VIP Perks At Your Favorite Hotels: Want Me Get Me Promises Just That

by McLean Robbins on

Let’s just say we like the good life, and new members-only hotel booking site Want Me Get Me, is promising something that seems right up our alley. Launching today, the website promises “perks and amenities usually reserved for celebrities, rock stars, and platinum rewards status priority guests at the world’s best hotels.”

It’s not like a flash sale model – members pay standard “best available” rates – but, in turn, are added on the hotel GM’s VIP List, a room upgrade when available, and complimentary Wi-Fi.

Usually, a VIP list is reserved for high-profile guests, but the program with Want Me Get Me ensures that members will enjoy these gratis add-ons. The amenities offered are entirely left to the discretion of each hotel but can include anything from the splurge (champagne upon arrival and cocktails for two) to the more practical (free valet parking and late check-out).

“Want Me Get Me provides a way for these brands to engage an important demographic using social media and technology that is a real first for hotels and encourages loyalty and drives bookings,” said Melanie Brandman, chief curator officer, in a release.

It’s an exciting concept, and the site’s interface is fairly simple to use. Just pick your city (currently New York, Los Angeles, Miami and San Francisco are supported), your dates of check-in, and choose up to three “guaranteed perks” to narrow down the room list. On a hypothetical weekend in New York with guaranteed room upgrade, we ended up at The Chatwal, one of our favorite luxury properties.

Want Me Get Me has secured agreements with more than 200 boutique and luxury hotels including properties from Ace Hotel, Baglioni Hotels, Denihan Hospitality Group, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Firmdale Hotels, Gansevoort Hotel Group, Hampshire Hotels & Resorts, Kempinski Hotels, L’Ermitage, Luxe Worldwide Hotels, Montage Hotels & Resorts, Morgans Hotel Group, The NoMad Hotel, Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, Orient-Express Hotels, The Peninsula Hotels, Raffles Hotels and Resorts, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, The Standard, Thompson Hotels, and Trump Hotel Collection.

Want Me Get Me plans to add extra amenities, double the number of hotels on the platform and be available in all major U.S. cities by year’s end.

The bottom line? If our favorite luxury property isn’t available on Jetsetter or Sniqueaway, we’re sure to use this site on an upcoming vacation or business trip.

Virtuoso’s Travel Week Highlights New Luxury Travel Trends

by McLean Robbins on

Earlier this month in Las Vegas, leading luxury travel agency Virtuoso conducted the largest meeting of luxury brands in the travel industry, Virtuoso Travel Week.

While we sadly were stuck on the East Coast for this event, we kept close tabs on the “meetings of the minds” out West and were intrigued by what emerged as conference trends.

Bhutan: A Bucket List Destination
Closed to outsiders for centuries, the Kingdom of Bhutan recently emerged as a “must” on savvy travelers’ bucket lists. The first country in the world to measure its success by the “Gross National Happiness” of its citizens, Bhutan attracts travelers with a social conscience and those seeking a spiritual journey like none other.

Cruising: Not Just For Oceans
River cruising is poised to continue growth in the luxury travel market, particularly as disasters and discontent with larger ocean-going cruise lines continue to make waves in national headlines. These typically smaller ships are able to offer a higher-level of service and see areas that big ships can’t reach.

Ecuador: A Hot Spot In South America
Offering something for everyone, Ecuador boasts a beach culture along the Pacific Ocean, the mountainous Andes, exotic Amazon and, of course, the gateway to the Galapagos Islands (a short 1 hour, 35 minute-flight). Announcing its new tourism concept called “Conscious Tourism,” Ecuador is the first nation in the world to include the Rights of Nature in its constitution, and the country will forgo some 846 million barrels of heavy crude reserves to protect the biological diversity and indigenous people of the Yasuni National Park, in turn becoming the first developing country to propose an effective, quantifiable and verifiable carbon abatement model. Now it will be easier to visit Ecuador, as the country is the first in South America to use the U.S. Dollar as its national currency, it shares a time zone with the U.S. minimizing jetlag, and soon will open a state-of-the-art international airport to welcome visitors from around the world.

