Things that Go Bump in the Night: The New Nightclub in the LES, SGTs

Just when you thought Ludlow St. in Manhattan couldn't get any hipper, Hotel Chantelle (which is actually a bar and restaurant) goes and opens a new speakeasy, SGTs, rumored to be named after a French World II safe house.

Try the first floor first - take a seat on the crimson-colored leather banquettes or take a gander at the 18th and 19th-century salvaged wood that serves as a cozy decorative mainstay.

But then keep your eyes peeled for an illuminated exit sign inside Hotel Chantelle's bar and descend the stairs to discover the hush-hush dance club SGTs, all 7,500 square feet of it.

And just in case you're thinking of this bar as a the kind of place to hunker down in winter with a warm pint of Guinness, rest assured that come spring, all the scantily clad sirens of NYC will be flocking to the pending greenhouse rooftop garden with retractable roof.

Book Today: 40% Off Rooms at The Fairmont Banff Springs

Hurry! You've just got a few more days to snag a deal at The Fairmont Banff Springs-- the majestic mountain resort known as "The Castle in the Rockies." Styled after a Scottish Baronial Castle, the resort is set in the heart of Banff National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Fairmont Banff Springs Spotlight Offer is available to book until February 27, 2011 and translates to 40% off room rates with a third night free, for travel until May 31, 2011. Prices start from CAD $179 based on double occupancy in a Fairmont Room. (The fine print: A full non-refundable deposit (no cancellations) is required at time of booking. This offer is non-transferable and subject to availability.)

Psst. Could The Fairmont Banff Springs host the young royals on their honeymoon? From the website:

With the approaching royal wedding, rumour has it that Banff National Park is a possible honeymoon location for William and Kate. Royal watchers agree that Fairmont's regal history – King George VI & Queen Elizabeth’s 1939 visit, and Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth II & Prince Phillip’s 2005 visit to Jasper Park Lodge – makes our iconic Rocky Mountain resorts perfect for the young royals!

Grand Wailea in Maui: The Setting for “Just Go With It”

Did you see the new comedy from Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston? (Our correspondent Daniel Moses suspects you've seen "Just Go With It" at least a few times already.) If so, we bet you were curious about that spectacular oceanfront pool. Well, we've done some sleuthing around for you and we've found the place: The Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort in Maui. This gorgeous Hawaiian retreat gets serious props for its pool area, a sprawling complex of waterfalls and water slides facing one of America's best beaches. In fact, the pool has been repeatedly named one of the top hotel pools in the U.S. Eager to check out the pool with your own eyes? Take advantage of the "Best of Waldorf Astoria" offer and get complimentary breakfast for two and an on-property credit for each night of your stay at the Grand Wailea.

Porsche Car Service, Cutler Salon, Core Fusion Classes and More at Gansevoort Park Avenue

August 2010 witnessed a soft opening for Gansevoort Park Avenue, the sexy urban resort with a happening rooftop pool scene. And now we're getting word that the Gansevoort Hotel Group's newest luxury property is 100% open and all facilities are fully operational. There's a lot to love at the corner of 29th Street and Park Avenue South in Manhattan: 249 sleek rooms averaging 462 square feet; a three-story lobby; a tri-level rooftop complex with a beautiful indoor/outdoor pool (and destination nightlife venues); and the recently opened Ristorante Asellina, a 10,000 square-foot Italian trattoria, operated by The ONE Group and featuring a James Beard Award-winning chef. Notably, the hotel has partnered with leading brands in the restaurant, beauty, and fashion industries to provide guests with top-notch amenities. So you can get a lift in a Porsche Panamera, pick up Gansevoort goodies at the Lacoste boutique (all staff sport uniforms by Lacoste), get fit with a Core Fusion® yoga class at the Exhale spa, and get styled at the Cutler Salon. You'll dig the Cutler products in your guest room, too.

The Mark Hotel Offers Exclusive Access to the Neue Galerie New York

Art lovers visiting Manhattan will want to reserve a room at The Mark. Steps from Central Park, the award-winning hotel has recently partnered with the Neue Galerie New York to provide exclusive tours off the tourist track. Located on the historic Museum Mile – just a few blocks from the hotel – the Neue Galerie is a museum of German and Austrian art founded by philanthropist Ronald S. Lauder and art dealer and curator Serge Sabarsky. A former Vanderbilt townhouse is now home to their impressive collection of early 20th Century Austrian and German art. Not only can guests visit the Neue Galerie on closed days and after business hours, but they also get benefits usually reserved for museum membership: advance reservations at Café Sabarsky plus access to Neue Galerie members’ programs including special lectures, gallery talks, exclusive breakfasts and Members’ Thursdays which provides extended viewing hours.

Book the "In the Art of New York" package, starting at $800 in a Superior Courtyard King Room, and get daily continental breakfast for two; a private tour for two people outside of business hours or on closed days (Tuesday and Wednesday); a reservation at the exclusive Café Sabarsky; a complimentary copy of the book “Portrait of Adele Block-Bauer"; access to Members’ lectures, gallery talks, breakfasts and monthly Members’ Thursday which provides for extended viewing hours; a 10% discount in both the Design Shop and the Book Shop; a welcome package in your hotel room from the Neue Galerie. This package at The Mark New York is valid until April 24, 2011.

