Wednesday 31 July 2013

Warwick International Signs First Dubai Hotel

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Warwick International Hotels (WIH) is to open its first Dubai hotel after reaching an agreement with Damas Real Estate for the management of a four-star 357 room hotel on Dubai’s Sheik Zayed Road.

Due to be named the Warwick Hotel Dubai, the hotel will be located within walking distance of Dubai International Financial Center and is due to start operation by the end of 2013.  Warwick International Hotels CEO for Middle East and North Africa Jamal Serhan said: This new management agreement in the heart of Dubai shows the capacity and the willingness of WIH to respond to hotel investors & owners looking for a privately owned and internationally recognized hotel brand to operate their hotels and resorts.

The hotel will come with 357 rooms and suites as well as five food and beverage outlets that will include a deli, an all-day dining restaurant, a pool bar and a restaurant on the 44th floor that will boast 360° views of Dubai’s downtown skyline.  The hotel is also planned to have a dedicated executive floor, extensive meeting facilities, a tennis court, roof top swimming pool and spa. The signing of this new Dubai hotel follows on from the group’s other recent moves within the Middle East hospitality market that includes the recent signings of the Warwick Il Palazzo Hotel & Suites in Amman, Jordan, the Warwick Pangéa Beach Resort & Spa, Lebanon and the Winter Valley Warwick Resort & Spa Dead Sea, Jordan.

As of today, WIH is present on four continents and has a portfolio of 54 hotels with more than 7000 rooms in the four and five-star category. New Orleans brand Ruth’s Chris Steak House has opened for lunch and plans to target a business crowd with its new daytime menu.

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The restaurant, which is located in The Monarch Dubai, also offers a semi-private dining area which it labels ideal for lunchtime meetings or business groups.  We’re looking to encourage people to come and try the fantastic Ruth’s Chris Steak House lunch menu which is particularly suited to those who are short on time  or indeed, those who are looking for the ideal business lunch location, said Ruth’s Chris general manager Dan Clayton.  We’re proud to say that we can cater to everyone, regardless of their requirements.

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The lunch menu offers the brand’s trademark sizzling steaks, along with options including the Ruth’s Chop Salad  a salad made with julienne iceberg lettuce, spinach and radicchio and then tossed with red onions, mushrooms, green olives, eggs, hearts of palm, croutons, blue cheese and lemon basil dressing, then topped with crispy fried onion rings; or a traditional Ruth’s Classic Burger  top quality beef served with a mixed salad and a choice of French fries or Cajun-style chips. The Address Downtown Dubai has announced the addition of acclaimed restaurant CUT by Wolfgang Puck to its portfolio.  Already present in Beverly Hills, Las Vegas, Singapore and London, CUT at The Address Downtown Dubai will be Puck’s debut in the Middle East.  Puck said: We are extremely excited to bring CUT to Dubai in the magnificent property, The Address Downtown Dubai.

"It is the ideal location to open my first restaurant in the Middle East. We’ve been interested in Dubai for quite some time but were waiting for the right opportunity and the right partner. We share similar visions with Emaar Hospitality Group in providing our guests with the most memorable and exciting experiences. The menu will feature Puck’s signature contemporary interpretation on the traditional American steak restaurant. From prime dry- and wet-aged beef, including selections from the United States and Australia to true 100% Japanese Kobe Beef, CUT caters to the palate of meat connoisseurs. It will also feature a wide range of seafood and shellfish entries.

Internationally acclaimed designer Tony Chi will create the Dubai branch of CUT. Working with Wolfgang Puck, his Fine Dining Group and the team of The Address Downtown Dubai, Chi aim to create an environment that is unique to Dubai and The Address Hotels + Resorts.

Philippe Zuber, regional general manager, The Address Hotels + Resorts, said: Over the last few years, Dubai has firmly established its credentials as a global culinary destination, boasting some of the world’s most renowned brands, while offering a gastronomic glimpse of almost every single type of cuisine through an array of home-grown outlets.

We are privileged to welcome the acclaimed culinary expertise of Wolfgang Puck to The Address Downtown Dubai, which has already made significant strides in the local, regional, and international hospitality circuit. 

Tuesday 30 July 2013

Most Crowded Spring Destinations

Avenida Tulum is always a crowded place, but the month of March takes crowded to a whole new level. The melee known as spring break brings a crush of college students, who celebrate the annual ritual by crawling from bar to beach and back again all day long. Best Secret Beaches on Earth, World's Coolest Staircases, Best Caribbean Hotels, March Madness has a different meaning when talking about spring break. And scenes like Avenida Tulum can either be heaven or hell, prompting us to run far and fast or just join in. Either way, travelers want to know what they’re getting into before they go. So here’s our list of destinations that pack in the spring breakers. Whether you join or flee is up to you.


