Mar 4, 2010 by Becca Bergman - comment
We scope out the wine baths, pet psychics, caviar facials, gourmet cooking classes, revolving rooms, and other extravagant extras that will push your vacation over the top.
There seems to be a pattern to the luxury resort scene on the islands of Hawaii. Large, opulently designed facilities perched on expansive, manicured grounds; Lavish patios with large pools and sun bathing acutremants; fancy celebrity chef-run restaurants and lounges; and in-house activities to keep you constantly entertained.
By our standards, and undoubtedly anyone’s, these are amazing features. But sometimes to truly relax, you have to steer clear of the over-developed path, give up a few of the packaged, big ticket amenities, and embrace simplicity.
Luckily at Hotel Renew, Honolulu’s first designer boutique hotel, simplicity does not cancel out luxury.
The cold weather months may begin to ease up elsewhere, but it’s sometimes hard to tell in Boston. It may not be the most sought after vacation spot this time of year, but there is still a lot to do in the charming New England city during the winter months.
And with a number of hotels offering seasonal deals, the price of a trip to historic Boston makes it all the more appealing.
For those who are thinking of making it a mid-week road trip, the Commander Hotel near Harvard Square is waiting for you. Read the rest of this post »
You have traveled far, mighty traveler. You are tired. You have checked into your hotel room, dropped your bags, and feel refreshed after a shower. All thats required now is the perfect cocktail to make the world right again.
But the hotel lobby bar is, well, in the lobby. And you are not.
Luckily, you’ve checked into the newly renovated Surrey Hotel in New York City. Thanks to their new in-room cocktail program, a well-shaken anything is merely a phone call away. Read the rest of this post »
At first utterance, the name Kensington begs a sartorial tone of English pretension, said with a clenched jaw while swirling a sifter of aged brandy and dawning tweed. And really, that air might not be to far from what the Doyle Collection hotel group was going for when they renovated the Kensington Hotel in London. The renovated space brings together four Victorian townhouses into a modern day replication of an exclusive London club of centuries ago.
The Kensington Hotel is offering a “Flavour of London” package so that you can enjoy this well-heeled neighborhood as well as the new digs. Now you can feel like part of the club, if decidedly less stuffy.
Life really is all about making an entrance. Be it a board meeting or a backyard BBQ, one should always enter with style. Same goes with your vacation destination.
The people at the Six Sense Hideaway at Zighy Bay in Oman could not agree more. Part of the eco-conscious Six Senses Hideaway family, Zighy Bay resort has a couple of ways to get you to the front desk. Guests have a choice of arrival experiences after picking you up at the airport, which include a scenic fifteen-minute speed boat trip or a drive down from the top of the hill overlooking the bay. But, for the ultimate in dramatic entrances, and an extra charge, guests can strap themselves to a professional paraglider and gracefully sail down to the resorts front steps.
“Eco” and “luxury” are terms often incongruous with each other. Going green has traditionally meant skimping on comfort, and enjoying plush amenities has meant turning a cold shoulder to the environment.
It is, however, 2010 and the two avenues of thinking are starting to come together, with exquisite results.
Having a child is a wonderful thing. A stressful, busy, nerve wracking, wonderful thing. Amidst all the preparation for an addition to your family, it can be easy to forget about taking care of other things. Like yourself.
Luckily, the hotel industry feels your labor pains. Expectant couples now have relaxing options to take their final vacation alone, and pamper themselves before the big day.
But where should you go before the big day?
With the excitement of a new destinations come the realities of the trip. Namely packing, unpacking, and packing again. We have stopped counting the number of socks or t-shirts gone missing, or the number of times we’ve had to dine in wrinkled sport coats.
But what is a busy traveler to do? You can’t just not bring a suitcase, right? Right?!
Romantic notes and poems. An unexpected bouquet of flowers. Heartfelt gifts and gregarious displays of affection. It’s true that love is an art form. But there is a science to it as well, and the biology of it all is often overlooked.
This Valentine’s Day rediscover the biological side with the ‘Science of Love’ hotel package from the Sheraton Fisherman’s Warf and the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco.
Do your mating displays compete with the dance of the male tarantula?
It’s 2010 - the year of multi-tasking. What better way to embrace the new, efficient you then combining a romantic Valentine’s Day weekend and … furniture making?!
The owners of ShackletonThomas, a furniture workshop in Bridgewater, Vermont believe there is no better way for couples to re-connect than by creating a beautiful piece of artwork together that they will be able to use in their homes for years to come. Read the rest of this post »