June 9, 2010 — Reid’s Palace in Madeira, Portugal introduces “Fun at Reid’s”, an affordable luxury escape for families that offers parents a complimentary second room for the kids when booking in June or September 2010, with no minimum stay. Children between the ages of two and 17 can stay at the hotel for free and have access to a fabulous range of fun activities offered at the family friendly hotel starting at only € 405 (approximately USD $495*) per night.

Nestled in the hotel’s ten acres of lush semi-tropical gardens, the Fun at Reid’s Kid’s Club is designed for children between the ages of three and nine. With a personalized check-in including a “welcome” virgin cocktail, the Kid’s Club offers an exciting range of activities such as face painting, sports, and trips to nearby Funchal. The Kid’s Club also boasts its very own swimming pool and extended outdoor playground, as well as a large indoor space for children to enjoy electronic games, DVD’s, and other group activities.

Fun at Reid’s Club is a complimentary service — open from 10am to 5pm; and from 6:30pm to 9:30pm, offering parents the opportunity to enjoy a romantic evening or moonlit dinner without the kids. For an additional fee, the hotel can arrange a babysitter upon request after 9:30pm.

Reid’s Palace also offers teenagers a fantastic space to spend time while their parents take in the sights of Madeira or spend some time alone. The “Teen Room”, stocked with Apple computers, a Nintendo Wii, and a flat screen TV, comes complete with a wide selection of DVD’s and video games and Guitar Hero.

Dolphin watching, safari trips, helicopter flights over the island of Madeira, and Levada Walks through the tropical landscape of Funchal can all be arranged by the hotel for families to enjoy together. The Spa at Reid’s Palace offers a special treatment for kids, inviting children and parents to indulge together. The treatment, “Nangfa, Angel Bliss for Children”, is designed to improve quality of sleep and strengthen the immune system; truly completing the Reid’s experience for little ones.

Prices for the ‘Fun at Reid’s’ package start at €405 per night (approximately USD $495*) for a classic double room, and includes a daily buffet breakfast as well as a complimentary second room for a maximum of two children.

Reid’s Palace epitomizes the spirit of travel, luxury, style and adventure. Opened in 1891 by William and Alfred Reid to accommodate passengers traveling on the great ocean liners, it now stands for contemporary luxury and elegance.  Perched on a cliff-top amid 10 acres of semi-tropical gardens, providing its own brand of personal service to all generations, today’s Reid’s Palace offers relaxation, indulgence, romance and activity on the exotic, temperate island of Madeira.

Members of the Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club enjoy access to a portfolio of magnificent private homes in the most sought-after destinations around the globe and can also trade nights for credit towards inspiring A&K travel—now including 22 new European villas.

A dedicated Global Experience Manager works with the member to make all the arrangements, including preparing the home with groceries and preferred amenities. They recommend insider access experiences that include VIP tours of one of the oldest Tuscan pasta makers, an introduction to how pecorino and ricotta cheese are made, winery tours and barrel tastings, even underground tours of medieval Siena. Global Experience Managers can also arrange cooking, painting or language lessons with local experts in the privacy of the villa.

The Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club is currently offering a two-year trial membership with no up-front capital payment for those who want an extended opportunity to experience Club life before making a full commitment. Two-year trial members pay normal Club dues plus a 10% premium that will be credited to their capital contribution if they later join as a permanent equity member.

Until June 30, the Club is offering the opportunity to save thousands on equity membership, with a price increase scheduled July 1. Visit www.akresidenceclub.com/offers to learn more or read full press release here.

Where HAVE we been?  Is it possible the GLAMPING trend nearly passed us by? Maybe so, since our first glimpse of glamps occurred in this month’s AARP magazine.  Glamorous camping there was described as combining “the splendor of the great outdoors with the comfort of a top-tier hotel.”

In Google retrospect, we see that USA Today and ABC News both covered this altLuxury style of camping as early as 2007.  And in 2008 New York Times’ Green Traveler described glamping as “camping but not quite.”

Offering a business model perspective, Mark Penn in the Wall Street Journal described this updated and upscale visit to the outdoors in August 2009.  For those wishing to enter the hospitality industry, he opined, start-up costs could be minimal as undeveloped land may be available at low cost and accommodations can be mobilized as necessary.

