 guests. For recreation and leisure, the 2nd floor of the Zuri Whitefield offers a heated outdoor swimming pool, gymnasium and the Maya Spa offering a selection of treatments and therapies.

 

A brand of the Preferred Hotel Group, Summit Hotels & Resorts is a collection of more than 115 distinctive, upscale hotels and resorts located across Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and North and South America.

SWISS Offers Guests A Taste Of Ticino

Between March and May 2009, SWISS International Airlines will offer its First and Business Class passengers on intercontinental flights from Switzerland and selected inbound flights culinary creations from Urs Gschwend, executive chef at the Aphrodite Restaurant of the Hotel Giardino in Ascona in southern Switzerland. Business Class travellers on longer outbounf European flights will also be sampling the new SWISS guest chef’s creations.

 

Part of its award-winning “SWISS Taste of Switzerland” inflight catering programme, passengers will be able to sample dishes from the Swiss canton of Ticino, influenced by the cultures and traditions of the Prealpine region and Lombardy. SWISS First passengers will enjoy a menu of bresaola tartare on fruit crisp bread as a starter, fillet of beef and Ticino polenta with wild garlic, merlot jus and spring vegetables and for dessert, chocolate-and-vanilla lasagne with warm spiced banana or rhubarb tiramisu with marinated strawberries and fir bud ice cream. SWISS Business passengers will be offered dishes such as fillet of beef with Café de Paris butter, carrots, green asparagus and parpadelle pasta, along with desserts that include a layered mousse of raspberry and lime with thyme.

 

Accompanying the new menus is an extensive wine selection from Ticino. With over 1,000 hectares of vineyards and over 80% dedicated to the merlot grape, SWISS will offer passengers both red and white Merlot del Ticino, as well as an excellent Tuscan red wine produced by Swiss couple Barbara and Martin Kronenberg-Widmer, renowned winemakers and owners of the Brancaia estate in Maremma.

 

Launched in 2002, the “SWISS Taste of Switzerland” culinary concept has garnered the inflight catering industry’s Mercury Award for its innovative approach of bringing Swiss cuisine from award-winning chefs and their restaurants around the country onboard SWISS flights. The national airline of Switzerland, SWISS International Airlines flies to 76 destinations around the world from its hub at Zurich and from the cities of Basel and Geneva.

China Airlines Increases Flight Frequencies For Upcoming Summer Season

China Airlines has announced that it will increase flight frequencies to New York, Frankfurt and Sydney from Taipei in its new summer schedule.

 

Beginning 29 March 2009, China Airlines will operate an additional flight to Frankfurt using a 3-class Boeing 747-400 aircraft, bringing services to 6 times weekly. Flight CI 061 will depart Taipei at 233o hrs on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and arrive in Frankfurt at 0605 hrs the next day. The return flight, CI 062, departs Frankfurt every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 1120 hrs, landing in Taipei at 0605 hrs the next morning.

 

China Airlines will also fly the Taipei-New York route 4 times a week from 29 March 2009, a 1 flight increase from the current 3 times a week schedule. Operating the service with a 3-class Boeing 747 aircraft, flight CI 012 departs Taipei on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 1615 hrs, landing in New York’s JFK International Airport at 2205 hrs before returning as flight CI 011 at 2345 hrs and landing at 0605 hrs 2 days later.

 

To meet growing demand in the Australia market, the airline will also add an additional flight to Sydney. Flight CI 055 will operate 3 times a week on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, departing Taipei at 0845 hrs and landing in Sydney at 2055 hrs. Flight CI 056 returns from Sydney at 2230 hrs to arrive back in Taiwan at 0500 hrs the next morning. Both flights will be operated with an Airbus A330 aircraft. Together with the CI 051/CI 052 service operating on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, China Airlines will fly to Sydney daily.

 

China Airlines currently operates a fleet of 47 modern Airbus and Boeing aircraft. From its hub in Taipei’s Taoyuan International Airport, the airline flies to Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Rome and Vienna in Europe, and Brisbane and Sydney in Australia.

JW Marriott Arrives In Shenzhen

Marriott International has opened its fifth JW Marriott-branded property in Shenzhen, China’s most successful Special Economic Zone. The 411-room JW Marriott Hotel, Shenzhen is centrally located in the heart of the city on Shennan Boulevard. Surrounded by shopping malls, the hotel offers easy access to major landmarks such as the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center, Window of the World Safari Park and TianAn Cyber Park.

 

Offering sweeping city views, each of the hotel’s 391 guestrooms and 20 suites provides the amenities of a 5-star luxury hotel. Guests enjoy a comfortable bed with luxurious bedding, air-conditioning with individual climate control, rain shower, a fully-stocked mini bar, coffee/tea-making facilities, in-room safe and a 42-inch high definition television with satellite entertainment. Business travellers will also appreciate the workstation equipped with a large desk, an ergonomic chair, high-speed internet access and IP telephone.

