Feb 9th, 2012 at 12:30PM: According to a story in Wednesday's New York Times, New York City's largest union representing hotel workers has reached a long term contract with major hotel operators in the city which will give housekeepers and other employees big raises and will provide panic buttons for some hotel staff. Officials said that housekeepers, room service waiters and minibar attendants will receive electronic ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Hotels posts
NYC hotel housekeepers earn big raises, panic buttons
Feb 9th, 2012 at 12:30PM: According to a story in Wednesday's New York Times, New York City's largest union representing hotel workers has reached a long term contract with major hotel operators in the city which will give housekeepers and other employees big raises and will provide panic buttons for some hotel staff. Officials said that housekeepers, room service waiters and minibar attendants will receive electronic ...London hotel offers champagne baths
Feb 9th, 2012 at 12:00PM: While drinking a 2002 Dom Pérignon, have you ever thought to yourself, "Damn, this stuff is so good, I should take a bath in it!" Well, you're not the only one with such luxurious fantasies. Starting Valentine's Day and running through the next year, the Cadogan Hotel in London will be offering a menu of champagne baths to guests who want to try out the ultimate bubbly bath.
What's your ...How to game Priceline to get the best deal on a hotel room
Feb 9th, 2012 at 11:00AM: If you like to stay in nice hotels but hate paying full price for them, you've probably tried to bid for a room on Priceline at some point. But are you sure you got the lowest possible price? I've been using Priceline to bid on hotel rooms for years and I think I have the experience down to a science. Here's how I use the site.
Map out a bidding strategy using free re-bids
If you're familiar ...Loyal hotel customers would give up spouse, keep loyalty program, if given choice
Feb 5th, 2012 at 10:00AM: Relationships with hotel loyalty programs run deep, often causing members to lie, cheat or pose as someone else to get ahead says a new survey by Starwood Preferred Guest.
"Honeymoon"? "Emergency"? Respondents would try subterfuge to get upgrades and were not above telling little white lies to get a better hotel room or a hotel/airline travel upgrade" Starwood said in TravelAgent. Nearly half ...The couple's guide to Valentine's Day hotel packages
Jan 21st, 2012 at 9:00AM: It's always fun to do something a little special for Valentine's Day, and staying at a luxury hotel can definitely add an air of romance to the occasion. And because we know every couple has a different idea of romance, here is a guide based on your "couple personality" to help you decide where to spend this Valentine's Day.
Nature-loving couples
Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island
Amelia Island, ...New York hotel suite up for auction for an entire year
Jan 14th, 2012 at 11:00AM: This year, Affinia Manhattan plans to make Sunday nights special for one lucky winner. From January 19-Feruary 2, 2012, the hotel will be auctioning off an entire year's worth of Sunday night stays in a newly revamped one-bedroom suite. The package is worth $20,000 and is perfect for business travelers and those in the outer boroughs or nearby suburbs who come into the city often.
Along with ...Major hotel brands band together to launch RoomKey.com
Jan 12th, 2012 at 11:30AM:
What do you get when six of the world's leading hotel brands come together? You get RoomKey.com, a new hotel search engine that launched on Wednesday.
Choice Hotels International, InterContinental Hotels Group, Hilton Worldwide, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Marriott International, and Wyndham Hotel Group form the group of six that created RoomKey.com, a simple search tool that allows ...A light sleeper's lament: six things you shouldn't do in a hotel
Jan 11th, 2012 at 10:00AM: I used to be able to sleep well in the humblest of places. But the older I get, the harder it is for me to get a good night sleep while traveling. I don't know if it's because I usually travel with two toddlers, or if travelers are becoming increasingly ignorant of basic hotel etiquette, or if I'm spoiled by my Tempurpedic mattress at home, but I often find myself sleeping like a baby while on the ...Is this the year hotels become more autism-friendly?
Jan 7th, 2012 at 4:00PM:
It isn't easy traveling with a child with autism. In every piece of literature I've read about autism and sensory disorders and in every daily decision I've witnessed in my own son, autism is driven by routine. Travel is anything but routine. The fact that so many facets of travel are left up to chance makes many parents of autistic kids, as well as many adults living with autism, uneasy ...Historical castle offers free wine on tap for guests
Jan 6th, 2012 at 12:30PM: When thinking of castles, many people imagine kings and queens, old-world architecture, and decades of history. In New York, however, there is a castle that is not only a historical structure, but also a wine-lovers retreat.
