http://www.hotelchatter.com/ Hotel Reviews, Hotel Ratings, Hotel Openings en-us Copyright 2008 - SFO Media 2012-02-14T05:12:12Z HotelChatter HotelChatter http://www.hotelchatter.com/images/hcwhite.jpg http://www.hotelhotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/local/443 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2011/2/17/85029/6630 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/4912/SmokingFee.jpg" class="top"></p> <p><b><i>UPDATE 2.15pm: MGM Grand just <a href="http://travel.usatoday.com/hotels/post/2011/02/mgm-grand-hotel-las-vegas-non-smoking-room-guarantee-fee/143431/1?csp=34travel">announced</a> that they are rescinding the $20 non-smoking fee. It's still showing on the website, but hopefully they'll take it off soon, and refund the people who've checked that box.</b></i> <p>More and more hotels are eliminating their smoking rooms thanks to both customer requests and local regulations, says <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/travel/2011-02-17-smokehotels17_CV_N.htm">a huge USA Today report</a> that frames the issue in terms of similar prohibitions on smoking on airplanes, in bars and restaurants and in rental cars. It's interesting reading if you like heaps of hotel statistics but the upshot is that, at least in the U.S., you're almost guaranteed a smoke-free room.</p> <p>Well, <strong>except in Vegas</strong>. According to the <a href="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2014230502_webtroubleshooter15.html"><i>Seattle Times</i>, pbb 2011-02-17T12:07:27-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2011/2/17/05359/5077 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/21888/SIstk.jpg" class="top"> <p><i>The SI girls at STK in the Cosmopolitan</i> <p>Hot girls and Vegas go hand in glove, of course, but the hot quotient just rocketed thanks to the arrival of the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Sports%20Illustrated%20Swimsuit%20Hotels"><b>Sports Illustrated Swimsuit</b></a> crew. <p>The ladies of SI swapped <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2011/2/15/123441/446/hotels/Sports_Illustrated_s_Swimsuit_Edition_Models_Shacked_Up_at_Maui_s_Grand_Wailea">Hawaii</a> for <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1357641/Irina-Shayk-models-flirty-frocks-24-hours-promotes-Sports-Illustrated-Swimsuit-Issue.html">New York</a> for Sin City yesterday. <p>They pack in a lot to their annual visit: yesterday they <s>faked</s> had lunch at the new <a href='http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel/local/1779'><b>Cosmopolitan Las Vegas</b></a>, and then hit the <a href='http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel/local/443'><b>Monte Carlo</b></a> and <a href='http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel/local/2467'><b>Luxor</b></a>. <p>Today (stalking caps on) they&#146;re taking in the Monte Carlo again, the <a href='http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel/local/3102'><b>Hard Rock</b></a> and <a href='http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel/local/107'><b>Caesars Palace</b></a>, before finishing with a night out at Vanity nightclub at the Hard Rock. For full listings, see juliab 2011-02-17T08:31:26-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2011/1/20/104621/993 <![CDATA[<P><img src="httP://www.hotelchatter.com/files/6193/Luxorplans.jpg" class="top"> <P>Have you ever taken a closer look at those fire route escape maps on the rear of your hotel room door? We have, and we're mildly obsessed with them. They're special things, these simple images that seemingly give away the secrets of the hotel's layout. Seeing the size of your room versus those on the same floor can either inspire instant jealousy or&#151;if you've got the good one&#151;instant content. The real special floorplans, however, are those for the uniquely-shaped hotels, like the pyramidal <b><a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/The+Luxor+Hotel+Las+Vegas/local/55">Luxor Hotel and Casino</a></b> in Las Vegas. <P>The Luxor's size, and it's staggering count of 4,408 rooms, places it in the top five of largest hotels in the world. Heck, the thing cost JetSetCD 2011-01-20T12:06:10-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2011/1/3/182747/7477 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/adultexpo.jpg" class="top"><p> Once again, biggest nerd expo, <a href="http://www.cesweb.org/"><b>CES</b></a> and the biggest adult expo, <a href="http://show.adultentertainmentexpo.com/"><b>AEE</b></a>, are getting off together in Vegas this week starting on January 6.<p> Given that this is probably one of Vegas' biggest weeks/weekends of the year, room rates are far higher than they were for <a href="http://www.vegaschatter.com/story/2010/12/28/185532/30/vegas-travel/Expect_to_Pay_Upwards_of_200_a_Night_for_New_Year_s_Eve">New Year's Eve.</a> <p>Here's a quick list of still available, somewhat doable hotel rates for this week. (Compiled from HotelRates.HotelChatter.com for January 6-9.)<p> <br>&#183; <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Hooters+Casino+Hotel/local/37"><b>Hooters</b></a>: <b>$289 a night.</b> Probably more than you'd ever pay for Hooters but we did like those rooms <a href="http://www.vegaschatter.com/story/2010/6/17/11124/1596/vegas-travel/Inside_a_20_Room_at_Hooters_Casino_Hotel">last summer.</a> <br>&#183; <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Palazzo+Hotel+and+Casino/local/927"><b>Palazzo</b></a>: <b>$666 a night.</b> Ridiculously expensive plus you have a $20 resort fee to pay as well. But it is juliana 2011-01-04T16:45:00-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/8/11/17610/5659 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/viewfromhotel32.jpg" class="top"><p> So we weren't in love with our experience at the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/8/11/112843/626/hotels/Inside_The_Hard_Rock_s_New_Paradise_Tower">Paradise Tower at The Hard Rock</a> but we were might impressed by the new rooms at <a href="http://www.vegaschatter.com/story/2009/8/11/16235/6887/vegas-travel/Hotel32_The_New_Must_Book_Rooms_in_Vegas"><b>Hotel32</b></a>, the new boutique floor atop the Monte Carlot Hotel and Casino.<p>Here's a snapshot from the Hotel32 lounge which offers up killer views of CityCenter. What you're looking at right here is the <a href="http://www.vegaschatter.com/tag/aria"><b>Aria Hotel and Casino</b></a>. In the corner, you can see the tip of the new Cirque du Soleil building which will house the Elvis show. Yes, an <a href="http://www.vegaschatter.com/story/2009/7/14/19312/0900/vegas-travel/Cirque_Du_Soleil_Releases_Glimpse_of_Its_Upcoming_Elvis_Show">Elvis Cirque du Soleil</a> show!<p>After some pretty dark times this year, CityCenter is now moving forward with plans to open Aria, Vdara Resort and <a href="http://www.vegaschatter.com/story/2009/8/11/12437/7655/vegas-travel/Louis_Vuitton_Stamps_Its_Logo_on_The_Crystals_at_CityCenter">The Crystals</a> juliana 2009-08-11T17:09:42-05:00 36.1038670 -115.17442 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/