 

The JW Marriott, Shenzhen, features 6 unique restaurants and lounges. The ManHo Restaurant serves up chinese cuisine to diners with a live noodle and dim sum theater, paired with exquisite liquors from its collection of Mao Tai and chinese liquors, the largest in Shenzhen. Japanese sushi, sashimi and teppanyaki can be found at Shizuku, while Cafe Chinois, the all-day dining restaurant, offers international favorites with a grand buffet available. Snacks and refreshments are available at the Buffet Restaurant and Java+ coffee house, with The Lounge also providing an ideal place for intimate meetings and social gatherings throughout the day.

 

Business travellers will find more than 1,400 square meters of meetings and banquet space available at the hotel’s 7 meeting rooms. The largest, the Jin Mao Ballroom, is able to accomodate up to 100 seated guests. The hotel’s outdoor pool and health club, provide ideal recreation facilities after a day of meetings, while the Quan Spa offers a variety of treatments from massages to body scrubs.

 

JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts is Marriott International’s business-oriented luxury brand. There are currently 43 JW Marriott hotels operating in 20 countries, with another 22 properties expected to open over the next 3 years. Other JW Marriott-branded hotels in China include the 602-room JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong, 342-room JW Marriott Hotel Shanghai, 470-room JW Marriott Hotel Chongqing and 549-room JW Marriott Hotel Beijing.

Qatar Airways Increases Frequency To Saudi Arabia

Qatar Airways has expanded its operations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the announcement of increased frequencies between Doha and Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam with immediate effect.

 

Currently served with 5 flights a week, Jeddah will be served by 2 additional flights from Doha. Flight QR 766 will now operate daily, departing Doha at 1320 hrs and arriving in Jeddah at 1600 hrs before returning as flight QR 767 at 1730 hrs, landing back in the Qatari capital at 1945 hrs.

 

Riyadh will also be served with 2 additional flights each week, taking services on the route to 5 times weekly. Flight QR 720 will depart Doha at 1350 hrs on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, arriving in the Saudi capital city at 1520 hrs. The return flight, QR 721, takes off for Doha at 1650 hrs and arrives at 1810 hrs into Doha International Airport.

 

On the Dammam route, 5 flights a week will be added to the current schedule, bringing frequency on the route to 12 services each week. The new early morning flight, QR 718, takes off at 0120 hrs and arrives in Dammam at 0215 hrs every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Flight QR 719 departs Dammam at 0500 hrs, returning to Doha at 0550 hrs.

 

All flights will be operated using Qatar Airways’ Airbus A319, A320, A321 aircraft in a 2-class configuration and are aimed at business and leisure travellers between Saudi Arabia and the airline’s North American destinations, including the upcoming Doha-Houston route. The increased frequencies also offer travellers more flexibility and greater choice when connecting onto Qatar Airways’ extensive international route network.

 

Qatar Airways is 1 of only 6 airlines in the world to attain a 5-star rating for service and excellence, flying to more than 80 destinations in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and North America with its fleet of modern Airbus and Boeing aircraft.

Mandarin Oriental Opens New Resort In Sanya, Hainan Island

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has opened the Mandarin Oriental, Sanya, in Hainan Island. Bringing the hotel group’s signature oriental service excellence and distinct ‘East Meets West’ design to China’s premier resort destination, the 297-room property offers tranquility and serenity in a peaceful, natural environment. Situated in the sheltered Coral Bay near the city’s shopping and entertainment area of Dadonghai, the resort features a series of private low rise and villa accomodation with its own stretch of beach and sweeping views of the South China Sea.

 

Each room employs natural light and materials with touches of Sanya’s minority cultures, creating a warm ambience and a sense of spaciousness. Guests enjoy amenities like a large bed, fragranced incense sticks, a luxury shower with 3 separate shower heads and a fully-stocked mini-bar. For entertainment, every room is fitted with a plasma television, DVD player and surround-sound system, while high-speed internet access and a dual-line telephone caters to guests with business needs.

 

Guests may also choose from a selection of suites and villas at the Mandarin Oriental, Sanya. Each of the suites and villas feature spacious terraces/balconies with outdoor furniture from which guests may take in the magnificent sunset at the end of each day, private dining space, coffee machine and high thread-count linen, in addition to amenities found in standard guestrooms.

 

The Mandarin Oriental, Sanya, offers guests a choice of 4 restaurants serving up Chinese and international cuisine. Fresh, the al fresco seafood restaurant serves up seafood and premium meats from a unique wood-and-coconut grill, while guests dine on fine Cantonese cuisine at Yi Yang chinese restaurant located on the ground floor of the main building. The hotel’s all-day dining restaurant, Pavillion, offers buffet breakfast each morning and resident-style brunch where diners may order from the a la carte or set menus and Mee & Mian, a beachside noodle bar, has a selection of Asian noodles and Western pasta dishes prepared before diners by talented chefs.

