Brisbane Gourmet Traveller @ Limes Hotel

Brisbane Gourmet Traveller

Brisbane’s fine dining experience has come of age and is now home to some of the best chef’s in Australia. Limes is proud to offer two of Brisbane’s premier restaurants, the well established E’cco Bistro with its head chef Phillip Johnson along with Matt Moran’s most recent venture, Aria Restaurant. Offering Brisbane a unique experience Limes is proud to present these Gourmet Traveler Packages:

Gourmet Traveler: E’cco Bistro - Package Rate: $399*

Is excellent food your passion? Why not eat like the locals at one of the cities favourite long standing establishments, E’cco Bistro. This restaurant has received highly acclaimed awards, exemplified in its modern Australian cuisine. The menu is understated in print but totally stylish on the plate complemented with a diverse wine list. After dinner, leisurely make your way back to our hotel to enjoy some champagne on the rooftop or just sneak away to your room and enjoy handmade Dello Mano brownies in bed. Perfect!

• 1 night stay
• Dinner reservation* and a $150 dinning voucher at E’cco Bistro.
• A Bottle of Chandon NV to be enjoyed pre-dinner
• Complimentary handmade Dello Mano Chocolate Brownies

BOOK NOW: E info@limeshotel.com.au T +61 3852 9000
(*Available Tuesday – Saturday, 48 hours advance notice required. Subject to availability.)

Gourmet Traveler: Aria - Package Rate: $449

Brisbane most recent and exciting addition to fine dining, Aria Restaurant, headed up by Matt Moran and Peter Sullivan is located in the idyllic Eagle St Pier precinct overlooking the Story Bridge and Brisbane River. Aria is reflective of the Brisbane lifestyle; it is relaxed yet elegant with an innovative and contemporary menu, using the freshest Australian produce. This coupled with an extensive wine list, showcasing many of Australia's iconic wineries, with friendly, seamless and efficient service provides an unforgettable experience. After your culinary experience, stroll back to our hotel to enjoy some cocktails on the rooftop or just sneak away to your room and enjoy a bottle of red wine and handmade Dello Mano brownies in bed.

• 1 night stay
• Dinner Reservation* and a $150 dinning voucher at Aria Restaurant
• A bottle of House Wine (white or red)
• Complimentary handmade Dello Mano Chocolate Brownies
• In room breakfast for two

BOOK NOW: E info@limeshotel.com.au T +61 3852 9000
(*Subject to availability, 48 hours notice required for booking)

Endless Days of Summer with Hilton

Reward, relax and rediscover Brisbane, with Hilton this summer.

Brisbane is set to scorch this summer with an exciting array of events and activities, sure to whet your travel appetite. Escape to the splendour of Moreton Bay, experience the world-class exhibitions at the Gallery of Modern Art, including the 6th Asia-Pacific Triennial or simply take in one of the many international concerts happening around town.

In January take a seat courtside at the 2nd Brisbane International with Former no.1 and current no. 5 Andy Roddick and recent US Open 2009 winner Kim Clijsters both headlining this exhilarating event. Enjoy the fashionista fabulousness with international shopping and entertainment at the Queen St Mall, located right on the hotel’s doorstep!

Enjoy all that Brisbane has to offer with Hilton’s cool summer rates, sure to take the heat off when the temperature starts to soar. Rates start from $165* per room per night, in a Hilton Deluxe Room, or simply book 21 days or more and enjoy up to 20% off our advance purchase rate – that’s only $132*!

Heighten your indulgence and upgrade to the newly refurbished Executive Plus rooms including access to the Executive Lounge including continental breakfast, refreshments throughout the day, drinks and canapés in the evening, all in the seclusion and exclusivity of the lounge - all for an additional $140 per night.

To book these simmering summer rates phone 1300 445 866 or visit hilton.com/brisbaneoffers.

*$165 Hilton Brisbane summer rate, valid from 18 December 2009 – 31 January 2010, advance purchase rates valid all year round. All published rates are subject to availability.

Since opening its doors in 1986, the Hilton Brisbane has been regarded a true international hotel. One of the hotels to be designed by award-winning Australian architect Harry Seidler, Hilton Brisbane features an eye-catching curved design and boasts the largest atrium in Australasia, stretching 83 metres in height and topped by a spectacular glass dome. All 319 accommodation levels open out onto the atrium, giving the hotel a sense of spaciousness and light.

Sail Portugal's Douro River with Uniworld

SAIL PORTUGAL'S DOURO RIVER WITH UNIWORLD
~ DISCOVER WHY NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC RANKS THE DOURO VALLEY 7th ~
~ WHY IT IS A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE ~

National Geographic Traveler recently released their sixth annual "World's Great Places: 133 Destinations" survey, and Portugal's Douro Valley rated Seventh on the list. Further, in 2001, UNESCO rated the Douro River Valley as a World Heritage Site. What makes this region so special and worthy of various honors? Perhaps it is their wine heritage - Port - that dates back over 2,000 years. Or perhaps it's a cultural landscape of exceptional beauty with rambling vineyards and charming native farms, quintas, clinging to the steep sides of the Douro River Valley, creating an incomparable backdrop to one of Europe's most unspoiled regions and to Port country - the oldest demarcated wine region in the world.

It's both! And this is what you can expect to see and experience from your Uniworld River Cruise ship. Travel Europe's most unspoiled UNESCO World Heritage river valley through Portugal and Spain. Before your cruise explore the seven hills of cosmopolitan Lisbon, uncovering a treasure trove of old world architecture. Visit Coimbra, the "Birthplace of Kings;" Porto, the beautiful "City of Bridges" with its UNESCO World Heritage-designated Medieval city center; and Salamanca, Spain, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Taste wonderful local wines from village vineyards, including the famed Port wine. Feast on a traditional meal at the Alpendurada Monastery; enjoy an authentic Spanish-style lunch complete with a flamenco show; and dine at the Vintage House Hotel, a magnificent18th-century wine quinta overlooking the Douro River. And all along the way, uncover a land of genuine beauty and breathtaking charm, as well as meet warmhearted, friendly people.

Uniworld's Douro River Valley package with three nights in Lisbon is priced from $2,099 per person, exclusive of airfare; without Lisbon from $1,699 per person, exclusive of airfare. No matter which option you choose, you'll enjoy a seven-night cruise in a river view stateroom, many with balconies, onboard the Douro Queen; all meals with fine wine, beer, and soft drinks served during dinner; exciting excursions led by English-speaking guides; and all transfers on arrival and departure days. And, for additional savings, double Uniworld's Early Booking Discount with a savings of $600 per couple by paying in full by December 31, 2009.

About Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection
Los Angeles-based Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, the premier river cruise company, was named to Travel+Leisure's World's Best Top 10 Small Cruise Lines; Condé Nast Traveler's 2009 Gold List, their Readers' Poll for Top 50 Small Ships, and their Readers' Choice Awards for World's Top 10 Small Ship Cruise Lines; and Cruise Critics Editor's Pick 2009 for Best River Cruise Line, and Best New River Cruise Ship, River Beatrice. Uniworld features intimate, elegant boutique, hotel-style cruise ships with an average capacity of 134 guests, an award-winning staff with a ratio of one staff member for every three guests, world-class cuisine, and expertly planned itineraries with custom-blended shore excursions. The company offers over 500 departures on more than 30 itineraries sailing on 11 rivers in over 20 countries throughout Europe, Egypt and China.

For more information, please contact your Preferred Travel Professional. Call Uniworld at 800-733-7820 or visit www.uniworld.com.

