HotelChatter

Sounds fun! Especially if you’re into period costumes, considering the gala calls for 1889-themed costumes that would have befit the opening night 120 years ago. The party will include horse-drawn carriages to escort guests to the hotel, which will pass street entertainers, characters, and "perhaps a few donkeys along the way." At the party, revelers will enjoy live entertainment, ballroom dancing, authentic cocktails (like Curaçao Punch), a live auction of luxury items, and a gourmet French dinner.

The package continues the 1889 theme with the pricetag—but at $1,889, this one is a bit less appealing than that Leading Hotels of the World debacle (of which we no longer speak). Of course, though those rates are steep, keep in mind it’s still a 50 percent savings—not too shabby.