Iconic New Orleans food places and flaming dishes: Brennan's and Arnaud's

NEW ORLEANS - Friday nght it was R'evolution, a new, cutting edge twist on Cajun/Creole cooking. Saturday, it was all about tradition. And flames.

We had breakfast at Brennan's on Royal St., an institution in New Orleans for years and years. It's the birthplace of Bananas Foster, with rum and butter that's set ablaze tableside for you, then dished out with vanilla ice cream.

It's said, and I believe I've got this right but please no lawsuits if it's a bit off, that the owner once asked his French chef to come up with something unique. New Orleans being a big port and the entry point for millions of bananas back in the day, the chef one day announced his creation while the owner, Mr. Brennan, was at the table with a friend, Mr. Foster. Brennan is said to have to told his friend he was going to make him famous by naming the dish after him, and so he has.

If you're lucky, you might get a pretty good show from one of the long-time, tuxedoed waiters. Ours was fine, but I couldn't help wishing we had the large, round-shouldered waiter in the corner who was doing countdowns and flirting with the ladies as he prepared the dish. Still, our guy had flames going that seemed to lick the ceiling. Ditto for a speciality strawberry dish soaked in lemon and orange juices and also set aflame. Not bad, but soggy strawberries should be best be left for Comfort Inn's on the highway in Tennessee, methinks.

They start you off at Brennan's with fresh bread, including crispy strips of perfect baguettes topped with cinnamon-sugar, which makes you feel like a kid again and go down far too easy.

They do all sorts of egg and shrimp and oyster dishes for breakfast, including seafood with hollandaise sauces and tons of other creamy bits. I'm not one for hollandaise or anything goopy on my food, so I steered clear and went for a fabulously tasty omelette with cheddar cheese and andouille sausage, that Louisiana delight that's usually found in gumbo in these parts and is way too hard to find in Toronto.

The turtle soup is nice and rich and gently spicy and they make a very tasty French onion soup and a not bad oyster soup, as well.

Following a tour of the French Quarter and an afternoon getting organized for the Krewe du Vieux Mardi Gras parade through town (more on that in a future edition of Star Travel), we had dinner at Arnaud's, another local institution.

It's a beautiful spot on Bienville St. with a real, classic French feel to it; lots of glass and white columns and a tiled foor that feels like a classy spot on the Cote D'Azur. Or something like that.

They bring around  a fun potato souffle that's like a puffy potato chip that you can dip into hollandaise sauce or gobble down on its own. The crab cakes were moist and meaty and delicious and I had a shrimp creole dish that was nicely kicked up on the spice-o-meter at my request. I didn't think a lot of the local Pompano Duarte with tomatoes and garlic on top, to be honest.

We had a nice creme brulee for dessert. But the best part of the evening was another old-fashioned display of tableside pyrotechnics. Instead of flaming a pan of bananas and rum, this was called Coffee Brulot. They warm up an orange that's spiked with cloves and also toss cloves, cinnamon, orange curacao and other treats into a pan and set the fire going, then ladle hot coffee and the spice mix into a glass that's rimmed with sugar. I like my coffee with creme but you don't want to mix citrus and creme, I was told, so I took it black. And quite enjoyed it.

They have a small display area/museum upstairs with old Mardi Gras costumes and photos from back in the day that makes for a nice post-dinner treat, so be sure to ask about it. Or you can try the lively bar next door or, if you wish to get very silly, duck onto Bourbon St. and try a nasty drink like a Hurricane or a Hand Grenade.

Arnaud's, and Brennan's, are both old-time New Orleans. Tuxedoed waiters, impeccable service, a real old-school feel and good food. Not cutting edge or anything, but a wonderful place to connect with the NOLA of old and a great spot to take an elderly aunt or uncle, I'd think.

I didn't have much time in the afternoon but I did manage to find a muffelatta place near my hotel, Soniat House. Muffelatta is a tasty mix of Italian deli meats on a soft bun with a crunchy exterior, topped with olive oil and spices and a mix of, I believe, chopped green olives and carrots. Absolutely stupendous. And $5 for a half sandwich; a real steal!

More tomorrow on Houmas House, a plantation about an hour outside of New Orleans.

 

 

Twisted, beaded, braided: first night in New Orleans starts off with a bang

NEW ORLEANS - What a way to start a visit.

We pulled up in a taxi and checked into our hotel, the Dauphine Orleans on Dauphine St. in the French Quarter (see photo). After unloading our gear in a nice room across the street in their courtyard building, we checked out the hotel bar, called May Baily's Place. Like a lot of spots in this town, it was once a "sporting house" with lots of fun things for men to do.

In the old days it was one of the better known bordellos in what the hotel brochure calls "the fringe of the wildly infamous red-light district known as Storyville," a planned prostitution area where the New Orleans government thought it best to keep such things concentrated back in the late 1800's. Apparently some of the bordellos were beautiful, with large orchestras and chanedliers and polished dance floors. It all ended around 1917 when the U.S. Navy decided there were too many temptations for soldiers who needed to concentrate on World War I.

Anyway, the bar is fine enough, with fleur de lis wallpaper and old-time movies on a TV screen. Lots of smoking, which took me by surprise and not in a good way....

