HotelChatter - 4"

Sit, Soak and Stare: Hotel Bathtubs with Killer Views

juliana — 2009-11-23T17:10:55-05:00

<![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/Jadebathstory.jpg" class="top"> The stress of the holidays is already getting to us and we haven't even left yet. But we're already dreading the traveling (have you seen the <a href="http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/11/23/125/82595/travel/The+Top+Ten+Gross+Things+People+Do+On+Airplanes">gross things</a> people do on planes?), crazy family members, the in-laws, the overeating, the Black Friday crowds and the possibility that the creepy "Drummer Boy" song will be playing every time we walk into a Starbucks from now through December 26th.We want to get away and go where nobody knows our name. We want to go to hole up in a hotel room and take a relaxing bath and enjoy the view. Yup we're making our list of Hotel Bathtubs with Killer Views</a> and we're checking it twice, thrice and

How Desires Hotels Are Making Sure Your Desires Are Met

juliana — 2009-11-23T16:50:25-05:00

<![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/RAUL_DESK_1.jpg" class="top">Raul Leal, President of Desires Hotels With a name like <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/desires hotels">Desires Hotels</a>, this small collection of boutique properties has a lot to live up to. After all, don't all guests want their every desire fulfilled whenever they check into a hotel? And look no further than the recent introductions of specialized services in hotels like pillow menus, bath butlers, shopping concierges and even iPhone applications to understand that today's hotel guest is becoming increasingly needy. But in speaking with Raul Leal, the president of Desires Hotels, we learned that his hotels have a few subtle ways to make sure that your need are taken care of when staying overnight. For starters, the concierges at Desires Hotels

New York : The Empire Hotel Celebrates Chuck Bass With Gossip Girl Cocktails

JetSetCD — 2009-11-23T16:33:01-05:00

<![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/6193/Tartlet.jpg" class="top"> If you've been paying attention in the slightest to this most recent season of Gossip Girl, then you'll have noticed how New York's <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/The+Empire+Hotel+NYC/local/1578">Empire Hotel</a> has become one of the characters, after it was bought by Chuck Bass. Now that the hotel is making appearances on TV, the real life property believes it should embrace the connection by debuting "Gossip Girl cocktails." Concocted by the Empire's cocktail consultant Somer Perez, there are drinks for each Gossip Girl main character (even the dudes!). You can find them being served in the hotel's Lobby Bar, and each cocktail is $15. There's even an "XOXO" cocktail, with secret ingredients they'll never tell. After the jump, the rest of the

San Diego: Se San Diego Offers a Naughty Holiday Package for a Nice Price

Jennifer Kester — 2009-11-23T15:51:24-05:00

The holidays are all about Santa, cookies, snow and all that cheery goodwill toward others, but sometimes during the chaotic season you need to just get away with your honey for some coal-worthy behavior. All you bad boys and girls can head to the Se San Diego for its Naughty and Nice holiday package.

The one-night package allows you to get dirty in a Moroccan Rasul steam room. There you'll get the Se Spa's mud bath for two—the mud treatment is the spa's signature service, so it should be good. Then you and your sweetie can clean yourselves off with a soak in in a couple's tub.

West Hollywood: We Do Lunch at Gordon Ramsay's Boxwood Cafe at the London WeHo

EricRosen — 2009-11-23T15:07:25-05:00

<![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/Boxwood_sign.JPG" class="top">Though famously cantankerous chef <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/3/9/154122/3852/hotels/Gordon_Ramsay_at_the_London_LA_In_Name_Only">Gordon Ramsay</a> hasnt been seen around the kitchen at the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/The+London+West+Hollywood/local/1151">The London West Hollywood</a> lately, the restaurant there still bears his name. Its also still pretty empty. Maybe all that will change with the recent opening of Ramsays new Boxwood Café in the front section of the restaurant space. The new Boxwood is much more casual than Ramsays main restaurant, and is the second installment of this franchise for Ramsay. The first opened at the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/The+Berkeley/ian/172845">Berkeley Hotel</a> in London in 2003. No white tablecloths and hushed teams of waiters clearing every stray crumb here. Instead, the service is friendly but not overbearing, and you can get every meal of the day