iPhone App Hotel Tonight does exactly what its name implies

by Scott Carmichael on

Not every night in hotel has to involve weeks of planning and early reservations – iPhone app Hotel Tonight proves that.

This slick app is designed with one purpose – get you a well priced hotel for tonight. At the moment, the app only covers hotels in Hollywood, New York and San Francisco, but since its hotel deals are hand-picked, the quality of the results are quite impressive.

Once you pick your city of choice, you are presented with three hotels – sorted by category; hip, elegant and basic.

For tonight in San Francisco, I can choose from the Hotel Nikko ($120), Hotel Vitale ($191) or the Executive Hotel Vintage Court ($69).

From my quick test, these prices are considerably cheaper than what is offered directly from the hotel. For example – the Vintage Court can be booked through the app for $69 ($80 with all taxes), but that same room is $172 with taxes through the hotel itself.

The deals are not exacly random either – they are hand picked by the people behind Dealbase who happen to know a thing or two about hotel prices.

All hotels are accompanied by a really well written description, explaining what the reviewers like, what the fine print is, stats about the hotel (including things like the cost of parking) and its Tripadvisor rating. Most properties even list the food and drink offering, with examples of prices for room service items. And to top it all off, you can even find some tips about the area with some recommendations for places to eat and drink close to the hotel.

%Gallery-114854%The credits tab is a really neat one – because if you sign up, you’ll get a $10 instant credit applied to your account. Once you’ve made a reservation for tonight, your booking is displayed inside the app.

I have to say – I love this app. It is well designed, it offers well priced hand picked deals, and the amount of information presented with each hotel is staggering. Sadly, the number of cities is still limited, but Hotel Tonight promises they’ll be expanding that soon.

So, if you’ve had a few too many drinks, or you’d just like an elegant way to surprise someone special in your life, download Hotel Tonight (free) and book yourself a room.

An arousing debate: Marriott removes porn from new hotel channel lineup

by McLean Robbins on

As our friends over at AOL Travel reported earlier today, Marriott has announced plans to remove adult content from all in-room video content in new hotels, completely phasing out on-demand porn across the chain by the year 2013.

Although Marriott’s official statement claims that the rationale is to “keep adult content out of the reach of children and unavailable to any adult who chooses not to view it,” the choice may be me more revenue-driven.

A recent USA Today piece claims that as more guests bring their own personal entertainment devices, overall revenue from in-room movie channels is declining. However, an anonymous hotel professional claims that as much as 80 to 90% of in-room content is of the adult variety.

Tsk, tsk. This move was initiated back in 1999 by Omni, when the chain removed all of its adult offerings from the in-room line up. But is it really necessary for hotels to decide what viewers can (or can’t) watch in the privacy of their own? The discussion over at at FlyerTalk seems to be that streaming movie channels has wiped out the need for on-demand content of any sort, particularly that of an adult nature. After all, who wants a charge on their bill when they can watch more discreetly from the comfort of their laptop or iPad?

What are your thoughts?

[Image via Jackace]

Omni Chicago Hotel offers special rates for Bears, Packers playoff game

by Melanie Nayer on

Everyone is gearing up for Sunday’s big game, especially Chicago hotels! We already brought you news about the Ritz-Carlton, Dallas‘, month-long Super Bowl promotions and the Chicago Kimpton’s four hotel deals for this weekend’s game. Now the Omni Chicago Hotel is joining the team and giving travelers a sweet deal for the playoffs.

The Omni Chicago Hotel, Michigan Avenue’s only all-suite hotel, is offering travelers heading to the Windy City for Sunday’s game a “Green Bay Bundle” — a two-night stay where the second night is free of charge should Green Bay triumph over Chicago. The promotion also includes a $50 food and beverage credit.

To sweeten the deal, Bill Bennett, director of sales and marketing for the Omni Chicago Hotel, Windy City native and die hard Chicago fan, has agreed to wear a Green Bay jersey and the iconic “cheesehead” hat if Green Bay wins.

The “Green Bay Bundle” package is available on January 21, 22 and 23 only, has limited availability and can be booked on a first come, first serve basis. The rate is $179.00 per night with a free second night should Green Bay win.

Winners of the “Ultimate Mountain Gig” contest announced

by Kraig Becker on

The Canyons ski resort announced the winners of their Ultimate Mountain Gig contest earlier this week, selecting not one, but two, applicants to fill the role as their official ambassadors for the remainder of the 2011 ski season. The contest, which was announced last September, gave skiers and snowboarders an opportunity to compete for a job that offered $40k in salary, a full season ski pass, plenty of gear, and room and board at the Waldorf Astoria that is located on site at the Park City, Utah resort.

The co-winners of the Ultimate Mountain Gig are former Olympic ski racer Kaylin Richardson and ex-British soldier Andy Campbell. Richardson has been a member of the U.S. ski team for ten years and has won four Alpine National Championships and competed in two Olympic games. Campbell served his country in a variety of locations, including Iraq, but was paralyzed from the waist down in a climbing accident in 2004. That hasn’t slowed him down one bit however, as he still scuba dives, skis and paraglides all over the world.

Campbell and Richardson were selected for the gig from a pool of 450 applicants. The pair have already gone to work for The Canyons, writing about their experience at the Ultimate Mountain Gig website. Over the next four months or so, they’ll be helping to promote the resort by writing blog posts and producing video diaries about their experiences. I’m sure they’ll also find plenty of time to hit the slopes and interact with the guests too.

[Photo credit: The Canyons]

Chicago Kimpton hotels announce last-minute deals for Bears, Packers game

by Melanie Nayer on

Are you ready for some serious football? Chicago is! And Kimpton Hotels is gearing up to give travelers coming in for the historic NFC Championship game a deal they can’t refuse.

The Chicago Bears take on the Green Day Packers this weekend, and the four Kimpton Chicago hotels — Allegro, Burnham, Monaco and Palomar — are offering an “End Zone” package to celebrate the matchup.

Guests who book the “End Zone” package receive deluxe overnight accommodations for two, which reflects a 20 to 60% discount before package elements, Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese, two Chicago-brewed beers and two pretzels.Hotel Allegro: Located at 171 W. Randolph St., Hotel Allegro is proud to be Green Seal™ Silver certified for its sustainable, earth-friendly practices.

Hotel Burnham: The Hotel Burnham, 1 W. Washington St., is one of Chicago’s great architectural jewels. Originally designed by Daniel Burnham and built as the Reliance Building in 1895, this living landmark is the first direct predecessor to Chicago’s modern skyscrapers.

Hotel Monaco: The AAA Four Diamond Property at 225 N. Wabash Ave overlooks the Chicago River and is located just steps from the North Michigan Avenue and State Street shopping districts.

Hotel Palomar: Located in Chicago’s River North neighborhood, Palomar is Kimpton’s newest addition to its Chicago family. The boutique concept features 261 guest rooms and suites, all with floor-to-ceiling windows, and a rooftop indoor pool. The hotel is located at 505 North State Street, Chicago, IL, 60654.

Rates start at $129/night and are valid today through Monday, January 24, 2010. For reservations and to check availability, call 1.800.KIMPTON and use the Rate Code “END.”