Gadling http://www.gadling.com Gadling http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.gadling.com/media/feedlogo.gif Gadling http://www.gadling.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[A real life 'Hostel' situation: Iraqi man found dead at Birmingham hostel identified]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/09/a-real-life-hostel-situation-iraqi-man-found-dead-at-birmingh/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/09/a-real-life-hostel-situation-iraqi-man-found-dead-at-birmingh/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/09/a-real-life-hostel-situation-iraqi-man-found-dead-at-birmingh/#commentsFiled under: ,

hostelAn Iraqi man who was found dead in his Birmingham hostel room earlier this week has been identified by police, BBC reports.

The man has been identified as Bakhitar Ahmad Kheder Mirawdali, 40. He was was found by a member of staff at the hostel in Soho Road, Handsworth on February 2 and is believed to have died of a wound to the neck.

BBC is reporting that Mirawdali had been granted political asylum and had been living in the UK for a number of years, but was planning to return to Iraq to get married.

West Midlands Police believe his body had lain undiscovered for two days before being found on Thursday.

A man has currently been arrested in relation to the case, but police are still urging anyone with information to come forward.

Let's just say we won't be visiting this hostel anytime soon.

A real life 'Hostel' situation: Iraqi man found dead at Birmingham hostel identified originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>birminghamhostelThu, 09 Feb 2012 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Kimpton helps foster boutique hotel expansion in midwest with planned Cleveland entry]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/08/kimpton-helps-foster-boutique-hotel-expansion-in-midwest-with-pl/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/08/kimpton-helps-foster-boutique-hotel-expansion-in-midwest-with-pl/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/08/kimpton-helps-foster-boutique-hotel-expansion-in-midwest-with-pl/#commentsFiled under:

kimpton hotels cleveland

Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is adding to its existing portfolio of 50+ hotels across with plans to expand into Cleveland, Ohio. The brand announced their plans to launch a 161-room hotel in the city's historic downtown Schofield Building. The hotel will open in 2013.

"For us, it's especially exciting to see the demand for the boutique concept in general spreading to more mainstream cities in the Midwest and other areas of the country outside the urban centers of New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco," said Kimpton CEO Michael Depatie.

The brand currently has one hotel each in the Midwestern cities of Minneapolis and Chicago.

The hotel will be part of a mixed-use development that will include 25 luxury apartments on the building's top four floors and ground floor retail.

[Flickr via ifmuth]

Kimpton helps foster boutique hotel expansion in midwest with planned Cleveland entry originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boutique hotelsBoutiqueHotelsclevelandkimptonschofield buildingSchofieldBuildingWed, 08 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Kayak drops Blackberry support in favor of iPhone and Android]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/08/kayak-drops-blackberry-support-in-favor-of-iphone-and-android/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/08/kayak-drops-blackberry-support-in-favor-of-iphone-and-android/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/08/kayak-drops-blackberry-support-in-favor-of-iphone-and-android/#commentsFiled under:

kayakIf we didn't already think the death knell for Blackberry had begun, here's yet another sign that the once leading phone platform, at least where it comes to consumer travel apps, is well on its way to becoming outdated.

Kayak has revealed that it dropped support for its BlackBerry app, NextWeb reported.

"When we started KAYAK in 2004, we issued BlackBerries to the entire engineering team so we could communicate instantly 24/7," stated a memo from the Kayak team. "Today we've all switched, and it seems our users are doing the same. Our audience of BlackBerry users has been declining precipitously, and we can't justify the cost any longer."

Users won't find any updates for the app, but it will still exist in its present form. Users can also access the mobile version of the Kayak site from their browser.

Paul English, Kayak co-founder and CEO, told Tnooz last month that the brand, which has more than 10 million app downloads, has discovered an even further differentiation between platform users, namely that while both iPhone and Android users download the app, iPhone users are the ones most likely to buy online.

This may be a demographic shift. A user survey last summer also suggested that iPhone users are bigger travelers, and thus a more likely fit for the Kayak demographic.


