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WHEELS . . .

Four Seasons Hotels of California Launch Suite Hotel California Coastal Tour

California dreamin' just got a lot easier this fall with the Suite Hotel California Coastal Tour experience. Four Seasons California Collection - a select grouping of the brand’s seven luxurious properties situated across scenic locations in the Golden State – has teamed up to bring guests the ultimate road-trip featuring exclusive, local experiences that highlight the best of California’s coastal destinations where Four Seasons calls home.

From September 1 through November 30, 2015, guests travelling from near and far can discover the distinct and diverse character of the sunny state’s most cherished cities through the Suite Hotel California Coastal Tour. Highly localised experiences range from a wine-tasting picnic lunch in the Santa Cruz Mountains and sailing adventure in the City by the Bay aboard an America’s Cup yacht to a sip, savour and stroll through Santa Barbara’s hip Funk Zone. Guests can enjoy a private beach town "woodie" tour on the historic 101 in San Diego, and reinvent themselves in Los Angeles with a stylish shopping experience on Rodeo Drive followed by a day in the spotlight with a professional Flytographer photographer. Guests can also experience the storied beach town of Malibu with an exclusive paddle boarding experience at Paradise Cove.

For added relaxation and comfort, each experience includes a two-night stay in a spacious Four Seasons suite. The suite packages provide exceptional value with premium wi-fi access, parking, unlimited in room entertainment and complimentary dry cleaning.

Whether starting at the top in San Francisco or venturing north from sunny San Diego, the tour is designed for travellers to experience one or all of the destinations. Guests looking for the full coastal adventure can get a little help from the "California Coastal Concierge," who can reserve all of the Suite Hotel California experiences, as well as arrange car transportation for guests who want to drive themselves or have a chauffeured tour.

The Suite Hotel California packages and complete Highway One trip are available on the new Four Seasons App, which offers a map of fun stops and signature, snap-worthy California moments to enjoy along the way. The California Collection’s veteran Concierge teams can provide additional destination suggestions in person or via the App, which also includes a section where guests can discover local travel recommendations thoughtfully curated into “moods,” such as dining, shopping, cultural pursuits and more.

Highlights of the individual property experiences include:

Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco

In 2013, San Francisco was host to the 34th America’s Cup and the USA 76 was used by ORACLE Team USA in their preparations for the 2003 America's Cup. Become a part of that history and enjoy a thrilling 2.5 hour adventure on the USA 76 with AC Sailing. Help with the "hoist," take a turn as a "grinder" on the powerful sail trim controls, be the skipper of an America’s Cup team and take a turn at the helm of this high-speed yacht. Or revel in the views of the San Francisco skyline, Alcatraz and both the Bay and Golden Gate Bridges.

Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley at East Palo Alto

Whether visiting from nearby San Francisco or from far, guests can discover the best of Silicon Valley’s year-round mild weather, innovative food scene, and explore the hidden forests and wineries of Santa Cruz.  Take a scenic drive and spend some quality time with a loved one with a romantic picnic lunch at Beauregard Vineyards, nestled between the Santa Cruz Mountains.  Executive Chef Marco Fossati will create a custom picnic basket for two, complete with a bottle of Beauregard’s Quattro Pinot Noir.  Dine at one of the rustic picnic tables or spread out a blanket on the lawn and enjoy lunch under the shade of towering redwood trees.  If one is lucky, the resident guard dog Bacchus, a friendliy German shepherd, will join in the fun, or winemaker Ryan Beauregard will share a taste of one of his newest releases straight out of the barrel.

Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara

Hit the brakes in sunny Santa Barbara: shop nearby, surf or laze on Butterfly Beach then venture out for an afternoon of Santa Barbara County wine tasting. Guests will stroll, savour and sip their way through Santa Barbara's hippest new neighbourhood, referred to by locals as the Funk Zone, experiencing an eclectic convergence of artisan shops, popular eateries, art galleries, wine-tasting rooms, microbreweries and even a craft distillery. Please palates with complimentary wine tastings for two at four locations along the Urban Wine Trail. After finding one's inner oenophile, come back to the Resort to soak up the casually sophisticated California vibe and relax in one of its beautifully refurbished suites.

Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village, California

Experience the storied beach town of Malibu with this package that includes an exclusive paddleboarding experience at the famed Paradise Cove beach. Suite accommodations, half-day poolside cabana, bottle of wine from The Tasting Room and other VIP amenities and services complete the idyllic Southern California vacation experience.

Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills (A Four Seasons Hotel)

Beverly Hills is a place of reinvention - where stars are born, and made. Rodeo Drive's top stylist Nicole Pollard and her LalaLuxe team will offer a once-in-a-lifetime private shopping experience where guests will become the best version of themselves. The LaLaLuxe team will extend their exclusive relationships with luxury boutiques, fashion designers and VIP service providers on Rodeo Drive to take care of every shopping wish – from a wardrobe update complete with the fall season's must-have items to sourcing hard-to-find luxury items such as rare watches and handbags.

Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills

From definitive films and cult classics, to blockbuster movie junkets and the biggest awards shows, Los Angeles is the backdrop for some of the most iconic entertainment events in history. The Suite Hotel California - LA Moments and Iconic LA Moments packages will connect guests with an expert Flytographer to capture vacation memories in style at famous Hollywood movie locations around the city. Flytographers are professional photographers that capture special vacation memories and also serve as unofficial “tour guides” to give insider tips to travellers. Flytographers will capture the authentic experience of exploring Los Angeles and the glamour of Old Hollywood.  Locations for these packages can include Greystone Mansion, used in Ghostbusters, The Witches of Eastwick, The Fabulous Baker Boys, The Bodyguard and more; Rodeo Drive, used in Pretty Woman; Griffith Park Observatory, the location used in Rebel Without a Cause and The Terminator; Universal Studios, the studio for Psycho, Back to the Future, the original black and white Frankenstein, Wolfman and Dracula; Union Station, an art deco time capsule from the 1930s; or other legendary locations.

Four Seasons Hotel Residence Club, San Diego (Aviara)

Enjoy a retro-Southern California experience with the unique and memorable Woodie Beachtown Tour. Aboard a classic “woodie” - the vintage wood-paneled cars popular during the 50s and 60s - guests will explore some of San Diego’s most enduring coastal destinations. The fully customisable excursion allows guests the chance to experience the region’s coastal charms and laid-back lifestyle as they are chauffeured in this classic and recognisable car, representative of Southern Californian surf culture. On the three-hour excursion, guests will have a choice (among many) of cruising along the historic El Camino Real and Coast Highway, taking a trip to La Jolla Shores and Cove, going for a hike along Torrey Pines State Beach, or visiting a favourite beach for a day in the sun. The Concierge team at Four Seasons Aviara can even arrange for surf lessons or other activities for the group at an additional cost.

Now Taking Reservations

To book individual Suite Hotel California packages, visit www.fourseasons.com/california/. To book the full Coastal Tour Experience, call the California Coastal Concierge at the Worldwide Sales Office at 800 332 3442. For added inspiration and destination photos, follow #FSCalifornia on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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BY AIR  .   .   .

LA PREMIERE SUITES ON AIR FRANCE

A space tailored to your needs

In your La Première suite, you are free to orchestrate your trip however you see fit.

Move around or enjoy your privacy as you please. Create your own world in the sky by taking advantage of the many services available to you, including the following:
  • Personal coat service
  • Numerous storage areas for your belongings
  • Bedside reading lamp to read in privacy
Traveling with someone else? Invite your travel companion to join you at your large table by taking a seat on an elegant and comfortable ottoman.

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Norwegian, Europe’s Best Low-Cost Airline, Launches Flights from the U.S. to the Guadeloupe Islands

Norwegian Air is to serve the French Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe with seven, weekly, non-stop flights from East Coast cities New York, Boston and Baltimore/Washington D.C. will start on December 3, 2015.

Under the "Open Skies Treaty” between the U.S and the E.U., European airline Norwegian will connect the French Caribbean Guadeloupe Islands to three major East coast gateways. Service will operate as follows:

To and from Pointe-A-Pitre (PTP), Guadeloupe. FWI

• New York (JFK) – Three times weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays

• Baltimore/Washington, D.C. (BWI) - Twice weekly on Tuesdays and Saturdays

• Boston (BOS) - Twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays

“This additional airlift with Norwegian from New York, Boston and Baltimore / Washington D.C. is historic for our destination. It rewards an efficient global development strategy implemented on the US market, since the opening of our New York Office in November 2012. The continued growth of American visitors to the Guadeloupe Islands is key to the diversification of our visitorship. Accessibility from the East Coast has been a cornerstone of our US strategy since most of our U.S. visitors come from those East Coast gateways. The partnership with Norwegian, the world’s fastest growing airline, is an excellent opportunity for more East Coasters to finally tick the Guadeloupe Islands off their bucket lists,” says Hilaire Brudey, Chairman for the Guadeloupe Islands Tourist Board.

