Downtown Miami’s new Hotel Urbano bills itself as the city’s first boutique “art hotel” with an exhibit schedule directed by William Braemer, artist and Curator of Art Fusion Galleries in Miami’s Design District, who will plan seasonal art exhibitions to be displayed throughout the hotel; artwork – all from emerging artists – will also be available for purchase. An unofficial opening date is predicted for late December, but Hotel Urbano is really giving us something to look forward to in 2010 with their Grand Opening special. From January 1 through January 29, the hotel is offering rates from only $20.10 for the first night when booking two or more nights. The special includes a complimentary welcome cocktail, buffet breakfast, and the chance to win a piece of art valued at $2,010. Rates for the remaining nights go for $159. To book this deal, call 888-657-3448 or visit hotelurbano.com and use code SPECIAL.

Located on a pristine stretch of coastline on the northern tip of Palm Beach County, the family-friendly Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa comes with lighted tennis courts, a restaurant, lounge, fitness center, and beachfront poolside dining. For a fun family getaway this summer, we suggest the resort’s Day at the Museum package. The offer includes oceanview accommodations, breakfast, and two adult tickets to see “The Music behind the Magic: Disney-1928-Today” at the Norton Museum of Art (tickets for kids age 7-17 cost $6.50 and kids under 6 enter for free).  This exciting show runs from June 9 through September 9 and explores the role of music in Disney’s successful history and its impact on popular culture. Rates for this package start at $169/night on weekdays and $189/night on weekends.

A boutique-style hotel in midtown Manhattan has a package tailor-made for art lovers. Located in the center of Manhattan’s premier cultural district, the Buckingham sits just steps away from renowned performing arts institutions like Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and the big apple’s top-rated galleries and museums. Don’t skip a visit to the Museum of Modern Art, currently running “a shimmer of possibility” by celebrated photographer Paul Graham. (On view through May 18, the show chronicles Graham’s travels across the country, capturing hidden moments in the lives of strangers he encounters along the way.) Available through August 31, the museum’s MoMA Package covers your stay in a spacious suite with full kitchen, plus two VIP museum tickets allowing you to bypass long lines. Rates start at just $249/night and a minimum 2-night stay is required.

Perhaps no other artist has cast such a long shadow across this last century than Paul Cezanne. His far-reaching influence can be traced across five successive generations to artists as diverse and prominent as Jasper Johns, Charles Demuth, Max Beckman and Ellsworth Kelly. Cezanne was for Henri Matisse a “benevolent god of painting” and for Pablo Picasso, “my one and only master.”

Appearing exclusively at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, “Cezanne and Beyond” explores the artist’s extraordinary legacy, bringing together more than 150 works by Cezanne and 18 other master artists whose work he profoundly inspired. On view through May 17, the exhibition draws important connections between the iconic artist’s achievements and those of other celebrated artists right up through the present day. Read the rest of this post »

Positioned for centuries at the crossroads of important sea trade routes, the island of Curacao has an amazingly diverse and colorful history. If you get a chance to go, take some time to explore the colorful colonial architecture around the capital of Willemstad, a UNESCO World Heritage site first settled in 1634. Located on the city’s picturesque historic waterfront, the posh new Renaissance Curacao Resort & Casino offers sophisticated island accommodations just steps from the legendary Rif Fort, a 19th century landmark once used to defend the island from pirates and other sea-faring mercenaries. Beach goers will marvel at the resort’s uniquely-designed “eternity beach” – an above sea-level beach habitat complete with palm trees and real ocean water. Resort highlights include an onsite spa, shopping complex, and the 15,000-square-foot Carnival Casino. Opening rates start at $199/night, providing you with a savings of 40% off the regular cost for a room.

New York’s highly-acclaimed Armory Show, running from March 5-8, on Manhattan’s west side, has become one of the world’s premier contemporary art fairs. For more than 10 years, the annual arts festival has displayed cutting-edge works by artists from the world’s leading galleries and non-profit organizations. Don’t miss this exciting event on view at Piers 92 and 94 (at 55 St.) which has drawn more that 50,000 collectors and art lovers in past years. For a chic stay during the festival in one of the city’s most diverse and creative neighborhoods, try the Hotel on Rivington on Manhattan’s lower east side. Read the rest of this post »

Some come for the tulips, some for the weed, but no matter what’s on the vegetative agenda, visitors to freewheeling Amsterdam often find themselves mesmerized by the city’s free-thinking, live-and-let-live mantra. Visit during spring’s warm days to explore city’s picturesque canals, museums, and infamous coffee shops within this laid-back, European capital. Try a stay at the renowned Hilton Amsterdam, site of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s famous 1969 bed-in for peace, just a short walk from the old city center. Rates start at $213/night, a price that includes complimentary buffet breakfast and Van Gogh Museum admission.