A new promotion has been launched offering special deals on West End hotels and theatres when staying on a Friday evening in London.

The “Fantastic Fridays” promotion from westendtheatre.com will run until the end of October 2010 and offers a Top Price Seat to a hit show and a Friday night stay in a central London 4 Star Hotel for only £79* per person.

Chicago: The sexy tale of murderous showgirls.

Shows included in the special theatre and hotel package range from smash-hit musicals such as Wicked, Chicago, Grease, Blood Brothers, Dreamboats and Petticoats and Stomp, to hilarious comedy The 39 Steps and thriller The Woman in Black.

Editor of westendtheatre.com Paul Raven told TravelPlus: “We wanted to create a promotion that would help people from outside of London to come and enjoy a show. By offering a great value package that combines a central London hotel and top price ticket to a show, we’ve hopefully made it easy for people to enjoy a theatre break in the capital”.

To book visit: www.westendtheatre.com

SHOWS INCLUDED IN THE PROMOTION:

Wicked (musical): Winner of this year’s audience award at the Olivier awards, Wicked is one of the biggest and most successful shows in London (Apollo Victoria Theatre); Blood Brothers (musical): Willy Russell’s award-winning musical about twins separated at birth, currently starring The Spice Girls’ Melanie C (Phoenix Theatre); Chicago (musical): The sexy tale of murderous showgirls, featuring hit songs and plenty of razzle dazzle (Cambridge Theatre); Grease (musical): Fun and fabulous high school musical now starring Robin Cousins (Piccadilly Theatre); Dreamboats & Petticoats (musical): A love story set in 1961 against a backdrop of fabulous Sixties songs (Playhouse Theatre); Stomp (entertainment): Theatre, dance, comedy and percussion all combine in this infectious and ingenious show (Ambassadors Theatre); The 39 Steps (comedy): A fast-paced, high-energy and hilarious adaptation of Hitchcock’s classic movie (Criterion Theatre); The Woman in Black (thriller): Terrifying ghost story now in its 21st year in the West End, starring Orlando Wells (Fortune Theatre). 

MSC Cruises has always offered value for money, with children up to the age of 18 cruising for free, when sharing a cabin with two adults, paying port taxes, flights and transfers only (where applicable).

Now MSC Cruises offer more, with the launch of its new all inclusive beverage package, available on all MSC ships, allowing passengers to enjoy free drinks on board, available from all restaurants, the self service buffet, bars and the cabin mini bar. 

To celebrate the launch of these packages, MSC Cruises is offering, for the month of March, these inclusive packages for free, with all balcony cabins booked this month on sister ships MSC Splendida and MSC Fantasia (offer ends 31 March 2010). The packages include select wines by the bottle and by the glass, beer, cocktails, soft drinks, mini bar (excluding champagne), ice-cream and water (at restaurants and the buffet).

Prices start from £999 pp including fly/cruise and all inclusive drinks package (based on April and November 2010 departures on MSC Splendida and April and October 2010 sailings on MSC Fantasia). 

The itineraries included in the MSC March 2010 offer include:

MSC Splendida on all seven night Mediterranean cruises, departing from March to November 2010, sailing to France, Spain, Tunisia, Malta and Italy. 

MSC Fantasia on all seven night cruises, departing from March to October 2010 calling at ports in Italy, Tunisia, Balearic Islands, Spain and France.

www.msccruises.co.uk

Something magical is happening at The Alnwick Gardens this month, as Alice and Wonderland comes to town.
 
From the 13th to the 28th February, The Garden will be filled with fun and fantasy as Britain’s favourite children’s story comes alive with the famous – and infamous – Wonderland characters.
 
There will be mad hatter tea parties, March Hare dancing and Alice in Wonderland fancy dress...watch out for the Queen of Hearts as she stomps around The Garden looking for people having too much fun – off with your head!
 
The Alnwick Garden has become known worldwide for its gigantic Treehouse, mysterious Poison Garden, beautiful water sculptures and unconventional - yet family friendly - garden design.

www.alnwickgarden.com

Boingo, has announced it has signed an exclusive deal with BAA to be the sole provider of retail Wi-Fi services at six major airports in the United Kingdom.

The airports to be powered by Boingo include London Heathrow, London Stansted, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and Southampton. Wi-Fi services were previously provided in parallel by multiple operators, including Boingo.

“Boingo’s proven track record as the global leader in neutral host airport Wi-Fi was crucial to our decision,” said Ian Denchfield, Head of Commercial Telecoms for BAA.  “The company’s dedication to world-class customer service and neutral host roaming, as well as longstanding success in network reliability and revenue growth, made them the obvious choice.”

“BAA’s UK airports are the crown jewels of hotspots in the British Isles,” said David Hagan, CEO and president, Boingo Wireless. “We intend to bring our full complement of expertise to bear in ensuring travelers have an optimal Wi-Fi experience when flying into, out of, or through the UK and on to their final destinations.

