CUPID IN THE CARIBBEAN
The Alexandra Resort in the Turks and Caicos Islands is offering a "Fall in Love" package with couples in mind. The package includes seven nights in a suite with ocean or beachfront views that overlook the wide white beaches of Grace Bay; a three-course dinner with a bottle of wine at the resort's Orchid Restaurant; half-day boat and snorkeling excursion for two; and two romantic one-hour massages.
Every Monday in the evenings, the Beachfront Dining Deck hosts the popular Caribbean CookOut Buffet, where guests can enjoy seafood, grilled chicken and jerked pork loin. Guests are treated to live Caribbean music as the sun sets over Grace Bay.
FYI: The "Fall in Love" package is available through March 29, 2008, with rates starting at $1,860 through Dec. 15, 2007. Beginning Dec. 16, 2007, through March 29, 2008, rates start at $2,560. Rates don't include 10 percent service charge and 10 percent government tax. For more information, visit www.AlexandraResort.com or call 800-284-0699.
PINOT IN PORTLAND
The Hotel Vintage Plaza's new "Pinot in Portland" package lets visiting oenophiles skip the hour-long trek to wine country by offering the Oregon wine experience in the heart of downtown Portland. The hotel's new personalized, self-guided wine immersion package is the urban alternative to a traditional wine country vacation.
Guests are greeted by a bottle of the hotel's private label Oregon Pinot Noir, which they can taste within the comfort of their suite and begin recording tasting notes in a wine journal provided by the hotel. To experience the aromas and subtleties that distinguish Oregon Pinot Noir from other regional wines, guests receive an Italian-Oregon Pinot Noir comparison flight, or sampling, at Pazzo Ristorante, adjacent to the Hotel Vintage Plaza. And guests can request a private session with Pazzo Wine Director Lemmy Cooper, who can provide expert wine recommendations, pairing advice and customized suggestions of Portland wine bars.
The "Pinot in Portland" package culminates with a hands-on wine blending class for two at Urban Wineworks, an urban tasting room located in the heart of Northwest Portland. Guests will come away from the experience with a carafe of their own one-of-a-kind blend to take home and enjoy.
Perfect for wine enthusiasts who crave a different type of weekend getaway or time-pressed travelers who want to get a taste of the Oregon wine industry, the "Pinot in Portland" package includes:
- Overnight accommodations for two in a room dedicated to a local winery.
- A carafe with an Urban Wineworks blending class certificate for two.
- A bottle of '05 Chateau Bianca Pinot Noir, the hotel's private label wine, and two Riedel Oregon Pinot Noir glasses.
- A wine journal for tasting notes.
- Certificate for an Italian/Oregon Pinot Noir comparison flight, redeemable at Pazzo Ristorante.
- Complimentary valet parking.
- A private session with Pazzo Ristorante Wine Director Lemmy Cooper (upon request and based on availability).
