Get an upgrade if it’s a special event – Hotel tip

by Gadling Staff on

To get the most out of what you pay a hotel, you may need to work your way into getting a better room. This particular trick really only works for couples. When checking into a hotel make sure to cling to together, be very physical, energetic, and happy. A clerk may ask “Are you here for any special occasion?” You must then say something like —

  • “Yes we are on our honeymoon!”
  • “It’s our wedding anniversary!”
  • “It’s my birthday!”

Any one of these must be said by the woman for it to be more touching and convincing, because the clerk knows that those are very special occasions for her.

Claiming a honeymoon or anniversary may score you a room upgrade. Claiming a birthday may just get something special sent up to the room.

Daily Pampering: Four Seasons Beirut

by Tom Johansmeyer on


If you aren’t planning to go to Beirut this year … change your flights. After a decade of preparation and five years of construction, the Four Seasons Hotel Beirut has opened its doors. The latest property from this luxury chain may seem to be opening in an unusual place, but guests are already voting for it with their room-nights, lured by the taste of prime cuts of Charolais beef and pairing with local wine on the terrace of The Grill Room. Or, you can relax up on the 26th floor terrace, sitting by the rooftop pool.

Of course, nothing beats the hotel’s spa, a creative statement of white marble and gold mosaics, with a suede-paneled couples suite that boasts a private terrace and Jacuzzi. Back at your guestroom, one of only 230 rooms and suites in the hotel, you’ll have both space and comfort … not to mention a private terrace where you can soak up the Beirut ambience.

Perhaps the greatest benefit to a stay at the Four Seasons Beirut is the insider access that comes from a conversation with the concierges. You’ll be able to gain admittance to art exhibitions and art shows all over the city. The concierges will also help you find religious architecture, Phoenician ruins … and nightclubs and beachside bars.

According to the hotel’s general manager, Stefan Simkovics, Beirut is “one of the sexiest cities in the world: enticing, vain, scarred, beautiful, complex and exciting.”

Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

[Photo by Paul Thuysbaert]

Kimpton’s cocktail hour features wines with a conscience

by Melanie Nayer on

Kimpton Hotels is always looking for ways to spice up the party. From the leopard print robes and funky pj’s that hang in their closets, the Kimpton brand is known for its saucy elegance that graces the rooms. To help set the mood, Kimpton also hosts nightly wine hours in the lobby of their hotels (all things point to a happy traveler so far) but the newest addition to Kimpton’s wine hour comes with morals: Starting this month, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants will introduce their “Wines That Care” selection.

Yes, the wine is still free for guests who want to kick back in the lobby with a glass of red or white, but now every sip goes to a good cause. Kimpton will feature a different winery each month that has commitment to environmental preservation and sustainability including:

Barefoot Wine (Modesto, CA): Each year more than 25,000 beaches in the U.S. are closed or posted as unhealthy. To remedy this, Barefoot Wine and Surfrider Foundation encourage local residents to volunteer at cleanup and restoration events across the country to help make these beaches “barefoot-friendly.”

Hayes Ranch by Wente Vineyards (Livermore, CA): This 127-year old winery features a progressive Farming for the Future program that enhances the vitality of the soils, creates a balanced, sustainable ecology, minimizes water use and reduces non-organic wastes.

Banrock Station (Australia): Named one of the world’s most powerful wine brands in the annual “Power 100” list of the world’s top wine and spirits brands, this company was recognized for its extensive commitment to global conservation with generous contributions to 60 projects worldwide including the preservation of native ducks in New Zealand, Flamingos in Kenya and the re-introduction of otters in Holland.

Walnut Crest/Emiliana Vineyards (Chile): As the number one seller of bottled wine in Chile, this winery was the first to earn the International Standard Organization 14.001 certification, which acknowledges the vineyard’s high production standards and constant concern for the environment.

Bottoms up!

AT&T, Expedia.com partner for easier hotel bookings on-the-go

by Melanie Nayer on

AT&T and Expedia are partnering to provide travelers with easier access to hotels and destination information. The new agreement allows travelers to check hotel rates, room availability and book rooms on AT&T Interactive’s YELLOWPAGES.COM and YP.COM. The platform will be co-branded with Hotels.com, a subsidiary of Expedia.com.

HotelMarketing.com reported the new this morning, but no word on when the new hotel booking functionality will be launched. Once it’s launched, users can search hotels, find the best rates, book rooms and get destination information including downloadable maps, nearby restaurants and bars, and local tourist attractions.

“Our agreement with Expedia creates a natural extension to the travel and hotel information already available on YELLOWPAGES.COM and YP.COM – enhancing the local search experience for those who visit our sites,” said Mike Fordyce, senior vice president of Business Development for AT&T Interactive. “Adding the ability to check for hotel availability and book rooms increases user engagement, giving our advertisers the opportunity to gain exposure among a growing audience who is turning to the Internet for travel information.”%Gallery-84586%

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Daily Pampering: Welcome massages in Puerto Vallarta

by Annie Scott on


Villa Premiere Hotel & Spa, a luxury boutique hotel in the paradise that is Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, is offering a few extra free perks to make their property stand out from the crowd. Our favorite? Complimentary welcome massages.

“Getting to paradise for a vacation can often be long and frustrating,” says a rep for the hotel. That’s why when you arrive, they hand you a welcome cocktail and give you a a relaxing anti-stress hand and neck massage. Then, you choose what kind of pillows you’d like in your room and decide whether or not you’d like butler service. The butlers will do everything from unpacking and ironing your clothes to making your dinner reservations and bringing you your morning coffee — just be sure to tip them well.

Complimentary yoga and meditation classes take place all year on the beach, so if you find yourself having a difficult time unwinding (it’s hard to let go of the stress of the work you did to get to your vacation), there’s help.

The AAA Four Diamond, Bahia de Banderas beachfront Villa Premiere Hotel & Spa has 83 elegantly appointed rooms and suites with Mexican art and furnishings, private terraces, generously sized whirlpool tubs and superb ocean views. Rates start at $270 (based on double occupancy). Click here to book.

Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.