The Burj Dubai is now open!

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Looking for new ways to get high? Skip the local street dealer, and book your flight to Dubai. Today, the Burj Dubai is open to the public, and the views from its 124th floor observation deck can’t be beat. Now the world’s tallest building, the Burj Dubai captures the spirit of its hometown – you know, trying to make Las Vegas look small and humble. Also, in true Dubai style, money gets you to the front of the line: pay a little more than twice the normal ticket price to get up to the observation deck faster.

If you want to stay in the tower, you’ll have to wait a little loner, though. The Armani Hotel Dubai – a luxury property which represents the collaboration between Giorgio Armani and Emaar Properties – won’t open until March 18, 2010. This will be the first in a series of Armani properties that will include hotels, resorts and residences around the world. Expect demand for these rooms to be palpable, so if you want to be among the first to stay in these rooms, book your stay in late January, when reservations will start to be taken.

Hotel plates increasingly filled with free grub

by Tom Johansmeyer on

There’s plenty of seating in the upscale hotel restaurant right now – wherever you are. Guests are tending to choose the free breakfasts and buffets over the pricier (and often far better) paid offerings. Free meals and snacks eaten ticked up 1 percent as of the end of the third quarter, which isn’t much … until you figure in that hotel occupancy is down severely. So, the effective number of freebies chomped is actually much higher than the 1 percent, as fewer people must be eating more. The number of paid meals in restaurants is off 14%.

The rise in free meals consumed may suggest that travelers are skipping the luxury (and even mid-range) hotels and turning to budget-friendly alternatives. Full-service restaurants are giving way to free breakfasts and fast food later in the day.

When the travel biz finally kicks around to a recovery, this sort of tradeoff will become less necessary. But, for now, being able to travel means finding the ways to do it on less.

France gets a fifth star

by Tom Johansmeyer on

France has a new way to define luxury. A new five-star category has been added to the country’s hotel ranking system … as if you’d need the extra star to pick one of these properties out of a lineup! The marketing ploy, of course, is to use the extra etoile to draw big spenders and entice them to open their wallets a bit wider. France had to amp up its ranking system, as it was the only country in Europe lacking a five-star category, despite its reputation as a destination. You can now find 13 five-star hotels in Paris.

While France has resisted the worst of the travel market slump in Europe, according to a report by Deloitte, it has lost some British and American tourists. The French government hopes the fifth star will help invite them back. Visitors to France have fallen 7.5 percent this year to 15.9 million, according to the Paris Tourism Office. And, the market has suffered a 14 percent drop in revenue per available room night for the first half of 2009, thanks to shrinking demand, shorter booking times and competitive pressures.

Yet, Paris did have the highest occupancy rate in the euro zone (74 percent) and the second highest average room rates (after Venice) for the first half of the year.

[Photo via MigrantBlogger]

Tie the knot or just recharge in the Riviera Maya

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Surround yourself with an emerald-green jungle, and take a plunge in turquoise blue waters with a stay at the Valentin Imperial Maya Resort. This luxurious all-inclusive property is just the destination you’ll need when we reach the depths of winter and just need a break. Have kids? Line up a babysitter: this is an adults-only property, so you’ll be able to take a vacation from every aspect of real life imaginable, enveloped by the warmth and comfort of the Riviera Maya. Sun yourself on the Playa Del Secreto, and recharge your spirit.

The Valentin Imperial Maya Resort offers 540 suites in six categories, a 900-foot meandering swimming pool with three island pools across the property and a natural lagoon. There’s a main pool, as well, featuring two swim-up bars. Back in the rooms, you’ll find marble bathrooms with hydro-massage tubs, nightly turndown service and nine restaurants, featuring cuisine from Italy, France, Japan, Mexico and other cultures. But, if you really want style, arrange for a private dinner on the beach. Spa treatments are available on the property, along with couples rooms that feature a Jacuzzi and rain shower.

“By offering guests a high level of elegant and personalized service, Valentin Imperial Maya Resort is setting new standards of quality for all-inclusive resorts,” says Dirk Urban, General Manager Valentin Imperial Maya. “What sets Valentin apart from other hotel brands,” he continues, “is our attention to detail and the unique ability of our staff to make guests feel comfortable and taken care of, as if they were among family.”

If the Valentin puts you in the mood for a big move, there’s an official Roman Catholic chapel on the property, a great place to tie the not. Don’t worry, there are two dedicated wedding concierges who can help with planning the big day.

The Osprey Hotel – Luxury and fun in Beaver Creek

by Annie Scott on

Beaver Creek’s newest hotel is The Osprey — and it’s a RockResort, which we like very much. Why? Because RockResorts are all environmentally friendly, and also extremely luxurious.

Nestled gently in the Rocky Mountains, The Osprey has fun amenities for luxury thrill seekers like helmet cams for skiing or biking, apres ski mixology lessons at The Osprey Bar, a bath concierge (!), lobster nachos and deep-fried Snickers bars, and a big classy lobby where you can mingle with the other guests, play Wii, or even showcase that video from your helmet camera on the giant flat screen TV.

Also, I mean, look at it. It looks like a house in a store window display at Christmas. Look at the lighting. You’d look good in that lighting. Look at this swimming pool. It’s by the fire pit. Want.

The Hotel used to be known as “The Inn at Beaver Creek,” but has just had a $7 million renovation to become a RockResort. Not only does that mean energy-efficient plumbing and lighting, but The Osprey also features “surfaces (including leather, birch, iron, and onyx) made from locally sourced stone, indigenous metals and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified wood.”

It also happens to be the closest ski-in/ski-out hotel to a chairlift in North America.

So, go tell it on the mountain.