Travel Agent - November 26, 2007 - (Page 21)

CONNECTING YOU For more about new European hotels, visit www. travelagentcentral.com/europe Roxane Sansovini (011-41-22-740 4627). Hotel guests are free to use the saunas, lounges, heated outdoor pool in a garden setting and fully equipped and remodeled fitness center, open around the clock. I ABOVE: Guest rooms are bright and offer expansive views of Lake Leman and the Alps RIGHT: Geneva combines medieval charm and modern sophistication AGENTADVICE Darlene Ravin (dravin@andavotravel. massages, balneotherapy, stone therapies, lymphatic drainage, eyelash/eyebrow dyeing and makeup master classes. Trained in Thailand and China, therapeutic masseur Antonio Monroy- Gijon gives amazing energy massages inspired by the Indian, Thai ayurvedic and Chinese traditions of Tuina massage. The spa is closed on Sundays. For reservations, call spa director Resources The InterContinental has created numerous excursions that allow guests to immerse themselves in local heritage and discover a different side of Geneva. For chocolate lovers, a private visit to Geneva’s beloved chocolate factory Stettler (011-41-22-738-1720) reveals the behind-the-scenes process of chocolate making. See how seasoned chefs mold and decorate raw chocolate into animated sculptures. Guests can also taste different chocolate flavors and drink pure chocolate from a fountain in this sweet wonderland. Can’t get enough of chocolate? The hotel also offers a personalized class with its pastry chefs in making Feuillantine chocolate ginger thins. You take what you prepare with you after the two-hour class. Though wine has been produced in Geneva for 2,000 years, local vineyards have long been overlooked by the world. The InterContinental sets up a trip to taste regional wines at Les Perrieres vineyard (011-41-22 753-9000). Passionate owner Bernard Rochaix showers guests with his profound knowledge in his seven-generation vineyard and 18th-century building. com, 888-376-0323) of Andavo Travel in Greenwood Village, CO, points out that Geneva is divided into a right bank and a left bank and the Old Town is still surrounded by its medieval walls. “The right bank has the luxurious waterfront and great hotels, and the left bank has the Old Town, the most luxurious shopping area and most of the museums and parks,” Ravin says. She recommends city tours to the Old Town or St. Pierre cathedral and museums. “Stop in Old Town at the historic and restored hotel Les Armures for a coffee or cocktail. There are many museums, including the very interesting Red Cross Museum.” According to Ravin, there is another good way to explore Geneva: “A trip worth taking is the ferry across Lake Leman to the small French village of Ivoire with its cobbled streets, stone walls, classic houses with bougainvillea tumbling down the walls, lovely little cafes and shops.” To get a taste of Geneva, Ravin names two restaurants you shouldn’t miss. “Try a lunch at the famous Le Lion d’Or on a lakeside bluff of Cologny, the Beverly Hills section of Geneva. The summer terrace has a fabulous view of the bay and the U.N.,” she says. Her other fave is Le Dix Vins, whose chef, René Fracheboud, is nicknamed the Pink Panther because he wears a pink chef’s uniform. The restaurant’s in the suburb Carouge. Tourism Information: www.geneve-tourisme.ch Dining and Shopping: Le Relais de l’Entrecôte (011-41-22-310-6004), popular restaurant known for its grilled steak drenched in a special house sauce. Globus (011-41-22-319-5050): A ritzy department store with designer labels, jewelry and a gourmet grocery. Manor (011-41-22-909-4699): This largest department store chain in Switzerland carries electronics to cosmetics. Old Town: The Grande Rue in this area is famous for art and antiques dating back to medieval times. November 26, 2007 TravelAgent | 21 http://www.travelagentcentral.com/europe http://www.travelagentcentral.com/europe http://www.geneve-tourisme.ch

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Travel Agent - November 26, 2007 Online Now Contents From the Editor From the Publisher Contributors Europe: InterContinental Geneva Puts Forth a New Look and a New Way to Get to Know the Swiss City London’s Soho Hotel Pacific/Asia: Taichung: Taiwan’s Third Largest City Pacific/Asia Briefs and Packages Tanzania Travel Specialist Mexico: A Roundup of Premier Hotels in Mexico City Q&A with U.S. Director of the Mexico Tourism Board Mexico Deals Las Vegas: A Three-Day Itinerary for Gen-X couples Creating a Kid-Friendly Vacation for Gen-X Clients that Still Includes Alone Time for Parents Richard Harper of Mandalay Bay Caribbean & Bahamas: What’s Happening in St. Kitts Puerto Rico’s Other Rainforest, Toro Negro Hawaii: The Big Island: First-Class Resorts and Native Culture Hotels: The Sky Lodge in Park City; The Lodge at Vail Tours: American Safari Cruises in Alaska’s Inside Passage Pacific Northwest: Suncadia, Eco-Friendly Resort Near Seattle Cruise: The Added Lure of Sailing with a Celebrity Onboard Small Ships Offer Up-Close Experience Cover Story: Hip Hotelier, Social Scientist Supplier Profile - Maximilian Brockmann: The New Face of Auto Europe Agent Profile: Sigrid Carter of Envoyé Travel The Orient-Express: Fabled Train Remains an Elite Product Agenda: Fam Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar Europe Bookings as Dollar Falls Freestyle Cruising Casinos On the Rise in the Caribbean Maui’s Grand Wailea Resort Prepares for Major Renovation Visit Europe Media Exchange In the Spotlight Editorial Index Advertising Index Classified Marketplace Trendwatch

Travel Agent - November 26, 2007

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