Wyndham to Open First Hotel in Bahrain

Wyndham Grand Manama, Bahrain

Bahrain is getting its first Wyndham Hotel. The new five-star Wyndham Grand Collection hotel will be part of a 50-story mixed used architectural landmark in Bahrain Bay.

Bahrain Bay Development B.S.C. is a $2.5 billion waterfront district designed around vibrant neighborhoods of residential, commercial and retail spaces.

Set in this unique new development, the Wyndham Grand Manama will face the World Trade Centre, just a short distance from Bahrain Financial Harbour, making it well placed to cater to business as well as leisure travelers.

Wyndham Hotel Group recently confirmed plans for the first Wyndham Grand property in Bahrain following the signing of an agreement with Cooperation Investment House SPC to manage its prestigious  hotel  property.

Currently under development in the city of Manama, the Wyndham Grand Manama is expected to open by the end of next year with more than 260 spacious guest rooms ranging from 46 to 120 square meters (approximately 495 to 1,290 square feet). Covering 14 floors of a 50-story mixed use development, it will also comprise 500 square meters (nearly 5,400 square feet) of meeting space and a 900-square-meter ballroom (equivalent to nearly 9,700 square feet) on the building's top floor, offering stunning sea views.

Complemented by indoor and outdoor infinity swimming pools and separate health clubs for men and women, the development will also include five food and beverage outlets catering to a variety of tastes.

Upon opening, the hotel will join the Wyndham Grand Collection, an ensemble of distinguished hotels within the upscale Wyndham Hotels and Resorts brand. Wyndham Hotel Group, the world's largest hotel company with over 7,170 hotels, is part of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: WYN).

 "This is an incredibly dynamic and exciting development," said Bani Haddad, regional vice president Middle East & Africa, Wyndham Hotel Group. "Each Wyndham Grand hotel takes in some of the flavor of its destination and this modern, cosmopolitan setting will be reflected in the hotel along with historical Bahraini influences. It is a fantastic setting and a great property for this distinguished collection."

The Wyndham Grand Manama will face the World Trade Centre, just a short distance from Bahrain Financial Harbour, making it well placed to cater to business as well as leisure travelers.

"We are delighted and honored to work with Wyndham Hotel Group on the first Wyndham Grand hotel in Bahrain," said Ahmed AlQaed, managing director, Cooperation Investment House SPC. "By combining the Wyndham brand's authentic hospitality and high-quality service with modern corporate office spaces in one magnificent development at this prime location, we believe we are creating the best tourist and business destination this area will offer."

This will only be the third Wyndham Grand in Europe and the Middle East. The other two properties are the Wyndham Grand Regency Doha in Qatar and Wyndham Grand London Chelsea Harbour in the U.K.

Coeur D'Alene, a Paradise in the Panhandle

The Coeur D'Alene Resort sits at the foot of the lake. (Photo courtesy Coeur D'Alene Chamber of Commerce)

Coeur D'Alene is special. And you can see it the moment you turn off Highway 90 from Spokane.

To your left lies a little town with cobbled sidewalks and gas-lit streetlamps and green awnings and red-brick storefronts, behind which lie attractive little shops, eateries, and galleries. In front of you, shooting up into a clear azure sky, lies Coeur D'Alene Resort, one of the Northwest's premier resorts. And to your right lies an ice-blue alpine lake, from which rise 7,000 foot- mountains covered in deep-green forest.

Tucked up in the Idaho Panhandle, about 90 miles south of Canada, Coeur D'Alene is one of the prettiest towns in the Northwest. And the lake upon which it sits - Lake Coeur D'Alene - has 125 miles of shoreline.

Coeur D'Alene means "Heart of the Awl," a reference by early French traders to the earrings worn by the native Salishan people. And the Heart of the Awl is situated amidst a setting that no doubt took these French traders' breath away.

More than 125 miles of bays and inlets...(Photo courtesy Coeur D'Alene Chamber of Commerce)

On a sunset cruise with Lake Coeur D'Alene Cruises, you'll explore quiet bays and lagoons, some with magnificent, Western mansions several stories high. And you'll see the sun go down - not until after ten in summer - behind mountain ridges that it sprinkles with reds and purples and oranges and pinks.

At the foot of downtown is Tubbs Hill, a mini-mountain jutting out into the lake, which seems to offer stunning views around every turn. People come here to hike, rock-climb, picnic on one of the ledges overlooking the lake, row, sail, canoe, or kayak. And speaking of kayaking, if you take one out, you'll see bald eagles and ospreys flying overhead. And you'll explore isolated little coves where the only sound is that of your oars.

There are some cool surprises in this small town. . For example, Northern Idaho is not a place you'd associate with great olive oil - which makes a visit to Coeur D'Alene Olive Oil Company all the more interesting. And Coeur D'Alene Cellars produces distinctive syrahs, cabernet sauvignons, and chardonnays, all of which you can sample at their Barrel Room #6, an atmospheric wine bar that also serves local micro-brews.

