FINE DINING

Starting this winter, foodies can find celebrated chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa in St Moritz, Switzerland. “Nobu at Baddrutt’s Palace” will open December 18 in “Le Relais,” one of seven restaurants at the five-star hotel Badrutt’s Palace, on Lake St. Moritz, and remain for the duration of the ski season.

Signature dishes such as “sashimi salad with Matsuhisa soy sauce dressing” will be on the menu, as will cocktails such as the “Lychee Martini.”

The hotel’s winter 2004-05 rates start at approximately $325 a night for double occupancy.

For more information on culinary possibilities, getaway packages, or reservations, call 011-41-81-837-1100, or visit www.badruttspalace.com.

CHILDREN’S TRAVEL

The newly launched Web site of the first-ever Nickelodeon Family Suites by Holiday Inn www.nickhotel.com, encourages even the youngest, first-time va cationers to assist in trip planning for spring 2005. Children can help their parents search room availability and experience the hotel through a Nick-style virtual video tour.

Hotel suites include a separate Nick-themed bedroom for the youngsters. Children can also explore two giant pool courtyards with water slides and flumes, a basketball court with multi-level hoops, carpet golf, a sand play-area, a food court, an arcade with movie and game rental, and breakfast appearances of Nick characters like SpongeBob SquarePants and the Fairly OddParents.

For more information, visit www.nickhotel.com.

TRAVEL PACKAGES

Pacific Delight Tours is offering four new air-inclusive pack ages from JFK to Turkey, available through March. Priced from $940 to $2,285 a person, each 7-to 13-day package features sight seeing in historic cities, intra Turkey air and land costs, deluxe or superior first-class hotels, daily breakfasts, some lunches and dinners, bilingual guides, and a professional tour manager on three of the tours.

The shortest trip includes highlights of Instanbul – the Hippodrome Square, the Blue Mosque, the 6th century Hagia Sophia Church, the Grand Covered Bazaar, and Topkapi Palace. Optional tours range from a half-day “Jewish Heritage” tour to a full-day excursion to Gallipoli. For more information, visit www.pacificdelighttours.com.

GOLF

Airlines limit the size and weight of golf bags and no longer offer curbside check-in, but golfers can bypass the headaches of carrying or shipping clubs while on business or vacation by renting the latest equipment through a new service called Gear-To-Go.

Whereas golf course rental equipment is often iffy, confined to use at a single facility, and offered in limited brands and models, Gear-To-Go allows golfers to mix and match clubs at any re sort in Phoenix and outlying areas. More golf meccas will be added next year.

Three-day rentals average $33 a day.