“Live at The Ritz”: Cabaret Evenings at The Ritz London

Get dolled up and ready for a night on the town. The Ritz London is now throwing weekend dinner dances in The Ritz Restaurant- hailed as one of the most beautiful dining rooms in the world. Held on Friday and Saturday nights, "Live at The Ritz" isn't just about fine wining & dining. Tuck into an elaborate four-course feast over candlelight while listening to tunes played by Peter O'Donnell and his four-piece band. The evening kicks off with a selection of songs straight out of the American Songbook-- swing favorites from the Rat Pack and Cole Porter-- followed by a second set of contemporary blues and jazz. Don't forget your dancing shoes! Priced from 95 pounds per person.

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New Year’s Eve in Paris

By Charlotte McCulloch

Charlotte writes for the new travel site Simonseeks.com a community of travel experts, enthusiasts and celebrities sharing their tips on the best places to eat sleep and visit.

Paris, as with most things synonymous with the French capital knows how to celebrate in style, so if you are lucky enough to be in ‘The City of Light’ this New Year’s Eve here are a selection of things to do to ensure you do have a luxurious Bonne Année !

The French New Year celebrations, St Sylvestre, begins on January 1st and ends on February 1st, during your visit to Paris it won’t be uncommon for the locals to wish you a Happy New Year or Bonne Année and exchange bises, small kisses on each cheek, throughout the month but particularly as the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve. The French love to celebrate the beginning of a New Year with cards and presents being delivered throughout January and if you hear wishes of Bonne Année don’t be afraid to return them!

Wine and Champagne are a big part of any celebration in France and New Year is no exception, Vin Chaud which is a type of hot wine and cider are also common around this time of year. Chocolate treats known as papillottes are given during the festive season; this delicious treat is made from dark, milk or white chocolate and includes fillings such as praline, ganache, hazelnuts or nougat.

Possibly the most popular place in the city to celebrate the New Year is at the Champs-Elysées, not advised for those who don’t like big crowds as the area can get very busy. People start gathering in the area at around 9pm, the metro is free on New Year’s Eve but as the cars tend to get very busy it can be nice to walk from your Paris hotel along the lit up River Seine to the Champs-Elysées. People are armed with bottles of champagne and plastic flute glasses to enjoy whilst toasting the strike of midnight and watching the fantastic pyrotechnic display that lights up the Eiffel Tower, visible from most spots around the Champs-Elysées. Be careful of other unauthorised fireworks being let off, it is not illegal in Paris for people to buy and set off fireworks in the street and it can come as a shock to some visitors to see fireworks being let off at random!

If you are looking for something a little quieter than the raucous Champs-Elysées celebrations, head to the Sacre Coeur Cathedral plaza in Montmartre, although this area can still get fairly crowded it has a significantly calmer atmosphere. The vantage point of the cathedral provides an excellent view of Paris and many fireworks being let off across the city can be seen from here. Montmartre offers a more relaxed alternative to the bigger celebrations and with plenty of bars and restaurants nearby the area offers a less well known way to spend a fantastic New Year.

However you choose to celebrate your New Year in Paris, this enchanting city of fine food, fine wine and fantastic attractions is certain to provide the perfect backdrop for a magical start to 2011.

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Holiday Cocktails: Hilton’s Twelve Drinks of Christmas

'Tis the season... to try tasty new holiday-themed cocktails. Hilton Hotels & Resorts has gone all out in the drink department with a creative take on the classic Christmas carol. Inspired by the "12 days of Christmas," mixologists Nelson Bernardes and Daniel Carvalho from The Waldorf Hilton, London have devised some delicious drinks, highlighting seasonal flavors like port, blackberry and cinnamon. Think "A Partridge in a Pear Tree" (concocted with Absolut Pear, lemon juice, caramel syrup, apple juice and thyme) and "Two Turtle Doves" (bring on the Bailey's!) Available for the month of December in 16 Hilton hotels across the UK, these palate-pleasing cocktails are sure to warm up even the most cold-hearted Scrooges in your crowd. Cocktails are priced at £12.00 each.

