New to Five Star Alliance: Travaasa Austin

Travaasa Austin thinks of itself as Texas's most active destination resort and spa. The luxury resort takes pride in offering its guests a compelling menu of inclusive guided adventures, culinary classes, cultural encounters, healing spa treatments, and fitness and wellness workshops, all located in a Zen-like preserve for the soul.

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Did You Know? The Lodge and Spa at Callaway Gardens

The Lodge and Spa at Callaway Gardens is located at Callaway Gardens, a man-made landscape in a unique natural setting. was The 6,500 acres at this destination draws over 750,000 visitors annually.

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The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel Spearheads an Earth Day Beach Clean Up

20 million people gathered across the country to show support and their increasing concern about the visible ruined environment, on the very first Earth Day on April 22nd, 1970. Led by Senator John McConnell along with a small team of environmentalists and scientists, concerned citizens and the like, they successfully raised awareness about the absence of green issues from the United States’ political agenda. It has grown to be recognized as an annual global event, and even has been adopted by the United Nations in 2009. Celebrated in more than 192 countries every year, numerous communities celebrate Earth Day by participating in activities focused on environmental issues.

It is becoming a norm for companies to participate in being green and responsible corporate, by adopting green initiatives within their business model. The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, has followed suit by extending the invitation of being more green, and being an eco-hero to their guests and local residents. The hotel chain has teamed up with the Southern California’s expert-naturalist organization, the Eco-Adventure Center to help with this effort. The Beach Clean Up is the Ritz-Carlton property’s annual Earth Day initiative where they invite local residents and their hotel guests to come join them and help do their part in keeping Salt Creek Beach clean. Naturalists from the resort's Eco-Adventure Center will provide trash bags and gloves for participants, and will manage the removal of the trash that is collected.   The Ritz Carlton hopes that this event helps guests and locals to extend eco-efforts in their own homes.

The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel beach clean-up will be held Saturday, April 20 at 10 a.m.  

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Image of the Day: Banyan Tree Hangzhou

Banyan Tree Hangzhou is a Jiangnan-style "water-village" resort experience located inside the Xixi wetlands, China's first wetlands reserve. The Xixi National Wetland Park is home to an amazing wealth of thriving plant and animal life.

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Newly Renovated El Encanto Opening Soon!

We’re holding our breath for the opening of the new and improved El Encanto in Santa Barbara, California! This Orient Express property has been undergoing a major renovation for the last few months, and we’re absolutely thrilled to see all of the upgrades and modifications! Opening day is currently set for March 18th, 2013, and this luxury hotel will stand out from the rest in more ways than one! A few additions to look forward to include:

- El Encanto will have its very own cow, Ellie whose milk will be used to make a special cheese only to be found at this hotel. (cool, huh?)

- This hotel will be serving unpasteurized beer brewed nearby to go with the special cheese.

- The coffee served for breakfast will be El Encanto’s own brand, and their on-site herb and vegetable garden will ensure only the very best greens make it to your table.

- For the eco-friendly travelers, El Encanto has added various energy saving and preservation techniques to reduce overall consumption. Guests are encouraged to leave their cars behind and hop on one of the complimentary electric bikes and mosey their way to the beach or into town.

- Accommodations will include 92 intimate bungalows that are scattered throughout seven acres of grounds.

Explore details and photos of El Encanto here, and be sure to make your reservation for this stunning property in March!

12 Days of Hotels: The 2 Best Gold Resorts

Instead of 12 Days of Christmas, Five Star Alliance is having its own countdown featuring 12 Days of Hotels! We unfortunately don’t have a song to go along with our countdown, but we will be featuring a variety of categories. Today’s feature is 2 of the World’s Best Golf Resorts!

1. Loews Ventana Canyon Resort

Tee off at 2 18-hole champion Tom Fazio designed golf courses.

2. Kiawah Island Golf Resort

Play the Five championship courses including the world-famous Ocean Course.

The Top 30 Hotels in 2012: #24 Viceroy Bali

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!

Coming in the #24 spot is the Viceroy Bali which is located only 5 minutes outside of the heartland of Bali. Here are a few fun facts about this luxury hotel:

- 25 luxurious villas in the highlands of Ubud.

- All the villas are luxurious with private pools and spectacular views over Petanu River gorge and tropical forests.

- The decor of each villa is sumptuous, all have marble floors, luxurious furnishings, top quality beds with fine thread count linen, spacious marble bathroom with separate shower, bath, twin vanities, all have air conditioning, ceiling fans, 42' LCD satellite television, DVD player, espresso coffee machine and more.

- CasCades is a fine dining restaurant overlooking the spectacular vista of the Valley with its award winning French Cuisine and extensive wine cellar.

- Balanced on the hill slope overlooking the spectacular Petanu River Gorge with its unrivalled views, The Lembah Spa offers treatments developed by Swiss professionals to combine the best of the West, with Balinese natural treatments.

Explore photos, availability, and rates at the Viceroy Bali here >>

Be sure to enter our Romantic Getaway sweepstakes to be entered to win a roundtrip flight for 2 as well as a 5 night stay at this property! Visit our Facebook page to enter!

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Best Room Type at Hotel Monaco Portland for Family of 3

We at Five Star Alliance work tirelessly to ensure we bring you the best luxury hotels selection and information regarding amenities, location, and highlights so you are confident that the hotel you choose will exceed your expectations and serve your needs. Sometimes, however, you are left with a few questions that go unanswered, and that’s why we’re here. Be sure to explore our new blog series ‘Your Questions Answered’ to find answers to real questions submitted to us by our clients regarding traveling with kids, pets, the best beach hotels, and much more.

Question: We would like to stay at the Hotel Monaco Portland and our family is 2 adults and 1 13 year old child. What room type would be able to accommodate all 3 of us?

Answer: The Monaco King Suite can accommodate 2 adults and 1 child, and there would be no extra person charges. This room option has a king bed in the bedroom area and a pullout sofabed in the living room area. The bedroom and living room are separated by French doors. To make a reservation for this room type, simply visit this website, enter your dates of travel, select the 'Best Available Rate - Monaco King Suite 550 Sq Ft Mini Bar' room type, and fill in the booking form. Please be sure to add 'traveling with a 13 year old child' to the Special Requests field so the hotel can properly prepare for your arrival.

Please be advised that the rates, availability, as well as the extra person charges are subject to change depending on the hotel’s policies.

Inn at Harbour Town is a Hotspot for Eco-Tours

Ecotourism has been growing in popularity with more and more luxury travelers searching for hotels that support conservation efforts and encourage socially responsible travel. Taking advantage of natural activities is a positive way to relax, unwind, and recharge your batteries while remaining active. Prepare for an exciting adventure and get ready for countless beautiful photo opportunities and a few fun facts learned along the way!

The Inn at Harbour Town in Hilton Head, South Carolina is a charming and intimate European style hotel that has 605 acres of forest preserve for exploration. Hop on a hard-bottom inflatable boat for a guided tour through Calibogue Sound. Get ready to see shore birds, sea turtles, and bottom nose dolphins, and be sure to hop off at an island beach to find beautiful shells. If you’re hoping for something a little slower paced, check out the Alligator Wine and Cheese tour. Sail away on a sunset cruise on the freshwater lakes and discover native plants and animals while sipping on complimentary wine and nibbling on complimentary cheese. Whether you’re looking for exploration, relaxation, or a little bit of both, the Inn at Harbour Town has abundant ecotourism opportunities for a range of interests.

Impawsibly Luxurious: The Resort at Paws Up

If there was ever a hotel name that invited a pun, it's the Resort at Paws Up, and I'd like to pay proper tribute to that. Maybe your life has gotten a little hectic recently; things are moving a little too quickly, and it feels like everything is getting away from you. What you need is to take a step back and abandon the rat race; take a pause from your normal life. Or maybe you have a bunch of friends, and you're looking for a getaway to the Montana wilderness. Well, the Resort at Paws Up has room for your whole paws-e. Really, the pawsibilities are endless. Whew. That was exhausting. And I've even avoided making any pet jokes...

Now that we've gotten that out of our systems, we can move on to the business of describing exactly what makes the Resort at Paws Up unique besides the name. A lot of resort promise a wilderness experience, but you're really just two miles out of town and their wild forest is a five acre manicured lawn. Well, Montana is literally derived from the Spanish word for mountainous country, and the state animal is the grizzly bear. The wilderness in Montana doesn't mess around, and neither does Paws Up. The property has a number of different cabins avaiable from the meadow to the mountainside, and there's even an outdoor tent city if you want to really rough it. All this makes it sound like I'm describing something very different from the classic luxury resort, but don't let me fool you. The Resort at Paws Up constantly has luxury in mind; it just recognizes that even those who enjoy their five star dining and top-notch spa facility have come for the outdoors as much as the high thread count. In fact, I would argue that there's nothing lost on the luxury experience, but the surroundings are more real, highlighting the local freshness of cuisine homemade from local flora and fauna, like their unbelievable huckleberry toast. If you want your luxury to come with wilderness, or your wilderness to come with luxury, look no further than the Resort at Paws Up, where you'll get the best of both worlds.