tcook052

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/031229/to200_1.html

TORONTO, Dec. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Inc. ("FHR")(TSX/NYSE: FHR) today announced that it has entered into an agreement to manage Florida's renowned Turnberry Isle Resort & Club. With the closing of the transaction today, FHR has entered into a long-term management agreement with New York- based Macro Capital Limited to manage the resort under FHR's luxury Fairmont brand as of January 1, 2004. The property will be flagged "The Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club, Miami, Florida" on January 30, 2004.

"Fairmont has a strong presence in the North American resort market and we have been actively seeking strategic growth opportunities to expand this portfolio. Finding the right property in south Florida has been a top priority given this destination's strength in the group meetings market, which is a critical business segment for Fairmont," said William R. Fatt, FHR's Chief Executive Officer.

Continued Mr. Fatt, "With its 25,000 square foot spa, extensive meeting facilities and two signature championship golf courses, Turnberry Isle Resort & Club is a perfect fit with our current resort portfolio and provides the brand with a strong presence in the Florida market. We look forward to working with our partner to further strengthen the quality and performance of the property."

About Turnberry Isle Resort & Club

This 300-acre Mediterranean-style resort is located in Florida's exclusive enclave of Aventura, within 30 minutes of the Miami International Airport and 20 minutes from Ft. Lauderdale. Turnberry Isle Resort & Club offers 392 guestrooms and nine restaurants and lounges, including award- winning "The Veranda", recognized by the Zagat Guide as "Miami's Best Gourmet Dining Experience". The resort features a 25,000 square foot spa opened in 2001, 45,000 square feet of conference and banquet facilities, and extensive on-site golf and tennis facilities, including two signature 18-hole championship golf courses designed by world famous golf course architect, Robert Trent Jones, Sr. In addition, guests and club members have access to the private Ocean Club on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, and a full service marina, located on the Intracoastal Waterway.

About Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Inc.

FHR is one of North America's leading owner/operators of luxury hotels and resorts. FHR's managed portfolio consists of 82 luxury and first-class properties with more than 32,000 guestrooms in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Bermuda, Barbados and the United Arab Emirates. It holds an 83.5% controlling interest in Fairmont Hotels & Resorts ("Fairmont"), North America's largest luxury hotel management company, as measured by rooms under management. Fairmont manages 42 distinctive city center and resort hotels such as The Fairmont San Francisco, The Fairmont Banff Springs, Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac and The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. FHR also holds a 100% interest in Delta Hotels, Canada's largest first-class hotel management company, which manages and franchises a portfolio of 39 city center and resort properties in Canada. In addition to hotel management, FHR holds real estate interests in 24 properties, two large undeveloped land blocks and an approximate 35% investment interest in Legacy Hotels Real Estate Investment Trust, which owns 24 properties.

FA_COR_YYZ

This offer just got posted on Travelzoo. The Fairmont Turnberry Isle in Aventura (between MIA and FLL) has a rate of $139 U.S. available until the end of September. There are a few blackout dates but not many.

As an added bonus, they're offering a 50% discount on green fees on their 2 championship courses.

Details:
http://hotels.travelzoo.com/florida-hotels/197875

eastcoastcan

My wife and I stayed here for 3 nights after our honeymoon cruise. It was the perfect way to end the honeymoon (nearby shopping, restaurants and the beach club). We loved the pool which was relaxed and the service was good.

I used a suite upgrade certificate and a "buy 2 get 1 night free" coupon from my premier package (now platinum, too bad we weren't then!). We asked for a Jasmine Suite as they are newer and larger, but the first night they had us in an older suite in the Orchid (I think that is the name) wing. After moving to the HUGE Jasmine suite, we realized that we like the other, smaller and older, suite better for just 2 of us. The Jasmine suite was sparse and the TV was on one wall, with the couch all the way in the other corner. hah, we had to drag the couch over just to be able to watch TV. I suspect as platinum we would have gotten a "Tower Suite", which looked quite nice.

Staff was nice, except for a horrible waiter during breakfast one morning. We were so annoyed that we just grabbed some fruit from a nearby grocery store so that we wouldn't have to bother with them the next 2 mornings. Supper at "The Verandah" was nice, the food was a good value, but were there on a slower night and they seemed a little disorganized.

We ate the next evening at "The Grill" - the golf course restaurant. It was laid back, very nice and very well priced.

A welcome fruit dish (4 or 5 apples/oranges) was delivered on arrival, and a bottle of champagne was in the room on our last night (would have made more sense on the first night?) along with some chocolate covered strawberries.

We had a 5am wakeup call to go to the airport and when we didn't pickup after the second call (we were just too dazed to figure out the call was coming on another line) they sent up two nice guys to ring the doorbell and make sure we got up.

