We've been keeping tabs on hotels that offer gift cards and today we can add the Luxor Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas to the list.
The cards are available inside the hotel at the spa, the business center and Essentials gift shop. Up to $2,500 can be loaded onto the card and it can be used at "participating merchants at participating MGM MIRAGE Properties."
According to the website the card can be used towards accommodations, a wedding in the wedding chapel, most of the restaurants and nightlife spots, Criss Angel's BELIEVE show and pretty much all of the shopping. Sadly, you can't use it at the craps table.
The 125-room Premier now has a floor exclusively for women. Accessible only with an elevator key card, the floor has seven rooms with yoga mats; plush robes and slippers; a lighted make-up mirror, wash mitts and bath salts in bathrooms; and women's magazines.
Ah, yes, yoga: the official sport of women!
This seems scary to us because the last time we experienced a floor full of women was in our college sorority house, but we survived the ordeal. So we're willing to admit that a women-only hotel floor in a super-busy American city may actually be a fantastic concept.
If a ladies-only floor can be executed tastefully -- and not full of pink crap or cutesy pictures of stilettos and lipstick and martini glasses -- we think this sort of thing is perfect for solo female travelers who might be interested in a little added safety.
We hope you're not afraid of heights, because the Immersion Spa at the Water Club a Signature Hotel by Borgata is 32 stories in the air. Talk about taking it to the next level - the Water Club takes it to the 32nd level.
[UPDATE: Good news! The credits go towards your current stay. It is not a "bounceback" offer. We apologize for the error.]
Two luxury hotels in the Windy City are teaming up to lure you in. Called "Experience More," the Four Seasons Chicago and the Ritz-Carlton Chicago are offering "money back in your pocket." but really you'll be getting credit toward another stay.
At Ritz-Carlton, you will get room credits for $150 or $325 for your one or two night stay, respectively, and even more credit if you book an Executive Suite or larger. Then the credits are $200 and $425 for one or two nights.
The Four Seasons offers the exact same idea, but different amounts of room credits -- $125 credit for a one night stay, and $200 if you stay in an Executive Suite or larger, plus they'll kick in a $50 spa credit on the condition that you reserve a spa treatment of 55 minutes or longer in advance.
And then another Aloft popped up in Rancho Cucamonga, and we were all, "whatever, Lexington, we're not waiting around for you."
Then we scored some pics of the first-ever Element, which was set to open in Lexington, and we were excited all over again -- especially since it looked a lot more spacious and comfy than the Aloft we visited in the meantime.
And today, July 1st, marks the birth of both the Aloft Lexington and Element Lexington properties, bringing Starwood just that much closer to world domination.
Imagine yourself chillin' in your hammock this summer, breathing in the fresh air and checking out the great views around you.
Then imagine that hammock is indoors, and those great views happen to be of the jail. Also? You're in Brooklyn.
Sounds appealing, right?
We know, we know: not so much. But despite the strikes against it, we think Brooklyn's upcoming Nu Hotel sounds kind of cool and can't wait to check it out when it opens, er, "this summer."
We reckon the hotel market's nearly reached saturation point with Sex and the City packages, but this one at least distinguishes itself by not being in New York. Some might say this makes it kind of irrelevant to SATC, but we don't mind since they're call it the Sex in Sin City escape package.
This deal is being put on by the The Signature at MGM Grand and of course, it's a package designed for four girlfriends to take together.
Yesterday, our cold hard cynical self could not/would not believe that a new hot hotel like the The Gansevoort Southwould ever offer rooms for $99 a night in addition to discounts at its new Philippe restaurant and its Cutler Salon.
But OMG, it's totally real!
A hotel's rep got back to us with this:
There are a limited number of basic rooms in the $99 room category, so when those run out the next available rate is $195. Guests can call the hotel and mention the $99 deal and book it that way and will be notified of the next best rate if all of the $99 rooms have been sold.
Keep reading for more low-down on how to get the deal.