Drive a Ferrari in Italy, truffle hunt in Istria, scale Vesuvius, charter a private yacht in Croatia, enjoy an audience with the Pope, dress up for a night at La Scala, explore Schonbrunn Palace after hours in Vienna or change your image in the style capitals of Rome or Milan
These are just some of the unusual and exciting experiences on offer in Kuoni’s new brochure, World Class Europe & Morocco, featuring affordable luxury in 16 countries from as far north as Russia to the Mediterranean islands of Madeira, Malta, Cyprus, Greece, Ibiza and Croatia, and everywhere inbetween.
Lead-in prices are £439 for two nights with breakfast at the Aleph in Rome, including flights and private car transfers.
Highlights of the brochure include:
· 23 fantastic new resorts and hotels across eight countries, including Verona and Lake Garda in Italy, Ibiza and Casares in Spain, St Laurent de Cabrereisse in the French Languedoc region, and the Istrian resorts of Rovinj and Savudrija in Croatia to meet increased interest in this area
· More family-friendly, luxury resorts with brilliant facilities to occupy the little ones, in the Algarve, Cyprus, Tenerife, France and Croatia
· World Class experiences added for the first time, with 40 amazing tours and one-off experiences to choose from
· Flights on scheduled, low cost carriers and private jets
· Eco friendly hotels
· Great value options for 2010, in places such as Cyprus, Gozo, Croatia, France, Turkey and Spain
· Michelin-star restaurants or chefs included, at the Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo, the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris, the Hotel Arts in Barcelona, and the Palazzo Sasso in Ravello, Italy
· Free nights offer at Reid’s Palace, Madeira (two free on bookings of five nights), at La Residencia, Mallorca (one free on bookings of four nights), at Mandarin Oriental in Prague (one night free on any two-night stay) and at Oh! All Suite Resort in Crete (two or four nights free on five/10 night-booking, respectively)
· Free upgrade from Room & Breakfast to Breakfast & Dinner at four resorts: Le Meridien Limassol, Cyprus and the Columbuia Beach Resort, both in Cyprus (based on five-night stays); Pucic Palace, Dubrovnik; and the Elysium, Cyprus (based on three nights).
EDITOR’S NOTES:
History and Track Record
Kuoni was established in 1906 in Switzerland by Alfred Kuoni, a visionary adventurer and explorer of his time who opened some of Europe’s first travel agencies. Today it has branch operations in over 40 countries. For 103 years, Kuoni has been creating holidays with a spirit of adventure and has been recognised consistently, winning coveted awards such as: ‘The World’s Leading Tour Operator’ for the past 11 years at the World Travel Awards; The Daily Telegraph’s Ultratravel voted Kuoni ‘Britain’s Best Large Tour Operator’ and Sunday Times Travel Magazine readers voted Kuoni 'Favourite Tour Operator for Families'. Kuoni has been ‘Britain’s Best Longhaul Tour Operator’ for 27 years as voted by travel agents.
Ethical Performance
Kuoni is committed to being a good corporate citizen, empowering people to protect the natural environment and local populations. The broader aim of Kuoni’s Corporate Responsibility (CR) policy is to minimise the adverse impact of tourist travel. Kuoni has over 32 active global CR projects and four priority areas: protecting children from sexual abuse in tourism; promoting fair working conditions; finding solutions for water scarcity and mitigating the consequences of climate change.
Kuoni’s Unique Selling Points
1. Concierge Service
The Kuoni Concierge service offers all the usual facilities of booking theatres, concerts, restaurants, festival or cultural occasions and overseas sporting events. It also manages private airport transfers, late check-outs, private tours and personal guides.
2. Kuoni Personal Travel Experts
Kuoni Personal Travel Experts are knowledgeable staff passionate about travel and ready to tailor-make the perfect holiday. They offer a personal touch by building a relationship with customers so they can call on the same travel expert each time they book.
3. At Home with Kuoni
Launched this year, At Home with Kuoni offers complimentary champagne, canapés and a Kuoni personal travel expert for individuals able to host a small gathering of friends and family in their home to learn about exciting holiday options. Guests are offered exclusive discounts.
Customer Assurance
Kuoni is ABTA and ATOL protected, giving customers financial protection and ensuring they won’t be stranded abroad. Customers are safe in the knowledge that while they are abroad, Kuoni has professional ground agents and English speaking guides to ensure they have an enjoyable stay.
