Luxury hotels are offering eReaders as perks to their elite guests

This week, Fairmont Hotels announced that eReaders would be made available at certain hotels, but only to guests staying on the Gold Floors -- the "exclusive oases" that have Gold reception desks manned by Gold staff members who dedicate themselves to Gold guests, who are elite. The eReaders will be stocked with a variety of Random House titles; the concierges will be briefed on the content, allowing them to make recommendations to the discerning customer.



"It speaks beautifully to the research we've just conducted, to get at the true passion communities that [our guests] feel deeply about," says Alexandra Blum, the executive director of brand development and global partnerships at Fairmont.

Those passion communities are . . . ?

"We believe that traditional loyalty programs are no longer sufficient to truly engage the affluent."

Ah. One can remain impressed by wireless Internet access for only so long. One can watch only so much HBO, HBO2, HBO Comedy, HBO Family and HBO Signature before one develops eyestrain. At a certain point, one hates the sight of one's in-room business center, and one realizes that the mark of true elitism is a return to old-fashioned pleasures.

At Miami's Epic Hotel, guests are presented with pre-loaded Sony Readers. The truly decadent may choose to have genuine paper artifacts delivered to their rooms, ordering books off the "virtual nightstand," a sort of literary room service menu.

In Newport, R.I., the Forty 1? North boutique hotel places iPads in every room.

None of them can compete with New York's Library Hotel in terms of literary luxury; each room is themed with a section of the Dewey Decimal System -- oceanographers in 900.003, Slavic language devotees in 400.001. The hotel has a total of 6,000 volumes -- real ones, not Kindled

Hotels PARIS

Over 500 hotels in Paris selected by our specialists: a wide range of hotels in Paris from classic hotels to luxury and design hotels. With almost 10 years experience of the hotel industry, our team of experts offers you the best selection of hotels in Paris. Come visit Paris and stay in the heart of the city in the hotel that fits your needs: traditional, fashion, design, boutique and many more! Book your hotel on-line in Paris without any fee. Take advantage of our special offers and enjoy your stay in Paris with hotels-paris.fr.

Marriott Hotels

The Marriott Bexleyheath is a modern hotel close to the M25 London Orbital Motorway with good access into London, Kent, and the 2 large shopping centres of Bluewater (Europe's largest and most innovative shopping centre) and Lakeside. Brands Hatch is just 10 miles away.

The expansive bedrooms in this contemporary and stylish hotel have individually controlled air-conditioning, iron/ironing board, laptop size safe, mini fridge, direct dial phone with voicemail, high speed internet access, trouser press, desk and work area, satellite TV and pay movies. All rooms en-suite with marble bathrooms and hairdryer. Beds have mattress toppers and Egyptian cotton linen. Windows can be opened by guest.
Room service is 24 hours. The Marriott Bexleyheath has a daily maid service and also an evening turndown service.

Spend some time in the stylish Planter's lounge bar which also serves afternoon tea before sampling the traditional English cuisine of the Copper restaurant, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

For revitalization take full advantage of the facilities and well-equipped gym (cardio and resistance machines) in the lovely greco-roman themed leisure club. Here you will also find an indoor swimming pool, sauna, beauty treatments and steam rooms.
The hotel features 8 meeting rooms, business centre, an indoor pool and a solarium.
A free daily newspaper can be found in the hotel lobby. Wireless internet access in public areas.

Holiday in Hotels

Being in the main street, the hotel is a perfect location to explore and enjoy the spectacular sights in Cat Ba. It takes you just 5 minutes to walk to 3 lovely sandy beaches named Cat Co I, Cat Co II, Cat Co III and no more than 15 minutes to Cat Ba Biosphere Reservation. Especially, it is only 300 m from the tourist wharf where you can easily catch a ferry or a boat to go the main land.

The Holiday View Hotel is located in the heart of Cat Ba town, overlooking Lan Ha - one of the most beautiful bay in Vietnam. Owned and managed by Vinaconex., JSC, the Holiday View Hotel is the first three star hotel with international standard in Cat Ba island.

