Hotel News We Noted: December 7, 2012 (Special Edition)

by McLean Robbins on

We write today with bad news. Judging by the amount of press releases in our inbox, the world will end on December 21, as predicted by the Mayan calendar, and nine days before, on 12-12-12, the publicity world will relish their last ever chance to send out far too many press releases about a holiday that may or may not happen.

And what reporters would we be if we did not bring you such news, interspersed with our favorite “Hotel News We Noted” of the week.

An Over-The-Top 12/12/12 Wedding at Jumby Bay
Book a wedding date to remember at Rosewood’s exclusive Antigua resort. Book the Once in a Lifetime Package and receive accommodations for three nights for 80 of your closest friends, private “White Night” party, cocktail and wedding reception, ceremony and more. Want to know how exclusive this place is? It once denied access to Princess Diana. Rates start at $230,000 for a three-night wedding event for up to 80 persons (40 rooms).

A 12/12/12 Promo You Can Afford
In honor of 12/12/12, Affinia Hotels in NYC and D.C. are treating guests to a special low rate of $112.12 for Sunday night stays available for booking on Dec. 12 between 12 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. only. Those looking to extend their stay beyond Sunday, can also receive 12 percent off any additional nights booked. This limited-time offer is available for travel from Jan. 2, 2013 – March 31, 2013. To book visit www.affinia.com/Dec12 and use promotional code TWELVE.

Gamble The Day Away
Packages to top gambling destinations on the last triple-digit date of the century are considered very lucky. OneTravel.com has packages bookable by December 9 available for as little as $437 per person for four-night stays in Las Vegas and Atlantic City.End of the World Cocktails at Renaissance Hotels
Celebrate doomsday with decadent cocktail treats at Renaissance hotels throughout the U.S., or, if you’re like us, celebrate in your living room with these delicious recipes!

Mayan Sacrifice
1/3 oz. Patron Silver Tequila
1/3 oz. Bacardi 151
1/3 oz. Grenadine
2 Dash Creole Bitters

Mix ingredients together in a mixing glass over ice. Shake and strain into shot glass. Ensure shot has sufficient red coloring.

Survival Punch
2 oz. Death’s Door White Whiskey
1 oz. Peach Schnapps
1 oz. Orange Juice
1 oz. Cranberry Juice
¼ oz. Velvet Falernum
Blood Orange Bitters, to taste
Rosemary Sprig

In a shaker over ice, combine all ingredients and shake. Strain using funnel into bottle. Serve full bottle with 2 rocks glasses filled with ice. Garnish with a rosemary sprig.

Hallucination Celebration
1 1/2 oz. Lucid Absinthe Superieure
5 oz. Champagne (fill glass)
Gold Flakes or Leaf

Sprinkle desired amount of gold flakes in champagne flute. Carefully add Absinthe. Fill glass with champagne. Garnish with gold flakes.

Hotel Openings: Four Seasons Goes To Africa
A few years ago, we told you that glamping was a thing. Now Four Seasons has gotten on the trend with the opening of Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti, Tanzania, the first of the brand’s properties in Sub-Saharan Africa (two additional properties are planned in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and an exclusive beach resort on the island of Zanzibar). This 77-room lodge features 12 suites with plunge pools, five free-standing villas, two restaurants and two bars. The hotel will offer a full-service fitness center and spa as well as opportunities for game drives. (Psst: Really want to get to Africa? We reported on another brand new lodge from the Singita brand last week.)

Hot Hotel Scene: Miami
We spent a night in Miami last weekend and explored some of what the hottest city on the East Coast has to offer, just in advance of its poshest event of the winter season, Art Basel, going on now. SLS South Beach, a Philippe Stark-designed masterpiece, is undoubtedly the center of Collins Avenue cool, with its Hyde Beach club, Jose Andres restaurant, and old school campground decor. We’ve also heard great things about The James Royal Palm, another boutique brand’s entrance into the Miami hotel world, and the soon-to-open B South Beach. We stayed at Hotel Beaux Arts, a unique hotel-within-a-hotel concept that’s a one-of-a-kind experience within the Marriott brand. Featuring floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Port of Miami and downtown, this super high-tech hotel has rooms full of Bang & Olufsen amenities. While we couldn’t figure out how to turn on the sink, we sure did feel like a high roller, and, thanks to the in-house (well, in the attached JW Marriott Marquis) basketball court, movie theater, golf school, and virtual bowling alley, you could too. This would be an ultimate bachelor party destination.

Hotel News We Noted: November 30, 2012

by McLean Robbins on

Greetings from warm and sunny Miami! Checking out one of the East Coast’s hottest hotel scenes is certainly a nice respite from the chilly temperatures we’ve been having up north. Next week, we’ll have a full report on our visits.

It has been a busy week in the hotel world. Many of our favorite properties offered Cyber Monday deals and even more put out holiday promotions. From Hanukkah to New Year’s Eve, hotels across the world are getting in the festive spirit.

Here’s our weekly roundup of “Hotel News We Noted.”

Want to know what’s coming up? We’re showcasing 12-12-12 and “end of the world” packages next week, as well as seeking out the coolest NYE packages you can find. Send ’em our way!

Cool Contest: Undercover Boss at Diamond Resorts
We generally love anything where we have a chance to win a trip, but this promotion is one of our favorites – because it gives people a chance to experience our jobs in real life! In celebration of Diamond Resorts International’s appearance on “Undercover Boss,” the group is giving ten lucky families the chance to star in their own, real-life version of the hit program. This sweepstakes celebrates the return of Diamond Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Stephen J. Cloobeck to the popular reality series – the first time that any Chief Executive has made a second appearance on the program. Enter here to win a free vacation consisting of a seven-day, six-night stay at select locations within the collection. The families will enjoy the Diamond Resort experience as “undercover” agents, and report directly back to Cloobeck with an evaluation of their stay.

