Chicago Kimpton hotels announce last-minute deals for Bears, Packers game

Are you ready for some serious football? Chicago is! And Kimpton Hotels is gearing up to give travelers coming in for the historic NFC Championship game a deal they can’t refuse.

The Chicago Bears take on the Green Day Packers this weekend, and the four Kimpton Chicago hotels — Allegro, Burnham, Monaco and Palomar — are offering an “End Zone” package to celebrate the matchup.

Guests who book the “End Zone” package receive deluxe overnight accommodations for two, which reflects a 20 to 60% discount before package elements, Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese, two Chicago-brewed beers and two pretzels.Hotel Allegro: Located at 171 W. Randolph St., Hotel Allegro is proud to be Green Seal™ Silver certified for its sustainable, earth-friendly practices.

Hotel Burnham: The Hotel Burnham, 1 W. Washington St., is one of Chicago’s great architectural jewels. Originally designed by Daniel Burnham and built as the Reliance Building in 1895, this living landmark is the first direct predecessor to Chicago’s modern skyscrapers.

Hotel Monaco: The AAA Four Diamond Property at 225 N. Wabash Ave overlooks the Chicago River and is located just steps from the North Michigan Avenue and State Street shopping districts.

Hotel Palomar: Located in Chicago’s River North neighborhood, Palomar is Kimpton’s newest addition to its Chicago family. The boutique concept features 261 guest rooms and suites, all with floor-to-ceiling windows, and a rooftop indoor pool. The hotel is located at 505 North State Street, Chicago, IL, 60654.

Rates start at $129/night and are valid today through Monday, January 24, 2010. For reservations and to check availability, call 1.800.KIMPTON and use the Rate Code “END.”

Ritz-Carlton Dallas plans month-long football promotions for Super Bowl

Whether or not your favorite NFL team will play the Super Bowl is irrelevant. What matters is where you’ll watch the game. The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas, is making things easy for you by offering month-long football promotions in partnership with Fearing’s Restaurant.

With Super Bowl XLV scheduled to take place February 6, 2011 at Cowboys Stadium near Dallas, the luxury hotel and its neighboring restaurant have customized the following gridiron treats for hotel guests and local residents:

Fearing’s Tailgate Cooking Class (January 22, 2011). Need some tailgating snack ideas? Head to Celebrity Chef Dean Fearing counter and get some tips from the acclaimed chef on menu items and beer pairings for the big game. On the menu: Chili Frito Pie, Jalapeo-Braised Carnitas Sliders, and Tacos with Barbecued Thousand Island Cole Slaw, Pickled Red Onions and Dutch Oven Beans. A dessert of Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bites will complement the menu.

If the game is getting to be too much for you, head to the the Ritz-Carlton Spa for the Quarterback Sports Wrap, First Down Facial and Tight End Body Treatment. The Ritz-Carlton Spa has also introduced a new Rookie Package, providing a 20 percent savings on Monday-through-Thursday spa treatments for first-time guests of the spa between now and February 28. If the spa and tailgating menu options aren’t enough, the hotel will pay tribute to the pigskin with Spa Tailgate, offered all Sundays in January coinciding with major televised sports events.
And this is all before and after the big game. On Super Bowl weekend, the Ritz-Carlton, Dallas and Fearing’s will also offer the following:

  • A roster of hotel Football Concierges will provide guests with information on the upcoming game, team stats, road traffic updates, driving routes to the stadium and more.
  • Hotel guests staying during game weekend will receive a complimentary in-room gift of a luxurious cobalt blue throw blanket commemorating the special date.
  • A special menu of added In-Room Dining selections will include a post-revelry, wee-hours selection called “Aftermath”, consisting of a bacon & egg pizza with ranch dressing, an array of sliders and cold beer. Additionally, In Room Dining will offer an ultra-gourmet hot dog menu for the weekend.
  • Fearing’s Restaurant will offer several specialty food items and specialty cocktails in honor of the two team cities represented in the game. Fearing’s will offer extended dining and bar hours during Super Bowl weekend (Friday, Saturday, Sunday), including dinner beginning at 5 p.m. and continuing to 11 p.m.

For those not staying at the Ritz-Carlton, fear not: you can still enjoy the Super Bowl and all the excitement in the hotel’s lobby bar starting at 6 p.m. on game day!

Kensington Tours announces dream trips for sports fans

Kensington Tours, a travel company that specializes in private-guided adventure travel, has announced a series of tours that are guaranteed to be a hit with sports fans. These trips include VIP treatment for travelers, offering up luxury accommodations, access to glamorous events, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, and of course, excellent seats at some of the most well known and legendary events in all of sports.

This Championship Series of tours includes options to attend events on three different continents, including jaunts to Europe for Wimbledon, the Ryder Cup, and the F1 Grand Prix in Monaco. In North America the events include a chance to attend the Masters golf or the U.S. Open tennis tournaments, as well as the Kentucky Derby, or the Super Bowl, while travelers to South America can opt to experience the Brazilian F1 Grand Prix in Rio.

Attending these amazing sporting events is just the beginning however, as Kensington has taken great strides to offer travel packages that ensure an unforgettable experience. For instance, some of the luxuries include helicopter transfers, police escorts, and guided tours of the host cities, as well as a chance to play a round of golf on some of the top courses in the world and get the opportunity to take a drive in a Ferrari. Upgrade options include private luxury boxes, limos, a private jet, and VIP access to behind the scenes activities as well.

While most of these sporting events are still months off, the Championship Series tours are already filling up fast. There is a reason why these events are so exclusive, and if you’re looking for the ultimate way to experience any of them, Kensington is here to provide that experience. For sports fans, these tours really are a dream come true.

Miami Doubletree (temporarily) changes name to ‘Bud Light Hotel’

The Doubletree Surfcomber Hotel Miami-South Beach has changed its name… for the moment…

The hotel will now be known as the Bud Light Hotel South Beach (through Monday) – a creative way to give football fans a different kind of experience at the sold-out hotel during the Super Bowl. In preparation for the Super Bowl, the hotel will put new logos on everything including hotel staff uniforms and name tags, guestroom telephones, laundry bags, do not disturb signs, breakfast menus, note pads and pens, bathroom toiletries, hand towels, pool towels, coffee mugs and more.

This isn’t the hotel’s first foray into the branding spotlight. The Doubletree Surfcomber Hotel Miami-South Beach has been the backdrop for numerous productions and events in South Beach including the transformation of the hotel into Hotel MTV in 2005 for the MTV Music Awards.

Bud Light has planned a full lineup of exclusive events, star-studded live concert performances and sports exhibitions during the Super Bowl weekend.

“Pro football’s culminating event is one of the biggest events on the American sports calendar,” said Mike Sundet, senior director of Bud Light brands. “As the beer of good times, Bud Light saw an unique opportunity to work with the Doubletree Hotel Surfcomber Miami-South Beach to create and offer adult football fans everywhere a VIP experience to the celebration, social scene and special events leading up to kickoff.”

A+ for innovative branding, Doubletree! Now we’ll just have to wait and see who wins the coveted Budweiser Super Bowl challenge…

Ski deals on Super Bowl Sunday: lift tickets from $19

If cheering for the New Orleans Saints or Indianapolis Colts on Super Bowl Sunday just doesn’t do it for you, how do $19 lift tickets sound?

Super Bowl Sunday is one of the best days to score ski deals, according to Liftopia.com. The online ski discounter has rounded up 44 deals for Super Bowl XLIV, including the $19 special from Canaan Valley Resort in West Virginia. Considering a full-day pass on a Sunday normally costs at least $49 for adults, that’s more than 60 percent off at this resort.

With most of the nation huddled in front of a TV on Feb. 7, you’ll also encounter shorter lines at resorts such as Lake Tahoe’s Bear Valley ($35, or 41 percent off), Colorado’s Crested Butte ($44, or 49 percent off), Utah’s Snowbird ($57, or 21 percent off), or Idaho’s Sun Valley ($55, or 33 percent off).

This year, the game doesn’t kick off until 6 p.m. EST, so it’s possible to ski or snowboard first and then catch the game. With these discounts, Super Bowl Sunday is shaping up to be more than an excuse for chips and chicken wings (though I’m going to guess that those will taste even better after wiping out on the slopes).How it Works: Weekend ski passes tend to be more expensive than weekday rates, but these Liftopia rates were created especially for Super Bowl Sunday. Tickets must be purchased in advance (the cutoff is 11:59 p.m. Saturday Feb. 6). Resorts can limit the quantities, and the deals may sell out. In order to get the lowest prices from participating resorts, Liftopia doesn’t allow changes, refunds, cancellations, or exchanges. “This is much like buying a discount airline ticket,” Liftopia co-founder Evan Reece tells me via e-mail. “You get a better price by agreeing to not be able to cancel or change your flight. As with a Priceline or Hotwire, customers get a deal by trading flexibility for savings.”

Bargain hunters are taking note: last year, Liftopia had 186 percent more ticket redemptions on Super Bowl Sunday than the Sunday before the big game, according to Reece.