PALM SPRINGS: Hotel Zoso
Posted on Oct 27, 2009 @ 05:35PM - Add a comment
The Palm Springs hotel selection is often a grab bag of experiences: from spring break hot spots, to family-focused respites, to secluded romantic getaways. So where do you go if you want a place with an energetic buzz without being kept up all night by partiers? Answer: The Hotel Zoso.
Architecturally distinct with tiered floors and pyramid shapes, the modern space is a welcomed oasis that still knows how to kick up its heels and have a little fun. Though the weekend we were hosted at the hotel was also the same weekend multiple high school reunions descended, we're sure the marble lobby and bar lounge welcomes a well-dressed crowd every other weekend regardless of the influx of revelers. In fact, the hotel is currently offering the "ZWheelin' Package" which gives you use of a rental car, includes a $25 food and beverage credit, and includes a room at the hotel for only $189. For $40 more, you can even upgrade your ride to a convertible!
The room we stayed in offered many cool comforts from the desert heat. The patio was the largest we have ever seen in a standard room (hint: the first floor rooms have the largest patios) and practically doubles the living space. Upping the Impress Me factor, the patio fan and lights can be controlled by a remote control and you can rent an iPod from the hotel already pre-loaded with cool tunes. The room itself was also notable for its size and held not only a delectably plush king-size bed, but also a hip sitting area complete with a personal-sized palm tree.
Tired and famished from a long drive, we called room service and were delighted when our yummy burger, onion rings, and fries were at our door within fifteen minutes. One downside to the room experience was the entertainment options. While Showtime is included in your channel selection, there are no movie ordering options which is a little odd in such a modern and luxe establishment. Though the local movie theater is simply two blocks away, it would be nice to be able to watch a film in the comfort of your own room.
Touching on the hotel's location, it is simply ideal. Located in the heart of the bustling downtown, it is one street removed from the main strip which puts you in the middle of all of the action without the extra chaos and noise. A stone's throw away from all the shops, bars, and restaurants, it is perfectly situated for a morning stroll to the nearby Coffee Bean or a high-heeled walk to a fancy dinner.
All in all, we would return again in a heart beat to this centrally-located sanctuary offering air-conditioned luxury in the middle of the desert.
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Enter the World Of The Palms
Posted on Oct 13, 2009 @ 05:42PM - Add a comment
Make no mistake; this is more than a hotel destination. More like a city onto itself, the luxurious Palms Casino Resort and Palms Place Condo and Spa offers every amenity and entertainment so you never want to leave the property.
Michaelangelo L’Acqua To Bring Sweet Sounds To W Hotels Chain
Posted on Sep 18, 2009 @ 03:02PM - Add a comment
Michaelangelo L’Acqua, an international music & fashion expert, has been inked to be the W Hotels’ first-ever global music director, a role in which the veteran will enhance the hotel's presence within the music industry and community, as well as enhancing the overall hotel experience via music.
Chicago: The Hard Rock Hotel
Posted on Sep 11, 2009 @ 05:47PM - Add a comment
When you think of the Hard Rock brand black leather and loud music may come to mind so we weren't sure what to expect at the Hard Rock Hotel Chicago.
Housed in the art deco architectural gem the Carbide & Carbon building, the hotel is mightily grown up in comparison to its counterparts.
With crisp modern rooms and only a small selection of music memorabilia gracing the halls, the hotel clearly caters to the business traveler who may not swing from the chandeliers but still appreciates the history of music minus it's hard rock, or hard partying, aspects. The cool grey tones with subtle splashes of color add to the nearly Zen-like atmosphere of the space.
See more photos here!
The hotel gains a lot from its central Michigan Avenue location. After a meeting in one of the hotel's many conference rooms (which boast plasma TVs and 24-hour room service and can also serve as concert venues as they did during the recent Lollapalooza fest in early August), the weary traveler can step into the Chicago air for a walk along the river, go shopping around the corner on the Magnificent Mile, or grab some deep dish pizza a couple of blocks away. Want to eat-in? The sleek China Grill brings all of its glamour and delicious bites while the Base Bar is perfect for cocktails.
Thirsting for more music? Why not make your own! As an added touch to the chain's roots, guests get a complimentary Gibson guitar rental and 10 free iTunes downloads. One caveat: the wireless setup would gain from some improvement. The connection timed out and you must re-sign in to the network if you are idle which can be a bit tedious.
While it may be a big city, the midwest prices for a Deluxe King room can't be beat. Click here to book now starting at $229 a night!
(Photo: Buckstop Media)
BOSTON: The Colonnade Hotel
Posted on Sep 01, 2009 @ 02:53PM - 1 comment
Though the exterior looks like your average chain hotel (especially in comparison with the quaint brownstone neighborhoods nearby), The Colonnade Hotel offers plenty of delightful surprises that make it a destination for any Boston traveler.
