Hotel News We Noted: August 17, 2012

by McLean Robbins on

Greetings, from warm and muggy Florida! As we stretch into the last weeks of summer break, we’ve got some cool hotels on tap to keep you full with your weekly dose of “Hotel News We Noted.”

As always, if you have a tip, trend or topical idea you’d like to tell us about, send us a note.

Coming Soon: Hotel Openings
Want the scoop on where your favorite hotels are heading? The Delano announced plans to build in Moscow, we’ll be reporting live on the Capella in Georgetown, opening in early 2013, the Weekapaug Inn, in Weekapaug, Rhode Island, is re-opening from a $20 million renovation in October and QT Sydney, a new five-star design hotel in Australia, is coming September 17.

Branded Hotels: Ikea?
The budget furniture maker is primed to enter the hotel market in a big way. The Inter Ikea name will feature 100 budget-friendly hotels (they will not have the Scandanavian line’s famed flat-pack furniture), according to Reuters. The Inter Ikea brand already owns a few hotels, but this represents their first major move into the hospitality space. The first hotel will likely enter the market in Germany in 2014 and be run by a separate hotel operator.

Eco-Amenity: An In-House Bottling Plant at Shangri-La
We’ve heard of a lot of hotels going eco-friendly, but this is the first we’ve heard of an in-house bottling plant. Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa and Golden Sands Resort in Penang will see a reduction of approximately10,379 pounds of plastic drinking bottles per year through this new initiative. The complimentary drinking water will be packaged in 1.0-liter glass bottles and will replace the plastic mineral water bottles currently used. The resort is the first in Penang accorded this bottling license, and it will serve both carbonated and stilled water.

Hotel Packages: Le Divorce
Papers signed? Celebrate your single status with a three- to 30-day package at Kamalame Cay, a private island resort in the Bahamas. The package includes meals, a spa day and unlimited booze and cigarettes (okay, ew). For every three days on island, guests can choose from one activity from a special “Le Divorce Activities Menu,” including such items as spa treatments, fishing excursions and underwater adventures. Those booking this package can also fill out a “virtue and vice” form three weeks prior to arrival detailing favorite cocktail(s), preferred style of wine(s), favorite fruit(s), favorite candy or other “naughty” treats, favorite author(s), favorite musician(s), etc. Personalized “surprises” will then magically appear in a fun way throughout the stay. Rates start at $600 per night; those booking the full 30 days receive 20 percent off.

Hotel News We Noted: August 10, 2012

by McLean Robbins on

It’s hot and sticky and, judging by the amount of traffic we’ve seen headed to the beaches, everyone is on vacation this week. Still, we truck along to bring you this week’s “Hotel News We Noted,” featuring the latest and greatest from the hospitality world.

As always, send news, notes and general complaints or well wishes via email.

App Awesomeness: The Venetian and The Palazzo Las Vegas
The Venetian and The Palazzo in Las Vegas have finally grown wise to the idea that navigating their 16 million square foot resort and casino complex can sometimes be, well, a bit complicated. We’ve gotten lost more than once on the way from Barney’s to the blackjack table, and not just because we had a few complimentary drinks that fuzzed our non-existent sense of direction. A new VP Pocket Concierge app (available on Apple and Android both) mixes turn-by-turn directions inside the hotels with the ability to make reservations, enjoy Grazie rewards club perks and more. Useful – we wish more Vegas hotels offered this technology.

Fashionable Perk: Vivienne Tam Slippers from Hilton
Keep your feet looking fashion-forward when you visit Hilton Hotels this fall with a limited-edition slipper designed by Vivienne Tam for their Hilton Huanying program, offered at 70 of the brand’s properties in more than 20 countries. Guests of the program will get the slippers free, but you can also buy them online at HiltontoHome.com (use VTHILTON to save 20% through 9/30) or try to win them in a Twitter giveaway through @HiltonHotels. The blue slippers, which feature dragons, are pretty snazzy. Will you be getting a pair, or would you prefer to hold out for the Loubs below?

Hotel Openings: Fairmont Jaipur
Travelers headed to India now have another hotel option thanks to yesterday’s opening of the Fairmont Jaipur, the first of the brand’s properties in India. The 255-room hotel was designed to reflect a traditional Mughal palace. In keeping with Fairmont’s commitment to offer local experiences to guests, travelers to the hotel can enjoy elephant rides, village walks and more.

Fashion Love: Mandarin Oriental Washington DC Offers Brides Louboutin Shoes
Chances are, if you’re paying to host your wedding at the Mandarin Oriental, you know at least a thing or two about style and luxury. The brand’s DC property is sweetening the deal, however, by offering a $1,000 credit towards the purchase of famed designer Christian Louboutin’s shoes for brides planning a wedding at the property. Not only do you get the iconic red soles, but you’ll also get a personal shopping experience at Neiman Marcus, where a Mandarin rep waits on you hand and foot (literally) offering champagne, treats and more. The cost? A mere $50,000 or more for the wedding. A fun perk for sure, although we think we’d rather have a cheaper wedding and buy our own shoes!