After connecting to the “Boingo Hotspot”, travellers will be redirected to a Boingo landing page -- accessible on both laptop and mobile devices -- with several Wi-Fi access options including day passes and subscriptions, with options to choose local or global access and pay in Pounds Sterling or the Euro.

www.boingo.com.

OAG announce the winners of the 2009 OAG Airline Industry Awards. Known as the “Oscars of the Airline Industry,” 2009 marks the 27th anniversary of the awards, which are significant and valued in the airline industry because the awards are voted for by frequent flyers around the globe. The OAG Airline Industry Awards demonstrate OAG’s commitment to the airline industry by recognizing excellence in air travel.

Winners of the 2009 OAG Airline Industry Awards include:

Airline of the Year: Singapore Airlines

Best Transatlantic Airline: Virgin Atlantic

Best Business Class: Continental Airlines

Best Airline based in North America: Continental

Best Airline Based in the Middle East/Indian Sub-Continent: Emirates

Best Low-Cost Airline: Southwest

Best Airline Based in Central South America & Caribbean: LAN

Best Airline based in Africa: South African Airlines

Best Airline Based in Central/Eastern Europe: CSA Czech Airlines

Best Airline Based in Australia/Pacific: Qantas

“We are proud to distribute the 2009 OAG Airline Industry Awards to airlines and airports who work hard every day to give travelers the best flying experience possible,” said Peter von Moltke, CEO of UBM Aviation. 

Winners are chosen by asking frequent flyers to consider which airlines they have flown in the past 12 months in each of the award categories and rank their top three airlines for each category.

Full list of all winners, visit www.oagairlineawards.com/Winners.

GARRICK THEATRE, LONDON, 19 OCTOBER - 3 JANUARY

In this spectacular and magical new production specially created for London Arturo Brachetti brings over one hundred characters to the stage, a dazzling performance that has to be seen to be believed. See the September/October issue of TravelPlus for more details of the show.

From the Queen to Harry Potter via James Bond and Gene Kelly, you'll be astounded as he transforms between characters in the blink of an eye!

Don't miss your chance to win a pair of tickets to this sensational production! To enter simply answer the following question:

How many characters does Brachetti bring to the stage in just one performance?

a. 10,    b. 60,   c. Over 100

To enter click here Register

TOP TAM, Brazil’s largest and most prestigious tourism award, has landed in the United Kingdom. The event in London, on Tuesday 15 September, was the last in a series of ceremonies organised by TAM Airlines that have crossed Brazil and the globe since early August. Other countries visited by TOP TAM prior to the UK include Argentina, Paraguay, Spain, Germany, France, Italy and the United States. TOP TAM, as an award, is in its 11th year.

In London TAM Airlines, the southern hemisphere’s largest carrier, hosted some of its leading travel agency and tour operator partners to a typical South American lunch at El Gaucho in Chelsea Market. The winners of TOP TAM UK were announced during the lunch that counted on the presence of industry guests and TAM executives.

Agents recognised by TAM during the lunch included Advanced Travel Partner, Bravo Travel, Crystal Travel, Flight Centre, Holiday Express, Ipanema Travel, Journey Latin America, Star Travel, Steamond Travel and STA Travel.

Besides honouring the top generating agencies and operators in the UK, the overall winning agency, Journey Latin America, represented at the lunch by managing director Sarah Bradley, were invited to attend the closing gala ceremony of TOP TAM 2009 in Brazil. The finale takes place in October at the new Iberostar Resort in Praia do Forte, Bahia, 75km north of Salvador.

“This is the first time that we have held a regional version of TOP TAM in the United Kingdom to honour the agents and operators that have produced such excellent results in this region of the world. The awards recognise the work of these professionals and their important role in the growth of our company,” says Paulo Castello Branco, TAM’s Commercial and Planning Vice-President.

As well as congratulating all the TOP TAM winners in the UK that were present at the lunch, and thanking them for their help in growing TAM’s business and revenues in the UK and Ireland, Sue Faithfull, TAM’s General Manager UK & Ireland, took time to thank and note the contribution made by TAM’s other major partners in the UK market. Partners that include American Express, Carlson Wagonlit, Flightbookers, Hogg Robinson, lastminute.com, Opodo, and Trailfinders, among others.

Sue Faithfull, TAM’s General Manager UK & Ireland, with Sarah Bradley,    Managing Director of Journey Latin America, the overall winner of        TOP TAM UK 2009

The pound reached a one-month high against a largely weak dollar following the Bank of England Monetary Policy Commission meeting on Thursday, the pressure felt at the beginning of the week eased as the announcement confirmed that interest rates would remain unchanged for the sixth consecutive month, the quantitative easing programme was also without amendment. The pound versus the euro also saw a limited gain at the start of trading on Friday, but has lost ground since Friday of last week.
 
Also in the week UK manufacturing output rose at its fastest rate in 18 months, reinforcing the belief that the UK is on track to emerge from its recession in the third quarter by recording positive growth. Consumer confidence is also increasing according to data released showing a higher than expected reading.
 