We no sooner got up to Bourbon St., just a block from the hotel, when a Mardi Gras parade passed us by. There was a pumping, fabulous marching band from a local high school that was pounding out a bright tune and thumping loudly on the drums, followed by several floats with folks dressed as pirates and princesses and, I think, maybe a chicken. I couldn't quite tell. As one would expect, folks outside the bars advertising 20 ounce beers for $3 were clamouring for beads and necklaces and all that, and I joined in, ending up with five or six shiny green, yellow and purple bead collections to hang around my neck.

Great fun, and unexpected.

May Baily's is a decent bar, but better for my tastes was a stop at the famous Carousel Bar at the Hotel Monteleone, a legendary place in these parts. At part of the bar you can sit at a rounded contraption and do slow circles around the bartenders in the middle, kinda like those revolving restaurants we used to love. I had to try a Sazerac, the legendary drink of New Orleans with rye, Pernod and bitters and vermouth. Mine came with absinthe instead of Pernod and it was quite tasty. I'm not big on licorice tasting drinks and I'm not a vermouth person, but it's a fun drink.

Most drinks at the bar, which has several other sections and seems to go on forever, were $9. Which is pretty good for a glam spot like the Monteleone.

A bunch of friends had recommended R'evolution, a fairly new restaurant in the French Quarter by local chefs John Folse and Rick Tramonto, and I'm glad they did. It's a fabulous, fabulous restaurant with several styles of rooms, all with different feels, and a killer menu that puts some tasty spins on Cajun and Creole (I think) classics.

We sat in a bright room with black and white floor tiles and a view of the open kitchen, at least the finishing end of the kitchen. I was told the room is modelled after an old Italian deli in the area, so there's a large fridge with giant salami's curing inside in one corner, and bright red and white chairs. Tons of fun, for sure, and absolutely outstanding service. Just perfect.

We took our waiter's recommendations and tried the citrus salad with greens, cashews and grapefruit, which was quite good if a tad small. I had the "Death by Gumbo" soup, which was a small, tender and flavourful quail stuffed with New Orleans-style rice and surrounded by a bowl of thick, rich, dark green-brown gumbo with small bits of okra and andouille sausage, which I wish I could find in Toronto. It's amazing stuff, and the dish was tremendous.

We also sampled a very good gnocchi with lobster and, even better for my taste, some killer scallops with foie gras and celery. Only three scallops came with an order that cost $34, but they were large and absolutely perfect, with a light char that kept in the juices. An amazing scallops dish, for sure, but pricey.

On the other hand, we got a small dish of local greens with fiery pancetta for $5 and a good bottle of California Sauvignon Blanc was just $24. Try finding that in Toronto.

We didn't order dessert but after we finished they brought around a tall jewelery box with several small dainties in them, including tiny peanut butter cookies and Austrian tarts and a small chocolate with curry that was better than you might think. They also bring around a couple amuse bouche prior to your meal; a nice touch.

We got a tour around the restaurant after dinner, checking out the 10,000 bottle wine cellar and all. They have one Mouton Rothschild that goes for $21,000 and I wonder if some idiot who comes for the Super Bowl on Feb. 3 might buy the damned thing.

The parlour room feels like a fancy French restaurant, with murals on the wall, while the Bienville room feels more like a modern bistro. The bar area is cool with an open display of liquor paraphernalia, and even a small camp stove once owned by Confederate leader Robert E. Lee. Not something you see every day.

Dinner for two with two appetizers and two mains, plus the wine, was about $140. Not bad. And a wonderful experience.

My room at the Daupine is quite nice, with an exposed brick wall and dark beamed ceiling and louvred shutters on the windows. The bathroom area is nice and the room is good sized. It's close to Bourbon St. but surprisingly quiet, and the courtyard area is quite pretty.

All in all, a great start. Doing a tour of the French Quarter today and then checking out of the larger Mardi Gras parades before having dinner at Arnaud's. Can't wait.

 

 

 

Hotels changing things up with new food options ... Deal of the day: Jamaica

One of the great lines of any Jimmy Buffett song has to be the one in "Cheeseburger in Paradise" where he talks about "warm beer and bread they said could raise the dead" and then says "it reminds me of the menu at a Holiday Inn."

I've often wondered how much Holiday Inn sales have suffered because of that line. I also think back, and lord only knows why, to one day when I was covering the Raptors for the Star and my only dinner option was at the Holiday Inn I was staying at in Newark, New Jersey. You know what? I had one of the most delicious tuna steaks I've tried anywhere.

I bring this up because I spotted a great item by USA Today hotel expert Barb DeLollis. DeLollis, who knows the industry better than anyone, wrote that harried, time-pressed, health-conscious travelers have grown used to ordering what they want at Starbucks or other fast-food-style joints and says hotels are looking to satisfy that need.

"The typical breakfast, lunch, dinner - appetizer, entree, dessert - model is not something that our guests are responding to anymore," Beth Scott, who's in charge of restaurant concepts for Hilton Worldwide's 3,900 properties, said in a recent DeLollis/USA Today story.

"People don't want to ask to be seated and given menus," said Brad Nelson, corporate chef at Marriott International.

DeLollis quotes other hotel types as saying folks want a quick bite instead of sitting down to bacon and eggs.

"Hotels are really trying to move away from that hotel dining room that sits empty seven nights a week," said Scott Gerber, CEO of the Gerber Group, which runs a new spot at the Westin New York Grand Central hotel called LCL: Bar and Kitchen with fresh juices and locally roaster Stumptown coffee.

It makes a lot of sense. I checked into a Marriott in Miami in October for one night and looked around the lobby restaurant. It looked exactly like every other hotel restaurant and the menu was uninspiring, so I dashed across the street to a local seafood joint that wasn't great but at least had some atmosphere.

