New York based Jetsetter (www.jetsetter.com) is a new flash-sale website that sells hand-picked upscale travel experiences at flash-sale prices which you won’t otherwise get directly from the travel company responsible for the experience.

Jetsetter

Jetsetter is the travel wing of Gilt Groupe – which offers flash-sales on designer goods. Each sale on Jetsetter - featuring properties around a theme, brand, or destination – lasts only 2 days. And just like Gilt Groupe, Jetsetter too is a members-only site, which you can join only by invitation.

They’re promising at least 30% below best available rates, but Jetsetter seems to want to focus more on the ”Discovery and Experience” part, rather than the price discounts.

So the destinations aren’t the usual sun n’sand beaches and urban fleshpots that get advertised. Jetsetter experiences available in the beta launch include The Cotton House (Mustique), Negresco (Nice), Encantado (New Mexico), Banyan Tree (Mayakoba), The Bauer (Venice), Paws Up (Montana) and the Hotel On Rivington (New York).

To top it off,  they are taking pains to make sure the experience lives up to the hype, by sending Jetsetter correspondents to scout the destinations in advance and provide a ‘seal of approval’ for listing on Jetsetter. Chronicled on the site you’ll find first-person accounts, insider tips, travelogues and photography for each sale - so you know exactly what you’re getting into.

Just in case you have regrets or second thoughts about a spur of the moment purchase, customers do have a ‘Hold’ – a 72 hour window to think it over, and your deposit (10%) can be transferred to your next purchase. 

All Gilt members are also members of Jetsetter by default. Which means Jetsetter already has a base of over 1.5m Gilt members as prospective customers. And it does seem like the right time for a service like Jetsetter to distinguish itself with a certain amount of exclusivity.

The only problem might be expanding their collection of experiences. It would be time consuming and costly to expand the list while maintaining their current model of visiting a destination and checking it out first-hand. In order to grow,  Jetsetter is going to have to find the right balance between offering more experiences, and maintaining the quality of each experience.

They do have the pedigree to do it – Jetsetter CEO Drew Patterson was most recently the VP Marketing for Kayak. The other co-founder – Creative Director Amy Ziff, was Editor-at-Large for TraveloCity.

The Old Guard is in trouble when it comes to making a living on the New York City restaurant scene. Tavern on the Green declared bankruptcy in September, not even two weeks after Café des Artistes closed its doors. The owners said after 92 years in the restaurant business, the company could no longer pay employees’ health and pension benefits. Indeed, reports say they were $250,000 behind in health insurance and $116,000 in pension payments.

And both the Rainbow Room and Rainbow Grill are dark these days, with their plans to re-open shaky at best.

Statistics at NPD Group, a consulting firm that specializes in restaurant research, show that 512 New York City restaurants  have closed so far this year. It’s only October.

Las Vegas' CityCenter

Which makes it strange that Las Vegas is counting on upscale restaurants to bail it out of the doldrums. The $8 million CityCenter opening in December certainly has attracted new players to the Vegas dining scene, including restaurant moguls from New York and Paris. It could certainly be a boost to a city where unemployment levels have reached 13.1 percent, as officials are saying it will create 12,000 permanent jobs.

On the other hand, someone has to buy those rooms and meals to keep the jobs. The Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority says tourist traffic was down by 6.8 percent  — and that was only through June. And current plans at CityCenter call for more high-end dining establishments than casual meals.

“The last thing we need is 17 more restaurants in the inventory,”  Elizabeth Blau,  a partner at restaurants Society at the Wynn, Simon at Palms Place and Cathouse at the Luxor resort, told Nation’s Restaurant News.  Here’s the current rundown on the interlopers … er, new restaurants:

ARIA Resort & Casino – December 16, 2009
ARIA has assembled many of the best and brightest chefs and restaurateurs from around the country, uniting a pair of remarkable Las Vegas newcomers with those who have played integral roles in the development of Las Vegas’ culinary scene: Masayoshi Takayama, Shawn McClain, Michael Mina, Julian Serrano, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Sirio Maccioni, Jean-Philippe Maury and The Light Group. Each will deliver a concept totally new to their repertoire.

Vdara Hotel & Spa – December 1, 2009

Martin Heierling, the acclaimed innovator behind Bellagio’s renowned Sensi, will serve as executive chef for Vdara. Inspired by the ancient trade route spanning from Venice to the Far East, Silk Road will incorporate subtle spices and exotic ingredients to create modern trans-ethnic cuisine. Silk Road will transform as the day evolves, from fresh and lively at daybreak to chic and sexy at nightfall.

Crystals retail and entertainment district – December 3, 2009

Restaurants opening their first Las Vegas locations at Crystals include Eva Longoria Parker’s BESO and
Mastro’s Ocean Club, joining an exciting new pub concept by Todd English. Wolfgang Puck will open two innovative new restaurant concepts, including a contemporary interpretation of a traditional French brasserie with tastes of the Mediterranean region. Many more luxury brands and dining concepts will be announced at a later date.

Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas – December 4, 2009

Situated on the 23rd floor will be the first U.S. restaurant by world-renowned, three-star Michelin Chef Pierre Gagnaire. Twist by Pierre Gagnaire will infuse the simplicity of classic French cuisine with a modern spin, relying on a pairing of flavors and textures for which Gagnaire is renowned. Guests also can enjoy small bites and high tea rituals at the Tea Lounge; fresh preparations of world-class cuisine at MOzen Bistro; and gourmet pastries, sandwiches and more at Amore Patisserie, located directly on Las Vegas Blvd.

Perhaps it’s merely a case of old habits die hard. After, the new owner of Tavern on the Green was reportedly willing to offer New York officials a huge 20 percent of his sales for a chance to see if he could make a profit from the landmark sitting on the parks and recreation district’s land.

Photography: Courtesy of CityCenter