In fact, we did glamp before we knew glamping was cool.  Our initiation was at Safari West in California’s Sonoma County.  We chose to celebrate a special birthday in one of the resort’s luxurious yurts, where you “wake up with the sounds of Africa echoing in your dreams.”  Really!  From our yurt-pad we looked out at the giraffe family and were only steps away from the tropical bird refuge.  A two-hour safari the day before had introduced us to the many other wild animals usually found in far more remote regions of the world. We had to pinch ourselves to remember that we were in Northern California!

Glamping, aka “Comfy Camping” or “Boutique Camping,” is indeed a worldwide phenomenon.  Vacations may offer kayaking, climbing, hiking or fishing, in sun or snow, sea or mountains, northern or southern hemispheres, for singles or families.  The common threads are the haute cuisine, luxurious linens, superior service offered by those providing the glamping experience.  Many carry coveted ratings from the likes of National Geographic or Conde Nast.

Inherent in most of these wilderness luxury vacations is a certain greenness.  Chefs offer locally grown ingredients in their riverside feasts.  Far and Away Adventures, based in Sun Valley, ID, posits that their river trips with personal concierge service, massages, award-winning wines and organic food are also carbon neutral.

For more information, visit goGlamping.net a complete directory of luxury camping experiences.

Yosemite National Park, CA – April 2010 – Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, a popular year-round lodging destination in the heart of Yosemite Village, unveiled today two prototype guest rooms on the cutting edge of environmentally-friendly interior architecture and design. The two rooms at The Lodge are the first of their kind in Yosemite National Park.

Reflective of Delaware North Companies’ award-winning GreenPath® environmental stewardship platform, the two eco-friendly guest rooms were designed with an eye toward an eventual roll-out throughout the Lodge’s 245 rooms. Every design selection, from insulation and paint to textiles and light fixtures, was evaluated based on its proximity, sustainability, recycled content and resilience. The prototypes offer an opportunity for Delaware North Companies and the National Park Service to evaluate the success of the overall design, research the durability of eco-friendly products and gather guest feedback from those who stay in the rooms. An additional goal is the eventual certification of Yosemite Lodge at the Falls as a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and Energy Star property.

“A great deal of research and technology is integrated in these rooms, most of it working quietly just beneath the surface,” said Keith Erikson, General Manager of Yosemite Lodge at the Falls. “Our guests won’t notice many of these elements, but when they cross the threshold and drop their bags, their rooms will be welcoming, comfortable, affordable and, we hope, inspiring.”

In designing the prototype eco-friendly rooms for Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, Richard Kollath and Edward McCann of Kollath McCann Creative Services considered each element of a standard hotel guest room and found a way to make it as eco-friendly as possible. The following outlines every aspect of the guest rooms, and can double as a resource guide for those looking to incorporate green design elements into their home living environment.

Room Entry
A new electronic key card entry system integrates with the room’s energy controls, using a lock that requires 50% fewer batteries than older locks, with the batteries lasting for nearly four years. After unlocking the room, the guest places the key card in a wall slot just inside the door. With a faint click, the key card activates select circuits that power lighting and electronics. When the guest removes the key from the slot upon leaving, the room reverts to its unoccupied, energy-saver state, automatically reducing the demand for power to circuits that feed the television and accessory lights. (Coupled with a wireless sensor, this approach to energy management has been shown in European hotel case studies to reduce demand and energy expenses by upwards of 40%.)

Insulation
The blown-in cellulose now in the walls of the two prototypes at Yosemite Lodge increases heating and cooling efficiency and reduces sounds from adjacent rooms. With an R-value similar to fiberglass but nearly three times as dense, the insulation is made with locally available materials – up to 85% recycled newspaper and 15% boric acid as fire retardant – and has the highest recycled content of any insulation available.

Windows
Inefficient single-pane and jalousie windows have been replaced with double pane windows that will help guests feel warmer – or cooler – while conserving energy. The exterior aluminum cladding has a baked-on, electrostatically applied paint finish, minimizing the need for future maintenance.

Water
Toilets alone account for nearly 30% of indoor water consumption; older, inefficient toilets, faucets and shower heads are responsible for most of the water wasted in American homes and hotels. The new shower and bath fixtures in the Yosemite Lodge prototype rooms are high-performing, water-efficient models that will save nearly 5,000 gallons of water each year, using just 1.28 gallons per flush.

