The Wall Street Journal-20080115-Travel Watch
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Travel Watch
Join the Carnival
In Historic Venice
The Hilton Molino Stucky Venice will introduce a "Carnival consultant" service on Jan. 25, when Carnival 2008 takes over the Italian city, which first celebrated the Christian festival in 1268.
The hotel has enlisted period costumier Catherine Buyse Dian, a native Venetian who has worked on a range of film projects, to dress guests in Carnival costumes. The hotel has arranged for special appearances in Carnival parades for those who don't want to watch from the sidelines. Ms. Buyse Dian also can arrange special Carnival-themed excursions.
Personalized costume consultations begin at 300 euros ($443). Parade appearances and other experiences priced upon request. Call 39-041- 2723311, email [email protected], or visit www.hilton.com/venice.
New Year by the Bay
Feb. 18 is the Chinese New Year -- celebrate it in San Francisco's Chinatown. The Galleria Park Hotel is focusing its "GPS-Galleria Park Suggests" program on Chinatown and the Union Square district, January through March. Its "GPS Urbanite" and "GPS Town & Country" packages both include the Wok Wiz Chinatown tour, tickets to one of Union Square's theaters and dinner for two at Farallon restaurant, all at a 50% discount. The Town & Country package includes a tour of Round Pond Olive Oil Estate in the Napa Valley.
Rates begin at $839 for GPS Urbanite, which requires a two-night minimum stay (Friday-Saturday or Saturday-Sunday); and at $1,799 for GPS Town & Country, which requires a three-night minimum stay (Thursday-Monday). Visit www.galleriapark.com, or call 800-792-9639 or 415-781-3060.
Stay Longer
in Hawaii
The Four Seasons Resort Hualalai and the Four Seasons Resort Maui in Hawaii are offering a sixth night free with five paid nights for guests arriving by March 15 for Hualalai and by March 2 for Maui. Get a fifth night free with four paid nights on arrivals between March 28 and June 25 for Hualalai, and Aug. 25 through Nov. 15 or Dec. 1 through Dec. 13 for Maui. Visit www.fourseasons.com/hualalai/ or www.fourseasons.com/maui/ and search the appropriate dates.
Briefs:
-- Zonder.com, a new vacation-booking Web site for home, condo and cabin rentals in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, is offering a 10% discount on bookings made before Feb. 14, with a cap of $250 in savings per booking. Use promo code "BeyondHotels" during checkout.
-- Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car are launching a carbon-offset program. Customers can opt to pay $1.25 per rental (plus applicable taxes) to be used to purchase certified projects that work to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The companies will match customers' offset purchases dollar for dollar, up to $1 million. Visit www.enterprise.com/car_rental/home.do.
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Corrections & Amplifications
The Chinese New Year begins on Feb. 7. An item in Tuesday's Travel Watch column incorrectly said it begins Feb. 18.
(WSJ January 17, 2008)
