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Hotel News
New York’s Pierre Opens
New York, New York—One of the city’s landmarks reopened on June 1, 2009 after a $100-million renovation. Overlooking Central Park, The Pierre first opened in 1930 on Fifth Avenue and offers 89 luxury guestrooms and 49 suites. The iconic hotel was acquired by Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces to join the hotel group’s 64 hotels in 45 locations. Joining general manager Heiko Kuenstle at The Pierre will be executive chef Stephane Becht. Chef Becht came from the Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Lines where he was corporate executive chef. For opening packages and more information on this luxury hotel, visit www.tajhotels.com/pierre. Take the virtual tour of Café Pierre and the Rotunda Restaurant for a peek at the good life.
New Luxury Escape Opens
Chelan, Washington—The Lake House at Chelan, a luxury family-friendly resort on Lake Chelan, officially opened to guests on May 1, 2009. Surrounded by award-wining golf courses, including Bear Mountain Ranch and Desert Canyon, the new hotel and residence is located three hours from Seattle. At this all-season destination families can enjoy beach volleyball, boating, tennis, snowmobiling, tubing, and more as well as visit to a skateboard park and water park. The neighborhood is great for wine lovers, too, with up to 13 local wineries nearby offering tours and tastings. A 4,000-square-foot Pool House keeps the kids busy all year. Visit www.thelakehousechelan.com or call (509)293-5982 for special packages and more information.
Seattle’s Green Hotel
Seattle, Washington—The brand-new 346-room Hyatt at Olive 8 in Seattle is the epitome of a “green” hotel and is, in fact, the first LEED-certified hotel in the city. Architect Richard Gluckman designed this new plan as a prototype for all future Hyatt green hotels. The striking blue glass elements and living green roof are all part of the look and feel of this sophisticated hotel. Visitors just need to look across the street at the Grand Hyatt to compare the “old” versus the “new” Hyatt. At Hyatt at Olive 8, natural light streams from floor-to-ceiling windows and views from the tower rooms look down on the living roof. The Elaia Spa and the yoga studio are great choices for relaxation, while Urbane bar and restaurant is an ultra-cool place to relax some more. For details visit www.hyatt.com.
Sonoran Desert Escape Packages
Scottsdale, Arizona—Relaxation is the key at the upscale, yet affordable Boulders Resort and Golden Door Spa in Scottsdale, largely because the resort offers an array of packages year-round that give their guests the opportunity to get a taste of the “good life.” The resort is well-known for its Golden Door Spa, which offers a spa package through the end of 2009 in a picturesque desert setting. Guests receive a $250 credit per adult plus a $25 food and beverage credit, when staying at the resort, for use in the spa facilities. Unlimited fitness classes are also available. The Boulders also boasts two golf courses on site as well as access to five PGA championship courses in Scottsdale. The “Fore for Four” package through March 25, 2009 offers a 20 percent discount on the spa and stores, plus two rounds of golf and a free cart rental. If shopping is a favorite activity, The Boulders is adjoined by the upscale El Pedregal Marketplace. Go to www.theboulders.com or call (866)397-6520 for details.
Vancouver’s Newest Hotel
Vancouver, Canada—The newest star in the city scene is the brand-new Shangri La Hotel, Vancouver, which just opened on January 24, 2009 and is the first North American property for this Asian hotel group. Created by three design firms to create a unique West Coast style in the city’s downtown core, the new hotel offers a fourth free night by booking three nights for the opening package until March 31, 2009. The 119-room Shangri-La Hotel, Vancouver features an outdoor public art space curated by the Vancouver Art Gallery. For details and upcoming specials visit www.shangri-la.com or call (604)689-1120.