Pictured at right: Eleven Pipers Piping, made with Glenmorangie Single malt Whisky, chocolate liqueur, blackcurrant jam, cranberry juice, served in a Martini glass garnished with red currants and fresh chili.

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Sponsored Article: Nafplia Palace Hotel & Villas, the Jewel of the Peloponnese

In the heart of the Peloponnese, the ancient town of Nafplion is one of the best destinations for visitors to Greece- just 140 kilometers from Athens. Sun-drenched and covered with bougainvillea blossoms, the town overlooks the shimmering Bay of Argolis. As an ancient crossroads of culture, Nafplion is filled with Roman Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman architecture. Perched high above the town on the Bronze Age acropolis of Akronafplia, the Nafplia Palace is an extraordinary hideaway, actually built within the walls of an archaeological site. In fact, the hotel has an elevator that tunnels down through the rock to the picturesque town below.

A stylish blend of marble, wood, stone and steel seamlessly merging with its historic environment, this unique hotel offers a chic spa, a beach, a pool with sun beds and poolside bar, and an excellent restaurant with heart-stopping views through walls of class. In fact, all rooms and villas have stunning sea views. These sumptuous accommodations are equipped with marble bathrooms with Bvlgari toiletries, and many have balconies and private swimming pools or outdoor jacuzzis. The Independent described the rooms as "something out of James Bond": "Huge, open-plan, and with abundant flat-screen TVs...its own infinity plunge pool on a private terrace." Villa guests are spoiled with private butler service and a heated infinity pool.

Eager to explore the surrounding area? The Nafplia Palace can arrange private excursions-- with a guide and transportation-- to ancient sites or the beautiful islands nearby. Though you may find it hard to leave the luxurious grounds of the hotel, the jewel of the Peloponnese, where you can soak in the dramatic panorama from high above the sea.

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Tips for Booking a Hotel Room for 3 People

The Five Star Alliance customer service team fields many requests-- from tips on finding that perfect hotel in Las Vegas to how best to book a hotel room for three guests traveling in Europe. After all, it can be tricky to figure out sleeping arrangements for hotels on a different continent! A recent conversation about accommodations in Venice, Italy got us thinking: why not share our tips with a wider audience? The request: A luxurious room overlooking the Venetian canals that can accommodate three women traveling together. What we found: Most five-star hotels in Venice with canal views will not offer three beds (or even two beds with a pull-out sofa). The best bet would be a suite with a connecting room (read: expensive) or a larger room with two twin beds that allows space for a rollaway bed. At the Hotel Danieli, a deluxe room or larger can accommodate three adults (requesting a rollaway). At the Gritti Palace, book a Grand Luxe or Grand Deluxe room with two twin beds (designated as 2T) to have enough space, and then request a rollaway. (Often there is a surcharge for the extra adult in the room so read the booking terms carefully.)

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Father Christmas Comes to Paris (Pssst. He’s at Le Meurice!)

There's snow on the ground in Paris. The City of Light has been transformed into a veritable winter wonderland, and Le Meurice-- the palace hotel facing the Tuileries Gardens-- is spreading the good cheer with visits from Father Christmas every Wednesday until Christmas Day. With cinnamon in the air and lots of sparkling lights and decorations, Le Meurice provides a cozy retreat for both kids and their 'rents during the yuletide season. Available until December 28, 2010, the "Christmas at Le Meurice" package includes accommodation and daily American breakfast, Champagne and petits fours in room on arrival, a Christmas gift and candies for children, an upgrade upon availability at the time of check-in, and free access to the hammam, sauna, Jacuzzi and fitness center. From 660 euros in a Superior room. Traveling to Paris in January and February? Le Meurice is slashing rates to 390 euros for a Classic Double Room. This winter promotion has limited availability, so book today.