Lake Havasu, Ariz..
Thousands of college students invade Lake Havasu each spring for time-honored rituals like nearly running aground, naked waterskiing, and around-the-clock boat parties fueled by shots and thumping music. No, it’s not legal to dive off London Bridge. There are plenty of places to keep the party going onshore too, like the open-air beach club Kokomo.



Cancún, Mexico.
This resort strip on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula lures more than 100,000 spring breakers from the U.S. each year eager to experience the raunchy contests, foam parties, banana-boat rides, and general boozy mayhem that have made Cancún infamous. Many book cheap, all-inclusive packages that include bus rides to clubs like Dady’O and Señor Frogs, where the beers and margaritas flow freely cover charges often include unlimited drinks.


Nassau, Bahamas.
Cheap and plentiful all-inclusive packages bring thousands of American college students to Nassau each spring to marvel at the British colonial architecture, the abundant natural beauty, and Who are we kidding? They come to drink. A lot. With dozens of nightclubs, including one at the massive Atlantis on Paradise Island, and plenty of booze cruises setting forth daily, you’ll never be thirsty as long as you and your fraternity brothers are in town.


Miami Beach.
Miami was the top U.S. spring break destination in 2012, according to a survey by STA Travel. If you’re looking to tan towel-to-towel on packed beaches all day and crash four or more to a room each night, then Miami Beach has you covered. Thousands of students converge on the already crowded city, where day drinkers, Jet Skiers, and topless sunbathers share the sand and surf with retirees. Party-oriented hotels like the Catalina Hotel and Beach Club setting for a trashy but fun new reality show on the CW add to the up-all-night, sleep-all-day scene.


South Padre Island, Texas
When it’s not spring break, South Padre Island dwindles to fewer than 3,000 residents, bird-watchers, and retirees. But come spring break, an annual migration of college students and families with school-age kids hits that 34-mile stretch of Gulf Coast beach with noisy glee. If the crowd gets to be too much, drive out to the end of the northbound road, cross the dunes to an empty beach, and pretend you’re on a deserted island. Feel like rubbing sunburned elbows with the masses? Padre Island Brewing Company serves burgers, tacos, and local beers, y’all.

Venice Beach, Calif.
While Venice Beach may not be the first place that comes to mind for gone-wild spring break debauchery, it’s certainly a scene and stays popular year round. Sixteen million visit annually, making this America’s most crowded beach. The people-watching alone is entertaining fortune-tellers, street musicians, vendors, and skimpy beachgoers and rollerbladers. Rumor has it a zipline will be added later in 2013, a proposal opposed by locals worried it’ll only add to the chaotic, amusement park-like vibe.


Montego Bay, Jamaica
Fans of reggae music, rum, and other, perhaps smokier, ways to relax have been coming to Montego Bay and Negril for spring break for decades. That means that from March to April, every inch of white sand beach is packed with revelers eager to have their hair beaded, sing along to Bob Marley tunes, and practice the worst Jamaican accents the world has ever heard. Vacation packages that promise all sorts of activities from cliff diving to snorkeling mean that even if you try to get away from the bars and nightclubs, you won’t get far from the crowds or the endless loop of No Woman, No Cry.


Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
As noisy and good-natured as Sammy Hagar proprietor of Cabo Wabo Cantina and former Van Halen front man the one who wasn’t David Lee Roth, Cabo San Lucas has been playing host to epic spring breaks for nearly 40 years. The town’s party scene doesn’t take a college degree to locate, but for extra credit, check out local highlights that don’t involve pulsating music and body shots: the sushi at Nick-San, for instance, and Playa Santa María, a sheltered cove ideal for snorkeling look for a beach access sign on the highway at kilometer 12.


Daytona Beach, Fla.
College students flock here every March for spring break for its wide swaths of sand and party reputation. In addition to competing with 8 million fellow humans for a spot on the beach, cars and rentable motorcycles and bikes are permitted to drive on the hard-packed sand a rarity in Florida. It’s only fitting for the city proudly home to the NASCAR headquarters.



San Juan, P.R.
Large resort chains dominate the Isla Verde and Condado areas of San Juan, offering convenience and beach access to you and to the hordes of college students in hundreds and hundreds of rooms. To avoid the crowds and find that quintessential Caribbean island vibe, retreat to an island farther afield, like Vieques.

Saturday 27 July 2013

British Airways flights to South Africa’s commercial capital

British Airways has announced it will be flying its largest, most modern aircraft - the Airbus A380 - to South Africa with tickets already on sale for the flights due to start in early 2014.

