Tradition in New York City at The Carlyle

Upon entering The Carlyle, as I did during a late evening arrival last week after a harrowing cab ride from New York's Penn Station that coincided with the end of a Rangers hockey game, I was immediately soothed by the simple but elegant surroundings and the friendly and welcoming hotel desk staff. A guest representative escorted me to my room, a Deluxe Suite on the 10th floor and gave me a quick tour. The suite was beautiful and felt very homey with hardwood floors and area rugs, vs. wall to wall carpeting we've come to expect in most hotel rooms. Even though my suite was directly across from the elevators, the rooms were amazingly quiet. Although I wasn't in the hotel long enough to enjoy the world famous Bemelmans Bar or Café Carlyle, this leaves a great excuse for less-harried return visit.

Scoop: The Carlyle is currently offering guests who book through FIVE STAR ALLIANCE a complimentary in-room continental breakfast daily.

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Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi: The World’s Costliest Hotel

Guess where President Bush stayed last weekend on his Middle East trip? The oil-rich outpost of the United Arab Emirates boasts the most extravagant luxury hotels in the world, like the seven-star Burj Al Arab where aquarium walls full of tropical fish line the escalators, and the world's largest fleet of Rolls-Royces is available for guests.

President Bush, arriving in Abu Dhabi over the weekend, stayed in one of the basketball-court-size "Ruler's Suites" at the Emirates Palace, which bills itself as the world's costliest hotel. At $3 billion, with 300 rooms, that comes out to $10 million a room.

In this spare-no-expenses kingdom, the opulent Emirates Palace stands out because of its brand new Anantara Spa. You'll find an enormous private treatment complex, Vichy shower suite, hammam with heated marble beds, and intricate architectural details: Moorish tile floors beneath a glowing domed ceiling. Return to your room, sauntering down the hallways shimmering with gold mosaics, and enjoy private butler service and Hermes bath amenities.

P.S. We hear the hotel's best suite is the 1,185-square-foot Khaleej Suite, overlooking the Persian Gulf.

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The Perfect Eastern Shore Getaway: Suite Dreams Discount at The Inn at Perry Cabin

Washingtonians, take heed. A blissful spa weekend is just a pleasant drive away- in the quaint Victorian town of St. Michaels on Maryland's Eastern Shore. The Inn at Perry Cabin is an idyllic hideaway, with a stunning spa which opened last summer to much acclaim. With signature treatments like the Linden Ritual and the Five Flower Solace, which incorporate local medicinal plants, the Linden Spa has proved itself worthy of all the buzz. Book the "Suite Dreams" package and get your second night at 50 percent off! Plus, you'll get a bottle of wine on arrival, and two tickets to the famed Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. Starting from $495 (for the first night).

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New Forum Tower Rooms at Caesars Palace Las Vegas

Caesars Palace Las Vegas is the world's best known resort-casino, celebrating the glory that was Greece and the grandeur that was Rome in an 85-acre destination location that sets the standard for entertainment, dining and luxury. Caesars Palace is in the final stages of their Forum Tower renovations - where all the rooms, suites, corridors and elevator lobbies are being renovated top to bottom.

Available to book as of January 31, 2008, with travel beginning in April, the new Forum Tower Rooms will be considered an upgrade room in addition to the Palace and Augustus Towers. Forum Tower Rooms will now feature two LCD televisions (the second built into the bath mirror), wired and wireless Internet service, iPod docking station, oversized showers with dual rain bath showerheads, plus more.

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An Interview with the General Manager: Cliff Atkinson of Gramercy Park Hotel

Cliff Atkinson was promoted to General Manager of the Gramercy Park Hotel in July 2007 after joining as the Hotel Manager in October of 2006 with more than 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry.

Five Star Alliance: How did you come to be General Manager of the hotel?

Cliff Atkinson: I was recruited by Ian Schrager to be the Gramercy Park Hotel Manager in September 2006 and I assumed the General Manager position in July 2007. I was very excited to incorporate my traditional luxury hotel background with the modern luxury that Gramercy Park Hotel introduced to the market.

Five Star Alliance: What is the best thing about the hotel's location? What is your favorite thing to do in the surrounding area?