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Now Open in London: The Savoy Grill at the Newly Renovated Savoy Hotel

We've been positively gleeful about the reopening of The Savoy after a £220m restoration that lasted three years. And just yesterday the hotel's Savoy Grill opened its doors, effectively capping the top-to-bottom renovation project. Daily Candy describes "the culinary icon" in glowing terms: "The decadent art deco dining room (once host to Churchill and Wilde) evokes its heyday with crystal chandeliers, antique mirrors and gold leaf. The menu (conceived by Gordon Ramsay Holdings) consists of British- and French-inspired classics. Order baked eggs en cocotte or Cornish crab mayonnaise with apple salad on Melba toast to start, followed by hot smoked salmon with horseradish sauce or roast leg of lamb (from the trolley) and finish with mille-feuille."

Related Article:

Close Up: The Savoy in London is Now Open After £220m Renovation

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The Best Views in Rome at the Hotel Hassler

One of our favorite hotels in the Eternal City sits atop the Spanish Steps, offering extraordinary views of Rome's skyline and St. Peter's dome at the Vatican. A recent article in the Toronto Star calls attention to the views from the hotel that's a celeb magnet. Lucky guests get bird's eye views from the third-floor spa, the gym, the seventh floor terrace, and the guest rooms at the Hotel Hassler:

The tiled rooftops spill out in the distance, and the hills behind the quirky Trastevere neighbourhood rise a few kilometres away. The church towers rise towards the heavens, and you can gaze down upon a small sidewalk café across from the hotel and watch the tourists mill about at the top of the famed Spanish Steps. There are many five-star hotels in the world. There are many fine hotels in Rome. There are none that boast the location — or the views — of the Hassler. The fact they also have a smashing garden for breakfast, a beautifully ornate room for drinks, one of the top restaurants in the city and first-rate service that caused the likes of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes to rent out three floors after their wedding tells you there’s more than just a stunning vista at work.

Like we said: The best views in town coupled with impeccable service make the Hotel Hassler one of the stars of Europe, not just the Italian capital. Click here to learn about a special package, including some meals and massages, available at the Hassler until December 22, 2010.

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A Room with a View in France: Cristal Bubble’s Transparent Blow-Up Rooms

We've reported on our share of wild & wacky hotels-- from floating pyramids to underground hideaways-- but this could be tops. Urban Daddy recently uncovered a new way to enjoy the French countryside:

You’ve done the French villa thing—the wines, the burgundy sunsets, the saucy locals—and you’re not complaining. But lately, you’ve been yearning for something a little more futuristic. More transparent. More…inflatable. Introducing CristalBubble, bringing palatial plastic bubbles to the south of France, now taking reservations. Yes, a bubble. Basically, you’ll be getting a blow-up, see-through villa situated in the French landscape of your choosing―like if Bubble Boy had a passport and a taste for only the finest Côtes du Rhône. It’ll be inflated to 13 feet across and decked out with a king-size bed, a spaceship-style entrance tube and a fan to keep the inside well-ventilated. There’s even an adjoining bubble if you decide you need servant’s quarters. (You couldn’t just leave Jacques at home.)

Though the hilly lanscape around Mont Blanc sounds like a pretty setting, it's even possible to set up your bubble in a tree. Urban Daddy's personal recommendation? "A leisurely stay at Bagheera Naturist, a clothing-optional beach in Corsica… Just remember the view goes both ways."

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John Galliano Returns to Claridge’s in London with a Specially-Designed Christmas Tree

After the success of last year's fashionable Christmas tree, John Galliano has returned to Claridge's in London to deck the Art Deco lobby for the yuletide season. The 2009 Christmas tree by John Galliano for Dior was designed to be glittering white, as if frozen in time; the new couture tree for 2010 evokes the underwater world: “I have mixed pink corals, seahorses, anemones and jellyfish, all glinting like gem stones, swimming amidst the silver leaves. I hope we create something as sumptuous as its setting and inspire a truly luxurious escape and a very festive season at Claridge’s," the designer told Harper's Bazaar. "Under the Sea" will be unveiled this week at Claridge's.

Related Articles:

Beauty Treatments Inspired by Hollywood’s Golden Age at Claridge’s, London

Designers and Their Hotels: Diane von Furstenberg Remakes Claridge’s, London

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