Press Releases
JOURNEYS WITHIN ANNOUNCES DECEMBER 1ST GRAND OPENING
Download PDF: Journeys Within Announces December 1st Grand Opening
SIEM REAP, Cambodia October 7, 2011 – In a move that will make it the only boutique family- oriented hotel in Siem Reap, Journeys Within Boutique Hotel, just 10 minutes from the world famous Angkor Wat Temples, has announced the grand opening of 5 new rooms, a restaurant, spa and kid's club on December 1, 2011. With these new additions Journeys Within will offer three family suites, a Kid's Club and a new spa, making it the first boutique property to focus on the family market in Siem Reap.
“We're so excited for these new rooms and our beautiful spa and the first kid's club in Siem Reap!” said Andrea Ross, owner, “over the last 8 years we've been open we have had amazing guests and we're excited to now offer our guests an even better property. We're thrilled at how many families are now seeing Angkor Wat as a fun family destination and we know our new family suites and kid's club will make their experience that much better.”
Four of the new rooms will be able to combine to form two family suites, joining the already popular Ramayana Retreat Suite, perfect for groups of 3-6 people. The kids club will allow parents a bit of free time, and the kids will have a fun place to go any time of day. The new restaurant in a large open-air space, will feature the same favorites guests have raved about for years and an extensive kids menu!
Journeys End Spa will be the perfect place to end a day of sightseeing, and will offer a range of spa treatments. The spa overlooks the wonderful Journeys Within pool and gardens to create a relaxed setting.
Journeys Within Boutique Hotel has been awarded the Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence five years in a row for consistently being rated with five star reviews by guests. They also won the Traveler's Choice award in 2010 for Bed and Breakfast hotels in Asia. Journeys Within Tour Company and Boutique Properties was also awarded with a Conde Nast World Savers award in 2008 for their work in Cambodia providing clean drinking water to villages and university scholarships to local students. They are pioneers in philanthropic travel and offer guests opportunities to get involved and make a difference during their stay.
For more information contact Andrea Ross at .
EXPERTS COME TOGETHER TO OFFER A PHOTOGRAPHIC
AND CULTURAL ADVENTURE IN THAILAND AND CAMBODIA
Download PDF: Experts Come Together to Offer a Photographic and Cultural Adventure in Thailand and Cambodia
SIEM REAP, Cambodia and NEW YORK, July 12, 2011 – Journeys Within Tour Company and Strabo Photo Tour Collection, with photographer Joel Collins, are partnering to offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel to Southeast Asia and photograph the regions highlights. From January 7-21, 2012, renowned travel photographer Joel Collins will lead a Strabo Photo Tour through Thailand and Cambodia, assisted by the wonderful guides and local expertise of Journeys Within Tour Company.
“This tour really brings together a trifecta of experts,” said Andrea Ross, Journeys Within Tour Company owner. “Strabo sets the industry standard for unique quality photo expeditions. Joel Collins is an incredible photographer and, above that, a wonderful teacher; and Journeys Within is a regional expert, offering unique insights and first rate guiding. With these three leaders in their fields coming together, it's going to be an amazing trip.”
Guests will visit highlights such as the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Hill Tribes in Chiang Mai and of course a sunrise over Angkor Wat. Beyond these amazing sights, the group will meet local communities and even participate in Journeys Within Active Philanthropy, donating a well and meeting the villagers benefitting the clean water.
“Southeast Asia's intoxicating combination of ancient temples, colorful markets, beautiful landscapes, and friendly people make it one of the most exotic places in the world for travel,” said Joel Collins, photographer and tour leader. “The area is also the perfect destination for the photographer who wants to improve their travel photography skills and capture outstanding images of a unique culture.”
For more information or to register for the trip please contact Strabo Photo Tour Collection at (607) 756-8676 or visit www.phototc.com.
About Journeys Within
Journeys Within is a boutique hotel and tour company based in Seam Reap, Cambodia, just minutes from Angkor Wat. Journeys Within is dedicated to delivering unforgettable, customized trips through Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, and has recently received the Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor. Described as “pioneers in philanthropic travel” by Conde Nast Traveler, and recognized for their efforts to positively impact local communities in Southeast Asia, Journeys Within is devoted to providing its guests with comfortable and memorable experiences.
About Strabo Photo Tour Collection
Strabo Tours is dedicated to enriching your life, helping you see the world with new eyes, and creating images that express your unique experience to others. The Photo Tour Collection is a leader in the field of wildlife, architecture, culture, and landscape photography tours; clients attest to this by traveling with us year after year. Anyone with an interest in photography, regardless of age, skill level, or equipment – you just need a sense of adventure and an eagerness to learn. We will take you to inspiring locations, with long days in the field, from early in the morning to late in the afternoon to take advantage of the best light. You will travel in the company of other photographers who share the same interest. More information on Strabo PTC can be found at www.phototc.com.
