Free workouts coming to a hotel room near you

by Melanie Nayer on

Being on a vacation doesn’t mean you should neglect your workout. Put down the bag of potato chips and candy bars that are calling to you from the hotel mini-bar, and turn on the TV for a quickie workout, thanks to new programming from The Hotel Networks.

The television programming company has teamed up with ExerciseTV to provide free workout videos in hotel rooms at Hyatt, Marriott, Fairmont, InterContinental, Hilton, Loews, Omni, Radisson, Crowne Plaza, DoubleTree and other hotels throughout the U.S.

Now you have no excuse not to keep trim while you travel. It’s a matter of willpower – will you opt for the $13 on-demand movie, or flip on a free workout?

Daily Pampering: New restaurant opens at The Landings in St. Lucia

by Tom Johansmeyer on

If you haven’t been to The Landings St. Lucia lately, the restaurant that just opened is probably worth a trip. This RockResort just threw open the doors of The Palms, which is located in the grand entrance pavilion as an extension of the open-air Viscount Lounge. The menu boasts a Caribbean flavor, not to mention sustainably produced seafood from local St. Lucian farms.

The restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday and serves the creations of Executive Chef Richard Tonks. His menu includes potted pork and duck appetizers with pickled vegetables and potato pancakes, but what really excites me are the shredded braised lamb shanks wrapped in lettuce girolles, shallots and merlot sauce – I might book a flight just to toss that into my mouth.

And then there’s the art …

I could spend hours staring at contemporary art, and The Landings is making that pretty easy. In The Palms, the walls are adorned with the creations of local artist Llewellyn Xavier. Every piece on display in the restaurant is made from recycled materials.

With only 28 seats, this is an intimate environment and an ideal space for a meal on a romantic getaway. Be sure to take in at least one meal at The Palms when your down at The Landings.

Get your daily dose of Pampering right here.

Visa adds hotels to their luxury brand portfolio

by Melanie Nayer on

Visa is expanding their travel offerings. The credit card company announced the launch of the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection (VSLHC), allowing Visa Signature cardholders to find and book luxury hotels around the world.

According to a press release from Visa, “The Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection offers cardholders access to a host of perks, which may include the best available rate, a room upgrade, VIP guest status, complimentary valet parking or internet access, a food and beverage voucher, complimentary continental breakfast, and late checkout privileges.”

Visa wasted no time setting up the luxury hotels for availability. The Visa Luxury Hotel Collection is managed by Kiwi Collection, and includes hotels such as the Burj al Arab in Dubai, Amanpuri in Thailand, The Setai in Miami and The Pierre in New York.

For more information on the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection and specific benefits, Visa Signature cardholders can visit www.visasignaturehotels.com.

Hotel room security defeated by a piece of wire – can be secured with a towel

by Scott Carmichael on

This video clip is pretty alarming – it shows how easy it is for a stranger to enter your hotel room, using nothing more than a piece of wire. As you can see in the clip, the wire goes under the door, and is used to open the door from the inside. In all my years of staying in hotels, I never realized how simple it could be.

Thankfully, the clip also shows how easy it is to defeat this method – stuff a towel behind the door handle. Of course, now this new entry method has been revealed to the world, I’m going to have to start using the towel protection method every time I’m in a hotel room. At least when you are in your room, you can protect against this kind of entry with the deadbolt and/or door chain, the real danger is when you are not in your room, and nobody is protecting your valuables.

(Via Gizmodo)

Liked this video? Be sure to check out Gadling’s own travel show, “Travel Talk”!

Daily Pampering: Join Steve Case’s Exclusive Resorts club

by Annie Scott on


Steve Case, Co-Founder and former CEO and Chairman of AOL, is not someone we usually associate with luxury travel. I still hear that “You’ve got mail” soundbyte in my head when I see his name.

Nevertheless, one of the many hats Case currently wears is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Exclusive Resorts, a membership-only collection of extravagant destinations which claims to combine “the best things about staying in vacation homes with the best things about staying in luxury resorts — while eliminating the disadvantages of both.”

How do they accomplish that? Basically, they’ve amassed a book of rental vacation homes with resort access nearby, thus providing elite guests with the kind of space and privacy they crave, the convenience of resort amenities, and none of the hassle of buying a second home. Guests can check the availability of properties around the globe 24-hours per day and jet off to a vacant villa last minute — ideal for the busier affluent set.

The cream of the crop of the Exclusive Resorts properties are their Once in a Lifetime packages for families, couples and adventure-seekers. These include destinations with outstanding features like Machu Picchu in Peru (destination screenshot above).

Membership fees start at $160,000, with an annual fee starting just below $1,000 per day. Ten to sixty-day plans are available. Click here to learn more, and say hi to Steve for me if you see him.

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