Wyndham Arrives in the City
New York, NY—Wyndham Hotels and Resorts has opened the company’s first properties in New York City with the launch of the Wyndham Garden Hotel Midtown Convention Center hotel, a 24-story smoke-free, high-style hotel with high-tech flourishes, and the 17-story Wyndham Garden Hotel Manhattan Chelsea West. Both hotels offer complimentary wired and wireless Internet access and amenities, including continental breakfast, power booths with wired Wyndham Smart Chairs and a range of tech savvy services. An organic menu is on offer at the midtown hotel to add to the modern appeal as Wyndham courts the business traveler. Allergy-friendly rooms at the midtown hotel are the first of their kind in the city, based on a PURE Solutions design that removes up to 98 percent of allergens from the air. Check out the Empire State building views from the concierge level and ask about special packages for 2009. Call (800)996-3426 or visit www.wyndham.com.
Hollywood’s Golden Age
Beverly Hills, CA—A new, 201-room luxury hotel, the first to open in 16 years, welcomed guests in the heart of Beverly Hills. Located in the celebrated “golden triangle” of town, the Montage Beverly Hills offers a prime location plus exceptional services. The Spanish Colonial Revival design celebrates the past while an impressive art collection showcases Hollywood’s golden age. The luxurious, two-level, 20,000-square-foot Spa Montage offers a fitness facility, 17 treatment rooms, as well as a yoga and Pilates studio in an exotic Moroccan/Moorish setting. Three new restaurants have opened under the direction of executive chef John Cuevas, and they include Parq, the 88-seat casual dining room, Muse, the intimate 44-seat dinner spot, and the Conservatory Grill with rooftop views of Hollywood. For more information and packages call (888)860-0788 and visit www.montagebeverlyhills.com.
Enchantment Resort Spa
Sedona, Arizona—The 24,000-square-foot Mii amo spa, which harmonizes with the surrounding red rock canyon, features an intimate 14 guest rooms and two suites, 25 treatment rooms (many with views of the canyon) as well as private outdoor treatment areas. This destination spa at Enchantment Resort is a great choice for a winter retreat. From December 4 through 7, a special retreat package is on offer with David Romanelli, Yahoo’s mind-body and yoga expert. Guests will learn the “Power of the Moment” and how to access it. Prices start from $2,178 single occupancy and include luxury accommodations, spa treatments, fitness classes, art and nature activities as well as three daily meals. Visit www.miiamo.com or call (888)749-2137 for details.
Suite Vacations in Waikiki
Honolulu, HI—The Kahala Hotel & Resort is offering an introductory rate to their new contemporary island-style inspired suites with a special promotion. Suite vacations offer great flexibility and personalized service, and the Suite Chic Promotion at this exclusive resort offers savings up to 30 percent. The secluded retreat is located on Kahala Beach, a short distance from Waikiki and boasts five restaurants including the award-winning Hoku. Visitors can also enjoy the lagoon, where six Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins reside. Included in the package are roundtrip airport transfers, unpacking/packing services, morning coffee and newspaper, afternoon cocktails, preferential seating at Hoku’s, and preferential spa scheduling. Book for stays at 30 percent off the daily rate between now and December 20, except November 25 through 29, with the fifth night free if you book for five nights. For more information call (800)367-2525 and visit www.kahalaresort.com.
Top New Green Hotel
Greensboro, NC—Rated as one of the top 50 new business hotels in the world by Fortune magazine, the Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, North Carolina has some serious bragging rights within the green hotel movement. The modern, chic hotel, with historic roots in the community, is one of a very few hotels that lives up to the standards that make it truly “green”—without giving up any of the luxury travelers have come to expect. The hotel uses 41 percent less energy than a conventional hotel, and fully 97 percent of the space allows for outside, environmentally friendly views. The rooftop is used to grow vegetables for the hotel’s restaurant, reflecting heat and saving on air conditioning and refrigeration costs. The LEEDS certification enjoyed by the Proximity Hotel also entitles the staff to provide educational tours of the various sustainable practices perfected here. For more information and packages visit www.proximityhotel.com.