August passenger numbers released from British Airports Authority saw a decrease overall of 3.1% compared to August last year, however, some 14.4 million people travelled. Heathrow saw an increase in passengers this August, with declines in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Stansted numbers.
 
Early signs in September show that there is a continuing, almost August-like demand for currency at No1 Currency outlets indicating that appetite for late summer overseas holidays remains strong. Also, some British football clubs will play their first away fixture in the respective UEFA competitions during this month, the large clubs always take a healthy travelling support and sales of euros are anticipated to be solid.
 
This week No1 Currency customers saw the pound reach a high of €1.111 for the euro, the dollar reached $1.606 and the Turkish Lire a high of TL 2.357.
 
Our aim is to provide regular, incisive and concise commentary. We will continue to closely monitor the week’s data releases and give you our view on the performance of the pound against the big two currencies, euro and dollar. 

Sporting a new-look red cover, this year’s guide includes 573 of the best pubs serving good food in the UK and Ireland (10 more than last year) and of these, 83 are new additions.

Commenting on this year’s guide, Derek Bulmer, the editor says: “Judging by the number of new entries we have found for this year’s guide it would seem that reports of the death of the British pub have been grossly exaggerated. Establishments that have adapted to the changing habits of their customers by offering good quality, value for money food are thriving. In fact, I would go as far as to say that food could be the saviour of our pub industry – especially in rural areas.”

Although all of the pubs featured in this year’s guide offer great food, one stood out as offering that little bit extra. The Masons Arms in Knowstone, Devon has been selected as the 2010 Michelin Pub of the Year. As well as excellent cuisine, The Masons Arms offers a combination of a welcoming atmosphere, friendly service, quality beers, an excellent wine list and that certain something that makes it special for visitors and locals alike. See separate press release.

In addition to regional maps showing the locations of the pubs, there is a listing of the Inspectors’ favourite establishments, an index by town name and another by pub name.

Each entry in the guide features an in-depth description and colour photograph, and there is information on typical dishes and specialities, the beer they serve – including real ales, and a symbol to denote particularly interesting wine lists.  Other essential information includes opening times and prices, directions and driving distances from local towns and details of accommodation where available.

Autumn promotion sees Hairspray, Jersey Boys, Sister Act, Billy Elliot reduced. A major new promotion has been launched by London theatre website westendtheatre.com , offering thousands of reduced-price tickets to see West End musicals this autumn.

Discounted tickets include recent Tony award winner Billy Elliot (£22.50 off), Olivier award winning musical Jersey Boys (25% off), big-budget and big-haired musical Hairspray (£27.50 off), Whoopi Goldberg’s new production of Sister Act starring Patina Miller and Sheila Hancock (£23 off), movie-to-stage show Dirty Dancing (£20 off) and Grease starring Dancing on Ice winner Ray Quinn (£21 off).

NEW SHOWS REDUCED
To celebrate the start of the new season of plays and musicals launching in London, westendtheatre.com has also reduced tickets on new shows including The Rise and Fall of Little Voice starring X-Factor runner-up Diana Vickers, Joe Orton bio-play Prick Up Your Ears starring Little Britain’s Matt Lucas, Sean Mathias’ major new production of Breakfast At Tiffany’s starring Anna Friel and a new stage adaptation of The Shawshank Redemption starring The Wire’s Reg E. Cathey.

Marketing Director Mark Temple-Brown said: “Autumn is the most critical time for new shows opening in London and the West End has launched an amazing new season of plays and musicals this year. We are delighted that we can celebrate this new season by reducing prices on thousands of tickets to see some of London’s top shows.”

www.westendtheatre.com

Hilton Shanghai is offering a new feature to offer connoisseurs a fresh venue to savour fine cigars.  Just launched in June, Libre Cigar Lounge, provides individuals who love this genteel recreation with more than 20 brands and 60 types of Cuba’s best products.  The collection includes limited versions of cigars with essences ranging from light to strong.  It is located at the western area of the hotel lobby. 

The name of the cigar lounge originates from an established hotel in Cuba, originally a Hilton hotel but now carries the name, Libre Hotel.  With the name Libre (Spanish term for liberal) the lounge is designed to give guests an unrestrained, atmospheric environment as they light up and relish the delicate and emphatic aroma of a truly superior cigar.

Cigars indicate elegance and sophistication – a pleasure enjoyed through the ages by sophisticated individuals with discriminating preferences. This stylish habit has brought forth the birth of cigar lounges, a favourite haunt of people seeking the ultimate place to enjoy its distinctive qualities.  

A ‘London Luxury’ theatre break from just £67 per person is now available through Keith Prowse Tours 

The selection of one-night shorties includes a top-price seat at most of the West End’s popular shows and a night plus full English breakfast at the four-star St Ermins Jolly Hotel, Victoria.  The cost is based on two people sharing and is subject to space available.

