HotelChatter - Tag: Hotel Awards

Avalon: The Avalon Hotel's Endless Amenity Offerings Win Award (and Our Hearts)

Jenna — 2008-07-07T15:15:40-05:00

The Avalon Hotel on Catalina Island (22 miles off the coast of Long Beach) was just recognized by the International Restaurant and Hotel Awards for their totally kickass "Endless Amenities."

And for good reason, too -- in our opinion, the Avalon offers what all hotels should be offering (without any of that hidden resort fee BS).

In addition to free Internet access, the basics are all extra-nice: flat-screen televisions, Supplepedic mattresses, 350 thread-count sheets, free breakfasts and complimentary (!) in-room beverages and snacks.

Even better, the hotel keeps binoculars, GPS units, backpacks, beach towels and even laptops on hand for guests to check out. Nice.

Philadelphia: Loews Philly is the Best of the Loews Bunch

juliana — 2008-06-13T12:31:00-05:00

<![CDATA[<embed src="http://admin.brightcove.com/destination/player/player.swf" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="allowFullScreen=true&initVideoId=1418562112&servicesURL=http://www.brightcove.com&viewerSecureGatewayURL=https://www.brightcove.com&cdnURL=http://admin.brightcove.com&autoStart=false" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="bcPlayer" width="400" height="339" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" swLiveConnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed> Looks like that $9 million renovation last year paid off at the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Loews+Hotel+Philadelphia/local/446">Loews Philadelphia</a>. The hotel was just awarded Hotel of the Year by Loews CEO Jonathan Tisch at the company's annual national meeting in Orlando in Orlando earlier this week. <a href="http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2008_2nd/Jun08_LoewsPhiladelphia.html">Hotel-Online</a> reports:<blockquote>Loews Philadelphia Hotel received the company's top honor, "Hotel of the Year." The hotel was recognized for its overall commitment to guest and employee satisfaction, compliance with brand initiatives and standards, year-over-year profits in both average room rate and food and beverage outlets, and implementation of the "Good Neighbor Policy," to list a few criteria for the award. </blockquote>The hotel's director of

Mobil Travel Guide Unveils Its Top Luxury Picks

juliana — 2008-01-29T17:10:01-05:00

<![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/3/boston_harbor_hotel_boats.jpg" class="imgborder">Outside the Boston Harbor Hotel, one of our <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/4/22/20934/8075/hotels/Best_Hotel_WiFi_Spots_Boston_Harbor_Hotel_">Best Hotel WiFi Spots</a>.The Mobil Travel Guide has put out there haughty list of the best four and five-star hotels, restaurants and spas for 2008. Four new US properties made the five-star list: <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/The+Sanctuary+At+Kiawah+Island/ian/217064">Sanctuary at Kiawah Island</a> in South Carolina, <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Boston+Harbor+Hotel/local/514">The Boston Harbor Hotel</a>, <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Four+Seasons+Jackson+Hole/ian/213194">The Four Seasons Jackson Hole</a> in Wyoming and the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Stein+Eriksen+Lodge/ian/152502">Stein-Eriksen Lodge</a> in Utah. Here's the complete list of <a href="http://mobiltravelguide.howstuffworks.com/five-star-hotels-2008.htm">Five Star Hotels.</a> And you can even watch a <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/22880001#22880001">video.</a> In other news: · <a href="http://www.nypost.com/seven/01292008/news/regionalnews/sicko_poses_as_heaths_father_581979.htm">A scammer pretending to be Heath Ledger's father asked for rooms at the Carlyle Hotel.</a> [NY Post]· <a href="http://www.alisconference.com/">American Lodging and Investment Summit (ALIS) is in full

Stockholm: Travel Agents Have Gone Gaga for the Grand Hotel Stockholm

amandak — 2007-11-20T11:09:46-05:00

<![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/3873/PrincessLilianSuiteStockholm.jpg" class="imgborder"> The ambitiously named World Travel Awards are a set of gongs handed out by travel agents from across the globe who vote in numerous categories. And this year the fourteenth edition of these awards has given three different prizes to the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Grand+H%F4Tel+Stockholm/ian/109325">Grand Hotel Stockholm</a>: Best Swedish Hotel, Best Swedish Conference Hotel and Best Swedish Suite.The hot suite at the Grand Hotel Stockholm is the Princess Lilian Suite (pictured), which is one of the largest suites in any European hotel. As far as suites go it's perhaps excessively well-equipped, with a 12-person cinema, a fully-equipped kitchen, office facilities, a living room with piano, two balconies overlooking the Royal Castle and finally a relaxation zone include a mosaic

London: The Capital Hotel is Simply Overrated

amandak — 2007-11-07T09:30:01-05:00

<![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/3873/TheCapitalSittingRoom.jpg" class="imgborder"> A recent round-up in the <a href="http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/travel/where_to_stay/article2548286.ece?EMC-Bltn">UK Times</a> about ten of the top hotels from the 2008 British Good Hotel Guide featured <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/The+Capital/ian/164604">The Capital</a> as the guide's London Hotel of the Year. However, the Times reviewer begs to differ.The Capital is a pricey place, probably because it is walking distance from Harrod's. The hotel is famed for its restaurant, known simply as The Capital Restaurant, because it's the proud bearer of two Michelin stars. And the Times reviewer assures us that the food does live up to that.The problem, then, lies in the hotel. For the kind of prices you have to pay--the lowest class of double room starts at almost $600 per night, not including