The Family Concierge Experience
Dominican Republic—All-inclusive sounds pretty good these days with the high cost of travel, dining and entertainment for families on the go, especially at a more luxurious level. Paradisus Resorts, a member of the Leading Hotels of the World, showcases two properties in the Dominican Republic that offer what is billed as “pure freedom to just be.” And that’s what families will get at the Paradisus Palma Real and Paradisus Punta Cana, which offers exclusive family activities (including massages) and sports, in-suite amenities, cookies and milk turn-down service, and games systems including PS2, Xbox 360 and Wii. The all-inclusive properties offer a Family Concierge that provides personal attention throughout your stay. Visit www.paradisusresorts.travel or call (888)741-5600 for details.
Japanese Iron Chef Debuts in India
New Delhi, India—The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi,
opened a dramatic new Japanese restaurant called Wasabi by Morimoto,
the city’s first contemporary Japanese venue. Created by the Iron
Chef Masaharu Morimoto, the popular worldwide television star,
the restaurant includes a dramatic Teppanyaki counter and modern
decor. A sake bar dominates the space and traditional Kaiseki cuisine
is on offer along with classic sushi. The Taj Mahal Hotel, New
Delhi is part of Taj Resorts and Palaces, part of the Tata Group,
India’s premiere business group (www.tajhotels.com).
Florida's Gold Coast Gem
Boca Raton, FL—Following the multimillion-dollar redesign of a famed resort synonymous with style and glamour, visitors to Florida’s Gold Coast can now enjoy all that this grand dame has to offer. The Boca Raton Resort & Club, at your service with a staff of 2,200 employees, offers the choice of 1,043 guestrooms and suites in five accommodation styles ranging from golf bungalows to rooms on the Intracoastal and Spanish-influenced Mediterranean-style deluxe rooms. Designed by architect Addison Mizner and opened in 1926, the core of the hotel features barrel tile roofs and dramatic archways and columns. Voted among the “Top 10 Tennis Resorts” in the United States by Tennis magazine, the resort has 30 Har-Tru courts, an active tennis program for children, ages four to 14, and daily clinics with eight tennis pros. The brand-new spa treatments at the redesigned Spa Palazzo will refresh, including the Sevruga Caviar Facial and the Florida Blueberry Bliss Body Wrap. The spa staff prides itself on offering a choice of treatments especially designed for men, including the Men’s Energizing Trilogy. For hotel packages and reservations go to www.BocaResort.com.
A Texas Rose
San Antonio, TX—Named after a Texas legend, “The Yellow Rose of Texas,” the boutique Emily Morgan Hotel in downtown San Antonio boasts a fantastic location just steps away from the historic Alamo and surrounding attractions. This AAA Four Diamond hotel once was also home to the Medical Arts Building, an innovative 1924 structure that during that time housed 100 doctors plus staff. Today, visitors can enjoy the 177 rooms and suites, the Oro Restaurant and Bar, an outdoor pool, a fitness center, and library. At Oro, enjoy a tapas menu and an extensive martini menu as well as what they bill as “the best margarita in San Antonio.” Nearby attractions include Rivercenter Mall (two blocks away), La Villita, a unique arts and crafts community and historic district (eight blocks away), and River Walk, the city’s prime entertainment district. Visit www.emilymorganhotel.com for packages and details.
Taj Boston Supper Club Opens
Boston, MA—One of the city’s most prestigious addresses, at the corner of Arlington and Newbury streets overlooking the Public Gardens, is the site of the exclusive Taj Boston hotel, a U.S. member of the Taj Hotels luxury division. The 1927 landmark building now offers a rooftop dining option and special package. Dance to the five-piece Tom LaMark Orchestra and relive the Big Band era of the 1930s and 1940s while enjoying city views on select Friday nights from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. For $55 per person, plus $45 for the summer buffet, you can book for July 11 and 25, August 15 and 29, September 12 and 26, and October 3. The Supper Club Rooms Package, including Thursday and Friday night accommodations, admission and dinner for two, begins at $499. For reservations call (877)482-5267 or visit www.tajhotels.com/boston.
