New Mondrian Hotel to Open in London

The sixth Mondrian Hotel will be coming to the South Bank of the London Thames River in 2014. This hotel is expected to have 100 more rooms than the Mondrian in New York, and it will be the first Mondrian hotel in Europe. This swanky hotel will reportedly have a restaurant, a ground floor bar, and a rooftop bar. This hotel is expected to bring a new excitement to the already exciting city of London, so keep an eye out for its grand opening in 2014!

Don’t want to wait until 2014? Then we encourage you to check out a few other Mondrian properties including the Mondrian Soho in New York City, the Mondrian South Beach in Miami Beach, and the Mondrian Hotel in West Hollywood.

Cities You Should See: Munich is More than Beer, But It’s That, Too

I’m not sure there’s a city in the world that gets stereotyped more than Munich. While it’s certainly iconic for the fine German beer that flows freely from its taps, Munich is so much more than gardens of alcohol. Long the seat of Bavarian culture, Munich is the center of German tradition. For a lot of us that means fine beer and maidens donning dirndls, the traditional Bavarian dress you’ve seen in every German tourist brochure since Gutenberg invented the printing press. But as much as Munich has been reduced to stereotype of itself by the outside world, once you get beyond that, there’s a real heart to it. The medieval town is remarkably preserved, down to the clockwork performance of the city hall’s belltower. The English garden the accompanies is the royal residence is glorious to walk around in and even boasts its own outdoor Biergarten around a Chinese tower built in the center of it.

Of course, as much as I’d like to get beyond the stereotypes of the beer maidens handing out liters like it’s nobody’s business, I would be remiss if I didn’t go into just how the beer culture pervades this uniquely German city. Munich has embraced its stereotype, and beer houses like the iconic Hofbrauhaus offer everything that you could want out of a kitschy but simultaneously authentic drinking experience. The waitresses can carry at least eight liters of alcohol at one time, and you would be hard-pressed to find a vegetable on the menu that’s not a potato. In many ways, Munich is the distilled essence of all that is traditional about Germany.

The city itself is not large and almost any hotel will give you great access to all that it has to offer. Most of the big brands have left their mark on the city and some great independent hotels like the Bayerischer Hof join them in offering luxurious beds to sleep off your hangover. Munich is a city that revels in its wholehearted kitschiness, and there’s a certain honesty to that that draws you in the ritual of the city.

Legoland Lands in March: The World’s Most Cubic Hotel

Now this is a hotel that understands the building blocks to success: Take a universally loved children’s toy, add just the right amount of kitsch, and make it a family-themed resort, and all of a sudden, you’ve got the perfect destination. According to HotelChatter, the Legoland in the UK is opening in March with an attendant Windsor Resort hotel. And this hotel is taking the theme of the park seriously. Making use of 1,600 different lego models assembled by their team of expert builders, more than 80 million blocks will be used in the hotel design (don’t worry none of them are structurally vital). Not only that, the rooms are themed around the traditional lego settings, including everyone’s favorite, pirates.

You might not think of Lego has a traditional luxury brand, and they certainly aren't making an attempt at super luxury; roughly 250 euros gets you a family room, park tickets for two days, free breakfast, and an early-bird pass in the low season; but you’d be hard-pressed to find a better kids-oriented destination. And if you hail from the other side of the pond, you need not worry. The California Legoland will be rolling out a similar Lego-themed hotel in 2013.

Photo via Legoland

Where to Get a Fab Facial (with Jade Stones!) in London

Need to get cleaned up for your company's annual holiday party? Hot-foot it to The Langham London, where you'll get a serious pick-me-up at the swank Chuan Spa.* They've just launched a revolutionary new spa treatment... and jade stones are involved. Long prized in China by the Imperial Court (and crafted into objets d'art by skilled artisans), jade is celebrated for its healing and restorative properties. The 75-minute Chuan Yu Facial is designed for the ultimate in skin rejuvenation, using jade to stimulate and massage facial acupoints with the Ancient Gua Sha technique-- one of China’s traditional national therapies used by Traditional Chinese Medicine doctors for relieving blocked meridians. The facial eliminates toxins and improves blood circulation- meaning you'll look and free great. Starting off with a short breathing ritual to aid relaxation, the treatment also includes a nourishing face mask, a full facial hydrating ritual and ear auricular therapy to help stimulate internal organs. The Chuan Yu facial costs £100.

*The Langham's Chuan Spa opened earlier this year to much fanfare.

Private Ice Skating Rink and Winter Chalets at La Reserve Geneva

Not content with Geneva's own splendid holiday decorations, La Réserve Genève Hotel & Spa has gone above and beyond the call of Christmas duty. The ultra-luxury hotel on the shores of Lake Geneva will be installing its very own private ice rink and Christmas market-style winter chalets on the property. Starting December 13, 2011 and running until February 26, 2012, La Réserve Genève will morph into a true winter wonderland where guests can glide across the ice (or book skating lessons!), then sip hot mulled wine or Champagne in the festive winter chalets. The chic waitstaff will supply blankets to ward off the chill in the air, and serve holiday treats like crêpes, waffles, oysters, and caviar. The best part of all? This Winter Wonderland has spectacular views of Lake Geneva and the snow-capped mountains beyond.

A two-night weekend stay at La Réserve Genève starts from $1,076 (based on two sharing a double room) and includes full use of all hotel facilities including the spa, fitness center, swimming pool, indoor tennis courts, and the Winter Wonderland.

Hotel Buzz: Radisson Blu Park Hotel, Athens Opens in December

It's official. The Rezidor Hotel Group is one of the fastest growing hotel companies worldwide. The latest property to join their expansive portfolio? The Radisson Blu Park Hotel, Athens- which will open in a matter of weeks in the Greek capital. Formerly called the Athens Park Hotel, the 152-room property is located opposite the "Pedion Areos," Athens' largest park, and is next to the National Archaeological Museum. This address in the northern part of the city center is convenient to museums, shops, and restaurants, with the Acropolis just a short walk away. Guests of the Radisson Blu can enjoy a rooftop swimming pool with staggering views over Athens. The hotel also has the Gallo Nero restaurant, the Oak Room bar, St'Astra rooftop restaurant, and two conference rooms. This is the first Radisson Blu in Greece, and Rezidor now has properties in 65 countries across Europe, Middle East, and Africa. Up next: the Radisson Blu Grand Canaria Resort, Spain and Radisson Blu Uppsala, Sweden in 2012.

Countdown to Christmas: Santa, Spice and Everything Nice at Le Meurice, Paris

Want to spice things up for Christmas this year? Hop the pond to the most visited city on earth for some raucous merrymaking-- French-style. The Champs-Élysées will be sparkling with lights, the street markets fragrant with hot mulled wine, the department stores dazzling with over-the-top window displays. What are you waiting for? Paris awaits you with open arms. Bed down at Le Meurice- the majestic palace hotel facing the Jardin des Tuileries- and you'll be privy to some fun festivities, as the hotel decks the halls with colorful decorations and goes all out in the food department. Best part of all: Santa will be pulling up his sleigh at Le Meurice for three Wednesdays in December, starting December 7, to give gifts to the kids at teatime.

The hotel is offering a special package for Christmas, available from December 1- December 28, 2011, starting from 560 euros, which includes accommodations (upgrade guaranteed at booking time) and American breakfast for two guests, Champagne and petits fours amenities, a Christmas gift for children, and free access to the wellness centre, Sauna, Turkish bath and Jacuzzi.

Now Open: The Armani Hotel Milan Makes a Splash in Italy

For his first eponymous hotel, Giorgio Armani didn't exactly go about it quietly. He chose the tallest building in the world-- the towering Burj Khalifa-- as the setting for the sleek Armani Hotel Dubai, which embodies the fashion mogul's sophisticated style even in the tiniest of details. Now Armani has done it again-- this time with a brand new "palazzo" hotel in his home town of Milan. Situated on via Manzoni in the city's designer shopping district, the Armani Hotel Milan recently held a star-studded opening gala where celebs like Jessica Alba donned their finest Armani apparel.

Conde Nast Traveller says: "Giorgio Armani has created a home from home, or casa della casa, for suitably stylish guests in Milan. Interiors are perfectly in keeping with Armani/Casa's sleek style and his clothing line; a continuation of his ocean-inspired Spring/Summer 2012 ready-to-wear collection - think silver and sophisticated gold." Luxury Travel Advisor is smitten with the suites that come with private gyms and personal kitchens. "Each guest is assigned his or her personal "lifestyle manager," (think 24/7 butler). There is a rooftop spa with Japanese onsen-style Jacuzzi and gym overlooking the Duomo and La Scala (posh indeed!)."

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The World's Best Hotels: Announcing the Fodor's 100 Hotel Awards 2011

Looking to get inspired for your next getaway? The savvy editors at Fodor's have just released their first-ever list of the world's best hotels. After careful deliberation, the team of Fodor's editors and writers curated the "Fodor's 100 Hotel Awards 2011" spanning eight hotel categories. Here's a sampling of some of our favorites that made the cut.

New & Noteworthy- The Year's Best New and Reinvented Hotels: Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, Mondrian Soho in NYC, Hotel Bel-Air & The Redbury in Los Angeles

Grande Dame- Legendary Hotels with Superlative History and Service: The Carlyle in NYC, Hotel Plaza Athenee in Paris, Hotel du Russie in Rome, The Savoy in London

Casual Chic- Effortlessly Stylish Hotels with Rustic-Modern Appeal: Cavo Tagoo in Mykonos, Bardessono in Napa, The Allison in Oregon

Design- Cutting-Edge Boutique Hotels at All Price Points: Hotel Missoni in Edinburgh, Jia in Hong Kong

Local Flavor- Go-To Hotels for a Truly Authentic Experience: Fairmont Chateau Montebello in Quebec, Evason Ma'in Hot Springs and Six Senses Spa in Jordan

Clubby Atmosphere- Hip Urban Pied-à-Terres: 21C Museum Hotel in Louisville, The Liberty in Boston, The Augustine in Prague

Luxurious Retreat- Top Choices for a Complete Escape: Little Palm Island Resort and Spa in the Florida Keys, Blackberry Farm in Tennessee, Inkaterra Machu Picchu

Trusted Brand- World-Class Examples of International Hotel Chains: Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, Park Hyatt Paris Vendome, The Peninsula Bangkok

Hotel Gritti Palace in Venice Closed for Restoration until 2013

To the disappointment of the Hollywood celebs and business tycoons who bunk down at The Gritti Palace while staying in Venice, the iconic luxury hotel has shuttered its palatial doors for a 15-month restoration. When it reopens in 2013, this Starwood Luxury Collection hotel is guaranteed to still have its magnificent historic features and design elements (original Rubelli Venetian textiles and unique furniture custom designed by Donghia and inspired by Venetian Rococo couches and pozzetti). But it will also flaunt up-to-the-minute technology and all the latest contemporary conveniences. The finest craftsmen have been enlisted for this meticulous renovation project. Located on the Grand Canal and housed inside a 16th century palazzo, The Gritti Palace is a fixture on Travel + Leisure magazine's "T+L 500" list of top-rated hotels around the globe.

For other accommodations options in Venice, check out our recommended hotels.