A Blast From The Past: Hotel del Coronado in San Diego

This year is Hotel del Coronado's 125th Anniversary. Rising from water's edge on the quaint island of Coronado in San Diego, The Del is a classic historic hotel built in 1888 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977.

View rates, details and more photos for Hotel del Coronado in San Diego >>

A London Valentine’s Day

For folks spending Valentine’s Day in London, we have a variety of suggestions for you depending on your lovers’ interests and needs, so check out our recommendations to plan the perfectly romantic evening!

For outdoor fun, take your special someone to Broadgate Ice Rink with two-for-one ticket sales on February 14th.

For a romantic dinner, take him/her to The Gilbert Scott which has an absolutely stunning dining room with ornate ceilings and sparkling chandeliers. The Valentine’s Day menu starts from $125 per person and is available after 8:00PM.

For a romantic and luxurious night away, explore our 104 hotels in various parts of London. With this many options, you’re bound to find the perfect hotel for the ultimate Valentine’s Day experience!

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Romantic Getaway Ideas for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and it can certainly put a little bit of stress on those lucky gentlemen out there with special someone’s. Instead of the traditional dinner and flowers, consider whisking your significant other away for a luxurious romantic getaway!

L’Ermitage Beverly Hills has an Ultimate Romance package which includes two nights in a suite, private car service from LAX, and breakfast for two. The $7,000 package also includes a four-course dinner at Livello, a 50 minute helicopter tour of Los Angeles, and some alone time on a Santa Monica mountaintop overlooking Malibu!

Explore photos, availability, and rates at L’Ermitage Beverly Hills here >>

Calling All Beer Lovers to the Four Seasons Philadelphia

There’s nothing better than a cold beer after a stressful day at work, and adding travel on top of work can only lead to needing the finest beer and certainly more than one!

The Four Seasons Philadelphia certainly caught our eye as a beer lovers hot spot! It recently teamed up with Dock Street Brewing Co, a local brewery for a limited celebration of all four seasons. Witty, right? The Swann Lounge has a beautiful fire place that’s perfect for setting a relaxing environment where folks can unwind with a few beers. The four seasons beers have not yet been announced, but the line will begin with a spring brew. The Four Seasons Philadelphia will host a special event to launch its summer beer, which will perfectly coincide with the hotel’s 30th anniversary and go during beer week, June 3rd – 7th.

Be sure to explore the Four Seasons Philadelphia here >>

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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!

Happy Birthday From the Arizona Biltmore!

The Arizona Biltmore values its guests’ birthdays, and it’s going above and beyond singing to you in the hotel restaurant to make you feel special on your special day! Enjoy a free night during your birthday month (minimum 2 night stay required) as well as a cupcake and balloons delivered straight to your room! Be sure to grab the gals or that special someone for your birthday this year, and make your reservation at the Arizona Biltmore!

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Newly Renovated El Encanto Opening Soon!

We’re holding our breath for the opening of the new and improved El Encanto in Santa Barbara, California! This Orient Express property has been undergoing a major renovation for the last few months, and we’re absolutely thrilled to see all of the upgrades and modifications! Opening day is currently set for March 18th, 2013, and this luxury hotel will stand out from the rest in more ways than one! A few additions to look forward to include:

- El Encanto will have its very own cow, Ellie whose milk will be used to make a special cheese only to be found at this hotel. (cool, huh?)

- This hotel will be serving unpasteurized beer brewed nearby to go with the special cheese.

- The coffee served for breakfast will be El Encanto’s own brand, and their on-site herb and vegetable garden will ensure only the very best greens make it to your table.

- For the eco-friendly travelers, El Encanto has added various energy saving and preservation techniques to reduce overall consumption. Guests are encouraged to leave their cars behind and hop on one of the complimentary electric bikes and mosey their way to the beach or into town.

- Accommodations will include 92 intimate bungalows that are scattered throughout seven acres of grounds.

Explore details and photos of El Encanto here, and be sure to make your reservation for this stunning property in March!

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

12 Days of Hotels: 5 Best Hotels & Resorts for Destination Weddings

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 featuring a variety of categories. Today we’re featuring the 5 best hotels to tie the knot!

1. The Oberoi Udaivilas

Udaivilas is a luxury resort located on Udaipur's legendary Lake Pichola overlooking its beautiful island palaces and the Udaipur city palace. It is accessible by land and boat.

2. One and Only Palmilla

Considered The "Jewel Of Baja" And Located On Once the tropical hideaway for the likes of Hemingway and Harlow, the serenely private and sensually elegant One&Only Palmilla features expansive ocean-facing accommodation, each with veranda, sunbeds, and indulgent amenities.

3. Hayman Island Resort

Surrounded by idyllic coral fringed beaches and lapping the waters of the Coral Sea, on the south-western side of the island, Hayman offers 244 guest rooms, suites, penthouses and a beach villa.

4. Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa

The luxurious Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa lies where earth, sea and sky meet, poised above Atlantic rollers and flanked by the majestic Table Mountain and The Twelve Apostles Mountain Range in glorious Cape Town, South Africa.

5. The Point

The Point Resort is a unique, private Adirondack estate where you are free to enjoy your special time in splendid circumstances. It's a vibrant and exclusive house party, an elegant hideaway, the essence of rustic splendor, luxury and whimsy amid Adirondack Mountain wilderness.

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.