The survey found that Android users are "36% more likely to not remember their last vacation," and that iPhone/iOS users are 15% more likely to have taken a vacation in the last six months, and were 55% more likely to have used their frequent flyer miles to have taken several free rewards flights during 2011.

What phone do you use?

Kayak drops Blackberry support in favor of iPhone and Android originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidblackberryiphonekayaktravel techTravelTechWed, 08 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Chatwal Hotels & Resorts plans for 52 new hotels in India]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/07/chatwal-hotels-and-resorts-plans-for-52-new-hotels-in-india/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/07/chatwal-hotels-and-resorts-plans-for-52-new-hotels-in-india/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/07/chatwal-hotels-and-resorts-plans-for-52-new-hotels-in-india/#commentsFiled under: , ,

chatwal hotels - dream downtownChatwal Hotels & Resorts is planning an aggressive entrance into the India market. The brand recently launched a five year plan to launch 52 hotels (40 Night hotels and 12 Dream hotels) in India.

"For me, India has always been the ultimate hospitality destination", said Sant Chatwal, Chairman & CEO, Hampshire Hotels & Resorts, the ownership arm of Chatwal Hotels & Resorts. "The multifarious lifestyle, culinary and cultural opportunities that this great country offers to the hospitality industry are immensely untapped."

Night will be come the brand's 'affordably chic' hotel option, while the Dream brand is positioned as a full-service, lifestyle brand for gateway cities and resort destinations. The initial launch sites will be a Dream resort in Goa and India's first location for Night in Chennai. These will be followed by New Delhi and Mumbai along with Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Jaipur and Udaipur.

Dream(R) and Night(R) hotels are currently in operation in New York, Miami, Bangkok, Thailand and Cochin, India. Plans are in the works for hotels in Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Berlin, Zagreb, Sao Paulo and 10 other properties within the US including Los Angeles.

Recently, Chatwal Hotels & Resorts had announced a partnership with the Wyndham Hotel Group, giving exclusive rights to franchise its Dream(R) and Night(R) boutique hotel brands.

Chatwal Hotels & Resorts plans for 52 new hotels in India originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chatwal hotels and resortsChatwalHotelsAndResortsChatwalNewYorkdream hoteldream htoelDreamHotelDreamHtoelindianight hotelNightHotelvikram chatwalVikramChatwalwyndhamTue, 07 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[27 Romantic hotel suites across the world]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/06/27-romantic-hotel-suites-across-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/06/27-romantic-hotel-suites-across-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/06/27-romantic-hotel-suites-across-the-world/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

romantic hotel suites


Valentine's Day is coming. Whether you're planning a romantic getaway or simply wishing you had someone to "share the love" with, we guarantee you'll love this glimpse into some of the world's most romantic hotel suites. We searched from Canada to Curacao to California to Cabo, London to Paris to Switzerland and even scoured Fiji, Bora Bora and Dubai. Of course, a few picks are close to home too - New York City and Miami, anyone?

It's a hard job, but someone had to do it. Which one is your favorite, or do you have a great romantic spot we missed?

Gallery: Romantic Suites Worldwide

Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt - IrelandOlissippo Lapa Palace - LisbonLodge Kura Hulanda - CuracaoGlenmere Mansion - Hudson ValleyGstaad Palace- Switzerland

27 Romantic hotel suites across the world originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>luxury travelLuxuryTravelromantic hotel suitesRomanticHotelSuitesvalentines dayValentinesDayMon, 06 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Westin opens first hotel in Panama to the tune of $100 million]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/04/westin-opens-first-hotel-in-panama-to-the-tune-of-100-million/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/04/westin-opens-first-hotel-in-panama-to-the-tune-of-100-million/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/04/westin-opens-first-hotel-in-panama-to-the-tune-of-100-million/#commentsFiled under: , ,

westin panamaPanama, ranked the number one travel destination by The New York Times and an emerging destination by pubs like Fodor's and Travel + Leisure, has just gotten a little hotter with the opening of its first Westin hotel.