Cliff Atkinson: The best thing about our hotel's location is the access to Gramercy Park. My favorite thing to do on a Sunday is to grab a New York Times, with a morning coffee and sit in the park and read my paper all year round. It is so quiet and peaceful, right in the middle of New York City!

Five Star Alliance: Which do you consider to be the best rooms in the house? Not just the suites, but also any particular standard rooms that have great views or unusual advantages? If you were checking into a standard room at the hotel, which one would you request?

Cliff Atkinson: My favorite rooms are our Loft rooms. They really feel like an artist’s loft from the 1920's… very Bohemian. I recommend our "05" rooms, which have fantastic bathrooms and a large open feel.

Five Star Alliance: If you were considering staying at the hotel as a guest, what would you want to know about the hotel before checking in?

Cliff Atkinson: The Private Roof Club access and the weekend Dim Sum brunch in Wakiya.

Five Star Alliance: Tell us what you feel is the most distinctive or unique feature of your hotel? What best describes the personality of the hotel?

Cliff Atkinson: I think there are five distinctive points about our hotel:

1. The unique design of the rooms. – They are different than anything in the market today, with a design created by Ian Schrager, the patriarch of the modern hotel industry and Julian Schnabel, a world renowned artist. The rooms set themselves apart from the usual homogeneous look of the majority of hotel rooms.

2. Our location – The Gramercy Park area is becoming the “new midtown”. It is close to both the traditional Midtown Manhattan shopping and the exciting dining and night life of downtown Manhattan. Plus, our location directly on Gramercy Park provides our hotel guests with an experience like no other by allowing exclusive access to New York’s only private park.

3. Our Food and Beverage – Our options for dining and entertaining are truly world class from our Chinese restaurant, Wakiya, to the exciting nightlife of our Rose Bar, to the comfortable, laid back garden atmosphere of our Private Roof Club. Guests don’t feel like they are in a hotel but rather a private mansion with an incredible selection of personal chefs!

4. Private Roof Club – There is simply nothing like our Private Roof Club anywhere in New York City. It is accessible to hotel guests only, it provides a private retreat with incredible artwork and is covered and temperature controlled 365 days a year. It is truly special.

5. Our Service – Our approach to service is the same approach I used at former Mobil Five Star and AAA Five Diamond Hotels and Resorts. Ian Schrager has the eye for the design and can create a hotel space like no other. It is my job to ensure the service is at the level you would experience at the World’s top luxury hotels packaged in this unique hotel casing.

Five Star Alliance: Who are your customers and where do they come from?

Cliff Atkinson: Our hotel guests are the global luxury traveler, with over 40% international. The demographic spans all ages from young 20’s to mid 60’s – anyone who wants a luxury experience that is special, unique and personal.

More About Mr. Atkinson:

Prior to joining the Gramercy Park Hotel, Cliff worked for the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group for seven years and held various positions within the company, most recently as the Executive Assistant Manager for Mandarin Oriental, New York. Before Mandarin Oriental, New York, Cliff was the director of Revenue Management for the Group’s properties in North America and Europe from 2000 – 2003. Cliff began his career in the hospitality industry with Hilton Hotels in Revenue Management and as Director of Front Office Operations and other various management positions in Rooms Division.

Cliff attended City College of San Francisco with a degree in Hospitality Management as well as the University of San Francisco and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. Cliff resides in Manhattan with his wife Jennifer and is currently pursuing his MBA.

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Win a Night in the Cinderella Castle Suite, Disney World

Disney's Year of a Million Dreams celebration has been extended until the end of 2008 (!) -- which means that lucky guests still have the opportunity to score a night in the Cinderella Castle Suite, towering four stories above Disney World's Magic Kingdom. Over the past year, hundreds of visitors to the Disney resorts have been awarded freebies by the Dream Squad, with the top prize at Disney World being an overnight in the fairytale chamber at the pinnacle of Cinderella's Castle, originally built for Walt Disney and his family. This prize is chosen randomly by a computer that designates a certain attraction, time, and seat number daily. The lucky winning party is plucked from the crowd and whisked away to a marvelous wonderland. Reached by private elevator, the salon, bedchamber, and bathroom are situated off a private marble-floored foyer appointed with 18-karat gold leaf. Canopy beds are draped with fluffy feather comforters. The famous glass slipper (worth $18,000) is displayed in a cove, "a memorable artifact from the story." The furnishings may resemble the style of the French rulers from the period inspiring the Cinderella story, but the amenities are definitely 21st century: garden tub plus shower, and a flat-screen HDTV hidden behind the framed portrait of Cinderella hanging above the fireplace.