If you plan to go to downtown Miami from the hotel, just take a taxi. We thought we would take the bus for some reason (there was an "express" bus listed, but it was not express) and ended up spending and hour on the bus going in to the city. There really isn't anything to see in Miami, for us at least, so it was a boring trip. Time at the pool would have been better spent. I guess that is the point of a resort after all.

We didn't go into the Willow Stream Spa either even though we could have had free access. It looked very nice from the outside, but we just never got around to it.

We would definitely go back, and my wife said that she would have even preferred to have just gone to Turnberry Isle for a longer period of time and skipped the cruise... Not that the cruise wasn't great, but Turnberry Isle is that great.

Lagunagirl

I have an upcoming stay at this property for one week starting April 9th.

We are booked in a dlx dbl, the 700 sq ft room, in the Hibiscus building. I have requested a pool view on a lower floor, preferably ground floor with walk out to the pool. My 10 year-old wants quick pool access.


Has anyone stayed here since the recent renovations? Would another building be more suited to our needs? Is this near any convention activity?

All opinions appreciated. Thx.

Louise

eastcoastcan

I was there last June, wanted to be there this March, but a combination of high rates and my newfound distaste for fairmont, I didn't go.

That said -- What a place! I loved it there. The regular rooms are huge and well appointed, some of the suites I have been in are literally too big in my opinion.

April isn't quite convention season for Turnberry, at least I don't think it is, shoulder season seems to be when they have more of them.

The ground floor of the west wing closest to the pool is where the convention facilities are, so you would probably be close.

robin

I've heard (unconfirmed) that one of the golf courses is being re-seeded. I"m going to spend my time at Willow Stream - the hotel spa!

Lagunagirl

Yes , you are right about the golf course.

I had a call yesterday from Fairmont advising me that only one of their golf courses would be operating and if I wanted to play I should book in advance.

I dutifully informed my husband. Me, I'll be at the pool.

Lagunagirl

Robin,

Forgot to ask you which building you'll be staying in and if you know anything else about the property?

Also, thx eastcoastcan, for your earlier input.

Louise

MFM

I have a certificate for a free bottle of wine at Bourbon Steak at the Fairmont with the purchase of two entrees that I won't be using. It expires September 30,2009. I will mail it to the first person that PMs me.

MFM

the certicate is gone

llbean

Thinking about staying at this resort soon or make the trip to Acapulco...

Can anyone tell me a bit about this resort..the reviews are a bit mixed and outdated...

Is it a nice property with a 1 bedroom suite?

Is the beach nice...I realize you need to take a shuttle to get there...


Any opinions welcome.

Thanks

Ancien Maestro

We stayed there for a week and it was a very nice property. This was about 4 years ago and they were undergoing some renovations at the time. The one bedroom suites are nice, I would request a renovated suite though, as we were shown a few before they got a renovated suite for us.

Miami has a Willowstream and pretty nice setup.. although not like Sonoma, Banff, Mayakoba where there is spa access, from what I remember the facility was world class, multi level with spiral stair case. Nice pool, great golf course view, excellent restaurants.. I would go for the bed and breakfast, as breakfast is expensive there to begin with. Or find a screaming deal on a package, rather than opting for one offs. If you golf, then naturally you've got to get a round or two in at Turnberry.

Beach is a drive.. they shuttle to the local shopping mall. Walked the facility at the beach but didn't use it. Should be nice, or try one of the beaches down the street. Remember Turnberry, doesn't front the ocean, but apparently, Turnberry is a great destination for PGA tourneys.

Personally, we aren't planning to get back there anytime soon.. with two little ones, they go ga ga over Disney, and last couple trips to Florida we've ended up in Orlando. Any word yet, if there will be a Fairmont Disney? Fairmont would clean house especially with a hotel on the resort.

tcook052

A question about this Fairmont: how close is it to Fort Lauderdale to catch a cruise I have booked in January? The hotel's description says it's 20 minutes south of FLL but sometimes such estimates are inaccurate so does anyone have first-hand knowledge of the transit time and approx. price for taxi?

Thanks.

Ancien Maestro

I assume you're staying at Turnberry.. my doctor buddy just booked 2 rooms at Turnberry on Manual NFAF.. with my help of course and he mentioned to me that he was taking a taxi to catch his cruise ship in Sept 2010.. about 20 minutes (assuming no traffic). Call Turnberry concierge, and they should have the low down.

tcook052

Yes, cruising on Holland America. I'm arriving so late into FLL, around 23:45 or so, that my arrival night is shot but since the ship doesn't sail until 5pm the next day thought I could relax at least in the a.m. and not have to leave until around 1pm. The distance though make me want to just stay somewhere closer to the pier for such a short stay but thought I'd ask for any input past guests might have.