The newly-opened Westin Playa Bonita Panamá is 20 minutes outside Panama City, flanked by both rainforest and beach. The hotel boasts 611 luxury rooms and suites, six fine dining restaurants, four bars and an open-air VIP Lounge on the 19th floor, which boasts panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, rainforest and Panamá Canal.
While 600-something room hotels aren't always our preference, it's a great way to get a tropical escape on the calendar for a reasonable price or for a moderate number of SPG loyalty points.

This opening falls on the heels of other major hotel announcements in the fast-emerging must-visit destination, including the opening of Trump Ocean Club Panama earlier this year.

Westin opens first hotel in Panama to the tune of $100 million originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hotel openingsHotelOpeningspanamapanama cityPanamaCitystarwoodtrumpwestinSat, 04 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Westin rolling out new gyms]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/02/westin-rolling-out-new-gyms/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/02/westin-rolling-out-new-gyms/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/02/westin-rolling-out-new-gyms/#commentsFiled under:

westin fitness centerIt's time to get your workout on. Starwood Hotels and Resorts announced this week that they are revamping the fitness studios at its Westin-branded hotels. WestinWORKOUT fitness facilities at 186 Westin hotels around the world are getting new equipment and blue light therapy throughout the course of the year.

New equipment we can understand - after all, people are pounding away on the machines all day long. But the redesign stems from Westin's in-house design team's studies of guest behavior that found Westin guests desired a more well-rounded, holistic fitness experience, including more options for stretching, yoga and fitness classes.

To capitalize on this trend, Westin is removing select pieces of equipment that guests were not using as frequently in order to provide more floor space for these types of activities. Don't worry, this won't include the treadmills! Pulley machines are also being added to smaller fitness studios to further maximize space and provide a greater range of workout options.

More natural design
The custom-created design of Westin's new fitness studio, a departure from the typical gym aesthetic, was also driven by the changing trends of how people work out. Instead of black rubber floors, the Westin design team chose to use a natural, soft-tone color palette and organic materials including textural woven flooring.

Inspired by nature, each fitness studio will also display a full-size art mural entitled "Step Up," a reflective image of people running up a grassy hill. We're not sure it will get us through this extra mile, but hey - it's better than a blank wall.

Look for the blue light
Westin worked with Philips to introduce ActiViva Lighting, Philips' new energizing fluorescent lighting, into its gym facilities. Supposedly their blue light technology positively influences well-being and will help to make guests feel more alert, awake and energized in target workout areas such as the cardio zone. Additionally, the lighting will be customized in all workout zones to coincide with the type of exercise taking place in each specific area.

More guest perks
In December 2010, Westin a partnership New Balance. The chain provides footwear, apparel and fitness program content to its guests to borrow. Later this year, the brand will also be expanding its in-room SuperFoodsRX menu items for breakfast to also include lunch and dinner options.

The gyms are currently open at Westin Jersey City, Westin Riverwalk, San Antonio, Westin St. Francis in San Francisco and the Westin Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego.

Westin rolling out new gyms originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>starwood hotelsStarwoodHotelswestinThu, 02 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[TripAdvisor survey reveals WiFi is a traveler's top amenity]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/02/tripadvisor-survey-reveals-wifi-is-a-travelers-top-amenity/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/02/tripadvisor-survey-reveals-wifi-is-a-travelers-top-amenity/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/02/tripadvisor-survey-reveals-wifi-is-a-travelers-top-amenity/#commentsFiled under: ,

tripadvisorTripAdvisor has released the results of its first-ever 360 degree survey, and the results are in - amenities are king, particularly when those amenities include WiFi and breakfast included with the room rate, but turndown service is of little import.

Of the travelers surveyed, 54% said they have canceled a lodging reservation because they found better amenities at a different property.

According to travelers, the five most important amenities are:
1. WiFi
2. Breakfast Included
3. Loyalty Points
4. Restaurant
5. Shuttle Service to Local Attractions/ Airport

The least important amenities are:
1. Turndown Service
2. Pets Allowed
3. Spa
4. Tours/Excursions/Activities
5. Room Service

Internet is king

Some fun stats:
· 88% of travelers expect Wi-Fi Internet access to be free of charge in all lodging types
· 41% of travelers have never paid for Wi-Fi Internet access.
· 65% said they have used free Wi-Fi Internet in an accommodation's lobby or common areas to avoid paying for in-room access.
· 93% of accommodations report offering some form of free Wi-Fi Internet access to their guests.

