Hotel News We Noted: November 23, 2012 (Special Black Friday/ Cyber Monday Edition)

by McLean Robbins on

Happy Holidays! With Thanksgiving officially behind us, it’s time to start the mad countdown to your winter festival of choice. Whether you’re seeking a quick weekend away, a New Year’s blowout or are getting a head start on planning spring break, these deals are ripe for the choosing.

We’ve ranked our lucky 13 favorites, starting with brands and hotel groups and working our way down to amazing deals at individual hotels and resorts.

Craving more? For travel deals that aren’t related to hotels, check out Allison Kade’s post, here.

Your regularly scheduled “Hotel News We Noted” post will return on November 30.

Destination Hotels & Resorts
Destination Hotels & Resorts is offering an advanced look at some of its Cyber Monday savings with up to 50% off. More than 15 properties in Destination Hotels & Resorts are offering special deals of up to 50% off, including properties in Washington, D.C., Charleston, Colorado, Chicago and Northern Virginia. Visit http://www.destinationhotels.com/CyberMonday to book.

Omni Hotels Worldwide
For the third consecutive year, Omni Hotels & Resorts’ Click Quick offer will feature 999 room nights available at a $99 nightly rate. This rate applies only to rooms booked between Nov. 23 and Nov. 26, 2012, for stays through Jan. 31, 2013.

Viceroy Hotel Group
Now through Cyber Monday, Viceroy Hotel Group is offering a variety of deals on its 13 properties worldwide in cities like Anguilla, Santa Monica, Abu Dhabi and many more. For details, visit www.viceroyhotelgroup.com/earlyaccess.

Portico Club
This normally member’s-only travel club is offering special access to its private homes on Cyber Monday. Book homes or condos in areas like Steamboat Springs, Las Vegas, Scottsdale and Rose Hall. Special deals vary by property.

Loews Hotels
A Cyber Monday special will run from 12:01 a.m., Monday, Nov. 26 (EST) to 3 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 27. Bookings apply for travel from Nov. 26, 2012 – April 30, 2013. Those who book on Cyber Monday will receive up to 40 percent off Loews Best Rate at 15 Loews Hotels & Resorts and free in-room Internet access.Lake Placid Lodge, Lake Placid
Lake Placid Lodge, is offering several Cyber Monday deals with savings of up to 50% off. Reservations for all deals are bookable online at LakePlacidLodge.com from 10:00 a.m. EST on Monday, Nov. 26 until 5 p.m. EST on Friday, Nov. 30. Rates start at $400 per night.

Grand Lucayan, Bahamas
Starting Black Friday, Nov. 23, through Cyber Monday, Nov. 26, Grand Lucayan, Bahamas, is offering 60% percent off stays for travel through Sept. 30, 2013. Rates begin as low as $79 in this 96-hour sale. Reservations must be made online here.

Miraval Resorts, Tucson
Starting Nov. 26 through Dec. 2, guests can book an all-inclusive Miraval 3-night stay for two and receive an extra $500 dollars in resort credits. The deal includes casita-style accommodations, a $150 nightly resort credit per person, all meals, unlimited self-discovery activities, full access to resort amenities, complimentary shuttle from Tucson International Airport or complimentary valet parking, a welcome gift and extra $500 in resort credits per stay.

Sonesta Resorts Saint Maarten
Sonesta Resorts Saint Maarten’s Black Friday Sale returns Nov. 22 – 29, 2012, offering a 50% discount on all-inclusive rates valid for travel Dec. 1, 2012 – Dec. 19, 2013. Bookings can be made with promo code BFSALE.

Bernardus Lodge, Carmel
The Bernardus Lodge is offering a special rate of $285 per night, complete with one 50-minute massage per room, a 50 percent savings, from Black Friday to Cyber Monday.

Helmsley Park Lane Hotel, New York City
On Monday, Nov. 26, the Helmsley Park Lane Hotel in New York City will offer 40% off the best available rate for stays Dec. 1, 2012 through September 30, 2013. This Cyber Monday special will be viewable and bookable on that day only by visiting this link here.

Hotel Madeline Telluride, Colorado
Book your winter vacation and save up to 50% at Hotel Madeline Telluride. Hotel Madeline Telluride is offering a one-of-a-kind Ski & Spa package, which combines access to the resort’s 2,000 skiable-acres and the hotel’s relaxing spa. For $600 total, guests who book the Ski & Spa package on Cyber Monday will receive two nights in a deluxe king room, breakfast for two, two ski passes and two massages.

