The Algonquin Maintains its Classiness

The Algonquin has been undergoing some serious upgrades and updates, but it hasn’t lost its true identity in the process. A beautiful 4-star hotel in Time Square, the Algonquin has been the destination for business and leisure travelers in midtown Manhattan. This luxury hotel is New York City’s oldest continually operating hotel, and it has recently updated its rooms with new furniture, paint jobs, decorations, etc. The lobby is being updated and the fitness center is getting moved and upgraded. With all of these updates and changes, the Algonquin is maintaining its poise by installing an exclusive series of black and white photos in all of its guestrooms featuring Manhattan during the 1900s to the 19050s. The photos are by Irving Underhill, and each photograph will depict a different scene around New York. Be sure to make your reservations at this historic landmark which will be reopening on May 1st, 2012, and take in the charm of the old New York City!

Check out the following tweet to see the black and white photos of New York City for yourself!

Historic black and white photos of NYC come to the Algonquin: bit.ly/HQ2fOH

— HotelChatter (@HotelChatter) April 17, 2012

Phenomenal Rates and Amenities Available at the Peninsula Chicago!

The Peninsula Chicago is the Windy City’s most luxurious and sophisticated hotel. Located in the heart of the ‘Magnificent Mile,’ on the doorstep of Chicago’s business and shopping district, The Peninsula Chicago offers guests the absolute best amenities and services. Its 339 guestrooms and suites are among the largest in the city and are beautifully furnished with a state-of-the-art electronic system that allows guests to control all room features with the touch of a button. This luxury hotel is extremely accommodating of families with both Junior Suites and Deluxe Suites having a sofa bed as well as the option to interconnect the Grand Deluxe Room with a king size bed to a Grand Deluxe room with 2 double beds, a Deluxe Suite with a Deluxe Room, and an Executive Suite with a Deluxe Room. All of these amenities and characteristics of the hotel make it an excellent option when traveling to Chicago, but the following features and details set The Peninsula Chicago apart from other properties, making it one of the absolute best and most exceptional hotels in the area!

- A 14,000 square foot, two level spa and fitness center located on the top two floors of the hotel offering incredible skyline views of the city.

- Complimentary yoga and Pilates classes offered three times a day.

- A chocolate bar every Friday and Saturday night serving chocolate martinis and delectable treats while a soft jazz trio band plays in the background.

- A half Olympic-sized indoor pool.

- A business center that’s open 24 hours a day.

These are just a few of the ways The Peninsula Chicago goes above and beyond to offer its guests an exceptional stay, and you’ll simply have to make your reservations at this hotel to experience the true meaning of luxury for yourself!

The Big 7-5: Golden Gate Bridge Celebration at Cavallo Point

It's a hallmark occasion coming up in about a month for the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. May 27th marks the 75th anniversary of the bridge's construction, and times will be hopping in the Bay Area. The Cavallo Point Lodge is making a point to celebrate in style over the weekend with a Terrace Party and Gala Dinner.  If you're looking to be in San Francisco, the hotel is the perfect place to celebrate. A breathtaking view of the bridge from the terrace is a wonderful place for a party to commemorate one of the crowning engineering achievements in the United States.

Cavallo Point has some great rooms and suites available for the weekend, and some are even original officer's residences from historic Fort Baker and have wonderful skyline views. You can also, of course, stay in any of our other fantastic San Francisco hotels. Just be sure to make it out to the bridge while you're there. 

Big Things Afoot at the Miraval Resort & Spa

The Miraval Arizona Resort and Spa is already a wonderful location for a southwestern retreat. In the rugged heart of Arizona, Miraval is the perfect combination of luxury with the outdoors. The Catalina mountains are the perfect backdrop to horseback riding trip through the Sonoran desert. Voted the #1 Resort and Spa by Zagat Survey and readers of Conde Nast, the adult resort couples moments of reflection and relaxation in their award-winning spa with the adventure of the outdoors.  Four outdoor pools, one reserved specifically for Aqua Zen treatments, are the perfect place to wash away the heat of the desert sun.  I have a soft spot for the hard things in life, and there's something about the Miraval Resort and Spa that makes you feel alive. It might be the mixture of adventure and relaxation or the exotic desert beauty, I'm not really sure.  But the feeling of vitality is there in every activity, and it's a glorious feeling indeed.