More than 1,000 U.S. travelers and more than 600 U.S. hotel representatives were polled.

TripAdvisor survey reveals WiFi is a traveler's top amenity originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>surveytripadvisorwifiThu, 02 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Things I learned in Antigua: Luffas grow on trees]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/02/things-i-learned-in-antigua-luffas-grow-on-trees/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/02/things-i-learned-in-antigua-luffas-grow-on-trees/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/02/things-i-learned-in-antigua-luffas-grow-on-trees/#commentsFiled under: , ,

luffaAntigua is a lush, green land of 365 beaches (one for every day of the year!), warm sunshine, and laid-back island culture. It is also the land of the luffa.

Beauty junkies the world over are familiar with these excellent exfoliating tools, perfect for sudsing up and washing down in the shower or tub. We may even know them by other names - shower sponges, poofs, etcetera. Today, many are made of plastic and come in a variety of colors and textures.

What we might not know: the luffa, also known as a loofah, is a fruit.

That's right. Just like that old fooler the tomato, the loofah is part of the fruit family. That's right - we thought it came from the ocean too. Doesn't the little sponge-like apparatus look like it came from the sea?

Well, it doesn't. This edible "climbing vine" with beautiful yellow flowers - if one wasn't aware of what they were seeking, the luffa might be mistaken for a beautiful tree. Resembling a cucumber when ripe, luffa is often cooked eaten as a fuit in some Middle Eastern and Indian cultures and sometimes prepared with crushed dried peanuts and bans. Some even use its juices as a natural treatment for jaundice. In Canada, the luffa is known as a Chinese Okra and in India the fruit is called a Sebot. In Paraguay, the fruit is combined with other vegetable matters and recycled plastic to create furniture or construct houses.

When dried out, as shown in the gallery below, the luffa can be peeled or chipped away to showcase the mature and dry fibers underneath. Shake out the seeds, which resemble oversized watermelon or sunflower seeds, and viola! The world's only natural bath or kitchen sponge. The coarse network of fibers makes the luffa a perfect exfoliator for both dry and wet skin.

These fruits grow in dry, warm climates throughout China, Korea, Japan and Central America as well as my own personal land of discovery, Antigua.

I'm proud to say that the phrase "you learn something new every day" stands true - it just turns out that this day was more memorable than most!

*A big thanks to Vorn Johnson, an Antiguan nature enthusiast, who accurately pointed out that one of the island's many plants is indeed the luffa fruit. While we can't find data verifying if the plant is native to the island, research shows that the fruit also grows on nearby Barbuda.

Gallery: The Luffa Fruit

Vorn Johnson, Antiguan naturalist. Photo courtesy of Sugar Ridge Resort.

Things I learned in Antigua: Luffas grow on trees originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>antigualoofahluffaThu, 02 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Superbowl 2012 travel trends]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/30/superbowl-2012-travel-trends/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/30/superbowl-2012-travel-trends/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/30/superbowl-2012-travel-trends/#commentsFiled under: , ,

indianapolis superbowl 2012For football fans, next weekend is the penultimate match up between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants. What does that mean for travelers? Stay the heck away from Indianapolis!

Kayak just released data showing that searches from New England to Indianapolis saw an increase of 28 times the average immediately following the Pats/Ravens game. New York Giants fans accounted for a flight search increase to Indianapolis of 38 times the average.

Hotel searches for Indianapolis on January 22 were seven times the average hotel search share of the first two Sundays of the month.
Of course, that means hotels are raising prices accordingly - Staybridge Suites Indianapolis- Airport hotel is showing a rate of $312 and the Residence Inn Indianapolis Fishers is offering a rate of $179. Both are a 20 to 30-minute drive away.
Hotels up to 10 miles from the stadium are already beginning to sell out, if they haven't done so already.

Of course, if you want to go luxe, you certainly can. Jetsetter is offering three packages for the game, which include overnight accommodations, VIP game passes and party access. Of course, the price goes along with the exclusivity - the most expensive package is $20,000 for two.

