Hotel News We Noted: November 17, 2012

Happy weekend, hotel lovers. We’ve made it to the end of the last full week before holiday madness begins, and let us say, it’s been a doozy. Stay tuned next week for a special “Hotel News We Noted” edition, full of Black Friday and Cyber Monday packages galore.

Until then, here’s your weekly dose of what’s hot (and what’s not) in the hotel world. As always, send us tips and newsy bits to this email address.

Hotel Package: They’ll Toss In The Turkey Too
Extended stay hotel brand AKA is sweetening the deal this Thanksgiving. If you join in the hotel’s Great Turkey PhotoFest on November 22, the hotel will give you a complimentary turkey. In order to receive the free turkey, guests must commit to post a photo/twitpic the finished product on AKA’s Facebook page or use their @StayAKA handle or hashtag #TheGreatTurkeyPhotoFest via Twitter. All hail the bird at the brand’s North American properties in New York City, Philadelphia, Washington DC and Beverly Hills. , are encouraged to participate

Movember Madness at Renaissance Times Square
Participating in Movember? Recap: Men grow mustaches in November to support the Prostate Cancer Foundation. If so, hit up R Lounge in the Renaissance New York Times Square hotel on November 30 to enjoy Movember-themed food and drink (mustache-shaped cookies and foaming cocktails), with all of the proceeds going to cancer initiatives. We’re fairly confident that this seems like a good cause, although we’re also fairly sure that that many mustaches in one room is going to be either epic-ally awesome or awesomely awful. We figured we’d give a few week’s notice if you want to grow a handlebar or a fu man chu and participate … oh, and we never turn down gratis food. All men attending with a ‘stache get a free Blue Ribbon appetizer.Sub-Standard: Woman Sues The Standard After Giving Birth In The Hotel
The Standard’s former manager is suing the hotel for $10 million after giving birth in the hotel last year, Yahoo! is reporting. Manager Tara Kimkee Tan went into labor on a Saturday evening while on duty and gave birth in a hotel guest room without medical assistance. Afterwards, Tan claims that she was ushered unceremoniously out a side door and denied maternity leave. But that isn’t why she’s suing. Tan was fired for allegedly stealing hotel property, and claims that she is not only innocent, but that she was fired because she doesn’t fit the hotel’s “image” of young, tall and blonde. Oh brother – this case sounds like a not so “standard” mess.

Sweet Romance: Four Seasons #IgniteTheSpark
It may not be the month for romance quite yet (we’ll give that honor to February), but Four Seasons is doing their very best to “ignite the spark” with a series of packages at their properties around the world. Ranging from gratis cocktails to spa treatments, these packages are perfect for holiday proposals or just getting away from it all during an otherwise busy season. The add-ons vary: at the Chiang Mai property, couples can make a traditional wish on a banana leaf and release the leaf into the resort’s pond. In Boston, they’ll get a Porshe Panamera rental for a day, and in Costa Rica, they’ll enjoy surfing lessons. The saying “whatever floats your boat” or “revs your engine” was taken literally here, we see!

[Image Credit: Renaissance Hotels]