Luxury Travel Thrives: Travelers Help Market Bounce Back
Virtuoso says an outcome of the financial crisis is the changing consumer mindset, where uncertainty has created a greater desire for stronger personal connections and enriching experiences, both of which can be achieved through travel. Virtuoso points to its network’s 51 percent increase in production since 2009 at the height of the U.S., and subsequent global, economic recession as proof that the industry is thriving. Since early 2010, the travel community has contributed to 7.2 percent of overall job growth, outpacing the growth of the rest of the economy in employment recovery.

Would You Swim In The World’s Scariest Pool?

by Jessica Festa on




How far would you go to get a bird’s-eye city view while swimming? If you’re staying at the Holiday Inn Shanghai Pudong Kangqiao, you’ll get to take a dip in their glass-bottom pool, which appears to be suspended in mid-air as it partially hangs over a 24-story drop (shown above).

The adrenaline-pumping pool, which is the first of its kind in China, is 98 feet long and 20 feet wide. It was designed by Singaporean company Chan Sau Yan Associates.

“We wanted to provide our guests a unique swimming experience, and let them feel they’re vacationing even in a bustling city,” a spokesperson from InterContinental Hotels Group, parent company of Holiday Inn, told news.com.au.

So far, the guests seem to enjoy the feeling of being able to swim in the sky. Don’t worry, the bottom is made with toughened glass for added safety.

Would you swim in this pool?

[Image via InterContinental Hotels Group]

Behind The Scenes Of Being A Personal Concierge

by Jessica Festa on

You see these people every time you go on vacation. They plan your nights out, deliver your messages and go to great lengths to ensure each guest has a wonderful stay at their hotel. Have you ever wondered, however, what goes on behind the scenes for a personal concierge? To help give people an idea of what the job is really like, Michael Romei, the head concierge at The Waldorf Astoria/Waldorf Towers, has been kind enough to answer some personal questions based on his 18+ years of experience.

What does being the head concierge at The Waldorf Astoria and Waldorf Towers in New York entail?

I ensure each guest that walks through our doors receives first-class, luxury service, which can include anything from ensuring the right climate control in your room to coordinating an extravagant event or night on the town. I have been the man behind proposals, birthday celebrations, anniversaries and first-time visits to New York. I’m one piece of what we call True Waldorf Service, a service standard and commitment that delivers the utmost experience that begins at the time you book your trip.

What is the most unusual request you’ve ever received from a guest?

I once worked with a guest from a high profile family from central Africa, opening a bakery in Ethiopia. She asked me to help her purchase kitchen and pastry equipment that could be shipped to Ethiopia. I got to know the guest as she stayed with us for six weeks and made sure she got everything needed to open her bakery. One day, I hope to take a trip over to see how the bakery turned out.How many requests do you receive per day?

I receive approximately 150-200 emails per day. I do not know the number of telephone calls, but I would say it’s probably 50-100. Naturally, not all are valid requests, but very often simple questions, which could be answered quickly. On average I handle about 30-50 requests per day; again this varies tremendously from a simple private car booking to restaurant bookings to very lengthy and elaborate planning. Due to the nature of our guests and the luxury service provided, there are several guests who ask me to recommend or even assist them with planning worldwide travel. I once had to run to a traveler’s bookstore to purchase something for a guest. I was in my uniform with name tag and Les Clefs d’Or keys and a customer noticed me and said, “Oh my God! The chief concierge of the Waldorf is here. Can I ask you for your recommendation of where we should stay when we visit the Amalfi Coast?”

What is your favorite part about the job?

My passion, energy and drive is really about pleasing others and creating an unforgettable and memorable experience. I also enjoy being very curious and investigating new and interesting ideas and places in our city that I know our guests would want to know about. Recently a guest actually asked me where I lived. When I mentioned that I live in the same neighborhood just a few blocks away from our hotel, they wanted to then know more from me as a local in the neighborhood and actually asked me which way I walked to and from work and what my favorite places were along the way.

What are the true rewards of your job?

Knowing for sure that I made such a difference in someone’s life and/or experience of their visit. There are numerous examples, but one that you might find significant. A group of guests in wheelchairs were here from Germany one year to actually participate in the “Special Olympics.” They asked me if there was any way they could experience a typical New York City disco club at night. Of course it meant that there had to be something nearby that was also wheelchair accessible. I actually found a club just a few blocks away and escorted the guests myself in their wheelchairs down the street and called ahead to have the manager and security of the club meet and greet them to avoid any waiting in lines of delays at the door. They were absolutely thrilled and said it was a trip of a lifetime!

What is your least favorite part about the job?

My least favorite part of the job is when I cannot deliver and I know a guest is disappointed. However, I always try to compensate in some way by sending something to their room, a floating flower petal, chocolates, their favorite book or a very nice card. Most of the time it really involves a restaurant that really is completely booked and they just cannot add another table or accommodate. I have personally gone to all of the major restaurants to introduce myself to management and staff and several of the top 10-20 restaurants. I have cultivated relationships with the managers and maitre d’ in order to assist with special requests and sold out situations. In spite of this, there is sometimes a certain evening that they just cannot make exceptions. It doesn’t happen often, but every once in a while.

What kind of in-room surprises can you provide?

We have done it all from providing a family with movies and popcorn or updating room floral arrangements daily, to the more elaborate such as decorating a room for a child’s first baseball game or setting up for a romantic marriage proposal. I have arranged for near life-size chocolate figures to be in the room and even for an American Indian to perform a “bow and arrow ceremony” in a guest room for a family during Thanksgiving. If there is something you want in your room or if there is something we think you will truly enjoy, we do our best to get it there.

Is there anything you’re not allowed to do?

We make every effort to fulfill all our guest’s requests, and they’re generally all very reasonable. If we can’t make something happen, we still work to ensure the guest has a great stay.

What types of guests tend to be the most difficult?

Every guest is different, but that’s part of the fun of this job – understanding or intuiting what people need and going above and beyond their expectations. One of the key characteristics of a good concierge is having this type of intuition, which allows you to make a right match. The match is knowing the customer from communications, interaction, questions and then matching them with the right selection such as a restaurant, Broadway show, concert, shopping or tour.

Have you ever served a famous guest?

I have served several famous guests, however, just like all our guests at Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, privacy is always top of mind.

Are there any new technologies you employ on the job?

As part of True Waldorf Service, we rely on a consumer relationships management system that connects our True Waldorf Service personnel to our luxury clientele with ease and helps us to coordinate services and requests.

Do you get any free or discounted perks for being a concierge?

Information about gifts, commissions and tips cannot be disclosed.

Breakfast And Botox: Hotel Offers Cosmetic Procedures After Your Meal

by Jessica Festa on

Want to come back from your vacation more beautiful than when you left? Guests of the Four Seasons in downtown Austin, Texas, can now take advantage of a unique hotel package that allows them to get cosmetically enhanced after breakfast.

This week, Westlake Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery opened on the main floor of the Four Seasons Residences Austin, which is located on the same property as the Four Seasons Hotel Austin.

“It’s a major convenience,” Lorley Musiol, director of the Four Seasons Residences Austin, told NBC News. “It’s rare to find a plastic surgeon in a downtown market. So this should appeal to hotel guests such as women whose husbands are here for a meeting and to people who work and live in the city.”

The menu of procedures includes Botox, chemical peels and, starting next year, breast augmentation, liposuction and other services. According to Katie Davin, director of hospitality education at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, marketing cosmetic services to luxury hotel guests is a great idea because this type of guest usually makes use of extra add-ons and amenities. Additionally, it allows guests privacy and comfort during the initial recovery period.

While you won’t see the “Botox & Brunch” packages on the Four Seasons website, Musiol assures the hotel is working with Westlake to offer discounts and promotions to guests.

What do you think of the “Botox & Brunch” hotel package?

[Image via avlxyz]