Gallery: Superbowl trends


[Flickr via indywriter]

Superbowl 2012 travel trends originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>indianapolisjetsetterkayaknew england patriotsnew york giantsNewEnglandPatriotsNewYorkGiantssuper bowlsuperbowlsuperbowl 2012Superbowl2012Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Luxury Travel: $30,000 romance package at The Langham hotel in Pasadena]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/29/luxury-travel-30-000-romance-package-at-the-langham-hotel-in-p/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/29/luxury-travel-30-000-romance-package-at-the-langham-hotel-in-p/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/29/luxury-travel-30-000-romance-package-at-the-langham-hotel-in-p/#commentsFiled under: ,

the langhamWe know you want to show your love for your sweetie this Valentine's Day - but is your love worth a $30,000 hotel package? Perhaps it is. If so, The Langham Hotel in Pasadena, California is offering an over-the-top romance package sure to tickle even the most jaded traveler's fancy. The overnight package really isn't as bad as it could be, given that it includes a custom-designed piece of diamond jewelry from Single Stone of Mission Street valued at $20,000. Can we say "wedding proposal"? The package also includes:

  • Limousine transfer to and from the hotel, as well as an on-call limousine for use during your stay
  • Champagne, five dozen roses, chocolate covered strawberries
  • Overnight accommodations in the Tournament of Roses suite, offering 360-degree views of the San Gabriel Mountains and valleys, with early arrival and late checkout as needed.
  • A custom-created diamond jewelry piece from Single Stone on Mission Street (valued at $20,000)
  • 80-minute Chuan Balancing Couple's Massage at The Huntington Spa
  • Private dinner for two in the Tournament of Roses Suite featuring a five course menu with wine pairings from The Royce
  • Rose petal turndown and breakfast in bed

You know what they say - money can't buy you love, but it's as easy to love a rich man as a poor one. We're pretty sure we could get used to what money could buy us with this package.

Luxury Travel: $30,000 romance package at The Langham hotel in Pasadena originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>langham hotelsLanghamHotelsluxury travelLuxuryTravelpasadenaSun, 29 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Luxury Travel: Unlimited spa treatments at Thailand's Phulay Bay]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/28/luxury-travel-unlimited-spa-treatments-at-thailands-phulay-bay/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/28/luxury-travel-unlimited-spa-treatments-at-thailands-phulay-bay/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/28/luxury-travel-unlimited-spa-treatments-at-thailands-phulay-bay/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

phulay bay
There are relaxing vacations and there are vacations that take relaxation to a whole new level. Thailand's Phulay Bay, the first Ritz-Carlton Reserve property, is offering a new Unlimited Spa package to entice luxury and spa lovers alike - and we are pretty sure it's working.

The ESPA-branded spa and the property have teamed up to offer a package featuring unlimited daily EPSA treatments along with daily breakfast for two, roundtrip transfers from Krabi Airport by hotel limousine, 24-hour dedicated butler service and a complimentary daily boat trip to Hong Island.

It isn't the idea of an unlimited spa package that's enticing, but the relatively low per-day price (starting at $1,165 per day) and the fact that the value increases exponentially with the amount of spa services booked. If you were to truly schedule a week of pampering, for example, your savings could be as much as $1,800 per day.

That's not saying that the price isn't still steep, but it's a dramatic discount given the services offered. We certainly wouldn't pass up the chance to stay at one of the resort's 54 villas.

Gallery: Ritz-Carlton Reserve Phulay Bay

Luxury Travel: Unlimited spa treatments at Thailand's Phulay Bay originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>luxury travelLuxuryTravelphulay bayPhulayBayritz-carlton reserveRitz-carltonReservespa treatmentsSpaTreatmentsthailandSat, 28 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Valentine's Day is coming - where are people traveling?]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/27/valentines-day-is-coming-where-are-people-traveling/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/27/valentines-day-is-coming-where-are-people-traveling/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/27/valentines-day-is-coming-where-are-people-traveling/#commentsFiled under: , ,

valentines dayMost holidays see a spike in travel - particularly those that involve long weekends. But what happens on the romantic holiday of the year, which, in 2012, just so happens to fall on a Tuesday? Sure, card sales, flowers, chocolate and the prix fixe menu at The Melting Pot will go up in price, but will travel increase?

