Mediaboss Marketing

MIAMI BEACH, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

From the 27th annual Winter Music Conference, W Hotels Worldwide today unveiled the 2012 W Hotels and burn studios DJ Lab, including new location and updated roster of DJ mentors. In its second year, the program is a collaboration between W Hotels and burn studios, an innovative music platform developed by burn, a globally leading energy drink from The Coca-Cola Company. Launched last year at the burn studios Hacienda in Ibiza, Spain, the 2012 DJ Lab will move to Bali, a similar international hub for electronic dance music and global music festivals. The recently opened W Retreat & Spa Bali Seminyak will host the weeklong program. Building upon the W brands mission of discovering whats new and next in music, the DJ Lab will tap eight rising talents from key international cities around the globe, providing them with mentorship to polish their skills during the intensive DJ boot camp. The participants will then embark upon a global tour, playing for both guests and locals in W Hotels around the world.

The first ever W Hotels and burn studios DJ Lab proved to be a dynamic way for W to further support emerging talent, said Vincent Gillet, Global Brand Leader, W Hotels Worldwide and Le Mridien.With programs such as the W Hotels Designers of the Future Award and Fashion Next, the DJ Lab is yet another way W is able to identify and support rising stars in design, fashion and music, providing them with a global platform to showcase whats new and next around the world.

An updated roster of DJ Lab mentors, which include accomplished individuals from all corners of the music and entertainment industry, will also head to Bali this summer. The mentors will help the rising DJs hone their craft, perfect their music engineering skills and develop a personal sense of style, all while helping to bolster the many elements required to succeed on an international stage. Michaelangelo LAcqua, Global Music Director for W Hotels Worldwide, will return as a DJ Lab mentor, bringing with him a skill set cultivated from years of working with brands to strengthen their presence through music curation. LAcqua, who has held the Music Director role for nearly three years, also serves as executive producer of the DJ Lab, among his other work for W Hotels, including the Symmetry music program and extensive music platform on the W Hotels App for iPhone. He also remains one of the industrys leading internationally acclaimed DJs and music producers.

As part of the 2012 W Hotels and burn studios DJ Lab, LAcqua has identified a top-tier group of mentors, including: Rob Garza, one half of the DJ duo Thievery Corporation; Paul Nolan, a master audio engineer who has DJed alongside the likes of Mark Farina, DJ Sneak, Hernan Cattaneo and Danny Howells; Jason Bentley, Music Director of Los Angeles-based KCRW and host of Morning Becomes Eclectic, as well as a distinguished music supervisor for film and advertising; and W Hotels Global Fashion Director Jenn Lombardo, who will provide the DJs with direction on style and personal image.

The burn brand believes in inspiring action with those who want to leave their creative mark on the world, said Prinz Pinakatt, GlobalDirector, burn, The Coca-Cola Company. Through the partnership with W Hotels, we are providing access and guidance to renowned music and entertainment industry names to nurture and develop aspiring DJs, helping them break onto a global stage.

The 2011 DJ Lab included DJ Angus Wong (Hong Kong); Lincoln Madley (New York), also known as DJ Bouji; Miaou Mix, comprised of Noemi Sunshine Ferst and Judith Dju (Tte d'Affiche, Paris); Stopmakingme of London, also known as Daniel Avery; and Eiko of Tokyo. While in Ibiza, the up-and-coming DJs were mentored by day and spun various events by night, including a sunset cruise on a catamaran and a W Happening at La Plage, one of Ibizas best beach clubs. Throughout this past year, the DJs were invited to spin at W Happenings and other sought-after events, including new W Hotels in London, St Petersburg, Bali, and Taipei; Fashions Night Out in New York City; and residencies at W Retreat & Spa - Maldives and W Retreat Koh Samui. W Hotels also featured exclusive mixes created by this group on the music tab of the W Hotels iPhone application, an integrated music platform that features more than 150 hours of exclusive curated playlists.

To unveil the 2012 DJ Lab, W Hotels will this evening host an industry panel discussion, titled In the Mix: The Importance of Mentorship within Music at the W South Beach. The panel will be moderated by Jim Tremayne, Editor of DJ Times, and will include Maurice Bernstein, CEO/President of New York-based Marketing Agency, Giant Step and George Hess, Head of Global Promotion at Strictly Rhythm, as well as LAcqua and Bentley. DJ Angus Wong and Noemi Sunshine Ferst and Judith Dju of Miaou Mix will take part in the discussion and later spin for the crowd of industry influencers and music VIPs who will be gathered at the hotel to celebrate Winter Music Conference.

