Discover your “fitness personality” at Lake Austin Spa Resort

Lake Austin Spa Resort, one of the premier luxury fitness resorts in Texas, wants you to discover your “fitness personality.”  With a beautiful fitness and training center overlooking dazzling Lake Austin and featuring state-of-the-art equipment, the resort offers something for guests of all fitness levels and interests.

For guests searching for a unique body-mind-spirit “work out,” Lake Austin Spa Resort is hosting Nia Dance Week from September 6-12, 2010.  Nia incorporates cardiovascular fitness and natural dance and movement patterns to create an “East meets West” experience designed for all ages, fitness levels, and experience.

Join special guest instructors Joanie Brooks, Gary Koutcher MD, and Lyn Koutcher for Nia Dance Week at Lake Austin Spa Resort for a truly unique full-body fitness experience!

For more information on Nia Dance week and all of the unique fitness opportunities at Lake Austin Spa Resort, please visit http://staykindred.com/lakeaustin.html.

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on September 8th, 2010 by Stay Kindred

Summer Jazz Under the Stars at the Wequassett Resort

Wequassett Resort & Golf Club is jamming on Cape Cod this summer with its seventh annual Cape Cod Jazz Festival.  Every Tuesday and Wednesday evening, throughout July and August, renowned jazz artists play under the stars overlooking Pleasant Bay.

The Fest offers some of the most innovative and dynamic jazz, blues, world beat and Latin bands.  Including Suede, The Mark Greel Band and Sherma Andrews.  Wequassett Resort also offers a special Jazz Fest menu, for dining during the show.

For additional information about this great summer activity, visit http://www.staykindred.com/wequassett.html.

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on July 16th, 2010 by Stay Kindred

Arizona Inn – Summer Rates

Savor the lowest rates of the year, a superior value at this historic, boutique resort hotel in the heart of mid-town Tucson.

Serene, spectacular and absolutely charming. At the Arizona Inn, you’ll delight in a casita-style room or suite or a private house enhanced by modern amenities and a garden setting.

Summer room rates start from $139, a 60% DISCOUNT FROM SEASON RATES!

Valid June 1-September 30, 2010. Subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply.  For additional information on the Arizona Inn, visit www.staykindred.com/arizonainn.html.

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on June 21st, 2010 by Stay Kindred

Culinary Week at Lake Austin Spa Resort

Culinary Week provides guests with the secrets of preparing and enjoying deliciously healthy food and allows them to take home part of the Lake Austin Spa Resort experience!

On Monday, June 14, Lake Austin Spa Resort hosts cooking sessions with Special Guest Chef from the Food Network: Sara Moulton.  Sara worked for two years as an instructor at Peter Kump’s New York Cooking School (renamed the Institute of Culinary Education), where she discovered her love of teaching, a passion that would give focus to her subsequent work in television.  She is one of the most trusted names in the food biz. As the host of “Cooking Live,” “Cooking Live Primetime,” and “Sara’s Secrets” between 1996 and 2005, she was a founding Food Network personality. She’s been Food Editor of ABC-TV’s “Good Morning America” since 1997. In the spring of 2008, she hosted “Sara’s Weeknight Meals” for public television. Sara was Gourmet’s executive chef from 1987 until the magazine was shuttered in October of 2009. She is the author of Sara’s Secrets for Weeknight Meals and Sara Moulton Cooks at Home. Her next cookbook, Sara’s Everyday Family Dinners, will be published by Simon & Schuster in the spring of 2010.

On Thursday, June 17, Lake Austin Spa Resort hosts cooking sessions with Special Guest Molly Fowler, The Dining Diva.  Molly Fowler, The Dining Diva, is a traveling culinary instructor, television personality, recipe developer, product spokesperson, and cookbook author who demonstrates entertaining with ease, flair and impact. Her credo, “Make every day an occasion”, reflects her attitude and approach to cooking.  Author of Menus for Entertaining, Molly hosts her own 30-minute television cooking show, All the Right Ingredients, airing in Houston. Molly is a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Agriculture, and is a frequent speaker and presenter at various civic venues. She also sponsors culinary tours throughout Europe. She makes regular appearances on Houston, Dallas and Arlington television stations and is an oft-requested instructor for Texas’ HEB Central Market Cooking Schools. Molly’s skill, humor, and food artistry come together in presentations that provide a delicious serving of information and entertainment.

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on June 14th, 2010 by Stay Kindred

KINDRED RESORTS & HOTELS ANNOUNCES THREE NEW MEMBERS AND ENHANCED WEBSITE

Arizona Inn, Lake Austin Spa Resort and Wequassett Resort and Golf Club join recently-launched collaboration of independent and iconic U.S. hotels

May 26, 2010 (Los Angeles) – Kindred Resorts & Hotels, the recently-launched collaboration of independent U.S. hotels, is pleased to announce the addition of three iconic resorts to its portfolio.  Arizona Inn, located in Tuscon, AZ; Lake Austin Spa Resort in Austin, TX; and Wequassett Resort and Golf Club on Cape Cod, Mass., join Kindred Resorts & Hotels, sharing in the collaboration’s ethos: “Authentic in Spirit, Distinctive in Style.”