Paradise in San Diego: Loews Coronado Bay Hotel
Posted on Jul 30, 2009 @ 02:36PM - Add a comment
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then here’s a pirates bounty of reasons to visit the Loews Coronado Hotel:
Best In Seattle: The Alexis Hotel
Posted on Jul 24, 2009 @ 03:50PM - Add a comment
Kiefer Sutherland should have stayed in Seattle. Weeks before heading off to New York City and, um, head-butting a fashion designer, the 24 star chilled out at the Alexis Hotel in Seattle and could not have been cooler if he was sporting a plaid shirt. Even when he found that the restaurant was fully booked for a function, the notorious bad-boy was laid back. Call it the Seattle chilled-out vibe, or perhaps the even more Zen atmosphere at the Alexis.
Click here for more photos of the hotel
The historic registry-listed hotel is holding its own as a low-key celebrity magnet for stars who visit the northwest hub. The intimate 121-room hotel has reason for a new look with a newly completed $10 million overhaul. The results are significant: while not as modern as a newly built Hotel 1000 just across the street, what it happily lacks in sleek, it makes up for in boutique charm, with spacious rooms displaying unique homey touches and charismatic windows. The lack of pool and the small exercise room might turn off some. I swapped the treadmill for a brisk walk through nearby Pike Place market and circled back to Pioneer Square which killed two birds with one stone: tourism and weight loss all in one! (Although I did set that last part a step back with a hearty breakfast at the quirky but refined Library Bistro and scotch later in the day at the Bookstore Bar (poet Maya Angelou is a frequent visitor to this hotel and bar with its 60 different scotches).
Rest And Relaxation in Rancho
Posted on Jul 11, 2009 @ 01:12PM - Add a comment
The last time we went to the Rancho Las Palmas Resort in the Palm Springs area, we swore we would never would go back. The pool was too warm – more like a bath than a refreshing swim – room service took 2 hours (hotel said they were “understaffed”); it was over-crowded; and there was nothing for the kids outside of the one pool.
But recently the hotel went through a major renovation so we decided to try it again. We were glad we did. Starting with renovated rooms, which are much more luxurious than the old ones, the entire resort feels new.
Our 14 year old loved the new “Splashtopia “ area which encompasses almost two acres, with a 425 ft lazy river, small sandy beach area (great for babies and toddlers); and the two hundred feet waterslides.
With the Splash Grill serving poolsi
Hotel St. Barth Isle de France
Posted on Jun 10, 2009 @ 04:24PM - Add a comment
For an instant vaca moment in the middle of the day, just click on the link for Hotel St. Barth Isle de France, Ahhhhhh! Feel better?
One of the best addresses in St Barts, the world famous hotel just added new Beach Suites, each boasting amazing views of the blue azure Baie des Flamands.
The whitewashed main building, set just above the beach, houses 9 rooms and 3 suites has already been voted by Condé Nast Traveler “Best Hotel in the Caribbean and Atlantic “ and Travel & Leisure also awarded the property the “Best Hotel for Service in the Caribbean.”
Rock Out At the Hard Rock Hotel San Diego
Posted on May 27, 2009 @ 06:57PM - Add a comment
If it were true that everyone wanted to be a rock star, then everyone would want to stay at a Hard Rock Hotel. The San Diego location at the heart of the city's bustling Gaslamp Quarter serves up what one would expect from the hippest establishment in town: rocking music (the TV in your room can be programmed to play your fave genre upon arrival), a good-looking crowd, impressive memorabilia lining the walls (hello Madonna's bustier), hopping bars which help you earn your hangover, and decadent menus which help you get over one.
Click here for a closer look at the hotel
By 10 o'clock on a Friday night, the sidewalk is littered with a dressed-up crowd clamoring to get past the velvet rope of the hotel's ground floor bar 207. Hotel guests can easily get on the list by calling ahead. This is not the place for you if you would rather tuck in with room service and some pay-per-view -- unless your idea of a lullaby is neighboring revelers slugging down 11 p.m. pre-club vodka shots and all the noise that follows through the 2 a.m. knocking from wayward girls looking for the after party next-door (yes, this all happened).
This is the trendiest, coolest destination you can get in the shadow of nearby Petco stadium, home of the family-friendly Padres. The Hard Rock bar scene is prime, the beds are sumptuous marshmallows nestled in gleaming black, modern furniture, there is a Nobu located in the hotel, and the gorgeous rooftop pool is ripe for tanning and pretty people-watching. Where else but a Hard Rock Hotel can you walk into the Maryjane's Coffee Shop and quietly tuck into enjoy your breakfast while the bikini-clad girl next to you takes a swig of champagne as she discusses the virtues of dating a jerk. But a jerk "who owns a yacht." Sex, eggs, and rock n' roll!
For less than $300 a night for a studio king room, anyone can be the subject of their own VH1 Behind the Music episode come to life and bump into a real-life celebrity (or a reality star like Brody Jenner) in the lobby. If you want to finally feel like the cool kid, come to the Hard Rock.
Bikini Travel
Posted on May 21, 2009 @ 05:08PM - Add a comment
If you’re traveling to that tropical paradise, Bali, don’t pack that bikini just yet!
The primarily Muslim country was considering banning the wearing of bikinis in every part of the country as part of anti-pornography law.
While that might be for the conservatives in the country, it would be bad for its #1 business, tourism.
Keeping that fact in mind, they are debating adding a special exemption for tourist areas. Just be careful not to enter a “non-bikini” area in that skimpy number of yours!