Musicals such as Hairspray, Sister Act and We Will Rock You feature in a choice of some 20 plus shows.

www.keithprowse.com

With summer 2009 dubbed as ‘The Great British Staycation’, Avis Rent A Car decided to put the Nation to the test to see how well we know our city skylines from our hidden gems.

The findings revealed some shocking results; 45% of us don’t know where Stonehenge is, and over 30% confused the Scottish Sands of Morar for a beach in the Caribbean!  British city skylines were mistaken for Sao Paulo and New York, and UK ports were thought as beautiful as those of Cyprus. However, all is not lost - 74% of respondents confirmed that the Angel of The North is situated in Gateshead and 65% knew that the White Horse landmark is in Wiltshire.

Perhaps the most shocking result of all was that 40% of us could not identify the oldest and largest castle in the world - Windsor Castle, an Official Residence of Her Majesty The Queen!

It goes to show that there’s a wealth of world-class destinations and spectacular scenery right here in Britain – from stunning cityscapes to idyllic beaches – and you don’t need to go too far to see them!

As part of its Best of British campaign, Avis is encouraging everyone to explore and discover what we have on our own doorstep.  To help you get out and about, Avis Staff have compiled a ‘Best of British’ guide on the avis.co.uk website. 

If you have a favourite Great British destination you’d like to share then log on to www.wetryharder.co.uk and share your Best of British tips!

Join Born Free on a unique journey to the spiritual home of Elsa the lioness. Elsa was famously raised by game warden George Adamson, and his wife Joy, after being orphaned at just a few weeks old. The Adamson’s formed a close bond with Elsa, and were determined to teach her to hunt and survive alone in the wild. Elsa’s story traveled worldwide – first in print, and later on film.

Born Free Exclusive 25th Anniversary Kenya Safari  31st October -13th November 2009

Price per person £3999.99 based on 2 people sharing a twin room

For more information about this unique holiday experience please visit: http://www.bornfree.org.uk/get-involved/holidays/

This September, get out the secateurs and take part in Champagne’s annual vendange (grape harvest) on specialist operator Grape Escapes’ Harvest Weekend.

Grape Escape’s one-off Harvest Weekend runs from 18 – 20 September and gives wine lovers the opportunity to spend time in a small, family run Grand Cru Champagne House and join the locals picking grapes, sample freshly pressed grape juice and share stories over a traditional harvester’s lunch.

Grand Cru Champagne is considered the best of its kind and is only produced in 17 villages in the region. Each year armies of pickers take part in the annual vendange to gather thousands of tons of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes by hand.

The Harvest Weekend costs from £359 per person and includes a return Dover to Calais ferry crossing with P&O Ferries for a car and two passengers; two-nights’ bed and breakfast accommodation; a full day private coach tour including a visit to a small Champagne House to pick grapes and taste the freshly pressed grape juice and a traditional three-course harvesters’ lunch with Champagnes; a visit to a prestigious Champagne House, including tastings; a gala four-course dinner at a local restaurant in the evening; and an English speaking guide for the tour who will provide information on the region and the wines.

Grape Escapes target their breaks at the wine enthusiast, whether they be connoisseurs or amateurs wanting to find out more about good food and wine.

www.grapeescapes.net

Quirinale, an elegant and understated restaurant just two minutes walk from the Houses of Parliament, has launched its summer menu. Appropriately named after Rome’s seventh hill and presidential palace, Quirinale is well-loved by local residents and business people for its fresh take on regional Italian cooking. The light, airy space, designed by David Collins, offers a cool and stylish respite from the summer heat.

Critically acclaimed Head Chef Stefano Savio’s new menu showcases the finest seasonal ingredients with tempting dishes such as grilled courgette and asparagus with buffalo ricotta, warm spelt salad with baby octopus and fresh peas, and straccetti with basil pesto and spring vegetables. Regulars will be pleased to know that Quirinale signature dishes such as malloreddus with Italian sausage and Sardinian pecorino, and bigoli with duck ragù and porcini mushrooms are still available, and perfectly executed fish and meat dishes range from a classic fillet of Scottish beef with potato and wild mushrooms to an innovative dish of sea trout with shallots, almonds and asparagus. Customers can round off their meal with a warm chocolate budino with vanilla ice cream or indulge in what is surely the finest Italian cheeseboard in London, perhaps with a glass of Marsala.

The wine list is an oenophile’s delight; overseen by Valentina Cassandro, it focuses mainly on Italian wines and is divided by region. The list features very reasonably priced Italian greats (Brigaldara Valpolicella Classico, £25.00), more unusual indigenous grapes (Cottanera Barbazzale Nerello Mascalese, £25) and Italian takes on classic varietals (Castello Banfi Fontanelle Chardonnay Sant’Animo, £33). As well as Prosecco and Champagne, there are even two Italian méthode Champenoise whites (Bellavista Cuvée Brut Bellavista Franciacorta, £54) and many wines are available by the glass or half bottle. 