Hotel News We Noted: August 3, 2012

by McLean Robbins on



We’re officially into the Dog Days of Summer and it seems like every resort we see is trying to promote a pet-friendly package. Be sure to inquire if you want to travel with Fido or Fifi – many hotels offer pet-friendly policies for dogs under a certain size, and some, like Kimpton, even cater to the pampered pooch with special welcome amenities.

This week’s Hotel News We Noted is full of both good news and sad, as it seems like most of the big openings and events will be happening later in the fall. Still, we’ve got a full slate of happenings for you, just down below.

As always, send us a message if you have questions, comments or tips!

Hotel Closing: The Ritz Paris
The video above is in tribute to the closing of The Ritz Paris, an iconic property that closed this week as part of a two-year restoration. We love the cheeky video, which shows lights being turned off, maids undoing aprons, and dust covers being placed on the furniture. We wish the hotel and its staff the best of luck during their hiatus.

Hotel Concierge: Apothecary Concierge at Hotel Matilda
We’ve heard of art concierges and even a soap concierge, but this is the first we’ve heard of an on-site Apothecary Concierge. San Miguel de Allende’s Hotel Matilda has a new on-site herbalist who creates handmade natural beauty and skincare products personalized for each guest. Each guest gets a personalized skincare consultation and can discuss with the herbalist their unique needs and preferences. The proper remedy is then whipped up on the spot and given to the guest for use during their stay and to take home. We’re pretty sure this might be the coolest concierge perk we’ve seen in some time. Now if only we needed to take a trip to Mexico.

Hotel Amenity: OPUS Vancouver Loves Apple
We are beginning to suspect some sort of partnership – first OPUS Vancouver gives guests in-room iPads, and now they’re replacing their phones too. Guests in rooms at this boutique property now have in-room and during-their-stay use of an iPhone 4. While we think it’s a bit strange to outfit rooms with phones that can’t connect direct to the front desk or in-room dining, we love the idea of being able to take our phone with us when we travel … and, since our own iPhone doesn’t work internationally, this is a perk we’d definitely use. What do you think?

Hotel Openings: Hard Rock Rockin’ On in Mexico and a New Kimpton in La Jolla
The Hard Rock brand had a banner week with the refurbishment and opening of two new properties in Mexico – the Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta and the Hard Rock Hotel Cancun. Both properties are now open for biz, and plan to host star-studded (and likely big name music acts) opening parties in August and October, respectively. Prefer to stay in the U.S. to get your beach fix? Kimpton has spent $4 million to refurbish a brand new property in La Jolla, aptly named Hotel La Jolla, open today.

Happy Birthday, Holiday Inn
One of America’s best-loved brands is turning 60. This month, the iconic Holiday Inn brand turns the big 6-0. This is a brand known for firsts – when launched it was the first hotel to introduce many things we take for granted today like TVs, in–room telephones, air conditioning, free ice, free parking, a full service restaurant and a pool, all at affordable prices. It was the first hotel brand to allow kids to eat and stay for free; and the first to take online bookings. Now they’re encouraging guests in the US, Canada and China to share their own “firsts” on Facebook, Twitter and Weibo to win up to 60 free nights each day in August. Guests from all over the world can also share their “then and now” pictures on Facebook and Weibo through October. The best entries will win a weeklong family vacation at the Holiday Inn of their choice anywhere in the world.

Hotel News We Noted: July 27, 2012

by McLean Robbins on




Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re aware that this is the month of the Olympics – and we’ll be doing our due diligence by bringing you the best hotel news, packages and trend data over the next few weeks in this column and elsewhere. This week, however, we’re highlighting spots of summer with a slew of new hotel stay reviews, openings, trends and far-out amenities.

As always, if you have a comment, thought, or want to share details from a great hotel you’ve recently experienced, send us an email.

Now Open: Scrub Island
If it’s private island luxury you crave (who doesn’t?) try the newly opened, yet unfortunately named, Scrub Island Resort on the east end of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands (shown at top). As the first luxury resort built in the destination in more than 15 years, the hotel is part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection. Set on a private island and rugged cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, you’ll enjoy a choice of 52 rooms as well as two-, three-, and four-bedroom villas, a spa, restaurants, three private beaches and a 55-slip marina. Rates for a July stay start at $400 per night.

Opening Soon: Margaritaville Atlantic City
Under the boardwalk, down by the sea, on a blanket with my margarita, that’s where I’ll be. More likely, we’ll be in the casino at the Margaritaville Atlantic City, predicted for a May 2013 opening. A hotel-within-a-hotel at the Resorts Casino, the Jimmy Buffett hotel will not be the first – there are already casinos in Biloxi, Mississippi, and Las Vegas, as well as a hotel in Florida and a number of the iconic restaurants nationwide. USA Today reports that the complex will have a restaurant, bar, shops, year-round beach bar and the first ever Margaritaville-themed coffee shop.

Fun Perk: Sing-A-Long Movies at the Westin Resort & Casino, Aruba
This fun Starwood resort adds a twist to their traditional “dive-in” movie theme with a family-friendly Sing-a-Long Movie Summer. Every Tuesday through the end of August, guests gather in the resort’s free-form pool to watch and sing along with classic films like “Mary Poppins,” “The Sound of Music,” “The Wizard of Oz” and more. Summer rates at The Westin, Aruba start at a reasonable $179.

Hotel Review: The Reef at Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas
We are going to give the most positive review we can of our recent weekend at Atlantis in the Bahamas‘ Paradise Island. Keep in mind, we’re probably not the hotel’s target demographic – we don’t have kids, weren’t traveling on a company’s incentive trip budget, and don’t generally love gigantic hotels. The famed casino-resort-cruise ship stopping point was to be our home away from home at the wedding of a friend, the one reason we didn’t book a stay at the One & Only Ocean Club on the island instead.

The price for The Reef? A steep $398 per night pre-tax, which totaled out to an additional $120 per night … and this with a near 50 percent wedding rate discount. The rooms were spacious and the kitchenettes offered a good perk – we ordered from the handy FoodStore2Go to stock up for breakfast and other munchies. Red Flower bath amenities were a lovely touch; the horribly scratchy sheets (we’ve had better at a Hampton Inn for sure) were not.

Generally speaking, service was beyond, even the expected, “Caribbean time” slow. The staff (with the exception of housekeeping) was rude and unhelpful, and the resort was packed to the gills with the patrons dropped off from cruise ships each day. The Cove, the resort’s most luxe portion, was by far the best for adults, but even then, a DJ spinning morning and night at the pool made it feel more like Las Vegas or Miami then a relaxing Caribbean escape.

Rooms in other towers – the Beach, Coral and Royal – looked dated and in need of refurbishment. Sadly, rain deterred our plans to visit amenities like the Dolphin Cay and our time was cut short at the Aquaventure water park, but those definitely seemed worthy of a visit, particularly for families with children. The Mandara Spa, however, was a standout – the spa was still very crowded (go early in the day) but the treatment was one of the best we’ve had.

The final verdict? It’s the perfect day visit from a cruise ship or another resort. If you have kids and want to entertain them, it’s an easy alternative to Disney World. If you’re on someone else’s dime, enjoy! The island is beautiful. If you’re coming as a couple, save your money and go elsewhere.

Hotel News We Noted: July 20, 2012

by McLean Robbins on

Greetings from the sunny islands of the Bahamas! We’re visiting the famed Atlantis Resort this week for a wedding of a good friend, and will be excited to report back next week on our swim with the dolphins, boat trip to the Exumas and spa treatments.

But we couldn’t leave you without this week’s edition of “Hotel News We Noted,” where we track the latest and greatest hotel news, packages, trends and promotions you need to know now.

If you have questions, comments, concerns or tips, just email!

Hotels Coming Soon: SLS New York
We’ve told you about the opening of SLS South Beach, but now it seems that the boutique brand is headed to the Big Apple as well. In addition to hotels in California and a planned Las Vegas spot, the New York Post is reporting that a new hotel will open in 2013 on Park Avenue. Celebrity designer Philippe Stark will work with nightlife guru Sam Nazarian on the 190-room hotel, which should open in the second quarter of next year. Nazarian, an NYU grad, told the Post that he loves the city, even going so far as to speculate that there could soon be two or three New York properties in the portfolio. At least it looks like he’s picked a good location – the planned hotel is within blocks of popular properties like The Gansevoort Park Avenue, The Ace and the Eventi hotel.

Hotel Trend: Social Perks
We love getting things for free, and have talked before about how social media interaction with a hotel or brand can earn points, perks and recognition. Now MGM Resorts have jumped on the bandwagon. The hotel has partnered with Topguest to reward members of its M life program for sharing their adventures via social media. They can receive credit for linking their account, checking in on FourSquare or Facebook places, or for tweeting to or about the resort. Engagers can earn points towards status in the loyalty program (up to 30,000 per year) – a big number when one considers that the second-level tier of the program (Pearl) is only 25,000 credits per year.


Happy Birthday, Grand Hotel!
If there’s a place we’ve always wanted to visit, it’s Mackinac Island’s famed Grand Hotel. One of the great hotels of yesteryear, this property boasts the distinction of being pretty much the main business on this popular Michigan vacation spot. This year, the hotel is celebrating a big accomplishment – its 125th birthday. So join us in raising a glass to say congratulations. Fun fact for those of you who haven’t visited: Mackinac Island is one of the few places in the United States left that doesn’t permit cars; horse and buggy and bicycle are the primary modes of transportation.

Hotel Perk: A Hotel Room to Match Your Mood
Here’s a fun extra. At the new Pod 39 hotel in Murray Hill, guests can request one of three room color schemes to enhance their stay. Studies show that colors can affect your mood, and Pod designer, Vanessa Guilford, applies this concept to hotel design, giving guests yet another preference to enhance their stay. Guests can request a red room for “stimulation,” a teal room for “emotional balance, stability and controlling emotions” or a blue room to help one be productive and calm. Hey, we’re just happy that it’s affordable – rates start at $85 per night in July for a pre-opening special (the hotel is putting its finishing touches together for a later summer grand reveal).