Uniworld is a member of CLIA, Cruise Lines International Association

Travelers Can Help Peru's Street Children

Travelers' Donations Raise Funds for a New Haven for Children Threatened by Homelessness and Poverty in Cuzco, Peru

Planeterra's "Project Cuzco Kids" Will Provide Volunteer Opportunities For Adventure Tour Participants Exploring Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley


A five-year vision and fundraising initiative to assist children of Cuzco, Peru, came to fruition this fall with the purchase of a large house to serve as a day-time drop-in center with staff.  Planeterra's Richard G. Edwards said that his organization's travelers were instrumental in the fundraising effort.

Edwards called this "a major breakthrough for Planeterra's community development and volunteer programs in Peru. The new house will provide stability, security and a base for long-term efforts to help alleviate and break the cycle of poverty facing these kids."

The sum of $150,000, half from travelers and industry partners and the remainder from Planeterra's founding company, Gap Adventures, allowed the project to move forward, Edwards said. He noted that a local organization, Inti Runakunaq Wasin (IRW), Quechua for "House of the People of the Sun," acts as a haven for over 70 children and adolescents living in extreme poverty. The haven reflects a lifestyle distant from the poverty that the children are accustomed to. See: http://www.planeterra.org/pages/projects/19.php?id=24

Said Danielle Weiss, Project Manager for Planeterra (http://www.planeterra.org/), "Amidst the mountainous surroundings, stunning architecture and rich culture of Cuzco, you will see the bitter reality of children either working or begging on the streets. Many of these children are unable to cope with the stress of both working and going to school, which results in giving up their studies in order to help provide for their families. Other children leave home because they have been abused, neglected or abandoned, turning to alcohol and drugs or sniffing glue to help relieve their hunger pains. In order to support themselves, some children also resort to begging or prostitution. By providing these children with a place where they receive guidance, a warm meal and support, it helps keep them off the streets and gives them the hope, confidence and skills needed to create a future for themselves."

"By purchasing this house we are providing this project with long-term security. IRW will manage daily operations and will work with Planeterra to develop new programs," Edwards said, underscoring that this is not an orphanage with beds and is not equipped for over-night care. Plans call for developing a garden so children can grow their own food and a learning bakery that can provide products for sale.

The home is open during the day and is run by a staff of teachers and social workers assisted by voluntour participants. Children are given the opportunity to voluntarily drop by to receive help with homework, a warm meal and participate in classes and workshops that teach them valuable skills, including jewelry making, leather working, sewing, cooking, music and English.

In 2010 Planeterra will offer a new tour, Project Cuzco Kids, whereby travelers can spend four days of a six-day trip volunteering at the newly purchased facility. See: http://www.planeterra.org/pages/voluntours/18.php?id=35.

Planeterra is a global non-profit dedicated to sustainable community development through travel. Founded in 2003 by Gap Adventures, Planeterra evolved out of a long history of travelers committed to finding ways to give back to the people and places they visit. Planeterra selects the projects and works with them to arrange voluntour travel programs worldwide.

For information on Planeterra's year-round voluntour programs please go to http://www.planeterra.org/pages/voluntours/4.php or call 416-260-0999.

Aussie Holidaymakers hit the beach

Australian holidaymakers are heading to the beach for a traditional seaside holiday this summer. One of Australia's largest holiday providers, Mantra Group which operates the popular Peppers, Mantra and BreakFree brands said 40,000 rooms had been booked through its central reservations department in November.

Mantra Group CEO Bob East, said that the majority of the bookings were in beachside areas.

The Gold Coast, including the stylish Salt Village at Kingscliff tops the list of most desirable destinations booked this month with around 14,000 rooms booked.

The Great Ocean Road was also flavour of the month with Mantra Erskine Beach Resort at Lorne being one of the most requested properties.

"With great weather on the horizon and some magnificent resorts offering good deals, we are not surprised to see Australian's heading to the beach this summer," said Mr East

 

Enjoy a magical music experience with Tauck

Immerse yourself in the glorious music of history's most loved composers

Tauck World Discovery has just released a special 12-day Musical Magic on the Blue Danube cruise and land tour, which will take guests to visit the homes of history's greatest composers as well as the famous concert halls and palaces where they once performed.

