Kirker expands its Italian collection - numerous new properties for 2013

Nov. 30, 2012 - PRLog -- Lovers of ‘La Dolce Vita’ need look no further than specialist tour operator Kirker Holidays’ latest selection of short breaks and tailor-made itineraries to help them plan their next visit to Italy. Designed, as ever, with the discerning traveller in mind, Kirker’s dedicated brochure features a tempting selection of city, coast and countryside destinations for 2013, as well as hand-picked accommodation in the Italian Lakes and on the islands of Capri, Ischia, Sardinia and Sicily.

Experienced in creating sublime Italian escapes for over 26 years, Kirker’s expert team will assemble all the essential elements of a single or multi-centre holiday - with rail or private transfers - adding personal touches such as local guides, restaurant reservations and opera or ballet tickets to put together an unforgettable itinerary. Many of Kirker’s city break packages include welcome added extras, too. Enjoy water taxi transfers and guaranteed entrance to the Doge’s Palace, Guggenheim or Accademia during a visit to Venice, tickets to the Uffizi Gallery in Florence and, in Rome, choose from entrance to either the Villa Borghese or the Vatican Museum & Sistine Chapel.

New for 2013, Kirker has added numerous lovely properties to its popular Italy programme:

•VENICE: Opening in December 2012, the four-star deluxe Ai Reali promises some of the largest and most elegant bedrooms in the city, each filled with original features and sumptuous furnishings. Guests will also appreciate the charming courtyard garden, spa and gastronomic restaurant with adjoining ‘kindergarden’, where parents can leave their children to be fed and entertained while they enjoy a romantic dinner. Three nights are from £639 pp*.

Also joining Kirker’s accommodation selection in the city for 2013 is the recently-refurbished, four-star deluxe Splendid Venice hotel, a contemporary property set conveniently between St Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge that offers cosy public areas, extremely comfortable beds and irresistibly well-appointed bathrooms.
Three nights are from £648 pp*.

Venice’s iconic Gritti Palace hotel (five-star deluxe) makes a welcome return early next year. Due to reopen in February following a 15-month restoration programme, this stunning 15th century palace epitomises luxurious escape – with magnificent antique furnishings, extensive lounges decorated in the Grand Venetian style and a wonderful restaurant with terrace on the Grand Canal - whilst being a mere ten-minute stroll from St Mark’s Square.  Three nights are from £949 pp*.

Why not combine a short break in Venice with a trip on the iconic Venice Simplon-Orient-Express? The perfect way to celebrate a special occasion in style, travel in sumptuous comfort on the legendary train, enjoying a luxurious private cabin, exquisite meals served in the stylish dining car and private water taxi transfer to the hotel on arrival.

•VERONA: Opened earlier this year, the four-star deluxe Palazzo Victoria stands a short walk from the Roman Arena, home to the world-famous Verona Opera Festival which runs from 14 June to 8 September 2013. Allow Kirker to create a sublime city break that includes tickets for one or more of the performances, or combine a short stay in Verona with a few days on the shores of nearby Lake Garda or several of the other Italian Lakes. Three nights are from £498 pp*.

•LAKE GARDA: Set on the northernmost shore of Lake Garda, the small town of Riva del Garda is just one and a half hours from Verona by road, and linked by ferries to the rest of the lake. Boasting a private beach, indoor and outdoor swimming pools and spectacular views, the five-star Du Lac et Du Parc is a superb spot from which to explore the area as well as enjoy activities such as sailing and tennis. Three nights are from £898 pp*.

•TUSCANY & UMBRIA: Famous for its thermal, restorative waters, Montecatini Terme is a new destination for Kirker next year. Situated half-way between Pisa and Florence, this is an ideal stopover for anyone heading into rural Tuscany. Stay at the four-star Torretta, an excellent family-run hotel just a short walk from the Parco del Terme with a shady, walled garden that conceals a lovely swimming pool and Jacuzzi. Three nights are from £498 pp*.

Sister hotel to Alain Ducasse’s luxurious L’Andana hotel, the four-star superior Casa Badiola offers an attractive, affordable alternative to its celebrated stable mate. Located in the unspoilt Maremma region of southern Tuscany, Casa Badiola shares facilities with L’Andana and is a particularly appealing option for families. Each of the 14 rooms has its own kitchenette and a balcony or garden, whilst shared use of the swimming pool, a kids’ club, golf practice course and close proximity to sandy beaches are sure to prove popular with all. Three nights are from £739 pp*.

Opened in 2012, Castello la Leccia (four-star superior) enjoys a spectacular elevated position amid vineyards and olive groves, with panoramic views of the Val d’Elsa that take in Siena, San Gimignano and the Alps. Relax in one of 12 large and elegant suites, each with its own separate sitting area, cool off in the summer swimming pool and sip delicious Chianti Classico – produced on the estate – by the hotel’s Italian Garden. Three nights are from £698 pp.

In Mugello - a valley of rolling countryside, forests and vineyards - lies Villa Le Maschere. This five-star deluxe property is the impressive result of a five-year restoration that has preserved many original features, effortlessly combined with contemporary design throughout. Enjoy delicious regional cuisine in the hotel restaurant, indulgent treatments in the extensive spa and a complimentary shuttle that takes guests to nearby Florence. Three nights are from £639 pp*.

The beautiful former monastery of Nun Assisi Relais, now a five-star hotel, enjoys a delightfully quiet setting on one of the highest points of Assisi’s historical centre. Blending authentic features such as exposed stone walls, frescoes and vaulted ceilings with minimalist design, the hotel also boasts a subterranean spa built into the ruins of a 1st century Roman amphitheatre. Three nights are from £798 pp*.

Also new to Kirker’s programme for 2013 is the five-star deluxe Relais Todini outside Todi, a perfectly-preserved hill town, 30 miles south of Perugia. This is Umbria’s most luxurious countryside hotel, an elegant 14th century manor house approached via a sweeping, cypress tree-lined drive that provides discerning guests with wonderful panoramic views, a fine restaurant and activities ranging from cooking and wine tasting to hiking and mountain biking. Three nights are from £698 pp*.

Whether travelling to Italy for a short break or a main holiday, for a special occasion or simply just to kick back and escape from the everyday, in these financially-straitened times, a special offer is always of interest. Kirker’s 2013 Italy brochure is packed with added value including free night offers at some of the country’s most characterful hotels. For example:

•In Venice, stay three nights for the price of two at the four-star superior Palazzo Sant’Angelo, from £596 pp* – a saving of £98 pp (selected dates only).
•In Rome, stay three nights for the price of two at the four-star deluxe D’Inghilterra, from £689 pp* – a saving of £180 pp (selected dates only).
•On Lake Como, stay four nights for the price of three at the four-star superior Albergo Terminus, from £698 pp – a saving of £98 pp (selected dates only).

*Prices are based on two sharing and include flights (London – regional departures available on request), private transfers or hire car (water taxi transfers in Venice), accommodation with breakfast, and the services of the Kirker Concierge to book expert local guides or a table for dinner.

For further information, to discuss a tailor-made itinerary or to hear about the latest special offers, contact Kirker Holidays on 020 7593 2283 or visit http://www.kirkerholidays.com.  

Ends / 30 November 2012    

Press: Contact Karen Carpenter at Travel PR on 020 8891 4440 or email k.carpenter@travelpr.co.uk.
At Kirker Holidays, please contact Ted Wake, Sales & Marketing Director, on 020 7593 2281.