Tag: marriott Hotels
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For All Of You Powerball Losers Out There, Marriott's Got a New Contest To Enter
Where: Various Locations
Ok, so you probably didn't win the $600-million Powerball drawing this past weekend, but we've got another contest for you to enter, this one with a bit better odds.
Marriott is giving away a customized trip to one of its eight tropical resorts in the Marriott Caribbean & Mexico Resorts collection, which include resorts in Aruba, Cancun (2), Puerto Vallarta, Curacao, Grand Cayman, St. Kitts, and St. Thomas. If you win, you get a five-night stay, daily breakfast for two, and a $200 resort credit at your choice of the above destinations.
How do you win? First, you follow Marriott Resorts Pinterest page and create a board on your Pinterest profile named “My Marriott Resorts Vacation.” Then, you find the "Pin Your Dream Vacation Board" located on Marriott's page and repin one image from each of the five categories (resorts, destinations, activities & amenities, dining and shopping) in your "My Marriott Resorts Vacation" board. Then dust off your hands and put your feet up -- this will automatically enter you in the contest.
Celebrity Scoop / Marriott Hotels / Residence Inn Hotels / Family-Friendly Hotels / Cat Cora / Gay-Friendly Hotels / Hotel News / Hotel Openings / Manhattan Hotels / → All Tags
New Residence Inn Midtown East Names Cat Cora "Mom of the Year"
Somehow a new Residence Inn opened in NYC on March 1st, and we heard not a whisper about it, until we were invited to their grand opening last week. The day happened to coincide with the brands third annual "Resident Mom of the Year" celebration, which always occurs near Mother's Day.
Sister hotel Residence Inn Times Square usually hosts this event (the first honor went to Holly Robinson Peete), however, this was an opportunity to showcase the new, 211-room Midtown hotel.
So, who was bestowed the honor of spokeswoman for Residence Inn's, all-suite, family-friendly properties? None other than Iron Chef, tv-host, and mama extraordinaire, Cat Cora.
Cat dazzled the crowd with her cute southern twang, warm personality, and ability to convince the crowd that cooking quinoa, stir fry, and parfaits is simple as pie in the hotel's kitchen.
Royal Hotels / London Hotels / Sweet Suites / Kate Middleton / Prince William / Marriott Hotels / Family-Friendly Hotels / Hotel Cribs / → All Tags
Cute, or Creepy? Grosvenor House Builds A Nursery For Kate Middleton's Baby
Places like The Goring, The Stafford and Park Plaza Hotels were all quick to join in the royal wedding mania that took place two summers ago, but here's one hotel that seems to be starting a new trend: royal baby mania.
London's Grosvenor House has chosen to re-decorate one of its Premium Park suites in anticipation of Kate Middleton and Prince William's firstborn. Not that, like, the baby is actually planning to stay there (at this moment, it can't even digest its own food, so we don't see how it could be making hotel reservations…), but, you know, just in case.
"Suite Dreams" is a fully-equipped nursery, with a luxurious four-poster crib, hand-painted furniture, Beatrix Potter-inspired designs, and a children's play area with a London-themed toy cupboard.
The whole thing is pretty impressive, actually, though no surprise there, as Daily Mail tells us the suite was actually designed by Dragons of Walton Street, a studio that's created nurseries for the Royal Family in the past.
Hotel WiFi / In-Room Entertainment / Marriott Hotels / Hotel News / → All Tags
How Hotels May Charge You For Internet in the Near Future
With the release last week of our 2013 Hotel WiFi report along with our subsequent report on hotel network speeds, we were feeling pretty good about the status of hotel WiFi. After all, 64 percent of hotel brands have free WiFi and even when you did have to pay for it, you were at least getting your money's worth (i.e. a $25 resort fee at the Cosmopolitan Las Vegas yielded blazing fast WiFi speeds).
But thanks to this recent article in the NY Times, we're not feeling so upbeat anymore.
The article highlighted the changing nature of in-room entertainment. No longer do guests look for the hotel to supply them with in-room entertainment (TV and movies); guests instead bring their own in the form of laptops, smartphones and tablets loaded with streaming entertainment subscriptions like Hulu and Netflix.
So the next logical step here is strengthening the WiFi networks for guests so they can actually access all their entertainment, right? Not necessarily. First, hotels are going to make you pay for bandwidth to do all of this streaming and then they are going to see where else they can charge you while sitting in a hotel room you already paid for. Here's what stood out for us:
Bandwidth capacity at many Marriott International hotels will need to be increased to support these services, an expense Mr. C. Scott Hansen, [director of guest technology for Marriott International] said would be offset by guests’ purchases of Internet access, commissions paid by services like Netflix for signing up new members and advertising revenue from companies that could use the TV or guest’s laptop or tablet screen for messages.
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Jammin' with Bon Jovi at JW Marriott Essex House
Last night guests who came to celebrate the official re-opening of Manhattan's legendary Essex House into the JW Marriott Essex House, was treated to another classic treat--the musical stylings of Jon Bon Jovi!