Kayak sourced the top five most romantic destinations based on both a) search volume (the number of searches for that location) and b) the percentage of change in search volume for Valentine's Day vs. the weekends prior and following February 14th.

According to their data, New York City is 64% more popular over Valentine's Day weekend than the two flanking it. According to Kayak data, cities seeing the most search volume for Valentine's Day weekend include: New York City, Venice (Italy), Honolulu, Maui and Denver. While we're not quite sure how Denver hits the list, we can only suppose it's a stopping point for a romantic ski trip away.
Searches for US flights showed a spike for Valentine's travel to New York City and Chicago.

Are you traveling to any of these cities this Valentine's Day?

[Flickr via moominmolly]

Valentine's Day is coming - where are people traveling? originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>kayakvalentines dayValentinesDayFri, 27 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Luxury Travel: Visit England's Highclere Castle, filming location of Downton Abbey]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/23/luxury-travel-visit-englands-highclere-castle-filming-locatio/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/23/luxury-travel-visit-englands-highclere-castle-filming-locatio/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/23/luxury-travel-visit-englands-highclere-castle-filming-locatio/#commentsFiled under: , ,

highclere castleFans of English history will leap at any chance to tour the country's stately homes - but a private one-on-one with a real-life Earl and Countess might just be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Of course, any such experience comes with a price. For GBP 7,900, guests can step into the shoes of a Downton Abbey cast member with a private day trip to Highclere Castle, the filming location for the Emmy-winning series on PBS Masterpiece Classic.
Begin the day with tea and coffee in the private morning room after being personally greeted by the eighth Earl and Countess of Carnarvon, followed by a tour of the State rooms led by the Lord or Lady of the house. After a lunch with wines chosen from the Earl's cellar, it's off in one of the Earl's private 4x4s to Beacon Hill.
After lunch, be transported in one of the Earl's private 4x4 off-road vehicles to Beacon Hill. The 5th Earl of Carnarvon (who funded and assisted Howard Carter's investigations, culminating in the discovery of Tutankhamen's fabulous tomb in 1922) is buried at the summit and see the remains of an Iron Age fort. If the weather is inclement, enjoy an escorted tour of Highclere's Egyptogology Exhibition.

The visit ends with the serving of High Tea, at which guests have an opportunity to gain an intimate and informal insight into the working life of the Countess. The package can be booked through Noteworthy Events.

Of course, if you're simply a lover of the show and looking for a package that's a bit less expensive - check out this hotel experience in New York that we covered a few weeks ago.

Luxury Travel: Visit England's Highclere Castle, filming location of Downton Abbey originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>downton abbeyDowntonAbbeyenglandhighclere castleHighclereCastleluxury travelLuxuryTravelMon, 23 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Video: The Palazzo Las Vegas' 8,000-pound fire-breathing dragon]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/22/video-the-palazzo-las-vegas-8-000-pound-fire-breathing-dragon/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/22/video-the-palazzo-las-vegas-8-000-pound-fire-breathing-dragon/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/22/video-the-palazzo-las-vegas-8-000-pound-fire-breathing-dragon/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We all know Las Vegas hotels and resorts pull some pretty crazy stunts - hello, Treasure Island's Pirate Show, Bellagio's fountain and Mirage's exploding volcano, just to name a few. But this is the first time we've seen such a large scale installation to celebrate a single holiday. The 128-foot, 8,000-pound fire-breathing dragon suspended above The Palazzo's waterfall took more than 13 months to complete.

Guests can visit the dragon (perhaps during tomorrow's ceremonial dragon dance ceremony), or stop by through the end of the celebrations (February 5) for themed menus and special events.

