http://www.hotelchatter.com/ Hotel Reviews, Hotel Ratings, Hotel Openings en-us Copyright 2008 - SFO Media 2008-08-22T03:37:33Z HotelChatter HotelChatter http://www.hotelchatter.com/images/hcwhite.jpg http://www.hotelchatter.com/ http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/8/21/141552/592 <![CDATA[<p><img align="right" src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/kevinbaconwhist.jpg" class="imgborder"><i>There's tons of hotel news flying around this week and we don't have time to give each and every story the love and attention it may deserve, so you will have to settle for some news briefs.</i><p>&#183; <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D92MPSD00.htm"><b>Room Rates May Decrease</b></a>: Occupancy in U.S. hotels fell in the first half of August, leaving some industry analysts to think that room rates might get reduced. Yay! [BizWeek]<p>&#183; <a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/hotel-rooms-still-available-democratic/story.aspx?guid=%7BA2030172-5C69-4389-A373-15296A473430%7D&amp;dist=hppr"><b>Still Need a Room for the DNC?</b></a>: This site is advertising business-class hotel rooms for $279 a night. [MarketWatch]<p>&#183; <a href="http://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1997&amp;EM=VTY_WI_1997_VERASANAPA_PROP_OVERVIEW"><b>Westin Napa Valley Is Taking Reservations</b></a>: The Westin Verasa will open on September 18th at $289 a night. But Starwood never makes it easy on us. The website is juliana 2008-08-21T17:43:57-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/8/21/173243/176 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/eow_deals2.jpg" class="imgborder"><br><b>Crazy/Sexy/Cool Art Hotel in Louisville</b><br><b>$<a href="http://www.tablethotels.com/21c-Museum-Hotel/Louisville-Hotels-Kentucky-USA/63843?promoRateCode=&amp;crp=%2C%2C63843">129 a night</a></b><p><p>The<a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/21C+Museum+Hotel/local/347"><b>21C Museum Hotel</b></a> is one of the funkiest hotels we know of in the U.S. It's both a modern boutique hotel and a contemporary art museum with somewhat <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2006/5/30/121232/475/hotels/Like_Living_in_a_Museum">scary things</a> on display. But it also has <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/6/9/101522/2334/hotels/21C_s_Bathrooms_Worthy_of_Exhibitionists_Fetishists_and_the_Title_of_America_s_Best_Restroom">clean bathrooms.</a> Tablet Hotels is offering $129 room rates at the hotel plus a complimentary sweet at check-in from now until August 31st.<p> <p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/images/hotel-deals/feed-icon16x16.png"><a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/rdf/section/hotel-deals"> <b>Subscribe to HotelChatter Reader Deals</b></a><br> <i>Have a hotel deal you think we should consider? &nbsp;Or have a destination and date where you want us to check for hotel rooms and rates for you? &nbsp;No guarantees on either, but you can try your luck by hitting us juliana 2008-08-21T17:33:28-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/8/21/171715/199 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/mondriansobe_asiadecuba.jpg" class="imgborder"><p>A rep for the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/The+Mondrian+South+Beach/local/734"><b>Mondrian South Beach</b></a> hotel just sent over this restaurant of the planned <b>Asia de Cuba</b> restaurant (run by China Grill Management) which will open inside the hotel in December 2008. Here's the official restaurant and menu description.<blockquote><p>Asia de Cuba at Mondrian South Beach blends a vibrant, social atmosphere conceived by Marcel Wanders with innovative menus, incorporating the best of Asian and Latin cuisines and producing intense flavors distinctly united. <p>The restaurant delivers imaginatively prepared signature dishes such as Calamari Salad "Asia de Cuba," with chayote, hearts of palm, banana, cashews, chicory and radicchio in a sesame orange dressing; Tunapica, a picadillo style tuna tartare with Spanish olives, black currants, almonds and coconut in juliana 2008-08-21T17:22:26-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/8/21/17243/3474 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/CBOtshirt_1.jpg" class="imgborder"><p>Ok we have decided that being CBO at <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/four%20points%20hotels"><b>Four Points</b></a>--<a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Chief%20Beer%20Officer">Chief Beer Officer</a>--is probably one of the most fantastical jobs out there. Kids in high school: Start aspiring for this role. <p> Since <b>Scott Kerkmans</b> took the position over a year ago, he's been traveling the country helping Four Points develop their Best Brews list. Aside from having all the ale and brews a man/woman could want, he also has an <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/6/17/10286/8736/hotels/Sweet_Dude_Four_Points_by_Sheraton_Appoints_First_Ever_Best_Brews_Intern">intern</a>, a <a href="http://fourpointscbo.com/">blog</a> and now he's got <a href="http://www.fourpoints-hotelsathome.com/category.aspx?sessionID=f134421d-db1e-4a42-ad5a-fd7e5a82e3ed&category1=fun&category1Name=fun&category2=Vintage&category2Name=Best+Brew+T-Shirts&category3=VintageBlue&category3Name=I+love+CBO+(Chief+Beer+Officer)&categoryLevel=2">a line of t-shirts</a>. <p>Four Points is now selling the tshirt shown above that says "I Love CBO." There's also another t-shirt for sale that says, "Best Brews Intern--Here to serve you."<p>These are actually really cute juliana 2008-08-21T17:10:56-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/8/8/17119/81151 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/james_suitcases.jpg" class="imgborder"><p><i>Ok, maybe we would need some help if we had this much luggage with us.</i><p>Think back on your most recent hotel stay. Was there an instance -if only a fleeting one--when you couldn't wait to escape some overzealous hotel staffer who was hell-bent on giving you "an experience" that you could go home and eagerly share with your friends?<p> For example, we still can't stop talking about a stay of more than a year ago at the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Marriott+Marco+Island+Resort+Golf+Club+And+Spa/local/108"><b>Marriott Marco Island Hotel</b></a> in Florida. As soon as our cab pulled up in front of the hotel, a bellman was opening the door while a second was attempting to whisk our luggage away, into that purgatory where it seems ChristineM 2008-08-21T15:23:37-05:00 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/