 

For drinks and light snacks, the resort features 4 bars and lounges. At the Sunset Bar, the all-female staff specialize in creating cocktails while guests enjoy special performances that vary daily. Live jazz performances can be found at MO Blues, which houses an extensive wine cellar, single-malt whiskey collection and walk-in humidor. Breeze, the lobby lounge, offers a complete beverage menu and a selection of pastries and savouries, ideal for a quick bite or refreshing drink, while Waves features a sunken pool bar and a champagne surfboard that makes its way across the swimming pool every afternoon.

 

Other facilities at the Mandarin Oriental, Sanya, include a state-of-the-art fitness & wellness centre, luxury spa village and a variety of activities ranging from sightseeing, sports, golf and culinary demonstrations and classes by the resort’s executive chef. Meeting planners will also have more than 900 square meters of banquet and conference facilities at their disposal, supported by a fully-equipped business centre.

 

The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is the owner and operator of some of the world’s most prestigious luxury hotels and resorts. The group currently operates, or has under development, 40 hotels in 24 countries across Asia, the Caribbean, Central America, Europe, North Africa and North America.

United Airlines Introduces International Premium Travel Experience On Australia Flights

United Airlines has introduced a new, international full-flat bed in First and Business Class for its flights between the USA and Australia. Part of the United International Premium Travel Experience, the new seats onboard the airline’s Boeing 747 aircraft operating the flights provide passengers with greater space and a more comfortable flight experience.

 

In First Class, passengers will experience the United First Suite configured in a configuration designed for privacy and direct aisle access. The 12 suites boast a series of features designed to facilitate entertainment, work or rest, each seat reclining into a 6-feet 6-inches horizontal flat bed. In addition to on-demand content on the inflight entertainment system, passengers may watch their own videos from a large LCD screen, with the seat featuring iPod/iPhone and USB connectivity. In-seat power supply and an ergonomic tray table comfortably accomodates a laptop computer. Other features include greater storage space and an adjustable LED reading light with dimmer.

 

Business Class passengers enjoy new, shell-type seats that are arranged in a forward-/rearward-facing 2-4-2 layout on the main deck and 2-2 configuration on the upper deck. The seats feature a 6-way adjustable headrest, 4-way lumbar support and recline into a 6-foot 4-inches horizontal flat bed, with a privacy screen and in-flight entertainment console located between passengers to ensure greater privacy. Passengers enjoy United’s on-demand in-flight entertainment or content from their iPod/iPhone from a 15.4-inch LCD screen paired with noise-cancelling headphones. Each seat is fitted with USB connectivity and in-seat power supply for the business traveller who needs to work onboard the flight.

 

Together with the new seats, passengers onboard the Australia flights enjoy a new cabin service featuring the ability to dine at their leisure. United have engaged internationally-recognized American chef Charlie Trotter to design the in-flight menus, accompanied by a wine list created by Master Sommelier and Master of Wine Doug Frost.

 

The United International Premium Travel Experience is available on flights to Sydney and Melbourne from United Airlines’ west coast hubs of Los Angeles and San Francisco. United Airlines operates more than 3,000 flights a day on United and United Express to more than 200 US domestic and international destinations.

Buddha-Bar Arrives In Prague With New Boutique Hotel

The exclusive Buddha-Bar brand marks its entry into Prague with the first Buddha-Bar Hotel in the world. Sited in a 6-storey historical building from the early 20th century that was recently renovated in 2008, the 5-star Buddha-Bar Hotel Prague is located on Jakubská Street near the Old Town Square and next to St. Jacob’s Church.

 

The hotel offers 13 Superior, 23 Premier rooms and 3 suites for guests. Each room features exquisite design furniture and luxurious materials, with technology in the form of a Bang&Olufsen Full HD interactive television, multi-line IP phones and a high quality sound distribution system playing tunes from the Buddha-Bar Musical Library or the live DJ music channels. The bathrooms feature rain showers and a stylish stone bathtub and jacuzzi in suites, complemented by the complimentary Buddhattitudes bathroom amenities.

 

The Buddha-Bar Hotel Prague offers guests a fitness area equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and an in-house spa with sauna and a hammam steam room. Food and beverage options include the signature Buddha-Bar, occupying 2 floors with high ceilings and intimate places to dine and lounge in. The lower level comprises the 150-seat dining room serving up Asian and Pacific Rim fusion cuisine, while the upper level houses the mezzanine bar and lounge. The hotel also features the Siddharta Cafe, serving international cuisine in an all-day dining restaurant while a DJ plays selected lounge tracks from noon till late.

 

The Buddha-Bar Hotel Prague is the brand’s first boutique hotel to open. Buddha-Bar Hotels and Resorts are scheduled to open in Budapest, Panama City, Paris, Marrakesh, Sahl Hasheesh, Santo Domingo, Miami, New York, Rio de Janeiro, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.