Video: The Palazzo Las Vegas' 8,000-pound fire-breathing dragon originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chinese new yearChineseNewYearlas vegasLasVegasSun, 22 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Marriott and Schrager remain positive about Edition brand]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/20/marriott-and-schrager-remain-positive-about-edition-brand/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/20/marriott-and-schrager-remain-positive-about-edition-brand/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/20/marriott-and-schrager-remain-positive-about-edition-brand/#comments marriott edition hotelsMarriott's purchase of New York City's iconic Clock Tower building and the announcement of five new Edition hotels has reaffirmed the company's commitment to the brand, part of a long term partnership with hotelier Ian Schrager.
Marriott yesterday announced new locations in Bangkok and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and a hotel in Los Angeles and Gurgaon, India, HOTELS Magazine reported. At present, the hotel has a hotel in Istanbul with planned openings listed on the main Edition website in London, Miami and Mexico City.

Marriott has committed $800 million to develop the brand, which has made news of late due to the ongoing legal battle between the owner of the former Edition Honolulu, now called The Modern Honolulu.

"I'm working with what I consider to be the best operators in the business. As far as I'm concerned, all the other hotel companies are run by financial guys and marketing guys and Marriott is the only true operator and they execute superbly," Schrager, the hotelier who is also behind PUBLIC hotels, told CNBC on Thursday.

"2011 ended well. I think as we head into 2012, we see more optimism in the newspapers, which can't help but help the demand side of the equation so we feel really quite good about 2012."

Marriott and Schrager remain positive about Edition brand originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>edition hotelsEditionHotelsian schragerIanSchragermarriottFri, 20 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Video: Traffic cop gets his Michael Jackson on]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/19/video-traffic-cop-gets-his-michael-jackson-on/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/19/video-traffic-cop-gets-his-michael-jackson-on/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/19/video-traffic-cop-gets-his-michael-jackson-on/#commentsFiled under:


Recently, we showed you a Mexico City street performer giving his own personal tribute to the King of Pop. Now, a Filipino traffic cop brings a little Michael Jackson to his job. Check it out - we're pretty sure this guy would make our day if we were stuck in rush hour.

Continue reading Video: Traffic cop gets his Michael Jackson on

Video: Traffic cop gets his Michael Jackson on originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>michael jacksonMichaelJacksonvideoThu, 19 Jan 2012 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Virgin America expands with service to Philadelphia]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/17/virgin-america-expands-with-service-to-philadelphia/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/17/virgin-america-expands-with-service-to-philadelphia/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/17/virgin-america-expands-with-service-to-philadelphia/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Welcome to the City of Brotherly Love Virgin America. The California-based airline has announced that starting April 4, 2012, they will offer three daily nonstop flights from Philadelphia (PHL) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and two daily nonstop flights from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) starting April 10, 2012.

Connecting flights will also be available from PHL to Virgin America's San Diego, Seattle and Las Vegas destinations. "This is a great development for the entire Philadelphia region, including northern Delaware, southern New Jersey and southeastern Pennsylvania," said Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter. "New airline service not only lowers fares for travelers, but it is also a major economic driver - stimulating business travel, tourism and local job growth. Virgin America's new flights also validate the strong and growing business travel link between our region's innovation-based sectors and those on the West Coast."

At a time when most airlines are cutting capacity, Virgin America will bring much needed nonstop competition from California's largest airports to PHL. Currently, only legacy carriers serve the West Coast-PHL routes nonstop. When entering markets that offer little low-fare competition, Virgin America has historically seen fares drop by up to one-third. In addition, 50% of travelers flying from PHL to the Los Angeles market now use connecting flights and 45% of those traveling from PHL to the San Francisco Bay Area are connecting passengers.

The PHL announcement was first shared with the carrier's social media fans earlier today, via a video that spotted the mysterious 'Greenman' from the FX television show "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" near a Virgin America aircraft.
To kick off the fares, the airline is offering a "The City of Brotherly Love: Just Got Lovelier" sale, with PHL-LAX fares from $129 and PHL-SFO fares from $149 each way.