Norwegian operates one of the world’s most modern and eco-friendly fleets. On the U.S.-Caribbean routes, the airline will fly its new Boeing 737-800s with 186 comfortable, leather seats and it will be the first airline to offer free Wi-Fi on flights to the Caribbean. With the new service, Norwegian will offer US-based customers some of the lowest fares to the Caribbean, with an introductory fare starting at $79 one way, valid from all three U.S. airports and starting at $99 one way from Guadeloupe (PTP).

"Since 2012 U.S arrivals have increased by 29%, building year after year as Americans discover our unspoiled destination. The increasing demand of Americans in experiential travel and Eco Tourism have made the French Archipelago of Guadeloupe a perfect match for educated adventure travelers, sailors and long time Francophiles. The affordable Norwegian airfare will attract younger travelers in search of pristine natural settings and unpretentious atmosphere "says Sandra Venite, USA Regional Manager, Guadeloupe Islands Tourist Board.

To celebrate Norwegian’s new routes, the airline has partnered with the Guadeloupe Islands Tourist Board to launch a sweepstakes for one lucky person in Boston, Baltimore/Washington D.C. and New York City metro areas to win a trip for two to the archipelago, including flights on Norwegian and six nights at one of the islands’ top resorts: La Creole Beach Hotel & Spa, Langley Fort Royal Resort and Auberge de la Vieille Tour Hotel. Click here to enter the contest (open to U.S. residents only).

«Our hotel group is looking forward to welcoming these new American guests in one of our seven properties located throughout the archipelago » says Carole Adam, VP Sales & Marketing Des Hotel et Des Iles Group.

About Guadeloupe Islands

Located between Antigua and Dominica, this stunning French-Archipelago and Premier Island Hopping Destination is comprised of 5 unique islands - Grande Terre, Basse Terre, Marie Galante, Les Saintes and La Desirade – closely strung together by beautiful waters and efficient ferry services, flamboyant preserved nature, exquisite cuisine, a diverse cultural heritage, Art de Vivre, and 250-plus sun-warmed beaches in shades of white, black, gold, ochre and pink.

About Norwegian

*Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA, commercially branded “Norwegian”, is a low-cost airline listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. Norwegian is the world's seventh largest low-cost airline. The company reported its highest ever passenger figures in a single year with almost 24 million passengers in 2014. Norwegian has a route portfolio that stretches across Europe into North Africa and the Middle East, as well as long-haul flights to the US and Southeast Asia. The company has over 400 routes to more than 130 destinations and employs approximately 5,500 people. The company has several hundred undelivered aircraft on firm order. Norwegian was founded in 1993 and its headquarter is in Fornebu, Norway. Norwegian offers better leg room than most competitors, in-flight WiFi on short haul, a fleet of around 100 aircraft with an average age of only four years; one of the youngest fleets in the world. In 2013, 2014 and 2015, Norwegian was voted Europe’s best low-cost carrier of the year by the renowned SkyTrax World Airline Awards. Norwegian was also the first airline to be awarded the World's best low-cost long-haul airline in 2015 by SkyTrax. In 2014, Norwegian also won three prizes at the prestigious Passenger Choice Awards for Best Airline in Europe, Best Inflight Connectivity & Communications and Best Single Achievement in Passenger Experience for its moving map on the 787 Dreamliners. In addition, Norwegian was awarded Europe's best low-cost airline by AirlineRatings.com for the second year running. *

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WOW AIR ANNOUNCES $99 FARES TO PARIS AND AMSTERDAM

Iceland's ultra-low-cost airline WOW air announced it will offer service from Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) and Boston Logan Airport (BOS) to Paris and Amsterdam this October for as little as $99* one-way.  Flights will depart BWI and BOS via Reykjavik with connecting flights on to Paris and Amsterdam.

From BWI, WOW air flies to Amsterdam two times a week and to Paris five times a week.  From BOS, WOW air flies to Amsterdam three times a week and to Paris six days a week. Connections in Iceland take place in the same compact terminal, with connection times as low as 70 minutes, and no need to re-enter security clearance.

Flights out of BWI and BOS are now available for as low as $99* one way including taxes.


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