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

Manhattanites have been in a tizzy about the latest hotel to open in New York's SoHo. The Mondrian SoHo is the fourth Manhattan property for Morgans Hotel Group, whose Morgan Hotel-- opened in 1984-- is said to be the country's first true boutique hotel. Premiering today, the Mondrian SoHo promises eye-catching interiors from designer Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz, inspired by Jean Coucteau’s 1946 film La Belle et le Bête. Now we've just gotten word about more expansion plans for Morgans Hotel Group. Three new hotels are in the pipeline, two of which will carry the Delano brand. Slated for 2013, the Delano resorts will open in Cabo San Lucas and on the Aegean Sea in Turkey. The third property will open in 2014 in Manhattan near the High Line park.

Check out some other properties from Morgans Hotel Group:

Mondrian in West Hollywood

Delano, Mondrian (pictured) and Shore Club in South Beach

Sanderson in London

Clift in San Francisco

The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas: “More Style-Driven” than Most Sin City Resorts

There's been a lot of talk about the newest (and trendiest) destination resort to open in Las Vegas: The Cosmopolitan. And not just because of its star-studded grand opening and New Year's Eve party with Jay-Z and Coldplay. This trendy new hotel boasts wow-worthy facilities that make it a "confident competitor" in Sin City's luxury resort market. A recent article in The Los Angeles Times calls out the "2,995 upscale guest rooms, 13 restaurants, gargantuan meeting rooms, three groovy pools, a light-filled casino and oodles of geek-worthy tech toys into two 50-story towers that teeter on just 8.7 acres." This hot spot is "more style-driven than most Vegas resorts," says the LA Times, "aimed at young, tech-savvy couples." Imagine: relaxing in your Japanese soaking tub while gazing out on the city's bright lights and all the action on The Strip. Other stand-out features? The smartly-designed Sahra Spa & Hammam, the Boulevard Pool with its open-air stage (talk about a summertime destination!), and Marquee Nightclub. Here's the skinny about The Cosmopolitan's guest room decor:

The guest rooms were decorated by David Rockwell, veteran designer of the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood and several W hotels. His palette of navy, ivory and other cool neutrals ensures that the rooms are a calm counterpoint to the cacophony of the lobby, which is defined by video monitors built into tall columns. Though arriving guests are surrounded by the lobby's high-tech touches, the clerks add humanity by stepping out from behind their oversized check-in desks.

Bienvenido: New Nightclub Treehouse Miami Opens

The beach bunnies of Miami Beach are sure to rejoice with the opening of a sexy new sipping spot on 23rd street that channels one part cove, two parts ski lodge and one part all boogy: say hello to Treehouse Miami. The new nightclub boasts three different rooms each with their own sultry-lit vibe. The first room features teak-lined walls and a leather-studded bar draped with a cargo net, teak-lined walls and a blood-red, boudoir-colored atmosphere while another features a purple-soaked theme and black leather banquet seating. Owned by Jeremy Waks (previously of Heathrow Lounge) with interior design by Dave Glass, the eclectic club also boasts a 3,000 square-foot backyard garden space with synthetic grass carpeting, come-hither cabana beds and rattan lounges with pristine white cushions. The word on the street is that the backyard is also equipped with projectors to play videos and artwork long into the night.

Choose the Ritz-Carlton Reynolds Plantation for the Masters at Augusta National

My first trip to the Masters Golf Tournament at Augusta National was during the final round in 1998. Mark O’Meara went on to win the title that year, but I was kept rapt by Jack Nicklaus who was making a late charge up the leader board. Nicklaus was 58 at the time, and fell short in the end, finishing tied for 6th place, but oh what a feeling it was to watch the legend make a last valiant effort at glory.

The amazing thing about this golf tournament, which is as prestigious as they come, is the proximity of the fans to the players. Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, O’Meara, and everyone else, were often only a few feet away, occasionally even interacting with fans as they walked the course. A veteran of many baseball and football games, I was awestruck at the nearness of the athletes and the civility of the golf course, and it made me an immediate fan of the duffers.

When I visit Augusta, I always stay at the Ritz Carlton Reynolds Plantation, a few miles down interstate 20 in Greensboro, Georgia. The Ritz-Carlton name speaks for itself, but this particular venture is ranked the best golf resort in the United States by Zagat! The links offered are on par with the spectacular course at Augusta National, making this not only a great golf hotel, but also a great Masters hotel.

If your wife insists on tagging along, the 4-star-rated spa, the only one in Georgia, will satisfy her every whim while you’re hitting the links or visiting Augusta National. The Ritz Carlton Reynolds Plantation is truly a great Masters Golf Tournament hotel!

New Light Menu by Jean-Georges at P.O.V. Lounge at W Hotel Washington DC

The W Hotel's Point of View roof terrace and lounge has long attracted the cool kids for some of D.C.'s best cocktails and a happening scene. Not to mention the views over the nation's capital. This is how The Washington Post describes the vista:

"And even if, like most Washingtonians, the city's monuments are little more than markers that measure your commute, the new W Hotel's Point of View Bar might give you a new outlook. From the 11th-floor balcony at 15th St and Pennsylvania Ave, Washington is spread out before you. The Lincoln Memorial seems like it's set amid a forest, and from one of the low-slung lounge tables at the far end, you feel like you could reach out and touch the Washington Monument. The White House's East Wing is only a block away, and at sunset, it lights up like a gold-tinged jewel box. From almost any spot at the railing, you can watch planes take off from Reagan National Airport or see the Pentagon, Arlington National Cemetery and Old Town Alexandria."

News for foodies: The rooftop lounge has just launched a light-fare menu by chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. The good folks at Daily Candy suggest ordering up a "thin-crust pizza topped with truffle and fontina; wild mushroom and goat cheese; or the classic mozzarella, tomato, and basil ($12-$21)."