Virgin America expands with service to Philadelphia originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city of brotherly loveCityOfBrotherlyLovephiladelphiaphiladelphia airportPhiladelphiaAirportphlvirgin americaVirginAmericaTue, 17 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Four Seasons relaunches hotel websites in $15 million brand initiative]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/11/four-seasons-relaunches-hotel-websites-in-15-million-brand-init/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/11/four-seasons-relaunches-hotel-websites-in-15-million-brand-init/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/11/four-seasons-relaunches-hotel-websites-in-15-million-brand-init/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Four Seasons has today launched the latest upgrades to their brands hotel websites, a $15 million corporate initiative that places a greater emphasis on images, social media, special offers and destination "experiences".

Looking almost Tumblr-esque in layout, the sites use real-time social media data from Facebook, Twitter and TripAdvisor to show reviews from visitors, both positive and negative.

Such a bold move could be risky for hotels, but, as we've noted before, Four Seasons as a brand excels at social media,training hotels and staffers in how to respond properly to individual messages.

Hotel expert Barb De Lollis of USA Today quoted the brand's marketing chief Susan Helstab, who said that "there's no room for smoke and mirrors in today's socially networked world." She cited a brand survey saying that 33% of guests rely heavily on TripAdvisor when making booking decisions, but that one person's "bad" may be another person's value-add.

"If you find that not every experience is equally positive, you will understand the framework for that experience. Maybe it was from a traveler who wasn't quite like you," she says. "Maybe you want an active kids' pool with lots of amenities (unlike the writer of a particular review that complains about the pool scene)."

We're happy to see the new website playing up the destination as much as the property - lush, vivid photos and an extensive "Destination" and "Highlights" page play up what there is to do in the area. Meetings and Weddings, while extensively built out, take a back seat in the main navigation for tiny, top-level tabs, indicating that this is a site that is speaking to the leisure consumer rather than the corporate one that forms much of the brand's base. UGC content from sites like Flickr also gives a more personal touch, and fully-functioning mobile sites allow on-the-go travelers to book.

While there are still a few kinks to work out (not all room types load with images and we caught a few typos) the site looks impressive and modern, more like what we'd expect from a boutique chain rather than a big brand with 86 hotels under their belt.

We're excited to see if other hotels follow suit.

Four Seasons relaunches hotel websites in $15 million brand initiative originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>barb delollisBarbDelollisfour seasonsfour seasons hotels and resortFourSeasonsFourSeasonsHotelsAndResorthotels and resortHotelsAndResortluxury travelLuxuryTravelusa todayUsaTodayWed, 11 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Scotland's Balmoral Hotel now offers offers a "Tartan Butler"]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/11/scotlands-balmoral-hotel-now-offers-offers-a-tartan-butler/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/11/scotlands-balmoral-hotel-now-offers-offers-a-tartan-butler/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/11/scotlands-balmoral-hotel-now-offers-offers-a-tartan-butler/#commentsFiled under: ,

tartan butler balmoral hotelCurious about your Scottish ancestry? Think you can pull of the tartan? Perhaps you should hie thyself to Scotland and embrace your heritage with the new "Tartan Butler" at Rocco Forte's Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh to guide you.
Andy Fraser, aka the "Tartan Butler" is a master at tracing Scottish heritage, having successfully traced his own clan as far back as the early 13th Century by scouring over 30 variations of the Fraser family tartan.
Although not necessary, guests can relay the names of any known Scottish ancestors to the Tartan Butler even before they arrive at the hotel, and the Butler will establish a connection to one of thousands of clans and traditionally recognized tartans.

Guests have a number of options (prices vary, naturally) - if Fraser tracks down the guest's clan, he can help arrange a trip to the city's most established kilt shop, Kinloch Anderson, to have a one of a kind kilt made to reflect the traditional clan kilt design. For those wishing to literally follow in their ancestors' footsteps, the Tartan Butler could arrange a bespoke tour of the guest's Scottish region, visiting the place an ancestor was born or spent some part of their life.

We're pretty sure this is something William Wallace would have heartily approved of.

Scotland's Balmoral Hotel now offers offers a "Tartan Butler" originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>balmoralbalmoral hotelBalmoralHoteledinburghRocco Forte CollectionRoccoForteCollectionscotlandWed, 11 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST