Hotel Puente Romano in Marbella, is offering a special rate of €225 per Double Room per night including breakfast throughout the festive season.

The hotel is also offering the following for Christmas and New Year’s Eve:

Christmas Eve Dinner at Café Puente Restaurant

• Dinner from 8pm, excluding drinks
• €125 per person, including VAT

New Year’s Eve Special

• Overnight stay in a room for two
• New Year’s Eve “Gold” Gala for two
• Breakfast for two
• From €625,00 per night

Valid throughout the Festive Season 2011 / 2012, subject to availability

For further information, please contact Mason Rose on +44 (0)20 7201 8050

Celebrate the New Year in the stunning setting of the Chianti Region countryside, in your Tuscan Retreat

The New Year’s package includes:

• Three nights’ accommodation in the selected room type
• Buffet breakfast
• Welcome amenity in room on arrival
• Tuscan evening in our restaurant “La Cantina”, on 30th December, with traditional specialties from the region and guided wine tasting of the Castello di Monastero wines
• New Year’s gala dinner, tasting the menu created by our Resident Chef in cooperation with world-famous Chef Michelin Gordon Ramsay (wines from our selection included)
• New Year’s day brunch on 1st January
• One ‘‘Body Relax’’ massage (50’) per person in our SPA
• Daily access to the indoor water area of our SPA: Finnish sauna, Hammam, indoor pool with Jacuzzi, relaxing sea water pool, Kneipp therapy, emotional showers with chromo and aroma therapy, relax lounge

Rates including VAT and Services:

Superior Room from €610 per night
Deluxe Room from €660 per night
Prestige Room from €700 per night

For arrivals from 1^st January 2012 onwards, the Best Available rates start from €385 per night in a Double Superior room.

Supplements – children/adults:
From 0 to 2 years  no charge, cot in parents room
From 3 to 11 years  €70 per day
From 12 to 18 years:  €180 per day (“Body Relax” massage excluded)
Adults:   €200 per day  (third bed in double room, massage included)

The New Year’s package is valid for stays taken from 29^th to 31^st December 2011, subject to availability and based on a minimum stay of three nights.

For further information, please contact Mason Rose on +44 (0)20 7201 8050

Gstaad Palace in Switzerland is offering a ‘Magical Stay in Gstaad’ with a 2 night midweek stay in a Double Room with a beautiful views over the Swiss Alps from CHF820 per person on half board basis.

• Swiss breakfast buffet and dinner at  “Le Grand Restaurant”
• Experience a unique husky-tour during 30 minutes on the Glacier 3000 with its breathtaking landscapes
• Use of the Palace Spa with indoor swimming pool, saunas, steam baths and outdoor pool with Jacuzzi

The above offer is valid from 18th December 2011 to 13th March 2012, subject to availability.

For further information, please contact Mason Rose on +44 (0)20 7201 8050

Enjoy a memorable New Year’s celebration at Dubrovnik’s finest hotel, Excelsior Hotel & Spa.
Take in the stunning views of the ancient Old Town from each corner of the hotel, as you greet the new year with a glass of the finest champagne. Whether you choose to celebrate the occasion in our fine dining venues or in the intimate setting of your luxurious room or suite,  there is no doubt that you will cherish the memory of Excelsior Hotel & Spa.

New Year’s Eve Programme

The package for 31st December 2011 includes the following:

• Exciting and entertaining musical programme throughout the evening
• New Year’s Eve Dinner
• Welcome cocktail and a glass of champagne at midnight on 31st December

The above programme is €110 per person and must be booked by 10th December 2011.

Room Rates from:

Classic double room: 2 nights €220 / 3 nights €300/ 4 nights €360 / 5 nights €425 / 6 nights €480 / 7 nights €560
Superior double room (Sea view): 2 nights €300 / 3 nights €429 / 4 nights €456  / 5 nights €570/ 6 nights €684 / 7 nights €798
Deluxe double room (Sea view with balcony): 2 nights €360 / 3 nights €513 / 4 nights €576  / 5 nights €720/ 6 nights €864 / 7 nights €1008
Executive Suite: 2 nights €1000 / 3 nights €1300/ 4 nights €1500 / 5 nights €1700/ 6 nights €1850 / 7nights €2100

For further information, please contact Mason Rose on +44(20) 7201 8050

Having been in the event management industry for over 20 years it takes a lot to wow me in terms of destinations, so having just spent two and a half days in the sun baked medieval city of Dubrovnik overlooking the Adriatic I can only say “Wow”.  Of course a two and a half day “fam” trip is no where near long enough to do this city justice.

A mere two and a half hours flying time form the UK and you will find yourself on one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in the Adriatic (the little bit of sea down the right hand side of Italy). Our group of twelve were hosted by Adriatic Luxury Hotels partnered by our friends from Mason Rose. Base camp for this trip was the stunning five star Dubrovnik Palace Hotel located on the edge of a sleepy cove just north of the medieval walled town. The hotel is hidden away amongst the lush forests bordering the coastline. This spacious five star hotel, with never ending views of the sea and the Elaphiti Islands offers not only excellent leisure facilities but also the perfect undisturbed work environment.

Whilst the conference facilities can cater for 750 delegates, the hotel in my opinion would be the perfect location for a sales conference on an exclusive hire for 250 to 300 delegates. With plenty of space for breakouts and team activities there is no doubt that this venue and destination is right up there on my recommendation list as it has everything. What Croatia can also offer is plenty of variety in terms of places to eat, activities available and places to visit. Our cameras did not stop clicking away! Strangely enough on this trip most of our activities involved eating and drinking! Olive oil tasting, wine tasting on the Pelješac peninsula, mussel and oyster tasting at one of the many oyster farms at Mali Ston followed by a sumptuous lunch at the Tavern Bote Šare were all packed into our Friday itinerary.

Dubrovnik itself has plenty of hotels to choose from and during our short visit we were treated to show rounds at both the Excelsior Hotel and Spa and also the Hotel Bellevue, both Adriatic Luxury Hotels. At first, arriving at a hotel that appears to be only a single storey is a little disappointing, but that is where the disappointment ends. Both hotels cling to the cliffs overlooking Dubrovnik and whilst you enter the hotel at street level, everything else is technically below ground. Like the Dubrovnik Palace Hotel, every window has a sea view. And it’s a view you never get bored of.

The Excelsior is located 5 minutes stroll from the old walled city and has stunning views of the medieval port and bustling marina. The Bellevue is tucked away in a little cove between the Dubrovnik Palace and the city. Both are smaller boutique 5 star hotels with exquisite facilities and beautiful spas.

Both hotels have good sized meeting rooms, but for me these two hotels are ideal for incentive trips or small group Director meetings. The Dubrovnik Palace is better suited for larger company meetings provided delegates do not get too distracted by the stunning views that all the meeting spaces provide!

The food we had was, for me perfect. I love sea food and therefore I was able to fill my boots with some of the most sumptuous fish dishes I’ve had in a long time. That said there were also plenty of options if you are not a mammoth marine muncher like me. Our first evening was at Restaurant Nautika just outside of the old City, but there is plenty of choice in the City. Eating is al fresco and there is plenty of atmosphere to consume whilst you are working your way through the menu and wine list. Ah, the wines! The wines were all again well chosen and were all Croatian local wines, none of which I can remember, not because I had consumed too much, but simply because their labels were impossible to read. We were never disappointed.

We were only in Dubrovnik for 48 hours and I got the impression that we were all a little sad to leave. The City, and I think the parts of Croatia that we saw were clean, breath taking and full of intrigue. The Croatians are very friendly and very hospitable and are keen to share what they have with us, and in my opinion they have it all. They have great conference and meeting spaces, great activities, great restaurants, a beautiful city, lots of history, fantastic weather and the best bit, they are only two and a half hours away from the UK.

If you have not yet considered Dubrovnik for your conference or sales incentive then start considering it, because I for one would love you to go there.

