CLOSTER, N.J., Jan. 24, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- (PRIMEPAK FEATURE) To prepare for Valentine's Day travel purchases for the clients of the CMA consortium of over 2,000 travel agencies, Stephanie Abrams, travel industry expert, was asked by Don Gould, CMA President, to identify hotels appealing to "Sweethearts." Abrams released the top 10 hotels today. Three Le Meridien properties made the list.
"Each hotel is uniquely different, and range from the 29-room Arnos Vale Hotel in Tobago, West Indies, which has seen such distinctive honeymooning brides as Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret, to the Avalon Reef Club on the tip of Isla Mujeres, Mexico where the condo style accommodations are on their own reef-front peninsula surrounded by the Caribbean Sea," Abrams stated.
Listing the hotels from one through 10 was a difficult task, Abrams explained, "since each is uniquely special, with its own unique appeal. The 12-villa Cap Cariabes Hotel on Orient Bay, the most celebrated of St. Martin's 37 beaches, provides sweethearts with privacy in intimate surroundings, and offers one and one-half miles of calm beach, which is considered the St. Tropez of the Caribbean."
By contrast, Abrams included the 396 deluxe rooms and suites at St. Martin's Le Meridien L'Habitation, a sprawling seaside plantation-style hotel surrounded by acres of lush tropical gardens. "Just walking to breakfast is a romantic interlude," Abrams noted.
Windjammer Landing in St. Lucia, British West Indies, is an easy favorite for those seeking romantic privacy in a tropical environment, according to Abrams. Individual villas include private plunge-pools, sundecks, verandas and every amenity. "The management will send a chef to your villa's kitchen to prepare and serve your romantic dinner, if you opt to dine in rather than at the hotel's gourmet seaside restaurant," Abrams explained. "You could literally be there in total seclusion."
For those looking for nightlife in an all-inclusive hotel with beachfront location and excellent dining, Abrams listed Cancun's 500 room deluxe Royal Solaris Caribe resort. "Every night, a Broadway-style show adds that sense of 'big date tonight' to a couple's romantic plans," Abrams explained.
Also in Cancun, for those seeking total relaxation as a prelude to romance, Abrams listed Le Meridien Cancun, "where the pampering starts in the lobby!" Abrams stated. "Even the decor is designed to relax your body, energize your spirit and capture the romance of the sun, sea and sand. The spa services at the hotel are state-of-the-art, and the multiple pools that terrace the property overlooking the sea provide opportunities for sweethearts to find their own quiet space."
For those looking for a romantic spot in the U.S., Abrams' number one choice is Le Meridien at Beverly Hills. Formerly the Hotel Nikko, Abrams describes the hotel as exuding European sophistication blended with Japanese serenity, with the added romantic enhancement of Japanese-style "soak-tubs" in every room, for secluded moments of complete relaxation. "Apparently, the producers of the film, 'Indecent Proposal,' starring Robert Redford and Demi Moore, and the television show, 'Sex and the City' agree since they both chose to shoot scenes for their productions at this hotel," Abrams noted.
East coast hotels for sweethearts include The Orchards in Williamstown, Mass. and The Castle in Tarrytown, N.Y. The Orchards, a 49-room, European-style treasure, nestled in The Berkshire Mountains, Abrams described as, "a year-round Valentine which abounds with in-room fireplaces, impeccable service from its European-trained staff, and romantic atmosphere that begins at the great stone gates at the entrance driveway."
Abrams describes The Castle in Tarrytown as, "a step into Camelot. All that is missing is pageboys in silk tunics, trumpeting the announcement of your arrival. Everyone who stays here will feel as if they are King Arthur and Guinevere!" Abrams concluded.
Ready to book? Abrams suggests looking for a sweetheart of a travel agent at www.travelauthority.com or www.travelnetwork.com. For complete listings of "sweetheart hotels," visit www.sabrams.com.
Stephanie Abrams, with over twenty years in the travel industry, is recognized as an expert and has been repeatedly named to "Travel Agent Magazine's" list of the "100 Most Powerful Women in Travel." Abrams has been honored for her work in the travel industry, having been the recipient of the prestigious Travel Achievement Awards given by Travel Weekly Magazine for Best Public Relations Campaign, Best Marketing Promotion and Best Radio Advertising. She has served on the Advisory Boards of Dollar Rent a Car, Amadeus Global Distribution System International and Domestic Advisory Boards, Hong Kong Tourism Authority, The American Society of Travel Agents Council of Travel Marketing Organizations, and the International Affairs Committee of the International Franchise Association.
Abrams Top 10 Hotels for Sweethearts: 1) Le Meridien at Beverly Hills, Calif. 2) The Orchards, Williamstown, Mass. 3) The Castle in Tarrytown, Tarrytown, N.Y. 4) Windjammer Landing, St. Lucia, British West Indies 5) Le Meridien Cancun, Cancun, Mexico 6) Le Meridien L'Habitation, St. Martin, French West Indies 7) Royal Solaris Caribe, Cancun, Mexico 8) Avalon Reef Club, Isla Mujeres, Mexico 9) Cap Caraibes, St. Martin, French West Indies 10) The Arnos Vale Hotel, Tobago, West Indies
Releases related to this and other PrimePaks can be found at: http://www.primezone.com/pages/news.shtml?type=FET
To find out more about PrimePak and to view a calendar of upcoming releases, please click on the following link: http://www.primezone.com/pages/fp.html