The Informed Traveler

Girlfriend Getaway at Sè San Diego Hotel

Mary Winston Nicklin — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:42:33 +0000

Get the girls together for a fab weekend in San Diego at the sexy Sè Hotel. In naming the property to its 2009 Hot List, Conde Nast Traveler sings its praises:

Though the Sè is very much a visual feast—with a massive bronze front door, a grand staircase framed by faux sand dollars, lamps covered in gray stingray, an entire wall at the spa covered in tiny green Chinese teacups—it’s more than just a pretty face. The staff seem to be genuinely thrilled to help you, and the 184 rooms, in a steel-and-glass building perched atop a Victorian-era structure, are small but well appointed. Yet the thing that really sticks in your mind (and belly) is the complimentary breakfast in bed with chocolate croissants, serrano ham and melon, and granola.

Sè San Diego has put together a package deal for you and your gals that includes luxury shopping and Swedish Massages with Spatinis and appetizers in the luxurious Sè Spa. And when you book three rooms or more, you’ll get a VIP cabana at no additional charge in Sè’s hip pool lounge, Siren. Available til December 30, 2009 and starting at $449 per night, the “Girl’s Getaway” package includes the following:

* One night stay in Cityside Accommodation with Two Beds
* Two 60-minute Swedish Massages (incl tax and gratuity)
* Spatinis and appetizers in the Spa after your treatments
* Two $50 Horton Plaza/Nordstrom Giftcards for shopping
* Overnight valet parking

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Hit the Beach in Paris, Sip a Love Mojito at the Hotel Plaza Athenee

Mary Winston Nicklin — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:46:55 +0000

The 8th edition of Paris Plages is about to begin. Come July 20th, you’ll be able to bronze your body along the Seine, where tons and tons of sand are trucked in to create a beach near the Hotel de Ville on the right bank. Complete with palm trees, we might add. Summer is a grand time to visit the French capital as international airfares have plummeted and all the Parisians are on vacay in the provinces. Head to the Hotel Plaza Athenee, that delightful bastion of luxury on chic Avenue Montaigne, and celebrate the “Summer Delight.” The package includes VIP welcome in room on arrival, daily Continental breakfast for two, and Love Mojitos, the latest cocktail innovation created by barman Thierry Hernandez with litchi and rose. You’ll love the swanky ambiance at Le Bar, but you’ll also dig the garden courtyard, opened seasonally in the summer months. Priced from EUR 675.

Discover Tuscany with Villa La Massa

Alison Victor — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:29:43 +0000

With many people still finalizing plans to visit the likes of Italy and Europe for summer getaways, I have come across a great reason to wait. Many of the wonderful luxury properties we represent have started to give us some great rates and packages for the coming fall. One such hotel, the luxurious Villa La Massa, located on the outskirts of Firenze, has some great deals for such a traveler.
With the Discovering Tuscany package, Villa La Massa invites guests to a three night stay in a Deluxe Room, full buffet breakfast at the restaurant, or continental breakfast in your room, two 3-course meals at The Verrocchio Restaurant or The Pool Bar, a guided tour to the Florentine Palaces, and as a delicious welcoming gift, Cantucci And Vin Santo in your room upon arrival, which happen to be the perfect compliment of sweet Italian dessert wine and biscotti. With rates starting at under 300 Euro per person, this is a great way, and great time, to plan a trip to Italy.

Say Hello to the Peace Hotel: Shanghai’s Icon on the Bund Gets a Fairmont Facelift

Mary Winston Nicklin — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:01:23 +0000

Shanghai is gearing up for 2010’s World Expo with a slew of luxury hotel projects. One such project is the renovation of The Peace Hotel– “a symbol of all that was playful and decadent in old Shanghai,” to quote The Financial Times. Facing the Huangpu River from its strategic spot on the Bund, The Peace Hotel is an Art Deco landmark with lots of history. (Put it this way: The Peace Hotel has seen a lot: from Sun Yat-sen to Japanese occupation during WWII straight through to the present-day skyscraper boom in the city called “hipper than Hong Kong and more alluring than Beijing.”) Fairmont will be managing the 12-storey property when it opens next year after a renovation project that’s been hailed “one of the most challenging, and closely watched, historical restoration efforts in China” as it seeks to “balance the needs of profit and preservation.”

