Europe & Beyond

The Jane – from $99 a night

The Jane is a hot hotel in a hot district, and the bar was so hot that it reportedly had to close because the neighbours complained about the noise. Nevermind though, there are plenty of fashionable watering holes in the West Village and bordering Meatpacking District.

The hotel opened after an imaginative refurbishment in July 2009 and bills itself as a “200-room micro hotel for young travellers with more dash than cash”. The budget bit means you’ll save money on accommodation, but the cheapest rooms require that you share a bathroom, albeit a modern clean, spacious bathroom with rainsoak showerheads and huge sinks.

The bedrooms are wonderful – inspired by luxury train cabins, with lots of storage on period-style rails and hooks and tucked under the beds, which stretch wall to wall with sheets tucked neatly around comfortable mattresses. Rooms also have televisions, air conditioning, large mirrors, windows that open, fans, ipod docks and free wifi.

The lobby is where the theatrical experience starts – a former ballroom, its is divided by huge columns and crowned with elegant plasterwork and a marble fountain.

The adjoining Cafe Gitane does a wonderful North African-inspired breakfast and will soon be open for dinner and evening drinks. The hotel owners also plan to restore a hand-tiled swimming pool and sauna in the basement.

Rooms start at $99 a night for shared bathroom.

113 Jane Street, New York, NY 10014

www.thejanenyc.com

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

The 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be the first race ever held at Yas Marina Circuit and also the final race of the Formula One season. Due to be held October/Novemeber the final touches are being made to the worlds newest Formula 1 racetrack which will run across desert, sea and even through the exclusive hotel resorts.

The inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will take place on the newly constructed Yas Marina Circuit and promises to be an incredible experience with the race running during day and night – the first day/night formula 1 race.

Flights to Abu Dhabi

The Abu Dhabi grand Prix is sponsored by the UAE national airline Etihad who fly to Abu Dhabi International Airport from all over the world.  The airport is 15 minutes drive from Yas Marina (the race venue) and Etihad are taking advance bookings for flights to Abu Dhabi.

Etihad operates one of youngest and most environmentally efficient fleets in the world – doing their bit for the climate and global warming. Etihad recently placed huge orders at for the latest state of the art planes at the Farnborough airshow and it is hoped these will be joining the fleet to bring visitors to the Grand Prix.

It is worth checking if there are any package deals to include your flight to Abu Dhabi, tickets to the Grand Prix and accomodation – you never know you might even get to stay in one of the most remarkable hotels to be ever built – the Yas Hotel

Yas hotel

The Yas Hotel is like no other hotel built.

Individuality and excitement are the cornerstones of everything.  No expense has been spared to make this spectacular building one of the world’s most desirable destinations for business and leisure

Within the Marina Circuit development are many luxury hotels – demostrating the long term commitment to making this one of the premier resort destinations in the middle east.  Yas hotel straddles the race track – stay in one of the 500 five star rooms and see what throwing $35 billion at a new hotel build can achieve.

Latest News on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Reports continue to be made  that neither the Yas Hotel nor the Marina Circuit will be ready in time for the 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

See the progress here on Abu Dhabi webcam updates