Tickets from London and Ashford to top ski destinations now on saleStarting December 19th 2010, Eurostar will offer a direct route from St. Pancras International in London, and Ashford International station in Kent, to the French Alps, calling at Moûtiers, Aime-La-Plagne and Bourg St Maurice.

Eurostar says the service will offer easy access to a variety of top ski destinations, including Courchevel, La Plagne, Tignes, Meribel and Les Arcs, making the trip convenient by arriving at stations located a short bus ride from main resorts, avoiding potentially lengthy transfers to and from the airport. Read more

Leading hotelier Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has announced the signing of a new hotel due to open in London’s revived docklands area, in time for the London Olympics.

The hotel will be the latest in its Aloft brand. The Aloft London ExCel will be located at the exhibition and convention centre, ExCel London, and the 252 room property will no doubt be a popular base for those attending the many property and holiday exhibitions at ExCel.

A Starwood spokesperson said it had been created to “shake up the staid, traditional select service segment of the hotel industry”. Famous for its “Heavenly Bed” promotions, the hotelier is a big industry player with a boutique hotel sensibility and philosophy. Touches such as Egyptian cotton towels, high quality pillows and “heavenly bed” mattresses are part of the Starwood/Westin Hotels & Resorts experience and its vacation ownership residences in the Virgin Islands, Mexico, California and Colorado reflect how timeshare has become synonymous with luxury. Read more

2010 marks some important milestones in timeshare.  As the shared ownership industry celebrates decades of success,  there’s more to look forward to, as Fiona Klonarides reports

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What makes a good idea great? Some are sparked by necessity, others take off when the time is right, and the best ideas in the holiday industry are based on meeting – preferably exceeding – the needs of the consumer.

Not so long ago we all lived and breathed “a place in the sun.” We were busy buying villas in Vilamoura, doing up farmhouses in the Dordogne, transforming derelict barns in scenic locations into rustic-chic holiday homes. But grey economic clouds started hovering overhead and turned a threatening shade of charcoal. Suddenly, the idea of pouring money into “grand designs” or saddling oneself with a second home mortgage for a place likely to lie empty (pelted by French winter rain) felt a bit burdensome.

Fast-forward to 2010. As the sun breaks through those clouds, property bargains abound and a taste of the good life beckons in emerging, untapped destinations. And in Europe, an American holiday concept over 30 years old is coming of age: timeshare and its younger relative fractional ownership - both immensely popular in the US and ingrained in the American lifestyle - are enjoying a renaissance this side of the pond. Read more

A certain Mr. Michael O’Leary will be celebrating this week. The controversial Ryanair boss has announced full-year profits of €319 million after tax, following a not so great  year in 2009.

Ryanair said passenger numbers were up 14% to 67 million in the year to March, while airfares fell 13%.  In an announcement on Ryanair.com, Michael O’Leary says principal highlights of the past year include:  Read more

Hyatt are set to make a splash in Amsterdam when their brand new Andaz Amsterdam Hotel on the elegant Prinsengracht canal opens in 2012. It will be the first Andaz-branded hotel property on the European mainland and parent company Hyatt Hotels & Resorts’ first hotel in the Netherlands.

The hotel will be developed by Aedes Real Estate, a subsidiary of the Hyatt group and Wanders will oversee the entire interior design. Hyatt couldn’t have chosen a better location: guests will enjoy firsthand views of the canal from their sought-after address in the characterful Jordaan district and all the cafés, art galleries, boutiques and many of the city’s main attractions, including Anne Frank’s house, are within easy walking distance. Read more

Timeshare owners who love the good life will like what St. Lucia’s luxury resort Cap Maison has to offer. The resort affiliated with Interval International last month.

Recipient of the Condé Nast Johansens 2010 Most Excellent Hotel Award (Atlantic, Caribbean and Pacific) the exclusive boutique resort www.capmaison.com also made the Condé Nast Traveler Hot List 2009.

The heavenly hideaway lies on the estate of a former sugar plantation on an ocean bluff above secluded Smugglers Cove Beach in Cap Estate - it even has its own yacht for private tours around the island. Read more

Timeshare is almost 50 years old, but contrary to popular belief it all started in Switzerland, not the US. It’s an industry that continues to evolve, GoTimeshare's Fiona Klonarides reports. Read more

This year's event promises to be one of the best yet, with keynote speaker Stephen J. Cloobeck, Chairman and CEO of Diamond Resorts International and Ramy Filo, President of ATHOC (the Australian Timeshare and Holiday Ownership Council) both confirmed for the UK conference.

Two of the industry's top names will attend the 2010 TATOC conference, entitled “Working Together”, at the Nottingham Belfry from Friday, March 26 to Sunday March 28. The organisers expect an exceptional turnout and the event is an opportunity for timeshare owners to network with industry executives. Read more

Worldwide timeshare holiday exchange network Interval International recently surveyed a sample of US members from its membership database. The results are very positive, indicating that the vast majority are satisfied with their timeshare membership while a third are actively contemplating buying even more vacation time. Read more