2010 › May

Garden Court Hotel’s $9 million renovation reforms the ‘staycation’ concept

by Melanie Nayer on

The Garden Court Hotel in Palo Alto is hoping more Californians stay local.

Now that the $9 million renovation is complete, the Garden Court Hotel is hosting a special ‘staycation’ package. Reserve a King Deluxe Suite as part of the “Hometown Tourist Package” for $299 and get the following free amenities:

  • Champagne and Shokolaat Welcome Amenity
  • $50.00 gift certificate for dining at Il Fornaio (choice of dinner or breakfast to only be used during this stay)
  • Valet overnight parking
  • Complimentary wireless Internet connection

In addition, the hotel is offering free upgrades to locals who show their ID at check-in.

As part of the Garden Court Hotel‘s renovation, all the guestrooms have been newly redesigned by Spanish interior designer Pablo Paniagua. The bathrooms were redesigned with white-grey marble that compliments the silver fixtures and dark wood, with deep soaking tubs and rain showers. What’s a new bathroom without some new products? Indulge in Molton Brown luxury bath products and fresh gardenias. In addition, each room features HDTV screens, iDesign Cube Clock Radios for iPods and complimentary wireless Internet access.

The majority of the guestrooms include French doors and private patios that look out onto the open-air tiled floor courtyard and fountains of the hotel. Guestrooms vary in amenities but many feature a separate aerated spa-tub, fireplace and breakfast nook. The penthouse suite offers guests deluxe king accommodations, a bathroom with separate aerated spa-tub, luxurious marble rain shower, an airy living room with private bar, fireplace, fresh flowers and two private landscaped patio gardens with fountain.

Not bad for a night away from home.

Meet the love of your life – on a New York Gray Line tour!

by Scott Carmichael on

For tourists visiting New York City, the iconic Gray Line tour buses have always been a quick way to see as much of the Big Apple as you can fit into a day. But the folks behind this bus line now also offer a fun way for New York single guys and girls to meet up (though tourists are obviously still welcome!).

For $59 ($30 off their normal price), Gray Line will fill a bus with singles, and take them on a tour of the city – with some pretty romantic stops.

Included in the price is a stop at the Top of the Rock Observation deck, a guided tour of the High Lines, dinner, and – get this – a 90 minute Champagne skyline cruise.

On the bus, singles will get to know each other through a speed dating version of musical chairs.

The “Singles Night On The Town” bus tour departs daily at 5:30PM from 777 8th Avenue. For the entire itinerary, or to reserve a spot on this tour, check out the full details at the Gray Line site.

Royal Caribbean brings hammer down on art auctions

by Tom Johansmeyer on

If you liked the art auctions on your Royal Caribbean cruises, brace yourself. In a post on his blog, the company’s president and CEO, Adam Goldstein, wrote that the contract it had with Park West Art Services to run its auctions on the ships expired and that it isn’t going to renew.

He adds that other art-related endeavors could be on the chopping block as well: “We are evaluating what if any art-related programming we may offer in the fleet in the future beyond Oasis of the Seas where Art Actually is our provider of art tours and art for purchase onboard.”

For now, Royal Caribbean and Park West Art Services are going through a “wind down period” as the art auctioneers wrap up on different ships over the next few months.

7 day vacation rentals for $199 through Wyndham Worldwide

by Scott Carmichael on

Looking to vacation on a budget? Wyndham Worldwide has some hot deals on 7-day vacation rentals for just $199. The availability is obviously limited, and there is a bit of fine print involved, but I was able to find several properties for the advertised price.

To clarify – the $199 price is for 7 days – and since many hotels retail for the same price for just one night, you’ll understand why this is a real bargain. There are even several properties in the Orlando area, though given their high demand, you’ll be paying $399 for a 2 bedroom for the 7 day period.

Vacation rentals are perfect for families – because they come with their own kitchen, and most properties have a decent assortment of on-site amenities. So – browse through their properties and see whether you can find yourself a hot $199 deal on your own vacation rental for the week. The locations, promotion details and rules can be found here.

Daily gear deals – $69 digital camera, $99 TravelPro case and more

by Scott Carmichael on

Here are the hottest gear deals for today, Friday, May 14th 2010. Remember, these deals are often valid for just one day, so act fast before they are gone.

Today’s first deal is for a (purple) Casio digital camera. Despite the low price of just $69, this is by no means a budget camera – you get 10 megapixel shots, a 3x optical zoom and a dedicated Youtube upload mode. Click here for this deal.

Next up is a scorching deal on the popular Plantronics Discovery 975 Bluetooth headset. This good looking headset comes in its own leather carrying case, which also houses a battery pack. The headset features several noise isolation technologies, to make your phone calls sound fantastic. On sale fro $49.99 over at 1saleaday.com.

Today’s third deal is for the latest generation Creative Vado HD camcorder – normally this camera sells for $120, but Dell is selling it as their daily deal for just $65. Click here for this deal.

And finally in today’s lineup, invest in some quality luggage – like the TravelPro Walkabout 22″ rolling case. The list price is $280 – but it is on sale right now for just $99.99. This expandable 22″ case features a removable suiter, and comes with a lifetime warranty. Click here for this deal.