The itinerary begins in Budapest, Hungary, where guests will be treated to a welcome reception and dinner at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, accompanied by a local trio performing Hungarian folk and gypsy music. Whilst in Budapest, guests will also visit the State Opera House, Franz Liszt's reconstructed Budapest flat, the Musical History Museum and the house of Béla Bartók.

Guests will then board ms Swiss Sapphire and cruise down the Danube towards Bratislava, Slovakia. In this historic city, guests will embark on a walking tour and enjoy an exclusive behind-the-scenes visit to the Opera House. At night, guests will indulge in an interactive traditional Slovak wedding dinner filled with music and dance at a 16th-century winery.

The Austrian cities of Vienna, Melk and Salzburg are the next stops on this itinerary. Highlights include a private Imperial Evening in the Palais Pallavicini; a tour of the 900-year-old monastery Melk Abbey and an excursion to Mozart's hometown in Salzburg.

ms Swiss Sapphire will then sail onto Passau, Germany where guests will explore St. Stephen's Cathedral, home to Europe's largest pipe organ and enjoy workshops, musical trivia and a guest choir rehearsal en route to Regensburg. Guests will then set out for Bayreuth, where they will explore the city and see the final resting place of Wilhelm Richard Wagner and Franz Liszt before traveling to Prague for a two-night stay.

Whilst in Prague, guests will tour the Czech capital's Old Town and visit the Estates Theatre where Mozart himself conducted the premiere of Don Giovanni. Guests will also enjoy an excerpt from the opera at the National Marionette Theatre. Tauck will offer guests an exclusive opportunity to view original Beethoven manuscripts as a string quartet plays the composer's works during a private evening in Lobkowicz Palace at Prague Castle.

With two sailing dates available on 7 and 21 September 2010, the 12-day Musical Magic on the Blue Danube tour offers fantastic value and is priced from AU$6,559* (US$5,590) per person twin share. This includes most meals (as well as wine with dinners), accommodation, all shore excursions, service charges, taxes and airport transfers.

Guests cruise in the comfort of ms Swiss Sapphire which accommodates no more than 118 guests onboard. A majority of staterooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows with French balconies, giving guests the opportunity to enjoy the region's scenic waterways from their very own cabin. Guests also tour in the company of an experienced Cruise Director and Tour Director, along with two onboard 'Maestros' who will enrich the onboard experience with workshops, seminars and performances.

To obtain further information about Tauck or to make a booking, please contact Travel the World on 1300 766 566 or visit www.traveltheworld.com.au. 

*AU$ price indicative only and subject to exchange rate fluctuations.

Start Summer on the Gold Coast From Just $99*

BreakFree Hotels, Resorts and Apartments is celebrating summer with sizzling flat rates from just $99* per room per night across its Gold Coast properties.

Choose from 17 resorts on the Gold Coast in great locations such as Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise, Main Beach and Southport – all close to the surf, fabulous dining, entertainment and awesome holiday attractions, and with lead-in rates from just $99*.

The special offer is valid for sale from 30 November to 10 December, 2009 and for travel from 6 December to 24 December, 2009. Standard rates apply on Friday and Saturday nights.

For bookings or further information or visit www.breakfree.com.au

About BreakFree:
BreakFree offers an extensive range of hotels, resorts and apartments at great rates in favourite holiday destinations throughout Australia and New Zealand. Featuring 3.5 to 4.5 star, self contained accommodation, BreakFree properties are located close to the best beaches, dining and holiday attractions. Representing quality and great value for money, BreakFree spans superb family destinations such as Tropical North Queensland, the Fraser Coast, the Sunshine Coast, the Gold and Tweed Coasts, New South Wales and New Zealand’s South Island as well as prime city locations.

*Conditions, minimum stays and blockout periods apply. Subject to availability.