Owned by Nadine Gourgey, Quirinale has gone from strength to strength since opening in 2002. Brescia-born Stefano Savio is known for his flair and imaginative dishes; together with the discreet but charming staff he has ensured consistently splendid reviews over the last seven years. Due to high demand, the restaurant will open on Saturday evenings from September 2009, and a private catering service, Quirinale a Casa, was also launched recently.

Opening hours:
Monday – Friday
Lunch: 12.00 – 14.30
Dinner: 18.00 – 22.301 Great Peter Street
London
SW1P 3LL

Telephone: 020 7222 7080

Finnair has launched an online competition that will give golfers around the world the chance to win a spot on the Finnair Masters Golf Tournament in Finland this August.

The Finnair Masters is the most prestigious golfing event held in Finland. Now in its fifth year, over 120 top female golfers from around the world will be competing for the total prize money of 200,000 Euros at Helsinki Golf Club on August 28 to 30, 2009.

Through the Finnair Masters Global Challenge amateur golfers can win a spot at the Finnair Masters in Finland this August. Golfers from anywhere in the world can play by simply registering their golf rounds at the Finnair Masters web site.

By entering their scores, they can get the chance to win a spot at the Finnair Masters Pro-Am in Helsinki, Finland. The three best players will be flown by to Helsinki to participate, with flights, accommodations and tournament expenses paid in the Finnair Masters Pro-am and the pro-am gala dinner.

www.finnairmasters.com

This week saw the launch of award-winning Indian casual dining restaurant Masala Zone’s new branch in Bayswater, bringing the taste of real Indian food to West London. The launch, hosted by Chairman, Mr. Ranjit Mathrani, was attended by a host of food industry aficionados, VIP’s and high profile dignitaries.

Guests were indulged with a bespoke menu at the launch, featuring Masala Zone’s signature offering of real Indian food. Dishes included: mini onion bhajias; tiranga dhokla, cocktail size chicken samosas with tomato chutney; Farsli patice; mini shami kebabs; and chicken tikka biryani.

Speaking of his delight at the launch of the new Bayswater branch, Chairman, Mr Ranjit Mathrani said, “We hope the public share the view about our brand in this time of uncertainty and recession. Serving real Indian food of quality at under £15 a head is a challenge. 

The impressive site of the new Masala Zone Bayswater restaurant, originally a bank, will entertain diners against the vibrant backdrop of an exotic pop art collage of firecracker labels from the town of Sivakasi in Southern Tamil Nadu, home to the world’s second largest printing press. 
 
Masala Zone serves delicious, authentic and wholesome Indian food, covering dishes from street food favourites, tandoori grills and curries from many regions of India, to traditional home-style balanced thali meals.

Masala Zone’s Bayswater restaurant is located at 75, Bishops Bridge Road, Bayswater, London W2 6BG.

www.masalazone.com 
 

Hungary has a growing reputation for producing excellent wines and the annual Budapest International Wine Festival in September gives wine lovers the perfect opportunity for tasting some of them, whilst enjoying the stunning backdrop of the Buda Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Wine Festival takes place from 9-13 September on the terraces of Buda Castle, overlooking the Pest side of city and it’s wonderfully lively time to visit one of the world’s most picturesque capital cities. The five day festival opens at 2pm on the 9th & 10th, 12pm on 11th and from 10am on 12th and 13th and is open until 11pm everyday – so there is plenty of time to sample as many wines as possible over a weekend stay.

Around 170 Hungarian wineries will exhibit as well as a few other wine producing countries and it’s a great opportunity to learn about the wines, as well as enjoy traditional food and festivities. Gastronomy is a huge part of the festival and there are plenty of Hungarian delicacies that can be tried including scones baked on site, many varieties of cheese and grilled meats.

There will be around 1,000 wines to sample, as well as a grape wine auction, grape harvest procession, plus cultural programmes including many musical concerts. On the Saturday there is a Harvest Parade starting at 1pm, with around 800 representatives from the various wine regions dressed in folk costumes and ending with a lovely show on the festival stage.

www.winefestival.hu.

The latest addition to The Natural History Museum event space portfolio is unveiled, The Tree Gallery. With the museum’s largest dendrology specimen integrated into the ceiling, this functional gallery accommodates up to 50 for a seated dinner and 60 for a stand up reception.

The new events space is ideal for last minute occasions with room hire available in a six week window. The Tree Gallery is available seven days a week from £5,000.

The Gallery’s artwork, a 17metre long wafer thin section of an entire 200 year old oak tree embedded into the ceiling, was designed by Tania Kovats and commissioned to celebrate Charles Darwin’s bicentenary. It draws its inspiration from the iconic tree of life drawing by Darwin which sketches out the evolutionist’s scientific ideas and theories.

The Tree Gallery is the first of three new up and coming event spaces at the Natural History Museum, which include the West Garden and the Darwin Centre. The latter encapsulates a scientific research centre and embodies innovative ways in which the natural world can be discovered. These join the current two event spaces, Central Hall and the Earth Galleries, in hosting important business events, awards dinners, fashion shows and many other functions - adding another branch to this ever growing museum. 

