Valentine's Day Deals

Haven't booked your Valentine's Day Getaway yet?  Of course, you'll want to enter our Valen-Find Sweepstakes!  Answer today’s daily question  for your chance to win a $100 Visa Gift card! Each time you play, we will enter  you to win our Grand Prize, a romantic vacation package of 3 complimentary room nights and a 6-course tasting menu dinner and wine pairing for two at the luxury five-star Charleston Place Hotel in Charleston, South Carolina.

Once you've done that, here are a few deals and packages that caught our eye:

-Take your romance to new heights, literally, at Tower Club at lebua. The award-winng hotel has put together a variety of enticing packages, including The Height of Romance,", which starts at $1499 per couple and includes an eight-course meal at the world's highest al-fresco restaurant, a 60-minute lebua Signature Massage for two, complimentary continental breakfast, and Champagne and chocolate.

-Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa is a family and luxury vacation destination on 2,000 wooded acres in the Laurel Highlands of Southwestern Pennsylvania. Their "Valentine's Sweetheart Package" includes One-Night Luxurious Accommodations, Champagne and Strawberries Welcome Amenity, Breakfast In Bed, $150 Resort Amenity Spending Credit, Service Charges, and Daily Resort Fee.

-The Langham London (pictured right) has lots of great ideas from romance. Sip on a Magic Rose cocktail (Laurent-Perrier Rose Champage poured over a raspberry, lychee and rose sorbet)

-For the more risque, Petit Ermitage is celebrating "The Month of Love" with two special packages: Menage a Trois and Masters Bait. Menage a Trois includes Champagane, double-headed lollypop, an erotic movie, and a game of Twister. Oh, and the third person is complimentary. Don't have a willing third partner?  The hotel will supply an inflatable consort.  Masters Bait also includes the aforementioned, but also adds an Intimacy Kit, breakfast in the Private Rooftop Club, and the services of a personal butler, aka the "Liasion of Happiness."

For more great ideas, check out our list of the World's Most Romantic Luxury Hotels!

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Image of the Day: Corinthia Hotel Lisbon

Style and modernity conveniently located in the heart of Lisbon’s financial district, the Corinthia Hotel Lisbon is a landmark of the city.

Explore rates, details, photos and more at Corinthia Hotel Lisbon >>

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Image of the Day: Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz

To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world. – Freya Stark

 Explore rates, details, photos and more at Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz >>

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The Goring is Royally Warranted

A Royal Warrant has been issued for The Goring Hotel.  For those not familiar with it, a Royal Warrant is a mark of recognition that tradesmen are regular suppliers of goods and services to the royal households. Royal Warrant holders may display the relevant Royal Arms with the words "By Appointment" on their product, stationery, buildings, vehicles, advertising, and packaging. 

Fans of The Goring will remember it as the hotel where Kate Middleton spent her last night as a single lady. The Family-owned and run five-star deluxe hotel is located in Belgravia, adjacent to Buckingham Palace.

The Top 30 Hotels of 2012: #1 Hotel de Crillon

In the last month of 2012, Five Star Alliance is counting down the Top 30 Luxury Hotels and Resorts worldwide, as decided by you, our luxury travelers! Be sure to check in with us daily to keep up with our countdown and explore a few of the absolute best and most luxurious hotels in the world for your future travels!

We've finally reached #1 on our list!  This year, the top spot goes to Hotel de Crillon.  Here are few facts about the Parisian property:

-The hotel is located at the foot of the Champs-Elysees and is one of two identical stone palaces on the Place de la Concorde.

-The fitness center has state-of-the-art equipment and personal trainers are available.  For additional pampering, Carita Beauty Parlour offers high-quality services.

-Decorated in a Louis XV style, the hotel's 147 guest rooms and suites include Presidential apartments and the exceptional Louis XV and Leonard Bernstein suites.

