HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – March 2015

The elegance of Das Stue in Berlin, Germany, one of DesignHotels.com properties

The elegance of Das Stue in Berlin, Germany, one of DesignHotels.com properties

In Orlando, we’ve skipped Spring and jumped straight into 88-degrees of Summer. In Boston, their renowned St. Patrick’s Day Parade had to be cancelled due to impending snow atop already record-breaking blankets of white that have created mountains where once concrete ruled the pavement. No matter where you are and no matter what your weather, escape can be a car, train, boat or plane ride away.
HOT DEALS
DesignHotels.com is one of my favorite websites to ponder when I’m dreaming the dream of exotic travel. Now, instead of having to scroll through each country’s options, Design Hotels has compiled their latest 279 handpicked exotic hotels locations among 178 worldwide destinations into one 500+ page guide that you can peruse at leisure, earmarking the must-dos for your next getaway. There are glorious photographs and behind-the-scenes stories of the Original hoteliers who created them. Pre-order this edition of The Design Hotels™ Book 2015 by March 31, 2015 and you become eligible to win a two-night stay at one of five great Design Hotels™ properties in Stockholm, Berlin, London, Hong Kong, or New York City. Even if you don’t win, skin hair and body care company for the design-oriented traveller, Aesop, will send you a gift (while supplies last). The guide begins shipping mid-April. Allow one to four weeks for each order. If your country of residence or shipping address isn’t available on the drop-down menu in the Content & Shipping section of the order page, contact them for a quote.
www.shop@designhotels.com
Even last minute group bookings are welcome at the 5-star standard Regency estate known as Brocket Hall in the U.K. In fact, book Brocket Hall for a stay between now and through Mary and you can save up to £2,000 a day. The property includes 46 en-suite rooms, six syndicate rooms, meeting capacity for 150 theater style, clay pigeon shooting and two championship standard golf courses set among the 543 acres of private land. Brocket Hall is 22 miles from Central London and has easy transportation options.
Julie (01707 368728) or Jeanette (01707 368727); events@brocket-hall.co.uk

Here’s a deal difficult to ignore: book the historic Four-Diamond Omni Berkshire Hotel by April 30 for your group of at least 15 and save 15% on meeting room rentals and the midtown Manhattan hotel’s most popular A/V items. To receive the discount, groups must fulfil the booking between June 26 and September 7, 2015. For full details: http//www.omnihotels.com/meetings/offers/nycber-summer-meeting-offer#sthash.j60oTl5J.dpuf

Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, FL sweetens its Spring into Savings promotion with the chance to receive a $100 resort credit for booking a two-night stay during select April weekends. Book any of Gaylord’s four hotels from February 23 – May 17, 2015 and not only will you save 15% off their regular Sunday-Thursday rates but you’ll earn 2,000 Marriott Rewards bonus points per stay. Book a stay by May 3 for use by June 30 and receive 20% off your vacation package. There are more package deals than I have room to print. Check them out for yourself.
www.gaylordpalms.com; www.marriottt.com
Would you fancy winning a three-night stay in North Norfolk, UK at Little Barsham, a barn converted to a cozy cottage built from traditional Norfolk brick and flint? Near the coast, the winning package worth £695 is good for a family of four, with an onsite Jacuzzi and game room. Enter by midnight on March 31. Vacation must be used by Decembe 31, 2015. Enter on their FaceBook page, Visit North Northfolk.
FINCH HATTONS REBORN IN KENYA

Finch Hattons ups the ante with reopened luxurious safari camp in Kenya

Finch Hattons ups the ante with reopened luxurious safari camp in Kenya

In 1992, Finch Hattons opened as a luxury eco tented camp. After a multi-million dollar rebuild, Finch Hattons has just reopened as a more luxurious camp set on 35 acres of unadulterated wilderness in the heart of the Tsavo West National Park. The park is home to over 500 species of birds and a wide variety of other wildlife species including a herd of more than 12,000 elephants, leopards and giraffe. Views of Mount Kilimanjaro and the Chyulu Hills are visible from 17 suites, pool, spa or conference facilities. History buffs may revel in the knowledge that the hotel’s inspiration was drawn from legendary British aristocrat Denys Finch Hatton, best known to many as Baroness Karen Blixen’s lover. Finch Hatton was an adventurous game hunter turned safari guide to other aristocrats. He is credited for bringing luxury camping to Tsavo and beginning the tourism movement there.
http://finchhattons.com/
SPECIAL EVENTS
I don’t typically publish special events but every once in a while one comes along that touches me personally. The UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management’s student-produced fundraiser: The 6th Annual Cabaret & Cabernet’s event on April 11 is just such a situation because the college trains our next generation of hospitality, meetings & events professionals, of which I am a proud colleague. I’ve been to the students’ past events and they are a blast. This year’s theme celebrates all things 007 or, in this case, 0015 for the class of 2015! Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to dress in iconic James Bond fashion  and then indulge in British cuisine, premium wines and exciting entertainment from 6 to 10 pm. There is a prize awarded to the best dressed. Tickets are $65 plus tax.
http://vcart.velocitypayment.com/rosencollege/index.php?cPath=129
Sponsorship opportunities & full table purchase:  Suzan.bunn@ucf.edu; (407) 903-8212.
Karen Kuzsel is a writer-editor based in the Orlando area who specializes in the hospitality, entertainment, meetings & events industries.  She is a Contributing Editor-Writer for Prevue Magazine and is an active member of ISES and MPI. She writes about food & wine, spas, destinations, venues, meetings & events. A career journalist, Karen has owned magazines, written for newspapers, trade publications, radio and TV. As her alter-ego, Natasha, The Psychic Lady, she is a featured entertainer for corporate and social events. karenkuzsel@earthlink.net; www.ThePsychicLady.com; @karenkuzsel; @thepsychiclady

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