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Suite Specials Starting from $149 at The Venetian, Las Vegas

Keep winter blues at bay with a Vegas getaway and get luxury for less at The Venetian. In the center of the action on The Strip, the resort's got plenty of wow factors: authentic gondola rides on the Grand Canal, the Guggenheim Museum, excellent live entertainment, top-quality restaurants, and the Canyon Ranch Spa... Talk about the ultimate winter playground. Skip the holiday frenzy and luxuriate in style at The Venetian, where you can unwind in one of the newly remodeled Luxury Suites for a mere $149 per night with their exclusive holiday rate. Available until January 3, 2008. (Weekend rates are slightly more at $199 per night.)

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Suite NYC Weekend Escape at Bryant Park

New York City is aglow between Thanksgiving and the New Year, and everyone knows this is the perfect time to visit Manhattan. Whether you're looking for window shopping, holiday events and performances or a place to enjoy your Christmas dinner - the Bryant Park Hotel is in the center of it all. Between now and January 15th, 2008 - enjoy special low rates at the luxurious, contemporary Bryant Park Hotel or treat yourself and your family to an ice skating weekend package with 2 VIP Tickets to "The Pond at Bryant Park". For $699.00 per night the Weekend Suite Escape Includes:

- Accommodations in a Bryant Park Suite (pictured)

- Complimentary champagne and chocolate

- Full American Breakfast for 2 people, daily through in-room private dining

- Complimentary late checkout at 2:00pm

- 2 Complimentary drink tickets for the Cellar Bar

- 2 VIP Tickets to “The Pond at Bryant Park” – these tickets entitle 2 guests to immediate entry to the ice skating rink, as well as complimentary skate rental

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Banish the Winter Blues with The Peninsula Hotels

This winter, The Peninsula Hotels invites you to a luxurious retreat with special offers to make your stay even more pleasurable. Winter Escapes helps guests to personalize their stays with a customized selection of benefits at each hotel. From 15 December 2007 through 31 March 2008 inclusive, each Peninsula hotel offers a menu of three enticing options. Guests booking rooms or suites can select one to tailor their stay to their personal taste and preferences, making a stay at any of the Peninsula hotels worldwide even more memorable. Highlights include:

• Set dinner for two at The Lobby at The Peninsula Hong Kong • Champagne and canapes at The Peninsula New York • Afternoon Tea for two in The Lobby or Pierrot Gourmet at The Peninsula Chicago • One-hour Swedish massage for one at The Peninsula Beverly Hills • Dining credit of ¥10,000 at The Peninsula Tokyo • Naturally Peninsula Culinary Journey for two at The Peninsula Bangkok • Buffet dinner for two at Jing restaurant at The Peninsula Beijing • Two luxuriously indulgent Spa Treatments of choice at The Peninsula Manila

As the mantle of winter descends and cooler months arrive, thoughts turn to escaping daily routines and indulging in some truly luxurious personal pampering, either by basking in the warm tropical climes of Asia or by maximizing a well-earned city break in the US at one of the Peninsula properties - an ideal way to banish those cool weather blues.

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Suite Luxury: Casa Montana at Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain

Surrounded by a lush oasis of flowers and trees on Camelback Mountain, the Sanctuary on Camelback is truly a legendary hideaway. Enjoy their highest level of luxury in Casa Montana, one of their homes with the most breathtaking panoramic views on the north slope of Camelback Mountain.

Casa Montana

Size: 3,500 square feet - four spacious bedrooms, and six full baths.

Features: Private pool, whirlpool spa and scenic patio for entertaining, three wood-burning fireplaces, and a billiard room.

Rooms feature a master bedroom and adjacent private study, a king size bedroom and two rooms with double beds. The billiard room features a spacious bar area and pool table for entertaining your guests. Casa Montana's warm Old World Spanish inspired decor greets you with a comforting welcome and a view like no other.

Make your reservations for Casa Montana at Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain >>

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