Hotel News We Noted: June 8, 2012

by McLean Robbins on

Each week, we explore the newest news and notes from the hotel and resort world. Feel free to write us and submit a tip, or just get your fix below in this edition of “Hotel News We Noted.”

Hotel Openings: Hot in Miami with SLS South Beach Opening

Big news in the hotel world this week as SLS Hotel South Beach finally opens the SLS brand’s first hotel property on the East Coast in a historic Art Deco building on Collins Avenue. The location features luxe penthouses designed through a collaboration between some of the hotel world’s buzziest names – designer Philippe Starck, restaurant mogul Jose Andrés, nightlife empresario Sam Nazarian and celebrity Lenny Kravitz. The property has 130 rooms and 10 special villas, all using Starck’s signature whites with vibrant pink accents to “reflect the sophistication of old French aristocracy.” The restaurant, Andrés The Bazaar, offers a mixture of Latin and Spanish flavors, along side sushi hotspot Katsuya from famed sushi chef Katsuya Uechi. The property also features Hyde Beach, the fourth location of a club from renowned nightlife team sbe Entertainment Group, which includes oceanfront access, indoor and outdoor spaces, two pools and Miami’s signature cabana culture. Of course, guest rooms include the latest in technology as well, with in-room iPads that deliver room service and reservations with a single touch, and a special connectivity that allows you to stream your own iPhone or iPad direct to the TV. The “Start Living Sexy” opening package includes 15 percent off the best available rate, a complimentary room upgrade and a complimentary food and beverage experience at Hyde Beach. The introductory package is subject to availability and blackout dates do apply. Rates start about $350.

Family Travel: Preferred Hotels’ New Family Travel Website

Just in time for the summer travel season, Preferred Hotels has launched a new family-focused travel website, preferredfamily.com. Search by destination, find highlighted family blogs and take advantage of one of our favorite features, “Three Days In,” which offers up a three-day itinerary in cities like New York, Paris and more.

Promo We Love: National Lobster Day at the Boston Marriott

June 15 is National Lobster Day and the Boston Marriott Long Wharf Hotel is celebrating with a great promotion. To celebrate, 15 parties who arrive the weekend of June 15 will receive special New England treats with the “Lucky Lobster” promotion. As an ode to this local delicacy, anyone who finds a Lucky Lobster in their guestroom will receive a voucher for free lobster rolls and a free flight of local beer at the hotel’s Waterline restaurant. If you’re in Boston and planning a getaway – for Father’s Day, perhaps – this might be worth checking out.

Summer Savings: Thailand to Telluride

Want to take a summer vacay? We’re loving these great deals.

  • The all-suite Bangkok hotel featured in last summer’s “The Hangover Part II,” lebua at State Tower, is offering 30 percent off best rates through September 30. Rates start at just $112 per night and include breakfast, Wi-Fi and access to lebua’s SkyBar, a Bangkok hotspot and the world’s tallest outdoor bar.
  • London’s hip hangout, The MayFair Hotel – which still has availability during this summer’s Olympic Games – offers guests 20 percent savings when they book 10 days in advance.
  • Mountain Lodge Telluride is offering 30 percent off lodging and golf starting from $135 per round. The Telluride Golf Course is surrounded by the highest concentration of 14,000-foot mountains in the United States.
  • The Grand Hotel Maine, which overlooks Kennebunkport, has a package valid through July 15 that includes a two-night stay with complimentary cocktail and late checkout for $399.
  • The Regent Berlin, a celebrity favorite in Mitte, has an extravagant auto package that includes access to a limited-edition Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster for two days, a picnic basket stocked with Champagne for road trips, two nights in a Premier Suite and a six-course dinner at the two-Michelin star restaurant Fischers Fritz. Rates start at 2995 EUR, and the Mercedes is available through October 31.

Hotel News We Noted: June 1, 2012

by McLean Robbins on

It’s finally Friday (short weeks always feel the longest, don’t they?) and this week’s edition of “Hotel News” is unusually full! This week, we discuss a number of hotel acquisitions, openings, and planned openings – it was a busy week in the hotel world. If you have tips or news, please email us for consideration.

Hotel Ownership: Gaylord Sells to Marriott
Gaylord Entertainment has sold the rights to manage its four massive hotels to Marriott for a whopping $210 million, as well as its plan to convert to a real estate investment trust. Gaylord hotels are currently in four cities – Nashville, Tennessee, Kissimmee, Florida, Grapevine, Texas, and National Harbor, Maryland, just outside of DC. What does that mean for Marriott? Good news for its meetings portfolio – the four hotels are known for their massive amounts of conference space. Marriott beat out three other hotel management groups for the title, although the hotels will still operate under the Gaylord name. Executives are hopeful for future development, but a planned project in the Denver area has been put on hold indefinitely. For the full story, visit Hotels Magazine.

Coming Soon: Bulgari London
Opening just in time for the London Olympics will be the third hotel in the Bulgari portfolio, Bulgari London. The 85-room hotel will be the first new luxury hotel build in four decades in the city of London. Two other properties (operated under the Marriott name) are currently open in Bali and Milan.