The Holiday View Hotel offers you high quality accommodations with professional services, most of our 120 tastefully designed suites, deluxe and superior rooms go well with the beautiful sea view.



The Red Sail restaurant on 2nd floor provides you with a variety of traditional Vietnamese, Asian and Western dishes prepared on our skillful cooks. You can enjoy meals with your family or be loved in the cozy and romantic atmosphere in the inside part of the restaurant or cheer with your friends or colleagues in the cool and exciting atmosphere in the open-air terrace.

The Holiday View Hotel is also a wonderful place to organize meetings and conferences. There are two well-equipped meeting rooms on 13th floor: one can hold up to 200 people and another can seat about 30. Certainly, these are absolutely suitable for your various meetings, conferences, banquets or special events.

Last but not least, we are the professional in the field of organizing tours. We offer different kinds of tours as well as all information about tourism such as excursions, cyclist tours, go trekking, cruising and so on. When joining us, you will find yourselves in different and wonderful places in Cat Ba Island or hundreds of islands off the coast.

London Hotels

Conferences in London Hotels

London is home to hundreds of hotels. The London hotels, like everything else in the city, are posh, plush, and expensive. The hotels in London serve as excellent conference venues. Most London hotels are equipped with fabulous conference facilities that enable guests to host conferences with alacrity and ease. The hotels of London also house large banquet halls, ballrooms, gymnasiums and restaurants so that guests who come for conferences can really chill-out in between hectic and grueling meetings. Many of the London hotels house well-equipped Business Centers. Several staffs such as typists, secretaries, translators, PAs, and others, work in these Business Centers. Hotel guests may avail of the services offered by the Business Centers, at a price, any time they like. The PAs, secretaries and other professional assistants employed at these Business Centers are extremely efficient and can really help you to make your conference a success.



London is one of the most important financial capitals of the modern world. Ironically, it also happens to be one of the most important historical capitals of the modern world as it's a city that's steeped in history. London was founded by the Romans. It witnessed major changes in its infrastructure since the medieval ages. Modern London is an extremely well-developed and a sprawling city where the ancient and the new exist side by side. Yes, it's absolutely amazing to discern the sharp contrast between the ultramodern London Eye and the old Tower of London, a castle which dates back to the medieval ages; the famous department store Harrods and the ancient mausoleum, Westminster Abbey; the bustling Heathrow Airport and the Tower Bridge; the jerkin-shaped London City Hall and the imposing St. Paul's Cathedral. London is one of the most popular tourist and business destinations for holidaymakers, globetrotters, and jet set corporate executives. The innumerable London hotels provide high-class accommodation to the tourists and business travelers.

Hilton Hotels

Hilton Hotels is an international chain of full-service hotels and resorts founded by Conrad Hilton and now owned by the Hilton Worldwide. Hilton Hotels are either owned, managed, or franchised to independent operators by the Hilton Hotels Corporation. As of 2008[update] there are 533 Hilton branded hotels across the world. Hilton Hotels became the first coast-to-coast hotel chain of the United States in 1943. The original price for an overnight stay in 1943 was around $20.[1] The company places marketing emphasis on business travel, but owns and operates a number of resorts and leisure-oriented hotels as well. The company's Hilton HHonors guest loyalty program has partnerships with airlines and car rental companies.

The US Hilton Hotels were reunited with the international properties after more than 40 years in February 2006, when United States-based Hilton Hotels Corporation purchased the hotels division of United Kingdom-based Hilton Group plc, which had acquired Hilton's International operations in 1987

Strategic Hotels and Resorts names new board chair

Strategic Hotels & Resorts Inc. said Tuesday that its board named Rip Gellein Jr. as its chair effective immediately.

Gellein, 62, takes over from William Prezant, who will remain on the board, the company said.

Gellein joined Strategic Hotels' board in 2009. Before that, he was president of the global development group for Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Inc.

Prezant became the board's chair in Jan. 2007.

Strategic Hotels' shares rose 2 cents to $4.37 in after-hours trading, having finished regular trading down 14 cents, or 3.1 percent, at $4.35.