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group and The Fat Duck Group have joined forces to create the first London restaurant with Chef Heston Blumenthal which will open at Mandarin Oriental’s award winning property in autumn 2010. 

Blumenthal, of the three Michelin starred The Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire and The Hinds Head pub of the same village, has won international acclaim for his unique and multi-sensory approach to cooking.  This first restaurant to open outside of the village of Bray will feature the chef’s inimitable style of culinary alchemy with a menu heavily influenced by his ongoing research and discovery of historic British gastronomy.

Seating 140 guests, the new restaurant will serve lunch, dinner and afternoon tea. The kitchen will be headed by Ashley Palmer Watts who has worked with Blumenthal at The Fat Duck for nine years in the capacity of Group Executive Chef. 

Blumenthal commented “I am thrilled at the prospect of opening a restaurant in such a central London location. I have great respect for the Mandarin Oriental brand and working in partnership with the hotel group is a natural step and one which offers an exciting opportunity.”

“We are delighted to partner with The Fat Duck Group on this very exciting new venture. A longtime friend of Heston’s, I have always shared his enthusiasm for English recipes and have enjoyed working with him to help develop talented British chefs through the Roux Scholarship programme,” stated David Nicholls, Corporate Director of Food & Beverage of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group.

www.mandarinoriental.com.  

London theatre website westendtheatre.com has launched a major new summer "Dine for Free" promotion, offering thousands of free meals in West End restaurants when booking tickets to a show.

As well as free dining, many of the packages in the promotion also include money off the theatre ticket - making this a great-value way of dining out and enjoying the best of the West End.

Shows featured in the promotion include major musical HAIRSPRAY, with ticket and meal deals costing from only £28.50, Michael Jackson tribute show THRILLER LIVE (meal and ticket £24.95), brand new rock 'n' roll musical DREAMBOATS AND PETTITCOATS (meal and ticket from £24.99) and Chicago - currently starring Jerry Springer and featuring Destiny's Child star Michelle Williams from 17 July (meal and ticket from £27.50). Other big-name shows include Sister Act, Wicked, We Will Rock You, Calendar Girls, La Cage Aux Folles and Les Miserables.

Restaurants in the promotion include some of the tastiest places to eat in the city, including the Hampshire, Christopher's, Chez Gerard at the Opera Terrace, Thai Square, Livebait, Ping Pong, The Langley, Salvador Amanda and Ascots.

All the restaurants are guaranteed to be close to their corresponding theatre, and a table reservation is automatically made on booking to ensure that the evening goes perfectly to plan. Many of the packages include a choice of either pre or post theatre dining, allowing customers to choose whether to eat before or after the show.

Marketing Director Mark Temple-Brown said: "Summer is a great time for London theatre with an influx of both domestic and international visitors into the capital. When you are a visitor you want to make life easy - so we hope that our Dine for Free promotion will combine value for money with help in organising your theatrical night out."

www.westendtheatre.com

This summer The Good Pub Guide unveils its new interactive website which provides an on-the-move and up-to-the-minute guide to all UK pubs. So even without the book, you can get the invaluable guidance of its decades of expertise and hot tips from its many thousand reader-reporters, free from its new website

"Over one in four of our thousand-plus top pub recommendations has a really nice garden," says editor Fiona Stapley. "So if the weather turns up trumps, you can enjoy all the best of British pubbing outside, in appealing surroundings. But if it turns grey, what you'll find inside will be top-notch too." The Guide's spot-on descriptions take you to good waterside pubs, too - around one in twelve of the better pubs is well placed by river, sea or lake.

The website provides browsers with access to over 55,000 pubs with features that help find the perfect destination for that special outing. The entire list of carefully selected Good Pub Guide recommendations and descriptions from the UK's annual guidebook is on the site with the added bonus of latest news, customer ratings and comments with space for publicans to announce 'what's on' every week. Each entry has full contact details and an integrated Google map.

www.thegoodpubguide.co.uk.

Covent Garden has collaborated with world-renowned historian and novelist, Peter Ackroyd, to unveil the captivating history behind London’s most famous Piazza. The Covent Garden Walking Tour, launching this summer, is a self guided journey across the UK’s first ever public square, built in 1630, which brings the area’s rich history and enthralling heritage to life.

Visitors will be guided past historical sites such as the café where legendary author Charles Dickens wrote his weekly magazines, the eerie site of the first plague victim’s burial and the Lamb & Flag pub where ferocious bare knuckle boxing once took place.

The Covent Garden Walking Tour highlights the area’s fascinating heritage, breathtaking architecture and details enthralling events the area has witnessed throughout its history. The Walking Tour will be downloadable from the Covent Garden London website and a hard-copy version will be available from the Market Building.

www.coventgardenlondonuk.com

Nothing beats a glass of Pimm’s on a summer’s day. The very British beverage is almost as much a tradition as the cup of tea and nothing evokes the pleasures of an English summer as much as a chilled glass of Pimm’s. 

