Friday, July 29, 2011

It's Five O' Clock Somewhere ... RockResorts Goin' Coastal Happy Hour Starts Next Week!


Thursday “Happy Hour” just got a bit more tropical for Twitter users and Facebook fans thirsty for travel deals. RockResorts’ Coastal Collection properties in Florida, The Caribbean and Costa Rica are announcing a weekly “Goin’ Coastal Happy Hour” exclusively for social media friends. Follow the collection on Twitter, www.twitter.com/CoastalRocks or www.twitter.com/RockResortsNEWS and Facebook, www.facebook.com/RockResorts.

How it works:
Each Thursday beginning August 4, from 5:00pm-6:00pm EST, a link to a special website will be posted on Twitter and Facebook, which will direct guests to that week’s Happy Hour special.

Each week, one RockResorts Coastal Collection property will feature a discounted room rate – up to 50 percent (a guaranteed lowest rate for the Happy Hour designated travel time period). Travelers will have up until 11:59pm EST to book the offer on Thursdays, but the link will only be announced/shared from between 5:00pm-6:00pm EST on Twitter and Facebook. To get a little jump on the offers however, email HappyHour@RockResorts.com to receive a link to that day’s Goin Coastal Happy Hour the morning of the sale.

The featured ‘Happy Hour Sale’ property will be announced via social media on Wednesday, the day before each sale. Properties taking part in the promotion include:


So grab some friends, raise your glass to savings and don’t miss the Goin’ Coastal Happy Hour. Monitor RockResorts and Coastal Collection’s Twitter and Facebook accounts for more information and teasers on the sale. For more on these properties themselves, visit www.rockresorts.com/CoastalCollection

Just Back From...Island Hopping in Scotland


LDPR's Ashley Montblanc Day just returned from a press trip exploring the islands of Scotland.



Did you know that there are over 700 islands in Scotland? Only 100 of which are inhabited. I recently traveled with an adventurous group of journalists to explore just a few of the islands off the Scottish coast. After landing in Glasgow, we took a scenic drive to the western coast in order to catch a ferry to the Isle of Gigha, the most southerly of the Hebridean Islands. The community actually owns the island after a buyout in 2002. From Gigha, we ventured to the ultra charming Isle of Islay (accessible via plane from Edinburgh or Glasgow). Islay is known for housing some impressive distilleries, including one of Scotland’s oldest, Bowmore. We explored many of Islay’s villages and spotted plenty of wildlife including Highland cattle, lamas and loads of sheep. A five minute ferry ride from Islay is the Isle of Jura – what I think is an incredible untold story in Scotland. Jura comes from the Norse words meaning “Deer Island” and today over 6,500 deer live on the island. In contrast, the human population is less than 200. The island feels untouched in many ways and is a magical place, I can understand why George Orwell stayed there to write the book 1984. The island is also home to the Jura Distillery where we got a full behind-the-scenes tour.

The adventure wasn’t over for me there. I found myself behind the wheel (yes, that's right) for a road trip out to the Isle of Skye, the largest and most northerly of the Inner Hebrides. Skye is wild and remote, unspoiled and breathtakingly beautiful. After a stunning drive (even with it being on the wrong side of the road), I arrived with an editor/photographer from Saveur magazine in tow in the tiny town of Dunvegan, home to the acclaimed Three Chimneys restaurant. We spent time with Chef Michael Smith and were lucky enough to dine at the restaurant that has been touted as one of the best in the world.

Travelers would be remiss to visit Scotland and not make it out to the islands to explore the pristine beauty that the country’s coast has to offer – not to mention some of the most amazing local produce you have ever tasted and a whole lot of whisky, of course!

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

NBC TODAY à la Montréal – Tune in Tomorrow, July 14 and Friday, July 15!

For the first time ever the fourth hour of NBC’s TODAY Show will be taped outside the United States...à la Montréal! The city will play host to the filming of two episodes of this daily morning show. The initiatives undertaken by the Ministère du Tourisme, through its Destination Québec office in New York, as well as the Canadian Tourism Commission, in collaboration with Tourisme Montréal, have succeeded in attracting the star hosts, Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb, along with some 60 members of their production team.

Be sure to tune in on Thursday, July 14 and Friday, July 15 and click here for more info!

Follow Kathie Lee and Hoda along their journey @klgandhoda, @KathieLGifford, @HodaKotb and be sure to check @VisitMontreal for updates!

Monday, July 11, 2011

Just Back From...Glamping at Paws Up, Family Style!