For further press information & images of this expedition, please contact Kuoni PR: -
Fiona Blaszkowski on 01306 744 194/ fiona.blaszkowski@kuoni.co.uk
or Anne-Marie Hansen on 01306 744 173/ anne-marie.hansen@kuoni.co.uk
or Jemma Purvis on 01306 744 006/ jemma.purvis@kuoni.co.uk
or for images, please download from Kuoni Media Images Library
Editor’s notes:
Italy (pages 14-41)
· New resorts of Verona and Lake Garda added this year. Exclusive to Kuoni in Verona is the boutique hotel Il Sogno di Giuletta located on the square of Juliet’s house
· Drive a Ferrari for the day in various locations across Italy, or sample three-night packages with luxury accommodation and two full days of Ferrari driving in Tuscany or the Lakes
· Have an audience with the Pope in St Peter’s Square in Rome
· Spend time with an image consultant at the luxury shops and boutiques of Rome or Milan to enhance your style
· Enjoy a night at the world-famous La Scala opera house in Milan sitting in the stalls or in a ornate gold balcony seat
· Walk up Vesuvius, the world’s best-known volcano, accompanied by a volcanologist
· Learn about the treasures of Florence and its cuisine with visits to the Palazzo Pitti and Uffizi Gallery accompanied by an art historian and enjoy a four-course lunch cooked by her husband
· Stay in the luxurious Bulgari hotel in Milan, Sir Rocco Forte’s brand new Verdura Golf & Spa resort in Sicily or La Coluccia in Sardinia
Spain, Portugal & Madeira (pages 42-73)
· New Spanish resorts of Ibiza and Casares featured
· Free nights offer at Reid’s Palace, Madeira (two free on bookings of five nights), at La Residencia, Mallorca (one free on bookings of four nights)
· Discover buzzy Barcelona by scooter, visiting Sagrada Familia, La Pedrera and the Palau de Montjuic for the best views of the city
· Explore the spectacular Andalucian landscape, stay in the finest hotels and enjoy a flamenco show, a ham-cutting demo in Seville, olive oil tasting in Cordoba and a visit to the stunning Alhambra Palace in Granada
· Stay in one of Barcelona’s two newest hotels: the Mandarin Oriental, housed in a former bank building on the famous Passeig de Gracia, with its spa, rooftop pool and garden; or the funky W hotel on the waterfront, with chill out terrace, Bliss spa and dramatic bar on the 26th floor
France, Monaco & Morocco (pages 74-95)
· New resort of St Laurent de Cabrereisse in the French Languedoc region. Exclusive to Kuoni is the fabulous family accommodation in the simple village house style of Jardins de Saint Benoit on a quiet riverside estate with its own vineyard and small animal farm
· Stay in the historic La Mamounia in Marrakech, close to the entrance of the Mdina and bristling from a total refurbishment of its stunning Art Deco interior,
· Stay at the Four Seasons Resort in Provence and discover St Tropez on a private yacht, sailing from Cannes and sunbating onboard with lunch at a trendy beach club in Anse de Pampelonne
Malta, Gozo, Cyprus, Greece, Turkey & Croatia (pages 96-131)
· New this year, the Istrian resorts of Rovinj - a small medieval town with stays in the Mount Mulini Hotel - and Savudrija- on the northern tip of the country, with stays in the Kempinski Hotel Adriatic with great spa
· Free nights at the decadent Oh! All Suite Resort in Crete: two or four nights free based on a stay of fiv or ten night-booking, respectively
· Free upgrade from Room & Breakfast to Breakfast & Dinner at four resorts: Le Meridien Limassol, Cyprus and the Columbuia Beach Resort, both in Cyprus (based on five-night stays); Pucic Palace, Dubrovnik; and the Elysium, Cyprus (based on three nights)
· Truffle hunt in Livade, Istria, one of the best-preserved hunting areas in the world, and later sample the delicacy over lunch at the famous Zigante restaurant
· Enjoy a private yacht charter in Croatia and cruise by motor boat around the Brijuni Islands with a guide, stopping at Veliki Brijun island to view the Roman archaeological site and stunning scenery
· Languish in the family-friendly, village-style Intercontinental Aphrodite Hills resort, with golf, tennis academy, kids play area, outdoor evening entertainment, private beach club and award-winning spa
Central & Eastern European Cities (pages 132-141)
· Free nights at the Mandarin Oriental in Prague, based on one night free on any two-night stay
· Explore one of the most important cultural monuments in Austria, the Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna and its royal apartments after opening hours with a palace expert to hand
· Visit the former residence of the Russian tsars in Moscow with a three-hour tour of the Kremlin grounds and cathedral
· Visit Lake Belaton, the largest lake in central Europe, with its 900-year-old abbey, fishing village and be serenaded by gypsy music over lunch in a traditional Csarda