DeLollis said she expects a lot of hotels could move to places offering small plates or casual restaurants such as Panera or Cosi. The latter is a fine spot in the U.S. with great sandwiches and salads and, as I recall from a trip a few years ago to New York, square bagels in both traditional and non-traditional style. I remember one that was cranberry-orange, which sounds awful but which I loved.

DEAL OF THE DAY: JAMAICA

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, is offering a one-week deal to beautiful Jamaica. Here are the details:

Jaunt Highlights

• All-inclusive 7 night stay at the 5-star Gran Bahia Principe Jamaica, located in Runaway bay, Jamaica.
• Includes return airfare from Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Halifax, Calgary, Quebec City, Vancouver or Winnipeg to Jamaica.
• Accommodations in a Junior Suite Room,  featuring 1 king or 2 full beds and a balcony or terrace . (Maximum occupancy: 3 adults, 1 child or 2 adults, 2 children)
• Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner, and unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks 
• Three lake-style pools linked together with swim-up bar
• Hydro massage tubs and canopy beds in every room
• Nearly every room in the resort has fantastic views of the ocean

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on the following departure dates:
  Toronto: January 22, 26; February 24, 26, 28, 2013
  Montreal: January 25; February 09, 22, 23, 2013
  Ottawa: February 03, 22, 24, 2013
  Halifax: February 11, 18, 2013
  Calgary: February 04, 25, 2013
  Quebec City: February 01, 08, 22, 2013
  Vancouver: February 22, 2013
  Winnipeg: January 30; February 6, 2013
• Pricing (Rates are per person):
  
  Toronto: January 22, 26, 2013
  Single: $1445
  Double: $945
  Triple: $895
  1st Child: $785
  2nd Child: $175
  Tax: $390
  
  Toronto: February 05, 24, 26, 28, 2013
  Single: $1695
  Double: $1195
  Triple: $1145
  1st Child: $845
  2nd Child: $235
  Tax: $390
  
  Montreal: January 25, 2013
  Single: $1795
  Double: $1295
  Triple: $1245
  1st Child: $1088
  2nd Child: $598
  Tax included
  
  Montreal: February 9, 22, 23, 2013
  Single: $2045
  Double: $1545
  Triple: $1495
  1st Child: $1288
  2nd Child: $688
  Tax included
  
  Ottawa:
  Single: $1695
  Double: $1195
  Triple: $1145
  1st Child: $895
  2nd Child: $275
  Tax: $380
  
  Halifax:
  Single: $1695
  Double: $1195
  Triple: $1145
  1st Child: $955
  2nd Child: $345
  Tax: $390
  
  Calgary:
  Single: $1945
  Double: $1445
  Triple: $1395
  1st Child: $1135
  2nd Child: $495
  Tax: $390
  
  Quebec City:
  Single: $2045
  Double: $1545
  Triple: $1495
  1st Child: $1258
  2nd Child: $668
  Tax included
  
  Vancouver:
  Single: $1895
  Double: $1395
  Triple: $1345
  1st Child: $1145
  2nd Child: $505
  Tax: $390
  
  Winnipeg:
  Single: $1745
  Double: $1245
  Triple: $1195
  1st Child: $1015
  2nd Child: $395
  Tax: $390
• Valid passport required for travel from Canada
• This offer is refundable until 5pm EST on January 16, 2013. After this time, this offer is 100% non-refundable

 

Great numbers for Air Canada and WestJet for 2012 ... Starbucks in Vietnam

The good times continue for both Air Canada and WestJet.

For the month of December 2012, Air Canada reported a record system load factor of 82.1 per cent, versus 81.0 per cent in December 2011, an increase of 1.1 percentage points. For the full year 2012, load factor was a record 82.7 per cent, versus 81.6 per cent, an increase of 1.1 percentage points.

Officials said there was a 6.6 per cent hike in U.S. transborder traffic and a 5.1 per cent increase in the Atlantic market.

For the year, Air Canada served more than 33 million customers.

WestJet today reported a record load factor of 81.9 per cent for December 2012. The airline flew 17.4 million guests in all of 2012 which is a year-over-year increase of 8.6 per cent or approximately 1,383,000 additional guests.

Good times for the Canadian airline industry, indeed. And a competitive time. Air Canada last month launched its low-cost airline, Rouge, aimed at Europe and the Caribbean. WestJet this month is expected to outline the cities that will be first up to receive its new regional service, called Encore.

DEAL OF THE DAY

Target Vacations, a division of Torstar, is offering a "cruise blowout March Madness" sale, with eastern and western Caribbean cruises from $982. Prices quoted include roundtrip airfare from Toronto to Ft. Lauderdale on WestJet. 

Cruise lines in the deal include Celebrity, Carnival, Royal Caribbean. Holland America and Norwegian Cruise Lines.

GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM!

Vietnamese folks love their coffee, and there's no shortage of good places for it across the country. I saw some fine shops when I was in Hanoi a couple years ago.

Now comes word that that familiar green and white sign might soon sprout up in Vietnamese cities. Starbucks says it will open its first cafe in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) as part of its initial foray into Vietnam and as part of an overall growth strategy in Asia.

"Our prices are affordable for average Vietnamese," an official said.

Still, Vietnam's French past means there's a strong coffee culture, and the American-based chain could find it tough slogging to take on long-time favourites of an independent nature.

