As some of the world’s great treasures tour the globe, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is offering access to many fascinating exhibits that guests might not have another chance to see, except on their travels.  For those who want a dose of culture on their next trip, Fairmont offers experiences for exploring King Tut’s tomb, the Dead Sea Scrolls and many more enticing exhibits from top international museums.  And after a full day of stimulating your intellect, cozy into one of Fairmont’s luxurious rooms for a good night’s sleep to soak it all in.

*King Tut’s tomb has proven to be one of the most popular and enduring artistic and archeological wonders in the world, and Fairmont has two properties celebrating this powerful and exciting icon.  Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs brings the ancient treasures of the Egyptian boy king, his family and royal predecessors to San Francisco through March 28, 2010.  The Fairmont San Francisco has partnered with the de Young Museum to create an exclusive package that guarantees guests VIP tickets and expedited entrance to the Kit Tut exhibition, even on dates that are sold out to the public. Starting at $249 plus tax and gratuity, the King Tut: Mummy and Me package includes a one-night-stay at the landmark hotel, two VIP tickets to the exhibition and two Egyptian Sunrise cocktails in The Laurel Court. With the King Tut: Wake Like an Egyptian package, guests enjoy elegant overnight accommodation, complimentary parking at the hotel, breakfast for two in The Laurel Court as well as VIP tickets to the exhibition, starting at $319 plus tax and gratuity.  Available through March 28, 2010.

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Main Awards: (46 winners)

Hotel Group Brands (4 winners)

China’s Most Popular International Hotel Group Brand of 2009

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts

China’s Most Popular Local Hotel Group Brand of 2009

Jinling Hotels & Resorts

China’s Most Popular Serviced Residence Brand of 2009

Ascott Property Management (Shanghai)Co., Ltd

China’s Most Popular Economical Chain Hotel Brand of 2009

Home Inn

Hotel Management Companies (2 winners)

2009 China’s Most Investment-value International Hotel Management Company

Accor China

2009 China’s Most Investment-value Local Hotel Management Company

New Century Hotels & Resorts

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The Dig is a series of aquariums located beneath the lobby of the Royal Towers and is the world’s largest open air marine habitat. Hundreds of different aquatic species can be spotted in the Dig’s various tanks such as angelfish, sharks, manta rays, and various types of jellyfish. The goal of The Dig is to provide guests with a taste of life in the legendary destroyed city ofAtlantis. If one observes the bottom of the floors in the different aquariums, wreckage and debris will be scattered about representing the “Lost City of Atlantis.”

A Predator Lagoon is full of sawsharks, barracudas and stingrays. A 100-foot (30 m) clear acrylic tunnel runs underwater, allowing visitors unobstructed views of the marine environment.

Beijing -26 Jun 2009 - The Golden Pillow Award Ceremony was held on 15 May 2009. The coveted China Golden pillow Awards, now on its sixth year as the leading awards programme for China’s hospitality industry, is organized by the 21st Century Business Herald & Business Travel Magazine and is recognised as one of the most prestigious hotel evaluations in China and Asia.

Accor China won the award of 2009 China’s Most Investment-value International Hotel Management and Mr. Robert Murray, Senior Vice President of Accor Greater China, won the award of “Leaders of the Hotel Industry of 2009″ two years in a row.

Apart from those two awards, one of the Accor brands - Sofitel Luxury Hotels, has also won a number of individual awards. Sofitel Wanda Beijing won the award of China’s Top 10 Most Popular Business Hotels, Sofitel Zhongshan Golf Resort Nanjing won the award of China’s Top 10 Most Popular resort Hotels of 2009, while Sofitel Forebase Chonqing was awarded with Most Luxury Business Hotel in West China of 2009.

All along, Sofitel has been known for its French elegance and quality of service. These awards not only further enhance its positioning in the international market, but also motivate continuous improvement in providing the best of hospitality. All 150 Sofitel hotels combine French elegance with the unique culture of each region, placing them among the globe’s leading brands. By using scarves of Hermes, the French traditional luxury brand renowned for their high quality production and perfect artistic design, in its guestrooms and other hotel areas, Sofitel Forebase Chongqing creates a unique and captivating design aesthetic and brings the hotel a never-before-seen artistic ambience.

The accolades endorse Accor’s reputation in hotel development and management in China, and “will certainly raise the confidence of our associates and attract more investors to partner with Accor”, added Mr. Murray.

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Sofitel, World Class Hotels & French Elegance
Sofitel is the only French luxury hotel brand with a presence on five continents, in more than 50 countries. Sofitel offers contemporary hotels and resorts adapted to today’s more demanding and more versatile consumers who expect and appreciate beauty, quality and excellence. Whether situated in the heart of a major city like Paris, New York or Bangkok, or nestled away in a country landscape in French Polynesia or Brazil, each Sofitel property offers a genuine experience of the French art de vivre.

Talise. The Spa for Self Discovery.

Stop for a moment and contemplate a different kind of inner journey. A journey that takes you on a conscious path to new beginnings. A journey that leads you to a greater understanding of yourself and an enhanced life. It starts at Talise. The spa for self discovery.

Join us at Talise where our expert therapists take the best therapies from the oldest cultures and combine with a selection of international techniques to treat your individual needs.

Be invigorated by our hot and cold plunge pools, relax in our saunas and steam rooms, or simply stroll in our tranquil gardens adjoined by secluded waterways.
To complete your experience enjoy our delicious spa cuisine.

Talise is open daily from 9.00am to 10.00pm.

Addr - Madinat Jumeirah | (formerly Six Senses Spa), Dubai, United Arab Emirates

COMO Shambhala Estate is a residential health retreat located near Ubud, Bali. State-of-the-art facilities include a Vitality pool, treatment area beside the River Ayung, climbing wall, outdoor gym and yoga pavilion. The Estate has a number of Resident Teachers including a Fitness Instructor, Yoga Master and martial arts teachers. The property also provides Guides for outdoor activities. Completing the holistic approach, The Estate offers a wide selection of healthful COMO Shambhala cuisine.

The award-winning holistic health company

A unique residential health retreat located in Bali, in inland jungle on a peaceful riverbank

Holistic concept and philosophy are brought to life by international specialists

A place where spring water is sacred, revered by Balinese for its healing properties

A place of anti-stress and beauty with wellness consultation, where silence still reigns

Participation in The Estate’s daily Scheduled of activities, include Estate Walk, Chi Gong, Pilates Mat Class,

Aqua Therapy, Yoga, Village / Rice field Biking, Rice field Trekking

Use of steam room, sauna and 25 metre lap pool

Services of a Personal Assistant Services of a Personal Assistant.

Addr - Po.Box 54 Ubud Bali, Gianyar, Bali 80571, Indonesia

URL - http://cse.comoshambhala.bz

Situated on 32-hectares of Ha My Beach, a picturesque section of the world famous China Beach with unspoilt stretches of white sands, sits our hotel offering a number of facilities.

We are ideally located 30 km south of Da Nang and 11 km north of historical city of Hoi An in Central Coast. The Nam Hai complements exclusive beach front living with cultural and historical attractions which reflect the true spirit of Indochina.

Our facilities include 2 restaurants and a bar. We also have spa facilities and a meeting room which comfortably accommodates up to 45 guests.

What are the attributes of luxury vacations? They are different for different people. For some people luxury vacations is living in the luxury top-class hotels, having very expensive and gourmet meals, spending vacation time playing games for rich and enjoying the feeling that they can afford themselves to spend huge sum of money just for vacation! Other people do think that luxury vacation is a special vacation differing from the vacation they used to have. Like renting a lone villa or becoming for a week an owner of a small island somewhere far away in ocean.

Todays vacation industry might offer a great number of proposals on luxury vacations, as luxury villa vacation, luxury homes vacation, the world cruise vacations, romantic luxury villas, golfing villa vacations, and exotic and luxury villa vacations. The most popular is luxury vacations when you pay for your own villa and stay there completely alone (or with your partner).

In travel agency you select and book the most suitable villa. They make all the necessary arrangements prior to clients’ arrival which may include: having guests met at the airport and transported to their villas; stocking villas with groceries (and special dietary requirements); having villa staff prepare meals for guests’ arrival; arranging hired cars to be delivered either to the airport or guests’ villa; all special requests prior to guests arrival; concierge service; luxurious yachts, Captain and crew; Big Game sport fishing yachts.

All villa rentals include staff (the number varies depending on the size of villa) from one staff member for one bedroom villas or condominiums, up to 10 staff members for an eight bedroom villa. Villas are fully equipped with all the conveniences of home. Additional amenities such as TVs, Cable TV, VCR, CD players, baby equipment etc. are not standard but many villas do include them. These items may also be hired once advance notice is given.

Many of the visitors are repeat guests and it is aim to make their holiday as stress-free and relaxing as possible. Luxury Villa companies are known around the world by discriminating traveler’s for custom designed vacations of extraordinary value, and our personalized, dedicated service.  Professional services suit the world’s most demanding travelers and guarantees value. They can get you the best accommodations, privileged access and extra amenities.

With help of professionals you enjoy the benefits of our exclusive agreements with the world’s most exclusive luxury villas, vacation homes, large and small, plus  luxury hotels and tour companies. You will get unsurpassed value in the world of upscale travel, including outstanding amenities such as complimentary upgrades, privileged access opportunities and private events at many top international and domestic destinations.

Isn’t it splendid to see sunrise and sunset seating at the ocean shore and sharing your feelings only with your partner? Some people thing that luxury vacation is when you pay for being really alone (means just two of you) somewhere in the most exotic place in the world. May be they are also right?

The Seychelles have long been praised as the most perfect, unspoiled islands in all the oceans and Maia is a shining gem in this archipelago of jewels. Situated in the green mountain chain along the bay of Anse Louis in the southwest of Mahé, this beautiful resort is named after the Maia star in The Seven Sisters star constellation.

Expansive villas include a long veranda, a glass-walled garden shower, and a private infinity pool that’s 12 strokes long, as well as a personal butler who wil even ring and artfully arrange shells that you may have picked up while beachcombing.

Designer Bill Bensley’s understated interiors with their cream colors and notched wood floors, leave the drama to nature: At night, sitting in the outdoor bathtub, you can watch the moon illuminating the ink-black sea.

The Maia Spa by La Prairie has been designed as a haven for pure relaxation. Three treatment pavilions with double beds are isolated in the garden and surrounded by tropical nature. The Spa offers a variety of luxurious treatments, such as the well-known Jari Menari (dancing fingers) massage. In the Meditation Pavilion internationally trained yoga professionals teach Qi Gong and Self Shiatsu.

Additionally, the resort also offers active watersports, such as kayaking, snorkelling, canoeing and pedalos. Customised excursions to other islands by boat or helicopter can be organized by the Maia team. Walks along the 500 metre white sandy beach or through the tropical mountain forest gives an insight into the nature of the island.

If you’re looking to renew your body, mind and soul, it’ll be hard to beat the world-class Maia Resort and Spa. Just be prepared to shell out the $3000/night price for this dream travel destination.

Already drawing the crowds in the South American resort of San Alfonso del Mar in Chile, this artificial lagoon and swimming pool is eight hectares in size and contains an incredible 250,000 cubic meters of water. Acknowledged by Guinness World Records as being the world’s largest swimming pool, the lagoon trounces all other record holders in the category, including the Orthlieb pool in Casablanca, Morocco, itself a huge 150 meters by 100 meters – the San Alfonso pool is 1km in length.

The revolutionary clear water artificial lagoons, transparent to a depth of 35 meters and unprecedented in design and construction methods, are the brainchild of Crystal Lagoons founder, biochemist and Chilean businessman Fernando Fischmann. Equivalent in size to an incredible 6,000 standard domestic pools, details of its technology are to be unveiled for the first time at Cityscape Dubai later this month.

I believe this gives new meaning to living large!