About Joel Collins
Joel is a professional photographer with a life-long passion for international travel. Hislove of travel started at age three when his family moved to Europe. The enthusiasm ofthat young world traveler is still alive in him today. Now he explores the globe withcamera in hand, looking forward to each new adventure as an opportunity to captureanother glimpse of the world. Joel approaches travel photography with an emphasis on
cultural sensitivity and respect. He has a patient approach, often trying to blend in withthe local population and getting to know someone before taking their photo. Joelapproaches instruction in the same way. He takes the time to learn about each student,working with them to conquer technical issues so they can better cultivate their ownstyle and refine their unique vision of the world. More information on Joel Collins can be found at www.joelcollins.com.
JOURNEYS WITHIN ANNOUNCES NEW FAMILY ADVENTURE PACKAGE
AND EXPANDS HOTEL FACILITIES IN CAMBODIA
Download PDF: Journeys Within Announces New Family Adventure Package and Expands Hotel Facilities in Cambodia
SIEM REAP, Cambodia, July 6, 2011 – As demand for family travel options is increasing, Journeys Within, a leading Southeast Asia tour company and boutique hotel, today announced it's expanding its accommodations and facilities with new services and amenities for families and is launching its new Family Adventures tours designed specifically for families with children. Groundbreaking has begun for the expansion of the hotel, which will add five new rooms, a restaurant, a spa and a fully-staffed kids activity center providing childcare. The Family Adventures include tours in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam and by minimizing flights, maximizing day tours and including time for naps or just to let the kids run around, these fully guided private tours are specifically designed to offer families great Southeast Asian adventures.
“We've designed these tours and expanded the hotel based on our own experiences of traveling with our young children,” said Andrea Ross, founder and director of Journeys Within, “As family travelers, we and our staff have developed these itineraries to provide a great introduction to Southeast Asia at a good daily pace for families traveling with children, by incorporating tours and activities that are family friendly.”
Through the expansion, Journeys Within Boutique Hotel is adding five new rooms, four of which can be combined into two family suites; a new spa with a range of massage and skin care services; a kids activity center offering childcare services; and a restaurant featuring delicious Southeast Asian fare.
“Thanks to the recommendation that Conde Nast gave for Journeys Within, my family and I had an amazing experience that was truly life changing,” stated Todd Johns, Journeys Within guest. “My highest marks go to (Journeys Within) for the excellent service they offer, whether it be the travel agency, B&B, or the humanitarian aspect of their work. From now on, I will seek out such companies that offer a higher level of travel experience for their customers.”
Journeys Within has created the following family tour packages:
First Time Asia for Families
This 15-day tour is designed for a family traveling to Asia for the first time and includes travel in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket, Thailand and Siem Reap, Cambodia, allowing guests to explore city life, the hills and tribes of the countryside, ancient temples and gorgeous beaches.
Classic Family Thailand
In this 14-day tour, families will experience the highlights, including temples, river cruises, the Dream World Theme Park, the Chiang Mai countryside, the elephant farm, and beaches.
Classic Family Cambodia
This 14-day tour guides families through the highlights of Cambodia, including the ancient Angkor Wat temples, shopping at Phnom Penh, quad tours and kayaking to more remote villages, and beautiful beaches.
Classic Family Vietnam
This 14-day custom-guided tour includes city tours of Saigon and Hanoi, cruises on the Mekong Delta and on a traditional “junk" boat in Halong Bay through the breathtaking vertical cast limestone islands, kayaking through caves and islands, temples and the Cu Chi tunnels.
Classic Family Laos
This nine-day vacation includes the city of Vientiane, bicycling and trekking through the countryside, kayaking rivers and rapids, touring temples, and forest and jungle elephant rides.
Family Adventure Thailand
In this three-week adventure, guests stay in a floating hotel on the River Kwai, zip-line, bike, trek, ride elephants, boat, take bamboo rafts, and ride rickshaws as they explore villages, jungles, marketplaces, temples, caves and islands.
Epic Family Journey
This 28-day tour is designed for families with children age 10+ who can bike, quad and trek their way through Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia, experiencing the Southeast Asia cultures first-hand by going beyond the normal tourist spots and into the countryside and into the homes of locals.
Family Fun: A Giving Back Vacation
One of the best ways guests can experience a country is to make an investment in the community and this seven-day tour enables guests to visit Cambodia and give back. The tour includes temples, quad tours through rice paddies and to villages, shopping in marketplaces, and boat tours, as well volunteering at local orphanages, schools and art classes.
About Journeys Within
Journeys Within is a boutique hotel and tour company based in Seam Reap, Cambodia, just minutes from Angkor Wat. Journeys Within is dedicated to delivering unforgettable, customized trips through Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, and has recently received the Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor. Described as “pioneers in philanthropic travel" by Conde Nast Traveler, and recognized for their efforts to positively impact local communities in Southeast Asia, Journeys Within is devoted to providing its guests with comfortable and memorable experiences.
