Choice Hotels planning hotel openings in Haiti

by Melanie Nayer on

The Choice Hotels group – owners of hotel chains including Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Clarion and more – is making plans to open the first chain hotels in Haiti in almost a decade.

The Associated Press is reporting that the hotel company will start the chain with a Comfort Inn in Jacmel. The 32-room motel will open in May. A 120-room upscale hotel at the nearby Belle Rive tourism development is slated to be open this fall.

The Choice Hotels will be the brands first hotels in Haiti. Jacmel is located in Southern Haiti and is the country’s fourth largest city.

Beat the cold at Le Domaine de Lonvilliers this Valentine’s Day

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The tough part about Valentine’s Day is that it’s in February, making the weather too cold to do anything really fun outside. So, trade in the snow for a spot on the beach this year. Le Domaine de Lonvilliers on St. Martin is offering a great new package. Spend three nights at the resort (free room upgrade based on availability), and receive roundtrip boat transfer from the airport, a bottle of champagne upon arrival and a 30-minute massage for you and your companion. Enjoy a dinner by candlelight to make the experience perfect.

This unique deal is only available through February 2010 — which is hardly surprising at a price of $1,290 per couple. That’s a small price to pay to combine romantic bliss and an escape from the cold.

7 alternative European accommodation options

by Gadling Staff on

If you love to travel but are having difficulty finding a way to pay for that trip to Europe, consider some alternative lodging options. Not only will these unconventional options save you a few bucks, but you’re bound to end up with some amazing stories in the process, since everyone else stays at hotels … but YOU were far more resourceful.

Convents and Monasteries

In Italy there are over 400 convents and monasteries located in both metropolitan cities and in the countryside, all of which offer incredible savings. Many cost as little as $40 dollars a night, while some ask only for a voluntary donation or assistance on the grounds in lieu of a room charge. This is a great way to save money while enjoying the beauty of historic — really historic — buildings.

Convents and Monastery resources

Farm Stays
Staying on a working farm is very popular in Britain, France, Spain and Italy and can offer savings along with a unique cultural experience. In addition, this vacation will work your muscles, too, so you’ll actually come home fitter than when you left!

Farm stay resources

  • Budget Travel has a nice primer on the subject.
  • GoNomad has a thorough roundup (with contact information) for numerous farm stay opportunities.
  • Reid’s Guides also has an excellent roundup of farm stay options.
  • Agritourism.net leads you directly to the home pages of those farms offering rooms for rent.



Home Exchange
Don’t rent a room; stay in a house! If you’re willing to offer your home to someone else to stay in, you can have access to thousands of listings, which can include homes, motorhomes — even boats — in dozens of European countries.

Home exchange resources

Hospitality Exchange
Couchsurfing is a network that connects travelers who host each other in their homes. This allows for a more social experience, since you’re hanging out in someone’s home with them. There is no cost, and the database can match you up by interest as well as by location.

Hospitality exchange resources

  • Couchsurfing is hands-down the leader in this lodging option.
  • However, the Times Online has a nice explanation of the process and lists several alternatives to this already alternative lodging style.



Volunteer
If you’re looking for an opportunity to immerse yourself deeply in a foreign culture, there are many programs that allow you to volunteer your time in exchange for free accommodations.

Volunteer resources

  • Europe Up Close has a nice overview of the process and some suggested organizations.
  • Transitions Abroad hosts numerous “volunteer reports” so you can learn what the experience is truly like.
  • United Planet lists volunteer options by destination and by duration of stay.
  • Workaway.info is a database that lists a variety of volunteer opportunities in over 24 European countries, in a range of fields.



Organic Farming
If you have a strong interest in organic farming, then there are several options for you. In exchange for lodging, guests are expected to help work on the farm. On the face of it, “work on the farm” doesn’t sound like a vacation, but spending some time outside with animals in a rural setting seems pretty idyllic to us.

Organic farming resources

  • WWOOF offers opportunities in over 24 European countries.
  • Help Exchange offers farm stay options in Europe and elsewhere.