The rock legend told the crowd he'd stayed at the hotel "many, many times" (though we couldn't get anyone to confirm if he was staying that night in the occupied Presidential Suite!). He serenaded the crowd with favorite hits like "Dead or Alive" and "Living on a Prayer", who got a kick out of singing the words back to him.
The 40-story Essex House, which overlooks Central Park and has been open since 1931, officially resumed its JW name in September 2012 after operating under the Jumeirah brand. When Strategic Hotels & Resorts acquired the hotel in 2012 from the Dubai Investment Group, they invested several million dollars for a modest make over that you can see in the 509 rooms, spa, and restaurant.
Hotel News / Buffalo Hotels / Marriott Hotels / Courtyard by Marriott Hotels / → All Tags
Buffalo's Historic Canal District Will Get Its First Marriott Later This Year
A $295 commercial development known as Canalside in Buffalo, NY has given new life to the city's downtown waterfront district. Over 400,000 people turned up last summer to stroll the boardwalk, and enjoy a wide array of outdoor events like yoga classes, ship tours, and free concerts (including a performance by 90s rap legends Salt 'N Peppa!).
And now, Marriott hopes to cash in on the 20-acre downtown site's growing popularity with the addition of a 96-room Courtyard by Marriott right on the water.
The hotel will occupy the second through fourth floors of the eight-story Donovan Building, which formerly housed government offices.
For tourism reasons, the city is psyched to get its first-ever Marriott-flagged hotel, and a local developer told BizJournals that getting Marriott on board was "an easy sell."
"Our level of excitement about Canalside rubbed off on them. This represents significant additional private sector investment dollars into Canalside on top of what we are already investing."
The hotel, which will be surrounded by mini "replica canals" designed after the Erie Canal, is scheduled to open in late 2013
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Dive Into These Summer Hotel Deals for $109 and Less
Deals: you want 'em, and surprisingly, everyone has 'em. Take a look at some of the latest hotel deals going around the internet today from booking sites, social media sites, flash sale sites and more. Don't forget to scroll down to see the HotelChatter-approved deal either. Who knows? You might just find what you're looking for. (But don't forget to tell us about your stay!)
DEALS, DEALS, DEALS*
· One-Day Sale for the Hotel Valley Ho: Shake off your Cinco de Mayo hangover and get ready for Hotel Valley Ho's annual one day sale on Monday, May 6. Rooms start at $89 every Sunday through Friday and $109 on Saturdays from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The deal also includes two drinks upon arrival, upgraded internet, $20 nightly resort credit and some other discounted services. There's really no catch to the low rates other than it's summer in the desert so it will be HOTT and that all reservations require a non-refundable deposit of one night’s room and tax at time of booking. Go here on Monday, May 6, to book. You can even set up a reminder email too.
· Marriott's "Suntastic Savings" at 30 Hotels in Florida: Once again, 30 JW Marriott, Renassaince, Marriott and Gaylord Hotels and Resorts in Florida are discounting their rates and throwing in perks like free meals for kids and complimentary internet. (Normally, you have to pay for that.) The offers are good for travel from May 15 to Sept 30 and vary depending on the region. For 25 percent off rates on three or more nights in the Northwest Coast of Fla., use promo code ZZ1. For Florida's playground resorts, use code F8L which will get you 15 percent off, free meals for kids and a $25 resort credit. Heading to South Florida? Then use code SUM which will get you 15 percent off rates, free meals for kids and free internet or other welcome amenity. Rates start around $99 a night. Go to Summer Suntastic Savings to start planning your stay.
· Hot Time, Summer in The Crescent City: New Orleans may be sizzling in the summer time thanks to events like the New Orleans Food and Wine Experience (May 21-May 25 and the Essence Music Festival (July 4-7) but the Courtyard New Orleans Downtown/Iberville in the French Quarter is keeping it cool with rates starting at just $109 a night from May 12-Sept. 30. To make your rezzie, go here and use promo code WBZ.
· Why Stay In When You Could Go To The Out?: Just in time for Pride Season next month, The Out NYC has dropped the rate for it's Shared Luxury Accommodations to just $99 a night. That also includes a daily spa pass (a $50 value) which give access to the hotel's full-service spa and three courtyards. Of course the term "shared" should alert you to the fact that you will be sharing a room with up to four people but there are full-sized beds, personal TVs, a bathroom and shower and best of all, privacy curtains. Go here to book your stay.
Hotel Trends / Hotel Restaurants / Lungarno Collection / Marriott Hotels / Utah Hotels / Italy Hotels / Tuscany Hotels / Florida Hotels / Colorado Hotels / → All Tags
What’s Out, What’s In: Hotel Restaurants Get In the Game
Now that's what we call a hearty piece of meat!