[Image credit: Lake Placid Lodge]

Hotel News We Noted: November 17, 2012

by McLean Robbins on

Happy weekend, hotel lovers. We’ve made it to the end of the last full week before holiday madness begins, and let us say, it’s been a doozy. Stay tuned next week for a special “Hotel News We Noted” edition, full of Black Friday and Cyber Monday packages galore.

Until then, here’s your weekly dose of what’s hot (and what’s not) in the hotel world. As always, send us tips and newsy bits to this email address.

Hotel Package: They’ll Toss In The Turkey Too
Extended stay hotel brand AKA is sweetening the deal this Thanksgiving. If you join in the hotel’s Great Turkey PhotoFest on November 22, the hotel will give you a complimentary turkey. In order to receive the free turkey, guests must commit to post a photo/twitpic the finished product on AKA’s Facebook page or use their @StayAKA handle or hashtag #TheGreatTurkeyPhotoFest via Twitter. All hail the bird at the brand’s North American properties in New York City, Philadelphia, Washington DC and Beverly Hills. , are encouraged to participate

Movember Madness at Renaissance Times Square
Participating in Movember? Recap: Men grow mustaches in November to support the Prostate Cancer Foundation. If so, hit up R Lounge in the Renaissance New York Times Square hotel on November 30 to enjoy Movember-themed food and drink (mustache-shaped cookies and foaming cocktails), with all of the proceeds going to cancer initiatives. We’re fairly confident that this seems like a good cause, although we’re also fairly sure that that many mustaches in one room is going to be either epic-ally awesome or awesomely awful. We figured we’d give a few week’s notice if you want to grow a handlebar or a fu man chu and participate … oh, and we never turn down gratis food. All men attending with a ‘stache get a free Blue Ribbon appetizer.Sub-Standard: Woman Sues The Standard After Giving Birth In The Hotel
The Standard’s former manager is suing the hotel for $10 million after giving birth in the hotel last year, Yahoo! is reporting. Manager Tara Kimkee Tan went into labor on a Saturday evening while on duty and gave birth in a hotel guest room without medical assistance. Afterwards, Tan claims that she was ushered unceremoniously out a side door and denied maternity leave. But that isn’t why she’s suing. Tan was fired for allegedly stealing hotel property, and claims that she is not only innocent, but that she was fired because she doesn’t fit the hotel’s “image” of young, tall and blonde. Oh brother – this case sounds like a not so “standard” mess.

Sweet Romance: Four Seasons #IgniteTheSpark
It may not be the month for romance quite yet (we’ll give that honor to February), but Four Seasons is doing their very best to “ignite the spark” with a series of packages at their properties around the world. Ranging from gratis cocktails to spa treatments, these packages are perfect for holiday proposals or just getting away from it all during an otherwise busy season. The add-ons vary: at the Chiang Mai property, couples can make a traditional wish on a banana leaf and release the leaf into the resort’s pond. In Boston, they’ll get a Porshe Panamera rental for a day, and in Costa Rica, they’ll enjoy surfing lessons. The saying “whatever floats your boat” or “revs your engine” was taken literally here, we see!

[Image Credit: Renaissance Hotels]

Men’s Journal Goes Glamping In Montana

by Kraig Becker on

Looking for a great new destination for your next “glamping” adventure? Then Men’s Journal has you covered. The magazine has launched a new regular video feature on their website called “Remote and Refined,” which promises to introduce us to some of the best five-star accommodations that just so happen to be in some off-the-beaten-path locations.

In the premiere episode, which you’ll find below, we’re introduced to the Resort at Paws Up. Located in Montana, the resort offers access to some of the most spectacular and pristine wilderness in North America. Visitors will find excellent outdoor adventures such as hiking, climbing, ATV excursions, fly-fishing and more. At the end of the day, after they’ve explored everything that Big Sky Country has to offer, they’ll return to the resort where they’ll enjoy luxurious cabins, fine food and plenty of creature comforts.

If you’re the kind of traveler who enjoys staying active but still prefers to be pampered at the end of the day, then you’ll probably enjoy this new video series. If nothing else, we’re all sure to find some amazing new locations that we can dream about visiting.

[Photo Credit: Kraig Becker]


Birth Of A Hotel: Farm To Table Is Here To Stay

by McLean Robbins on

This week, we’ve been busy talking to hospitality experts for our upcoming feature on hotel food and beverage trends. Simultaneously, our featured hotel, Capella Washington D.C., Georgetown, has been preparing their own F&B offerings.
Capella’s soon-to-be-announced restaurant won’t feature a celebrity chef (like their neighbor The Four Seasons, with its Michael Mina restaurant) but it will draw on a major trend in the restaurant world: local cuisine. Much of the hotel’s produce will be sourced from local farms. Guy Rigby, Four Seasons Americas vice president of food and beverage, says that local foods are more than just a passing trend – the use of local foods and high-quality ingredients has become an expectation of the discerning diner.

