Weekend getaways are always a coveted luxury; an opportunity to get away from the daily grind. Throw in a hotel with a on-site spa and you’re practically in heaven. Does it get any better? 

It just did. 

The Fairmont Chicago will actually bring the spa to your room. Included in it’s in-room dining services, the hotel offers the Serenity Bath. Order one and a bath sommelier comes and sets up a relaxing atmosphere for you. They’ll draw your bath, adding soothing aromatherapy oils. They’ll also set up neck pillows and loofahs, a fruit plate and bottled water, a variety of soaps and lotions, and leave a CD player with an assortment of relaxing music.

Add this to the already tantilizing array of gourmet dining options from the hotel’s in-room dining menu with signature dishes like pan-fried crab cakes with tomato-herb chipotle aioli, or roasted halibut and suddenly seeing all that Chicago has to offer from the view of your posh suite doesn’t seem so bad.

Order up a Valhrona chocolate lemon tart for a post aroma bath treat, indulge, repeat.

France-based Sofitel hotels are generally known for their, naturally, French flair, but the luxurious brand’s Philadelphia property is adding a dash of English charm with its new London taxi service. For hire by hotel guests only, the iconic London taxi, imported directly from England, offers free rides around town and to/from the Philadelphia International Airport (a 20-minute drive) Mondays through Fridays between 7 and 9 A.M (reservations recommended). Booking the service any other time of day will cost you, depending on the duration of your ride, upwards of $25 for lifts within the city center and $45 to the airport. Not cheap for most chaps, but the five-seat, mini-bar laden cab makes for a bloody fun alternative to typical transportation, wouldn’t you say?

Visiting and getting around a new city is never easy–but biking is fun, great exercise, and offers fantastic views of any new place. We’ve previously covered the trend of hotels offering loaner bikes for guests, and it looks like the amenity is continuing to spread like wildfire. As of this spring, Fairmont Hotels across Canada have introduced state-of-the-art BMW Cruise Bikes as the newest benefit for guests. At the Fairmont Château Whistler, guests can explore mountainside bike paths, while guests at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth can expore  the avenues of Montreal before stopping for a coffe at a cafe. The BMW bikes are great for both busy urban streets and scenic wooded trails, and the sleek frames will have you looking hip. Other original features include an integrated brake routing system that enables you to stop on a dime—a nice comfort factor for infrequent riders! The 24-speed bikes come in red and pearl white, and they retail for $1,190, so taking one for a spin is definitely a steal. Bonus: In addition to offering a selection of BMW Cruise Bikes, each hotel will have a variety of child-size BMW bikes on hand, allowing families to take in the sights together.

We’re crazy about our pets–and the White House is too. But just because Bo is getting all the special attention doesn’t mean that your pooch can’t be treated the same as “First Dog.” We’ve found some unique hotels and packages that cater to man’s best friend—with some interesting amenities to boot (or would that be to paw?)

Each guestroom at The Resort at the Mountain, in Mt. Hood, Oregon comes stocked with freshly baked homemade dog treats, dog dish, bottled water, and a dog-friendly hiking trail map, making your pet feel like White House royalty. Pampering your pooch doesn’t end there—the “First Dog” package includes a $30 credit towards a Canine Cuisine entrée from the in-room dining menu.

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The hotel staff may be the ultimate amenity. They are the welcoming faces, the helpful hands to your room, an insider who knows how to get a reservation—basically, they make or break your stay in a new destination. Lately I’ve been reading up on some of these behind-the-scene staffers who have earned more than their share of gold stars in service. Here, some of the notables:

Ali Kasikci, Managing Director, Montage Beverly Hills
Known for his attention to deal, Kasikci keeps tabs on all his guests—literally. Well-known and repeat guests are assigned a note card that specifies preferences, even habits of guests. It’s these extra details that makes for a personalized stay, and ensures the property gets it right each time. What guests may not realize is that Kasikci has a hand in everything, from the closet’s hangers (designed to specifically help fill out men’s suits) to the bathroom’s amenities (they were pop top and prone to spill…now they screw on and off).

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