Virgin America hooks up with Joie De Vivre Hotels

by Melanie Nayer on

It’s not quite the hotel announcement we were hoping for, but this news is pretty cool, too.

Virgin America will partner Joie de Vivre Hotels to allow Virgin America’s Elevate members to earn points when they join the boutique hotelier’s Joy of Life Club loyalty program.

To celebrate the new partnership, Joie de Vivre is allowing members to “double dip” and earn both Elevate and Joy of Life Club member points now through the end of 2010 when they stay at a participating hotel. For every eligible $1 spent on the hotel room rate during a 2010 stay, Elevate members will earn one Elevate point as well as Joy of Life Club points. In 2011, members will be asked to choose which program they want to accrue points.

But there’s more…

To celebrate the partnership, Virgin America and Joie de Vivre are hosting a digital promotion to award one stylish traveler a roundtrip flight for two to either San Francisco or Los Angeles from anywhere Virgin America flies and a two-night hotel stay at a Joie de Vivre hotel in California. To enter, tweet your idea of the “perfect match” using the #JoieDeVX hashtag to @VirginAmerica and the airline will select their favorite answer to win.

For full contest details click here.

Cannes spa special in two nights

by Tom Johansmeyer on

You deserve to be treated like royalty. So, skip the local spa and head off to Cannes for a couple of nights. The 1835 White Palm Hotel has a great new package that provides just the quick fix you need to recharge.

The two-night “Summer Spa Extravaganza,” which is available through August 31, 2010, includes six treatments per person in the hotel’s 32,000 square foot Thermes Marines de Cannes spa, not to mention breakfast and dinner every day. The package includes four hydrotherapy treatments, a massage and an esthetic treatment. At approximately $1,100 a person, you can save close to 25 percent. And, you can add nights for around $550 each (and gain three additional spa treatments per night).

The 1835 White Palm Hotel is a new property, having been open only since May 2009. It connects to the Thermes Marines de Cannes via an underground tunnel, so you can get back to your room without encountering the stress of the outside world.

Free spa experience at the Ritz-Carlton Naples

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Any spa-lover needs to visit the Ritz-Carlton Resorts of Naples, because the Elements treatment at the beach property is nothing short of incredible. Now, the chance to visit the spa free makes this an absolute no-brainer. This is one of my favorite spas, and the deal might be enough to get me to book a flight.

Stay at either the Ritz-Carlton beach or golf resort, with the Spa Escape Package, and you’ll get a $200 spa credit, basically making your treatment free. You may want to have a little extra work done, but to have $200 knocked off the price from the start makes that a lot easier to handle. Rates start at $349 a night for the beach resort and $259 for the golf resort.

Need more incentive? From June 1, 2010, through the end of October, you can take advantage of the spa’s “Me Time” deal. When you book a 50-minute massage or facial, you can have your choice of two complimentary enhancements (a $50 value). On the list are hair masks, back scrubs, collagen masks and lip treatments. This is available every Sunday through Friday from 9 AM to 1 PM (but it can’t be combined with other promotions or discounts).

%Gallery-51126%

Daily Pampering: Join up at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Is it time for resort and luxury membership club to make a comeback? The new program from the Ritz-Carlton Orlando – the Grande Lakes Membership Club – takes a personal approach, rather than push the same caned programs to the many different people who write the same big checks. The baseline consists of the sort of top-shelf amenities you’d expect, but the programs are differentiated by level: platinum, golf, spa and social.

Depending on what you choose, you could pick up an Executive Suite and gain unlimited access to the 18-hole, par 72 Greg Norman signature golf course or 50-minute treatments or salon services at the spa are nice – and that’s per month! Everyone scores resort pool and tennis court access, concierge services and member social events.

If you prefer predictability in our annual vacation and like a certain level of treatment, this is the way to go.

Save big at Atlantis resort

by Tom Johansmeyer on

We’re still not all that far into spring … which means the stinging cold of winter isn’t yet a distant memory. If you need a brief break from the places you saw covered in snow not too long ago, check out the latest deal from the Atlantis, Paradise Island Resort. You can pick up a nightly rate of $399 until May 26, 2010, if you spend four nights there. After that, a $499 a night reservation is available until June 20, 2010.

The $650/night value includes plenty of extras, including two dolphin interactions at the resort’s 14-acre dolphin interaction and education center, a round of golf at the Ocean Club Golf Course and one-night access to Aura. Enjoy two signature margaritas at Bobby Flay‘s Mesa Grill and two sunset martinis at Jean Georges‘ Dune … and munch and sip on a sushi and sake mini-tasting for two at Nobu.

Yeah, there are worse ways to put the winter behind.