SPRINGTIME SHOPPING-INSPIRED PACKAGES REVEALED FROM LUXE VIRTUOSO® PREVIEW COLLECTION HOTELS

Three Resort Properties in Paris, Tuscany and Bal Harbour Entice Guests to Travel with Virtuoso

NEW YORK (March 27, 2012) – It is often said that good things come in threes… Virtuoso® is pleased to announce new, value-added packages targeting the shopping aficionado, from three of its prestigious Preview collection hotels: The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort, Mandarin Oriental, Paris and Castello Di Casole in Tuscany. As an extra perk, guests who reserve their stay through a Virtuoso travel advisor will automatically receive exclusive privileges including: preferred rates and availability; breakfast for two daily; room upgrade upon arrival; early-check-in/late check-out (pending availability); plus a value-added Virtuoso amenity.

The “Tailored Shopping Experience” package at The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort includes:
• One $200 Saks Fifth Avenue gift card per stay
• One night’s accommodations in an ocean view room
• A private shopping experience in the Fifth Avenue Club, inclusive of champagne upon arrival
• Fifth Avenue Club wardrobe consultant service
• Complimentary cosmetic makeover with gift
• Priority alterations
• Complimentary delivery of purchases to The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort
Rates start from $559 per night. Offer must be reserved at least four days prior to arrival. The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort, which opened in January 2012, is located directly across from the celebrated Bal Harbour Shops and is a short drive from the energy of South Beach and downtown Miami. Travelers can discover a new dimension of bespoke luxury with the resort’s 243, ocean-view rooms and suites, including 70 one- and two-bedroom suites in an all-glass tower rising 27 stories above an expansive stretch of beach on the Atlantic Ocean. Additionally, the resort offers world-class dining including a restaurant inspired by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, wine vault, St. Regis bar, private poolside and beach cabanas and much more.

The “Suite Temptations” package at the Mandarin Oriental, Paris features:
• One complimentary night
• Spa credit for 100 EUR (approximately $135)
• VIP welcome amenity
• Complimentary Internet access during the stay
Rates start from 1,750 EUR per night (approximately $2,359.00). Three-night minimum stay required. Rooms are subject to availability and blackout dates apply. Room rate includes VAT, city tax and services charges. Mandarin Oriental, Paris is located on Rue Saint-Honoré, surrounded by history and fashionable shopping. The hotel's 138 rooms and suites are among the most spacious in Paris. A vast inner courtyard offers outdoor dining, with a choice of restaurants and bars under Executive Chef and Culinary Director Thierry Marx. The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Paris brings relaxation in a peaceful, modern setting. An indoor pool and a fully-equipped fitness centre complete the hotel's leisure facilities.

The “Castello Couture” package at the Castello Di Casole, Tuscany includes:
• Three nights’ accommodations in the Suite of your choice
• Daily breakfast buffet at Restaurant Tosca
• One full day with a Personal Shopper to uncover the essence of Italian fashion
• Preferred rates at select designer boutiques
• After-hours private access to select designer shops
• Custom shopping excursions including leather goods, jewelry, antiques and furniture
• Invitations to private collection preview events, trunk shows and other luxury goods events
• A private styling and wardrobe consultation
• Roundtrip private car transfers to Florence
• One three-course dinner for two at Tosca including a bottle of Castello Di Casole Estate wine
• One 30-minute foot massage for two at the Essere Spa
• Virtuoso Exclusive: Choice between a cooking class, a pottery class or an Italian language class once during the stay for two people
Rates start from 890 EUR per night (approximately $1,170.00 per couple based on a three night minimum stay. Subject to availability and blackout dates apply. Castello Di Casole features five unique styles for a total of 41 suites, blending grand Italian design with custom Tuscan furnishings, reflecting the region’s landscape and rich history. Compelling features and amenities of the property include a 5,400-square-foot Essere Spa with a fitness center and outdoor spa garden; a restored 18th-century chapel; Ristorante Tosca, for fine-dining; Pazzia gourmet pizzeria; as well as Bar Visconti, with its unparalleled wine and cocktail menu.

Virtuoso’s renowned Hotels & Resorts Program, which this year celebrates its 20th anniversary, includes more than 900 of the world’s best properties, which are vetted by the network’s advisors. An extension of the Hotels & Resorts Program, Virtuoso’s Preview hotels are each carefully selected prior to opening and invited to take part in a one-year relationship whereby Virtuoso is the only travel agency partner. As a result, clients of Virtuoso members receive unique benefits and offers not available anywhere else in the market.

To book the above packages or for further information, please contact Virtuoso at 855-570-3830 or visit www.virtuoso.com.  

###

About Virtuoso
Virtuoso® is the industry’s leading luxury travel network. This by-invitation-only organization comprises over 330 agencies with more than 7,200 elite travel specialists in 20 countries in North and South America, the Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand, as well as over 1,250 of the world’s best travel providers and premier destinations. The network’s member agencies generate over $9.6 billion annually in travel sales, making the group the most powerful in the luxury travel segment. Their relationships with the finest travel companies provide the network’s affluent clientele with exclusive amenities, rare experiences and privileged access. For more information, visit www.virtuoso.com.  To view Virtuoso’s latest videos, go to http://www.youtube.com/user/VirtuosoTraveler.  

Media Contacts:
Misty Ewing, CTA                                     Jami Gordon-Smith / Emily Venugopal
Virtuoso – Director, Public Relations          The Brandman Agency
Phone: 202.553.8817                               Phone: 212.683.2442
E-mail: mewing@virtuoso.com                  jami@brandmanpr.com/emily@brandmanpr.com