Lighting
Handsome new steel wall sconces, pendants and floor lamps in the guest rooms were manufactured in nearby Washington. All use energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs, which use one-third the energy and last roughly ten times longer than standard incandescent bulbs.

Paint
The rooms are painted using California-based Kelly-Moore paints with low- and zero-VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds).

Flooring
With fibers produced in part from recycled plastic bottles and a backing derived from old tires, the carpet tiles in the guest rooms add warmth and comfort underfoot with a small carbon footprint. The 12-inch porcelain tiles used in the vanity and bath areas contain 40% recycled materials and will provide many years of service.

Vanity & Countertop
Produced just outside San Francisco, the countertop is made of 85% glass collected from curbside recycling bins. This striking surface alerts guests that there’s something different and special about their room, especially when paired with drinking glasses made from wine bottles. Additionally, wall-mounted soap and lotion dispensers eliminate clutter and waste.

Furnishings
Richard Kollath designed a line of Old Hickory furnishings unique to the green rooms at Yosemite Lodge at the Falls featuring distinctive, inset bow tie joinery. Like other Old Hickory furnishings and accessories in the Yosemite Valley, this rustic, durable collection is made using mid-western hickory saplings – the hardest wood in North America (30% harder than oak) and a renewable source that continually re-sprouts from the same stump. Produced in a factory employing sustainable practices and water-based glues, Old Hickory furniture has lasted for decades in hospitality settings.

Television
The 40-inch flat-screen SONY Eco Series HDTV selected for the guest rooms features a high-efficiency HCFL backlight that provides optimum brightness and reduces power consumption up to 50 % in comparison to Energy Star requirements, using only 90 watts, which is as little as an incandescent light bulb. The television’s Presence Sensor detects when a guest has stepped away from the TV and turns the picture off. If after 30 minutes the sensor still doesn’t detect movement, the set turns off completely. And, an energy-saving switch reduces power consumption of the TV to zero when the set is turned off.

Recycle Caddies
Kollath McCann’s prototype divided recycling caddies were also made by Old Hickory.

Bedding & Linens
The American-made, 100% organic cotton sheets were produced in a solar-powered factory in Rhode Island. The bed’s blanket cover, throw and window drapery are made from washable cotton matelasse.

About Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts at Yosemite, Inc.
The Ahwahnee, Yosemite Lodge at the Falls and Wawona Hotel are operated by Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts at Yosemite, an affiliate of Delaware North Companies and an authorized National Park Service concessioner overseeing lodging, dining, guest recreation activities and transportation services in Yosemite.

About Delaware North Companies
Delaware North Companies is one of the world’s leading hospitality and food service providers. Its family of companies includes Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, Delaware North Companies Gaming & Entertainment, Delaware North Companies Travel Hospitality Services, Delaware North Companies Sportservice, Delaware North Companies International and Delaware North Companies Boston, owner of TD Garden. Delaware North Companies is one of the largest privately held companies in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. For more information, visit www.DelawareNorth.com.
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About GreenPath®
GreenPath®, which began in Yosemite National Park over a decade ago, has since expanded to Delaware North Companies’ 200-plus venues across the world. A sophisticated environmental stewardship program actively engaging employees at every level, GreenPath® ensures environmental considerations are incorporated into all business decisions. The program’s initiatives are showcased in comprehensive recycling, composting and other waste-diversion programs, energy and water conservation, employee and guest interpretation and education, sustainable, local and organic food policies, strategic planning and partnerships, product purchasing and fuel consumption. As a result, Delaware North Companies is one of the first hospitality companies in the United States – and the first operating in a national park – to earn 14001 environmental management registration in the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), a worldwide federation of national standards from some 140 countries.

NEW YORK (March 8, 2010) – Asian and Latin locations rose to the top of the list as up-and-coming destinations in the 2010 Virtuoso Luxe Report released today.  India, Vietnam and Cuba are the top emerging destinations in this year’s report, which provides invaluable insight into the future direction of high-end travelers.  Rounding out the top emerging-destination selections were the Galapagos Islands, China and Chile.

Based on expert feedback from its sought-after network of travel providers and advisors, the Luxe Report results reflect booking trends, new travel destinations, comparisons to travel in 2009, and above all, forecast the travel aspirations of some of the most upscale travelers in the United States.

