The Luxury Hotel Insider: Exclusive luxury hotel deals, features and special rates from the luxury hotel experts at Five Star Alliance. Luxury Hotels near the San Francisco Convention Center
April 9, 2012
By: Oksana Balytsky
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
By: Oksana Balytsky
Luxury Hotels near the San Diego Convention Center
January 6, 2012
By: Oksana Balytsky
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 San Diego Convention Center is our center of focus for this blog post. The following are 5 star hotels located less than a twenty minute walk away from the Convention Center. We’ve listed them in order of proximity, starting with the hotels located a 10 minute walk away to hotels a 16 minute walk away from the Convention Center.
Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego – located 0.5 miles from the Convention Center.
W San Diego – located 0.5 miles from the Convention Center.
Andaz San Diego – located 0.6 miles from the Convention Center.
U.S. Grand Hotel – located 0.6 miles from the Convention Center.
The Westgate Hotel – located 0.6 miles from the Convention Center.
Hotel Palomar San Diego – located 0.7 miles from the Convention Center.
Traveling somewhere else? Keep up with our blog series and check out the luxury hotels located near the Convention Center in the following cities: Boston, Montreal, and Washington D.C.
By: Oksana Balytsky
Most Creative Christmas Tree at Raffles Grand Hotel D’Ankor
December 22, 2011
By: Oksana Balytsky
The Raffles Grand Hotel D’Ankor is a luxury hotel in Cambodia, and this holiday season, it has a beautifully colorful Christmas tree with silk decorations. Eric Raisina, an internationally acclaimed designer is the mastermind behind this work of art, using the lotus flower as his inspiration for the design. The red and white flowers are all sewn out of Cambodian silk and represent “the cycle of the lotus bloom from bud to blossom and finally withering.” Aside from a beautiful, unique Christmas tree, this luxury hotel will also be having a poolside New Year’s Eve gala complete with a firework display.
The Raffles Grand Hotel D’Ankor is the perfect hotel for those seeking adventure and the good life. The resort’s 60,000 square meter gardens provide an incredible frontage to the hotel. Explore the temples, enjoy the varied and exotic culinary delights, and unwind at the Raffle Amrita Spa. Be sure to see the incredible Christmas tree and the beauty of Cambodia for yourself before the start of the new year!
Photo via HotelChatter
By: Oksana Balytsky
Luxury Hotels near the Walter E. Washington Convention Center
December 7, 2011
By: Oksana Balytsky
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 Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC is our center of focus for this blog post. The following are 5 star hotels located less than a twenty minute walk away from the Convention Center. We’ve listed them in order of proximity, starting with the hotels located a nine minute walk away to hotels a seventeen minute walk away from the Convention Center.
By: Oksana Balytsky
New Year's Eve in Morocco at Royal Mansour Marrakech
November 30, 2011
By: Mary Winston Nicklin
Ring in the New Year in a royal way-- at the dazzling luxury hotel owned by the king of Morocco. And while you're at it, you can check out the buzzed-about destination everyone's talking about. Royal Mansour Marrakech opened to much fanfare last year. Built into the ancient medina walls of old Marrakech, the hotel is comprised of 53 individual riads-- each constructed with ceramic tile, handcrafted woodwork, and Moroccan mosaics by top local craftsmen. Everything about this place is over-the-top opulent-- from the black marble driveway to the restaurants by French chef Yannick Alléno (who helms the Michelin three-starred restaurant at Le Meurice in Paris). Splash out with a stay in the presidential Riad d’Honneur and you'll get access to your own private gym, home theater, and pool. What's on for New Year's? A fashion show, decadent dining, live entertainment, and plenty of bubble at midnight to kick off 2012 right!
What's Hot in Tokyo: An Organic Market at the Park Hyatt for the Holidays
November 30, 2011
By: Mary Winston Nicklin
When you travel to Tokyo, you're not hurting for fantastic cuisine. The Japanese capital is actually home to the most Michelin three-starred restaurants in the world! To spoil guests with this bounty of locally grown, organic vegetables, the Park Hyatt Tokyo has teamed up with the Japanese Organic Association to host an organic holiday market on December 17-18, 2011. Vendors will be selling locally grown fruits and vegetables as well as organic cosmetic and handcrafted artisanal products in the hotel. You'll also find lots of environmentally friendly gifts for Christmas. Don't miss a cocktail in the hotel's famous bar/lounge; after all, the Park Hyatt Tokyo was the setting for Sofia Coppola's smash hit film, "Lost in Translation." And if you're lucky enough to spend the night, hit up the 20-meter, glass-enclosed indoor pool-- floating above the city on the 47th floor. Needless to say, the views to Mount Fuji are stupendous.