By Mark Buist, Managing Director of Penguins - www.penguins.co.uk

As a special treat this Winter, Amsterdam’s leading boutique hotel, The Dylan, is offering guests a unique Winter High Wine Package available from 1^st December until 28^th December 2011.

High Wine at The Dylan is the hotel’s unique take on High Tea. It features a selection of fine wines from the cellar, accompanied by different amuse style bites, selected by The Dylan’s executive chef Dennis Kuipers. To celebrate winter, the Winter High Wine Package has an additional two wines and savoury bites rather than the regular four course High Wine. As the evenings get cooler this offer really is the perfect winter warmer.

The Dylan is located on the Keizersgracht, one of the city’s most famous canals and a stones throw away from the chic shopping district, as well as some of Amsterdam’s most popular museums including The Van Gogh Museum, The Rijksmusew and The Hermitage. This exquisite hotel is truly ideal for a winter city break in the run up to Christmas.

The Winter High Wine Package costs from £343 (EU 395) and includes:

• An overnight stay for two in a double room
• Dylan breakfast buffet in the restaurant
• Extended six-course High Wine for two

The Winter High Wine Package starts from £343 (EU 395) excluding 5% city tax and is available from 1^st December until 28^th December 2011. All bookings are subject to availability. Terms and Conditions apply. To book the Winter High Wine Package, e-mail reservations@dylanamsterdam.com or call +31 20 5302010.

Non-hotel guests can also enjoy the High Wine experience. Available from 1^st December until 1^st January (inclusive) for £52 (EU 59.50) per person.

For further information, please call Mason Rose on +44 (0)20 7201 8060

September (Various Dates)
Launched in 1993 to acknowledge and recognise excellence in the world’s travel and tourism industry the World Travel Awards are now in their 18th year. Following on from the announcement last month regarding its European winners, the latest Mason Rose clients to scoop awards, include: Indian Ocean’s Leading New Resort and Maldives’ Leading New Resort, Ayada Maldives; Morocco’s Leading Luxury Hotel, La Mamounia; South Africa’s Leading Boutique Hotel, Africa’s Leading Boutique Hotel, Africa’s Leading Suite, Saxon Boutique Hotel, Villas and Spa and Africa’s Leading Luxury Lodge, Shambala Private Game Reserve. Big congratulations from all at Mason Rose

13th September
Over 40 journalists attended the official media launch of Ayada Maldives hosted by the resort’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Omer Ulke and Mason Rose. Guests marvelled at stunning images of the brand new luxury 112 villa resort located on the 150,000 square metre Maguhdhuvaa Island, while enjoying champagne and canapés at The Soho Hotel.

On the same evening, Elena, Corporate Sales Account Director, attended the opening reception of “Degas and the Ballet: Picturing Movement” at the Royal Academy of Arts. Elena was in exceptional company and spent the evening rubbing shoulders with ballerina Darcy Bussell, Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, H E The French Ambassador and H E The Spanish Ambassador among others.

19th September
Maria, Managing Director, jetted off to Dubrovnik to meet Adriatic Luxury Hotels’ new Chairman of the Board following the group’s recent acquisition by the Lukšić Group. During her stay, Maria took the opportunity to re-visit other hotels in the group’s stunning collection including Hotel Bellevue, Hotel Dubrovnik Palace and Hotel Excelsior as well as its sister properties Grand Villa Argentina and Hotel Croatia.

21st September
Lisa, MICE Sales Account Director and Elena, Corporate Sales Account Director attended a golf networking day at the beautiful Foxhill’s Golf Club in Surrey hosted by Think TMB Events Agency. The day was co-hosted by exclusive Mediterranean resort, Puente Romano in Marbella who offered up a fabulous prize of a trip to the resort. Unsurprisingly the day included lots of golf along with a delicious lunch and fabulous goodie bags for all attendees that included copies of Tanya Rose’s Travel Secrets.

28th September
Nadia, PR Account Manager, attended the uber-glamorous Quintessentially Awards at One Marylebone on behalf of Royal Mansour Marrakech who received a nomination in the category for Best Spa. Hosted by Sir David Frost the event was also attended by Pixie Lott, Alexandra Burke and chef Marcus Wareing.

