Setai Fifth Avenue opens in Midtown Manhattan

by Melanie Nayer on

Add another luxury hotel to the New York scene. In addition to everything that Fifth Avenue has to offer, The Setai Fifth Avenue, managed by Capella Hotels and Resorts, finally opened its doors this week.

Located in the heart of midtown Manhattan at 400 Fifth Avenue, between 36th and 37th Streets, The Setai Fifth Avenue features 157 guest rooms, 57 suites and three penthouse suites. The building also includes a collection of condominium residences on the tower’s top floors.

The new hotel claims to have some of the most spacious rooms in Manhattan (the majority at 700 square feet or larger), in addition to a new restaurant from acclaimed chef Michael White, Ai Fiori; a Julien Farel Salon; an Auriga spa; and a new fixture at street level, the Bar on Fifth. A state-of-the-art fitness center, endless meeting space and around-the-clock services are available to guests.

While we haven’t had the pleasure of seeing the rooms first hand, we know they are decorated with Duxiana beds, Pratesi linens, and custom-built desks. Baths are clad in stone and walnut veneer, with deep-soaking tubs by Zuma, rain showers, and televisions inset into the bathroom mirrors.

The ‘to-die-for’ element? The Auriga spa, which takes over the entire fourth floor and spans more than 11,500 square feet. The spa features eleven private treatment rooms, wet rooms, experiential showers, a vitality pool, sauna, steam room, and hammam.

The price for decadence? We did a quick check of room rates for this coming weekend and found a “Superior Room” for $595 a night; a “Premier Room” for $895 a night; and “Studio Suites” starting at $995 a night.

Four American Airlines baggage handlers charged with theft

by Scott Carmichael on

If you recently passed through Philadelphia International airport, and arrived at your destination with items missing from your luggage, then you may have one of the fine gentlemen on the right to thank.

The four were arrested and charged last week with “multiple counts of criminal conspiracy, theft, unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, and attempted theft”. The men were part time employees of American Airlines, but may have screwed up last month when the airline saw signs of a problem.

Detectives started an investigation and set up security cameras. When the cameras caught the men helping themselves to electronics, cameras and jewelry, police arrested them. Each of the men had been working baggage for American Airlines for nine years.

A court date has been set for December 8, and the men were all released until then.

The most important lesson from this incident? Never, ever pack valuables in your checked luggage. Checked bags are for clothes and cheap souvenirs – anything of value should always go in your cabin bag, or be shipped to your destination.

Stay at the Hard Rock San Diego hotel in December, get a free hybrid car rental

by Amy Chen on

Travelers who stay at the Hard Rock San Diego from Dec. 1 to 30 will get a free hybrid car rental during their stay. Considering that the fees for renting a car can quickly add up, this affordable deal gives you more for less.

The “I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas” package starts at $149 per room per night. The one-day hybrid car rental (either a Toyota Prius or a Nissan Altima Hybrid from Enterprise-Rent-A-Car) is worth at least $70.

Perfect for families, the Hard Rock San Diego hotel is about a 10-minute drive from the San Diego Zoo, a 15-minute drive from SeaWorld, and a 40-minute drive from LEGOLAND in Carlsbad.

Details: Book at least 24 hours in advance. Mention promo code GREEN or check availability at www.hardrockhotelsd.com/greenxmas. Limit one 24-hour car rental per stay.

Sixth annual Adventure Film Festival set for Nov. 18-20

by Kraig Becker on

The sixth annual Adventure Film Festival is scheduled to take place from November 18th through the 20th in the outdoor capital of the United States, Boulder, Colorado. Over the past few years, the event has earned itself a reputation as a great place for independent filmmakers and adventurers to share their ideas, as they inspire others to explore the world around them.

This year, more than 25 films will be featured over the course of the three-day event. Those films will take viewers around the globe, visiting such places as beautiful Argentina, remote regions in Russia, and the very ends of the Earth itself in Antarctica. The movies were specifically handpicked by a selection committee that was looking for inspiring, well made, and informative independent films that exemplified an adventurous spirit while capturing their subject matter in the most amazing way possible.

In addition to the great films that will be on display there are a number of others special events on the docket as well. Aspiring adventure photographers and filmmakers will want to take part in one of the workshops that will take place over the course of the festival, while live music, gear giveaways, round table discussions, and guest appearances will help to keep attendees busy while they’re not sitting in a dark theater.

The films will be shown in the historic Boulder Theater, at the local REI and Patagonia store, as well as the famous Neptune Mountaineering store. They’ll cover a host of outdoor activities including mountaineering, kayaking, cycling, skiing, and more.

Starwood Preferred Guest program offers FaceTime customer support

by Scott Carmichael on

As a kid, I remember playing with a video phone at the local phone store – and thinking how cool it would be if we all had access to video phones in the future. Well, the future came, and along with a total lack of jet packs, video phones never really took off.

Apple has managed to change that with their FaceTime application, and while it is by no means the first video calling application, it is the first to become mainstream. Thanks to its easy to use interface, lack of need for configuring settings, and massive install base, FaceTime is a huge hit.

And with that huge hit, comes new ways to use the service. One of the first customer support applications in the travel industry comes from Starwood Preferred Guest, the loyalty program for Starwood hotels.

On Twitter this morning, an SPG rep announced that they will be offering live chat sessions with their customers using FaceTime. The actual practical applications are relatively limited, but some customers may prefer to talk to a rep face to face instead of using email or phone. What do you think? Would you use a FaceTime chat session instead of picking up the phone, or do you think this is more of a gimmick designed to make them look cool?

%Poll-55451%