Califoria & Jamaica 2009

California & JamaicaJanuary 2009

Sharyn Kitchener

The Georgian Hotel Santa Monica

• Located across from Santa Monica Beach• Walking distance to Santa Monica Pier & 3rd Street Mall (shopping precinct)• 15 minutes to LAX Airport (taxi US$40).• Two miles from Venice Beach (5 minutes by bus or 40 minute beach walk)• Art Deco, boutique hotel• Room types: Std Queen & King. Ocean View Queen, Signature Suite & Ocean View

Suite• Suits families & couples• Complimentary wireless internet• Offers restaurant, & bar• http://www.georgianhotel.com/

Tour du Jour• Virtuoso ‘tour’ company• Specialised in day tours of Los Angeles area• Private tours – 8 tours to choose from between 3 & 7.5 hours• Experienced, passionate guides with modern vehicles• 4 hour LA Story tour of Los Angeles – covering West Hollywood, Hollywood,

Hollywood Hills, Beverly Hills & Bel-Air. US$209 per adult + gratuities• Recommend doing tour at beginning of LA stay – gives you good bearings• Pick up & Drop off at your hotel• Excellent tour, informative & tailored to all ages (including children)• www.tourdujour.net Contact Richard Gitterman

Port Antonio - Jamaica• Goblin Hill Villas @ San San (3.5 star) 1 or 2 bedroom villas with private cook• Cook purchases ingredients, you choose menu and they cook – breakfast, lunch &

dinner daily or as required. Grocery costs on top of room charges• Two bedroom Villa (Summer) for 4 people US$225 per night ++• Excellent value, little tired but great location for families & friends• www.goblinhillvillas.com• Geejan – private hotel (Island Outpost)• Located on six acres above San San Beach• Modern, up-market & suitable for couples• Offers private recording studio as part of the private suite• www.islandoutpost.com

Why Port Antonio?

• 2.5 hours drive North of Kingston• Frenchman’s Cove – voted by Conde Nast Traveller as one of the world’s top 5

beaches• The enchanting Blue Lagoon (featured in the Blue Lagoon movie)• Swimming & snorkeling off San San & Winifred Beaches plus swim to Money

Island.• Navy Island – made famous by Errol Flynn• Rafting down the Rio Grande by man made bamboo rafts (6 hour scenic

adventure)• Currently working on small International Airport to service this region

Strawberry Hill• Located on Jamaica’s Blue Mountains – 3100 feet above sea level. 1 hour from Kingston• New Jamaican cuisine on terrace overlooking the twinkling lights of Kingston• Handcrafted 19th century Georgian style cottages (1 bedroom, studios & deluxe villas)• Outstanding Spa (massages & treatments)• Overnight package includes dinner, breakfast & spa treatment for 2. US$450 per couple• Music memorabilia & history – Bob Marley, Chris Blackwell (Island Records)• Caters more toward adults. • Excellent destination as short distance from Kingston – weekend getaway• Offers conference facilities. Accessible via road or helicopter• www.islandoutpost.com or www.strawberryhillresort.com

Treasure Beach• Jake’s – boutique resort, beach location offering personality & charisma.• Villas on site @ Jakes• Private residences close by• Our Villa: Calabash Luxury Villa – US$800 high season p/n• 4 bedroom, 4 bathroom villa with pool, 2 cooks & manager • All meals prepared & cooked daily – you just pay for groceries.• Large swimming pool• Located on Treasure Beach• 3 eating areas (2 outdoor), wireless internet, heaps of space!• www.islandoutpost.com

Sightseeing – Treasure Beach• Boat tour with Captain Dennis• Dolphins at play• Black River• Crocodile spotting• Pelican Bar – fresh fish & lobster for lunch• Plenty of Red Stripe Beer!• 2.5 hours drive from Montego Bay or Kingston

Negril – Where to stay• Idle Awhile – beachfront location – 1 bedroom suite with separate rollaway/lounge• 14 rooms• Restaurant & Bar facilities• High season rack rate US$335.00 ++ per night• www.idleawhile.com

• The Rockhouse (Australian owned) - 2 miles from Negril town (Design Hotels)• Adults only resort on cliff top comprising of 20 thatched octagon villas of timber & stone plus

15 traditional style hotel rooms located in the tropical garden setting• Stunning & remote location• The new Rockhouse Spa features the cliff edge Caribbean Drench cabana plus a full range of

body and beauty treatments & Yoga overlooking the sea.• www.rockhousehotel.com

About Negril• Montego Bay: 15 minutes by plane or 1 hour by car• Kingston – 4 hours by car• Beautiful white sand beaches• Jamaicans selling their wares (drinks, water sports, gianga & more)• Party town of Jamaica!• Heaps of restaurants located on the beach from local Jamaica to Italian and more• Activities aplenty – parasailing, glass bottom boats, running, volley ball & more

Disneyland Hotels• Three hotels within the Disneyland Park• Grand California, Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel & Disneyland Hotel• Grand California is deluxe, currently with 790 rooms & new wing being built –

designed like a grand old lodge.• All located within 5 minute walk to Disneyland & California Adventure• Grand California backs onto California Adventure & Paradise Pier guests can access

this ‘short cut’ through Grand Cal into California Adventure• Each property offers a ‘theme’ breakfast and/or dinner so you can dine with

Disney characters (eg: Minnie Mouse, Lilo & Stitch, Goofy or Chip n’ Dale)

Disneyland & California Adventure

• Guests at the Disney Hotels can access Disneyland 1 hour earlier than regular guests 4 times a week (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday)

• Standard hours: Disneyland 10am – 8pm daily (closes later weekends) California Adventure – 9am – 6pm daily• Best to purchase hopper passes so you can access both parks in the one day• Front of Line allows you to ‘book a time’ so you can jump the queue and access

your rides without lining up for hours (only applies to certain rides)• It is recommended to pre-purchase tickets from wholesalers in Australia• Current rate for 1 day Disneyland/California Adventure is US$94 (10 years & over)

Hollywood

Jamaican kids on the beach

Seagulls in flight

California Screamin’