Head mixologist, Joel Lawrence, has created a special summer Pimm’s cocktail menu and has introduced a special offer to launch the St James’s “Club Pimm’s” for residents and non-residents alike. Anyone trying one of Joel’s summer Pimm’s creations at the stylish St James’s Hotel and Club bar from 6.00pm to 11.00pm on any night will get the second one free!

Guests can choose from the following six Pimm’s concoctions, all priced at only £9.50:

• Pimm’s Classic... enjoyed in the traditional fashion
• Scarlet Pimpernel... a class act inspired from the 18th century (Pimm’s, Triple Sec, Cranberry, Lime juice)
• English Passion Pimm’s... with a full burst of passion (Pimm’s, Zubrovka, passion fruit, sugar)
• Maximum Voltage Pimm’s... all that tradition blown way out of proportion (Pimm’s, Zubrovka, Cointreau)
• Wimbledon Pimm’s... is in season with Strawberries and Cream (Pimm’s, Gin, Strawberry syrup, cream)
• Pimmed out... just when you think that you can’t take anymore (Pimm’s Classic served in a Hurricane glass with ice and twice as much fruit and topped up with Champagne!)
                                                    
  For reservations, please call 020 7316 1614 / reservations@stjameshotelandclub.com

History of Pimm’s: It all began in a London oyster bar in the 1840’s, the owner, James Pimm, invented a secret mix of Gin, Herbs and Quinine and then served the brew as an aid to digestion. After the 2nd World War, Pimm’s as it is known today, extended their range with different spirits as bases for the new cups:No.2 – Scotch,
No.3 – Brandy (Wintertime) this one is still in production, No.4 – Rum, No.5 – Rye and No.6 Vodka

Business Travel Market founder and event director Paul Robin met with London Mayor Boris Johnson at City Hall this week to discuss Business Travel Market, the new event for the European business travel industry taking place June 17th & 18th at ExCeL. Joining Boris and Paul were Emma Harris, from founding partner Eurostar and Shirley Marguerite from platinum sponsor Qatar Airways.

Mayor Boris Johnson said: ‘I am delighted that London is hosting Business Travel Market 2009. It will be an honour for the city to host this major forum.  I am encouraged Business Travel Market is hosting this event at ExCeL and presenting a strong positive message to the industry at this crucial time. A warm welcome will be extended to all delegates during their time in London.’

Paul Robin, event director & founder commented: ‘I am delighted that the Mayor’s office sees the significance of business travel and the importance of keeping the industry running efficiently at this time. The fact we are holding this pan-European event in London, solidifies the Capital as a great place to do business, and the Mayor recognised the economic benefits of our event.  We were pleased we could update Mayor Johnson on Business Travel Market, and having his support to bring this first year event to London is fantastic.’

www.businesstravelmarket.co.uk                                     

Visitors to a new London bar could be in danger of “breathe driving” with a special room offering the ability to experience a “breathable cocktail.” The Alcoholic Architecture bar on Ganton Street is charging patrons £5 to enter a room filled with a fabulous cloud of vaporised gin and tonic. Stays in the room are limited to 60 minutes at a time, which is estimated to be equivalent to between one and two drinks. A spokesman for the venue says guests are being advised to “breathe responsibly.”

If you do have to many 'breathes' can you go back in the morning for an 'air of the dog'.

The Estonian Golf & Country Club is looking to attract UK golfers with some fantastic golfing deals this summer.

Estonia, just a two-and-a-half hour flight from the UK, is still a relatively unknown quantity for UK golfers but offers some first-class facilities.

The Estonian Golf & Country Club, situated only 25 minutes from the medieval capital city Tallinn, is one of seven courses in the country and the only PGA European Tour course in Eastern Europe.

The club offers 27 holes of golf located within a beautiful natural setting: the 18-hole Sea Course and the nine-hole Stone Course.
 
UK golfers can take advantage of some outstanding spring and summer savings with packages starting from £106 per person, and three nights’ city-centre accommodation, three rounds of golf and transfers available from £310.

In addition, guests staying at The Estonian Golf & Country Club can have additional rounds of golf arranged at other courses near Tallinn if requested when booking.

Wyndham Worldwide, one of the world's largest hospitality companies, has expanded the innovative Women on Their Way programme to include an online community where women can exchange ideas, request advice and share tips on topics ranging from family travel to great books to read on the road.

Users will be able to sign up for a free membership to become contributors to the online community. Members may post to message boards on topics including: girlfriend getaways, travel with pets, romantic trips, multi-generational travel, business travel, safety tips, destination weddings and honeymoons, budget travel, GLBT-friendly travel and more.

www.wyndhamworldwide.com  

Yannick Franques is awarded his first Michelin star and recommended for a second for his menu at Le Saint-Martin at Chateau Saint Martin & Spa.

Situated within the picturesque Chateau Saint Martin and Spa, a fortified Monastery dating back to Roman times, Le Saint-Martin is a refined restaurant seating 35 guests and celebrates the talent of head chef, Yannick Franques. Blending tradition and modernity, this former student of Alain Ducasse, Christian Constant and Eric Fréchon takes an inspired new look at great French classics.