For further information, please contact Mason Rose on +44(0)20 7201 8050

With Vietnam Airlines launching four new direct routes a week from London Gatwick to Vietnam in December, we thought there was no better time to tell you all about the Vietnamese property in the Mason Rose collection – The Nam Hai. We challenge anyone not to want to head straight to the Vietnam Airlines website to check out flight prices once they’ve seen the images of this stunning resort!

The Nam Hai is an all villa resort located on the pristine white sand of Hoi An Beach that boasts sixty one-bedroom villas and forty one-to-five bedroom pool villas. You can enjoy all the luxuries that you would expect from a five star resort, paired with the distinctive and gracious culture of Central Vietnam as well as unique experiences that will really allow you to sample the best of Vietnamese life. The resort also features an array of first class facilities, such as a state-of-the-art spa, three swimming pools, tennis courts, health club, kids club and an impressive 18-hole Colin Montgomerie-designed golf course.

For a real taste of Vietnam visit the resort’s organic farm. Covering a hectare plot of previously unused land, the farm now boasts an abundant organically-grown crop including; red basil, coriander, lemongrass, water spinach and mustard lettuce for use in gourmet dishes and exotic cocktails. You can gain a new understanding of Vietnamese ingredients and the cuisine itself by exploring the farm in your own time or as part of the resort’s cookery classes and Children’s Club.

The resort’s wide programme of tours and activities, make it easy to get out and explore the lively and captivating village of Hoi An. Choose to meet the farmers of the Tra Que vegetable village, a charming little village on the edge of Hoi An, which is named after the sweet scented vegetables that spice up the everyday meals of the Pho Hoi people. Or why not try a day as a fisherman and learn how to catch fish in the traditional way by throwing a net out from the Thúng Chai, a little round basket boat. And for some historical wisdom, visit the World Heritage Site of My Son, showcasing Vietnam’s most important remnants of the Cham Dynasty that comprises ancient temples, towers and structures dating back to the 4^th Century.

It’s also the perfect time to visit The Spa at The Nam Hai as from this month it will be using two new luxury spa brands; Ila and Voya and will launch a new treatment list to add to the current assortment of traditional Vietnamese rituals. The new treatments, which will apply the Vietnamese influences of balance, energy, and healing, will use only the finest and purest ingredients such as organic seaweed hand-harvested from the ocean, wild-grown argan oil and wild crafted vegan nail products. Guests at The Spa at The Nam Hai will be able to indulge themselves with one of the many new treatments as well as the original assortment of traditional Vietnamese rituals:

• Ila Himalayan Crystal Body Polish for Detoxifying or Uplifting
• Ila Bio-rhythm Envelopment for Jetlag
• Ila Rainforest Rejuvenation Facial
• Voya Fucus Luscious Organic Salt Glow for Detoxifying
• Voya Bladderwrack Body Buff for Nourishing
• Voya Organic Seaweed Leaf Envelopment for Detoxifying

The Deluxe Spa Villa treatment rooms at the resort also provide guests with the option of an array of ceremonial baths, all of which include a mixture of oils and bath salts as well as breathtaking outdoor lagoon views and are a great way to unwind and relax before or after a massage.

For further information, please contact Mason Rose on +44 (0)207 201 8060

Whether travelling for business or pleasure the luxury travel experience shouldn’t just start when you arrive at your hotel. Well-arranged travel plans from door to door, ensure a smooth and stress-free start (or just as importantly) end to any trip. We’ve selected some of the best services and tips for VIP treatment that begins before you even check in.

For star treatment, check out Diamond Air International which offers VIP airport concierge services at over 400 destinations worldwide. One of its experienced team will meet you as soon as you arrive outside the airport with porters to guide you through the complete airport departure processes all the way to the aircraft gate. After a smooth flight, you’ll find the same service waiting for you at the other end, where you will be whisked through airport procedures to get you on your way as quickly as possible.