The Belhurst Castle is located in the town of Geneva in the Finger Lakes region, overlooking Seneca Lake. Built in the 1800's, it still contains beamed cathedral ceilings, ...Uniquely designed luxury hotel and office complex in China resembles ocean waves
Dec 30th, 2011 at 5:00PM: It's truly amazing what architects can do nowadays in terms of innovative design, and the Hangzhou Waves, a new luxury hotel and office complex proposed in China, is a perfect example of this. While the structure is a 5 star accommodation, it is also a work of art, as it actually resembles the natural waves of the ocean.
Hangzhou Waves is a project of JDS Architects, a firm known for its unique ...10 unique underground hotels from around the world
Dec 15th, 2011 at 11:00AM: While staying above ground has its perks, it's always fun to try something a little out of the ordinary. On your next trip, why not try staying in one of these unique hotels located underground? You'll get privacy, a unique experience, and won't have to worry about the sun waking you up too early on your vacation.
Sala Silvermine
Sala, Sweden
The Sala Silvermine is an actual mine that ...Go ice skating at your hotel in Miami
Dec 5th, 2011 at 5:30PM:
What's better than ice skating during the holidays? How about ice skating with the knowledge that the sunny beaches of Miami are waiting for you when you're finished?
Travelers escaping the cold for the balmy climes of South Florida can enjoy a little taste of winter with the Intercontinental Miami's Holiday Ice Rink. Through January 15, 2012, the full-size rink will be open at ...Radisson Blu debuts in Chicago
Dec 4th, 2011 at 10:00AM:
Radisson has been a familiar name in hospitality in the United States for more than 100 years. But last month marked the first time that a Radisson Blu-branded property opened on U.S. soil. The Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel opened in Chicago on November 1, 2011, promising to be a major player on the Windy City's design hotel scene.
"The reception has been amazing," says Fred Khoury, Director of ...Andaz 5th Avenue offers a tattoo artist in residence, Mister Cartoon
Dec 2nd, 2011 at 2:00PM: We all knew that Andaz hotels were cool - after all, this is the hotel brand that brought you king-bedded suites with stripper poles and chic-ly dressed "hosts" in local designers in lieu of frond desk staff, and a mini bar stuffed with gratis snacks. But now they've one-upped themselves ... with an in-residence tattoo artist at Andaz 5th Avenue.
The only way to skip his year-long waiting list? ...One luxury and two budget hotels in Amsterdam
Nov 27th, 2011 at 3:00PM:
Visitors to Amsterdam are spoiled for choice when it comes to hotels. From flea-bitten junky flophouses all the way up to five-star luxury accommodation, hotels in Amsterdam offer something for everyone. Picking one can be tricky, though. Here are three places I've stayed at.
The four-star Hotel Estheréa is a good choice if you want to splash out. Its location on a broad canal in ...Seven Black Friday and Cyber Monday hotel deals for 2011
Nov 25th, 2011 at 10:00AM: As a holiday purist, I lament the day that "Black Friday" and its sister "Cyber Monday" supplanted Thanksgiving as November's most anticipated event. But as a shopper, in particular a seeker of travel deals, I always look forward to seeing what kinds of discounts I can gobble up.
This year, quite a number of hotels are offering flash sales on Black Friday (November 25), Cyber Monday (November ...Dominican resort offers ultra-luxe island adventure
Nov 24th, 2011 at 4:00PM:
A new Dominican resort has plans to change the travel and tourism landscape in the Caribbean when completed in February 2012. Eden Roc at Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic consists of 34 freestanding suites and three opulent bungalows, each one fully equipped with it's own private swimming pool, that offer jet-setting guests an unprecedented level of intimate luxury that personifies ...A different kind of Thanksgiving without the annoying relatives
Nov 20th, 2011 at 11:00AM: Looking for a different kind of Thanksgiving? Still waiting to see who in the family is going to offer their humble abode to celebrate the day? Dreading the thought of fighting the local supermarket for the last can of candied yams? The Ritz-Carlton in Fort Lauderdale has a better idea. Forget all that, leave the annoying relatives at home and come see them instead.
Guests at The Ritz-Carlton, ...UK's Queen renting out apartments for Olympics
Nov 15th, 2011 at 2:30PM:
Finding a place to stay for the Olympics is a challenge. Booking a room can be complicated as many entire hotels have been snapped up by the International Olympic Committee or are working on an exclusive-use deal with them.
It looks like the "We" of the growing Collaborative Age movement is taking over for the "Me" of the Industrial Age more all the time though.
Today, Queen Elizabeth ...