MARDI GRAS APPROACHETH

Fat Tuesday is still a ways away (Feb. 12 in New Orleans), but they like to get things started early. The first big event of the official Mardi Gras season is Saturday, Jan. 19, when the Krewe de Vieux and Krewe Delusion kick things off in the French Quarter.

The Phunny Phorty Phellows parade was held yesterday, Sunday Jan. 6. This morning, Mayor Mitch Landrieu was supposed to greet royalty from the Rex and Zulu clubs at histori Gallier Hall, where they were to unveil their official 2013 posters and eat some tasty cake.

ISTANBUL AIMS FOR 2020 GAMES

Officials from the Turkish city of Istanbul today presented their candidate file to the International Olympic Committee. Istanbul is aiming for the 2020 Summer Olympics.

The city has aimed for several Olympics prior to this, including the 1996 Games in a fight against Toronto and the ultimate winner, Atlanta. But this time the city has really progressed and I have a very good feeling about their bid.

They're up against Madrid and Tokyo.

The IOC will visit the three finalist cities this spring, and the winner will be announced at an IOC gathering in Buenos Aires on Sept. 7 of this year.

There was some talk of a Toronto bid for 2020 but it never happened. There's a chance the city will bid for the 2024 Summer Games, and the chances likely would be pretty decent, although competition from the U.S. could prove fierce. Possible American bidders include New York and Chicago, which have bid previously, as well as Dallas and Philadelphia.

With the U.S. and the IOC having finally resolved a nasty revenue sharing debate that went on for years, the time looks good for an American bidder.

 

 

Busy times at Blue Mountain as Skyline International eyes an expansion plan

 

Skyline is making its mark.

A lot of you probably don't know much about this company, but chances are you've heard of their (growing) lineup of resorts and hotels.

It was announced on Thursday that Skyline International has acquired a $20 million stake in Blue Mountain, the province's largest ski and golf resort. The company plans to double the size of the village at the base of the mountain over the next 10 years, with some 1,200 condos, townhouses and detached houses within walking distance of the ski hill. It also will add 20,000 square feet of retail space.

Skyline has been picking up properties all over southern Ontario in the past eight years. They also own Horseshoe Ski/Golf Resort and Deerhurst, plus three downtown Toronto hotels: the King Edward, the Pantages and the Cosmopolitan.

Apparently there have been plans for more ski runs at Blue but they haven't gotten off the drawing board, The Star's Susan Pigg reported in today's Business section.

"We don't have any say in what Blue Mountain does, but they have expansion capacity to the south of the (existing) hill," said Skyline CEO Michael Sneyd. "It's up to them but we'd love to see them expand."

Blue Mountain Development - half-owned by Fortress Investment Development, which bought Intrawest in 2006 - will continue to control mountain, commercial and condo rental operations, Pigg reported.

Sneyd apparently isn't content to have locked up so much of southern Ontario's resort biz, and he's said to be eyeing other hospitality holdings in Eastern and Western Canada.

Whatever their plans are for the rest of the country, the investment in Blue Mountain ought to mean good things for hotels, inns and restaurants in and around Collingwood. And that's positive news.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, is offering a pretty sweet package at the Marriott Gateway at the Falls in Niagara Falls. You get accomodations for two people Sunday to Friday for $119 for a one-night stay in a Cityview Room and $249 for a two-night stay. If you want a Fallsview Room from Sunday to Friday, it's $149 for one night and $279 for two nights.

The deal includes:

• Buffet Breakfast for two daily
• One $25 Milestone dinner voucher
• 2 48-hr WEGO Shuttle Passes
• 2 Drink tickets 
• One $25 Casino slot voucher for Fallsview Casino or Casino Niagara

Offer Details

• Valid for travel: December 26, 2012 – March 14th, 2013
• Blackout dates: December 25, 31, 2012, January 1, February 17, 2013
• Reservations must be made by February 28, 2013
• For more information, go to www.jaunt.ca

 

After busy morning, Toronto Pearson is "getting back to normal," officials say

If you're headed to Toronto Pearson today to send off (hope not) or welcome a loved one, it's been a rough morning. Some 100 cancelled flights were cancelled today out of 1400 scheduled.

The information board at www.torontopearson.com was showing a number of cancelled flights coming in and going out, mostly to spots in eastern Canada or in the U.S. northeast, where we got a pretty good snowfall overnight.

But Scott Armstrong at Pearson tells me things are looking brighter.

"There were delays this morning with slower ground traffic due to snow clearing, but things are getting back to normal and the rest of the day looks good," he wrote to me in an email around 10:45 a.m. "Snow crews will take another 18-24 hours to clean up."

Across North America it looks like some 2000 flights have been cancelled today.

So, all in all, it could've been a lot worse. We should be used to this sort of thing by now in Toronto. And in the scheme of things, it ain't that big a deal. And the snow is a hugely welcome relief for folks in the southern Ontario's ski resort biz.

The Ski Ontario website, www.skiontario.ca, reports eight to 20 cm of fresh snow fell in traditional ski areas overnight and that conditions look great today.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, is offering a terrific deal for eight-days in Rome. For just $1,099 plus $487 in taxes (total price $1,586), you get an eight day-six night trip that includes return airfare from Toronto to Rome, airport/hotel transfers both ways PLUS six nights at the four-star hotel Nova Domus in central Rome.

The deal also includes daily buffet breakfast and a half-day city tour of Rome.

