Thursday, May 26, 2005

Mexican ecoresorts take environmental strides with recycling and composting initiatives

TULUM, Mexico (May 16, 2005) - A collection of rustic hotels along Mexico's Mayan Riviera are taking environmental matters into their own hands with recycling, composting and educational initiatives.

EcoTulum Resorts & Spa, one of the original ecologically-minded hotels in Tulum, has started recycling plastics on its premises in cooperation with a local company in the Riviera Maya. All three properties now have strategically placed recycle bins for plastic bottles that are transferred to sacks provided and collected on a regular basis by ECOCE. EcoTulum has introduced a compost program to return organic matter to the earth and nourish the gardens once material is broken down.

EcoTulum is also joining forces with 15 other local hotels and the Mayan Riviera Hotel Association to implement a program designed to reduce the impact of water, energy and solid waste on the environment. Part of the initiative involves the hotels establishing operating practices that conform to the model for sustainable development. The hotels will voluntarily submit their consumptions of water, energy and diesel over the previous year to the committee for analysis and work with onsite environmental inspectors to ensure their hotel operations are at their "greenest".

"We're excited by the community based initiative to develop sound ecological practices that will preserve Tulum in the long run," said co-owner Holly Worton. "The programs are basic from a North American standpoint but it's an important sign that some hotels are taking matters into their own hands."

Cabañas Copal hosts turtle releases
From April until August, Cabañas Copal, the original EcoTulum property, welcomes the return of four varieties of sea turtles to dig their nests and lay their eggs.

Each year, through a natural phenomenon known only to Mother Nature, pregnant female sea turtles head home to the beaches of their birth at night to painstakingly bury hundreds of golf ball sized soft eggs in the moist sand. Turtle watchers during this season either carry no flashlights or use red filters on their lights, and guests are asked not smoke on the beach, as the smoke will make turtles return to the sea.

Join us during these months to witness this spectacular event each night on our beach. Cabañas Copal will be hosting a series of baby turtle releases throughout the season. Check out Cabañas Copal to book a front row seat in nature's amazing feature presentation of the cycle of life: www.cabanascopal.com

ABOUT ECOTULUM RESORTS
Zahra (www.zahra.com.mx) offers 22 remodeled rooms and cabañas with seven completely new cabins nestled between two private beaches. Electricity is provided from sunset until 11pm. Azulik (www.azulik.com), a 15-villa retreat next door carries the concept of rustic luxury to the max with lounge beds and hand carved wooden soaking tubs. Cabañas Copal (www.cabanascopal.com) features 47 rustic cabañas hidden among the jungle on the pristine white powder shores of Tulum in Mexico's Mayan Riviera. The eco-hotel has candle lit cabañas, encourages total wellness, and celebrates spirituality with a clothing- optional dress code. At night under a canopy of celestial stars, hundreds of candles light sandy laneways at all properties.

For more details, please contact:
Mexican Pacific Marketing
press@mexicanpacific.com
US: (949) 340-2602
MX: 011 +52 (314) 335-3207

Luxury Fractional Guide Website Adds Destination Clubs

BURLINGTON, Vt., May 17, 2005 -- LuxuryFractionalGuide.com (http://www.luxuryfractionalguide.com), the Internet's only comprehensive resource for locating all fractional properties, is pleased to announce that it is adding Destination Clubs to its extensive list of high-end, specialty properties. The site now features 23 Destination Clubs, allowing consumers to compare and contrast them side-by-side. With live links to each club website, consumers can easily gather all the information they need from one convenient starting point.

In keeping with its status as a consumer's resource, Luxury Fractional Guide (http://lfguide.com) will support those people looking for Destination Clubs with relevant articles and news bulletins. In addition, registered users have access to personalized answers for specific questions by industry expert Sherman Potvin.

A fast-growing phenomenon, Destination Clubs are extremely high-end private vacation memberships that allow access to a variety of multi-million-dollar homes throughout the world.
These homes are characterized by custom architecture, top interior design and superior location in the most desirable areas. They are designed to bring the consumer an unparalleled level of service and sophistication.

The addition of Destination Clubs represents Luxury Fractional Guide's ability and desire to stay flexible while responding to consumer needs. To emphasize this, the company is currently expanding and improving its listings for two other popular fractional products: Fractional Jets and Fractional Yachts.

Contact: Josh Potvin of Luxury Fractional Guide
Phone: 802-326-3177
E-mail: jpotvin@lfguide.com

CHERRY VALLEY LODGE OFFERS SAFETY DAY CAMP IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AMERICAN RED CROSS

Granville, Ohio - "Celebrate Safety," presented by Cherry Valley Lodge and the American Red Cross of Licking County, will be offered as part of Cherry Valley Lodge's Camp Cherry Berry activities. Slated for July 23 - 24, the camp is geared for kids ages 4-17, with Safety Camp activities and hands-on safety courses tailored for different age groups.

Kids ages 4-8 will learn water safety with lessons of Longfellow's Whale Tales, as a kid-friendly animated whale reinforces lessons with color posters, worksheets and activities. Ages 9-17 will learn the fundamentals of basic first aid. Instruction will include emergency action steps, when and how to call 911, rescue breathing, CPR, how to control bleeding and what to do if someone is choking. All ages will practice their water safety in the pool and enjoy some free-swimming time. Parents are invited to attend the closing ceremony where participants will be awarded special completion certificates.

"Celebrate Safety" camp will run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 23 and from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Sunday July 24, with kids and their families having the option to stay and swim with parental supervision until 3:00 p.m. on Sunday. The cost is $30 per child and includes all camp activities, lunch and snacks both days.

Families can make a weekend getaway out of the program by adding sleeping rooms starting at just $69 per night. Every weekend, Memorial Day through Labor Day, Camp Cherry Berry offers the ideal getaway for the entire family. The program gives parents a great opportunity to take part in the programs with their children, or they may choose to enjoy the amenities of the Lodge while their children participate in fun-filled supervised activities, each with a nominal fee.

Cherry Valley Lodge is a one-of-a-kind, 200-room resort-style lodge located in Licking County, Ohio, 25 miles east of Columbus. Cherry Berry Adventure Playground offers guests a host of one-of-a-kind family activities, including a mudslide, zip slide, Western play village, kids' garden, raft pond races and more. A dramatic soaring lobby with towering twin stone fireplaces and two beautifully landscaped central courtyards are among the many features of this 18- acre property, the nation's only hotel to be designated an official Arboretum and Botanical Garden. Visitors also enjoy indoor and outdoor pools, a game room and unusually large guestrooms with luxurious appointments. Reservations and consumer information are available (800) 788-8008 or online at www.cherryvalleylodge.com.

Comp or press rate trips, color art, video and additional media information available. Media contact Amy Weirick, (614) 848-8380 or via email at amy@WeirickCommunications.com.

For more information contact:
Weirick Communications, Inc.
7792 Olentangy River Road, Suite F-1
Columbus, Ohio 43235
Phone: (614) 848-8380
Fax: (614) 848-8387
news@weirickcommunications.com or
Amy Weirick: amy@weirickcommunications.com