The Ottawa Citizen from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • 68

G8 THE OTTAWA CITIZEN OTTAWACITIZEN.COMTRAVEL SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 200!) TRAVEL HOTEL OF THE WEEK I I vll nil hX. lit. i I 1 1 I .7 v. 4 earn i to 5,000 AER0PLAN MILES per member' 1 .1 1 RrVf ii 111' hr -Mm i PV'. 5V "A.Ni'uL" 0 VS' a 1 I'll PHOTOS COURTESY OF ENCORE The Encore casino is divided by curtains and architectural details to give a parlour-style, intimate feel to gaming areas.

Encore, encore This is the year I do i 1 'iTjr" 1 pMBtfllBg3 flWflttpBlpCW? SAVE UP TO $500 PER ROOM UP TO 2 NIGHTS FREE UP TO $250 RESORT CREDIT DOUBLE AEROPLAN MILES' $1649 TaifsS fees: $267 $2099 Taxes fees: SZ35 $2149 Jamaica Sandals Grande Ocho Rios Beach Villa Golf Resort Luxury Included8 Vacation Riviera deluxe rm. Apr. 4, tl 18 I wk. St. Lucia via Toronto Sandals Regency La Toe Golf Resort Spa in St.

Lucia Luxury Included9 Vacation La Toe premium rm. Mar. 28 29 I wk. Nassau via Toronto EARN 2,500 BONUS AEROPLAN MILES PER MEMBER' US S20O cash-back rebate on Air Motel packages at select resorts in NassauParadise Islancf Sandals Royal Bahamian Spa Resort Offshore Island Luxury Included8 Vacation Royal Village deluxe rm Apr. 1, 3 8 I wk.

i A Tf77k rill I rJ Grenada via Toronto II list i $1299 Taies fees: $1399 Grenada Grand Beach Resort 3 12 Breakfast Run of the house Mar. 22 29 1 wk. True Blue Bay Resort Villas 3 Continental breakfast True Blue standard rm. Mar. 22 29 I wk.

Every 7th night FREE 1 s- 1 Cuba Santa Clara Barceld Cayo Santa Maria 4 All-Inclusive Junior suite Mar. 15 I wk. $1339 Taxes fees: SZt2 Departure tax: 25 CUC cash, paid locally. hp $1499 Occidental Royal Hideaway Ensenachos 5 All-inclusive Royal Hideaway Spa Mar. 8.

22 29 I wk. FREE advance seat selection exclusive features Compliments of Air Canada Vacations New kid dazzles on Vegas Strip BY MONICA ZUROWSKI Behold the butterfly. As a symbol of beauty, good luck and transformation, it's a perfect choice as a theme for the newly opened Encore hotel and casino in Las Vegas. "I love the process of metamorphosis," explains Roger Thomas, the designer behind Encore. "Butterflies are also signs of beauty (and) harbingers of good luck," notes Thomas, who had been intrigued by chrysalis creations for some time and had been sketching them in his idea book.

"I'm convinced we haven't seen all the butterflies in the world yet," he says, poetically. "Each time we see one, it is unique each is beautiful in its own way. "Steve was captivated by this idea." Steve Wynn is the owner of several hotels and casinos, including Encore, and the Las Vegas entrepreneur is something of a specialist in metamorphosis himself. It was Wynn who revolutionized Vegas from neon glitz to regal ritz, with his dramatic renovation of the Golden Nugget, followed by the openings of the Mirage in 1989 and Treasure Island in 1993. By the time Wynn unveiled Bellagio in 1998, the 99-cent shrimp cocktail was moving into the annals of Las Vegas history and the city began taking its place as a leader in gourmet dining, superb shopping and sophisticated entertainment.

Encore opened five weeks ago and has emerged as one of the hottest properties on the Vegas Strip. Next door is Wynn Las Vegas, which opened in 2005; Encore has been described as the Wynn's dazzling, younger sister. Encore boasts more than 2,000 rooms, but the main structure is divided in two one side housing more than 1,700 resort rooms and the other side housing about 235 tower suites, ideal for royalty, rock stars, the rich and those who just like to be treated like royalty. If you visit Encore and opt for a room instead of a suite, don't despair. The spacious rooms are pretty swank, with floor-to-ceiling windows, incredible views, sublime decor and the biggest flat-screen TVs standard in any American hotel room.

Exceptional decor is the norm throughout the hotel. The butterflies are seen in the swirl of a colourful carpet, in brightly tiled mosaics on the floor and in dazzling Swarovski masterpieces on the wall, each adorned with hundreds of crystals in 14 shades of red, pink and or- 1 Tares Departure tar 25 CUC cash, pad totally. Liberia I Costa Rica Allegro Papaqayo 3 12 All-Inclusive Superior rm. Feb. 26.