Cheap Hotels

The hospitality industry is growing at a rapid pace and every effort is being made to lure customers. Each hotel tries to provide the best amenities and services to its customers, keeping the price at a minimum. This has led to many cheap hotels coming up at different locations around the world.

The best part of these cheap hotels is that they try to provide the best amenities within your budget to make your stay comfortable and pleasant. While the five star hotels flaunt extravaganza by providing lavish amenities, the cheap hotels tries to compensate these by exuding great hospitality and care to the guests in addition to the amenities that they provide. Many cheap hotels also include breakfast and meals in their charges, thus making your stay a cost saving proposition. Some cheap hotels provide car rental services to its guests so that they do not have to look for the vehicle to go to their destinations.



Another point of importance is that these cheap hotels are situated in prime locations along with five star hotels. Hence, one can easily stay at these hotels, do their daily business, and return to their hotel the same day. All the major tourist spots could be visited while staying at these hotels.

In addition, if you are planning to stay for a single day, it makes no sense to put up at expensive hotels, when these cheap hotels are there that offer the same kind of amenities to you. In the deal, you save a lot of money. However, if you cannot resist the lure of expensive hotels, you can check out their off-season charges, which is definitely going to be cheaper than their normal price.

You can visit the Internet that can provide you with information about the cheap hotels as you check out from the comfort of your room. The hotels providing cheap accommodation have links with different travel agencies through which they try to get clients for their hotels. Hence visiting the websites of these travel agencies is a great way to find information about cheap hotels in the place that you are planning to visit. Another advantage of online hotel reservations is that the hotels give good discounts to the clients. This is part of their promotional tactics. If you are planning for hotels booking at the last minute, it is wiser to check out the online websites to find a cheap hotel of your choice.

Booking a Hotels

The internet has made it quite easy to book the hotels of your choice anywhere in the world. You can visit the travel websites to make your booking or visit the website of the hotel itself. However there are certain important factors that you should consider before you book any hotel. Let's have a look at these factors. The location of the hotel is definitely one of the most important factors. As far as possible, the hotel should be located in central city so that you can get access to all the utilities easily such as transport, shops, restaurants, etc. Also when are living in such a location you are quite safe. However in case of a business trip you should ideally select a hotel that is nearer to your business location so that you don't waste time and money to reach the office.

The other important factor is to check the reputation of the hotel. Find out if the service is good and the hotel has the amenities that you will need. You can also check out whether the hotel has internet services or a Wi-Fi zone so that you can check the internet. See to it that the hotel offers laundry services in case you plan to stay for a few days. One of the most important things you can do before visiting a hotel is to check out the reviews that users have posted about the hotel. You can check out the reviews in hotel review websites. Don't see the testimonials and reviews on the hotel's website as they will post only positive reviews obviously.

I Love Old Hotel Stuff!

Meet Clem Long and Claudia Long-Miller.

I think they are my soulmates.

They have been collecting old hotel stuff since the 1960's.

Dad Clem is 83 years old and was a former auctioneer and hotel liquidator. Daughter Claudia is a certified antiques appraiser who worked with her Dad in the 60's & 70's liquidating old hotels.

The stories they have. And they are telling them!

This father-and-daughter team has started a blog, I Love Old Hotel Stuff. Clem and Claudia started this blog last month to share their experiences of liquidating old hotels and the thrill of collecting antiques. From the wild to the wacky!

Take for instance, liquidating the Commodore Hotel in New York. A 2000 room hotel, which means 4000 beds, which means 8000 pillows. How do you sell 8,000 pillows?


They owned a hearse and an ambulance that they would drive to the various hotels with materials and personnel. Clem would contact the news media hoping they would be there to greet them. And they did. Apparently, the media was more interested in the hearse and ambulance than the hotel itself.

If the hotel was being razed, they would use the hearse to symbolize the death of the hotel. And if it was being refurbished, they would take the ambulance to symbolize the hotel was hurt and was to be brought back to health!

Clem's office had a large desk that was the one used by President Lincoln in his office at the Willard Hotel. The hardwood floor and arm wall came from the Gibson Hotel in Cincinnati. The chandelier was from the Commodore Hotel in New York City.