JOURNEYS WITHIN BOUTIQUE HOTEL WINS
TRIPADVISOR
2011 CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE AWARD
Download PDF: Journeys Within Boutique Hotel Wins TripAdvisor 2011 Certificate of Excellence Award
SIEM REAP, Cambodia, June 2011 – Journeys Within Boutique Hotel today announced it is honored to receive the Trip Advisor 2011 Certificate of Excellence Award, which is presented to hotels that consistently receive 5-Star ratings of “Excellent” by TripAdvisor members over an extended period of time. Journeys Within offers beautiful accommodations, superior service, and unforgettable tours around Angkor Wat and throughout Southeast Asia.
“This award is quite a compliment and we're so thrilled! It's based on our guests' 5-Star reviews of our hotel and tour company's service, accommodations and quality, so we're enormously honored and so grateful to our guests that they took the time to share their experiences with Journeys Within with others,” said Andrea Ross, director, Journeys Within. “It's particularly exciting because we are currently in the process of building five new rooms, a new restaurant and a spa and Kids Club. By October 2011 we will be able to offer the same amazing service and atmosphere to more guests.”
Journeys Within is currently adding five new rooms, four of which can be turned into family suites. The restaurant will offer the amazing food raved about on TripAdvisor in a cool open-air setting and the spa will take the currently offered in-room massages to the next level.
Continued Ross, “We were the first true boutique hotel in Siem Reap and we're proud to say that eight years later we continue to offer guests a truly unique and boutique experience. The word we most often here is 'oasis' and we're proud that our team in Cambodia has really created a very special retreat for travelers. Not only that, but as many of the reviews attest, our guests are able to truly be a positive force for change in Cambodia through their stay with us!”
Journeys Within offers guests an opportunity to make a positive impact on the country they are visiting and have an authentic personal experience with the local people and
cultures. For example, some guests include an afternoon of volunteering at the Journeys Within Our Community School, next door to Journeys Within. Other guests opt to make a $375 donation toward building a village well when booking a trip and include in the itinerary a visit to that village to meet the people and see first-hand its impact on the lives in the community. There are dozens of small and large ways Journeys Within Boutique Hotel supports the community and gets guests involved.
Some recent Journeys Within reviews stated:
“I have traveled all over the world, stayed at top hotels, oftentimes upgraded to superior accommodations...nothing I have experienced beats the charm, gracious service and accommodations of Journey's Within.”
“The Journey's Within team created a meaningful and rich itinerary, which included local interaction, that was knowledgeable and amazingly customized.”
“[Journeys Within] provided a knowledgeable and unique approach to visiting the temples. We highly recommend this facility to anyone visiting Siem Reap...We also participated in an English class and it was a delightful experience, along with an art class for younger village children that we helped with.”
TripAdvisor is the world's largest Travel Community, where travelers can post their unbiased reviews of hotels worldwide.
About Journeys Within
Journeys Within is a boutique hotel and tour company based in Seam Reap, Cambodia, just minutes from Angkor Wat. Described as “pioneers in philanthropic travel” by Conde Nast Traveler, and recognized for their efforts to positively impact local communities in Southeast Asia. Journeys Within is a boutique Southeast Asia tour company dedicated to delivering its guests unforgettable, customized trips through Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
JOURNEYS WITHIN TOUR COMPANY OFFERS SPECIAL PRICING ON SOUTHEAST ASIA TOURS
Travelers who book in advance in 2011 will receive special pricing
Download PDF: Journeys Within Tour Company Offers Special Pricing On Southeast Asia Tours
TRUCKEE, Calif., February 8, 2011 – Journeys Within, the premier boutique Southeast Asia tour company, recently announced special pricing on their once in a lifetime tours to countries like Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam for 2011.
“Each year, prices for the next high season in Southeast Asia increase in July,” said Andrea Ross, owner of Journeys Within. “This year, because of the increase in travel around the world, we're expecting higher increases than usual. To avoid these higher prices and to help our guests get a better rate, we are offering our 2010 rates for any travelers that confirm their tours before May.”
In the last year few years there has been a large increase in last minute bookings, travelers taking advantage of last-minute specials as well as waiting to feel more secure in their job before committing to an itinerary. As the economy is on the upswing, travel bookings are predicted to increase in 2011, along with the cost of travel, thus these last minute bookings won't get the deals, in fact, planning ahead may be where the savings are. To avoid inevitable price jumps that will occur as the demand for travel increases, guests are encouraged to book in advance in order to take advantage of the lower prices of 2010. Booking travel plans early versus waiting until the last minute also ensures seamless travel experiences that include better service and thoughtfully planned itineraries.
Travelers who book a tour with Journeys Within between now and May for travel through December of 2011, will receive the 2010 pricing. For more information, visit www.journeys-within.com
About Journeys Within
Described as “pioneers in philanthropic travel” by Conde Nast Traveler, and recognized for their efforts to positively impact local communities in Southeast Asia, Journeys Within is also dedicated to delivering its guests comfortable, memorable, and safe experiences while showing them the “real” Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam.