Credit: Baby wholphin at Oahu‘s Sea Life Park by Mark Interrante
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Articles for April, 2011
Photo Focus: Baby Wholphin at Hawaii’s Sea Life Park
Friday, April 29th, 2011Split the difference: The two sides of St. Maarten
Friday, April 29th, 2011
Hugged by hills and the Caribbean coastline, Radisson Blu Resort shows off French beach style with flair.
By Vince Font
St. Maarten is a tiny island with a big, big heart. It’s even got two alternate name spellings — St. Martin for its French-run half, and Sint Maarten for its Dutch-run other — which in my opinion has always been the sign of somewhere truly unique. But St. Maarten’s got a lot more going for it than alternative spellings, as anyone who’s ever been there can attest. Looking for Caribbean beach vacations that’ll take you someplace you’ve never been? Take a closer look at what this 37-square-mile paradise of St. Maarten, where it’s not land mass that matters, but what you do with it that counts. Here are two great places to start for all budgets, starting with the affordable Captain Oliver’s Resort and rounding off with the posh Radisson Blu Resort. (more…)
New prizes in IHG’s revamped hotel rewards program
Wednesday, April 27th, 2011
Gold standard: Members of Priority Club Rewards now have more ways to redeem. Thinknk eBooks, iPads and more.
By Mark Chesnut
Free hotel stays and room upgrades, for both business travel and vacations, may be the main reasons that you rack up points in hotel loyalty programs. But with a new round of changes to its Priority Club Rewards program, InterContinental Hotels Group is betting that some travelers will use their miles for things like music, eBooks and iPads— in addition to last-minute free hotel nights and the chance to win an array of other prizes.
Priority Club Rewards is introducing new features over the course of this year. Among the first to debut is “Last Minute Reward Nights,” which allows Priority Club members to redeem award nights at a 50 percent discount off the regular price for selected properties. Initially, the program will be offered on the first full weekend of every month, starting in May, and members will receive an e-mail on Monday with a list of hotels where the offer will be available the following weekend. (more…)
Cruise vacations: Carnival Magic enchants at sea
Wednesday, April 27th, 2011By Kim Windyka
Setting sail on its maiden voyage from Venice to Barcelona this May 1, the Carnival Magic will bring the “fun ship” line to the next level in cruising. Offering sailings through Europe as well as the Caribbean, the ship truly offers a little bit of something for everyone in a vibrant atmosphere that easily lends itself to having a great time. For starters, there’s the happenin’ Ocean Plaza – a central hub where you can hang at the bar and cyber cafe by day, and take in some live entertainment or boogie down on the dance floor by night. When you need a break from the hustle and bustle, just stroll down the Lanai, which features amazing ocean views and calming whirlpools.
Families will savor the windy water slides in Waterworks aboard Carnival's Magic, which sets sail on its maiden voyage on May 1.
Speaking of relaxation, staterooms on the Magic go above and beyond to deliver a one-of-a-kind cruise experience. With more than 60 percent of rooms offering an ocean view, and more than 75 percent of those rooms featuring private balconies, you’d be hard-pressed to find a bad spot. For those looking for the ultimate in relaxation, the ship also boasts luxurious spa suites. These accommodations have exclusive access to the amenities of the Cloud 9 Spa, including a steam room, gym, Thalassotherapy pool and soothing Thermal Suites. (more…)
Chicago hotels: Tea time for Royal Wedding watchers
Tuesday, April 26th, 2011
The Palmer House Hilton's opulent Lockwood restaurant will roll out the red, er, TVs, for diners to enjoy the Royal Wedding live along with tea service from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. Credit: Sammy Todd Dyess.
By Valerie Moloney
Just as it isn’t kosher to scarf down all your scones in one bite, it probably isn’t acceptable to watch TV during traditional tea service. Unless you happen to be at Lockwood in The Palmer House Hilton this Friday morning during oh, you know, the Royal Wedding.