This is just a tidbit from this fun blog. Please go visit I Love Old Hotel Stuff here for more fun & interesting stories! And be sure and leave Clem a comment!

photos from I Love Old Hotel Stuff

Cirque Decor? A New Look?

Parasol Bar Wynn Hotel; photo credit: jochibi

I just returned from Las Vegas last week. Had so much fun! One highlight was Cirque du Soleil's, LOVE. Amazing. A "must see" if you go to Vegas.

The other highlight, or shall I say, huge inspiration, was a visit to the Wynn Hotel. It got me thinking, is there possibly a new look for decor that we could call "Cirque?"

Upon entering the hotel, I had no idea of the whimsy that was awaiting me. From floating parasols to a lake of dreams, The Wynn was a treasure! This photo above is from the registration area of the hotel. Amazing tall rock crystal bird table lamps graced the counters with a circus-themed painted mural behind them.

Wynn's inspiration; 1932 Picasso painting Le Rêve

Steve Wynn, a casino/real estate developer, has been credited starting the dramatic resurgence and expansion of the Vegas strip in the 1990s. His companies built some famous resorts in Vegas such as the The Mirage, Treasure Island, Bellagio, Wynn and Encore.

The Parasol Bar; photo credit: cabayarea

Here's what Roger Thomas, Executive of Wynn design had to say about the Parasol installation in the Wynn: “Very early on in the resort’s design and conception, Steve gave me an assignment: His initial inspiration was the 1932 Picasso painting Le Rêve, which is French for ‘the dream.' And so he asked me, ‘How do we convey the feeling of a dream?’ Parasols are among the images I find very dreamlike—I think of Chagall and of people floating in the sky, carrying mini parasols over their heads—so I liked the idea of this ballet of parasols that both turn slowly and move up and down slowly. I often think of guests sitting at Parasol Up; they look at the parasols, and when they look back a few minutes later, they think, Have they changed? Am I dreaming?”


“I came up with their design, the whimsical shapes and colors and embroideries, by closing myself up in a room and large sheets of paper, and I put on Vivaldi and just started drawing these fanciful shapes. They took more than a year to create, and we constructed them here, just outside of Las Vegas. Ultimately I’m thrilled that they’ve become such an iconic element of the resort; they were meant to be a heart of Wynn, with a sort of pulse and movement. One of my favorite things to do is to stand off to the side and watch the reactions of our guests—they always seem entranced, and that’s really fulfilling.”

photo credit: mailgirl333

Yummy candy-colored parasols! The colors are magical at night!

photo credit: catnipmusic

Amazing colorful mosaic flooring throughout the hotel...

The Wynn Hotel reminded me a lot of the historic Cirque Room in the Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco. The Cirque Room was the first bar to open in San Francisco following prohibition. It was decorated by architect Tim Pflueger in a beautiful Art Deco style with an incredible bar, and murals by the celebrated Bruton sisters. Before the Venetian Room was opened, the Cirque was the place to go for entertainment in San Francisco.

Having fun in Fairmont's Cirque Room...

Blush Lounge Wynn Hotel - photo credit: stars4esther

The Blush Lounge at the Wynn features a ceiling hung with 300 lanterns that change colors. Amazing.

Blush Lounge Wynn Hotel - photo credit: stars4esther

The Wynn Buffet

I wish I had brought my camera with me. Some of these photos are from my cell phone. Oh well. I had to share this photo of The Buffet at the Wynn. An Alice in Wonderland-evoking atrium styled with towers of fruit flowers and foliage and even some natural light. Insanely beautiful in person!

photo credit: CourtneyMay

I found the photo above on Flickr. The cabanas near the pool are very circus-like. Unfortunately the pool isn't open during the winter. But, how cute, right?

We took a little walk over to Wynn's newest hotel, The Encore. These glass peacocks
are at the entrance to the High-Limit Baccarat room. Woah!