- Les Ambassadeurs restaurant is acknowledged to be one of the best dining venues in the city and was awarded a Michelin Star in 2011.

-The hotel offers specialized guest services for women, families, and dogs.

-Book now! The historic property (which is one of the world's oldest luxury hotels) will be closed for a two-year makeover starting March 31, 2012.

Explore photos, availability, and rates at the Hotel de Crillon>>

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The Top 15 Luxury Hotel Locations in 2012: #1 Paris

In the final days of 2012, Five Star Alliance is counting down the Top 15 Luxury Hotels and Resort Destinations Worldwide, as decided by you, our luxury travelers! Be sure to check in with us daily to keep up with our countdown and explore a few of the absolute best and most luxurious hotels in the world for your future travels!

As of this writing, Five Star Alliance has 72 luxury hotels and resorts in Paris, France. Paris is the city of lights, and arguably the most romantic city in the world. 

What makes our guests love Paris?

-Art! Millions of visitors flock to the Musee de Louvre to see the famed Mona Lisa and other priceless works. Fans of modern art will love Centre Pompidou.

-Romance! A stroll on the Seine, taking in the view from the Eiffel Tower, or wandering the Left Bank are legendary romantic activities.

-Shopping! Paris is renowned for its fashion scene.

-Food! World class cuisine abounds, from the priciest and tasties bistros to delicious breads and pastries sold on every street corner.

-History. Visit Versaille, Montmartre, Moulin Rouge, and the famed Pere Lachaise cemetary. 

Where to stay?

-April in Paris is a truly magical time.  As of this writing, nightly rates are available from EUR 161 at Trianon Palace Versailles to  EUR 288 at Hotel Du Louvre to EUR 470 W Hotel Paris Opera (pictured above). 

-Fall is also lovely in Paris.  As of this writing, nightly rates for a mid-September stay range from EUR 290 at L'Hotel to EUR 805 at Hotel Plaza Athenee to EUR 1150 at Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris (pictured).

Did you know?

-The area of Montparnasse is Paris got its name from Greek mythology's Mount Parnassas. Parnassus is where the muses lived and it was associated with poetry, music, and learning. Literature students who recited their poetry in the streets adopted the name "Le Mont Parnasse," and it stuck. 

Check out all the best luxury hotels and resorts in Paris>>

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The Top 30 Hotels of 2012: #3 Villa d'Este

In the last month of 2012, Five Star Alliance is counting down the Top 30 Luxury Hotels and Resorts worldwide, as decided by you, our luxury travelers! Be sure to check in with us daily to keep up with our countdown and explore a few of the absolute best and most luxurious hotels in the world for your future travels!

 

 #3 on our list is Lake Como's legendary Villa d'Este.  Here are a few fun facts about the hotel:

-Hailed as one of the best hotels in the world by Travel & Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler and Forbes Traveler, this famous resort destination has been widely praised for its beautiful gardens, exquisite cuisine, gala celebrations, impeccable décor and extraordinary hospitality.

-Set on the shores of Lake Como, the Hotel is located in one of the most important crossroads between Italy and Northern Europe and is only 60 minutes from Milan.

-Villa d'Este was built in 1568 as the summer residence of Cardinal Tolomeo Gallio. The property comprises 25 acres of gardens and was transformed into a luxury hotel in 1873.

-The design of the lower part of the gardens is from the Renaissance period. The two most outstanding landmarks are the 500 year old plane tree and the 16th century Mosaic with its Nympheum. Apart from the topiary hedges and the bushes of bamboo, azaleas, camellias, oleanders, rhododendrons, hydrangeas, there are roses and jasmine bushes. The trees range from chestnut, magnolia, oleafragrans, wisteria, palm, cypress, pine, ilex, privet, mediar and many others.

-Dining on the Veranda in the evening requires a jacket and tie. If the weather doesn't cooperate, automated windows can turn an al fresco feast in a glassed-in affair.
-The 152 rooms at Villa d'Este are all decorated with antique furnishings and art works, which gives them a unique look.

