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LUXURY HOTEL INSIDER
 
FSA LogoThe Luxury Hotel Insider: Exclusive luxury hotel deals, features and special rates from the luxury hotel experts at Five Star Alliance. 
 
Named one of Tripbase's Best Luxury Travel Blogs for 2011, below are Five Star Alliance's newest articles featuring exclusive information on luxury hotels worldwide including special offers and deals at the world's best hotels.

Spring Break Sale at the Warwick Melrose Hotel Dallas

March 9, 2011
By: Mary Winston Nicklin

Warwick Melrose Hotel Dallas

Desperate for some r 'n' r? Spring break is right around the corner. Time to pamper yourself silly with a vacay. "Sleeping on a sandy beach is highly over-rated," says the Warwick Melrose Hotel Dallas, "when you compare it to one of our spacious, lavishly decorated rooms." A historic landmark located in the Uptown Oak Lawn and Turtle Creek area, the AAA Four-Diamond hotel is enticing guests to splurge on a sophisticated urban getaway with a limited time offer. Take advantage of the Spring Break Sale, available until April 11, 2011, and you'll get 30% off the Best Available Rate when you stay two nights or more. (Offer is subject to availability and black-out dates may apply.) During your stay, dine at the award-winning Landmark Restaurant, one of the top 10 restaurants in the city. No small feat, as Dallas boasts the highest number of restos per capita in the country.


Hot Rates at the Waikiki Edition, the New Ian Schrager Hotel

March 7, 2011
By: Mary Winston Nicklin

The Waikiki EditionThere's been a lot of buzz about the Waikiki Edition, Ian Schrager's new hotel on the beach. Outdoor movie theater, food by Iron Chef champ Masaharu Morimoto, a happening bar scene, Yoga classes, bikini boot camp... This hot spot has it all. (We can hardly wait for other Edition brand hotels to pop up in Istanbul, Mexico City, Barcelona and Bangkok.) Hot deals: TravelZoo is reporting that the Waikiki Edition has lowered rates from $445 to $295 per night through August 2. Plus you'll get a $50 resort credit with your plush oceanview accommodations. (Not available from April 9-15; May 14-18). Hurry, you must book by March 11, 2011!


Conrad Hotels Celebrates 25 Years: Get a Free Night in Chicago, Miami, Brussels and More

March 7, 2011
By: Mary Winston Nicklin

Conrad ChicagoConrad Hotels & Resorts-- described as "the most global contemporary luxury brand of the Hilton Family"-- has been around for a quarter century. To celebrate this milestone, Conrad is giving you a night on the house. Available for stays booked between March 1 and June 12, 2011 and completed by June 30, 2011, this offer is available at choice locations around the globe-- from Bali to Brussels, Singapore to San Juan. A minimum night stay requirement applies and varies by each individual hotel. For example, stay three nights at Conrad Chicago, a prime Windy City address, and get your fourth night for free. (Rates from $195.) Soak up the sun in Miami and get your fourth night free- with rates starting from $299. Check out the art, culture and design in the European Capital and get a third night free at Conrad Brussels- with rates starting from €199 per night. Offer is subject to availability and black-out dates may apply.


Fete the Cherry Blossom Festival with a Stay at the Fairmont Washington D.C.

March 4, 2011
By: Mary Winston Nicklin

Fairmont Washington DCThe nation's capital is gearing up for the National Cherry Blossom Festival, the wildly-popular annual event that even turns locals into flower-crazed shutterbugs. The festival showcases the annual blooming of the thousands of cherry trees along the Tidal Basin and elsewhere in D.C. The 2011 Festival will celebrate the 99th anniversary of 3,000 Yoshino cherry trees presented by the Mayor of Tokyo to the City of Washington as a “memorial of national friendship between the United States and Japan.” This year's festival will be held Saturday, March 26 through Sunday, April 10, 2011, and hotels are rolling out the red carpet with all kinds of special offers. The first we've seen is the "Cherry Blossom Package" at The Fairmont Washington D.C. which offers overnight accommodations, complimentary valet parking and a box of assorted note cards featuring scenes of the capital’s monuments and Cherry Blossoms by celebrated Washington, D.C. photographer Jake McGuire. Available from March 25 through April 15, 2011, based on availability, the package is priced from $229 based on double occupancy.


Spring Beach Breaks: Spa 101 at Hilton Bentley in Miami

March 4, 2011
By: Mary Winston Nicklin

Hilton Bentley South Beach

Spring break's right around the corner... What could be better than living it up in South Beach? Book a suite at the Hilton Bentley (where Kourtney and Khloe shacked up for their second season) and soak up the luxury. Each of the studio, one bedroom, two-bedroom, and penthouse suites are described as "amenity-rich." Think oversized marble bathrooms; plush, pillowtop king beds; private terraces; top-of-the-line kitchenettes. From the hotel's beachfront location in South Beach's "Sofi" (South of Fifth), you'll find you can walk to most anything in Miami's hedonistic playground. While you're there, try one of the Asian-inspired treatments at Spa 101 that caught the eye of the editors at Daily Candy:

 "An outdoor area overlooks the ocean, and the quaint indoor space has just two treatment rooms. Owner Iris Van de Coevering does many of the services herself. The back-to-basics menu reads simply “facial” or “massage.” Van de Coevering customizes each treatment, using natural ingredients (pumpkin peels, herb masks), along with high-tech methods like lymphatic drainage (to eliminate bacteria) and microcurrent machines (to tighten skin)."