28. Mar. 5 7 1 wk. Departure tax: Please $1399 Taxes fees: S183 2b CUC cash, paid locally, fld $75 for Sat. departure $1599 Taxes fees: S183 26 CUC cash, paid locally.

add $75 for Sat. departure Occidental Grand Papagayo 4 12 All-Inclusive Deluxe rm. Feb. 26. 28, Mar.

5 5 7 I wk. Taxes fees: $183 Departure tax: 26 CUC cash, paid locally. Please add $75 for Sat departure Hotel guru Steve Wynn continues to set new standards for hotel-casinos, as seen with the opening of Encore in Las Vegas. SuperClubs- EARN 5,000 BONUS AEROPLAN MILES PER MEMBER" If you go Jamaica Hedonism II 3 12 Super Inclusive8 Garden view rm. Apr.

4, II 5 18 1 wk. $1599 Taxes i fees: $267 $1599 Hedonism lll 3 12 Super-Inclusive8 Pool view rm. Apr. 4, tl 5 18 1 wk. Where: Las Vegas Strip Cost: $259 to $900 a night Contacts: www.encorelasvegas.com or 1-877-321-9966 Aruba via Toronto Bucuti Beach Resort '4 Breakfast Superior rm.

Mar. 15, 21. 22, 28 29 1 wk. $2429 rjifslteCT $3229 Occidental Grand Aruba 4 12 All-Inclusive Royal Club luxury oceanview rm. Mar.

15, 21, 22, 28 5 29 I wk. Executive Class service from only $299 extra7 ensure its dining offerings were second to none. For starters, Steve Wynn hired world-class executive chefs to run the hotel's five restaurants and he ensured they do more than just hang their names on the door. All the chefs are in house nightly, running their kitchens and cooking. The standard of fresh seafood-is so important that there's a marine biologist on staff to take care of tanks of shellfish.

Wynn has also found another way to put a new twist on dining. In one of the hotel restaurants, called Switch, the ceiling, wall panels and lighting changes every 20 to 25 minutes, bringing a performance aspect to dining. Wynn and his wife Elaine, who live in a private residence at the resort, say they are dedicated to making the guest experience the best it can be and they interact with visitors regularly. CANWEST NEWS SERVICE SuperClubs- GRENADA A miiimiiirrlTl uATiuiniM IIQUB HtixMiiy.t ange. Elsewhere in the hotel, highlights include crystal peacocks, intricate ironwork, designer chairs, red chandeliers inspired by the swirl of a woman's skirt and a spa that's luxurious and lush In the esplanade between the Encore and Wynn hotels, Chanel, and Hermes are members of the exclusive group that have set up shop.

Also sitting between the hotels are two theatres. One features Le Reve, a water extravaganza that's become one of the best shows on the strip, while the other is about to become the new home of Vegas star Danny Gans. Encore also worked hard to aircanadavacations.com Calll 866 529-2079 or your travel agent Prices this are valid for bootinqs made between Feb t8 inclusive Prices are per ranon based on double occupancy, unless otherwise stated, from mm MacdonaiKartier miematwrat Ajroort New bwkirvp orty Subject to mtaWity. Not applicable lo ooup booinqt Se prices reflect appkattfe reductions are subject to change wttftout notice and cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion, iiqhts operated by hr Canada. For applicable lerms and conditions, consult If Air Canada Vacations brochures.

Ontario registration IW013537 'Aesopian tties are Ml actual mtn. but points towards rewards ncludmq travel rewards Unless otherwise indicated. Aeropian Mites indicated are Based on rouodtnp Economy class per passemjer from Ottawa to Grenada via foronlo. are awarded on Ihqrrt inclusive travef only and are per eroplan member for the amount of Aerootan M-ies thai can be earned when flying to other destinations, visit www aircanadavacations.com. For terms and conditions of the Aerooian program, consult wwwaeropian com.

Wer cannot be combined with any other Aeroplan Miles olln Earn 5000 bonus Acfoplan Miles if booting is made Between Feb i im for travel from Mar i and June KW9 dfbrtly Cruises ltd snips' registry the Bananas and Ecuador. Wottand Amenca stups' registry- Hie frwrlands.farri500boous Aerootan kh if twokmq is nwtfe twtHwn Ji feifrt SAW for trawl twtwwn I and pr 1 3Q Ww waM Pw torw)s inade by Mar rV09 fw tra tTOT Jaa 31AJ9 and competl ovOec WBIackttfreAprrVW.HarnSOOObofflHitern Aeropian is a registered trademark of Aeropian Canada inc. Hir Canada vacations isa registered trademark of Air Canada, wed under license by fouram Limited PartnersfMp, Malhevon Blvd. East. Mississauga ON.

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