The air fare alone usually costs $1,200 or more, so it's a pretty good deal to spend another $400 or so and get six nights at a four-star hotel in one of the great cities of the world.

NEW PLAZA PREMIUM LOUNGE AT PEARSON

Plaza Premium Lounge continues to expand its network in Canada by opening its 11^th airport pay-in lounge at the International Departure Hall of Toronto Pearson International Airport

The 6,178 square feet lounge is the largest among its sister lounges in Toronto, Edmonton and Vancouver in Canada with a seating capacity of approximately 180 guests. Special features signature to the series of “fourth generation concept lounges”, include comfortable lounge chairs, mother-of-pearl reception counter, signature chandelier, New Zealand wool carpet and oval crystal chandelier, designed by Hong Kong designer Kinney Chan.

They offer high-speed Wi-Fi (as does Pearson as a whole), as well as computer workstations with internet and a meeting room for business sessions or private gatherings. There's also a shower room, plus an all-day continental buffet with hot dishes and a noodle bar with beef and squid meat balls with rice noodles in homemade broth. The beverage menu features hot and cold coffee and tea specialties; beer, wine, spirits.

 The new airport pay-in lounge will be opened from 5am – 11pm daily. It costs $30 plus tax for two hours and $35 plus tax for three hours.

 

 

 

 

ALT Toronto hotel deal for readers of this blog ... Delta says bye to the Chelsea..

The new ALT Hotel Toronto Pearson has a deal Wayne Gretzky would love; a 99 days of "ALTernative hospitality" for $99 a night. That's a 30 per cent discount on the regular, daily rate of $149 for folks travelling between Jan. 1 and April 9.

The hotel promises "ultra-comfy beds a mere seconds away from Pearson International Airport terminals." I haven't seen the property, but I've heard good things. ALT is part of the Germain group, which runs the Le Germain hotels in downtown Toronto, which are terrific; especially the Mercer St. location in my book.

ALT also has a parking deal on tap. You can stay one night at the hotel and park inside the economy parking lot for 8 days for $169 or stay one night and park for 15 days for $239! Travelers can take the quick LINK train to shuttle, free of charge, between the parking lot, airport and the hotel.

On top of the 30 per cent savings, folks who mention my blog when they reserve a hotel room will get a $10 voucher to use for food. Officials say the voucher can be used for fresh-baked croissants in the morning, for curry and coconut milk chicken during the day or for "the most flavourful gazpacho north of the 401."

Call 1-855-855-6080 or enter the promo code BLOGPERK when reserving online at althotels.ca and the voucher should be yours.

DELTA WAVES GOODBYE TO THE CHELSEA

Here in Toronto 2012 has been a battle of the (potential) five-star hotels, with the Ritz-Carlton duking it out with the likes of Trump, Shangri-La and the new Four Seasons for top ratings dog. Now we might get a battle for who can be Canada's leading four-star chain.

As outlined in the Star's business section Wednesday by reporter Sue Pigg, Delta Hotels and Resorts says it wil cease to manage the Delta Chelsea in downtown Toronto effective June 30, 2013. The massive hotel is hugely popular, with a giant waterslide and indoor pool and great rates, often around $119.

The 1,590-room hotel will be renamed The Chelsea Toronto and will be the first Canadian property run by The Langham Hospitality Group. The Chelsea is owned by Hong Kong-based Great Eagle Holdings Ltd., which also owns Langham. Langham runs some very high-end properties, so it'll be interesting to see how this will work.

The Delta move is part of the company's national effort to rebuild and rebrand itself as a “next-generation premium four-star hotel” chain, Pigg reported.

As for Delta departing the downtown Chelsea, Delta officials said the move "fits within our overall brand repositioning to make Delta the leading four-star, full-service hotel chain in Canada."

They also said Delta's brand repositioning "will deliver the most upscale guest experiences in the four-star hotel category, and involves introducing new properties and renovating existing ones to feature the most modern design and techno-enabled guest spaces in the Canadian hotel marketplace," officials said in a press release. "Some examples include our recent announcements of newly repositioned hotels in the Ottawa and Kitchener-Waterloo markets, and the introduction of new properties to market including the first upscale hotel in Kingston and Thunder Bay."

A new Delta Toronto is supposed to open in late 2014 next to the convention centre, at Lower Simcoe St. and Bremner Blvd. The property will be connected to Union Station, the convention centre, the Air Canada Centre and the downtown, underground PATH system. The hotel" will feature 566 well-appointed guest rooms including 24 extended-stay suites for travelers who are in the city for a longer period of time. It will boast 15,000 square feet of technologically advanced meeting and conference facilities with a 6,500 square foot ballroom offering views of the CN Tower, contemporary dining options, fitness facilities and the latest in sustainable features."

Sounds good. But I don't know about being king of the four-star properties. There's a ton of competition out there from the likes of Sheraton and Westin and Fairmont, let alone smaller, boutique properties such as St. Germain and the ALT brand, which I mentioned above.

Anyway, with all the hotels coming and going and the new Air Canada rouge service starting July 1 of next year, plus Porter's new package program and the new WestJet Encore regional brand coming in 2013, it's certainly a great time to be covering the travel biz in this country.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, is offering a deal for $1,101 for the 4.5 star Grand Oasis hotel in Cancun.