Share Your Proposal Story: Win a Trip Around the World with Langham Hotels

March 3, 2011
By: Mary Winston Nicklin

The Langham Hong KongThe hospitality industry's got the Royal Wedding on the brain. On both sides of the pond there are special packages galore for royal watchers to mark the occasion. But Langham Hotels has gone one step further. The hotel company recently announced a competition encouraging couples to submit the "most romantic proposal" for a chance to win a trip around the world, using one million Asia Miles and staying in the lap of Langham luxury on four different continents. (The trip is worth $40,000.) Just upload a videoblog detailing your marriage proposal, or a video of the actual event, and link it to Facebook or Chinese social media site Kaixin by April 29, 2011. In May, Langham Hotels will pick 10 finalists, who will then be asked to share how they'll spend their time at the eight Langham locations worldwide. For more info, visit: romantic.langhamhotels.com.

Details on the prize: One million frequent flyer miles, two-night stays in each of the eight Langham properties (located in London, Hong Kong (pictured), Boston, Pasadena, Auckland, Melbourne and two hotels in Shanghai, The Langham Yangtze Boutique and The Langham Xintiandi Shanghai), airport transfers, and an afternoon tea experience.


Book Now: Free Stuff at The Iroquois in New York City

March 3, 2011
By: Mary Winston Nicklin

The Iroquois New YorkTucked away on quiet Club Row between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, The Iroquois New York stands apart from other Midtown Manhattan hotels because of its generous amenities. From complimentary morning coffee and free Internet access to the contemporary fitness center and Finnish sauna, The Iroquois also gets props for its savvy concierge team who can arrange theater tickets, private trainers, and restaurant reservations at the hottest tables in town. That's not all. Guest bathrooms are decked out in floor-to-ceiling Italian marble, Frette towels and Molton Brown bath products. At turn-down service, you'll find Le Belge chocolates, and your shoes will be shined overnight (for free). Business travelers also appreciate the lounge stocked with daily newspapers, complimentary computer terminals, a printer and AIRS-real time flight information for JFK, Newark/Liberty and LaGuardia. Book a stay during the month of March and take advantage of a fabulous promotion with Five Star Alliance. Choose the Five Star Alliance rate and you'll get two free cocktails at Triomphe, the critically acclaimed restaurant and bar, along with late check-out at 2 pm.


It’s a Bird, it’s a Plane, it’s… Premium Lounge at Miami International Aiport

March 2, 2011
By: Katie Tandy

Miami International Airport

Globetrotters rejoice: American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia have launched a joint Premium lounge in Miami International Airport, located in Concourse E — so first-class and business passengers can kick back, relax, or get down to business — before ever stepping foot on their flight.

Spanning 6,000 feet and offering seating for 120 guests, the new lounge boasts a business center with high-speed PCs, flat-panel TVs, spa-like showers for an on-the-road freshening, and a children’s room outfitted with age-appropriate programming.

Travelers visiting the lounge can also order up a stiff cocktail or crisp bubbling beer, as well as choose from a complimentary lunch, afternoon tea or light supper menu, offering rotating soups and mini sandwiches among other edible delectables.

The AA, BA, IB Premium lounge is open daily from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. and welcomes eligible International First Class, Business Class and Emerald and Sapphire customers.

Customers traveling on an AA-operated transcontinental full fare First Class (F and Z inventory) or full fare Business Class (J and U inventory) ticket, as well as Admirals Club members departing from Concourse E, may also access the lounge.


Green Hotels: Viceroy Snowmass Has Rates from $100 this Spring

March 1, 2011
By: Mary Winston Nicklin

Viceroy SnowmassHow do we love the Viceroy Snowmass? Let us count the ways. There's the Ute Indian-inspired wellness spa. The all-season heated saline pool, terrace with cabanas, Nest lounge and café designed by Kelly Wearstler. The helpful ski valet with on-site ski and snowboard rental. And the kick-ass slopeside location in the heart of Snowmass' new Base Village just seven miles from downtown Aspen. But perhaps most importantly: the hotel is eco-friendly. Outside Magazine has the deets:

More and more ski resorts are going green-- meaning you can feel good about living it up. In Colorado's recently renovated Snowmass village, the year-old Snowmass Viceroy offers 173 luxe rooms and a sprawling spa complex. But thanks to smart construction (think low-flow faucets and high-efficiency heating systems) as well as gaudy extras like an electric-car charging station, the lodge is up for LEED Silver certification. Roll up in your hybrid and parking's free.

Hot deal: Viceroy Snowmass has "Linger Longer Rates" starting at $100 per night from May 26, 2011. The ski season may be over by then, but you'll be privy to fantastic weather and gorgeous Rocky Mountain views.


Buzz in New York: New Lounge Mister H Opens in Mondrian SoHo

February 28, 2011
By: Katie Tandy

Mr. H

Manhattanites rejoice:The Beauty and the Beast-inspired Mondrian SoHo - swathed in powder blues and polished silver - has just opened something decidedly different, Mister H.

Channeling the opulence and decadence of an opium den in Shanghai circa 1930, the new nightclub looks like a Asian boudoir with velour beds and blood-red lighting coupled with antique mirrors, a jade and gold checkered floor and of course, a slew of flickering lanterns.

Owned by Armin Armiri of Socialista and Bungalow 8, Armiri says he wanted to create a place where Humphrey Bogart would head for a nightcap - this fictitious establishment is embodied in Mister H, which will serve up 12 specialty cocktails amid an all vinyl, funk soundtrack.

We've even heard that every pillow-strewn bed has a phone and each phone is randomly connected to another bed to facilitate coquettish phone calls.

Related Article: Morgans Hotel Group Plans to Open Delano Hotels in Mexico and Turkey