About a half-hour outside of town is one of the most unusual mountain-biking experiences in the world. Situated in the Bitterroot Mountains at the Idaho-Montana border, at the Lookout Pass Ski Area, "The Route of the Hiawatha" is a long-abandoned railroad track (named after the "Hiawatha," which ran from the Northwest to Milwaukee) through a series of tunnels and 1,000-foot high wooden trestles. The longest of the ten tunnels is almost two miles long...and you can't see more than a foot or two in front of you! (In fact, you have to be looking very carefully even to see the Idaho/Montana marker on the border.) When you're out of the tunnels, and riding on the old wooden trestles, you'll see spectacular views deep into Montana.

The Route of the Hiawatha (Photo courtesy Coeur D'Alene Chamber of Commerce)

After your adventure, you can relax back in your room at the Coeur D'Alene Resort...which probably has a breathtaking view of the lake. Newly-renovated, the resort has luxurious guestrooms, three good restaurants and an elegant bar, and, believe it or not, a float-plane service operating from its dock (as well as the aforementioned Lake Coeur D'Alene Cruises). The Coeur D'Alene Resort also boasts a golf course (accessible by mahogany boat) with the only movable floating green in the world.

When you look out your window at the resort, you'll know why the owners of those Western mansions built homes here.

2012 Volvo XC90 Review

A vehicle that places the priority on comfort, safety and passenger space over off-road capabilities is the luxury crossover, the 2012 Volvo XC90.  The vehicle is packed with features and it can accommodate as much as seven; however, it has an interior look that is quite dated as well as lackluster fuel economy, these drawbacks cause is not to be leading in its class in every respect.
The XC90 from Volvo was among the very first luxury crossover that was carlike when it reached the market in 2003; however, the appearance has not changed a great deal ever since that time.  Except for one slight refresh, the vehicle carries through with its broad-shouldered, smooth exterior design that still looks great from a distance.  Inside of the XC90 is looking rather dated given that it is representative of Volvo’s design direction prior to it going for layouts that are more minimalist as well as thin panel controls, which you will discover in the XC60 and S60, among others models.
The Volvo XC90 executes as well as you may be expecting from a crossover that is family-oriented; there is lots of power provided by the 3.2 liters six-cylinder engine, the six-speed automatic as well as the 240-horsepower and it is quite impressive.  However, the Volvo XC90 is just not a great deal fun to drive; mostly it is as a result of the detached feeling of the steering wheel, even though fast movements are safe and sound.

The 2012 Volvo XC90 is equipped with three rows of seating, it can accommodate as much as seven and it is a good substitute for either a minivan or the SUVs that are more truck-like.   Volvo has developed a reputation for exceptional seats and that has been carried over in the XC90; the seats are comfortable, supportive and worthy to drive around in all day.  The third row of the XC90 can be difficult to get to for adults, the smallest kids will have no trouble though; however, the second row has a comfortable feel and it is shaped for adults.  The seating position for everyone feels a bit more carlike and relaxed in comparison to that of other crossovers.  If the third row is kept down, generally you will have a whole lot of space for bigger grocery runs.  The ride quality is outstanding since there is less side-to-side motion and pitchiness than in a number of other crossovers.

2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara Review

n this 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara review, you will be provided with some of the details of this newly released vehicle. The 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara features a 4-cylinder, 2.4 liter inline that is capable of producing 162 pound feet of torque and 166 horsepower. All of the base models feature a 5-speed manual transmission, while the other versions have a 4-speed automatic transmission. All the vehicles in the lineup have RWD as standard; however, 4WD is on all the trim levels, with the exception of the base. On the Limited Edition, the 4WD also includes low range gearing.
In the test of the performance of the Grand Vitara, the RWDs took 10.2 seconds to achieve 60mph. The estimates of the EPA for the fuel economy of the Grand Vitara are less than the best. The RWD models had an estimated 22mpg highway, 19mpg city and a combination of 22mpg; on the other hand, the 4WD models returned 23/19/20.
This 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara review will now cover some of the features of this new vehicle:

• Safety – The Grand Vitara has standard safety features such as: side airbags for the front seats; side curtain airbags (full length); antilock disc brakes; and traction and stability control. In testing, the Grand Vitara only required 110 feet to make a stop from 60mph.

• Special Features and Interior Design – The 5-passenger interior of the Grand Vitara is rather attractive; however, it seems somewhat outdated when compared to the other cabins of most of its competitors. The controls and the gauges are very easy to read and are also well place; however, the removable navigation system is somewhat out of reach. Additionally, it is a bit difficult trying to read and operate the navigation screen, as it quite smaller than most units that are built-in.

• Even though there is sufficient amount of room for you to stretch out in the Limited Edition, the cloth upholstery of the Premium models is a lot more comfortable than the leather upholstery found in the Limited model. Another one of the disadvantages of the 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara is the lack of space to store small items such as MP3 players and cell phones.

• Driving Impressions – The 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara is a great choice for your daily errands and commuting; however, the firm seats can become tiresome and uncomfortable if you are travelling long distances. Additionally, the handling is not as stable as some of the other newly released 2012 vehicles.