Hostels
OK, so hostels may not be all that unconventional any more, but a lot of people are still nervous about or unfamiliar with them. Understand this: Hostels are no longer geared just to the student traveler or the drunk English stag party. You can find hostels that cater to families and even some that offer private rooms with private bath.

Hostel resources

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Remember: a trip to Europe isn’t about staying in certain hotels. A trip to Europe is about exploring the destination.

What better way to really explore a destination than to get outside a conventional hotel and experience something new, unusual … and just a little foreign?

Daily Pampering: Three ways to spice up Valentine’s Day from around the world

by Tom Johansmeyer on

You want to do something for Valentine’s Day this year, but you don’t know where to turn. Travel is always a great idea, and the economy is definitely cutting your way. There are deals everywhere. Of course, this just makes the choices even harder. Well, I just happened upon three packages from Regent Hotels that will make your decision a little harder … how can you narrow even this short list down to one?

1. Caribbean
If you’re looking for some relief from the abusing winter cold, The Regent Palms Turks and Caicos has the answer. With only 72 suites in this luxury resort, intimacy is virtually assured. Enjoy locally created treatments at the resort’s spa, and enjoy being together and away from the world. Starting on February 1, 2010, you can save 25 percent a night when you book a four-night stay (rates start at $525 a night). If you can’t take advantage of this for Valentine’s Day, don’t sweat it: you can get this deal through December 17, 2010.2. Croatia
Zagreb? Really? Don’t act so surprised. Croatia has doubled down on its tourism industry, and it wants to see you for Valentine’s Day. The Regent Esplanade Zagreb is offering free high-speed internet access (which every hotel should do all the time) in a Deluxe room with two glasses of Croatian sparkling wine to greet you. A Regent bath butler will get you and your loved one ready for a luxurious soak (he’ll be gone by the time you get in, don’t worry), which is the perfect destination after you’ve skated on the hotel’s brand new ice rink. Finally, nothing beats a candlelit dinner for two at Zinfandel’s Restaurant. Prices start at approximately $405 a night, and you need to stay between February 12 and 15, 2010. Extra nights are available at an unbeatable $160 a night.

3. France
Valentine’s Day in France … you can’t beat this. Head to the country synonymous with romance, and spend a few nights at The Regent Grand Hotel Bordeaux, the region’s first luxury hotel. The “Saint Valentine de Reve in Bordeaux” package includes a night in the hotel with complimentary high-speed internet access, a VIP in-room welcome basket and breakfast for two at Brasserie l’Europe. Be prepared for a fantastic dinner at Le Pressoir d’Argent, where you’ll experience the culinary creations of award-winning Chef Pascal Nibaudeau. Rates start at $800 a night, and the Valentine’s Day dinner at Le Pressoir is available on February 13 and 14. You can add nights for merely $275 a night (including breakfast).

Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

W Hotels glams up for Hollywood debut

by Melanie Nayer on

Like any good glam girl, the W Hollywood was prepped, primped and sitting pretty for its Hollywood debut. Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Inc. rolled out the red carpet yesterday for the newest hotel in the bunch, the 305-room W Hollywood hotel.

Located a stone’s throw from some of the most famous stars in Tinsletown, (at the intersection of Hollywood and Vine) the W Hollywood opened with plenty of fanfare and some help from famous friends. Jimmy Kimmel and Robin Thicke are rumored to be stopping by the hotel today to show their support for the W’s “civic recognition event”.

The W Hollywood has been in the works since the late 1990s and reports claim it came with quite a price tag: nearly $350 million was spent building this beauty. For those guests who don’t ever want to leave, the W Hollywood has added 143 residences priced at $500,000 to $7 million.

I did a quick check on the W’s site and found room rates starting at $259 for a king-sized “Wonderful” room and $599 for a “Marvelous” room. If you want something a little more spectacular, shell out $2,000 to $4,000 for a suite measuring 1,650-square-feet.

Meanwhile, the W also unveiled its first property in Asia, the W Retreat Koh Samui. The W Retreat Koh Samui and The Residences at W Retreat Koh Samui create the first residential project for W Hotels in Southeast Asia. The property comprises 17 branded residences as well as the hotel comprising 75 villas.