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Tags: Hotel Openings / W Hotels / Hotel News / Atlanta Hotels / Helipad Hotels / Hotel Opening Rates / → All Tags

W Atlanta Downtown To Open With Its Own Helipad and "Whirlybird"

Where: 45 Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard [map], Atlanta, GA, United States, 30308

For some odd reason that we have yet to figure out, Atlanta is quickly becoming the W Hotel capital of America. Next week on January 27th, Atlanta's fourth W Hotel, The W Atlanta Downtown, will open within Allen Plaza. Economy be damned!

This newest hotel will join W Atlanta Perimeter, W Atlanta Buckhead and W Atlanta Midtown, but this one promises to be totally "W" inside out, since it's the only W in Atlanta that was built from the ground up instead of a conversion from another hotel brand like the others were.

In addition to having 74 residences, the W Atlanta Downtown will have a Bliss Spa, BLT Steak restaurant and an outdoor WET pool located half way up the building on a terrace similar to the W Dallas.

But we think the ultimate W offering this hotel has is its own Whirlybird aka a helicopter. Yes, this is the first W Hotel that we know of that has it's own helicopter and helipad, complete with WH registration designation. No word yet if it's available for residents or hotel guests only.

There are plenty of rooms available for opening night, with rates starting at $285 at the internet only pre-pay rate. If you can wait two days though, discounted rates are already available, starting at $129.50 for Friday and Saturday night - non-discounted rates start at a shockingly low $185. Now who ever said W was expensive?!

Tags: Festival Hotels / Carnaval Hotels / Rio de Janeiro Hotels / Helipad Hotels / Party Hotels / → All Tags

2007 Festival Hotels: Shirts Off Breakfast at Hotel Glória

Where: Praia Do Russel 632, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Carnival (Feb 17 - 20) is in full swing, and according to The Guardian, plenty of American soldiers on leave are turning the sensual Brazilian celebration into a sexual conquest game.

Companies like Tours Gone Wild make a mint packing soldiers and other tourists into Rio de Janeiro hotels this time of year, and it takes a toll on the hotels.

One such Carnival party hotel is Hotel Gloria. On the Saturday of Carnaval the Gloria hosts an insane costume contest early in the evening, which is considered one of the best Carnaval parties by many long time attendees.

Heaven for doughboys, no doubt, however, guests of the hotel see the post party fallout year round:

Our room was a huge disappointment. Paint off the walls, tv entertainment system not working.
Lots of loud Brazilian guests with getto blasters at the pool. Staff did nothing. People with bare upper bodies at breakfast.

Where we are from, we call these places topless donutshops, in Brazil sounds like they call 'em "luxury hotels".

We are sure Hotel Gloria cleans up nice at some point after Carnaval. After all, they have a helipad on the roof, and guests who check-in via helicopter tend to like a clean room.

Related Stories:
· Hotel Gloria [TripAdvisor]
· Hotels in Brazil [HotelChatter]

Tags: Hotel News / London Hotels / Hotel Restaurants / Helipad Hotels / → All Tags

New Hotel Next to London Helipad

If you usually travel by private helicopter on your holidays, then the news that the London Heliport site at Battersea is to be redeveloped will be particularly important for you. The heliport site that has seen people like Tiger Woods and Jackie Onassis land there has just been bought by the Von Essen group who plan a boutique hotel there with a Gordon Ramsay restaurant (you might know Gordon from Hell's Kitchen).

The heliport site next to the Thames will soon be home to a 70-room luxury hotel including a subterranean spa and a roof-top restaurant seating 200, run--probably--by British superstar chef Gordon Ramsay, which would add up to his tenth restaurant in London.

Being the only heliport in London, locals have already long been complaining about the noise from helicopters and are whinging again that the new development will make things worse. But the Von Essen group is planning to build its own office headquarters next to their 7-storey boutique hotel, so it doesn't seem like they'll be changing their mind any time soon.

[Photo: lunaticg]

Related Stories:
· Von Essen Acquires London Heliport [Times UK]
· Gordon Ramsay To Open New Restaurant [DigitalSpy]

Tags: Miscellaneous / Helipad Hotels / → All Tags

Helipad Tennis At The Burj

Where: Jumeirah Beach Rd., Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Tennis on a helipad anyone? High above Dubai, at the Burj Al Arab, Roger Federer and Andre Agassi hit the ball around.

Since these photos show up on the official Burj site, we are assuming they are not computer generated.

Another photo after the jump.

Related Stories:
·   Burj Al Arab Hotel [damnfunnypictures]
·   Burj Al Arab Dubai Reviews [TripAdvisor]
·   The Only Seven-Star Hotel In The World [Fark]
·   Amazing Race 5 Hotel Update: Burj Al Arab [HotelChatter]

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