Weekend Trips from Washington D.C.: Middleburg and More
November 28, 2011
By: Mary Winston Nicklin
Just an hour west from Washington D.C., the rolling hills of Virginia's Piedmont make for a fantastic day trip or weekend outing from the nation's capital. A number of vineyards offer wine tastings (in Loudoun, Fauquier, and Rappahannock Counties), and for those seeking adventure, excellent hikes in the Blue Ridge Mountains abound. This is horse country (read: you should dress the part) so pick up some threads in the charming stores that line Middleburg's main drag, where you'll also find all kinds of organic goodies at the Home Farm Store (Ayrshire Farm's gourmet retail shop). For a sweet treat and an excellent cup of coffee, Warrenton's Red Truck Bakery is *the* place to go.
Looking for a place to stay in the countryside? Folks make pilgrimages to The Inn at Little Washington in Rappahannock County for some of the best food you'll eat in the US of A. Another good bet: The Goodstone Inn and Estate, recently profiled by the good folks at Daily Candy. To quote: "Pretend you’re visiting a rich uncle’s estate at the welcoming Goodstone Inn & Restaurant. Book a room in the carriage house for breathtaking views or gather a weekend party group to rent an entire house (bonus: A chef can make your meals using local ingredients and freshly picked veggies from the garden). Then unwind in the spa or stroll the grounds to visit with farm animals."
For more information about visiting Virginia, check out Virginia is for Lovers, the Official Tourism Website of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Private Ice Skating Rink and Winter Chalets at La Reserve Geneva
November 23, 2011
By: Mary Winston Nicklin
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.
Escape to Bermuda: $129 Rates at Fairmont Southampton
November 23, 2011
By: Mary Winston Nicklin
Here's a deal for all you luxury lovers out there: the swank Fairmont Southampton Bermuda is currently on sale for seven days only with room rates starting at just $129 per night!* What this means: Act fast if you want to score luxury for less on a spring break trip to paradise! A palatial landmark on Bermuda’s gorgeous south shore, the Fairmont Southampton Bermuda is nestled on an 100-acre tropical estate with towering palm trees and has direct access to miles of pink sand beaches. The property is consistently voted one of the top resorts in the region by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler magazine. As for the facilities, the Fairmont Southampton is the crème de la crème. There's an 18-hole par three golf course, a 31,000-square-feet Willow Stream Spa, some of the island’s best restaurants, a sprawling oceanfront beach club with an on site PADI dive center, tennis courts and more. Most of the spacious guest rooms have sweeping views of the Atlantic from private balconies.
*For travel until April 30, 2012; some blackout dates apply. Rooms cost $299 per night when you travel between May 1, 2012 - August 31, 2012.
What's On in San Francisco: 47th Annual Ghirardelli Square Tree Lighting
November 23, 2011
By: Mary Winston Nicklin
A tip for travelers to San Francisco this week: Ghirardelli Square will be hosting the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony on Black Friday, November 25. After feasting on Thanksgiving turkey and all the fixings, celebrate the beginning of the holiday season with some festive merry-making (and lots of Ghiradelli Peppermint Bark Squares!) in San Francisco's Ghirardelli Square. The whole family will enjoy the free, live entertainment throughout the day- with performances by the San Francisco City Opera, Contra Coastal Chorale and Yuletide Carolers. It all culminates with the lighting of the Ghirardelli Square tree at 5:30 pm.
Psst. Lola Toy Stop will be offering a small gift for each child visiting the toy stop during The 47th Ghirardelli Square Tree Lighting Ceremony! In addition to sampling your fair share of complimentary Ghiradelli chocolate squares, we suggest indulging in their world-famous hot chocolate, too.
Looking for a place to crash in the lovely City by the Bay? Five Star Alliance has a bevy of recommendations for four- and five-star hotels.
Photo by Hyatt at Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco
