· Arrests All Over the Place at the DNC: There have been 141 arrests related to the Democratic National Convention since Saturday, including an ABC producer outside the Brown Palace. [Forbes]
Fairmont Hotels has just entered a new partnership with Lexus in which Fairmont President's Club members will be able to be transported wherever their heart desires in one of Lexus' hybrid automobiles.
Lexus is the only luxury automaker with hybrid vehicles in its line-up and Fairmont guests will be able to travel in the style and comfort of a RX 400h hybrid luxury utility vehicle or the GS 450h, a luxury performance sedan. Both vehicles demonstrate how eco-savvy customers can enjoy making less of an impact on the earth without sacrificing luxury.
Fairmont and Lexus have also teamed up to create a specialty eco-suite called Lexus Hybrid Living Suites. These suites are environmentally sustainable and feature efficient technology, renewable resources (like bamboo), sustainable cuisine, local and organic elements and recylced products. Of course, anyone staying here gets issued a Lexus LS 600h L for the duration of their stay (picture above.)
Yet remember that even if you don't want to pony up for the Lexus suite, hybrid car drivers will get preferred parking as Fairmont hotels usually have prime spaces for hybrid owners of all car makes.
Isn't there some old saying that "Those who can't do, teach?" Well, here's another one for you: "Those who can't own a Maserati, visit the Huntley Hotel.
The Santa Monica hotel has introduced the Maserati Suite Package, which offers a chauffeured afternoon in a Maserati, a $125 dining credit at the hotspot rooftop restaurant, The Penthouse, and sweet suite accommodations.
If you thought Lamborghini was just about flashy cars and the super-wealthy people who drive them, think again. At the Palazzo Las Vegas, Lamborghini has gone beyond just a car dealership.
The luxury sports car brand has opened a car dealership, an exotic sports car gallery, café, retail boutique and Dal Toro, an upscale Italian restaurant all under one roof. Oh and there's some event space thrown in there too.
We're lovin' our rev-head friends this week: but today's deal is even better than getting a good view of a Formula One race. The Casanova Hotel in Barcelona has an F1 Racing Package that lets you do some of the driving. Yep, way better to risk your own life than just to watch someone else risk theirs (sorry, that was our mother talking).
The F1 Racing Package at Casanova gets you two nights' accommodation with breakfast and airport transfers, plus you get to race a Porsche Cayman around the Montmelo F1 track. Well, not exactly race but you do get to drive five fast laps, after getting a bit of training. Pay more and you can go for a Ferrari or a Lamborghini, if you prefer.
So if speed is the aim of your holiday, cough up your €1,185.56 (around US$1,800) and head to Barcelona. Yes, that's seriously the price they quote for the package, we're guessing because it includes some weird rate of VAT. You might find the 56 cents if you dig around under the back seat of the Porsche.
Here's one for all you motorheads out there. You probably knew even before we did that 2008 sees the Formula One return to Singapore, and on top of that it's going to be the world's first night-time F1 Grand Prix.
The real experts also know it's one of just three anti-clockwise circuits out there, which is bound to make it even more exciting (or at least trickier).
So you've got a few choices. Slum it with the rest of the race watchers or shell out some cash and stay at the fancy Fullerton Hotel, which has an F1 Experience package going for S$2000 (US$1450) a night, with a minimum stay of four nights from September 25-29.
F1 lovers at the Fullerton will get access to an F1 dedicated champagne and cocktail lounge on qualifying day and race day too, along with exclusive access to the rooftop viewing platform overlooking the track.
A few other freebies are thrown in: champagne in your room when you arrive, WiFi, daily champagne breakfast and a complimentary minibar--but don't get too excited since that doesn't include the alcohol.
Urban Daddy is rolling in with the good recommendations this week--yesterday we were taken with the Mirage's Bloody Marys and today we want to explore their tip-off for a good hotel in Romanian capital Bucharest.
The Carol Parc Hotel is billed as Bucharest's "most exclusive luxury residence" and is walking distance from the city center. Despite opening just last year, it's gained enough attention to get an entry in Wikipedia which includes the fact that it's got one of the largest Murano crystal chandeliers in the world--it's taller than four storeys.
The hotel itself was formed from two existing buildings, which used to be headquarters for various communist party institutions, but nobody seems to mind. The hotel quickly built an excellent reputation as the best place to stay in Bucharest. And it has the coolest prom ride in Europe.
An average room rate will cost you around US$400--pricey for Romania, but you're getting high quality. Don't try to stop in this week, though, as they're fully booked out for the NATO Summit. Presumably a few world leaders will be spending the night at the Carol Parc and enjoying that chandelier.
Rihanna's catchy little ditty "Shut and Drive" started running through our mind when we learned that the ubiquitous boutique hotel W Hotels was teaming up with Acura.
According to the Car Connection, W Hotels will feature the Acura MDX crossover/SUV in its 18 North American properties--giving guests rides in the car wherever they need as well as giving them the option to test-drive.
The program aims to provide, "both jet setters and road warriors with the ultimate in experiential travel, whether in room or on the road," said Ross Klein, President of Starwood's Luxury Brands Group, which operates the W Hotels.
The Acura is a fine car but dare we say a little suburban? Maybe an Audi or a VW would have been a hipper choice.
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by Jenna
