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Tags: AAA Hotels / Hotel Awards / Fort Lauderdale Hotels / Hotel News / Five Diamond Hotels / → All Tags
The Only Luxury Hotel in Fort Lauderdale That Lives Up to the Hype
If you haven't heard already, the new AAA Five Diamond list is out and while the usual suspects are on the list, there is one notable addition for 2010—The Ritz-Carlton Fort Lauderdale.
While Florida is well-represented by a number of Ritz-Carltons, this is quite the milestone for Fort Lauderdale, which is still trying to do-away with its Spring Break reputation. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who’s been to Fort Lauderdale recently, however. Have you seen the size of those yachts tied up on the Intracoastal?
Even more interesting is that this honor comes just over a year after the property joined the Ritz-Carlton family. Prior to August 2008, it was a St. Regis—and even then only for a year. So maybe Ritz-Carlton should carefully consider their restructuring strategy.
Tags: TripAdvisor / Hotel Booking Tips / Hotel News / → All Tags
TripAdvisor Will Now Let You Click Through To The Hotel's Website
How many times do you like to click? That’s not a euphemism, but a serious question related to your travel-review browsing and booking. We ask, because yesterday TripAdvisor announced a new "service" which promises to limit your number of clicks.
From January 4, 2010, TripAdvisor will let hotels "enhance" their listing with their URL, telephone number and email address. So customers will be able to click just once to jump from a TripAdvisor review page to the property’s own site. This is certainly a step up from the current system where you get a hotel’s address, but are left to google the website or phone number yourself. But why the change?
Duh! Money, silly! The new system—"TripAdvisor Business Listings"—will cost properties a yearly subscription fee between $600 and over $15,000. (The fee for properties with over 1,000 room is available "on request." Just like asking for the Presidential Suite!) Properties signing up for the new listings will save 50 percent if they get in before January 31.
Tags: Hotel Openings / Trump Hotels / Hotel News / Waikiki Hotels / Donald Trump / → All Tags
Trump Waikiki Is Now Open for a Lei
If you're a discerning traveler who only enjoys spending the night at Trump Hotels, then you can finally start booking your Hawaii vacation as Trump Waikiki has finally opened its doors to real live guests yesterday. The AP reports:
The 38-story, 463-unit tower is located steps from the sand and Fort DeRussy Park. It features a library, wine cellar and a spa, along with 24-hour room, valet and concierge services. The fully furnished suites, which have views of the Pacific and the Honolulu skyline, feature everything from high-end appliances to Italian marble counters.
Oh and let's not forget about the hotel's very kid-friendly services!
Tags: Abu Dhabi Hotels / Hotel News / Hotel Construction / Design Hotels / Hyatt Hotels / → All Tags
The Leaning Hyatt of Abu Dhabi Tops Out, Does Not Fall Over
Well, there it stands; the building we've dubbed "The Leaning Hyatt of Abu Dhabi" has topped out without toppling over...yet.
The building itself is called "Capital Gate," being built by RMJM Architects and due to house Abu Dhabi's first Hyatt. It reached its half-way point back in early June, and less than six months is a pretty quick race to the top for them. But then, in order to create the unique structure and keep it safe from high winds and earthquakes, each pane of glass is different, and fitted onto the strong structure with all the modern engineering that the original Tower of Pisa lacked.
Let's not forget that contained within will be 200 hotel rooms and "a gigantic internal atrium, including a tea lounge and swimming pool suspended 263 feet above the ground." Yep—you heard them; there's gotta be that tea lounge. We don't yet have an opening date, but let's just say the first half of 2010 to be safe, since we bet everyone is champing at the bit to get all up in the "World's Most Leaning Tower."
[Images: Hyatt Hotels]
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Ma Peche Restaurant Opens At NY's Chambers Hotel, And We're So There
We've made no secret of the fact that one of our favorite Digital Nomad Lobbies is the mezzanine at NYC's Chambers Hotel, and three days ago while working in our usual nook, we noticed a suspicious lunch menu sitting on the sidetable. But how could we order this lunch when there was no wait staff? Ah ha—we should have known that they were being trained at that very moment for the opening of the hotel's new restaurant, Ma Peche.
Ma Peche is the latest spot from David Chang of the foodie favorite Momofuku megaforce that counts three restaurants in the Lower East Side. This being his first highly anticipated restaurant in Midtown, and hello—it's in a hotel, so it's screaming our name—we said scram to our hot pockets and headed in for the first lunch ever.
The details, after the jump.
Tags: Autograph Collection / Marriott Hotels / Hotel News / Hotel Brands / Hotel Hype / → All Tags
Will You Want Marriott's Autograph (Hotels?)
The news is official: Marriott Hotels has unveiled a new brand, The Autograph Collection.
As we mentioned the other day, this new collection will consist of independent hotels that will retain their individuality but have access to the Marriott reservations systems and guests can use and earn Marriott rewards points here.
Here's the official statement from Marriott's VP of brand management, Don Semmler.
"The Autograph Collection will take the innovative approach of grouping these iconic hotels according to the unique experience that guests are seeking whether it's a resort, historic hotel, boutique arts, or urban edge hotel in a dynamic gateway city. Each hotel will be highly unique and distinct with its own identity, appealing to a growing segment of our customers who are looking for an experience that an independent hotel can deliver."
