With this issue, we're delighted to introduce a new occasional
Insider feature -- the Travel Agent View, thanks to a suggestion by Roxana Lewis, who gets the column off to a great start with an account of her stay at the Grand Hotel Majestic "gi
à Baglioni." We encourage all of our travel professional friends to let us know about your experiences at Elite member hotels so that we can share your stories in future editions. Enjoy!
Warmest regards,
The Schwabs
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Wine and Dine in Verona for Expo 2015
The historic Due Torri Hotel in Verona has cooked up three special offers for Expo 2015 visitors. Guests can savor the Verona Dolce Vita with a
Vespa wine tour complete with a vineyard picnic lunch and wine tasting. The Gourmet Experience includes dinner on the breathtaking terrace of the hotel's Gourmet Grill restaurant, while the Wine Experience includes visits to two wine cellars and a Champagne tasting. All three offers are valid through Oct. 31 and include a two-night stay and a one-day pass to Expo 2015 in Milan.
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Sound of Mozart in Vienna
Viennese culture is inextricably linked with Mozart and no visit to the city is complete without an opportunity to hear the music of the legendary composer. Guests of the Grand Hotel Wien and its sister, The Ring Hotel, can take advantage of a Sound of Mozart package that features a guided tour of the world-famous Vienna State Opera, a concert by the Wiener Mozart Orchestra, and a 72-hour Vienna Ticket. The
Grand Hotel Wien's offer also includes a three-course dinner at the acclaimed Le Ciel by Toni Morwald, while guests of
The Ring enjoy dinner at the stylish "at eight." Valid through Dec. 31.
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Stars au Lac at the Baur au Lac
The sky's literally the limit with this special package at Zurich's legendary Baur au Lac. Enjoy the thrill of a 30-minute helicopter flight over Lake Zurich, then return to the hotel for an exclusive aperitif on the roof-deck and a five-course menu in the Michelin-starred Pavillon. Valid through Oct. 31,
Stars au Lac also includes in-room fresh fruit, Baur au Lac's own house-made "1844" chocolates, complimentary minibar, WiFi, and more.
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A Jo'burg Shopping Spree
Guests of the sleek and stylish Maslow Hotel can indulge in one of Africa's most glamorous shopping experiences with the
Sponsored Shopping Spree. The offer includes a shopping voucher valued at R500 plus transfers to and from Sandton City, Johannesburg's chicest mall, and the Sandton Gautrain Station. Complimentary breakfast provides plenty of fuel for a day of deal-seeking. The one-night package is available weekends only through Sept. 30, so grab this offer while the shopping's hot!
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Palace Luzern, Lucerne
Lucerne's "Palace on the Lake" rises above the waterfront in Belle Epoque splendor. This historic gem offers guests an experience as distinctive as it is luxurious, from chamber music performances on site to world-class spa treatments that include the first-ever giant singing bowl. The Palace Luzern's new signature restaurant, Marlin, combines a spectacular lakeside setting with an exceptional seafood-focused menu. Guest rooms and suites retain design details of the hotel's original style while offering every modern convenience. Learn more about this legendary Swiss hotel here.
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Mini Chefs cooking classes at Cape Town's
Table Bay Hotel are a win-win! For R350, children whip up a gourmet meal under the tutelage of a hotel chef while parents enjoy lunch and a glass of wine at Camissa, the hotel's signature restaurant. Upcoming dates include Sept. 12, Oct. 10, and Dec. 5. Book early to
reserve a spot for your budding chef.
Word has it that the highlight of high tea at The Royal Livingstone is the hotel's famous carrot cake. We think a trip to Zambia just might be in order to find out for ourselves!
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On the Road
August took the Schwab team to Las Vegas for a very productive Virtuoso Travel Week. Greg and Sandy got things off to an early start, representing the Royal Livingstone Hotel at the Virtuoso Active and Specialty Travel (VAST) event two days before Travel Week's official kick-off. Jeannie, for her part, represented Austria's Thurnhers Alpenhof at the show.
Picture at top are Jeannie and Sandy with Estelle Gae (far left) of First in Service Travel, who hosted the Schwabs at the Virtuoso gala, along with another dinner guest.
The photo below it shows the Schwabs out on the town with Maria Elena Valente of the Grand Hotel Majestic (Bologna) and Due Torri Hotel (Verona), at her Virtuoso Travel Week debut.
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Hot Spots
What to do and see in Elite destinations this season:
mumok
Vienna, Austria
Feb. 12 - Sept. 13, 2015
Various venues
Milan, Italy
May 1 - Oct. 31, 2015
Les Caran D'Ache de Picasso exhibit
Kunstaus Interlaken
Interlaken, Switzerland
May 31 - Aug. 30, 2015
Summer program of music, art, film & more
Various venues
Bologna, Italy
June - Sept. 2015
Alternative art, music, cultural events
Various venues
Jerusalem, Israel
July 1 - Sept. 30, 2015
Lake basin; various clubs
Zurich, Switzerland
August 29, 2015
USTA National Tennis Center
Flushing Meadows, NY
Aug. 31 - Sept. 13, 2015
Start and finish: Piazza Bra
Verona, Italy
Nov. 15, 2015
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Travel Agent View
Roxana Lewis, CTC ProTravel International
The single bugle call from my clients today is to have a food-centric component. Emilia-Romagna is considered the stomach
of Italy and Bologna, this region's
capital, makes an ideal base to experience Italian food.
The cities of Parma with its
ham and cheese and Modena, the center of balsamic vinegar, are less than an hour
from the city center.
Bologna's historic luxury hotel is t
he Grand Hotel Majestic "già Baglioni," which is located in the
heart of town and surrounded by cafes, boutiques and trattorie.
Dripping with traditional charm
and décor, a Michelin restaurant, and a small gym and spa, the hotel was a perfect address
for my touring to parmigiano and prosciutto factories, the Ferrari museum, the beaches at Rimini, and
the famous ceramics of Faenza.
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