Travel Agent - April 28, 2008 - (Page 25)

THE OLE’ GIRL IS LOOKING PRETTY DARNED AMAZING OR, DARE WE SAY, ABSOLUTELY STUNNING. Tarraleah Lodge (www.tarraleahlodge.com) was built in the 1930s and underwent a brilliantly orchestrated facelift in 2006. Your clients are invited to meet this lovely, “lodgy” lady, don their kilts and travel not to bonnie Scotland, but to Australia’s Tasmania and its Central Highlands. Equidistant between the cities of Strahan and Hobart, Tasmania’s capital, the lodge is on the famed touring route labeled by many Aussies as one of their country’s top 10 drives. The indigenous Aboriginal name of this remarkable property means “Forestor Kangaroo,” and although you may indeed jump for joy when you see a few ’roos and their joeys, you’re also likely to spy some of the other wild and crazy wildlife for which Australia is famous: platypuses, quolls, wallabies, wombats, echidnas and, of course, Tasmanian devils. Tarraleah’s own Highland Cattle, an ancient Scottish breed of beef cattle with long horns and shaggy pelts, roam the 300-acre estate. The onsite contact person is Assistant General Manager Mark Newcombe (info@ tarraleah.com). Marketing Manager Lisa Dunn (lisad@tarraleah.com) invites agents to query her regarding fam visits to Tarraleah. “Come to breathe the [fresh] air and drink the [clean] water—two precious commodities these days,” says Dunn. Nine deluxe guest rooms are priced from $590, and the top-of-the-line Highlander Suite is priced from $790 through August. In the rooms, clients can utilize Internet service, flat-screen TVs, DVDs and highfidelity iPod connections. They can then tuck into silk-covered, custom-designed, kingsize beds topped with Tasmanian mohair throws. The chic art-deco bathrooms feature latest-model spa therapy baths or rainforest showers, heated floors, luxury toiletries from the London house of Molton Brown and sensually soft cotton bathrobes for use after your requisite cliff-top hot-tub dip. Guests here can enjoy the gym, squash court and complimentary golf clubs (greens fees are included in their tariff). “Ninety percent of guests eagerly fill out comment forms before they leave,” says Dunn, “and that hot tub always makes the top of the list.” Visitors love to immerse themselves, open the sliding doors and gaze at the gorgeous valley and river below. A four-course dinner and gourmet breakfast are part of the package and are served in the Wildside Restaurant, which proudly boasts 300 wines and 170 single malts in its Library Bar. Insiders tell us that “roughing it” lodge-style in Tasmania never tasted so good. If “trout, trout, trout” are on your client’s mind, 30 lakes and six streams beckon with rainbow and brown species; plus, regulars love to try to “sight fish”—ask your guide how and where. Please don’t whine if you come up “empty-hooked” while using your top-end G. Loomis equipment, which is provided by the lodge for visitors’ use. “Even if you choose to fish alone, never feel underwhelmed in front of your quarry. We can provide expert advice, guidance and even a little (actually, very little) sympathy when your adversary gets the better CONTINUED ON PAGE 26 LEFT: Guests of O’Reilly’s Rainforest Escape go on a nature walk BELOW: A deluxe guest room at Tarraleah Lodge in Tasmania April 28, 2008 TravelAgent | 25 http://www.tarraleahlodge.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - April 28, 2008

Travel Agent - April 28, 2008 Online Now Contents Contributors From the Editor Africa: Where to Stay in the Gateway to Southern Africa South Pacific/Australia: Luxury Lodges in Queensland and Tasmania Pacific/Asia: Shanghai, China’s Cosmopolitan Powerhouse, Sees New Hotel and Cruise Development Canada: Downtown Calgary is Easy to Get Around and Filled with Historic and Cultural Attractions California: Laguna Beach Blends Culture with Coastal Beauty Florida: Golf, History, Food and Fun Defined Our Stay at the Renaissance Resort in St. Augustine Las Vegas: Vegas Hotels Gamble on the Allure of Men’s Grooming Pacific Northwest: Washington Inns Emphasize Local Charm Mexico: Tulum Comes Into its Own as a Luxury Destination Europe: Cruising the Mosel and Rhine Rivers with Amadeus Waterways Rudi Schreiner, President of Amadeus Waterways, Talks about River Cruises Caribbean: Travel Agent Reports From the Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange The Slot Spot: Gaming at the Casino Dominicus Cruise: Suppliers and Businesses Use Ships as Springboards to Satisfy Enthusiasts’ Hobbies and Passions Key Legal Decisions Will Affect the Future of Alaska’s Cruise Industry Cover Story: Exclusive Beach Destinations Hotels: The Girlfriend Getaway is an Exploding Market Agent Profile: Sabine Harris’ Personal Touch Provides a Memorable Experience Virtual Tourism: New Websites Give a New View of Tourist Destinations Agenda: Fam Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar Anguilla’s Cap Juluca Sold Aloha Airlines is Grounded Exorbitant Hotel Rates Make Alternatives More Appealing Koepf takes Helm at NACTA, Plans to Expand Membership In the Spotlight Classified Marketplace Editorial Index Advertising Index Trendwatch

Travel Agent - April 28, 2008

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