The Wynn Las Vegas is not an old hotel. It opened in 2005 and was last renovated in 2010. It’s an exquisite – and, more importantly for the sake of this post, modern – property. Why, then, is its website reminiscent of a CD-ROM menu from 1994? Everything from the frames to the bullet points to the seemingly generic layout built from a template make the site look like it was made on a shoestring budget by the designers of GeoCities. The single most marvelous aspect of the site, however, is the auto-play video that takes up more than half the screen and features 70-year-old Steve Wynn welcoming you to the website and marveling at the wonders of the internet.
Look, all hotel websites are horrible, and the more Flash they use and music they auto-play, the worse they are. But this? This isn’t even trying. This is either a joke, a tragic mistake or proof that Steve Wynn has spent too much time in the tanning booth.
What the hell is going on here, Wynn Las Vegas? Did you spend all of your money on the Lake of Dreams?
Rio Carnival 2012 is being looked upon as the Brazilian city’s “coming of age”. Not only are experts predicting a record number of revelers, but the world’s eyes will also be trained on Rio de Janeiro to see how it manages the crowds and festivities, particularly as the city prepares to host both the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games.
Organizers are pulling out all the stops to make this year’s Carnival celebration not only safe and smooth, but also an experience to remember. Here’s a rundown of what’s new about 2012’s festivities.
Shiny new Sambódromo
The world-famous Sambódromo stadium, home to Carnival’s renowned samba parades, just underwent a $20 million facelift in preparation for the 2016 Olympic Games. Unveiled Sunday, the renovations include new elevators, hospitality boxes, and sound equipment; improved access for people with disabilities; and improvements to the track where the samba dancers march. The new stadium will also be able to accommodate 12,500 additional spectators, which will make this year’s samba parades the biggest yet.
Hot celebrities
Rio Carnival 2012 will have plenty to offer celebrity-spotters. Jennifer Lopez, who recently recorded a sexy Carnival-themed commercial for Brahma beer, “was invited” to the Brazilian brewer’s private box at the Sambódromo for the samba parades. Playboy founder Hugh Hefner will be enjoying the parades from rival brewer Devassa’s box, reports the AFP. Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas has also confirmed her attendance on Twitter.
Pricier hotels
A recent survey released by SindRio, the city’s Syndicate of Hotels, Bars, and Restaurants, revealed that room rates in Rio’s main tourist areas have risen by an average of 17.6 percent from last year. The syndicate’s director told the Wall Street Journal that the price raise was due to sector-wide facility and service upgrades in preparation for the World Cup and Olympic Games.
More Brazilians
According to the SindRio report, domestic tourism is also on the rise. As of January 30, 68 percent of all hotel reservations in Rio’s main tourist areas during Carnival weekend had been placed by Brazilians.
Less rich foreigners
At the same time, the number of international reservations in the city’s top luxury properties is down, from 70 percent of bookings to a paltry 50 percent, reports the Brazilian Hotel Industry Association. The economic crisis in North America and Europe is the likely culprit, said the Journal.
Additional street security
Last week, Carnival organizers feared chaos after police officers and fire fighters announced they were going on strike just before festivities were due to kick off. Thankfully, the strike was poorly attended and fizzled until it was officially called off on Monday. For extra assurance, city officials have announced that they will dispatch 50,000 police officers to the streets of Rio, as well as send up a remote-control camera blimp to keep watch over the festivities.
Gadling coverage from day one!
Today, I’ll be heading down to Rio to provide up-to-the-minute dispatches on the good, the bad, and the outrageous aspects of Rio Carnival 2012. Stay tuned; this is a party you won’t want to miss.
Check out Gadling’s full range of Rio Carnival 2012 coverage here.