Sunny Savings in Palm Beach
Palm Beach, FL—Saving money is on everyone’s mind these days, so the packages offered by a Florida icon are very welcome indeed. The Breakers Palm Beach hotel, a historic luxury hotel, announced several summer packages with value-added benefits to fit anyone’s pocketbook. The Stay Longer and Save package works just like it says. All room categories are included in this promotion, which drops the price of the room the longer you stay. In June and July, for example, a stay of five nights is priced from $309, while one to two nights are priced from $369. These prices drop to $249 and $299, respectively, for August and September. You can golf, enjoy the spa, relax in the beach cabanas, and enjoy the ambiance of this lovely hotel. Visit www.thebreakers.com/ocean08 to reserve your stay and check out this vacation getaway.
Chicago Legend Opens Retro Bar
Chicago, IL —Chicago’s legendary Palmer House Hilton in April opened Potter’s, a new bar/lounge named after the Palmer House founder. It’s a new hotspot for the theater and convention crowd. Reviving the glamour of the 1930s, glass-enclosed columns of plush, white feathers greet patrons. Inside you can enjoy appetizers and starters prepared by chef Phillip Foss, including a short rib sandwich on a pretzel bun with red wine sauce, horseradish and watercress or truffled potato chips, Caesar salad or steamed Blue Bay Hill mussels. The drinks are classic retro—Singapore Sling, Kir Royale, Gin Fizz, or Whiskey Sour. Check out the Nat King Cole and Louis Prima photographs on the walls, and sit back and enjoy. Potter’s is located at 17 East Monroe Street in Chicago Loop’s emerging night scene (www.chicagohilton.com).
Hot, Hot, Hot!
Miami, FL—Miami’s newest hotel is causing quite a stir with a 110-foot elevated rooftop swimming pool and 18 floors of luxury accommodations overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, downtown Miami and Biscayne Bay. The Gansevoort South Hotel, Spa and Residences follows the success of the Hotel Gansevoort in New York City. Boasting 334 guestrooms and 259 condominiums, the property features a full city block of luxury boutiques, a lounge, restaurants, and 50-foot shark tank with 27 types of fish and sharks accenting the lobby. A 40,000-square-foot flagship DavidBartonGym + Spa includes a luxurious spa, yoga studios and private training sessions. On the main level of the hotel, a semi-circular oceanfront pool plaza includes an infinity-edge pool, towering palm trees, plush cabanas, tented alcoves, a bar/restaurant, and an oversized Jacuzzi. Expect celebrity sightings at this hot property and include it on your next Miami “to-do” list. It’s located at 2377 Collins Avenue. For more information go to www.gansevoortsouth.com.
Trump Comes to Vegas
Las Vegas, NV—It’s official. On March 31, 2008, Donald Trump and his three grown children opened up the Trump International Hotel & Tower Las Vegas. And in true Trump fashion, there is nothing unassuming about this property. Rising 645 feet above the city, 64 stories are wrapped in gold glass and 1,282 ultra-luxury suites (non-smoking) offer guests a first-class environment and amenities. From custom furnishings to fully equipped kitchens and floor-to-ceiling windows for fabulous views, this new hotel joins the Trump Hotel Collection, which includes properties in New York and Chicago. Plans are underway for Trump signature hotels to open in Ft. Lauderdale, SoHo New York, Toronto, Panama, Baja, Jumeirah, Scotland, and New Orleans. One key amenity here is The Spa, which boasts the “Trump Personal Intention—Calm, Balance, Purify, Heal, Revitalize”—all under the care of your personal Spa Attache. Check it out on a virtual tour at www.trumplasvegashotel.com.
California Dreaming
San Diego, CA—Location, location, location. That’s what they tell you for homes and it’s just as true for hotels. Check out the 16 acres of waterfront views at the renovated Coronado Island Marriott where $15 million resulted in a newly relaxed atmosphere in one of southern California’s premier resorts. Designed by Fernando Del la Rossa of Lifetime television fame, the hotel now boasts private enclaves, including the rejuvenated pool area with wireless service, private villas among the 300 accommodations as well as a spa. New dining options include the Current Restaurant, with California cuisine, and the Tides Lounge. The Marriott Great Room concept envelops the lobby with four zones—welcome/check-in zone, relaxing zone, social zone, and a business center zone. Lush grounds afford privacy and a getaway from a hectic schedule. For hotel rates and packages contact the resort at (866)400-2935 and visit www.coronadoresortmarriott.com.