The airline aims to start flying the A380 to Johannesburg from 12 February 2014, although the date for the inaugural flight may be earlier. Initially it will operate three times a week, increasing to six weekly services by March 2014. These flights will be part of the airline’s normal schedule to South Africa’s commercial capital.

Since British Airways took delivery of its first super jumbo earlier this month Johannesburg is only the third A380 route to be confirmed after Loss Angeles and Hong Kong.  Another two aircraft, from a total order of 12, are due to be delivered before the end of the year.

British Airways is offering discounts on flights  up to 40 percent from South Africa to London across all cabins. World Traveler fares start from R8 380, World Traveler Plus from R15 380, Club World from R30 380 and First from R53 380.

The launch special is on sale immediately and runs until 31 August with travel from 12 February 2014 to 21 June 2014. Fares include all taxes and surcharges but may vary slightly on the day of purchase due to exchange-rate fluctuations.

The airline has a long history of deploying new aircraft on its South African routes. In May 1952 its predecessor, BOAC, operated the first commercial passenger jet service from London to Johannesburg. The BOAC Comet halved the previous travel time. In the early ‘70s South Africa was also one of the routes on which the airline began operating the now-iconic Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet, then the world’s largest passenger aircraft.

"We’ve long been clear about the importance of South Africa and our commitment to the market. We’ve expanded our schedules to both Cape Town and Johannesburg, established and developed very successful local partnerships and continually invest in our customers. Introducing the A380 is a further, unambiguous demonstration of our confidence," said Gavin Halliday, general manager for Africa and Europe.

British Airways’ A380s can accommodate 469 customers across four cabins. Customers in First will be seated in front of the main deck. The cabin offers 14 seats and is evolved from the existing First class.

Club World (business class) customers can choose from 44 seats on the main deck, or 53 seats on the upper deck. The upper-deck seats will be arranged in a new 2:3:2 configuration across the cabin. The 55 World Traveller Plus (premier economy) seats are located on the upper deck, while World Traveller (economy) customers can choose seats on both the main and upper deck.

The aircraft’s innovative design makes it much quieter during take-off and landing and the cabin has the lowest noise level of any existing passenger aircraft. The advanced air conditioning system, with 15 different temperature control zones, contributes to reduced noise levels and customer comfort, with cabin air being changed every three minutes.

Amongst the customers keen to try the new A380 Johannesburg service are South African rugby stars Bryan Habana and Jean de Villiers as well as international model Georgia May Jagger. The three got together in London to celebrate the launch of the new aircraft on the ‘Springbok’ route.

Habana, who is taking up a three-year contract with French club side Toulon, says that with the A380 flying to South Africa home won’t seem nearly as far away.

"There are lots of reasons I like flying British Airways and now there’s another one."

After a tour of the aircraft, Jean de Villiers was particularly impressed by its size: "Seventy-three meters from nose to tail; that’s half the length of Newlands and big enough to carry 31 rugby teams halfway around the world."

Georgia May Jagger, who visited South Africa for the first time in June last year to front the launch of the airline’s advertising campaign, said: 'I’ve been looking for an excuse to visit South Africa again and this provides the perfect opportunity."

The A380 is part of a £5-billion investment over five years in new aircraft, smarter cabins, elegant lounges, new technologies and onboard catering to improve the travelling experience and make it easier, more convenient and more comfortable in the air and on the ground.

Wednesday 24 July 2013

Transgender Artists Stripped of Right to Fly

Lexi Sanfino and Nina Arsenault have been banned from boarding WestJet and Air Canada flights,
Transgender artists Nina Arsenault, left, and Lexi Sanfino have been barred from some flights after Sanfino performed an impromptu striptease on a WestJet flight to Edmonton last week.
They put on an airborne strip show for the ages. In return, they were stripped of their right to fly commercial.
After being arrested last week for a breast-baring fracas aboard a WestJet flight from Toronto to Edmonton, Lexi Sanfino and Nina Arsenault have been banned from boarding WestJet and Air Canada flights.
The well-known transgender artists said they were denied at the gate of a returning Air Canada flight to
Toronto on Monday.
“There was a red code on our file saying we couldn’t board the plane,” said Sanfino, who was charged with causing a disturbance for stripping on the WestJet flight. “I guess we’re banned from flying. Or at least my breasts are. Maybe I’ll get them removed if they’re causing all these problems.”
While Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick could not comment on the individual case, he said “we do have provisions in our tariffs that permit us to decline service in order to ensure the comfort, convenience and safety of all our customers.”