The rising DJs selected to join the 2012 program will be announced in the early summer, while W Hotels will announce a search for one final DJ through a partnership with Resident Advisor and Mix.DJ. Launching May 1, 2012, please visit http://www.whotels.com/music for more details on how to participate in the competition or to download the W Hotels App.

About W Hotels Worldwide

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From Ibiza to Bali: W Hotels Worldwide Unveils 2012 W Hotels & burn studios DJ Lab

Photo by Emma Svensson

Last year, amid rumors of Kele Okereke's unceremonious removal from Bloc Party, the band posted a cartoon of the group intact, drawn as characters from "The Simpsons" and said, "see you soon." No joke: the site's been updated with a note from Kele announcing the band has signed to Frenchkiss, the label run by Les Savy Fav's Syd Butler and home to a roster including the Antlers, Passion Pit, the Dodos, and more.

The deal also includes a partnership with Cooperative Music for releases outside of North America. The band is currently at work on the follow up to 2008'sIntimacy. They plan to re-release their debut single "She's Hearing Voices" on April 21 through Transgressive as part of Record Store Day. A summer festival tour has also been announced-- dates below.

Bloc Party:

06-26-30 Borlange, Sweden - Peace & Love Festival 07-04 Gdynia, Poland - Heineken Open'er Festival 07-08 Turku, Finland - Ruisrock Festival 07-12 Bilbao, Spain - BBK Live 07-13-15 Ferropolis, Germany - Melt Festival 08-03 Los Angeles, CA - Hard Festival 08-04-05 Montreal, Quebec - Osheaga Festival 08-16-18 St. Polten, Austria - Frequency 09-04 Mallorca, Spain - Mallorca Rocks 09-05 Ibiza, Spain - Ibiza Rocks

Watch the video for Intimacy single "Mercury":

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Bloc Party Sign to Frenchkiss, Plan Summer Tour

The ex-president of Spain's tourist-heavy Balearic Islands has been sentenced to jail on corruption charges. Jaume Matas' sentence is part of a major graft case that may also implicate the son-in-law of King Juan Carlos.

Jaume Matas was sentenced to six years in prison at a court in Palma on Tuesday, after being found guilty of corruption charges.

The former Spanish environment minister was on trial because of allegations pertaining to his time as president of the Balearic Islands, a popular area for tourists including places like Mallorca and Ibiza.

Matas was found guilty of fraud, falsifying official documents, embezzlement trafficking influence. Judges also said he paid nearly 500,000 euros ($660,000) between 2003 and 2007 to companies owned by columnist Antonio Alemany, who was also employed as Matas' speechwriter.

The son-in-law of Spanish King Juan Carlos has appeared in court to answer questions about suspected fraudulent deals. The case comes at a time of rising disillusionment and anger over the countrys financial state. (25.02.2012)

Alemany, meanwhile, was convicted for forgery, among other charges, and was sentenced to three years in prison.

The sprawling corruption case, which has also implicated King Juan Carlos' son-in-law, Duke of Palma Inaki Urdangarin, also revolves around the 100 million euro project building the "Palma Arena" sports venue on Mallorca. Urdangarin, who has denied any wrongdoing, is suspected of funneling public funds into his own pocket.

Matas served as president of the Balearic Islands twice, between 1996 and 1999 and again from 2003 and 2007. The former cabinet minister is banned form public office for 10 years as a result of the sentence, which is subject to appeal.

msh/acb (AFP, AP, dpa)

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Former Balearic Islands leader jailed for graft

Ron Levine / Getty Images

Relax body, mind and soul with a yoga vacation.

By Jordan Kisner, Departures.com

Few forms of escapism are as wholesome as yoga. As its millions of acolytes attest, regular yoga practice not only alleviates stress and improves strength and flexibility (recent reports even credit it for enhanced sexual health), its also an activity that can be done just about anywhere. Just taking a smartphone-free hour to practice sun salutations can feel like a mini-vacation.

