The leaves are changing and we’re itching for a getaway somewhere fun and “fall” themed. We participated in the first ever #traveluxe Twitter chat earlier this week and all the talk of fall hotels got us thinking about some bucket-list hotel names that would be great for a weekend away, including The Inn at Palmetto Bluff, Mohonk Mountain House and Blantyre Resort.
So this week we pose a question to readers (answer in the comments below) … where will you be headed for a fall getaway? Will you take a weekend in an intimate B&B or a luxury hotel, or skip those lodgings entirely for a cabin or rental home?
As always, you can weigh in via comments or email on our “Hotel News We Noted” items of the week. We welcome suggestions, questions, comments and even critiques. Send it all our way.
And, without further ado … this week’s “Hotel News We Noted.”
Hotel Package: Elect Your President at The Mayflower
It’s less than 60 days to the election, and hotels in DC are really gearing up for some partisan parties. The Mayflower, one of the closest hotels to the White House, is offering up packages and “elect your own” promos to get in on the political action. We’re fans of the “elect your turndown” service that lets you choose on a ballot of favorite presidential snacks, including Barack Obama’s Chocolate Caramels, George W. Bush’s Pretzels and Ronald Reagan’s Jelly Beans. Cocktails in the bar range from President Clinton’s favorite Stout and hard apple cider mix, called a Snakebite, to John F. Kennedy’s top choice for pre-dinner drinks, the Daiquiri. If you’re not in DC, you can even follow fun facts on Mayflower Mondays via social media.
Crazy Concepts: The Salt Chef at The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island
When you have a restaurant named Salt, we’d expect that things might get, well, a little salty. And that’s just the case at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island. The chef there leads guests through special demos on how to infuse salts using herbs from the hotel garden. Guests then break into teams to design and name their own blends, with winning creations featured on the restaurant menu for a week. We’ve heard of some fun cooking classes, but this actually seems like one we’d take home and try.Hotel Booking: Hotel Tonight Gets Better
We’re already fans of Hotel Tonight, but if you’re not aware, this hotel booking app offers deeply discounted hotel rates at some of the world’s coolest hotels for same-night booking. We are loving the updates in their newest version, including better suggestions from “similar” bookers, more access to hotels you’ve already stayed in and liked, better location targeting, and extra “impulse” deals for luxe and hip hotels. The improved sorting for international locations also makes it easier to find what we’re looking for. Haven’t tried the free app yet? Here’s a link to download.
Celebrity Hotels: The Inn at Little Washington
A shoutout for the acclaimed Inn at Little Washington. Known in foodie circles as one of the best dining experiences on the East Coast, it is becoming known as a romantic hideaway this week as well, thanks to its celebrity sightings in the form of Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, who spent Saturday at the Virginia inn before Lively returned to film “Gossip Girl” in New York City on Monday. What do you think? Are you more or less likely to visit a celebrity hotspot hotel?