* TAKE TO THE WATER
A gondola ride through Venice is considered a major tourist faux pas these days, thanks to a rash of bad press for the gondolier, whom many visitors now see as nothing more than a cell-phone chatting, tobacco-chewing, scowl-sporting con artist with his hand in your pocket. Smart gondolieri are fighting back, though: The new Hilton Molino Stucky Venice is partnering with law-school-grad-turned- gondolier GiovanniGiudece to provide entertaining three-hour insider tours of the city’s canals, including a brief rowing lesson (inquire with the hotel concierge, +39 041 522 1267; hilton.com).
* C+A, 2GETHA 4 EVA
The Sam-and-Diane love affair between Canada and America is always fun. We push, they pull. They zig, we zag. But deep down we love each other like crazy. Continental Airlines is bringing our inevitable first hookup even closer with its new Newark-to-Mont Tremblant daily service, launching December 14. Mont Tremblant, in Quebec’s Laurentian mountains, is considered by many to be the best hill in the northeast, on either side of the border. Seasonal service only, available through April 5 (continental.com).
* SOL TO SHINE IN AFRICA
Zanzibar- the Indian Ocean archipelago which likely holds the record for most cheesy night-clubs named in its honor – is about to join the short list of destinations with an exclusive One&Only resort. Sol Kerzner’s luxury brand (he’s the Atlantis honcho, in case you didn’t know)will be flying its flag on a $150 million property to be built on the Tanzanian territory’s Muyuni Beach by 2009 (oneandonlyresorts.com).
* WYNN SOME, LOSE SOME
Macauthe new Las Vegas?Maybe some day, but the giants who rushed to open in the Chinese special administrative region are feeling a little humbled lately – last week, Wynn stock plummeted 10% after news that gaming revenue at their year-old Macanese resort only jumped by 55%, not 75%, as he had overconfidently predicted. But misery loves company: rival Las Vegas Sands Corp recently reported similarly disappointing news.
reported by Chris Bunting and David Landsel