Image Via Wikipedia

Music and Wine Take Center Stage at Napa Valley’s 2009 Festival De Sole

Christina Vasquez — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:28:25 +0000

California wine country’s top summer festival, the Festival De Sole, runs from July 17-25. Taking place at venues throughout Napa, the festival combines classical music -including a recital by American Soprano, Renee Fleming- with wine tasting, five-star cuisine, and art exhibits. This highly-anticipated cultural festival has become one of the “hottest tickets” of the summer in Napa. If you want to partake in the festivities, Five Star Alliance offers wonderful lodging at top rated, ultra luxurious hotels in the Napa Valley region. Book a stay at The Carneros Inn (pictured above) or at any one of our seven recommended luxury hotels in Napa, and participate in the wonderful celebration of the “art of life” at the 2009 Festival De Sole.

From Car Detailing to Pet Walking: Five-Star Service at The Hazelton, Toronto

Mary Winston Nicklin — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:48:57 +0000

Since it opened a few years ago, the Hazelton Hotel has taken Toronto by storm. Sure, the Presidential Suite has been called out as one of the best luxury suites in Canada, but you don’t have to be a paparazzi-hounded celeb to hit up at this Hollywood hotspot. Bedding down at this sexy joint– complete with its own private screening room and swanky spa– you’ll notice the five-star difference. Above all, it’s the service. The concierge, valet, and guest services team can handle any kind of request; indeed the concierge can “open the doors to Toronto for you” with restaurant reservations, insider tips on shopping in Yorkville, the sky’s the limit. Here’s a smattering of the services available to you:

*24 hour luggage and large parcel delivery to residence
*Ten percent off Dry cleaning, laundry services, button replacement mending, minor alterations and delivery
*Fifteen percent off Spa treatments
*24 hour Room Service and Priority reservations at ONE, Mark McEwan’s latest hit
*Daily, to door newspaper delivery of the Globe & Mail and/or National Post
*Personal chef services
*Pet walking, grooming and sitting services
*Automobile detailing
*Technological equipment rental (wireless laptops, MP3 players, facsimile machines, mobile phones and audio-visual equipment)
*Chauffeured limousine service to any destination
*Outdoor running companions
*Movie/music/videogame rental, including delivery and return
*Messenger service for local pick ups, deliveries and dry cleaning

And butler service, of course.

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Blackberry Farm Named One of the Best Places to Stay When Visiting the Great Smokies

Christina Vasquez — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:55:05 +0000

Travel and Leisure Magazine recently named their six favorite U.S. national parks, and topping off the list was Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains. The prestigious travel magazine also included the lavish, yet understated, Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee as the best area for lodging when visiting the Smoky Mountain region. Still trying to plan a last minute summer getaway? Head to Blackberry Farm where you can enjoy amazing hiking treks through the Great Smoky Mountains, and end your day in the comfort and tranquility of this award winning, luxury boutique hotel.

Eat, Drink, and Be Massaged at Sandpearl Resort

K. Clare Johnson — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:55:28 +0000

Sandpearl Resort offers 700 feet of Clearwater’s pristine beachfront, a luxurious spa set amidst the soothing ocean, and seasonally inspired cuisine at its signature four diamond dining experience, Caretta on the Gulf. And right now, book their Spa Plus Dine package to enjoy the best that Sandpearl Resort has to offer. You’ll get a two-bedroom gulf front suite, full kitchen and dining room, one 50 minute spa service per adult (maximum 4 adults) and a $150 dining credit. Book now for best availability, and be advised that additional terms and conditions apply.

Tomato Fight! La Tomatino Festival in Spain; Stay at the Eurostars Gran Valencia

Mary Winston Nicklin — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:31:16 +0000

Geared up for the world’s largest tomato fight? Spain’s La Tomatina festival is famous worldwide for its tomato-hurling merriment in Buñol, 30 kilometers from Valencia. This year’s will take place on August 26th, and some 50,000 revelers are expected to descend on the town to throw 125 tons of tomatoes at each other. After getting sufficiently soaked in tomato juice, return to your luxe lodgings at the Eurostars Gran Valencia to clean up. Just don’t do it in the sparkling outdoor pool.

Image Via USAToday

Killer Surf Break, Sexy Beach, and Versace Digs on Australia’s Gold Coast

Mary Winston Nicklin — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:00:58 +0000

In its recent line-up of the “World’s Sexiest Beaches 2009,” Conde Nast Traveler gives a shout-out to Australia’s Gold Coast for its “260 days of sunshine and all those beach bodies.” Sure, the surfers may tend to couch-surf almost as well as they glide along Oz’s best surf breaks, but you should “opt instead for the outrageous contrast of the Palazzo Versace (yes, that Versace), a rococo palace of gilt furniture, marble baths, and whirlpool tubs.” This is the world’s only Versace hotel, and– to be expected– it’s visually stunning.