Tags: Hotel Openings / Thompson Hotels / Toronto Hotels / Hotel News / Stephen Brandman / → All Tags
Thompson Hotel Toronto To Open (Like a Lion?) in March
While Thompson Hotels is busying itself with "Thompsonizing" The Hotel Sax in Chicago, they shan't forget about our neighbors to the North.
When we last checked in with Thompson Toronto, it was June and they were hinting at a 2010 opening. Judging from Thompson's past hotel opening delays we figured Summer 2010 would be a kind estimate. But Thompson co-owner Stephen Brandman has told us they are looking at March 2010 and they seem very confident in that date.
Now, the old adage says "March comes in like a lion but goes out like a lamb" yet we say that with the Thompson's penchant for soft-openings, TT will come in like a lamb and go out like a lion in June or so, when the rooftop bar and pool are ready to open.
Meanwhile, the Thompson Hotels website still says "Opening 2009."
Tags: Marriott Hotels / Hotel Industry News / Hotel News / Autograph Collection / → All Tags
Could You Soon Be Sleeping in a Marriott Hotel And Not Know It?
This is a Marriott Hotel bed but will your next hotel bed be so forthcoming?
It's not hard to ever miss the presence of the all-mighty Marriott Hotels during your hotel stays. For one thing, chances are the Marriott name is a part of the hotel name. Marriott Hotels, JW Marriott, Courtyard by Marriott and etc.
Secondly, whenever you booked your hotel stay you probably had to go to Marriott.com where if you didn't know before, then you certainly know now that Renaissance Hotels are part of Marriott as are Fairfield Inn and Suites, Townplace Suites and SpringHill Suites. The only one that kind of trips people up is Ritz-Carlton. But yes, that's a Marriott hotel too.
But could this change in the future? A tipster emailed us to say that Marriott might be working on a new brand that will not be Marriott-branded at all.
Tags: One and Only Resorts / Dubai Hotels / Hotel Construction / So Kerzner / Hotel News / → All Tags
A Perfect 10? One & Only Will Open Their New Resort in Dubai on 10-10-10
Another week, another news of a grand new hotel to be built in Dubai. This time it's to be a luxe One & Only Resorts property situated on the man-made islands of The Palm. Interesting, seeing as how One & Only already has the One & Only Royal Mirage occupying prime massive oceanfront property right at the base of the Palm, on Al Sufouh Road.
Anyway, the One & Only isn't due to open until October 2010, and when it does it'll join a bevy of other properties springing up among The Palm fronds: Atlantis The Palm, Movenpick Resort Oceana Palm Jumeirah, Fairmont Palm Hotel, Movenpick Resort & Spa Palm Jumeirah, Taj Exotica Resort and Spa, Anantara Resort, Trump International Hotel, and properties from Radisson SAS, Hilton, Metropolitan, Shangri La, Starwood, Marriott, Oberoi, and Kempinski, according to The Emirates Network.
So how will this One & Only try to make it seem like it is the one and only luxury resort on The Palm?
Tags: Hotel Awards / Design Hotels / Hotel News / London Hotels / Malmaison Hotels / → All Tags
London's Boundary Gets a Nod for 'Most Stylish Hotel' in Europe
Being from London, when we think about sexy hotels, we don’t immediately think London. We think a little lovenest on the Seine, private beaches on the Med, that kind of thing. But now we are thinking again, because Boundary in little East London just got named the most stylish hotel in Europe at the European Hotel Design Awards.
We’ve kept meaning to visit Boundary since it opened in January, but were put off by the fact that it’s a Terence Conran project and we think of him as a bit posh for our tastes (we once went to his Bluebird restaurant in Chelsea to find we’d missed Kate Middleton – AKA Ms Prince William – by a couple of minutes).
But turns out we were wrong.
Tags: iPhone Hotel Apps / Hilton Hotels / Hotel Technology / Hotel News / → All Tags
Will Hilton's iPhone App Really Be as Functional as They Promise?
Hilton Hotels announced today that they would be unveiling not just one or two but seven iPhone apps in the next week or so for hotel guests to use. The apps will be brand-specific, i.e. Doubletree will have its own app, Conrad Hotels will have its own app and so will Embassy Suites. It's an app-travaganza! (Word is that an app for the Waldorf-Astoria collection is in the works as well.)
Now, you already know how we feel about iPhone apps. A few weeks ago, we rounded up all of the hotel iPhone apps that were currently available in the iTunes store. Most of these have little to add to the already popular app of sitting at your computer and booking a room online. But Hilton told USA Today that their apps will be different and will have more functions than just booking a room.
Tags: Hotel Restaurants / Hotel News / London Hotels / Mandarin Oriental Hotels / Daniel Boulud / Celebrity Chefs / → All Tags
The Next Gordon Ramsay? Daniel Boulud Is Coming to London
Hey Daniel Boulud, have you never heard of Gordon Ramsay? Or of over-reaching yourself? Not content with dominating most of North America, he’s going to be crossing over the pond and gracing London with his presence in the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park.
Bar Boulud London will basically be a rip-off take on his New York Bar Boulud, and promises to “bring into play French techniques applied to the finest ingredients.” So pâtés, terrines, cheese and charcuterie with lots of wine. Yum.
The decor sounds interesting – there’s a wine theme, so vaulted ceilings and lots of wood and cork – and Boulud promises to combine ”New York’s energy and spirit, French soul and tradition, and a touch of London style.” Just a touch? Whatever.
BBL will open Spring 2010 and will seat 165. See you at the bar.
[Photo: NY Mag]
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