The Entourage Escape


Know any “Entourage” fans? Well, through September 27th, you can treat them to the travel experience of their dreams — W Hotels are running two promotions called The Entourage Escape and The Entourage Bungalow Experience.

The Entourage Escape is available at all W Hotels in North America, starts at $339 per night and includes:

  • A W Hotel Suite
  • A bottle of bubbly
  • Free On-Demand Access to select episodes from the Fourth and Fifth Seasons of Entourage
  • Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Clips from Season Six not available anywhere else

It is a literal escape to drink and watch TV in your room. Sometimes, the simplest things can be what we need the most.

The Entourage Bungalow Experience is a little more involved. This luxury getaway takes place only at the W Hotel in South Beach, Miami, and will cost you $5,000 per night. What do you get for all that?

  • Limo transportation to/from the Airport
  • Golf for four at Diplomat Golf Course, including Grey Goose golf bags, balls and towels for four
  • WOW Cabana next to the WET® pool, including bottle service and food
  • Four hour boat tour of South Beach , including lunch
  • Use of two Jet Skis
  • Overstuffed assortment of bliss® products for men
  • Courtside Coronas and reservation for on-property basketball court
  • Dinner for four at Solea
  • Table and bottle service at the Wall nightclub at W South Beach
  • Two Night Bungalow Accommodations for four at W South Beach

Men’s spa products, Jet Skis, golf and more — it’s what Vince and the “Entourage” gang would do. Go for it!

W Hotel’s “Extreme Wow Suite” of the future


Every W Hotel in the world has an Extreme Wow Suite; a modern interpretation of the conventional Presidential Suite. Well, currently in Sao Paulo, Brazil, they are exhibiting a fresh design — “THE ‘EXTREME WOW SUITE’ OF THE FUTURE” at the “Le Paris De Patrick Jouin” Exhibition (at Instituto Tomie Ohtake through September 27).

The suite was designed by Jouin Manku and will be traveling to Europe and Asia as a showcase of the innovative possible future of hotel opulence.

“W decided to pair with Patrick Jouin to showcase what both believe to be the Extreme Wow Suite of the future. Jouin created a full sensory experience with elements of extreme customization. He believes that hotels in the future will offer more culturally-satisfying experiences, rather than serving as bastions of American culture on foreign soil,” says a rep from their PR company.

As you can see, everything from chairs to tables and beds to walls have been reimagined for the project, which was created with Paris in mind. It certainly doesn’t look American, but does it look French to you? I’m not convinced — but I certainly wouldn’t mind staying there for a night or two, or three, or forever.

For those who haven’t seen the Extreme Wow Suites of today, here are some photos of a personal favorite at The W Scottsdale. You literally do walk in and say “Wow.”
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W Fort Lauderdale saves turtles from suicide

The W Fort Lauderdale had a little problem — turtles kept crossing the road in front of their hotel. To get to the other side. And getting hit by cars on the way.

The issue was the hotel lights. Apparently, when choosing between their current side of the road and the certain death of crossing the street, turtles have a habit of “going towards the light.” What this says about the psychological situation of turtles is beyond our realm of expertise, but we do know what The W did to stop turtles from killing themselves just to visit their hotel.

We want to take a moment to add that the internationally protected loggerhead sea turtles (once aggressively hunted for their meat, eggs, fat and shells) are actually an attraction of this Florida area. It’s only a short drive from Fort Lauderdale to Dania Beach where you can walk the sands at sunset and watch the loggerheads (pictured) in action — and even take a look at their nests, a great activity for couples and families. Remember the turtles in “Finding Nemo”? Those were loggerheads. As Crush said to Marlin: “Oh, it’s awesome, Jellyman. The little dudes are just eggs, we leave ’em on a beach to hatch, and then, coo-coo-cachoo, they find their way back to the big ol’ blue.” Well, many turtles think it’s a good idea to cross the street to make a nest for their eggs. And if they do happen to make it, and those eggs hatch? Baby turtle road-carnage.

I know, it’s not nice to think about.

Anyway, according to Tonic.com, The W Hotel, “with the blessings of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission,” installed “long wavelength lighting” pointed toward the ground. “The hotel is able to keep everything bright enough for evening swims and dinner outdoors without luring in one gatecrashing turtle.”

The hotel also features energy efficient LED lighting, carpets made with sustainable materials, and even bamboo flooring in some rooms. Not too shabby. We commend W for their creativity and for helping save the turtles!

[via Tonic]

Some hotel futures at risk

The number of hotels defaulting on their loans surged 125 percent in May and June this year. Travel is down (no shit), which has an obvious effect on the top line. When there’s no money coming in, it’s hard to send cash out to meet some pretty hefty obligations. So, if none comes in, none can go out … and defaults start to rise.

Some high-profile properties have defaulted already, including the Four Seasons and Renaissance Stanford Court Hotel – both in San Francisco – and the W Hotel in San Diego. Nobody’s safe in this market. Outside California, 13 hotel loans adding up to $596 million became delinquent in June alone. Most of the carnage came from Phoenix, Las Vegas and New York City.

Of course, the defaults don’t spell the end for these properties. There is always the chance that the loan terms can be changed or the hotels can be sold. There’s a long way between defaulting loans and closed doors.

The new W Hotel in Washington, DC


Just steps from the White House, behold the new, the glorious, the totally awesome W Hotel in Washington, DC, opening in July. Yes, you can make reservations now.

There are so many jokes I could make about “W in Washington” that I don’t know where to start — I’m just glad they waited until we had a new president so I don’t have to.

So, what’s special about this new hotel? Well. Start with the very first W Hotel in DC. Then add DC’s first Bliss Spa, a three star Michelin chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s J&G Steakhouse. Put it in the old Hotel Washington, and then throw in designer Dianna Wong, who has “reimagined the historic Hotel Washington, infusing bright colors and contemporary design while preserving the building’s Beaux Arts architecture.”

The hotel features 317 rooms, including an “Extreme WOW Suite,” the W’s reinterpretation of the classic “Presidential Suite.”

Wait till you see the terrace. Click through the gallery!
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