The Renaissance Arts Hotel in New Orleans is offering what their breathless press release describes as "the ultimate casino getaway." Using a promotional booking code available on the Marriott site, you can book a room Thursdays through Sundays from now until August 21, 2010.

The deal, such as it is, includes a $10 Harrah's Casino voucher (two whole antes!), $15 a night parking (discounted!), and "rates from $89-$339 per room, per night." We think you can tell from our tone that this isn't going to go well.]]> Omri 2009-10-14T16:43:01-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/10/7/17037/1322 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/Stanford_Court_SFO_Room.JPG" class="top"><p> <i>Every so often we feature a hotel review from one of our readers that we feel should be shared with the rest of you dear hotel guests. These reviews are highlighted because they are timely, about cool hotels in cool places and are relatively level-headed. Think you can submit one just like this? <a href="mailto:tips@hotelchatter.com">Send it in</a>. </i><p>Named after and on the site of the former mansion of Leland Stanford, a San Francisco railroad baron, <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Renaissance+Stanford+Court+Hotel/ian/112183"><b>The Renaissance Stanford Court</b></a> shares Nob Hill with the Mark Hopkins InterContinental (next door), The Fairmont (across the street), The Huntington (a block uphill), and The Ritz-Carlton (a few doors downhill). <p> While Union Square is only a few blocks away, juliana 2009-10-08T13:48:56-05:00 37.7920143 -122.40924 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/9/18/43217/5657 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/barnovo.jpg" class="top"><p>It looks like <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Doubletree+Chicago+The+Wit+/ian/309429"><b>theWit</a></b>'s hot Roof bar has some competition. As part of the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/9/17/195410/507/hotels/Hey_Now_Renaissance_By_Marriott_is_Looking_Pretty_Good_These_Days">Renaissance Hotel's rebranding effort</a>, the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Renaissance+Chicago+Hotel/ian/136892"><b>Renaissance Chicago Hotel</a></b> had a soft opening for its new upscale Bar Novo on Sept. 17</b> and the lounge will post an official "open" sign on Oct. 1. And like any good business these days, the Bar even has its own <a href="http://twitter.com/BarNovo">Twitter</a> page. <p>Formerly a stodgy cigar bar&#151;hello, the Chicago smoking ban made cigar bars so 2007&#151;the new space is warm and inviting with reds and deep wood. But the pièce de résistance of the decor is an open chef's station that's the hub of the bar. The station uses an special induction style cook-top Jennifer Kester 2009-09-18T12:16:38-05:00 41.8867710 -87.627977 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/9/17/195410/507 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/renaissancerebranding.jpg" class="top"><p> Last year, we toured the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/11/11/12499/703/hotels/Renaissance_Pere_Marquette_Surprises_Us_With_a_Boutique_Look"><b>Renaissance Pere Marquette</b></a> in New Orleans and we were a little shocked at what we saw. This was a Renaissance hotel from Marriott? B-b-b-but it was so chic and cool. And (gasp!) sexy. <p>Yes, it's true, we thought the Renaissance brand from <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/marriott hotels">Marriott Hotels</a> was sexy. Back then, a hotel rep told us that it was all a part of the rebranding of Renaissance. Well, it looks like the rebranding has been completed. And as the <a href="http://intransit.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/17/marriotts-renaissance-brand-gets-a-makeover/">NYT</a> recently reported, even the logo got a little tweak too: <blockquote><p>The unveiling is meant to call attention to the metamorphoses of Renaissance, which has spent more than $2 billion in recent juliana 2009-09-18T09:08:54-05:00 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/