Haute Hotel Restaurants: Element 47 at The Little Nell
It’s officially ski season, although we’re generally more excited about après ski than we are about hitting up the latest double black diamond. Which explains why we can’t wait to visit Element 47 at the acclaimed Little Nell resort, located at the base of Aspen Mountain. The farm-to-table restaurant will include dishes like Wagyu Tartare with gruyere, purple mustard, pastrami spice and quail egg; Sorrel Cured Atlantic Fluke with blood orange, petite lettuce and green olive; Wild and Cultivated Mushrooms with roasted, flan, tortellini and herbs; and Local Anjou Pear Agnolotti with wagyu bresaola, celeriac and pickled chanterelles. Yum. We’re hungry already.Hotel Opening: Singita Mara River
Glamping and luxury lovers rejoice. Acclaimed luxury game reserve brand Singita has opened their latest tented camp in Tanzania, Singita Mara River. Located in the secluded Lamai triangle, the new resort runs entirely on solar power. Extremely intimate (just six tents), the resort is edgy and fun, featuring a lounge, dining area, bar tent and plunge pool. Of course, all good things come at a price – rates are $1,200 per person per night in high season, going up to $1,275 in the new year.

Missed Cyber Monday? Here’s Another “Suite” Deal
Las Alamandas is offering a post Cyber Monday promo of 20% off suites, good for stays between December 19 and January 2, 2013. New Year’s Eve getaway, anyone? The 17-suite resort is located south of Puerto Vallarta and includes amenities like shaded terraces, private Jacuzzis and oversized tubs. A minimum four-night stay is required, and bookings must be made by December 5.

Hotels We’re Dying to Visit: Radisson Blu Nantes
We’ve long been interested in Radisson’s cool boutique brand, Radisson Blu, but even more so now thanks to the opening of their latest property in Nantes, France. The company’s newest flagship debuts after a five-year renovation of an 1851-era building that served as the Nantes Court of Law until 2000. The coolest part? Their restaurant is located in the building’s former grand courtroom and its wine cave is located in the former trial judge’s chambers. We know where we’ll be staying next time we’re in the Loire area.

[Image Credit: Radisson Blu Nantes]

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]

Hotel News We Noted: November 10, 2012

by McLean Robbins on

It’s official, and hopefully you’re not too blue about it. We’re in for four more years of President Obama, but that doesn’t mean Washington (hotels) are any less excited about inauguration. We’ve been tracking what our favorite properties are doing to prepare, but also what’s going on in the hotel world at large for this week’s “Hotel News We Noted.”

As always, send us questions and comments via email, and don’t forget that our annual Black Friday / Cyber Monday roundup is fast approaching. If you know of a great deal, sent it out way.

Hotel Openings: The James Miami, Four Seasons Beijing, Kukui’ula Club Cottages, Andaz Amsterdam
It’s a big week in the world of hotel openings! Here are the highlights:

  • The James has expanded their brand to the hot, hot, hot Miami with the opening this week of The James Royal Palm. The renovated property (formerly The Royal Palm) will join The James’ brand of boutique hotels in New York and Chicago.
  • Prefer something a bit more exotic? Four Seasons has opened their first hotel in China’s capital this week. The 313-room property is close enough to be useful to downtown business travelers and leisure guests seeking access to China’s many cultural attractions too.
  • We’ve had our eye on Hawaii for some time now, as airfare from the East Coast has been unusually affordable. On our next visit, we’re excited to check out the new Kukui’ula Club Cottages on Kaua’i, 15-single family cottages right next to the main Plantation House. Hello, if the President rents a private home while in Hawaii, why shouldn’t we?
  • Hyatt’s most hip brand just got a bit cooler, thanks to the opening of the new Andaz Amsterdam. What makes it a haute hotel opening? Awesome art (think in-room video art installations), a bicycle repair shop on-site (the city’s first) and a new step forward for the brand, as it’s the first Andaz in mainland Europe.

Hotel of the Week: Secrets The Vine Cancun

It takes a lot for us to express a desire to visit Cancun, a city better known for spring break than relaxing resort vacations. We’re intrigued by the new Secrets The Vine Cancun, an upscale take on the all-inclusive option. The adults-only resort is inspired (as The Vine name suggests) by wine, and includes a bar with 3,000 wine varietals, sommelier-led classes and tastings, wine-inspired spa menus and private chefs dinners. It’s not a trip to France, but it’s still pretty cool.

Happening Hotel Package: Bond, James Bond at Trump Toronto
In celebration of Toronto’s special “Designing 007: Fifth Years of Bond Style” exhibit and the newest Bond film, “Skyfall,” Trump Toronto has launched a totally over-the-top package we’re dying to try. The $17,007 “Shaken Not Stirred: Bond on Bay” package includes a two-night stay in an Executive Suite on the hotel’s 30th floor, offering fantastic downtown views, access to a Continental Bentley GT for duration of stay, all meals, including dinner with champagne at STOCK™ Restaurant Bar & Lounge for two for the duration of the stay, admission for two to the exhibition and two movie passes to a Bond film at TIFF Bell Lightbox, as well return limousine service, designer cocktail dress and Hugo Boss tuxedo with private fitting at The Room, courtesy of The Hudson’s Bay Company, a spa experience at Quartz Crystal Spa™ that includes a couples massage, hair and makeup for her and manicure for him, a martini “Shaken not Stirred” lesson at Suits Lobby Lounge and an in-room bespoke chocolate from the Chocolate Lab at STOCK Restaurant Bar & Lounge, as well as complimentary fruit and cigar box. Stays are available through January 20 using code PKG007.

[Image Credit: Secrets The Vine Cancun]