Deals and Steals at the Omni La Mansion del Rio Hotel

We at Five Star Alliance know that our travelers are in search of luxurious accommodations at the best prices available, so we go above and beyond to find the best promotional packages and specials to ensure you get the most from your hotel experience. We’re thrilled to introduce our newest blog series where we’ll be featuring luxury hotels that offer you more than just room-only rates. Whether you’re traveling on business or pleasure, we certainly have something for you. Be sure to check in with us often to get the inside scoop on the best deals and packages available at luxury hotels all over the world!

Today’s feature is the Omni La Mansion del Rio Hotel in San Antonio, Texas. This 5-star hotel is located in the heart of San Antonio's Cultural Arts District, across from the magnificently restored Majestic Theatre and within walking distance to the Convention Center and Rivercenter Mall. Check out the following deals and packages that are simply too good to pass up!

The Rio Package

Includes Breakfast Buffet for all registered guests and children 12 Years of age and under In Las Canarias Monday through Saturday and Ostra On Sundays. One ticket per adult per stay to the Rio San Antonio River Cruise. Tickets distributed at check In. Complimentary valet parking for one car. Terms And Conditions: Extra persons do not receive package benefits.

Romance Remembered Package

Includes daily breakfast in bed for two. Chandon Brut romantic turndown with robes, music and lighting. Concierge precall to assist with special romantic requests. Late checkout.

Amor Del Rio Package

Includes full American breakfast for each registered guest in Las Canarias Monday Through Saturday, Ostra on Sundays or through room service seven days a week. Bottle of sparkling wine and 4 chocolate truffles delivered to room. Turndown Service.

These packages and specials are based on double occupancy, subject to availability, and exclusive of tax.

Be sure to make your travel plans today to take advantage of the incredible packages and deals that await you in San Antonio!

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Ritz-Carlton Charlotte Embraces A 24-Hour Stay!

We love the idea of hotels allowing guests to stay past noon if there isn’t someone scheduled to check in later that day, and that’s exactly what the Ritz-Carlton Charlotte now embraces! Guests that book the ‘Stay and Play’ package get to check in on Saturdays and receive a guaranteed 24-hour stay. The new ‘Stay and Play’ package allows folks to check-in at any hour on Saturday and check out 24 hours later, even if that means a Sunday night check out. For guests who check in early on Saturday, check out will be 24 hours later or at noon, whichever gives guests more time in their room! We have always loved the elegance of the Ritz-Carlton Charlotte, and this relaxing package makes us love it even more!

Be sure to explore the Ritz-Carlton Charlotte for your next visit to North Carolina!

Have a Better Time than the President this Inauguration at the Georgetown Four Seasons

Inauguration is only two and a half weeks away which means hotels are filling up fast. For folks looking for an exceptional luxury hotel in the heart of it all, we encourage you to explore the 39 luxury hotels in the Washington DC area! If, however, you’re looking for something above and beyond luxurious and have $20,000 burning a hole in your pocket, then be sure to explore the Royal Suite in the Georgetown Four Seasons.

The Royal Suite has served as a home away from home for celebrities such as Oprah, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, and others. It’s going rate for Inauguration night is $20,000, and this gets you a stunning bedroom, dining room, kitchen, small gym, small office, large terrace, bulletproof windows, and an expansive living room featuring ample seating areas and televisions. With a suite like this, we can only imagine the occupants will skip the parade and watch the excitement of the Inauguration with their closest friends and family on one of the many televisions.

Photo courtesy of the Georgetown Four Seasons

The Top 30 Hotels in 2012: #2 Charleston Place

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 #2 spot is Charleston Place which is located in the heart of the historic district on renowned King Street. Here are a few fun facts about this luxury hotel:

- Evokes the feeling of a grand 17th century residence from the Italian marble lobby with its signature Georgian Open Arm staircase and 12-foot crystal chandelier

- A total of 22,000 square feet of meeting space within the hotel, including the Grand Ballroom (14,000+ square feet), ten more function rooms, six hospitality suites, the Grand Hall, and several other outdoor courtyards

- The spa features a stunning horizon edged swimming pool

- The hotel's spa was voted the "Best City Hotel Spa in North America" by Travel & Leisure Magazine

- Hotel can provide beach accessories and picnics to ensure a pleasant stress free day

- Golfers can select from more than 21 courses

Explore photos, availability, and rates at Charleston Place here >>

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12 Days of Hotels: Top 12 Presidential Inauguration Luxury Hotels

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 focusing on a variety of categories. To start us off, we’ll be featuring 12 Presidential Inauguration Luxury Hotels!

1. Fairmont Washington DC

Located in Washington's fashionable West End, The Fairmont Washington, D.C. surrounds you with comfort and luxury.

2. Ritz Carlton Washington DC

This distinctive luxury hotel is located the heart of the District and features convenient access to business districts, theaters, world-class shopping and stunning historical landmarks.

3. The Willard Intercontinental

The Willard is where Abraham Lincoln and his family resided prior to his Inauguration, where Julia Ward Howe wrote the 'Battle Hymn of the Republic', where President Grant coined the term lobbyist, and where Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. finished his 'I Have a Dream Speech'.

4. Park Hyatt Washington

This hotel is ideally situated on the edge of stylish Georgetown, and conveniently located near Embassy Row, the Kennedy Center, Smithsonian Museums and National Monuments.

5. The Jefferson Washington DC

Located at the corner of 16th and M Streets, Northwest and four blocks from The White House

6. Sofitel Lafayette Square

Housed in a completely refurbished and updated historic landmark building, and it features 237 guestrooms including 17 suites, all tastefully designed by the renowned French designer, Pierre-Yves Rochon.

7. W Washington DC

Next door to the White House, the oldest hotel in town has been reinvented into W Washington D.C., revitalizing historic traditions into contemporary sophistication.

8. Mandarin Oriental Washington

Ranked by Institutional Investor magazine as one of the top 100 hotels in the world, Mandarin Oriental, Washington DC creates memorable experiences for any traveler to the most powerful city in the world.

9. The Fairfax at Embassy Row

The luxuriously quiet 259 classically appointed rooms and suites within this exquisite hotel in Washington, D.C. offer sweeping views of Embassy Row, the National Cathedral, or the Washington Monument.

10. The Madison Washington DC

Just four blocks from the White House and walking distance to Embassy Row, National Mall, Capitol Hill, the Smithsonian and more, the Madison is the quintessence of political power mingled with genuine hospitality.

11. The St Regis Washington DC

Built in 1926, two blocks from The White House and the Corcoran Gallery, the gracefully reimagined The St. Regis Washington, D.C. presents itself as the most prestigious hotel for royalty, presidents and prime ministers in the nation's capital.

12. The Hay-Adams Hotel

The Hay-Adams, a luxury boutique hotel, is as close as you can get to staying at the White House without a personal invitation from the President.

The Top 30 Hotels in 2012: #8 Don CeSar Beach Resort

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 #8 spot is the Don CeSar Beach Resort which is a beach front resort that’s located on the island of St. Pete Beach in Florida, on the Gulf of Mexico. Here are a few fun facts about this luxury hotel:

- Features 277 newly renovated guestrooms including 2 penthouses and 40 suites

- Seven-and-a-half miles of beaches

- Two beachside pools

- Kids program with counselors overseeing the activities, allowing parents to rejuvenate at the Pink Palace

- After the sun goes down, romantic lighting sets the ambiance for the new whirlpool accented with a mosaic of tiffany glass, and surrounded by a lush garden and overlooking the Gulf shores

- Famous for their ocean front sunset couples massages in tiki huts on the beach

- 6,349-yard (5,777 m) golf course features narrow, palm-lined fairways, tightly manicured greens and Gulf breezes

Explore photos, availability, and rates at Don CeSar Beach Resort here >>

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The Top 30 Hotels in 2012: #14 The Umstead Hotel and Spa

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 #14 spot is the Umstead Hotel and Spa which is conveniently located in Cary, North Carolina for those who want to get away or stay near the heart of it all. Here are a few fun facts about this luxury hotel:

- With its surrounding 12 acres of wooded land, gardens, and lake, The Umstead Hotel is a destination in itself with the cultural, corporate and recreational opportunities of the Triangle area moments away

- 24 hour business center available for guest use

- 10,000 square-feet of elegant meeting and event space featuring natural light and original artwork

- Signature Forbes Five Star, AAA Five Diamond restaurant, Herons, serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch

- Dogs are allowed with an additional cleaning fee

- Seasonal outdoor pool

- The Umstead Spa, a 14,000 square-foot spa featuring ten treatment rooms, men’s and ladies relaxation lounges including sauna, steam and whirlpool and a coed relaxation lounge and meditation garden

Explore photos, availability, and rates at the Umstead Hotel and Spa here >>

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Fun Fact Friday! Inauguration Weekend in DC

Luxury hotels in Washington DC are filling up fast for Inauguration Weekend which will be January 18th – January 21st, 2013. Lucky for our luxury travelers, the Capella Georgetown is expected to open this January, providing travelers with another option on where to stay. Be sure to check availability and rates at luxury hotels in Washington DC here, and book your stay soon to ensure you’ll be a part of the action this January!

Trump Hotel Plans Progress for the Old Post Office Pavilion in DC

Plans are progressing for the new Trump Hotel to pop up at the Old Office Pavilion in the heart of downtown Washington DC. We’re excited at the idea of having a new luxury hotel in our nation’s capital, but until the t’s are crossed and the i’s dotted, we remain optimistically skeptical. The Old Post Office is a historic landmark, and the Trumps have been through various meetings with officials from many agencies governing the building. The most recent rendezvous  with Ivanka Trump and her team revealed the most up-to-date details of the property including the location of the restaurant, parking, and luxury suites. The concern of how these additions will affect the historic structure of the building remains, so it’s likely that not all of the proposals will get approved. The lease is expected to be signed by the Trumps this winter, so construction on the hotel could begin in 2014 and the new hotel could open as early as 2016.

Got travel plans in the foreseeable future? Be sure to explore the other luxury hotels in Washington DC as well as Trump Hotels around the world.

Image of Trump International Hotel and Tower Toronto

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Your Questions Answered: Smoking Room Option in Atlanta

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: Can you please tell me if there are any 5 star hotels in Atlanta which have smoking rooms ?

Answer: The Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead has 400 square foot smoking rooms available with either 1 king or 2 double beds. To make a reservation for this room type, simply visit this website, enter your dates of travel, select the room type, and fill in the booking form. Be sure to reserve a room that lists ‘smoking’ in its description. Please be advised that rates and availability are subject to change prior to making a reservation.