Not only that, the Miraval is unveiling a new spa in the month of May that will be a wonderful upgrade to the already amazing options, and they're also unveiling new villas on the property.  The Miraval Arizona Resort & Spa was already on our radar, but now the blip is growing brighter and beeping faster and faster and, oh my, it's coming right for us! Take evasive action! 

New Look of the W New York Union Square

The W New York Union Square’s landmark 1911 beaux arts Guardian Life building was reinvented by d-ash, and this luxury hotel puts the city at your fingertips. Located in the heart of Silicon Alley where the finest and most exciting aspects of New York City are a short stroll away. Enjoy boutique shopping on Fifth and Sixth Avenues known as “Ladies Mile,” dine in some of the city’s best restaurants, experience the best bars, and taste freshness at the farmer’s market. According to HotelChatter, this hotel has also recently revealed a new look for all of its 270 rooms. Its design is simpler and a bit brighter, with red and white headboards and beautiful silver curtains in its guest rooms. The W New York Union Square is currently the only hotel overlooking Union Square, so it’s certainly worth checking out for your next visit to the Big Apple!

Chemical Romance: The Dupont Circle Hotel

The Dupont Circle Hotel recently renovated in 2009 to a new and innovative concept. Apart from renovating their rooms and suites, the hotel added an entire new floor. The secret 9th floor, in order to outdo the 13th floor of many buildings were the owners suffer from a bit of triskaidekaphobia, also doesn't  appear on the elevator, but that's because it has its own private one. A wholly separate experience from the rest of the hotel, the 15 suites on the 9th floor have a separate concierge service and special culinary preparations that are exclusive to those guests. You also learn a secret handshake on arrival.*

Outside of the enigmatic Grimmauldian world of the 9th floor, the Dupont Circle Hotel still has a lot to offer. 9,000 square feet of banquet and meeting space is available for larger parties, and you can get in-room fitness training, massage, and spa services, as well as fine French-American cuisine on site and plenty of fine dining establishments in the surrounding Dupont area.  Dupont Circle is right in the heart of the more social parts of DC that are active in the evening, and a short metro trip or cab ride to the National Mall.  If I were visiting DC, the Dupont Circle Hotel would definitely be on my short list.

*Disclaimer: You don't actually learn a handshake. But you could make up your own.

Upping the Tempo: Tempo Miami Rechristened Casa Moderna

In the spirit of the holiday, the Tempo Miami has rechristened itself as the Casa Moderna Miami. The new hotel is celebrating the name change in style, and there's not been a better time to stay in one of its 56 rooms and suites on gorgeous Biscayne Bay. Enjoy the view from its 14th-floor sky pool deck or lounge in its 8,000 sq ft spa.  The boutique resort is perfect for someone who wants to get out to the beaches of Miami without the bustle of the larger hotels.  

Casa Moderna is making a concerted effort to upgrade its dining experience as well. For the month of April, you can even text 'fresh' to 84700 in order to receive a coupon for a free Tea Forte cocktail at their delicious restaurant, Amuse. They are celebrating the addition of the new Executive Chef, Kenneth Williams, to their team, and I'm looking forward to the great things he'll be up to.  He was wonderful at the Fisher Island Club and Gotham Steak.  It will be great to see if the rebranding efforts will run deeper than the new website and new name to the essence of the hotel. At the very least, the new leadership for Amuse should provide an interesting change of pace.  Learn more about the Casa Moderna here.