Trends do play an important role in menu development, however, as shown by the craft beer selections being considered for the restaurant. Hospitality expert Steven Kamali told us that the beer market is nowhere near its saturation point, and, in Washington, beer bars have made waves in the community in recent years, including the opening of the District’s first brewery, DC Brau.

Speaking to the local community will also be a critical part of opening this new restaurant. Located along the city’s scenic C&O Canal, hotel managing partner Bruce Bradley expressed his desire to showcase the restaurant as a place welcoming to the local community as well as hotel guests. Kamali and Rigby also spoke to the importance of this marketing segment, stating that hotels must carefully consider the local market when developing their restaurant concepts.

We look forward to bringing you a larger feature – just in time for Thanksgiving. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, catch up on all of your “Birth of a Hotel” coverage here.

[Image Credits: Capella Washington D.C.]

Tips For Gaming Hotel Websites To Get The Best Room Rates

by Dave Seminara on

Major hotel chains have sophisticated software that dictates room rates based upon expected occupancy, but with a little knowledge and a bit of effort you can ensure that you get the best deal. The key to getting the best possible price is understanding hotel demand and trying different search terms to see which combination of dates yield the lowest prices.

Depending on location and time of year, some hotels have dramatically higher occupancy on the weekend, while others that cater to business travelers are busier during the week. If you want to save money, schedule your trip accordingly.

For example, let’s say you’d like to spend a week dividing time between San Francisco and the nearby Sonoma County wine region. If you want to save a bundle on hotels, hit Sonoma during the week, when it’s nice and quiet and the room rates are low, and then on the weekend stay in a business class hotel in the suburbs of San Francisco or in Silicon Valley.In many destinations, you can find a good deal on hotels any night of the week, save Saturday nights and sometimes Fridays. You can either work around this, as outlined above, or manipulate your search terms to make sure you’re not paying the higher Saturday night rate for more than one night.

If you plan to stay more than one night at a chain hotel, particularly if part but not all of your stay includes a weekend night, definitely split apart your travel dates into one-night increments to see how the price changes. For example, if you search for a room on the website of the Hilton Inn at Penn in Philadelphia for a two-night stay, checking in this Saturday night, you’ll find a AAA rate of $260 per night. But if you split your search term to see the price for Saturday night and Sunday night, you’ll notice that while the Saturday rate is $260, the AAA rate for Sunday night plummets to just $134. The Hilton is quite content to charge you the higher rate for both nights but you’d be a fool to pay it.

This is not an isolated example. I did a quick search for other hotels this weekend and almost every hotel I checked out had a different rate for Saturday night versus Sunday night, but none offered the Sunday discount to the customer booking both nights together in one reservation on their sites. The Renaissance Marriott in Philadelphia offers a AAA rate of $279.95 for a two-night, Saturday, Sunday stay this weekend, but if you search just for Sunday night, you’ll notice the rate plummets to $180.45 – though you don’t get that rate unless you make two reservations.

The Hyatt Regency on the Magnificent Mile in Chicago has a Saturday night rate of $170 versus $116 on Sunday, but again their site doesn’t give you the lower Sunday rate unless you make two reservations. And the same goes for Chicago’s Westin River North, which has a $233 versus $118 split for this weekend.

The split can work the other way as well, especially in the suburbs. For example, the Hyatt House in Plymouth Meeting, outside Philadelphia is $18 more expensive on Sunday night compared to Saturday this weekend. And there are also occasions when the hotel offers a better rate for multiple night stays compared to a single night stay. Again, it all depends on expected occupancy.

This summer, Orbitz got a lot of bad press after admitting that it shows higher priced hotel options to those searching for rooms on a Mac, so many advocate double checking searches on a PC, if you can, but I tested various searches on my PC and my MAC and they all appeared to yield the same results.

The bottom line is that you always need to check and split apart your travel dates when searching for a multiple-night stay. If you can save money by making multiple reservations, go for it, and add a note in the comments section asking them to combine the reservations so you don’t have to move rooms.

Then remind them again when you check in. Or, to simplify matters, call the hotel directly, tell them what you discovered online and ask them to extend the lower rate for your entire stay. They might not do it, but it’s worth a try. Whatever you do, don’t throw away money by failing to explore all your options online before booking.

[Photo credit:Uggboy Ugggirl on Flickr]