Hotel Openings: Ritz-Carlton Montreal and Japan
The Ritz-Carlton announced two hotel openings this past week on opposite ends of the globe. Its historic Montreal property (shown above) re-opened after a nearly four-year, $200 million renovation. The property was North America’s first-ever Ritz-Carlton and originally opened in 1921. In the Far East, the Ritz-Carlton, Okinawa opened its doors as well, making it the first luxury property on the Japanese island.

Hotels on TV: Rosewood Tucker’s Point
Never mind that strange Hotel Catalina, the luxe Rosewood Tucker’s Point in Bermuda is playing host to a reality series of its own this week. The June 4 episode will feature the cast of “The Bachelorette.” The Point, the hotel’s fine dining restaurant, will be the backdrop for a one-on-one date, and the private beach club and its famed pink sand as the group date location. We wonder if the bachelors or bachelorette got to use the spa’s crazy $100,000 shower?

Private Parties: Soho House Gets Five New Locations
Private members club Soho House has announced additional expansion with new openings confirmed for Toronto, Mumbai, Chicago, Istanbul and Barcelona, all of which will open by the end of 2014. The private members club was founded in London in 1995 and has long been an exclusive retreat for the film, media and creative elite.

Hotel News We Noted: May 25, 2012

by McLean Robbins on

We hope everyone is off to a very happy long weekend. Here is our recap of this week’s best news, notes and trends in the hotel world.

Hotel Trends: Starwood Temporarily Relocates Headquarters to Dubai
As part of Starwood Hotels & Resort’s globalization and cultural training efforts, the hotel group plans to relocate its senior leadership team for a month-long management event in 2012. The team will move from their current Stamford, Connecticut, headquarters to Dubai. We’re curious to see if anything notable comes out of this move, other than the frustration of top execs who end up away from their families for a month.

Hotel News: Paramount Lends Name to Hotel Brand
Bloomberg reports that Paramount Pictures is lending its name to a new brand of luxury hotels that will be themed after Hollywood and California. “We will offer something unique,” Paramount Hotels & Resorts chief executive officer Thomas Van Vliet said in an interview in the hotel-management company’s Dubai headquarters. “In addition to luxury and services, our hotels will add Paramount entertainment and technology as well as elements of the California lifestyle.” The hotels are tentatively slated for Brazil, the U.K., the Caribbean, Russia, Qatar, Oman, South Africa and Indonesia and may be part of tourist attractions or theme parks. Hotels will also have private screening areas so that guests can watch (shock) Paramount films. We’ll keep you up to date on this as hotels and official plans are announced.

Coming Soon: Four Seasons Toronto and Shanghai
Four Seasons is continuing global expansion with a planned June opening for its new Pudong, Shanghai property (you’ll recall Ritz-Carlton has two properties in the area already, beating them to Shanghai, although Four Seasons has had hotels in China since 2002) and an early October opening of its new Toronto property in the city where Four Seasons calls their corporate headquarters. The original Yorkville Road location closed in March, and we reported last week that many of its contents are now up for auction.

Discounts Galore for Servicemen and Women
If you’re in the service, this is the weekend to pull out that military ID. We’ve had dozens of hotels write in with their special offerings – so many that the suggestion we’re going to give you is “call and ask” instead of listing them all. One cool package we’d like to draw your attention to, however, is that at The Jefferson in Washington, D.C., available this weekend, July Fourth and Labor Day. They’re offering a special tribute to service men and women. Book an overnight ($295) at the Relais Chateaux property and you’ll get a flag that flew over the U.S. Capitol to take home. That’s a parting gift to remember.

Social Media
Shoutout to Omni hotels: their #campomni family travel Twitter chat became a national trending topic yesterday afternoon.

[Flickr via Dannymac15_1999]

Hotel News We Noted: May 18, 2012

by McLean Robbins on

This second edition of “Hotel News We Noted” tracks the week’s most interesting hotel stories and trends. In today’s edition, you’ll find why Mac users are fancier than their PC counterparts, learn how to buy a piece of the Four Seasons and explore Instagram turning into art, among other things.

Have a suggestion, question, or want to submit a piece of news? Just email or leave a comment below.

Travel Trends: Mac Users Book Fancier Hotels than PC Users
According to Orbitz, Mac users are 40 percent more likely than their PC counterparts to book a four- or five-star hotel. Orbitz CEO Barney Harford shared this information with USA Today and explained how the company personalizes search results based on data provided by the client – whether they are staying with children or without, age, and other demographic information.

Hotel Packages: Palomar Embraces Hipsters
A new package at Kimpton’s Hotel Palomar San Diego (seen above in the photo), has us wishing we’d never heard of the term “hipster.” Their new “Hip Hip Hipster” package ties in with something hipsters love – music and fashion – as well as overnight accommodations and special value-adds, including a pair of “chic sunglasses,” a special discount at Goorin Bros. Hatmaker and two locally-brewed beers at Saltbox Lounge. Please direct any hipsters you know to this package, as they’re probably too cool to read something as passe as a blog. The package is valid through July 31.

