2012 is shaping up to be a huge year for London travel: there's the matter of a certain sporting event coming to town, and from June 2nd-5th, the city of perpetually grey skies will mark 60-years of Queen Elizabeth the II's rule during the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

The elaborate celebration fit for, well, a Queen, is set to include a pageant on the Thames River, the lighting of beacons 'round the world, special exhibitions at the National Portrait Gallery and Victoria and Albert Museum, and a variety of neighborhood luncheons thrown by locals.]]> Heidi Atwal 2012-01-20T14:05:01-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2011/11/1/105823/229 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/plaza600.jpg" class="top"><p><i><b>Good news, the perp has <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/cops_nab_princess_con_who_allegedly_4BPm99h9aJJbI5wc93e8IN">been caught!</a></b></i><p> Last week, after checking in and checking out our hotel room (video, photos, you know the usual thing a hotel guest does right?) we noticed that our room door was a little cumbersome in that it didn't immediately close all the way. We actually had to give it a little extra push to make it shut. <p>The bad thing is, we didn't notice this for like two hours. The good thing is we were still in the room. Unfortunately, a Dubai royal staying at <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/The+Plaza/local/1620"><b>The Plaza</b></a> wasn't so lucky.<p>Apparently, [</i>name redacted</i>], 25, who booked the entire 12th floor for her friends and family forgot to close the doors to juliana 2011-11-01T11:13:01-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2011/10/26/121222/53 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/princeharrysroyalsuite.jpg" class="top"><p> Good grief. The <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Courtyard+By+Marriott+Solana+Beach/ian/123473"><b>Courtyard By Marriott Solana Beach</b></a> might as well put a big sign out front that says, "PRINCE HARRY SLEPT HERE." <p>The hotel is now seriously considering renaming <b>room 202</b> the Royal Suite after Prince Harry spent the night there (<a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2011/10/24/211112/10/hotels/Did_He_Or_Didn_t_He_Prince_Harry_Continues_Trysts_At_Courtyard_By_Marriott">with a girl</a>) last weekend. The hotel's general manager told <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2053452/Prince-Harry-Jessica-Donaldson-Marriott-hotel-room-renamed-Royal-Suite.html?ito=feeds-newsxml">The Daily Mail</a> : <blockquote><p>We have seen a surge in people wanting to stay in the hotel, and in that room, because of the recent stay. We're fielding a lot of calls and enquiries. 'We are looking at properly creating a royal package - it's being discussed internally. 'But just promoting that's the room he stayed in could be enough. People can juliana 2011-10-26T12:40:45-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2011/10/24/211112/10 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/princeharrycourtyardnymuarriott.jpg" class="top"><p><i>That smile...those eyes</i> <p>Though we certainly enjoyed speculating on Prince Harry's <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2011/10/10/0336/3439/hotels/Naughty_Ginger_Prince_Harry_Parties_at_The_Ivy_at_Andaz_San_Diego">after-hours partying</a> two weeks ago, we mostly just enjoyed seeing the 27-year-old enjoying a night out on the town. But the story doesn't end there. <p>A staff member at the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Courtyard+By+Marriott+Solana+Beach/ian/123473"><b>Courtyard by Marriott Solana Beach</b></a> is telling the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2053067/Jessica-Donaldson-waitress-Prince-Harry-did-spend-night.html"><i>The Daily Mail</i></a> that Jessica Donaldson (the unnamed brunette from the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2011/10/10/0336/3439/hotels/Naughty_Ginger_Prince_Harry_Parties_at_The_Ivy_at_Andaz_San_Diego">Ivy</a>) actually went to meet the Prince for a second time&#151;<b>and stayed the night at his hotel room on the second floor.</b> Donaldson, who is still with her boyfriend of three years, denies such a thing ever happened, despite photos taken of them being intimate at another club in San Diego on a prior ASchechter 2011-10-25T09:05:05-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2011/10/10/0336/3439

Wills who? The royal prince we really have the um, red hots for is Prince Harry and we're kicking ourselves for not having been at the Andaz San Diego over the weekend when Harry decided to let loose from his Apache military helicopter training.

Us Magazine reports that the Prince hit up the hotel's Ivy rooftop bar (Ivy is a nod to the hotel's former name) with 20 of his friends and started guzzling Absolut Vodka, Red Bull and beer. Then they moved to the hotel's outdoor pool deck where they watched a rugby match in a private cabana. ]]> juliana 2011-10-11T09:15:02-05:00 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/