The foodie tourism travel niche continues to grow, and suppliers around the world are catering—pardon the pun—to your clients with new and delicious offers. Take a peek at what you can book to make unforgettable memories for your favorite travelers.
Park Hyatt Kyoto, Japan
Japan is known for its beautiful ceremonies, and Park Hyatt Kyoto has recently launched several choice gastronomic experiences for its guests at the Sanso Kyoyamato restaurant. Located in the hotel’s traditional garden, the restaurant is steeped in history and tradition. The new experiences include a traditional tea ceremony—a must in Kyoto—a dinner with a geisha dance performance (six courses including seasonal appetizers, soup, sashimi and more; this experience is limited to a single pair of guests each day) and lunch, also a six-course meal followed by a casual tea ceremony.
Reservations are needed one week in advance (two for dinner with geisha performance) and cancellation fees apply.
For more information, visit hyatt.com.
Whiskey for the Win
High-end whiskey connoisseurs are having a moment. Clients booked in Scotland’s Fife Arms can indulge in their new Whiskey Afternoon Tea event held on Saturdays and Sundays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. This includes four whiskey pairings with delicious small treats like peanut shard, dark chocolate and mushroom truffle and muscovado cake. The hotel has also recently debuted its own limited-edition, 14-year-old single-malt Scotch Whiskey. Of note: the hotel’s bar, Bertie’s Bar, named after King Edward VII, offers over 265 whiskies, most from Scotland and some from distilleries no longer in service, so your client will be able to sip a different one each day of their stay.
For more information, visit thefifearms.com.
In Ireland, independent whiskey maker JJ Corry has a new collaboration with County Clare’s Dromoland Castle to learn about the forgotten art of “whiskey bonding” during an exclusive tour with the brand’s CEO. Book your clients on a stay in this historic accommodation and they will be able to create a custom blend—even dipping the bottle in wax with their own hands so they can take it home.
For more information, visit dromoland.ie.
A whiskey experience of an entirely different kind can happen when it’s aboard the Royal Scotsman, a Belmond Train. Book clients on this four-day itinerary round-trip from Edinburgh with stops in Keith, Kyle of Lochalsh, Boat of Garten and Dundee, and they’ll enjoy a private tour of the famous Benromach Distillery, visit the Rothiemurchus Estate and indulge in a single-cask whiskey tasting with a Whiskey Ambassador. This also comes with a one-year Scotch Malt Whiskey Society membership and a stop in their headquarters.
For more information, visit belmond.com.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Steakhouse Experience
Regent Seven Seas Cruises has unveiled a reimagined version of its luxury dining-at-sea experience, Prime 7, to debut on Seven Seas Grandeur. The line’s newest ship will set sail in November of this year. Clients booked on this exceptional upscale cruise will have access to many a gourmet experience, but this particular restaurant was designed with them in mind. The redesign “alludes to a bygone era of New York City’s gentlemen industrialists” with residential touches like Persian carpets and residential-style lighting. The menu contains guest-favorite classics, such as Black Angus Beef steak tartare with truffle-beer bread and steaks dry-aged 28 days, whole Maine lobster, New Zealand lamb chops and more. Of note: your culinary clients will enjoy Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Epicurean Perfection program that comes with Epicurean Indulgence and Epicurean Enrichment experiences that include hands-on cooking classes. The line also offers Epicurean Spotlight Voyages specifically created for these niche travelers.
For more information, visit rssc.com.
Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancun All-Inclusive Spa Resort
Summer 2023 is around the corner with three new eateries at the AAA Five-Diamond Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancun All-Inclusive Spa Resort. If you know the hotel, the restaurants now occupy the 40,000 sq. ft. of space that was once the retail area. It’s just off the main lobby, connected by a glass elevator. These restaurants are in addition to the resort’s already varied offers. The new additions are Havanna, an Argentinian Mexican Style Steak House; Tuscany, an elegant Italian Ristorante, serving a traditional Tuscan menu; and Torii, with Asian-Fusion cuisine.
Havanna pairs its menu with nightly tango shows, turning into a nightclub at night. Tuscany will feature live Tenors and a menu that pays homage to the Italian countryside and its culinary delights. At Torii, clients will enjoy a la carte, Teppanyaki takbes and a sushi bar—and their own kind of show, like Japanese drum ceremonies, a traditional Chinese lion dance or a sake ritual.
For more information, visit coralbeachcancunresort.com.
AREA15 Opens Kaia Handroll
Known for its off-the-wall special effects and truly immersive art, AREA15 has recently debuted a new restaurant to add to its already wide variety of eateries. As its name implies, Kaia Handroll will feature handroll selections with unique specialties like lobster truffle, blue crab and Bluefin tuna. Your clients with more selective palates will be pleased to know they have vegetarian options as well as the classics. The menu features seasonal sashimi and twists like Japanese Caesar salad with a furikake-parm crisp and plenty of to-go items. In true AREA15 form, the restaurant will have AI-generated artwork. It will have countertop bar seating and artsy décor.
For more information, visit area15.com.
Halepuna Waikiki by Halekulani Opens New Eatery
This boutique hotel, steps from Hawaii’s famed Waikiki Beach, is debuting its new flagship restaurant, UMI by Vikram Garg, with an “Ocean’s Harvest” menu that’s an ode to underwater abundance. The restaurant will serve breakfast and dinner, including le chariot tableside services and a signature bespoke Chef’s Table.
The breakfast menu is as unexpected as it is tasty, with unusual dishes such as UMI fried rice with seafood, bacon and koshihikari rice and a Mai Tai pancake with caramelized pineapple and rum-coconut essence. Not your usual bacon and eggs. For dinner, clients can look for a la carte deliciousness such as the scallops with foie gras gyoza and kabocha or, for those seeking even more refined palate-pleases, there are seasonal chef-tasting menus like The UMI Menu, The Curry Dinner or The Waikiki Menu.
The restaurant also doubles as an art space, with custom-designed pieces by Halepuna’s guest resident artist, Taiji Terasaki.
For more information, visit halepuna.com.