Luxury Hotels near the San Francisco Convention Center

This blog series is for all of the business travelers who are looking for a luxury hotel that is located near the Convention Center of specific cities. We understand that you have places to be, people to meet, and conferences to attend, so we try to make your travels as stress-free and convenient as possible without forgoing luxury.

The Moscone Center in San Francisco is our center of focus for this blog post. The following are 5 and 4 star hotels located less than one mile from the Convention Center. We’ve listed them in order of proximity, and they are all a short walk or a speedy cab ride away!

Intercontinental San Francisco – 187 feet from the Convention Center

Hotel Palomar San Francisco – 0.4 miles from the Convention Center

St. Regis Hotel San Francisco – 0.4 miles from the Convention Center

W San Francisco – 0.4 miles from the Convention Center

Four Seasons San Francisco – 0.5 miles from the Convention Center

Hotel Monaco San Francisco – 0.6 miles from the Convention Center

Campton Place Hotel – 0.6 miles from the Convention Center

Clift – 0.6 miles from the Convention Center

The Palace – 0.7 miles from the Convention Center

Ritz Carlton San Francisco – 0.8 miles from the Convention Center

The Fairmont San Francisco – 0.9 miles from the Convention Center

The Huntington Hotel – 0.9 miles from the Convention Center

Four Star Properties:

Parc 55 Wyndham San Francisco Union Square – 0.3 miles from the Convention Center

Hotel Nikko San Francisco – 0.4 miles from the Convention Center

JW Marriott San Francisco Union Square – 0.6 miles from the Convention Center

Sir Francis Drake Hotel – 0.6 miles from the Convention Center

The Prescott San Francisco – 0.6 miles from the Convention Center

InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco – 0.8 miles from the Convention Center

Little Italy: The Venetian Las Vegas

Las Vegas is one of the few cities in the world where the ethnic districts are not marked out by a cultural difference in the food or architecture, but rather wholly created by casino hotels. The Venetian Las Vegas has carved out its own special place in Vegas for the other city that starts with V and has quite a bit more of a storied history to it.  The Venice on the strip offers a facsimile of the canaled streets, narrow buildings, and thousands of years of Italian history that come with the real thing. While you might not see the authentic purveyors of Murano glass in this Venice, you will dine on amazing italian food while staying in any of their all-suite rooms.  The grand canal shoppes are practically a mall in and of themselves, but with all the charm of old Italian streets, with over 80 international boutiques to choose from.

19 restaurants feature in the Venetian, with an unprecedented six James-Beard-award-winning chefs from Emeril Lagasse to Wolfgang Puck. Madame Tussauds' famous wax museum is a part of the resort, as is the Guggenheim Hermitage Museum for those who prefer their art to be a little less malleable.  It's hard to call anything an authentic Las Vegas museum, when so much is built upon the pageant of mimicry, but it is certain that no one does that better than, or on the same scale as, the Venetian Las Vegas.

A Hotel Love Letter: To the One and Only Palmilla

Dear Palmilla,

You are the Only One for me.  The curve of your beaches, your brilliant blue skies, the way your service always comes with a smile. It's enough to make a man blush.  Your beauty is unparalleled. I would write a poem describing it, but my awkward turns of phrase would pale in comparison to the raw, unadulterated perfection you embody, and I fear I would only stumble over my words, as graceful as my inner child, still going through the uncontrollable acne of his middle school years.

When I'm trapped at work, the spreadsheets morph inexplicably into images of your pristine beaches.  I just can't stop thinking about you. I would cross the oceans, travel to the very beaches of Los Cabos itself, just to be with you.  I know a longer relationship could never be, and our time together was always destined to be fleeting, too short to blossom into its full potential. But I hope that as time goes on my memory of you will become all the more poignant for its ephemeral nature. The possibility of seeing you again keeps me going as I slog through the world of faxes and memos; it is a spark of life that I will carry with me always.  May I see you again soon. You are the One and Only, my Palmilla.

With all my heart,

Chris