Daily Pampering: Emirates and Montblanc create limited edition writing instrument

Need a new pen? Emirates has partnered with Montblanc to offer customers the opportunity to win an exclusive Montblanc Skeleton A380 Limited Edition writing instrument, inspired by the Airbus A380.

The Montblanc Skeleton A380 Limited Edition is a collector’s dream. Its dual-leveled windows and dark blue precious resin dominates the writing instrument’s 18k white gold barrel and is designed to resemble the A380. There are 28 flawless diamonds and the crown bears the Montblanc emblem and there’s an engraved 18-carat gold nib with platinum plating on the writing instrument.

Want one? Of course you do!

Board an Emirates flight and purchase the Montblanc StarWalker A380 fineliner from Emirates’ Duty Free. When you buy the luxury writing instrument, you’ll also be entered to win a luxury trip to Hamburg, Germany, where you’ll receive the Montblanc Skeleton A380 Limited Edition. Book a flight now! The promotion runs only until June 30, 2011.

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Daily Pampering: Organic resort spa opens in Malaysia

The Chateau Spa and Wellness Resort, the world’s first organic wellness destination spa resort, will open on April 28, 2011 in a 150-million-year-old tropical rainforest in the Berjaya Hills, Malaysia.

Modeled after an 18th century medieval ‘Haut Koesnigburg’ castle in Alsace, France, The Chateau has 210 rooms and suites. The Chateau offers three, five, and seven night packages that are specially designed for guests and include accommodation in The Chateau’s spa rooms, daily meals created by their very own dietician, and complete daily fitness and wellness programs.

The five star deluxe spa resort is the first to offer the use of illusive European thermal facilities, which include a herbal infused sauna chamber, salt grotto or mud chamber, and a soap brush/aquaveda heated bed with automatic body scrub facilities. Each guest meets with a member of the spa personnel to create personalized therapies and programs that are designed to meet individual needs and health goals. Use the therapies to work on pampering, beauty, anti-stress, body cleansing, fitness, weight loss, and more.The spa’s unique products are created from The Chateau’s very own ecologically grown gardens. The Chateau also has an array of fitness and wellness activities to experience, including mountain biking, horse riding, trekking, yoga, dance classes, bowling, as well as an 18 hole award winning golf course.

Why wouldn’t you indulge in this pampering? The Chateau Spa & Organic Wellness Resort is a 45 minute drive from the Kuala Lumpur city center and a 90 minute drive from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

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Daily Pampering: Dubai Shopping Festival hotel packages

You read the title right, fashionistas: There’s an entire festival devoted to shopping that takes place in Dubai, and Emirates Airlines has partnered with hotels and luxury retailers to offer travelers a few good discounts and a place to drop their bags after a long day of shopping.

The 15th annual Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) begins on Jan. 20 and runs until Feb. 20 in the glamorous city of Dubai. Emirates airline has teamed up with beach and city hotels to offer a free night’s stay during the Festival to visitors who book a four-night stay. The pampering continues with tax-free shopping, as well as discounts of up to 50 percent on a wide variety of items during the shopping festival.

Packages to the festival can be purchased through local travel agents or an Emirates sales office, and include a choice of hotels, airport transfers and buffet breakfast. In addition, Emirates is currently offering a Companion Fare offer: any passenger purchasing a flight to Dubai between Jan. 1-31 will get a free second ticket, excluding taxes. This Companion Fare offer is valid in all three classes – first, business and economy – with travel from Jan. 16-31.

We can’t put a price on this pampering because of the various hotel options, but we can tell you the shopping package includes accommodation for four-nights for the price of three, airport assistance on arrival at Dubai International Airport, Arabian Adventures welcome pack, airport transfers to and from the hotel by private car, breakfast daily and all taxes and service charges.
Participating beach and city hotels for the Dubai Shopping Festival include:

  • The Westin Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina
  • The Jumeirah Beach Hotel
  • Mina A Salam and Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina
  • The Grand Hyatt
  • Dubai Marriott
  • Al Bustan Rotana Hotel
  • Hyatt Regency
  • Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates
  • Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel
  • The Address Dubai Marina
  • The Fairmont Dubai
  • Shangri-La Hotel
  • Raffles
  • Taj Palace Hotel
  • The Palace – Old Town
  • Premier Inn Dubai International Airport
  • Four Points by Sheraton
  • Al Manzil Hotel
  • Qamardeen Hotel
  • Marco Polo Hotel and Highland City Hotel
  • (Apartment hotels include Dubai Marriott – The Harbour Hotel and Suites and Pearl Residence.)

Travel tip: Make sure to bring an extra suitcase (or two).

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Daily Pampering: Mandarin Oriental’s ultimate car package in Munich

Feel the need for speed? Mandarin Oriental, Munich, has a package just for you.

The luxury hotel group put together this ultimate dream package for car enthusiasts which includes four days’ use of a sleek Mercedes Benz to tour the scenic areas of Southern Germany, plus visits to some of the world’s most important car museums and factories: Audi, BMW, Mercedes Benz and Porsche. The world famous BMW Welt and BMW museum, as well as Audi’s largest plant in Ingolstadt, is just an hour’s drive away from Munich and the hotel.

While you’re rocking the open roadways, stop off at Stuttgart, a two and a half hour drive from the Mandarin Oriental, Munich and home to the fantastic Porsche and Mercedes Benz Museums. The Porsche Museum has approximately 80 world-famous and iconic vehicles while the Mercedes Benz museum has 1500 exciting exhibits.
The dream drive package also includes a night at The Brenner’s Park-Hotel & Spa in Baden-Baden, a small retreat surrounded by its own private parkland on the banks of the river Oos. This hotel is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World, and is located an hour from Stuttgart.

The price of this daily pampering: Package costs starts at EUR 1,477 (approximately $1900 USD) per room and includes:

  • 2 nights at Mandarin Oriental, Munich including breakfast at Restaurant Mark’s
  • 1 night at Brenner’s Park-Hotel in Baden-Baden including breakfast
  • 1 Mercedes Benz limousine for self driving for three days
  • 1 tour of the BMW Welt and BMW museum in Munich
  • 1 tour of the Audi museum and factory in Ingolstadt
  • 1 tour of the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart
  • 1 tour of the Mercedes Benz Museum and factory in Stuttgart

* Private tours and driving sessions can be arranged on request at an extra charge

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Daily Pampering: Prague’s The Augustine luxe beer spa treatment

Prague’s luxe hotel The Augustine, which overlooks the Wallenstein Gardens, is a historic seven-building complex that includes the St. Thomas Monastery – a building that dates back to the 13th century. The monastery is also the home of St. Thomas beer, the brewing of which can be traced back to 1352.

Yeah, yeah, so we all know you’d like a glass of the frosty stuff. But what about a pampering treatment featuring the brew? The Augustine spa’s signature treament blends beer and hops flowers to create a luxe 90 minute package that’s surely less caloric than a few classes of the dark stuff.

This treatment starts with a relaxing footbath before moving on to a scrub of carefully blended Himalayan salts and hops flowers that are said to help improve the skin’s tone, increase blood circulation and combat dryness.

Hops, a key ingredient in beer counter cell damage and can also help to reduce blood pressure and levels of insulin in the blood. Beer can help to increase the level of HDL (beneficial cholesterol) in the body, decrease the likelihood of blood clots, and raise the level of antioxidants.

A relaxing scalp and full body massage finishes the treatment. We’re hoping a glass of the hotel’s signature brew is also available? The 90-minute treatment is $201, give or take a few pennies for the exchange rate.

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