Spring Travel to Prague: 70 Different Brews at May’s Czech Beer Festival

So you didn't get your act together for an Easter trip to Prague. No biggie. You'll miss the dyed Easter eggs and willow whips at the festive markets, but you can still head to the capital for the ever-popular Czech Beer Festival in May, taking place in three enormous tents with a seating capacity of 10,000. Taste more than 70 brands of beer (served in glass pitchers straight from the tap), and when you're looking for a nibble, you'll find a selection of tasty bites from local chefs. All served by ladies and gents sporting the Czech national costume, of course. The festival runs from May 12- May 28, 2011. Looking for a place to hit the hay? Check out our fabulous collection of Four-Star and Five-Star Hotels, including the Mandarin Oriental, Kempinski, and The Augustine (pictured at right).

Easter in Paris: A Rabbit-Filled Garden and Easter Egg Hunts at Ritz Paris

Who needs a giant Easter Bunny in a costume when you can have the real thing? For the entire month of April, the Ritz Paris will be transformed into a flower-filled wonderland. Florist Djordje Varda is decorating the halls with yellow butterflies made from Oncidium orchids. The Grand Jardin-- the leafy terraced oasis at the heart of the hotel-- has morphed into a secret garden where real bunnies can be found in the vegetation. Accompanied by their parents, kids can seek out the rabbits and other fun surprises. A lavish Easter brunch will be served on Sunday, April 24 from 11 am to 3 pm, and during this time, there will be three Easter Egg Hunts in the Grand Jardin. The hotel's on-site chocolaterie will also be entertaining pint-sized guests with chocolate-making demos (chocolate Easter eggs galore!) The brunch is priced from 155 euros for adults, including a glass of Champagne, and 80 euros for children under 12. Kids under 5 eat free.

Related Article: An Inside Look at the Escoffier Cooking School at the Ritz Paris

Friday Photos: Hotel Napoleon Paris, Two Steps from the Champs Elysées

Not too shabby a gift! Built in the 1920s, the Hotel Napoleon was bought by a Russian businessman as a wedding present for the French girl he had fallen for. Over the years the hotel hosted famous guests from the era's high society. (Josephine Baker, Ernest Hemingway, and Dali all stayed here.) In the 1930's, the hotel was immortalized by one of France's most famous actors, Jean Gabin, in a couple of his films. Today the boutique hotel is appreciated for its location in the heart of the Triangle d'Or, just a stone's throw from the Arc de Triomphe and the world-famous Champs Elysées.

Adorned with Napoleonic artwork and elegant Directoire furniture, the Hotel Napoleon has retained an intimate ambience. The 102 guest rooms are decorated in the Empire style and have views over the Paris rooftops and the Eiffel Tower. What could be better than starting the day with breakfast on your terrace, with all of Paris at your feet?

Giant 4-Foot Wedding Cake Unveiled in London to Fete the Royal Wedding

From themed Afternoon Teas to commemorative tea bags and postage stamps, London is getting in the mood for the upcoming Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Visit London-- the official tourism organization for the capital-- recently unveiled a giant 4-foot wedding cake, a lovely replica of the famous St. Bride's Church on Fleet Street-- the actual, real-life inspiration for the traditional tiered wedding cake enjoyed around the world today! Visit London describes their recent feat:

Back in the 18th century, London-based baker’s apprentice Thomas Rich wanted to create something special for his wedding day so, taking the tall spire and steeple of St Bride’s Church as a model, he came up with the idea for a tiered cake. This cake was provided by Sophisticake (who made the wedding cake for HRH Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall). It was created using a medieval recipe which required a whopping 200 eggs, 120lb (54kg) of dried fruit and 18lb (8kg) of butter! The cake will be donated to St Bride’s Church to share with its parish and support their charitable causes.

Thinking about flying to London for the Royal Wedding on April 29, 2011? Hotels are not yet sold out. Browse our collection of Four- and Five-Star hotels and take your pick...

Have a Spring Fling: 30% Off with Starwood Hotels Limited-Time Sale

Pssst! Starwood is having a ginormous sale to herald spring's arrival. So if you're looking for a spring fling, why not take a jaunt to one of Starwood's 800 hotels and resorts worldwide? Or even just spend a night away from home in your own 'hood? The "Our World, for a Limited Time" package doles out savings of up to 30% at properties available across all nine of Starwood's brands: Sheraton, Westin, W Hotels, St. Regis, Le Méridien, The Luxury Collection, Aloft, Four Points by Sheraton and Element. (We say the W Retreat on Koh Samui looks mighty nice... And closer to home: spend the night in the "drunk tank" at Boston's "liberated landmark," The Liberty Hotel.) Available for stays until May 30, 2011, must book by April 4, 2011.

Pictured: A heavenly slice of the Mediterranean at Le Meridien Limassol Spa and Resort on Cyprus.

Say Hello to London’s Restored Landmark, the St. Pancras Renaissance London Hotel

With the Royal Wedding fast approaching and the Olympic Games drumming up excitement for 2012, London has become the destination du jour-- with no shortage of stylish places to stay! In recent months, a slew of new hotels have opened on the famously fashionable hotel scene. One of the most highly anticipated is the St. Pancras Renaissance London Hotel, reopened after a dramatic £150 million transformation. With the arrival of Eurostar trains in 2007, the St. Pancras railway station was itself renovated, and now it has a hotel to match. The red brick building-- a stunning example of High Victorian Gothic architecture-- was saved from demolition and has been restored to its former glory as one of the city's great landmarks. The five-star St. Pancras Renaissance London has 204 rooms and 41 suites.

To quote the London Evening Standard:

...it is the restored public spaces that will astonish visitors: the grand sweeping staircase, the Ladies Smoking Room - the first place in Europe where women could smoke in public - and the old ticket office that has been converted into a bar. A St Pancras ale is being brewed in tribute to the station's history as a transportation point for millions of barrels of beer. The hotel reception and function room have been carved from the former taxi rank, and Michelin-starred chef Marcus Wareing will open a restaurant and bar serving classic British cooking and named after the station's master architect, Sir George Gilbert Scott.

Get the Inside Scoop on Paris with “Eye Prefer Paris” Walking Tours

If you saw the wonderful article on Paris in The New York Times Travel section this past weekend, you might be pining for a trip to the City of Light. And you couldn't have picked a better time. The sun is shining, the flowers are blooming, and there's not a cloud in the sky. In fact, the temps have been in the 70s and it feels almost balmy. Take a stroll through the city's glorious gardens and you'll find the air fragrant with flowers, the sidewalk cafes packed with people-watchers. For some insider tips on Paris, book a private tour with Eye Prefer Paris. A transplanted New Yorker, Richard Nahem delights visitors on tours through his Marais neighborhood and other prime spots around town. Each three-hour walking tour is individually tailored, so if you're interested in jewelry and fashion, Richard can point out secret addresses and cutting-edge boutiques; if you're a die-hard foodie, he's got the skinny on local food shops, markets, and restaurants. Price for the private tour is 195 euros for up to 3 people, and 65 euros for each individual person. Check it out! www.eyepreferparistours.com Photo of "Spring Flowers in Paris" courtesy of Eye Prefer Paris

Friday Photos: Enterprise Hotel Milan, Former Factory Turned Trendy Boutique

This design-driven boutique hotel is the result of a successful industrial recovery project. After thirty years of total neglect, the property-- first built as an important radio factory and later used to print La Settimana Enigmistica (an established Italian weekly)-- was totally refurbished and rebuilt. Opened in 2002, this trendy four-star hotel has 123 guest rooms decorated with refined fabrics and materials, some of which were custom made for Enterprise by acclaimed brands Flos and Cassina. These contemporary rooms were designed in a minimalist style with comfort in mind and they have all the latest technology, including free wireless Internet access.

The Enterprise Hotel Milan also has a Congress Centre with eight meeting rooms filled with natural light, where companies like BMW, Coca Cola, Estèe Lauder, and Hugo Boss have held events. The hotel has hosted its fair share of photo shoots, art exhibits, and fashion shows, too. Last summer, the Lounge bar presented "Kama Karana," a special aperitif combined with massages and wellness therapies. Sound interesting? The hotel also gets props for its lively "happy hour party" every Thursday.

A Cocktail Recipe from The Connaught Bar, London (Courtesy of Gwyneth Paltrow)

Thanks to Gwyneth Paltrow's GOOP newsletter, we're privy to a fun cocktail recipe from The Connaught Bar. In the St. Patrick's Day edition, GP tracked down recipes from some of her fave watering holes around the world. Among them? One of our top spots for libations: The Connaught Bar, designed by David Collins at the hotel of the same name in London town. "Their mixologist, Italian Agostino Perrone, is famous for revamping the bar’s cocktails, and making this one of the best spots in London for an impressively well crafted drink." And without further ado:

Spicy Cup

For one cocktail:

* 25ml Apple Juice

* 35ml Berneroy fine Calvados

* 15ml Galliano Ristretto Liqueur

* 15ml King’s Ginger Liqueur

* 15ml Homemade Vanilla Sugar

* 15ml Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

* 60ml Top With Cider

Stir all the ingredients over ice and pour in a highball glass filled with ice.
 Garnish with lemon zest and mint.

Sponsored Article: Discover Greece in Your Private Villa Hotel

In the Middle Ages the Venetians who ruled the Ionian island of Zakynthos named it “Flower of the East”. Centuries later, it is flowering in all its glory at the boutique five-star Porto Zante Villas & Spa, which has combined the privacy of world class private villas with the amenities and services only seen in top five star hotels.

Standing majestically on a private sandy beach of a secluded bay, this tiny all-villas resort has proven a hit with well-known clients from political and business leaders to artists.

Each of Porto Zante’s luxury villas offers unparalleled privacy & seclusion. Villas range from one to four bedrooms, all of them with private heated pool, and some with private spa and private beach area.

Dining at the resort’s restaurant or at the privacy of the villas is a true authentic Greek experience. All the products used by the Chef is organically grown in the island or at the estate of the villas. The meat is from the island’s mountains and the fish is fresh delivered every morning by the resort’s fisherman.

Young guests can enjoy a kids’ entertainment service that includes supervised fun activities, decorated luxury villa guest rooms and specially created dining menus by the resort’s chef.

Porto Zante offers more than 20 spa and thalassotherapy Therapies – all in the privacy of the private spa areas of the villas - using products by Greece’s Apivita Natural and Italy’s Bulgari.

Should you wish to have some action, Porto Zante can organise a range of outside activities. Watersports, scuba diving, a helicopter ride over the island or a private boat excursion to the breathtaking Shipwreck (Navagio) Beach and the Blue Caves on the north shore. Or maybe you want to explore the island of Zakynthos, with its dramatic coastline and enchanting villages, or the vibrant nightlife of its capital – before returning to your private little haven at Porto Zante.