Slideshow: See these and more top yoga retreats

But even for the yogically inclined, more than an hourlong getaway is sometimes necessary. Its certainly alluring, especially since there are so many options for rolling up your sticky mat and dashing off to an exotic locale.

These days, there are yoga retreats that cater to every ability level and goal. Some, such as the Ayurvedic Rejuvenation Retreat at Shreyas Resort in Bangalore, emphasize the traditional holistic benefits of yoga (participants receive health and dietary consultations, plus personalized ayurvedic spa treatments, along with their classes). Others, like Yada Yada Yogas Bespoke Yoga Retreat at the St. Regis Bahia Beach, offers guests the opportunity to combine yoga with other activities like paddleboarding, kayaking and hiking, while others offer it as a double bill with music, photography and cultural study.

Whether the goal is serenity or invigoration, ancient traditions or innovative approaches, here are five places to make your escape.

Ayurvedic Rejuvenation Retreat, Shreyas Resort, Bangalore, India

At this ashram-style retreat in India, guests receive personalized ayurvedic therapies (likeabhyanga, a traditional Indian massage) with one-on-onepranayama(guided breathing) and meditation sessions. The retreat is designed to help guests take their practices with them when they leave, incorporating vegetarian cooking classes and consultations on integrating yoga practice into daily life. Shreyas practices karma yoga, the yoga of giving back; guests can do service by working in a community garden, volunteering in the local school or planting trees.Seven-night stay, from $3,340; shreyasretreat.com.

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Catch your breath at these yoga retreats

London, March 13th 2012 The relative strength of the global hotel sector can be seen as an indicator of a potential turnaround in the economic outlook with the average price of a room around the world rising 4% in 2011, according to the latest Hotels.com Hotel Price Index (HPI). The continuing strength in corporate travel, in particular, helped to push up demand and room rates, although prices were still generally lower than in 2005.

The HPI looks at prices that people actually paid for their hotel room around the world. Last year, prices fell 2% in Asia year-on-year but rose in all other areas: 8% in the Pacific, 5% in North America, 4% in Latin America, 3% in the Caribbean and 2% in Europe and the Middle East. The overall increase reflected a continuing trend of steady recovery after a 13% tumble in 2009.

David Roche, President of Hotels.com: The hotel sector is a good barometer for the global economy as a whole. Prices are up because demand for rooms is on the rise a sign of higher levels of business and consumer spending. Local conditions, influenced last year by political uprisings, natural disasters and currency fluctuations, do have a major impact on prices but, overall, the momentum is there and the market is growing.

The Arab Spring protests and war in Libya hit prices across the Middle East and North Africa with rates falling in Egypt, Tunisia and Qatar. Travellers to Sharm El Sheikh, in particular, could find prices up to 30% lower than 2010. On the other hand, holidaymakers switching their holiday plans to southern European destinations in Italy and Spain saw substantial price hikes in some popular sunshine sunspots, such as Ibiza where prices rose up to 40%.

Asia was the only region to experience a price fall in average rates, down 2% on average, partly due to devastating natural catastrophes in two popular destination markets. The Japanese earthquake in March 2011 led to falling demand and room rates while Thailands worst flooding in almost 60 years also triggered a cut in traveller numbers from July onwards and discounting by hoteliers.

The floods in Brisbane and earthquake in New Zealands South Island, impacting Christchurch in particular, prompted price rises due to a lack of supply of rooms.

In Europe, the ongoing Eurozone sovereign debt crisis and the fall in the value of the Euro saw dramatic falls in some struggling countries such as Greece as hoteliers adjusted their rates to attract demand in a depressed market. However, prices rose in Ireland with visits from Queen Elizabeth and US President Barack Obama in May helping to raise the countrys global profile and appeal.

Travellers from countries with traditionally strong currencies such as Switzerland, Australia and Sweden enjoyed significant price falls across the world but many inbound visitors were faced with more expensive accommodation.

There was a rollercoaster ride for the Brazilian Real with Brazilians enjoying its relative strength in the spring of 2011 by taking more trips to the US. However, they stayed at home when the currency fell by more than 20% during the summer forcing up demand and prices in their own cities.

The depreciation of the Indian Rupee against most major currencies saw prices fall for many international travellers to cities such as New Delhi and Mumbai.

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Recuperação do setor hoteleiro mundial em 2011 indica crescente confiança no mercado