Jaunt Highlights

• BONUS: Sunwing's RELAX inclusions including unlimited a la carte dining, 20% spa discount, late check-out (when available), sparkling wine in-room and more
  
• All-inclusive  7 night stay at the 4.5 star RELAX at Grand Oasis Viva, located in Cancun, Mexico.
• Includes return airfare from Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Calgary or Winnipeg to Cancun.
• Accommodations in a Ocean View Room, featuring 1 king or 2 double beds. (Maximum occupancy: 3 adults)
• Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner, and unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks

Extras:

• Peaceful, young, adults-only (18+) vibe in a small, intimate atmosphere
• Ideal for those who love nightlife
• Unlimited reservations at fabulous on site a la carte restaurants including an Italian eatery, seafood restaurant, Mexican eatery, sushi resto, chicken and pizza joint and more

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on the following departure dates:
  Toronto:  January 5, 12, 19, 2013
  Ottawa: Jan 5, 14, 2013
  Montreal: Jan 12, 19, 2013
  Calgary: Jan 7, 14, 21, 2013
  Winnipeg: Jan 10, 17, 24, 2013
• Pricing (Rates are per person):

• Toronto:
  Single: $1119
  Double: $749
  Triple: $719
  Tax: $357
  
  Ottawa:
  Single: $1119
  Double: $749
  Triple: $719
  Tax: $352
  
  Montreal:
  Single: $1639
  Double: $1269
  Triple: $1239
  Tax included
  
  Calgary:
  Single: $1169
  Double: $799
  Triple: $769
  Tax: $350
  
  Winnipeg:
  Single: $1119
  Double: $749
  Triple: $719
  Tax: $350
• Valid passport required for travel from Canada
• This offer is refundable until 5pm EST on December 26 2012. After this time, this offer is 100% non-refundable.

 

 

 

 

Air Canada Rouge is new carrier/Porter Escapes launches/New airline ad rules

 

This might be the craziest day I've ever seen for airline travel in Canada.

At 11:15 a.m., Air Canada unveiled "Rouge" as the name of their new, low-cost airline that will start flying to Europe and the Caribbean/Central America next July 1. Fares appear quite competitive and, in the case of a roundtrip to Punta Cana I checked, strikingly lower than WestJet and Transat. More on that in a minute.

Around about noon, I got a press release from Porter Airlines saying that their new package program, called Porter Escapes, is now available online at www.porterescapes.com. It will allow folks to book flights and entertainment or ski or golf packages to places like New York City, Montreal, Burlington Vermont, Myrtle Beach, Halifax, Chicago and Quebec. And Toronto, of course.

Okay. That's a busy day. But then, right at 12:44, I got a note from the federal government saying that Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, today announced that all-inclusive airfare advertising is now mandated under amendments to the Air Transportation Regulations.
This will ensure consumers can clearly see the total price of an airline ticket, with no hidden fees, officials said.

Most airlines in Canada have been following this rule for some time, either listing prices that include the taxes and fees and surcharges or advertising both together. Still, it will force all airlines doing business here to follow suit, and that's a good thing. So kudos to the Harper government for protecting consumers.

Vanessa Lu, the Star's hard-working airline/transport reporter in the Business section, has a full report at www.thestar.com/business.

Getting back to Rouge, the Air Canada folks held a splashy announcement in a movie theatre at Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto and then went outside to give away "boarding passes" with discounts from 10 to 99 per cent for the new airline.

Not everyone likes the name, of course. One reporter turned to me at the press conference and said, "It's Red. Like Air Canada is in the red."

I was thinking more like it's a rouge from Canadian football, but then I'm again I'm a former sports reporter. It looks pretty good, I think, and certainly red is the colour in the Canadian flag and is Air Canada's primary colour, so it fits.

Officials said it was tested across the country and was far and away the best name they checked out.

The destinations and prices, of course, are what we really care about. They could call it "Let's beat West Jet's ass" or name it after their chief and call it "Rovinescu Air" for all I care. I just want cheaper rates and a good airline, and that's what they're promising.

Flights will go from Toronto to Venice and Edinburgh and from Toronto and Montreal to Athens for as little as $949 round-trip, including all fees and taxes. Flights to the Dominican Republic (Punta Cana, Samana and Puerto Plata) will go from as little as $538 round-trip, while those to Costa Rica (San Jose and Liberia) will go from $778 round-trip, while flights to Varadero, Cayo Coco, Holguin and Santa Clara, Cuba start at $538 round-trip.

They're only starting with four planes, which means they can't do flights every day to all destinations. Toronto to Athens will be four times a week for now, while Toronto to Punta Cana will be three times a week for now.

Ultimately Air Canada plans to hire 900 workers and will have 50 planes, both Boeing 767-300ER's and Airbus A319 aircraft.

Complimentary meals and non-alcoholic beverages will be served on flights to Europe and snacks, meals and beverages will be available at a "nominal fee" on flights to the Caribbean. Their press release also says in-flight entertainment, such as movies and TV and music, will be available for "an affordable fee," versus free on Air Canada.

I don't know what the difference is between a "nominal fee" for food and an "affordable" fee for entertainment.

Just for kicks, I went onto the Air Canada site - Rouge flights can be booked at aircanada.com and folks can collect Aeroplan points, which is an important factor for many consumers - and found a round-trip flight from Toronto to Punta Cana for July 6-13 for $502.68, which actually is LOWER than they said in their press release. A flight on the same days on WestJet was listed at westjet.com for $700.79, while Transat (www.transatholidays.com) had flights on July 7 and 14 for $991.