WestJet spokesman Robert Palmer confirmed Sanfino and Arsenault are no longer permitted to travel on WestJet flights. “These sanctions arise from their conduct on the flight in question and are imposed under the authority of our Local Domestic Tariffs.”  Palmer added, “I can’t speak for other airlines, but you will see in our tariffs that we are permitted to decline a guest based on their conduct on another carrier.” Sanfino and Arsenault said they travelled back to Toronto by VIA Rail.
“The people from VIA rail were very familiar with what was going with us,” said Sanfino. “They were very sweet and nice.”
As for their future overseas transportation methods, Sanfino said, “I guess we’ll travel by canoe or boat. Maybe I can take up paragliding.”

Saturday 20 July 2013

Mecca Hajj and Umrah

The deadline for Hajj applications for 2013 that the Religious Affairs Ministry introduced this year will not take effect until July 4 as the High Court extended its Stay Order.
The Association of Private Hajj tour operators had gone to Court to complain that the Ministry has imposed an earlier deadline this year even though it generally accepts applications until the end of Ramzan. They cited the Religious Affairs Ministry, Sindh’s Hajj director and others as respondents.
Their lawyer, told the Judges that the association’s members had valid licences to arrange tours to Saudi Arabia for pilgrims to perform Hajj. They have been doing this business smoothly and strictly in accordance with the government’s policy, he added.
For the last many years, the last date to submit application forms for Hajj for private operators was extended up to Ramzan 25, he recalled. But on June 14, the religious affairs ministry issued letters addressed to the all the provincial directors and directed them to complete the process of Hajj applications forms on or before June 18 without fail, he said.

The lawyer argued that no such notification has ever been issued and the letter in question was pasted on the website from where the plaintiffs have gathered information. The main cause of concern is that during this short period of time it is not possible for the plaintiffs and other members of the association to complete all requirements, he claimed. He pleaded the Court declare the earlier deadline illegal and suspend its operation until the final disposal of the case.
On June 17, the court had ordered that the letter issued by the religious affairs ministry will not take effect till June 19, when the stay was further extended till June 24. On Monday, the petitioner’s lawyer informed that the Balochistan High Court had also passed a stay order against the deadline given by the religious affairs ministry for private operators.
Sindh Hajj director Abdul Sattar Samtio, who also appeared on court’s notice, requested for time to file his comments. Allowing his request, the bench further extended the stay order till July 4. However, the bench clarified that the interim order will not affect those pilgrims who have already applied.

Every year Bahria Town employees travels for Hajj.  For travel contact http://www.cheap-flight-4u.com

The Chief Executive of Bahria Town, Malik Riaz, while recording his statement before the FIA Special Investigation Unit, said the company bore the Hajj expenses of 200 people including 32 employees in 2009. In 2010, the real estate giant had sent 248 people for Hajj including 56 employees.
Giving details, Malik Riaz said payment for the air tickets of 200 people was made through cheque of Rs17,500,000 numbered 0191690 dated 4-11-2009 drawn in favour of PIA through his Accounts Manager Ghulam Mustafa.
He also said that payment for the 248 pilgrims was made through a cheque of Rs16,800,000 number 0191721 dated11-10-2010 drawn in the name of PIA and cheque number 0191720 of Rs1,694,000 for PIA and cheque number 0191722 of Rs3,200,000 for Southern Travels Private Limited.
Apart from the airfare, he said, Bahria Town paid the Hajj expenses including transport and boarding in Mina and Arafat for most of the people it had sent for the pilgrimage. The company bore full expenses of its employees.
Regarding the ministry of religious affairs’ claim in its letter that it paid for Bahria Town employees’ stay in Makkah and Madina in 2009 and 2010, Malik Riaz said he was willing to pay the amount from his pocket.
Malik Riaz said that he had paid for the Hajj expenses of Babar Qureshi and his wife. The Hajj visas of Bahria Town employees were processed through the interior ministry’s Private Secretary Raja Javed Iqbal.
He said that he has paid Rs2,552,416 to the religious affairs ministry via cheque number 0191738 for 32 employees (Rs79,763 per head) that went for Hajj in 2009. Similarly, for the year 2010, expenses for the stay in Madina for 56 employees of Bahria Town were paid vide cheque number 0191739 worth Rs644,000.
He said that he stands by his statement given on April 7, 2011. He said that he never had any mala fide intentions in paying expenses for the holy pilgrimage. Malik Riaz said he was willing to pay for the Hajj airfares worth Rs39,194,000, then why not much lesser amount for the boarding expenses for 88 of his employees.
The delay in payment was due to the late receipt of bills from the ministry of religious affairs and others.
Later talking to the media, Malik Riaz said that if sending people for Hajj was a crime, he would continue doing so.