For those who find airports a stressful start to any trip, a visit to an executive lounge while you wait for your flight can offer the perfect antidote. Priority Pass membership is the world’s largest independent airport lounge access program and gives you access to 600 lounges in over 300 cities around the world. Relax with your travel companions enjoying complimentary refreshments and snacks or make use of the business facilities ahead of your journey.

If you regularly travel through one specific airport, find out what services they offer VIP guests; as a frequent flyer they’ll make your life much easier. For example Heathrow has recently opened up its VIP Suites, previously the domain of royalty, heads of state and visiting diplomats to passengers at Heathrow.  Named Heathrow by Invitation, the VIP suites offer complete privacy as well as a host of services including; a secluded kerbside drop-off and pick-up point at an exclusive terminal entrance, a private lounge for each guest, where VIP hosts are on hand to help with check-in, luggage drop-off, customs and passport control, private security search area, limousine service to or from their private suite directly to the plane steps and baggage collection and delivery to VIP passengers’ vehicles.

As the weather cools in the UK, why not jet away to enjoy a game of golf in the sunshine. Whether you want to improve your swing with a professional coach or relax and play a round with friends, the courses below boast only the finest facilities and are our top picks:

The Nam Hai, Hoi An, Vietnam
Designed by eight-time European Tour Order of Merit winner Colin Montgomerie, The Montgomerie Links is Vietnam’s first branded championship golf course. The Montgomerie Links Vietnam is punctuated by native contours, sandy soil and wind blown greens with more water features than most courses.

Located on over 170 acres of native land, Montgomerie Links Vietnam features not only the Colin Montgomerie-designed course but a comprehensive practice facility, golf academy and cafe. A dramatic 3,000-square-meter clubhouse overlooks it all.  Guests at the Nam Hai receive VIP treatment at the course and a number of special golf packages are available.

Amirandes, Crete
Designed in keeping with the grand palaces of the Minoan kings, Amirandes is an exclusive beach-side resort that epitomises Crete’s most inspiring features; beautiful architecture, warm hospitality, excellent cuisine and stunning land and seascapes.

The resort incorporates the Crete Golf Club a marvellous addition to Europe’s rich reservoir of courses. If you manage to take your eye off the ball to admire the view, you’ll see the rolling landscape and stunning views over the surrounding mountains. The club recently launched its own golf academy, which allows guests to take advantage of daily lessons with its professional coach – perfect for warming-up prior to a big game or improving one’s swing.

Forte Village, Sardinia
Just 10-minutes from Forte Village lies the spectacular 27-hole Is Molas Golf Club course, home to four Italian Opens and a European Volvo Master, it is considered to be one of the most technically challenging courses in the Mediterranean.

The shape and width of its green and bunkers are similar to the style of those found in the USA and its fairways are broad enough to forgive even the most amateurish slice. With close proximity to the sea and with protection from surrounding hills, the course has its very own unique microclimate, which is perfect for an afternoon game with friends.

Vila Vita Parc, The Algarve
Family owned Vila Vita Parc has a prime cliff top location along the Algarve coastline which boasts stunning ocean views, access to a secluded beach and lush subtropical gardens.  The resort is also the ultimate holiday destination for any discerning golfer.

Everything it offers is geared towards an unforgettable golfing experience. Whether guests choose to play on their own or be accompanied by its golf professional, any passionate golfer will enjoy its lush undulating fairways and manicured greens.

Hotel Puente Romano, Marbella
The idyllic seaside setting of Hotel Puente Romano provides the perfect location for sports aficionados. A 20-minute scenic drive from the hotel to the hillside town of Benahávis takes you to one of the top-rated courses in Costa del Sol: The Marbella Club Golf Resort.

Designed by renowned golf architect Dave Thomas, the 18-hole course is both a challenge and an inspiration. Striking views of Gibraltar and the African coastline are framed by the majesty of the Mediterranean mountains. The golf course is restricted to hotel guests and members only, which means that it’s never crowded. A twelve-minute interval between tee times ensures a pleasant, leisurely round for all.

For further information, please contact Mason Rose on +44 (0)20 7201 8050