The peacocks are created out of cast glass, with their eyes crafted in jade. Their tails are crafted out of open-work metal, accented by hundreds of Swarovski crystals that were then lit from beneath to give the tails a wonderful glow.

And finally, the Wynn Theatre at the Encore. The rotunda outside The Wynn Theater has 39 crystal-encrusted butterflies hanging from the ceiling that are covered with 8 million multi-colored gems. Unbelievable.

I love the fact that Steve Wynn thought 'out of the box' and came up with a whimsical theme like none other. Not modern. Not Hollywood Regency. Not make believe Paris. Just circus-themed whimsy. Refreshing for a change.

The Wynn Hotels just blew me away.

New Year's Eve Supper~ 1913

Oh how I wish that I could go back in time and attend this New Year's Eve supper at the Hotel Oakland. Can you imagine how grand it was in 1913? I have this elegant menu in my collection and just had to share.

The Hotel Oakland was a grand hotel that opened in the early 1900's and only survived a few decades.

"Monsier, I would like an extra helping of the Nineteen-Thirteen Fancy Ice Cream, please."

Happy New Year!

The Key to the Palace

What have I been doing since Tuesday? Looking up at the sky for a balloon. That's right, a yellow helium balloon with a magical golden key to the Palace Hotel.



Why you may ask?

The Palace Hotel in San Francisco is celebrating its 100 year anniversary, recreating a great moment on Dec. 15, 1909, when the Palace Hotel, the symbol of old San Francisco, reopened after being rebuilt from the devastation of the 1906 fire and earthquake.

On Tuesday they released a dozen balloons, one holding a magical key. The balloons drifted over the city, off toward the bay, and headed nobody knows where...

Whoever finds the balloon and its golden key will get a special prize - a three-day stay in Room 888, the Palace's Presidential Suite, a luxurious accommodation that comes with a tragic history. President Warren G. Harding died in the Presidential Suite in August 1923.

I WANT THIS KEY!

100 years ago, the Palace sent off a golden key in a balloon and it just disappeared. Perhaps it fell in the bay or resides in a winery in the Napa Valley. We'll never know or will we? I'd be happy to find either key.

So... gotta go now... head in the sky... searching for the golden key...

photo credits: Lance Iversen, The San Francisco Chronicle

A Delightful Morning

What a lucky day it was for me yesterday. My dearest friend Janet (FrenchBlue & Co.) and her beautiful daughters, Jeanna & Noel (Fanciful Designs), took an impromptu trip up to Northern California to visit family. We got to spend the morning together which was an unexpected treat!

First we had brunch at the Claremont Resort & Spa nestled in the Berkeley Hills. The Claremont Resort opened in 1915 as the Claremont Hotel, and is one of the most beautiful properties in Northern California.

Oh, such a stunning family... models for sure... (left to right) Janet, Jeanna, Noel

Us gals ready for our egg breakfasts...with fruit of course...

What would a short visit be without a little shopping? Of course, a trip to Addison Endpapers was on the agenda.

Addison Endpapers is located on Telegraph Avenue in Oakland. Yes, the same Addison family as in Wendy, who I blogged about a couple of weeks ago. This is one talented family. Okay, I'm divulging one of my favorite secret spots...ssshh....

The shop is filled with the most beautiful items like handcrafted paper boxes, gift wrap, notions and vintage jewelry.

Noel & Janet admiring the beautiful paper goods...

Noel's little pile is building up. So far, miniature mushrooms and fancy paper tags...

These gorgeous boxes are entirely handcrafted by the Addisons...

One of my favorite boxes...what amazing workmanship...

Love the wrapping paper...

Jars of notions await you as you walk in...

Janet & I with our silliest grins!

Thanks Solomon girls for including Auntie Lynn in your little jaunt up North! Love you guys!

If you're in the East Bay Area of Northern California, be sure and visit Addison Endpapers and perhaps a night at the lovely Claremont Hotel? They have a spa too!

Claremont Resort & Spa
41 Tunnel Road
Berkeley, CA 94705
(510) 843-3000

Addison Endpapers
6397 Telegraph Avenue
Oakland, CA 94609
(510) 601-8112