We've started a series of what’s trending in hotels these days: What’s Out, What’s In. Do we like what we see? Think it's a dud? You be the judge!
What's Out: Grass-fed beef and local poultry
What's In: Local wild game dishes
With the meteoric rise of culinary tourism and the fact that pretty much everyone wants a good meal, hotel restaurants have had to increase their game (we’re so funny...) and look for new ways to impress you gourmands out there.
Sorrel River Ranch near Moab, UT, is wedged between Arches and Canyonlands National Parks on the banks of the Colorado River. The ranch has a – get this -- Garden Manager who tends to two acres of organic produce (fantastic!) which finds its way into the hands of the chef, along with local wild game. The chef’s newest creation? Rabbit and Rattlesnake Sausage with Utah Peach Preserves and Baby Greens.
For more gamey goodness, read on!
Hotel Apps / Hotel Technology / Hotel Careers / Marriott Hotels / → All Tags
Marriott’s New Career App Shares Employee Stories
We called the hotel app the Must-Have Hotel Amenity for 2012 for its ability to bring all sorts of functionality straight to guests’ smart phones. Now, Marriott Hotels is branching out by taking the app idea and applying it to the world of recruitment, using it to paint a picture through real-life employee stories of what career path you might find at Marriott, and what it’s like to work there. And you might want to know, given that the group aims to double its number of rooms in Europe alone from 40,000 to 80,000 by 2015.
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Marriott’s Autograph Collection Expands Its Royal Reach Into the UK
The raison d’être of Marriott’s Autograph Collection is to provide not just a place to lay your weary head, but to give you an experience based on different themes like Culinary Delight, Artistic Getaway, Urban Excitement or Sporting Adventure. (For added fun, you can visit their Facebook page and have your autograph analysed to see which theme suits you best. It was shockingly accurate.)
Now they’re bringing that concept to the UK for the first time with the addition of two upscale hotels: Threadneedles in London and The Glasshouse in Edinburgh.
Threadneedles is set in the heart of the Square Mile, the original site of the Roman settlement that started it all. Being in The City, you’re close to St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Borough Market and the Tower of London.
The hotel is in a former Victorian bank and blends the traditional with the contemporary. The lobby is dominated by an elaborate stained-glass dome from 1856 and the hotel has a see-and-be-seen restaurant and bar for the business crowd, Bonds. For those of you who have really latched on to the theme idea, you’re looking at Urban Excitement, Culinary Delight, Wedding Celebrations and Historic Explorations at this boutique hotel.
Kid-Friendly Hotels / JW Marriott Hotels / Marriott Hotels / Hotel Food / → All Tags
JW Marriott Makes Healthy Menus for Kids. But Who Wants 'Em?
You may not want your children to read this, but it's for their own good, so keep it a secret, if you know what's best for you. In keeping with the well-intended goal of some hotels to provide healthier food choices for the smaller set, JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts partnered with nutritionist and author Keri Glassman to create a new JW Kids Menu, helping the 'tween set try to build better eating habits that can be continued at home.
The idea is to present an interactive menu, which will debut in JW hotels this spring with kids favorites, but with a healthy twist. In other words--nix the fake chicken nuggets in favor of grilled organic chicken tenders and say "peace" to processed meatballs and instead, offer the fresh, turkey-made variety.
We like anything that will keep our kids away from The Colonel, but will it go over well when the little ones want to let their hair down (just like parents do), while on vacation?
“With kids’ food choices becoming increasingly diverse, we are looking to create dining options that are fresh, healthy and imaginatively tasty,” said Mitzi Gaskins, vice president & global brand manager for JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts. “These items will not only delight kids from a culinary standpoint, but will also let parents know the JW Marriott brand cares about the well-being of their entire family.”
As parents, we love the idea of organic foods nd no doubt we'll try this out with our little ones, not yet jaded by BK and McDs ads. But we can't help feel hesitant that our older kids will go for the whole "locally-sourced" spiel. Has JW met a 12-year old growing boy? We've rarely seen a carrot or celery stick win in any food choice with this set--ranch dressing dip or not, without a buffalo wing on the side.
Hotel News / Hotel Openings / Marriott Hotels / Edition Hotels / India Hotels / New Delhi Hotels / → All Tags
Edition Boutique Hotel to Open in India
Just a week after we reported that the New York Edition would open a year early in 2014, we have more good news: Marriott has announced that it will introduce its Ian Schrager designed Edition in New Delhi within "the next few years."
Despite the Istanbul Edition being the brand's only open hotel (remember, the Waikiki Edition became the Modern Honolulu), you wouldn't know it from all the press and activity of late thanks to its eight properties in the pipeline: London (2013), Miami (2014), New York (2014), Bangkok (2015), Abu Dhabi, Gurgaon, Sanya, and New Delhi.
Back in October, we gave you the scoop on the London Edition, which is supposed to be the brand's big relaunch this year. The Miami Edition, unfortunately, just had its opening date pushed back by a year.
