It's no one-cent weekend, but this travel package, which includes stays in both Tuscany and Venice, is one of the most reasonable, all-inclusive deals we've seen in a while. We concede that the base price of $799 (airfare included) is slightly unbelievable—and, if you get into the nitty-gritty fine print, it truly is, depending on where you're flying from and when you travel. Yet it's still a solid deal, and there are ways to stay within a bargain basement range if you're willing to be a little flexible (and isn't that the caveat of similar deals, anyway?).]]> Heidi Atwal 2009-08-20T13:32:11-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/7/9/14376/81138 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/6929/venicekv2.jpg" class="top"> <p>Can we please just take a hot minute to "oooh" and "ahhh" at this view from <b><A href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Hotel+Danieli/ian/141155">The Hotel Danieli</a></b> in Venice? Seriously. <p>This is actually a shot taken from the terrace of the hotel's restaurant (where the photographer, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dereklakin/3701064258/">DerekLakin</a>, took tea, if you're interested) &#151; and doesn't this sort of make that dangerous trek through the very, very nearby Piazza San Marco worth it? And when we say "dangerous," we mean "risky due to falling pigeon poo everywhere." <p>This hotel is part of the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/luxury collection hotels">Starwood Luxury Collection</a> and is "made up of three beautiful Venetian palazzi dating back to the 14th, 19th, and 20th Centuries, featuring hand-made Murano glass chandeliers, precious rugs, Jenna 2009-07-09T14:38:34-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/7/6/1702/87718 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/6929/hasherwin.jpg" class="top"> <p>Hash, the aptly named restaurant at <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/jdv hotels">JDV&#146;s</a> new boardwalk-adjacent <b><a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/6/25/153026/718/hotels/A_Sneak_Peek_Inside_Venice_Beach_s_New_Hotel_Erwin">Hotel Erwin</a></b> in Venice Beach, is finally open. Well, for breakfast, at least. <p>Monday through Friday 7:30am to 11:30am, and Saturday-Sunday 8:00am to 1:00pm, you can crash the 44-seat restaurant for dishes like the &#147;Snooze-You-Lose&#148; omelets, buckwheat pancakes, and Angus corned beef hash. <p> We&#146;ve also just learned that dinner service will be starting next Friday, July 17th, and the hours for that will be Tuesday-Saturday, 6:00-9:30pm, with the hotel&#146;s bar open from 5:00pm-late night (weather permitting). Some dinner dishes we&#146;re preparing for: red beet ravioli and spiced Korobuta pork chop. Everything will be made from scratch and will be market-fresh, with nightly dinner specials EricRosen 2009-07-06T17:23:32-05:00 33.9869570 -118.47246 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/6/25/12345/9106 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/ErwinGraffiti.JPG" class="top"><p><i>A grafitti mural in progress at the Hotel Eriwn.</i><p>JDV&#146;s <b><a href="http://www.jdvhotels.com/hotels/erwin">Hotel Erwin</a></b> is <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/6/25/153026/718/hotels/A_Sneak_Peek_Inside_Venice_Beach_s_New_Hotel_Erwin">officially opening </a> today, and they&#146;re already introducing some interesting packages to get people over to L.A.'s Venice Beach.<p>Their "Ink & Stay" Package, &#147;for free-spirited Venice visitors with high pain tolerances ONLY,&#148; is valid when you book a room at the Erwin for a stay between July 4-31. The $329 rate includes a $100 voucher for a tattoo at the famous House of Ink on the Venice Beach Boardwalk, a House of Ink hoodie (so everyone will know how badass you are), Lubriderm lotion and an ice pack to help in the healing process, and a bottle of Corralejo Tequila Reposado to take away EricRosen 2009-06-26T11:42:17-05:00 33.9869570 -118.47246 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/