W Hotels team up with Barneys for Fashion Week

by Annie Scott on

Part of the hooplah of Fashion’s Night Out included the unveiling of some fabulous Fashion Week-themed displays at the W Hotel in Union Square.

This was not only to celebrate Fashion Week, but a collaboration between W Hotels and Barneys stores. Through October, W guests in cities where there are Barneys locations will receive exclusive perks like complimentary bellinis and discounts when they shop at Barneys New York and Barneys Co Op stores.

Simon Doonan, Creative Director of Barneys New York and Eva Ziegler, Global Brand Leader W Hotels Worldwide (pictured together, above) were on hand to provide commentary.

I asked Doonan about why Barneys wanted to team up with W. “Well, this is a very happy collaboration because Barneys and the W Hotels are very compatible in their outlook — because they believe in style, they believe in humor, they believe in a little bit of hedonism,” he replied. “We both like to take that “New York sizzle’ and take it on the road.”

Zielger later added that W wanted to “show the outside world our passion for fashion.”

Check out the festivities below — including celeb appearances and Doonan’s tips for having a great Fashion Week!
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Nativo Lodge offers New Mexico State Fair Package

by Katie Hammel on

New Mexico’s State Fair kicked off Friday and to celebrate, the Nativo Lodge is offering a special package. For $129 per night, families of up to four people will receive accommodations (with one king or two double beds), daily breakfast, four one-day passes to the Fair, and one parking pass.

The Nativo Lodge offers spacious rooms decorated with Native American touches. The property features a pool and Jacuzzi, free (and reliable) wi-fi, free parking, and a weekday Happy Hour reception. Rooms with breakfast normally start at $119 per night, so if you plan to visit the Fair, this is a good deal.

The New Mexico State Fair runs through September 27 and costs $7 per day for adults. The Fair showcases Native American, Hispanic, and African American cultures, and includes live music performances, livestock competitions, horse shows, and a rodeo. The Fair is held in northwest Albuquerque, less than 10-minutes by car from the hotel.

Top 5 hotels for having an affair

by Katie Hammel on

Looking for a place to take your mistress for the weekend? Trying to plan a secret rendezvous with your lover? If so, check out ABC News’ list of the top 5 hotels for having an affair.

The draw of these hotels, according to the article, is “thick walls, a discreet staff, a bit of romance”. Noel Biderman, the creator of a website that matches would-be cheaters with potential dates (The tag line is “Life is Short. Have an Affair”. Classy, huh?) says ideal hotels for trysts also allow guests to check in under a pseudonym and offer good room service.

Biderman recommends the Beverly Hills Peninsula Hotel, for its private residences outside of the hotel, and suggests looking for hotels that are new or off the beaten path. There is less chance you’ll run into someone you know at one of these places. Also recommended is the Amenjena Hotel in Marrakech. It comes at a price, but Biderman says an affair is the time to splurge (Why not, you may as well spend your money now so your spouse can’t take it all when he or she divorces you, right?).

Another high-style option is the Il Palazzetto Hotel in Rome. With it’s simple but luxurious decor, it gives guests the feeling of being in their own residence (Of course, because you want to think about your own marriage bed when committing adultery.) &Beyond Mnemba Island, a private island retreat near Zanzibar, makes the list, as does the 1870 Banana Courtyard in New Orleans. The hotel is in the fantastically romantic French Quarter, and its history as a bordello adds to its allure.

Of course, the article also wisely points out, you could just stay at any of these hotels with your significant other. The privacy and luxury they offer may make you feel like you are doing something naughty, spicing up your stay (and maybe your relationship) in a way that won’t land you in divorce court.

Sleep on a bed made of hay at a German heuhotel

by Katie Hammel on

It seems hay is not just for horses – it’s also for sleeping on at hotels in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Heuhotels (heu means hay in German) are hotels housed in converted barns where guests bed down in sleeping bags in dorm rooms with layers of hay covering the floor.

The heuhotel Zum Alten Marstall, located near the Neckar Valley in Germany, sits at the foot of an 11th century castle and takes the medieval theme and runs with it. The hay beds are referred to as “knight’s lairs” and staff dress in medieval clothes. Hay beds start at €19,50, while private rooms are €31 per person.

While other hay hotels around the area may not have a theme, they do offer extras like privacy curtains or “rooms” in converted stalls, and most seem to offer a communal breakfast and outdoor activities. It seems like the hotels would appeal most to budget travelers, families with young kids, or eco-conscious travelers, but one heuhotel owner claims the hay beds are also popular with couples, saying “there’s nothing more exciting than a night on the hay”….except perhaps a roll in the hay?

Check out a list of heuhotels all around Germany here. Or click here to see some unusual hotels in the United States.

[via CNN]

Hotels lowering standards, prices and star ratings

by Scott Carmichael on

It won’t come as a surprise to hear that hotels all around the world are suffering. The hotel industry is becoming a survival of the fittest, and as some hotels simply close for good, others are taking a more practical route to get out of trouble.

Luxury hotels have been lowering their prices, but many of them have hit a limit on how low they can go. Most have tried adding creative promotions, and even handing out dining coupons or other incentives, but eventually they’ll need to cut other corners to make ends meet.

By removing amenities like fresh flowers, free drinks, newspapers, magazines and free gifts for elite guests, hotels are saving a fortune. At the same time, the removal of these amenities means the hotel can no longer hang on to its current star rating. What used to be a four or five star hotel, suddenly becomes a three star hotel, with a three star price.

I’m sure this solution may work for the short term, but by removing a star (and the services attached to that star), hotels will also drop out of view of people looking for a luxury hotel. Removing services that used to be included with a room will also annoy loyal returning guests who expect a certain level of luxury. And finally, turning your once upscale property into a not-so-luxury hotel also damages your brand, something that may take years to fix. Then again, I’m sure it beats the alternative of having to fire everyone and close.

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