A city stay usually means you're not getting too much in the way of trees and flowers, and we often think that's a shame. Which is why the UK Independent list of urban garden hotels got us especially interested.
We like the sound of the Hotel de Russie in Rome: eat dinner on the terrace and you're surrounded by trees: palm, pine, cypress, magnolia, lemon and orange, apparently.
A place we're surprised to hear about greenery is Tokyo, but the Hotel New Otani Tokyo is actually situated in 10 acres of gardens that belonged to some feudal lord 400 years back, and naturally the obligatory ponds full of bright orange carp are there.
And finally, in Portuguese capital Lisbon, the Pestana Palace appeals to us mainly because the guy who built it in the early 1900s was a cocoa king; but also because the gardens are grand enough to have been declared a national monument. Can't get much greener than that.
This week, we're looking at some of the best places around the world to spend New Year's Eve. Got a suggestion for ringing in 2008, let us know.
Last summer we were hyped about the Hilton Rome Cavalieri because they were offering gladiator training, which has gotta be one of the coolest hotel add-ons ever. So we were interested to learn about what the Hilton Cavalieri could be offering for a New Year's Eve celebration.
Unfortunately it seems like there are no gladiators involved, but apart from that it sounds like a pretty extravagant way to bring in 2008. The Rome Cavalieri Hilton is offering a 3-night New Year's package for US$2,284 per person, including accommodation in an executive floor room (great views of Rome) plus a 10-course dinner (yes, TEN!) cooked by a 3-star Michelin chef, served in the rooftop La Pergola restaurant. What a great way to spend your last day before the inevitable New Year's diet begins. Finally, when the NYE fireworks go off, you'll have a great view from one of the highest parts of Rome.
The deal also includes a deluxe afternoon tea, apparently made all the more delicious because while you sip your tea, you'll be able to look at three Tiepolo paintings the hotel has just bought; you also get a concert and brunch in the gardens of the hotel on New Year's Day. Perhaps if you ask nicely they'll add an hour or two of gladiator training while you're out in the gardens.
Heaps of long-distance trains into Rome terminate at the appropriately named Termini station. We recommend staying at the less appropriately named Best Western Hotel Canada. Yes, it is in Rome (we have no idea why Canada rates a mention), and better still, it is just a short walk from the Termini station down a quiet side street.
The location is perfect for train travelers, and it's quiet enough too so you can relax a bit after a hard day's Roman sightseeing. Although it's not exactly in the middle of things, it is a short bus or taxi ride to most of the main attractions. The hotel also offers some special packages like the Honeymoon Trip or Shopping in Rome deals.
The Hotel Canada is small for a Rome hotel, with just 70 rooms, and has been recently renovated and refurbished. Wifi is available and there's also a small library and reading lounge with a fireplace for winter nights. Rates start at €144 ($200) for a double in low season, increasing to €225 ($315) in the height of summer; triple and quadruple rooms are also available if you're traveling with a group, and these work out much cheaper.
Even though we already wrote about Madonna today, we wanted you to see first-hand what exactly the fans were doing outside Madonna's St. Regis Grand hotel in Rome. Here's a nearly 3-minute-long video. Things start to get good after the 50-second mark, when someone yells "she's not there!" but turns out to be completely wrong.
Next time Lindsay Lohan, you want to complain about paparazzi just think of what Madonna puts up with.
Madonna has taken her "Confessions Tour" abroad and this time she's landed in Rome at the St. Regis Grand.
A news reporter apparently on vacation at the hotel ended up filing this story on all the commotion going on at the hotel, thanks to Madonna's controversial mock crucifixion, just one of her many outrageous concert acts.
The pop superstar Madonna is here in the Italian capital and she's staying in our hotel, the St. Regis. Gathered each day outside our building are the paparazzi and hundreds of her fans--shouting, screaming, begging for just a glimpse of the Material Girl....
Security, as you might imagine, is tight. You need your hotel key just to get past the police lines into and out of the building.
On Saturday, so many of them packed the street in front of the hotel (a main thoroughfare near the Piazza de la Republica) that traffic was forced to a crawl. The horns and shouted obscenities from drivers were met with equally loud screams and extended middle digits from the crowd.
Now, Madonna seems to be stirring controversy off the stage as well. Reports say she requests a new toilet to be installed in her dressing room before each gig. No word on if that applies to her hotel rooms too.
The next stop on Madonna's tour? Her adopted hometown of London, where we presume she'll be able to use her own loo.
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by amandak
Madonna has taken her "Confessions Tour" abroad and this time she's landed in Rome at the 