The top three trends ranked by Virtuoso travel providers as influencing clients’ vacation choices included: seeking authentic experiences in new destinations; rest & relaxation; and spending time or reconnecting with loved ones.  Interestingly, the survey also found that private villa rental is booming, with 41 percent saying that this sector will increase in 2010 over 2009 bookings, supporting the trend towards connecting with loved ones in a private group setting.

Travelers in 2010 are booking longer vacations to more distant destinations. Of the travel professionals responding, 71 percent said clients are seeking international travel for 10+ days. Weekend getaways to domestic destinations garnered the smallest share with only 18 percent.

The primary reasons for Virtuoso clientele booking their travel through a Virtuoso agent as opposed to booking directly were cited as: expertise; the comfort level of working with their travel provider; the pre- and post-trip support they receive; and the ability of the travel provider to fully customize the trip for them.  The largest influences on consumers’ travel decisions are word of mouth, travel magazines and lifestyle magazines.

“The Luxe Report findings confirm people’s continued drive to travel – to see and experience the world firsthand,” said Virtuoso CEO Matthew D. Upchurch.  “Although favorites such as Italy and Australia appear on this year’s list of popular vacation locations, the results point to new interest in emerging destinations such as India, Vietnam and Cuba, the latter of which is revealing, given the current US restrictions.  The Luxe Report also affirms the value that high-end travelers place on working with a professional travel advisor.  In this era of on-line marginalization, experience, knowledge and personalized service still emerge as the very things travelers’ value.”

Key findings from the 2010 Virtuoso Luxe Report are outlined below:

What are the five most popular international destinations for travelers in 2010?

1. Italy
2. Mexico
3. South Africa
4. Australia
5. France

What are the top five U.S. destinations where you expect to send travelers in 2010?

1. Maui
2. Alaska
3. New York City
4. Napa Valley/Sonoma
5. Las Vegas

Which of the following do you see as “emerging destinations,” meaning those on the cusp of becoming popular, either for the first time or all over again?

1. India
2. Vietnam
3. Cuba
4. Galapagos Islands
5. China
6. Chile

What do you anticipate are the top five most popular destinations for family travel in 2010?

1. Italy
2. Mexico
3. Hawaii
4. Orlando
5. Australia & Costa Rica (tied)

Which luxury cruises saw the biggest increase in demand in 2009?

1. Mediterranean
2. Alaska
3. European River
4. Caribbean
5. Baltic Region

Which itineraries do you anticipate being popular in 2010?

1. Alaska
2. Mediterranean
3. European River
4. Caribbean
5. Greek Isles

Rank your clients’ motivation in choosing a vacation:

1. Seeking authentic experiences in new destinations
2. Rest & Relaxation
3. Spending time or reconnecting with loved ones
4. Discovering new experiences in previously visited (or more familiar) destinations
5. Personal enrichment (e.g. voluntourism, cultural experience, learning, etc.)
6. Seeking adventure

Rank the most important determining factors for your clients’ when choosing a vacation:

1. The right destination
2. Value for money paid
3. The right activity (activities)
4. Price

For socially and environmentally conscious travelers, which aspects of their travel are they most concerned about?

1. Accommodations
2. Activities or excursions
3. Means of transportation
4. Giving back to local communities through monetary donations
5. Giving back to local communities through voluntourism

Advisors from Virtuoso travel agencies were invited to take the survey in November and December 2009.  Results were tabulated from more than 250 responses from the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Latin America.  The sampling represents 10,000 of the Virtuoso network’s 1.3 million-name database of affluent clients.

About Virtuoso

Virtuoso^® is the industry’s leading luxury travel network.  This by-invitation-only organization comprises over 300 agencies with more than 6,000 elite travel specialists in 22 countries in North and South America, the Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand, as well as over 1,000 of the world’s best travel providers and premier destinations.  The network’s member agencies generate over $5.1 billion annually in travel sales, making the group the most powerful in the luxury travel segment.  Their relationships with the finest travel companies provide the network’s affluent clientele with exclusive amenities, rare experiences and privileged access.  Virtuoso is the exclusive network of travel services and benefits provided by MasterCard^® for participating World Elite MasterCard^® programs. For more information, please visit www.virtuoso.com.