A craftsman of authenticity, Yannick Franques prepares dishes of sheer excellence that give priority to superb fresh ingredients. Yannick has a serious approach to cuisine, not only implementing precision in timing but also incorporating inventive surprises into his seasonings.

The superb offerings on Le Saint-Martin menu (which changes four times a year), include:

Poached sole, glazed with beurre noisette zabaglione, cream of lamb’s lettuce and capers

Pan-fried sea bass, lettuce heart just seared with smoked almonds, emulsion of pitacou and candied lemon

Lobster roasted with coral, bulgur steamed in coconut milk, curry and preserved lemon vinaigrette

Spit roasted pigeon, wasabi crumble, preserved leg of fat bacon, glazed turnips with rosemary

Roasted lamb with herbs, crispy saffron surprise, tajine flavour jus

Le Saint-Martin
Chateau Saint Martin & Spa
Avenue des Templiers.
06 140 Vence

Reservations +33(0)4 93 58 02 02
www.chateau-st-martin.com

The recession is boosting the appeal of self-catering holidays, according to responsibletravel.com.

The ethical travel company said its website has seen an 81% year on year increase in the number of people enquiring about self catering eco accommodation for groups of up to 10 people.

It also reported a 54% year on year increase in self-catering holidays in general.

www.responsibletravel.com

Half term is nearly here and Retallack Resort & Spa in Cornwall is offering a fantastic rate of only £95 per person for one week in a 2 bedroom lodge over the half term week (13th – 20th February) and free bike hire for the whole family!

Complete with a fabulous concierge service that will offer you tips and advice on local attractions, Retallack Resort is a gorgeous collection of self catering lodges ideally positioned amongst Cornwall’s green rolling hills. Enjoy some quality family time together, grab your bikes and take in the Cornish air by exploring the famous Camel Trail with breathtaking views of the area and gentle rides along the spectacular North Cornish coast. Return to the resort for more family fun with more complimentary activities including a visit from Newquay Zoo and Newquay Aquarium offering your kids a chance to hold small beasties and aquatic life and listen to an educational wildlife chat that will bring adventures on land and under the sea to life.

With Padstow, Wadebridge and Newquay and local attractions such The Eden Project all on your doorstep, there is plenty for the whole family to enjoy this Half Term.

Retallack Resort is 8 miles from Newquay Airport and 8 miles from Bodmin Parkway train station.

www.retallackresort.com  

TRAVELPLUS WOULD LIKE TO WISH YOU ALL A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR

BEFORE WE GO TO SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS YEARS OFFICE PARTY (YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW ABOUT LAST YEAR'S), TRAVELPLUS WOULD LIKE TO WISH EVERYONE WHO HAS SENT IN CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE BLOG THIS YEAR AND OUR READERS FOR TAKING AN INTEREST AND READING THEM , A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR.

New for 2009, Hotel L'Avenida, Mallorca's chic eight-bedroom boutique hotel in the heart of Soller on the island's North West coast, is introducing a ‘Flavours of Mallorca’ cookery and foodie weekend throughout February, March and October 2009.

From 12th February 2009, the cookery courses will operate every weekend in February, March and October, with guests arriving on a Thursday and beginning their stay with an informal evening of tapas and local wine tasting at L'Avenida.

The ‘Flavours of Mallorca’ cookery weekend costs €1485 per person (approx £1,240 per person) and includes three night's accommodation based on two people sharing a double room, continental breakfast, all tuition, food and wine relating to the demonstrations (excluding mini bar consumption), gala dinner on Friday night, return airport transfers, transfers to the bodega and the bodega tour. For the cookery weekends to take place, a minimum of six and maximum of 16 people are required. Spa treatments cost from €40 per person.

www.avenida-hotel.com

Holiday-Rentals has launched the free-to-download Holiday-Rentals Travel Cookbook, containing holiday homeowners’ favourite regional recipes from around the world. With over 90 recipes from 14 countries, personal tips and comments, and links to beautiful holiday home rentals, this inspirational free e-book provides plenty of food for thought for a gastro-break.

As a nation of food and travel lovers, a large part of the holiday experience now is sampling the local gastronomy and many people enjoy the interaction when buying local produce. So for those looking for an authentic foodie holiday, there’s no better option than to self-cater as it provides the flexibility to eat out, or experiment at ‘home’.

www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/travelcookbook 

It seems that despite the current economic situation we believe holidays are important. According to a new poll for holiday add-ons firm Holiday Extras 51.8% of people had not downscaled or postponed their holiday plans since the credit crunch.
 
About a quarter had made some slight changes to their travel plans with only 10% indicated that they were making dramatic changes to their holiday arrangements because of the credit crunch.

There are deals available from operators and airlines but is worth remembering the number of travel companies that have gone this year. Therefore you might like to use an ABTA registered travel agent on a credit card as this can provide protection if something should go wrong.