Coming Soon: Starwood to Open First Iraq Hotel in 20 Years
Starwood has signed an agreement to manage a new-build Sheraton hotel in Erbil, Iraq. Scheduled to open in 2015, the Sheraton Erbil Hotel will mark the re-entry of Starwood in the country after 20 years. Located in the new part of the city, the Sheraton Erbil Hotel will feature 221 guest rooms, on-site dining, a fitness center, spa, and indoor and outdoor pools. Located in northern Iraq, Erbil is emerging as the country’s commercial hub. Starwood currently operates close to 50 hotels in the Middle East, which includes 16 Sheraton hotels.

Hotel News & Trends: W New York Turns Instagram Photos Into An Art Show
Hotels are one of the most interesting players in the social media game. While generally a bit behind the eight ball when it comes to technological innovation, they’re quick to jump on any trend that might generate revenue, and social media is definitely one of those things. In this case, they are industry pioneers, hosting one of the first-ever Instagram art exhibitions. Check it out, if you’re in New York now through May 21, and thanks to SocialTimes for the tip.

On the Auction Block: Buy a Piece of Four Seasons
The Four Seasons Hotel Toronto is relocating and, as a result, you can now own a piece of the original. From May 31 to June 2, IAAS Worldwide will sell off all 32 floors of the hotel’s goods, an estimated $10 million value, which include grand pianos, crystal chandeliers, designer lamps and marble flooring. Notable items include Truffle’s signature old-world iron gates, the Avenue Bar’s famous 20-foot onyx bar as well as the Regency Ballroom’s double-height doors, wood paneling, ornate mirrors and century-old chandeliers. Want to preview the goods? That takes place May 29 and 30.

Hotel News We Noted: May 11, 2012

by McLean Robbins on

Welcome to our first weekly roundup of “Hotel News We Noted,” a compendium of our favorite clicks, posts and fun packages we spotted each week. If you have a tip, send if over – we’re hoping to target this column to the news and notable events you as readers find most interesting.

Opening Spotlight: Hipster Cool at Chicago’s ACME Hotel Company
A new trendsetter is in town, thanks to Chicago’s newest hotel, ACME, which opened this month in River North. Boutiquey-chic is the name of the game with an offbeat, retro vibe and tech-friendly amenities, like Bowers and Wilkins Zeppelin wireless sound systems, lipstick printed in-bathroom nightlights and album cover-plastered elevator interiors. It’s not totally ready yet – the restaurant won’t open until fall, but we’d suggest taking stock of the rates, starting in the $150 range, before they go up.

Destination Spotlight: Acapulco is Hot Hot Hot, Thanks to J.Lo
Jennifer Lopez chose Acapulco as the latest destination for her new music video (which made waves because she released it via Twitter) and hotels in the area are clamoring for a piece of the marketing pie. Hotel Encanto, the hotel where she stayed during filming, is offering a special three-day, two-night package for just $825 per person, including daily breakfast, suite upgrade, ground transportation and a late check-out.

Social Media: Four Seasons Gets All About the Bridal Buzz
According to industry data, Four Seasons is the world’s buzziest hotel brand. Its recent website overhaul and prolific social media accounts across multiple platforms ensure that they set the gold standard for other brands to follow. Now, the brand is taking note with a special weddings-focused website, iPad app, magazine, Twitter and Pinterest presence, all geared towards making real brides want to tie the knot at a Four Seasons hotel. We’d be all about that, if we could only afford it. Still, the sites are a fun perusal for wedding and hotel enthusiasts. FYI, if you’re on Pinterest, share your best pins and enter to win a $2,500 gift card.For the Travel Searcher: RoomKey Expands out of Beta
Roomkey.com, the hotel search engine founded upon a partnership from leading hotel companies like Marriott and Hyatt, has officially gotten out of beta. What does that mean for travelers? More partners, and an expanded suite of tools, including comparison features, social sharing and consumer reviews. Soon, the site will even expand to include independent and boutique brands. This is one site we’re definitely keeping an eye on.

Luxury Travel: A Custom Trip to the Scottish Highlands Combining Shooting and Style
Owning a custom bag or piece of luggage crafted by one of Europe’s finest luxury brands is something that is enjoyed by only a select few. Traveling to the heart of Europe’s famous wild estate lands in the Scottish Highlands to experience a sustainable wild red deer hunt with a third-generation deerstalker, resulting in the leather to create your own bespoke bag with a designer kicks it up a notch, as Emeril would say. Nestling into the down covers of Relais & Chateaux property’s Inverlochy Castle, a home-cum-hotel that kings and queens have praised for over 100 years, makes this a journey one would never forget.

Social Media: Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts Hops on Instagram with #LovingTheMoment Campaign
Instagram is arguably one of the hottest social trends right now, and Shangri-La Hotels is hot on the campaign with its new initiative, which encourages guests to submit photos of their location using the hashtag #LovingTheMoment. The brand is also adding its own photos that showcase the unique aspects of each hotel. You’ll also find that the brand has upped the ante with expanded presences on other social sites, including Facebook and Twitter, plus new easier-to-use mobile sites.