http://www.hotelchatter.com/ Hotel Reviews, Hotel Ratings, Hotel Openings en-us Copyright 2008 - SFO Media 2012-02-14T04:14:39Z HotelChatter HotelChatter http://www.hotelchatter.com/images/hcwhite.jpg http://www.hotelhotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/local/1284 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2011/5/31/123853/054 <![CDATA[<P><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/thecovea_bill.jpg" class="top"><p> While we're on the topic of <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/tipping"><b>tipping</b></a> <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2011/6/8/222129/2299/hotels/Zac_Efron_Shows_He_s_More_Than_Just_a_Pretty_Face_at_the_Hard_Rock_San_Diego">today</a>, we wanted to know what you thought of <b>Gratuity Included Hotels</b>, i.e. hotels where they automatically tack on gratuity to a food and beverage bill, spa treatment or other service. <p>Obviously, this is common in Europe (everywhere, not just at hotels) but here in America, it's still quite unusual or helpful/offensive, depending on where you stand on automatically tipping for service.<p>We encountered this recently at the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Canyon+Ranch+Miami+Beach/local/1284"><b>Canyon Ranch Miami</b></a> when we dined in their Canyon Ranch Grill and noticed that an 18 percent gratuity charge had been added. The same thing happened after we went to pay for our pedicure in the spa. Apparently this is juliana 2011-06-09T18:08:36-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2011/5/24/145443/017 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/88479/WarrenTricomi.jpg" class="top"><p><i>Warren Tricomi at W South Beach</i><p>Baby, it's hot outside. Summer hasn't even officially begun but the humidity is rising and hair is frizzing all over Miami. If the hairdryer is a girl's best friend in sweaty weather, then these Miami hotels should be on your BFF list. <p> Not every hotel spa includes a salon, so we've combed the city (har, har!) to bring you this list of <strong>Miami Hotels With Blow Outs on the Menu</strong>.<p> &#183; <strong>Warren Tricomi Salon</strong> at <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/W+South+Beach/local/126"><strong>W South Beach</strong></a>: The salon is down on the ground level but nothing says glam quite like an <b>in-room blow out</b> from a Tricomi stylist, $150. <p> &#183; <strong>Elemis Spa</strong> at <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Loews+Miami+Beach+Hotel/local/3047"><strong>Loews Miami Beach</strong></a>: Shampoo jsb 2011-05-25T09:23:22-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2011/5/2/23249/06939 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/listofwifinetworks.jpg" class="top"><p> <p>So remember in our <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2011/4/18/214035/608/hotels/HotelChatter_s_2011_Hotel_WiFi_Report"><b>2011 Hotel WiFi Report</b></a> we told you to <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/special/FAQ-WiFi-Hotels-2011">only sign onto the hotel's networks</a>? Yeah, well, we really mean that.<p>This is the list of networks that popped up when we logged on at the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Canyon+Ranch+Miami+Beach/local/1284">Canyon Ranch Miami Beach</a>. The WiFi required a passcode but we had to make sure we were signing onto the right network to get it and to ensure a safe connection. (That would be CRGUEST, not theranch and definitely not Swallowmyload.)<p>More good news from the Canyon Ranch? We signed on with both an iPad and a laptop and both were totally free. Canyon Ranch obviously doesn't want us stressing about internet charges while relaxing at their juliana 2011-05-03T11:18:27-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2011/4/29/131446/757 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/canyonranchburger.JPG" class="top"><p> Usually when we arrive at hotels, thanks to a long day of travel and the odd hotel check-in hour of 3pm, we're starving, bad. So once we get the room tour, unpack the bags, admire the view, we dial up room service and order a menu staple--cheeseburger and fries.<p>But at the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Canyon+Ranch+Miami+Beach/local/1284"><b>Canyon Ranch Miami Beach</b></a> which is all about healthy living and getting your diet back on track, there's no such thing as a cheeseburger and fries. There is however THIS--a Southwestern veggie burger served on a whole wheat roll and topped with avocado, lettuce, tomato and pico de gallo. On the side to much on? Healthy coleslaw.<p>It may be hard to believe but it was juliana 2011-04-29T14:02:08-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2011/4/27/162819/257 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/hotelcrib_crmb.JPG" class="top"><p> We never thought--never, ever--that one day we would be arrive at a hotel and request one of these. But yesterday we did. And this is what it looks like. <p>This crib was delivered to our room at the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Canyon+Ranch+Miami+Beach/local/1284"><b>Canyon Ranch Miami Beach</b></a> (more on that tomorrow.) It came with with Winnie the Pooh sheets and bumpers (don't worry new parents, it was extra thin and not a suffocation hazard), a Winnie the Pooh blanket and some travel-sized Johnson&Johnson baby toiletries. <p>But since Canyon Ranch is a luxury hotel, this crib is probably a little more tricked out than others. Indeed, a friend told us that the cribs at the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/EDEN+ROC+BEACH+RESORT+AND+SPA/local/2184">Eden Roc</a>, also in Miami Beach, juliana 2011-04-28T17:02:07-05:00 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/