In addition, new enhancements have been added to www.staykindred.com, which serves as a one-stop shop for a variety of travel alternatives from Kindred Resorts & Hotels members.  The website now features a selection of targeted travel packages for travel agents, meeting planners and leisure guests, some of which are only available via the Kindred website.  For example, new member Arizona Inn’s Stay Kindred in AZ meeting package bundles audio/visual and food & beverage services into one convenient offer for meeting planners, exclusively offered through Kindred.

In addition, the website now features a comprehensive events calendar highlighting activities taking place at Kindred member properties across the country.  Featured events in June 2010 include an Artisan Table dinner at the Lodge at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, CA; a “Celebrate the Sun” yoga retreat at The Carneros Inn in Napa, CA; and a Cooking Session with Sarah Moulton at Lake Austin Spa Resort.

“We are thrilled to welcome Arizona Inn, Lake Austin Spa Resort and Wequassett Resort to Kindred Resorts & Hotels,” said Steve Pelzer, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for The Lodge at Torrey Pines and spokesman for Kindred Resorts & Hotels.  “Each of these resorts offers its guests unique, authentic experiences with long-standing ownership and management teams behind them, and we are pleased to announce that they have joined our collaboration along with our enhanced website initiatives.”

The aspiration of Kindred Resorts & Hotels is to promote the consistency in bespoke service and vibrant legacies offered by the independent and iconic U.S. properties that comprise Kindred’s membership.  In the changing hospitality landscape, the new alliance offers independent hotels the opportunity to pool resources and collaborate on sales and marketing initiatives by serving as a portal for travelers looking for the authentic experiences offered by these hotels. The charter members came together first as an ad-hoc group of autonomous non-branded luxury hotels and resorts to combine complementary marketing, sales and public relations resources.

The three new members of Kindred Resorts & Hotels join the following current members:

For more information on Kindred Resorts & Hotels, please visit www.staykindred.com.

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on May 26th, 2010 by Stay Kindred

Colonial Williamsburg Launches Meetings With A Mission Program

The meetings with a mission philosophy allows groups to host meetings in a place where their investments make a difference, locally and nationally.

Williamsburg Virginia’s Colonial Williamsburg Foundation recently announced a new scholarship program that helps corporations, businesses and associations give back to their communities.  With this new program, companies that use Colonial Williamsburg’s meeting or event spaces will be given an Electronic Field Trip Series scholarship for a school in their district.  The scholarship is available to all organizations, regardless of meeting size.  In addition, proceeds from group business – including food and beverage, recreation, lodging and programming – support the Foundation’s educational initiatives. This meetings with a mission philosophy allows groups to host meetings in a place where their investments make a difference, locally and nationally.

The new scholarship program aims to expand the reach of Electronic Field Trips, educating students in thousands of schools across America.  Through interactive programming, live call- and email-in opportunities, and extensive online components, Electronic Field Trips are an exciting way to engage students without leaving the classroom.  With this new scholarship program, companies can give back to their communities in a meaningful way.

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on May 22nd, 2010 by Stay Kindred

Artisanal Treasurers Discovered in La Jolla

Thursday evenings at The Lodge at Torrey Pines

Each Thursday evening  at Southern California’s The Lodge at Torrey Pines,  expert chef Jeff Jackson, and his Chef de Cuisine Tim Kolanko,  take guests on a culinary journey through The Artisan Table.

The Artisan Table provides a relaxed, intimate alternative to traditional restaurant dining.  Guests enjoy a variety of seasonal dishes in a convivial, less formal setting, with ten to sixteen at the table.  Jackson and Kolanko provide guests the quintessential Southern California experience, using fresh artisan foods and wines from the best local producers.  Their culinary treats, combined with the warmth and excitement of dining with kindred spirits in a lovely environment, creates an authentic experience in dining.

The Artisan Table dinner includes a variety of menu items served family style in four courses: appetizers, main course, cheese, and dessert and coffee, along with wines selected by the chefs to complement each unique meal.  The menu changes weekly, as seasonal and specialty foodstuffs become available from the premier local producers.

The Lodge at Torrey Pines offers this communal Artisan Table dinner, by reservation, each Thursday evening on the Terrace at A.R. Valentien.

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on April 29th, 2010 by Stay Kindred

Eton and Saddlebrook – A Winning Combination

April 2010 marks the 17th anniversary of Eton College students attending Saddlebrook Resort’s tennis camp.

Eton College was founded in 1440 by Henry VI, and has had a long tradition of tennis players - tennis has actually been played at the United Kingdom school  since the game first developed!  Over the years, the sport has increased in popularity at Eton, as has Eton’s annual trip across the Atlantic, to participate in Saddlebrook Resort’s acclaimed tennis program.

The reasons for selecting Saddlebrook’s program are many – its convenient location in Wesley Chapel, just 30 miles north of Tampa, the staff includes 40 tennis pros, and they have an incredible 45 courts – including four Grand Slam surfaces – so there is plenty of space to practice and train.

Eton College isn’t the only institution to discover Saddlebrook – many U.S. school’s tennis teams, such the University of Notre Dame men’s team, Rye Country Day, Groton and Friends Seminary have spent time at Saddlebrook preparing for their seasons.  And touring professionals, such as John Isner, James Blake, Victoria Azarenka work on Saddlebrook’s hard courts prior to their tournaments.

Just a few of Saddlebrook Resort's 45 Tennis Courts

 

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on April 19th, 2010 by Stay Kindred

Biking In Carneros Wine Country

Beautiful views, beautiful weather and a beautiful Italian bicycle – what could be better?

Nothing quite beats exploring Northern California’s Carneros countryside on a bicycle.  The rural Carneros countryside lends itself perfectly to leisurely rides.  The traffic is slim, the views are spectacular, and, of course, there are numerous wineries tucked into the hills, ready for visitors to stop and sample their delicious product.

The Carneros Inn makes the experience easy, offering complimentary Bianchi Parco bikes for guests’ enjoyment.  You simply pick up a bicycle at the Inn’s registration desk, grab an area map and are off!  As you exit the Inn’s property, you conveniently pass the Carneros Market, where you can chat with Kim, the lovely and friendly manager (with a great accent!), and stock up on snacks and water before hitting the road.  Once you’re on your way, choose your own adventure as country roads lead off in a variety of directions, allowing for trips from 1/4 mile to 6 miles.

The Carneros Inn is situated in the heart of the Carneros wine region, nestled between Napa to the east and Sonoma to the west.  Carneros (“the Ram” in Spanish ) is a rural wine region known for its natural beauty – perfect for biking.   A  cool climate appellation, Carneros is recognized for its Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, Syrah and its cool climate Merlots.

Navigating on the Bianchi Parco on these beautiful country roads, is a great way to enjoy the finest Carneros has to offer!

A barn in the Carneros Wine Region

Carneros vines that go on forever

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on April 14th, 2010 by Stay Kindred

Seven Iconic Hotels Come Together to Form Kindred Resorts and Hotels

New collaboration gives independent U.S. hotels one voice with one ethos: “Authentic in Spirit, Distinctive in Style”

October 23, 2009 (New York) – Seven independent and iconic U.S. properties announce the launch of Kindred Resorts and Hotels, a newly formed collaboration dedicated to giving independent hotels one voice in a cluttered hospitality marketplace with the ethos: “Authentic in Spirit, Distinctive in Style.”

The charter member properties of Kindred Resorts and Hotels include:

The Breakers – Palm Beach, Florida
The Carneros Inn – Napa, California
Colonial Williamsburg Resort Collection – Williamsburg, Virginia
Grand Hotel – Mackinac Island, Michigan
The Lodge at Torrey Pines – La Jolla, California
Ocean Reef Club – Key Largo, Florida
Saddlebrook Resort – Tampa, Florida

At a time when hotels across the country are confronting the challenges of ownership and management changes as well as high staff turnover, the independent Kindred properties remain solid organizations run by dedicated and highly motivated staff. Many are steeped in rich family traditions and legacies, and each embraces its own signature traits while joining together in the promise of quality service to travelers that has endured through good times and bad.

The aspiration of Kindred Resorts and Hotels is to provide a single voice for the independent true hotelier to promote the consistency in bespoke service and vibrant legacies offered by these iconic U.S. properties. In the changing hospitality landscape, the new alliance offers independent hotels the opportunity to pool resources and collaborate on sales and marketing initiatives by serving as a one-stop shop for travelers looking for the authentic experiences offered by these hotels.

Steve Pelzer, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for The Lodge at Torrey Pines and the newly appointed spokesman for Kindred Resorts and Hotels, said, “We are thrilled to announce the launch of Kindred Resorts & Hotels. The Kindred properties represent best-in-class hotels offering authentic experiences and a sense of place unique to their own destinations. Furthermore, these industry leaders also have long-term management teams securely in place; this peace of mind is priceless for our loyal guests and dedicated staff. We look forward to finally giving independent hotels a cohesive voice with Kindred Resorts & Hotels.”

Kindred Resorts and Hotels charter members came together first as an ad-hoc group of autonomous non-branded luxury hotels and resorts to combine complementary marketing, sales and public relations resources. They hired topnotch hospitality branding company Dana Communications to research and conceptualize how best to synergize efforts and goals. A new logo and website kicks off the initial phase.

The new website www.staykindred.com will serve as a one-stop shop for a variety of travel alternatives, from La Jolla and Palm Beach to Napa and Williamsburg, as well as a portal for all the resorts to showcase new and exciting initiatives. Future initiatives include consumer promotions, travel agent incentives and other offerings.

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on October 23rd, 2009 by Stay Kindred