INTERCONTINENTAL BOSTON LAUNCHES NEW ‘WILD AT HEART’ PRIVATE TOUR ZOO PACKAGE

Committed to the arts, and to the environment, the 424-room luxury InterContinental Boston launches its fifth art exhibition since opening in 2006. ‘Wild at Heart,’ an indoor/outdoor animal sculpture exhibition by Essex, Mass.-based artist, Chris Williams, features large-scale bronze and steel sculptures of numerous wild critters from tree frogs to giraffes and octopi to owls. In conjunction, InterContinental Boston is offering a ‘Wild at Heart’ package starting from only $399.00 per night (valid through November 2010) that includes a private behind-the-scenes tour and admission to Boston’s Franklin Park Zoo and a small one-of-a-kind animal sculpture by Chris Williams with 10% of the proceeds of each package sold donated to National Geographic. The exhibit will be on display at InterContinental Boston through mid-December 2010.


Of the sculptures, a majestic eagle landing at its tree nest graces the Atlantic St. entrance of the InterContinental Boston. The lobby is home to an octopus and seascape with sea anemones and an array of coral, an owl perched in a tree and a tree frog amidst a bamboo habitat. In Sushi-Teq, the hotel’s popular sushi and tequila restaurant/bar, hangs an octopus with its hand-blown glass head illuminated and the private dining room in Miel “Brasserie Provençale” is home to a bee. The InterContinental Boston’s two acre waterfront promenade graces an austere vulture peering towards the water which is also situated on Boston’s Harbor Walk and a gentle 14’ giraffe adjacent to Miel’s outdoor terrace.

“As one of the leading and newer contemporary hotels on Boston’s burgeoning waterfront, we are committed supporters of the arts and are thrilled to present the incredible work by local Massachusetts sculptor Chris Williams,” says Tim Kirwan, general manager, InterContinental Boston. “His animal sculptures bring a majestic and whimsical element to our expansive lobby and a not-to-be-missed visual component to the Atlantic Ave and waterfront sides of our hotel. And, with proceeds from our ‘Wild at Heart’ package benefiting National Geographic, we support their efforts in protecting and sustaining wild animals such as these and our planet.”

InterContinental Boston’s ‘Wild at Heart’ Package

Through the ‘Wild at Heart” package, InterContinental Boston donates 10% of the proceeds of each package sold to National Geographic. The National Geographic society has funded more than 9,200 research, conservation and exploration projects, and supported geography education-based programs and public events that bring stories from the field to audiences worldwide. As one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations, National Geographic was founded in 1888 with a mission to increase and diffuse geographic knowledge. Today the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. The ‘Wild at Heart’ package includes:

· Deluxe accommodations at the InterContinental Boston
· Private behind-the-scenes tour and admission to Boston’s Franklin Park Zoo
· A small one-of-a-kind animal sculpture by Chris Williams
· A copy of National Geographic’s The 100 Best Vacations To Enrich Your Life
· Overnight parking
· Late check-out (2 p.m.)
· 10% of the proceeds of each package will be donated to National Geographic

Franklin Park Zoo is a 72-acre site nestled within Boston’s historic Franklin Park. Here, guests can experience the most innovative and intimate indoor gorilla exhibit in the world. Visitors to the signature Tropical Forest can stand face-to-face with the Zoo’s seven western lowland gorillas at one of five glass viewing stations in the state-of-the-art indoor exhibit. While at Franklin Park Zoo, there is also the African lion in the Kalahari Kingdom, the tigers in the Tiger Tales exhibit, the Masai giraffe and Grevy’s zebra on the Giraffe Savannah, and the many other remarkable species that call the Zoo home. Not to be missed is the new Aussie Aviary – an interactive exhibit featuring hundreds of brightly-colored budgies (small parakeets). For additional information visit http://www.franklinparkzoo.org/.

InterContinental Boston’s ‘Wild at Heart’ package starts from $399.00 and is based on double occupancy and is subject to availability and will be available through November 2010. To book, call the InterContinental Boston directly at 877-747-BOSTON and mention ‘Wild.’ The package is also bookable via the GDS: Apollo/Galileo - IC34449, Sabre - IC27993, Worldspan - ICBOSHA and Amadeus - ICBOSICA.