Vanessa Lu told she found flights next August from Toronto to Athens on Rouge for $949, as advertised. But she said Transat was costing out around $1,300. That's another ENORMOUS difference in Air Canada's favour, so it'll be interesting to see if Transat makes any adjustments.

Those might not be typical. But if they are, Rouge could be a VERY attractive airline for Canadians.

In addition to regular Rouge seats, Air Canada will offer a series of upgrades, including rouge Plus and Premium Rouge. Those will cost extra but rouge Plus is just $40 extra each way if you fly to the Caribbean and $90 each way to Europe. For that you get nicer seats with more pitch and reclining ability, plus other options.

Rouge flights will have Air Canada's checked and carry-on baggage allowance.

In addition, they're promising flight attendants trained for both safety and "warm, welcoming service."

It's clearly a nod at WestJet. I asked Air Canada folks if they'd give the same training for "warm, welcoming service" to their existing crew members if it works on Rouge. Naturally, they suggested Air Canada folks are just wonderful as things are and reminded me they've won the Skytrax award as best North American airline several years in a row.

True, and I think Air Canada's crew is getting better. But there's plenty of room for improvement.

I just hope they don't get carried away. Some folks like it, but I really hate it when the WestJet crew gets all silly with the jokes. I want courtesy and smiles but not David Letterman in the sky, thank you very much.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY - HIDDEN VALLEY HUNTSVILLE ONTARIO

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, is offering the following "embrace winter" package at Hidden Valley Resort in Huntsville:

• Enjoy 1 night accommodation in a Hillside Room for two
  • For $99 stay Sunday to Thursday night
  • For $109 stay Friday or Saturday night
  • For $169 stay Monday - Friday night - includes 2 adult 6-hour flex ski lift tickets
• Continental breakfast for two
• One bottle of wine to enjoy in your room or in the dining room
• 2 for 1 table d’hote dinner
• One $20.00 Algonquin Outfitters voucher - 2 stores to redeem in Huntsville
• Late checkout at 1pm (based on availability)

Offer Details

• Valid for travel for December 18, 2012 – March 31, 2013
• Blackout dates: December 23, 2012 – January 5, 11-12, February 1-3, 8-9, 16-18, 26-28, 2013

• Purchase one dinner and receive a second dinner free (of equal or lesser value from table d'hote menu only.)

• Ski hill closed on Tuesday's & Wednesday's
• Offer based on hotel availability

• No cash back. No cash value. Cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions
• Taxes and gratuities not included and payable directly to hotel

For more details on all jaunt deals, visit www.jaunt.ca.

 

 

No Cathay smiles/Philippines tourism boom/Jaunt.ca cruise deal is deal of day

 There's talk of a workers' strike on Dec. 20 at JFK International Airport in New York. Which would be rather traumatic for travelers around Christmas, for sure.

Things are tough in Asia, too. In case you hadn't heard, staff at Cathay Pacific are pissed off about their working situation and flight attendants are poised to take action.

No, they're not going to strike (at least not yet). They're going to stop smiling! And maybe stop serving food. And perhaps, horror of horrors, stop selling booze on board!! 

AP reports that "cabin staff at the airline, which has a reputation for top-notch service, voted at a union meeting this week in favor of industrial action that could also result in flight delays."

The union is demanding a 5 per cent pay increase but the airline, which is struggling to cut costs after posting a first-half loss of $120.5 million, has offered 2 percent and a 13th month bonus.

AP reports the union is considering a strike as a last resort, but not until the new year.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, is offering a deal for a trans-atlantic cruise, along with some time in Euorpe. The deal starts at $2,099 plus $697 in taxes for a total of $2,796.

Here are the highlights:

• Transatlantic Crossing Cruise onboard the MSC Poesia with Post-Cruise Europe Stay
• Option 1:  18-day/17-night vacation including a 15-night Transatlantic Crossing Cruise, and 2-night post-cruise stay in London (UK)
  
  • Departure flight from Toronto to Fort Lauderdale, and return flight from London-Gatwick to Toronto
  • Ports of call include: Fort Lauderdale, USA; New York, USA; Ponta Delgada-Azores, Portugal; Lisbon, Portugal; La Coruna, Spain; and London, UK
  • Post-cruise stay in London, featuring 4-star hotel accommodations, city tour via deluxe motorcoach with English-speaking guide and dining as per itinerary
• Option 2:  27-day/26-night vacation inclouding a 17-Night Cruise, Post-Cruise Tour: 2-Nights In Berlin (Germany), 2-Nights In Prague (Czech Republic), 2-Nights in Vienna (Austria) & 3-Nights in Rome (Italy)
  • Departure flight from Toronto to Fort Lauderdale, and return flight from Rome to Toronto
  • Ports of call include: Fort Lauderdale, USA; New York, USA; Ponta Delgada-Azores, Portugal; Lisbon, Portugal; La Coruna, Spain; London, UK; and Kiel-Lubeck, Germany
  • Post-cruise stays in Berlin, Prague, Vienna and Rome, featuring 4-star accommodations, city tours via deluxe motorcoach with English-speaking guide and dining as per itinerary
• Includes accommodations, dining and entertainment aboard MSC Poesia. Accommodations available in Outside (Cat. 4/5), Standard Balcony Ocean View (Cat. 6/7/8), or Superior Balcony Ocean View (Cat. 9, 10, 11) staterooms
• All transfers between airport, hotels, and piers included

Jaunt.ca offers deals in Ontario and other parts of Canada as well as the Caribbean and other hot spots, so check them out at www.jaunt.ca.

