As they say in real estate, "location, location, location", and in Las Vegas, the new Westin Casuarina is a real estate dream come true for leisure or for the business traveler.
Although not located directly on the Strip, the Westin is within walking distance to Bally's Hotel and Casino for traditional Vegas entertainment, Caesars Palace for the new Colloseum, the Flamingo Hilton for the magnificent gardens, and the Bellagio for fine dining at Picasso's.
The new 825-guestroom Westin Casuarina is the sister property to the Westin Casuarina Grand Cayman, and it is built around the eko-skeleton of the former Maxim Hotel, but you won't recognized the dramatic and expensive and expansive design changes of the Asian owned and Sheraton branded Westin. Hopefully they add the Maxim's infamous Sunday champagne brunch to the list of amenities!
After pumping millions of dollars into the makeover, the first Westin in Nevada has rolled out the red carpet for a price conscious clientele that still wants high end amenities, such as business services, high speed internet access, breakout business conference rooms, and a 3,500 square foot ballroom.
The Westin Casuarina features four two-bedroom suites and six one-bedroom suites, which are a cut above the standard rooms, but each room has superb amenities, and the most pillows I have ever witnessed in a hotel room: five queen size and king size pillows with a duvet coverlet on the Westin trademarked Heavenly Bed, a custom designed pillow-top mattress set with a cozy down blanket, three crisp sheets, and the soft duvet comforter.
The Heavenly Bath, a moniker also trademarked by the chain, is a customized shower with two heads for power and wider water coverage, and each showerhead has five adjustable jets and spray options, from the light misty feature to the pounding massaging needles, so you can customize your shower depending on how grueling that business conference was. The Heavenly Bath features a curved shower curtain rod that provides eight additional inches of elbowroom and eliminates the dreaded shower curtain cling, and the oversized Brazilian combed cotton bath towels are as big a treat as the custom designed velour bathrobes and spa amenities.
Other in room amenities included a fully stock refreshment center, cable TV, in room movies, a laptop-sized safe and a coffee maker.
For the business traveler the hotel features five contiguous meeting rooms with 10,000 square feet of meeting space and the largest space, the 5,000-square-foot meeting room, can divide into five sections, perfect for a variety of events. Two private boardrooms hold up to ten people each. There is something that sounds totally techy, called the Starwood Turbo Net High Speed Internet access, which is available in all meeting rooms. Westin is the number one upscale hotel chain brand for business, according to Business Travel News in 2003, so there is no excuse now to email or conference call the home office when you road warriors come to Vegas.
What's even better for the business traveler is the new Las Vegas Monorail station across the street from the Westin Casuarina. With a ticket on the new monorail you can attend conventions at the MGM Grand, Sands Convention Center, or the Las Vegas Convention Center, and soon the monorail line will connect to the downtown casinos. Westin offers the best location in Vegas, and away from the hubbub of congestion on the Strip.
The Casuarina Casino is one mile from the Vegas convention Center, Sands Convention Center and Mandalay Bay Convention Center and 1.5 miles from the airport, so even if the monorail still doesn't go to the airport, you are within a quick hop to the conventions, in the largest convention city in the
world.
I certainly enjoyed the dining at the Silver Park Grill Restaurant, open around the clock like the rest of the town. Cuisine highlights include prime steak, fresh seafood, and Mediterranean cuisine. Featured items on the menu include crisp ciahbatta sandwiches, field chop salad with bruschetta, yellowfin tuna tartare, prime filet of beef, and hazelnut crusted Seabass. The restaurant seats 250 with a private dining area seating 30. A breakfast buffet is offered in the morning. Meeting planners can choose from a variety of buffets, box luncheons, or reception packages that range in price and selection. They have fresh à la carte California cuisine, but my bet is the breakfast buffet with everything imaginable on the menu, set in an ambience of geometric patterned fabrics.
A translucent screen in the Casino Lounge gives viewers privacy and intimacy of the Casuarina Casino, modeled after European casinos, with sofas, loveseats, and divans artfully placed around the casino floor like a residential living room so onlookers can relax when the lucky lady hands hit handsomely.
For players the 20,000-square-foot casino features 350 slots and video poker machines and ten table games (blackjack, roulette, poker, craps, and pai gow). Slot machines feature ticket-in-ticket out systems. No clanging payouts here! The Premium Players Club allows guests $10 in free slot plays when they sign up for the premium players card, and your are eligible for cash back and personalized benefits. I was playing the penny slots in the state-of-the-art casino and won $3.85, so of course I had to treat myself to a Starbucks café coffee au laite, located on the western end of the hotel, open 24 hours a day.
What I really liked at the hotel was the service, especially something called Westin Express, where you dial one number from your room telephone for all your needs. All rooms have two-line speakerphones with a data port for Internet, and a cordless bedside phone with voice messaging.
The completely refurbished 17-story property reflects Westin's brand standards in the lobby, guestrooms, meeting space, and public areas. A massive $75 million renovation and upgrade over the past years has transformed the location into a modern contemporary architectural design.
The 10,000 square-foot Hibiscus Spa at the Westin Las Vegas opened in April, 2004, and accepts both hotel guests and local residents (with a 20% discount on all spa services and products for Nevada license holders).
After an hour with Kevin who professionally kneaded and firmly pressed out all the stress with a full body Deep Tissue Sports Massage, I am gong to have to come back to take advantage of the discounts. The spa has a unique and extensive menu of massages, facials and body treatments.
Hibiscus Spa is a full-service spa and salon with a retail center, relaxation room, and a complete fitness facility. You can even get a haircut or styling treatment. The spa offers 15 treatment rooms (one with Vichy shower), including three esthetic rooms and one couples room. The spa is great for the business person who really needs the services for a total lifestyle approach that encompasses the entire person – body, mind and spirit. Kevin is a certified Nevada School of Massage therapist that also teaches at the school. He is one of the best I have ever experienced
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Shanghai Experience
Shanghai experience
Shanghai is really a city which is developing itself prosperously and positively.
When I had the chances to go shopping in one of the busiest shopping streets, I found that things sold in HK can also almost all be found there, except that if you were expecting things to be there cheaper, then you would be absolutely disappointed.
All the meals I had were served in Shanghainese style - 8 cold appetizers followed my 8 hot dishes. All were very delicious. One would notice that Shanghai people are not the meat-eaters in HK. They tend to serve quite a few vegetarian dishes, except that they are able to think of many different styles of frying them in different sauces like cabbage in black bean sauce, stir fry green beans, various mushrooms fried in oyster sauce, etc. Do ask for more chopsticks and spoons if you want to be more hygienic since it seems that they do not have the practice as in HK of using a pair of shared chopsticks for everyone.
They seem to like serving dessert in the middle of each meal and a soup would come at the end. Tea is not served in the same way as in HK. Tea would be served but if you want a refill, you will have to ask for it and so this only can make the waitress busy enough.
We were a bit surprised to see that we were not served any meat buns in baskets which is one of the most famous food in Shanghai. Interesting enough we were told that these meat buns are
not classy enough to be served to guests. At the end, we decided to go to the most famous place which serves these buns on our own in Yu Garden - Nan Cheong Man Tou Dian. Remember one thing, do not just go to the second floor because it only serves the typical meat buns at a price of 15RMB for 16 buns. Go to the third floor then you can experience the real crab meat buns which serves 6 buns at a price of 40RMB. A huge difference!
At the end of our trip, we took a chance to take the Transrapid Syatem which took us to the airport from the city in just 8 minutes. It is the fastest rail system in commercial operation in the world. At its top speed of 430km/h, it really gave us a thrilling experience and made the 50RMB worth the cost!
All in all, the experience was a very good one. I am sure that Shanghai will continue to set as a good model for many other cities to follow in China and we are proud of home country
Shanghai is really a city which is developing itself prosperously and positively.
When I had the chances to go shopping in one of the busiest shopping streets, I found that things sold in HK can also almost all be found there, except that if you were expecting things to be there cheaper, then you would be absolutely disappointed.
All the meals I had were served in Shanghainese style - 8 cold appetizers followed my 8 hot dishes. All were very delicious. One would notice that Shanghai people are not the meat-eaters in HK. They tend to serve quite a few vegetarian dishes, except that they are able to think of many different styles of frying them in different sauces like cabbage in black bean sauce, stir fry green beans, various mushrooms fried in oyster sauce, etc. Do ask for more chopsticks and spoons if you want to be more hygienic since it seems that they do not have the practice as in HK of using a pair of shared chopsticks for everyone.
They seem to like serving dessert in the middle of each meal and a soup would come at the end. Tea is not served in the same way as in HK. Tea would be served but if you want a refill, you will have to ask for it and so this only can make the waitress busy enough.
We were a bit surprised to see that we were not served any meat buns in baskets which is one of the most famous food in Shanghai. Interesting enough we were told that these meat buns are
not classy enough to be served to guests. At the end, we decided to go to the most famous place which serves these buns on our own in Yu Garden - Nan Cheong Man Tou Dian. Remember one thing, do not just go to the second floor because it only serves the typical meat buns at a price of 15RMB for 16 buns. Go to the third floor then you can experience the real crab meat buns which serves 6 buns at a price of 40RMB. A huge difference!
At the end of our trip, we took a chance to take the Transrapid Syatem which took us to the airport from the city in just 8 minutes. It is the fastest rail system in commercial operation in the world. At its top speed of 430km/h, it really gave us a thrilling experience and made the 50RMB worth the cost!
All in all, the experience was a very good one. I am sure that Shanghai will continue to set as a good model for many other cities to follow in China and we are proud of home country
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
South Africa - Tour the Origins
South Africa is home to some three million years of prehistory and history, inherited from the ancient cultures which made the mountains and plains their home. This rich inheritance places the country among the few regions in the world where these footsteps towards the development of culture can be followed. If you are interested in the origins of mankind a trip to South Africa is highly recommended. There are a multitude of sites where remarkable discoveries have been made throughout the years and they are now open to members of the public. The tours of these sites allow enthusiasts a glimpse into their own origins.
Until 1924 the world had focussed its attention on Asia in their quest for the origins of mankind. Professor Raymond Dart revolutionised this way of thinking when he discovered the skull of a six year old child in a block of rock sent to him from the town of Taung in South Africa's North West province. The skull displayed both ape-like and human-like anatomical features and was named Australopithecus africanus. The skull is regarded amongst the 20 most significant scientific discoveries of the 20th century. Once the skull had been discovered scientists turned their attention to South Africa and a huge number of archaeological sites were found. The Taung Heritage Site is now one of South Africa's top tourist destinations, a monument has been built to commemorate the discovery and an old mine tunnel has been reopened for visitors to explore. The Blue Pools are another feature that attract visitors to the Heritage Site. Discovered after a dynamite explosion in a mountain in which lime was being mined the pools are surrounded by caves and streams and are a popular site for hiking, abseiling, picnicking and barbequing.
Until 1924 the world had focussed its attention on Asia in their quest for the origins of mankind. Professor Raymond Dart revolutionised this way of thinking when he discovered the skull of a six year old child in a block of rock sent to him from the town of Taung in South Africa's North West province. The skull displayed both ape-like and human-like anatomical features and was named Australopithecus africanus. The skull is regarded amongst the 20 most significant scientific discoveries of the 20th century. Once the skull had been discovered scientists turned their attention to South Africa and a huge number of archaeological sites were found. The Taung Heritage Site is now one of South Africa's top tourist destinations, a monument has been built to commemorate the discovery and an old mine tunnel has been reopened for visitors to explore. The Blue Pools are another feature that attract visitors to the Heritage Site. Discovered after a dynamite explosion in a mountain in which lime was being mined the pools are surrounded by caves and streams and are a popular site for hiking, abseiling, picnicking and barbequing.
South Africa's Limpopo province is a land of myths and legends - the area has a rich cultural history and there are many archaeological sites. The Makapans Cave and nearby archaeological and fossil sites are situated on the farm Makapansgat, 19 km north of Mokopane. It was here in 1948 that the fossil remains of Australopithecus africanus, a 3, 5 million-year-old ape-man, were found by Raymond Dart. The Makapans Valley, a National Heritage site and currently in line for World Heritage Status, contains an extensive and complete record of hominid occupation. The Makapan caves are full of fossils and archaeological remains and you can take a tour of the caves and area.
Long before Bartholomew Dias rounded the Cape in 1488 the art of working gold was being mastered by Bantu-speaking people living near the Limpopo River. Recently gold objects and other exciting finds have been made here. Also near the Limpopo River, Thulamela in the Kruger National Park was home to a large stone-walled settlement. A large section of the ancient stone walling has been restored to its former glory and the National Parks Board is working on plans to make this bewitching site a tourism destination in the northern part of the Kruger National Park. Not only can you marvel at the sites archaeological finds but you can also enjoy spending time in one of the worlds most acclaimed game reserves.
In more recent years South Africa has once again captured the world's attention with the discoveries of human remains at the Klasies River Caves along the Eastern Cape coast. Human remains with anatomically modern features have been found, dating well over 100 000 years old. If these dates are correct, then it is in Southern Africa that the world's oldest remains of our own species, Homo sapiens, have been found - some 60 000 years before their arrival in Europe and Asia.
Apart from all of the human remains discovered in South Africa throughout the years the treasure trove of art. South Africa has the greatest collection of Stone Age paintings and engravings in the world. The San have left us a priceless and unique artistic legacy
Long before Bartholomew Dias rounded the Cape in 1488 the art of working gold was being mastered by Bantu-speaking people living near the Limpopo River. Recently gold objects and other exciting finds have been made here. Also near the Limpopo River, Thulamela in the Kruger National Park was home to a large stone-walled settlement. A large section of the ancient stone walling has been restored to its former glory and the National Parks Board is working on plans to make this bewitching site a tourism destination in the northern part of the Kruger National Park. Not only can you marvel at the sites archaeological finds but you can also enjoy spending time in one of the worlds most acclaimed game reserves.
In more recent years South Africa has once again captured the world's attention with the discoveries of human remains at the Klasies River Caves along the Eastern Cape coast. Human remains with anatomically modern features have been found, dating well over 100 000 years old. If these dates are correct, then it is in Southern Africa that the world's oldest remains of our own species, Homo sapiens, have been found - some 60 000 years before their arrival in Europe and Asia.
Apart from all of the human remains discovered in South Africa throughout the years the treasure trove of art. South Africa has the greatest collection of Stone Age paintings and engravings in the world. The San have left us a priceless and unique artistic legacy
Africa - The Cradle of Humankind
World-renowned archaeologist Professor Phillip Tobias once said that "Humanity was a gift from Africa to the World". Many scholars believe Africa to be the birthplace of mankind and with the substantial archaeological findings in their favour the world tends to agree.
Robert Ardry wrote that, "Humanity evolved beneath the canopy of African skies on the immense card table of the African Savannah". Exploring this evolution is a magnificent way to gain insight into the origin of mankind. Not only will you be enlightened on your tour of South Africa's archaeological treasures you will also get to experience this beautiful countries modern day treasures
Another remarkable find was made in 1947 by Dr Robert Broom, who discovered a perfectly preserved adult Australopithecus africanus cranium, belonging to the 2, 5-million-year-old "Mrs Ples", at Sterkfontein. Several hundred discoveries followed, some dating back 3, 5 million years and the Sterkfontein site earned its name - The Cradle of Humankind. Some of the cradles findings include 500 skull, jaw, teeth and skeletal fossils of early hominids, thousands of other animal fossils, over 300 fragments of fossils wood, and over 9,000 stone tools. The Cradle of Humankind is a World Heritage Site and certain areas are open to the public. There are also various exhibitions, guided tours and lectures from reputed archaeologists. The Cradle restaurant is the perfect day of exploration and enlightenment. This beautiful restaurant built from stone, steel and glass opens up on three sides with a magnificent view of the African landscape
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