LDPR’s Ashley MontBlanc Day on a family adventure with journalists from Creators Syndicate, LA Family and MomTrends.com

I recently dusted off my cowboy boots and ventured out to The Resort Paws Up, a luxury ranch resort in Greenough, Montana. The resort is particularly known for their glamorous camping - “glamping” - accommodations and we hosted top family media (kids in tow) for the opening of Paws Up’s newest luxury tented camp, Pinnacle Camp. We were among the first guests to stay at the camp and absolutely stunned by the beauty of the tents complete with ensuite bathrooms, the dining pavilion and the setting (at the confluence of Elk Creek and the Blackfoot River). It was great for me to be able to experience the resort through the kids’ eyes – Paws Up is a family’s dream! The kids (and Moms of course) were blown away by everything from the amazing tents to the expansive options for adventures: horseback riding, hiking, ATV’ing, canoeing and more. And while the kids spent the afternoon in kids camp (known as Kids Corp of Discovery) fishing, making crafts and nature walking, the moms were able to slip away to Spa Town for a few hours. Each night ended with s’mores (a lot of s’mores) around the campfire with our Camping Butlers - thanks Wesley and Matt! The resort is a great option for a final family summer adventure: www.pawsup.com

Check out the Paws Up Glamping video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu2YjOTWxS8&feature=player_embedded

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Welcome Chandra!


LDPR is excited to announce our newest staff member, Chandra Dillon, who joins us an Assistant Account Executive. Chandra is a Florida native who comes from an agency in Tallahassee. She was bitten by the travel bug early on and has explored destinations including England, Italy, France, Spain, Germany and South Africa. We’re all happy to have her as part of the LDPR family!

Friday, July 1, 2011

The Destinations of Independence!



Thinking of places to visit this July 4th holiday weekend? Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott forecasted a top 10 list of patriotic travel destinations. A few to consider are listed below. For a full list and more information, click here

New York, NY – Fairfield Inn & Suites New York Manhattan/Times Square
The Brooklyn Bridge, World Trade Center site, Statue of Liberty, and Federal Hall where George Washington was sworn in as the first president in 1789, are just a handful of spots that make this city one of the country’s most historic.

Williamsburg, VA – Fairfield Inn & Suites Williamsburg
Experience history firsthand through Williamsburg’s interpretation of a colonial American city. Stop by nearby Jamestown, site of the first English settlement in 1607.

Savannah, GA – Fairfield Inn Savannah Midtown
Meander the cobblestone streets alongside beautiful Victorian homes in the largest U.S. National Historic Landmark District. Discover the monuments and famous forts of the Revolutionary and Civil War eras.

Fairfield Inn & Suites offer guests service that’s consistent and accommodations that are fresh and clean, all at an exceptional value. In addition to complimentary breakfast daily, Fairfield Inn & Suites offer free Internet access, a pool, outdoor spaces, an in room mini-refrigerator, a microwave and spacious guest rooms. www.fairfieldinn.com

Summer Starts Here: Trump SoHo New York Pool Party to Launch Bar d’Eau



On June 22, Trump SoHo New York teamed up with TUMI to celebrate the first summer season of Bar d’Eau, the hotel’s 6,000-square-foot pool deck and bar. While media sipped on summer cocktails and ate gourmet bites, they learned more about TUMI’s new sunglasses line, Traverso. Henna artist Akiyo Ohura invited guests to “get their glow on” with intricate Luxe Glow glitter tattoos.

Just Back From...Santa Fe, New Mexico




LDPR's Lorianne Lacey just returned from hosting a press trip to La Posada de Santa Fe Resort & Spa, A RockResort in New Mexico.

Every time I have had the privilege to visit Santa Fe I come back feeling so refreshed, as the destination just immerses one in fine arts, culture, amazing cuisine and the refreshing friendliness that is found in the Southwest. I’ve been to La Posada a few times before, and it’s fascinating how much you can learn about a destination on a return visit. For example, on a downtown Santa Fe historical walking tour, I was able to tour the gift shop that was the secret office of J. Robert Oppenheimer as he created the Manhattan Project! I must have passed by this store quite a few times before, and had no idea!

Two years ago, La Posada hired Artist Sara Eyestone to become the full-time art curator of the gallery collection at the resort. Sara has done an amazing job with this project – beautiful works of art are hung so carefully throughout the property’s public spaces, and in some guest rooms. It is just such a treat to walk in the spa or dine at Fuego and have these experiences in the midst of a gallery exhibit. A real treat was the two-hour oil painting lesson that Sara gave our group (something that can be arranged for guests upon request). She gave each of us an apple and asked us to paint it. We were all pretty apprehensive as none of us had touched a paintbrush in quite some time, but after learning the different basic techniques of mixing and applying color, we all ended up with some beautiful souvenirs and the satisfaction of learning a really fun, relaxing new skill.

You can’t talk about Santa Fe without mentioning the culinary scene. Every Monday, the resort offers complimentary tequila tastings (“Margarita Mondays”) and we learned about the different types of tequila (anejo, silver, resposado, to name a few) and how to best use them in mixed drinks. Chef Eric Hall also hosted us for an amazing tasting menu at Fuego. After five courses with unique intermezzos, we decided this was the best way to wrap up a fun few days!

I would definitely recommend putting Santa Fe on a list of cities you should visit in your lifetime if you like to shop, see art, eat and relax!

LDPR

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For over 20 years LDPR has guided some of the world’s most prestigious travel brands through an evolving media landscape with creativity, professionalism and enthusiasm. We are a highly driven and innovative travel and lifestyle public relations agency based in New York City with a global roster of clients from destinations and tour companies to exclusive private islands, hotels and resorts. Our unique culture is defined by our collaborative and strategic approach to working with clients, media and our staff, leading to a strong partnership with measurable results.