PHILIPPINES ON THE RISE

There's a big boom coming in tourism to the Philippines.

Starwood Hotels this week announced plans to build a Westin and a Sheraton hotel in Manila, which follows news a couple days ago that Hilton has signed a deal with a local group to manage the Hilton Manila.

Starwood plans to open the Westin Manila Bayshore in mid-2016 as part of the Resorts World Bayshore in the Entertainment City development in Paranaque. Sheraton Manila is slated to open in the Resorts World Manila development in Newport City, Pasay in early 2017.

Starwood notes that the opening of the two hotels (well, announced plans to open) "fuels Starwood's remarkablle growth trajectory in Asia Pacific." The company currently operates more than 230 hotels in Asia Pacific, with plans to have 400 in operation by 2016.

Scheduled to open in 2014, the 350-room Hilton Manila is located on Newport Boulevard next to Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and it marks Hilton's first property in the city.

Philippines Air Lines earlier this month announced plans to fly directly from Manila to Toronto.

I've never been, but I hear great things about Boracay for swimming and diving, and the island archipelago seems to have come a long way. It's certainly beautiful. And it appears to be growing in tourism terms by leaps and bounds...

HAITI MOVING UP

The opening of the posh Royal Oasis Hotel in Haiti this week seems to be a turning point for the troubled Caribbean nation. The island's sizable homeless situation still festers, but with any luck the new hotel will help provide a few jobs and a bit of hope.

The Oasis is located in Petionville, desribed by Reuters as "a business and social hub in the hills south of Port-au-Prince."

The hotel will have restaurants, shops and a conference centre. A night in the Royal Club Presidential Suite will cost more than $1,000 and come with butler service.

Other hotels are said to be on the way, including a Marriott (groundbreaking is supposed to be next week) and a Best Western Premier that's supposed to open in January.

A couple days ago, Transat announced it will offer vacation packages to Haiti out of Montreal, beginning Jan. 23, 2013. The packages will combine stays in the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, and on the Côte des Arcadins, featuring magnificent beaches, with an extensive program of guided excursions: museums, historical and natural sites, theme routes, sports and seaside activities.

"More and more travellers want to enjoy an enriching human experience when they take their Sun holiday,” said Annick Guérard, General Manager, Transat Tours Canada. "These new packages are designed for customers seeking vacations that combine discovery and relaxation.

 

 

Qantas kills Wi-Fi trial ... China theme park in Australia ... Eurostar France deal

This doesn't bode well for those of us who'd like Wi-Fi on Air Canada.

An item on travelmole.com today says Qantas is killing its plan to provide wireless Internet access on flights. The airline has been trying the service on six of its A-380 long-haul flights to London and Los Angeles. But officials said only five per cent of folks on board bothered to sign up for the service, which cost about $12 to $35, depending on the package.

Officials said most folks seemed to prefer sleeping on the long-haul flights. Which I guess makes some sense. Being one of those people who can't sleep at home, let alone on a plane, I'd love to have the Wi-Fi. At least, I think I would. I don't know, really. I DO find that one of the only times I ever see a movie is on an airplane. And a plane ride is a great chance to dig into a good book, too. So maybe I wouldn't use the web all that much. And I certainly don't want to answer emails at 36,000 feet....

EUROSTAR LAUNCHES NEW SERVICE TO SOUTH OF FRANCE

The popular and fast Eurostar train service is launching a new direct program from London to three great spots in the south of France: Lyon, Avignon and Aix-en-Provence.

The new weekly spring service will be offered for a trail period in May and June of next year, and tickets go on sale Dec. 11.

Return fares from London to Lyon start at $160 (about the price of two cab rides from downtown Toronto to Pearson Airport) and trains for Avignon and Aix-en-Provence (a beautiful town with lots of history and good food: see photo at left) start at $175.

CHINA THEME PARK FOR AUSTRALIA

Here's something I'm surprised Rob Ford hasn't tried. A regional council in the Australian state of New South Wales wants to rival the Sydney Opera House by building a China-focussed theme park.

Wyong Shire Council has signed a deal to sell 15.7 hectares of land to a company that proposes a full-size replica of the gates to Beijing's Forbidden City and a nine-storey temple. Construction on the  park, about 80 kilometers north of Sydney, is supposed to start in 2015.

"Outside the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, this has the potential to be among the biggest tourist attractions in the state," Mayor Doug Eaton told Agence France Presse. (Sounds like a relative of super salesman Mel Lastman, doncha think?)

It seems EVERYONE is after the Chinese market these days. Canada is trying to get more Chinese tourists. So is the U.S. So is Europe in its new Destination Europe 2020 program, which I outlined in this space yesterday.

It seems pretty cheesy and silly to try to build a Chinese theme park in Australia, though. I mean, what's next? A Disneyland in Tokyo or Hong Kong? Oh. Wait ....

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt, a division of Torstar, has a great deal on tap for The Rosseau, a J.W. Marriott resort in Muskoka. Packages start at $199 for a one-night stay from Sunday to Thursday and that includes two free cocktails and a $100 resort credit.

For a two-night stay on weekends, it's still just $399. Factor in the cocktails and the resort credit savings and you're looking at a room in a beautiful resort in a gorgeous part of Ontario for about $150 a night; not much more than what you might pay for a generic property along Highway 401.

The deal is valid from Dec. 4 to March 30 but there are blackout dates. For more information on this and other deals, go to www.jaunt.ca.