I hate you, hotel advertising television channel. I hate that you’re the default channel every time I turn on the TV in my room. I hate it even more when you’re already on when I enter my room. Don’t you understand that if I hear noises in my hotel room when I enter, I’m going to think that there’s someone inside waiting to murder me and do odd things to my body? I hate that you advertise movies that I can purchase but that I wouldn’t watch if the hotel manager offered to pay me (I’m looking at you, 17 Again). I hate you for making it so difficult to navigate away from you and to other channels that may actually entertain me. I hate you so much.I hate that you default to a volume that drowns out jet engines. I hate that you make me find the strange menu buttons on the remote to navigate away from you. Don’t make me handle the remote anymore than I need to. It’s covered in bodily fluids!
I hate that you have spawned other in-house hotel television channels. Now there are hotel movie channels, hotel amenities channels (I do not want to see people with dead-behind-the-eyes expressions enjoying your spa), hotel restaurant channels (fact: bulk shrimp do not look appetizing on hotel televisions) and local attraction channels. Why are you pressuring me to do so many things? This is my vacation! This is my business trip! I don’t want to be bombarded by your nonsense when I’m in my room. I’m here to relax.
You know what I do want to watch in my room? The same garbage that I watch at home. Give me my basic cable channels. Give me a TV that works and displays high definition programming so that I can see rednecks running pawn shops and dudes mining for gold in Alaska in all their glory. I’m away from my DVR and need to stay caught up on my stories.
I don’t want to buy a movie. I don’t want to watch Carrot Top give me a tour of the Luxor (seriously, he haunted my dreams more than that asinine slanted ceiling did). I just want to see some sports highlights and Ron Swanson make dry-witted jokes about meat.
I hate you, hotel advertising channel. I hate you so much.
Luxe lovers, look out – China is preparing to get their first One&Only resort, One&Only Sanya, in 2014.
Kerzner International Holdings, the ownership group behind One&Only and Atlantis Resorts, has announced plans for a 180-room luxury property on Tufu Bay in Sanya, Hainan, China, set inside 40 acres of coconut palms and ancient rosewood trees, on a private coastline. This will be One&Only’s first resort in China.
The brand now has seven properties, including One&Only Reethi Rah in the Maldives; One&Only Le Saint Géran in Mauritius; One&Only Royal Mirage in Dubai; One&Only Ocean Club in The Bahamas; One&Only Palmilla in Los Cabos, Mexico; One&Only Cape Town in South Africa and One&Only The Palm in Dubai.
“Tufu Bay is ideally suited for creating the first One&Only experience in China. The setting is just spectacular and I am very confident the resort will be well received by our many loyal One&Only guests and new guests alike,” said Sol Kerzner, Chairman, Kerzner International. “
Tufu Bay is an ideal location for this new luxe resort, offering stunning views of the South China Sea. The hotel will also feature a locally-inspired restaurant or restaurants as well as a One&Only Spa honoring the property’s Chinese heritage.
CEO of Kerzner International Alan Leibman says that China was a logical next fit as so many Chinese guests already visit the brand’s properties worldwide.
The Project Design Team is currently in the process of reviewing plans which will be submitted to the local authorities for approval.
Marriott announced today the relaunch and new look for their popular site LGBT travel portal.
The multi-language website is tailored for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) customers worldwide.
First developed in 2010, the “redesigned website is our way to express Marriott’s loyalty and commitment to all our guests,” said Randy Griffin, Vice President, Global Sales, Marriott International, Inc. “In 2012, our aspiration will be to ensure [the website] is the trusted and welcoming source for leisure, business and group travel for the LGBT community as we do for all our customers.”
The new site will feature hotel openings, special events, destinations, deals and promotions as well as a special focus on wedding and honeymoon packages.
Of course, Marriott is smart to be on the gay-focused bandwagon. The LGBT Community Survey in 2011 shows that mainstream internet and gay-focused internet sites are the best way to target the community, and that 39% of gay men and 32% of lesbians plan to take a major trip in the next year.
Do you think this new website will help bump Marriott’s ratings?