After Black Friday, Hotel reminds shoppers of true holiday spirit

by Chris Owen on

After Black Friday, shoppers need a quiet escape that will remind them of the true meaning of the holidays. In that spirit, the Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove in Miami invites us to stop by and enjoy some of the best holiday movie classics.

Sipping Hot Toddies and enjoying seasonal favorites, the public is invited to rekindle childhood memories with family and friends at an evening under the stars at the Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove.

The spirit of the season comes alive with holiday movie classics like A Christmas Story, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas and It’s A Wonderful Life, at the hotel’s Bizcaya Fountain Terrace, bringing back memories of hot cocoa, fresh-out-the-oven cookies and stories of sugar plum fairies, Jack Frost and our favorite man in red.

Spread the joy by bringing an unwrapped ‘tween toy or gift card and the hotel will personally deliver them to children in need just in time for the holidays.
The hotel also offers a Christmas Eve Dinner where executive Chef Khaled Ibrahim creates a beautiful five-course gourmet repast with a sustainable menu utilizing seasonal herbs and farm-fresh Florida produce for a tantalizing culinary experience that bursts with flavor. New this year, a five-course specially designed children’s menu will also be presented.
The price is $69 for adults and $35 for children 12 and under plus tax and gratuity.

A New Years Eve event has Chef Ibrahim creating a sumptuous and special five-course dinner with Mediterranean accents in the beautiful Bizcaya restaurant, surrounded by soft live music, candlelight and personalized Ritz-Carlton service. It’s an elegant and beautiful way to end 2011 in style. This one starts at 8 p.m. and runs $149 per person, plus tax and gratuity.

Stick around for New Years Day too at Coconut Grove’s most spectacular Sunday Brunch, indoors in Italian palazzo-style splendor or outdoors in a lush courtyard with cascading waterfall. A selection of breakfast favorites, gourmet delicacies, carved meats, grilled-to-order dishes, fresh seafood, caviar, sushi, imported cheeses, charcuteries, risotto, lavish desserts, free-flowing Bellinis, Champagne and more awaits. Priced at $69 per adult, $25 for children 12 and under, plus tax and gratuity.


Kids travel gift: Junior “crumpled” city maps

by Alex Robertson Textor on

Last year we reported on Italian designer Emanuele Pizzolorusso’s crumpled city maps, a delightful series of maps made out of tough waterproof material. Pizzolorusso’s maps can withstand crumpling and crushing. They fit in a little pouch and are easily transportable. They are a wonderfully fanciful yet solidly utilitarian tool for tourists.

Pizzolorusso, working with Berlin-based illustrator Alvvino, has just released a series of maps for children, colorful and vibrant objects containing main attractions as well as “not-to-be-missed” junior locations of particular interest to younger tourists. In addition to illustrating the maps, Alvvino is also responsible for their packaging. See the Berlin version of the Junior map above. (Note that the superimposed figures and monuments are not included.)

Thus far, junior maps to Amsterdam, Berlin, London, New York, and Paris have been released. Additional cities will follow.

Currently, Junior crumpled maps can be purchased online through the Palomar shop for €10 ($13.25) apiece.

Black Friday travel on sale from hotels to cruises

by Chris Owen on

Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday travel companies are going all out with some outstanding bargains on everything from airfare to cruise vacations. It’s a time when sellers of travel hope they can get us to buy big, once, and take care of the whole family with a single purchase.

One big travel gift for the whole family is a great choice for people who don’t like to shop very much and like to travel or know people they need a gift for who do. Travel gifts don’t have to be big either, a travel gift card is a good choice for backpackers, road warriors and everyone in-between. Still, Black Friday deals are up first so lets take a look at some of the best available, Friday only.

Travelocity has savings of up to 50% off with offers that might include third night free and 40-50% off at hotels in Hawaii, Chicago, and other cities. They even have a special Black Friday Booking site.

Yuupon is offering hourly, travel deals where shoppers get sale items that can include up to 90% off airline, gas and restaurant gift cards and Vegas shows and Florida tours are also included. Yuupon also has a special Black Friday website set up.

Hotels from Red Roof Inn to Intercontinental have special offers too. Follow Intercontinental Hotel Group on Twitter for special deals announced on Friday. Orbitz lets Friday buyer save up to 50% for stays at popular hotels in Orlando, Las Vegas, San Diego, New York, Miami and Hawaii. The company also promises similar savings at international locations, including Paris; Puerto Vallarta and Cancun, Mexico;and London.

“Discounts are likely to slip away faster than the parking spaces at the mall,” Orbitz told CNN.

To get the deals, visit The Orbitz Cybersale web site. The site goes live 12:01 a.m. Friday and closes 11:59 p.m. Monday.

Princess Cruises’ first-ever After Thanksgiving Alaska Sale has travelers dreaming of savings on visiting the splendor of Alaska’s wilderness.

Running from November 25-29, the sale offers passengers up to $1,000 in savings and up to a $50 onboard credit on one of the cruise line‘s popular cruisetour vacations, which combine a Gulf of Alaska cruise with rail travel to Denali and stays at Princess’ exclusive wilderness lodges. For those who opt to see Alaska by sea only, the sale provides a free balcony upgrade and up to $100 onboard credit.

Norwegian Cruise Line will offer reduced deposits (50% off) and up to $250 in onboard credit per stateroom. The sale begins on Wednesday, Nov. 23 and runs until Nov. 29. All sailings are included in this sale with the exception of 1 & 2 day sailings and those on the Norwegian Breakaway.

Costa Cruises, Europe‘s largest cruise line, is planning a Black Friday sale that will feature its lowest rates of the season on select Mediterranean and Caribbean sailings. Cruise-only fares for 11-night eastern Mediterranean departures will start at $599 per person based on double occupancy while seven- to 11-night western Mediterranean cruises will begin at $399.

“For the third consecutive year Costa is offering Black Friday fares because they have proven to be very popular with consumers,” said Maurice Zarmati, president and CEO of Costa Cruises North America. “At these exclusive rates travelers can book one of our Italian-style cruise vacations at an incredible value.”

Costa Concordia seven-night and Costa Serena 11-night Mediterranean sailings feature a $100 per person on-board credit for balcony cabins plus huge savings on Caribbean 10-night cruises. Cruise-only fares for 11-night eastern Mediterranean departures start at $599, and seven- to 11-night western Med cruises begin at just $399. The 10-night Caribbean cruises begin at just $699.

Royal Caribbean also has a special offer, extending their usual “Tuesday Only” sale to begin on Friday and run through the weekend. See your travel professional for details and pricing on this sales event too.

 


Photo of the day – Toronto turkey

by Meg Nesterov on


It’s Thanksgiving today in America, and thus time for the obligatory turkey-related photo. Our friends over at Matador called our attention to this turkey-shaped building in Canada, of all places. The University of Toronto‘s John P. Robarts research library was designed to look like a peacock, but bears more of a resemblance to tonight’s main course. The concrete and vaguely Soviet structure was taken by Flickr user Jiang Long and is also known as “Fort Book.”

Found any other animal-shaped buildings? We’d be most thankful if you could upload your pix to the Gadling Flickr pool for a future Photo of the Day. Happy Thanksgiving!

Dominican resort offers ultra-luxe island adventure

by Chris Owen on

A new Dominican resort has plans to change the travel and tourism landscape in the Caribbean when completed in February 2012. Eden Roc at Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic consists of 34 freestanding suites and three opulent bungalows, each one fully equipped with it’s own private swimming pool, that offer jet-setting guests an unprecedented level of intimate luxury that personifies glamour.

Eden Roc promises to spoil guests further with extravagant amenities such as the resort’s full service spa, three Jack Nicklaus signature golf courses, tennis facilities, Caletón Beach Club, Eden Roc Kids Club, five diverse culinary selections and more.

Located in the uber-exclusive community of Capa Cana, Eden Roc at Cap Cana is a 20-minute drive from the Punta Cana International Airport and private jet landing strip. Home to white haute beaches and tropical rainforests, the Caletón Beach Club offers global luxury clientele everything they may desire.

Families with children will have access to the resort’s jungle-themed Kids Club, designed to resemble a massive tree house complete with video games, mini dining area and Mini Spa, where kids of all ages can enjoy manicures, pedicures and hair styling in style.

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Prices start at $750 per night for an 824 sq ft Junior Suite with a garden view that includes a King bed, private swimming pool, private courtyard with pergola, marble bath with Jacuzzi tub, 2 separate vanities and bidet plus 1 touring cart .

Flickr photo by http2007