Loews Hotels Offering all Fashionistas the Recessionista Respite Package

Alison Victor — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:45:59 +0000

Times are tough, but just because you may be tightening your belt doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to enjoy luxury at a reasonable price. Loews Hotels are currently offering “Recessionista Respite” packages at participating locations, designed with the trendsetting fashion plate in mind. Book now through September 5th, and you can choose from some of the following options. At Loews Denver Hotel the Recessionista Package will include Villa Suite accommodations for one night, two $25 American Express gift checks to be used at the nearby Cherry Creek Shopping Center, home to over 400 shop-til-you-drop stores, personal bag concierge to deliver your bags to your room, complimentary valet parking, and post shopping cocktails at the hotel’s T-Bar. Pricing starts at just $279 per night.

If shopping in the Big Apple is what you want, the Loews Regency Hotel’s Recessionista Package will include 15% off “shopping day pass” at Bloomingdale’s complete with a personal shopper, a gift with purchase, complimentary beauty makeover, cocktails for two at the hotel’s Library Bar, and 20% off services at the hotel’s Nico Salon. Prices start at just $180 per person.

Loews invites you to indulge but not over extend, and with these great offers, there is no guilt in shopping-til-you-drop!

A Warm Welcome in Florence at the Montebello Splendid

Mary Winston Nicklin — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:08:05 +0000

Looking for a charming hotel in Florence? The Montebello Splendid is a fine choice, richly decorated with antiques personally selected by the hotel owner on shopping trips around Italy. As a family-owned hotel, the Montebello Splendid focuses on hospitality, and welcomes its guests with warmth and personalized service. You’ll get lots of insider suggestions for excursions, restaurants and museums in Florence. Housed in a historic building with its own garden and fountain, the hotel is located in an upscale neighborhood just two blocks from the Arno River and Ponte Vecchio. Book the “Welcome Menu” package and when you arrive, you’ll be greeted with a multi-course gourmet meal in the hotel’s Capriccio restaurant (priced according to the number of courses) plus a complimentary bottle of wine.

Hot Deals: Take $1,234 Off Your Stay at Four Seasons Punta Mita

Mary Winston Nicklin — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:43:26 +0000

Too good to be true? The Four Seasons Punta Mita– a celeb favorite on Mexico’s pristine coastline just 26 miles from Puerto Vallarta– is giving away a $1,234 credit for every four nights stayed, which guests can apply to sunset dining, spa treatments, golf on the Nicklaus-designed Pacifico Golf Course, yacht charters, or even your room. This translates to about $220 a night in one of the top resorts in the world, as the Los Angeles Times Daily Travel & Deal Blog points out. To nab this rate, book the “Experience More” package.

Where to Stay in Lisbon: Tiara Park Atlantic Lisboa Hotel

Mary Winston Nicklin — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:11:46 +0000

Both business and leisure travelers find plenty to smile about at the Tiara Park Atlantic, situated in the very heart of the Portuguese capital near Parque Eduardo VII. “Impeccable from every point of view,” raves a traveler on TripAdvisor. “Very friendly and helpful staff,” says another. Check in here and you’ll have a personalized guest experience, tailored to your whims and taste. Smartly decorated rooms cater to guests’ comfort, and they all have sweeping views over the city and park, to boot. You’ll have privileges at the a nearby health club to hit the tennis court or swimming pool, and two dining options to savor international and local specialties. (The hotel was formerly called Le Meridien Park Atlantic Lisboa.)

Take the Kids to Six Flags: Special with Westin La Cantera, San Antonio

Mary Winston Nicklin — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:43:05 +0000

Take a well-deserved summer break without breaking the bank. Set high on a hill in Texas Hill Country, overlooking an expanse of green fairways and Live Oak groves, the Westin La Cantera is seemingly a world away, but only 15 miles from San Antonio’s downtown Central Business District. Known for its championship golf courses (most notably the 18-hole championship Resort Course at La Cantera, designed by Arnold Palmer) and extensive recreational facilities, the Westin La Cantera fits the bill for a relaxing “staycation.” Take the fam to the Westin La Cantera and enjoy a day at the Six Flags Fiesta Texas Theme Park, just adjacent to the resort. The resort has styled a San Antonio adventure priced from just $199 per night. The two-night stay is available through August 22, 2009 and includes 50 percent off Retail Golf rates on either of the two championship courses, and 50 percent off adult tickets to Six Flags for up to four people.

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