Explore photos, availability, and rates at the Villa d'Este>>

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The Top 30 Hotels in 2012: #7 Hotel Le Meurice

In the last month of 2012, Five Star Alliance is counting down the Top 30 Luxury Hotels and Resorts worldwide, as decided by you, our luxury travelers! Be sure to check in with us daily to keep up with our countdown and explore a few of the absolute best and most luxurious hotels in the world for your future travels!

- Each of the seven floors has a distinct style, with 160 beautifully appointed rooms decorated in a style redolent of Louis XVI.

-Le Meurice has an unrivaled hotel location opposite the Tuileries Gardens and is a short stroll from Le Louvre in Central Paris.

-Highly acclaimed by food writers worldwide, three Michelin star Chef Yannick Alleno creates menus according to his own distinctive style of refined, harmonious and healthy cuisine.

-Spa Valmont uses the most prestigious products from Swiss anti-ageing skincare specialists, Valmont.

-Le Meurice is delighted to arrange child-friendly outings for guests, such as visits to the Jardin d'Acclimation, the Parc Andre Citroen, or cruises on the Bateaux-Mouches.

Explore photos, availability, and rates at Hotel Le Meurice>>

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The Top 15 Luxury Hotel Destinations in 2012: #8 Rome

In the final days of 2012, Five Star Alliance is counting down the Top 15 Luxury Hotels and Resort Destinations Worldwide, as decided by you, our luxury travelers! Be sure to check in with us daily to keep up with our countdown and explore a few of the absolute best and most luxurious hotels in the world for your future travels!

As of today, Five Star Alliance features 37 luxury hotels, in Rome, Italy.  Often known as The Eternal City thanks to its 3,000 years of rich history, Rome is also Europe’s greenest city. Traditionally, Rome was built on seven hills: Palatine, Aventine, Capitoline, Quirinal, Viminal, Esquiline and Caelian.

What Makes Our Guests Love Rome?

-The Trevi Fountain and other landmarks such as the Colosseum, Spanish Steps, and The Pantheon are just a few of the ancient treasures to be explored. There's also the Vatican museum, which is the largest museum complex in the world of over 1000 museums and galleries.

-The food. A city that has an entire museum devoted to pasta takes its food seriously. Italian food is regional, so the dishes you find in Rome may be a delicious new discovery.

-Rome is easy to get to, thanks to the plethora of flights in and out of the city daily.  There's also world-class shopping, entertainment, and did we mention the food?

Where to Stay?

-As of this writing,  there is select availability for New Year's Eve in Rome. Ripa Hotel is offering nightly rates starting at EUR157,  Boscolo Aleph Hotel has nightly rates starting at EUR267,  and for those wanting to splurge, Hotel Villa Spalletti Trivelli (pictured) has nightly rates from  EUR1375.

-Plan now for your springtime in Rome. Nightly rates for late March-Early April range from EUR192 at Hotel Lord Byron to Grand Hotel de la Minerve at EUR289 to EUR361 at St Regis Grand Rome (pictured below).

Did You Know?

-Vatican City, which is located inside the city limits of Rome, is its own sovereign state, and is the smallest state in the world.

-The abbreviation SPQR can be found on many Roman statues, buildings, and military standards. It stands for “senatus populusque romanus.” meaning “The senate and people of Rome

Check out all the best luxury hotels and resorts in Rome>>

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The Top 30 Hotels in 2012: #21 Babuino 181

In the last month of 2012, Five Star Alliance is counting down the Top 30 Luxury Hotels and Resorts worldwide, as decided by you, our luxury travelers! Be sure to check in with us daily to keep up with our countdown and explore a few of the absolute best and most luxurious hotels in the world for your future travels!

 

Rome's Babuino 181 is #21 on our list of Top Hotels in 2012. Here are a few fun facts about this luxury hotel:

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