In the Clink in Style
Boston, MA—Boston’s 1851 Charles Street jail is now the Liberty Hotel, a showcase for how to transform a historic landmark into a modern building while retaining its distinctive architecture and character. The old jail’s granite exterior and light-filled interiors remain largely unchanged while its central rotunda’s historic catwalk looks like a setting for a James Cagney movie. In the old jail building there are 18 brick-walled guest rooms while across from a courtyard garden is a new 16-story tower with 280 guest rooms. Overlooking the Charles River and across from Mass General Hospital, the Liberty Hotel is in Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood. Don’t miss the Eggs Benedict at the Clink restaurant or a drink at the Alibi bar. Doubles begin at about $250. Details at www.libertyhotel.com or (866)507-5245. Also check www.booking.com for special rates.
The Plaza is Back
New York, NY—A New York legend reopened its doors on March 1 after a $400-million, two-year renovation as The Plaza welcomed guests into the 282 guestrooms, 152 of them converted into luxury condominiums. Averaging $1,000 per night, the rooms available for hotel guests feature 24-karat gold-plated bathroom fixtures, flat screen televisions and decorative touches that reflect the hotel’s traditional Louis XV style. The hotel’s famed Palm Court restaurant now boasts the original colored-glass rose and violet ceiling, covered over since the 1940s and costing more than $2 million to repair. It’s the place to go for afternoon tea (also serving breakfast, lunch and dinner). Stop by and see the landmark hotel, now co-owned by the Elad Group and the Saudi-based Holding Company and managed by Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. For details go to www.fairmonthotels.com.
New Orlando Digs
Orlando, FL—Hyatt Place, one of two new properties of the Hyatt brand to open in Orlando, opened in December 2007 and offers physicians an alternative accommodation near the Orange County Convention Center. Called the Hyatt Place Orange County Convention Center, the contemporary hotel offers innovative services and amenities, including free Wi-Fi access, a 42-inch flat-panel high-definition television, continental breakfast, and the StayFit@Hyatt gym. Check it out at www.hyattplace.com or call (888)492-8847.
High Acclaim "Inn" a Historic Region
Aspen, CO—Unique Inns, one of North America’s first bed and breakfast inn-keeping organizations, recently announced that Hanford House Inn is the organization’s newest member. Located in Sutter Creek, the inn is 45 minutes from Sacramento and 90 minutes from Lake Tahoe on historic Highway 49 in Amador County. The Sutter Creek area is famous for the discovery of gold 160 years ago, and was also one of the first sites of California’s bed and breakfast inn renaissance 30 years ago. The AAA-rated Hanford House features 10 rooms, including three suites, and in-room amenities that include spa tubs, fireplaces, televisions, phones, wireless Internet, and turndown service. Guests also receive a complimentary gourmet breakfast along with snacks that include afternoon tea and evening appetizers. To contact the inn, call (800) 871-5839 or visit www.hanfordhouse.com. For information on other members of Unique Inns, visit www.uniqueinns.com.
Orlando’s Newest Gem
Orlando, FL—The American Automobile Association (AAA), one of the country’s most respected authorities on travel and hospitality, recently awarded Orlando luxury hotel Rosen Shingle Creek the prestigious Four-Diamond Award rating for 2008. The 1,500 room hotel sports Spanish-revival style architecture and is situated on 230 acres at the headwaters of the Florida Everglades. To achieve AAA’s Four Diamond Award status, a property must be deemed upscale in all areas with refined and stylish accommodations that include extensive amenities combined with a high degree of hospitality, service and attention to detail. Rosen Shingle Creek also features an onsite Shingle Creek Golf Club and 18-hole championship golf course, plus 12 dining and lounging options, a world-class spa, numerous recreational activities for guests, and is located nearby many of Orlando’s renowned attractions. For more information, visit www.rosenshinglecreek.com or call (866) 996-9939.
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