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.

Visit Beantown in style this fall and winter without paying a pretty penny. Ames, Morgans Hotel Group’s brand-new luxury boutique hotel in downtown Boston, is celebrating its grand-opening with special introductory rates starting at just $124/night for select stays from November 22 to January 31 – quite a bargain considering nightly summer rates are expected to be as much as $300/night. Also included in this offer are two complimentary welcome drinks. This introductory rate requires a minimum two-night stay and must be booked by December 2. Other travel dates through April 5 start at $146/night. To book this offer, call 800-697-1791 and mention promotion code SPMO25, or visit www.morganshotelgroup.com.

Slated to open December 16, the ARIA Resort & Casino has a little extra pizzazz, boasting a 150,000-square-foot casino, and 4,004 stylish guestrooms complete with 42-inch flat-screen televisions, stocked mini bars, soft, luxurious linens, and floor-to-ceiling windows. Sounds heavenly, right? If you’re a penny-pincher and don’t want to sacrifice on the quality of accommodations when visiting Sin City, you’ll definitely want to check out ARIA’s great introductory rates which start at just $159/night. From December 17 through April 1, 2010, guests who stay two nights at the modern resort will receive $75 resort credit which can be used at the 80,000-square-foot spa, any one of the 13 eateries, as well as other activities and services. Other resort amenities include three pools, nine bars and lounges, and a Cirque du Soleil production celebrating the musical legacy of Elvis Presley.

Kentucky’s hippest hotel, just voted by Conde Nast Traveler’s readership as #1 in the country (and #6 in the world) for 2009, announced plans Wednesday to debut a new sister property just upriver in Cincinnati, Ohio. The 21c Museum Hotel, an upscale boutique which opened on downtown Louisville’s Main Street in 2006, has played a key role in revitalizing Derby City’s art scene. The renovated 19th-century tobacco & bourbon warehouse has drawn national acclaim for its high-style halls packed to the brim with whimsical paintings, abstract video art, photos and sculptures (like the lobby’s army of red penguin statues) – all from this millennium. The hotel’s 90 rooms feature custom touches, from furniture to pewter mint julep cups. Popular restaurant Proof on Main has become renowned for its modern twists on locally grown, regional cuisine (ahem, gourmet Bison burgers). Read the rest of this post »

Shangri-La’s newest Beijing property, the China World Summit Wing, is rushing towards a December debut in the main tower of the landmark China World Trade Centre (pictured).  Soaring 81 stories over the city’s bustling business district and directly opposite the (almost) equally elevated Park Hyatt Beijing (which opened a year ago this month), the tower is currently Beijing’s tallest. The Tihany-designed hotel, perched atop the loftiest floors (starting at 64), is set to offer some seriously unsurpassed views of the country’s capital city.

The 80th-floor Atmosphere bar and 77th-floor CHI spa will both be the highest such facilities in Beijing – with an observation deck, aptly dubbed The Peak, located on level 81 (and featuring private dining). All 278 guestrooms and suites (among the city’s largest at 700 square feet) wouldn’t be complete without floor-to-ceiling windows, free Wi-Fi (bet on unbeatable signal strength), Nespresso machines, walk-in closets, and 17-inch TV screens sleekly embedded in the bathroom mirrors. An indoor infinity pool and outdoor rooftop pine garden provide relaxing respites, with a Japanese eaterie, high-end Chinese-Cantonese restaurant, and New York grill rounding out the facilities food-wise. Ooh la-La…

Opening this fall, the Tcherassi Hotel + Spa is a 250-year-old mansion turned boutique hotel that reflects the contemporary glamour of its maker, Latin women’s wear designer Silvia Tcherassi. Located in the heart of Cartagena’s Old City, the haute hotel will feature large guestrooms and suites with high ceilings, private balconies, original walls restored and brightened with a light dusting of real gold, and custom-made amenities by the designer. The hacienda-style bolthole will also offer a spa, an indoor/outdoor Italian restaurant, and four pools – one of which is located on the third-floor roof deck, complete with daybeds, a bar, and 360-views of the city and sea. Opening rates start from $275 per night. Reservations can be made as of September 15; 888/575-2799; www.tcherassihotels.com.

Picture dropping in on the family home of Sir Winston Churchill, sitting beneath the famous apple tree at Sir Isaac Newton’s manor, or exploring the grand estates familiar from Harry Potter and Sense and Sensibility. The nonprofit National Trust, which preserves historic country homes and gardens across the United Kingdom, will allow you to do just that. Some homes can even be rented overnight, allowing any Anglophile to try the life of landed gentry.

New to the collection is the 17th-century, thatched Shedbush farmhouse in Dorset, which sleeps six and is near miles of breathtaking coastal walks. Also just added: a pair of Compton 19th-century stone farm cottages, each sleeping four, on the Isle of Wight; and Greenway, once the Devon holiday home of Agatha Christie and now accommodating 10 guests (with access to a private garden including a small heated pool and patio). Read the rest of this post »

The W chain is expanding its empire to the small island of Vieques, about 8 miles off the coast of Puerto Rico, where the W Retreat & Spa will debut this November. Until recently the quiet Puerto Rican island has remained underdeveloped, low key – a well-kept secret. But, while the beaches are still pristine and there are no duty-free malls or chain restaurants, developers are getting some action. The new oceanfront W is the best example. The 157-room resort sits on the northern coast near Proyecto Barracon and will blend brilliant modern architecture and organic aesthetics. Rooms, most with ocean views, will tout colorful, sharp design and top-of-the-line technology and amenities (plasma TVs, iPod docking stations, June Jacobs products). Alain Ducasse will head up the restaurant and there will be a beach bar called WET, the Living Room lounge, as well as Nourish by Spa Chakra with indoor and outdoor treatment rooms. The hotel has its soft opening November 19 and is taking online reservations January 1, 2010.

The late Marlon Brando envisioned building a luxury eco-resort on his own private island of Tetiaroa, a French Polynesian atoll about 35 miles from Tahiti. With the help of friend and Tahiti Beachcomber CEO, Richard Bailey, the new resort, dubbed The Brando, will open in 2011 and will feature 47 bungalow villas, all with private plunge pools, and, most importantly, will utilize eco-friendly practices. Construction began with the building of a platform over the surrounding coral reef to provide island access without damaging the reef and environment.  Another smart feature the resort will introduce is a “sea water air conditioning” system (SWAC) which will use a deap-sea pipe to draw cold water from the ocean and then use it to chill the air in the hotel, in turn having zero impact on the environment. A conscious that can rest easy while lounging on the Godfather’s prized property – now, that’s an offer we can’t refuse.

Palm Beach is still an iconic nest for old money. But new developments in town and up the coast that favor a chic, laid-back style and (relatively) affordable prices are attracting a fresh, younger set. The waterfront Omphoy Ocean Resort (from $250/night), Palm Beach’s first new hotel in 18 years, debuted this May, next door to the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach on Ocean Boulevard. Breaking from the area’s prevailing style, the 134-room resort sports a trendy look with sharp, contemporary design. Expect a pool lounge (located on the street side of the property with a tall waterfall partition for privacy and to block out traffic noise); an inside bar and billiards room; and an oceanview restaurant with Latin fare by notable chef Michelle Bernstein. 

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