Hotel Buzz

New Miami Art Hotel Offers Opening Rates for $20.10 in January 2010

Stephanie Johnnidis — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:38:59 +0000

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.

Low Rates at New Boston Hotel from $124/Night

Andrew Skwarek — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:00:26 +0000

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.

7 Independent U.S. Hotels Form Collaborative Partnership

Liz Webber — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:52:56 +0000

Hailing from cities as far apart as Napa and Palm Beach, the seven properties that comprise Kindred Hotels and Resorts have little in common other than their status as independently-owned luxury lodgings with long histories and reputations for excellence. But, a new collaboration will bring them closer together – at least on the Web. These properties have partnered up for PR purposes with a new website, staykindred.com, promising to use the portal to roll out deals and highlight what’s new. In one convenient location, the Kindred website presents a brief background of each property while promoting the latest offers with a quick link for booking and a link to the hotels’ individual websites for additional property details. The participating hotels include The Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida; The Carneros Inn in Napa, California; Colonial Williamsburg Resort Collection in Williamsburg, Virginia; Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan; The Lodge at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, California; Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Florida; and Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa, Florida.

Interested in hotels with a backstory? Check out our Top 10 Historic Hotels.

New ARIA Resort & Casino from $159/Night

Andrew Skwarek — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:00:30 +0000

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.

Top-Honored Kentucky Art Hotel Plans Cincinnati Twin

Suzanne Steinert — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:07:03 +0000

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).

The location of 21c’s second set of doors, set to open in downtown Cincinnati adjacent to the Zaha Hadid-designed Contemporary Arts Center (opened 2003) and across the street from the Aronoff Center for the Performing Arts, couldn’t be better situated for art nuts. The project, scheduled to begin next fall, is slated for a 2012 completion and will pour an estimated $45 million into the century-old Metropole Hotel, transforming it from dilapidated low-income housing into a larger version of its Louisville twin — featuring an 8,000 square-foot contemporary art museum of its own (free to the public), plus an outpost of Proof.

From November 6 through December 30, 2009, the Louisville hotel is offering three enticing weekend promotions. Stay one night and receive a complimentary room upgrade. Two nights get you the upgrade plus a $25 voucher for Proof on Main, while three nights bag all of those goodies along with a $25 spa credit. Call 502-217-6300 and mention FALL 1, 2, or 3 to book your deal of choice.

Keep an eye out for the results of our own Smart Luxury Awards in this month’s issue of Sherman’s Travel magazine!

Football Gameday Discounts at the Roosevelt’s Madison Club

Stephanie Johnnidis — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:02:38 +0000

Midtown New Yorkers looking for a big-screen TV to catch Sunday or Monday night football games can head to the Madison Club Lounge at the Roosevelt Hotel.The lobby level bar is offering up gameday discounts for football fans (guests and locals alike), including half-price Coors Light and $10 apps like buffalo wings, potato skins, and sliders. The Roosevelt’s clutch location on Madison and 45th sets up a nice stopping off point for businesspeople looking to catch a quarter before catching the train home from Grand Central. And, Madison Club isn’t your average sports bar – the lounge provides a sophisticated (but unstuffy) atmosphere with plenty of mahogany, leather loungers, and stained-glass windows. So even if game day serves up yet another upset (yes, we’re referring to both NY teams. Sigh.) you’ll still be served cold beer and sliders in style.

NYC Boutique Touts World’s First Resident Tattoo-ist

Suzanne Steinert — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:52:16 +0000

The Marcel at Gramercy, a chic boutique nestled amidst NYC’s stylish (but relatively straight-laced) Gramercy and Murray Hill hoods (and extensively redesigned last year) today announced it will play host to the world’s first ever “tattoo artist in residence.” On November 15-24, LA-based Mister Cartoon (famous for inking celebs like Beyonce, Christina Aguilera, Eminem, and Ryan Phillippe) will kick off stint #1 of a temporary two-part stay at The Marcel, offering his body art expertise exclusively to hotel guests, who are granted an automatic line jump in the in-demand inker’s year-long wait list (though not exempt from his normal rates, which start at $3,000 a tat).

Mr. Cartoon’s two-week return visit in early February 2010 is set to coincide with the debut of the hotel’s new earmark, the Marcel Original Art on Rotation (M.O.A.R), which will commission and display the works of a cadre of progressive artists within a 40 x 20-foot gold frame on the hotel’s façade. In addition, the artists will provide “unique exclusive experiences” available only to hotel guests. The works will be shown in revolving three-month stints, and, to keep things even more interesting, adhere to annually-changing themes. Mister Cartoon’s art and talents will be the first on display, with “Concrete Jungle” the theme for 2010.

West Coast-bound? Click here to “Ink & Stay” in L.A.

To book a room at The Marcel (and an appointment with Mister Cartoon) call 917-600-5554 or email MOARMARCEL@mistercartoon.com.

Rock Out with Beyonce at Esquire’s Seventh Annual “Signature Space” Cocktail Party

Stephanie Johnnidis — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:25:07 +0000

We just caught wind of an exclusive party package offered at the W Times Square that will get you into one of the year’s hottest parties. Hosted by Beyonce, Jamie Foxx, The Fray, Gavin DeGraw, Chris Webber, and more, with a special performance by OneRepublic, Esquire Magazine’s Seventh Annual Space Cocktail Party in support of VH1’s Save The Music Foundation will take place in a 9,200-square-foot SoHo penthouse next Thursday, November 5. Tickets are hard to come by but the W Times Square is rolling out the red carpet for 14 lucky guests (there are only 14 event tickets available) if you book their special Rock Star package. The package includes two tickets to Esquire Magazine’s Seventh Annual “Signature Space” Cocktail Party, two cocktails in The Living Room bar to kick off the party, and a tricked-out suite. The going price is $799 (10 percent of the proceeds will benefit VH1’s Save The Music Foundation). What would you pay to party with the music industry’s elite? For more information or to book, call Maya Stanic at 917-543-5902.

Opening Soon: Beijing’s Highest Hotel

Suzanne Steinert — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:47:18 +0000

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…

Splurge on Brand-New Bora Bora Villas

Anja Mutic — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:26:02 +0000

Few places in the world compare to Bora Bora – a quintessential tropical isle in French Polynesia showcasing white-sand beaches, flower-scented breezes, and idyllic coves. Since getting to paradise can be a lengthy affair (it’s eight hours by plane from Los Angeles to Tahiti, plus another hour to connect), why not treat yourself to an once-in-a-lifetime experience once you land? The Hilton Bora Bora Nui Resort & Spa just unveiled brand-new over-the-water presidential villas that necessitate a splurge, if you’ve got the pocket change to spare.

Lying on top of the turquoise clear sea, the stunning bi-level units (pictured) feature ample accommodations: including two bedrooms, dual dressing rooms, and a spacious living area (not to mention a “well-being” room used purely for massage purposes). Elegant Italian marble bathrooms (three total) compliment the exotic Polynesian-inspired decor. Outside, bask in your own private pool, Jacuzzi, and sun deck gazebo. Perks (yes, there are more) include canopy king beds and glass floor panels providing limitless ocean views.

Rates start at a worthy $5,000 per night (plus taxes) — or half that per couple, if you go the Couples Retreat route. The bill includes all of the following: personalized service with private check-in; welcome cocktails; flower lei and Polynesian pareo (sarong) upon arrival; a 40-minute in-room massage per adult; a bottle of bubbly and fresh fruit platter; twice daily maid service; and (spoiler alert!) a shell necklace as a farewell gift.