Chicago hotels regularly host afternoon tea, but just this once, the flatscreens will come out to the lobby so that diners can indulge in the mayhem for her royal majesty along with tea and scones. Service, which will cost $45 per person, commences promptly at 5 a.m. – right about the time Kate Middleton will be gliding down the aisle in miles of silk or satin. (more…)
New York vacations by bike: 42 miles, 30,000 riders
Tuesday, April 26th, 2011
On May 7, join 30,000 bikers in a rare New York sight: the 5 Boro Bike tour free of car traffic.
By Julie Houde
New Yorkers are often asked by visitors, “What is the best way to see New York City?” Well, if the goal is to soak up prime New York vacation spots, the best bet is via feet to pedals, and not from the back seat of a zooming cab. Enter the Five Boro Bike Tour, the largest recreational cycling event in the United States and the only way to explore Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island in one day. Every year on the first Sunday of May, more than 30,000 riders participate in this 42-mile journey, which treats locals and tourists to a rare sight: streets closed off to automobile traffic. (more…)
Orbitz launches Facebook Send button for hotels
Monday, April 25th, 2011
The Facebook Send button can share hotel options via email or with certain groups or people.
By Orbitz Staff
Now it’s even easier to e-mail hotel options to your Facebook friends or groups thanks to the new Facebook Send button on Orbitz.
Find the newly launched button at the top of each hotel page. Unlike the “Like” button, which lets you broadcast worthwhile links to all your friends, the Facebook Send button is designed to help you privately share information only with specific Facebook friends or groups via e-mail. (more…)
Hotel chef’s tables can add spice to any business dinner
Monday, April 25th, 2011
The mod chef's table at New York Central, at the Grand Hyatt New York.
By Mark Chesnut
Doing business during a meal may not be the most exciting way to dine, but from New York hotels to Chicago hotels, reserving a chef’s table at the property’s restaurant can impress clients as well as provide entertainment, thanks to the up-close view it provides of the chef at work.
Among the newest options is New York Central, the mod new eatery at Grand Hyatt New York, where the chef’s table is perched on an elevated space above the open kitchen, with a vista of the work of chef Christian Ragano, former chef de cuisine at Park Hyatt Chicago’s NoMI. In Las Vegas, visitors can choose from two chef’s tables — one made of wood that seats eight, and the other made of polished granite that seats 10 — at the Bellagio’s Sensi restaurant. (more…)
Summertime shrieking: Disney’s scariest attractions
Friday, April 22nd, 2011
Oh yeah, tough guy? Try staying composed down the free fall body slide at Disney's Blizzard Beach.
By Jill E. Cooper
Decades ago, when Walt Disney sat on a park bench in California dreaming of a place that families could enjoy together, I wonder if he ever envisioned attractions that would scare the socks off most people. There’s no doubt about it — you can have a real bonding experience with your tweens and teenage children as you tackle your fears together. My dear friend and fellow Disney Moms Panelist, Lynn, gleefully expounds in the group video introducing the 2011 Panel that screaming her head off with her teenage kids on roller coasters is one of her favorite things to do at Walt Disney World. So, as the end of the school year rolls into sight and countless thousands of families prepare for Disney vacations, consider some of the park’s scariest attractions that might just prove to your otherwise doubtful older children that their parents are still immensely brave and cool. (more…)
What moms-to-be want for Mother’s Day: A babymoon
Thursday, April 21st, 2011
Just what the baby doctor ordered: A prime cut at BLT Steak in South Beach's The Betsy Hotel.
By Valerie Moloney
A spate of impending stork visits – and no, not mine (relax, darling husband) – spurred me into revisiting an old buzzword in travel: babymoons.
Pregnant ladies, are you still taking them? Dads-to-be, are you handling all the planning? If not, well you should be. Your lovely wife deserves one last big hurrah before her – and your — world becomes consumed by vaccination appointments, diaper runs and late-night colic. Whether you’re stealing her away for an all-inclusive vacation or beach vacation, here’s how to shower her with love more than any Mother’s Day card or bundle of roses ever could. (more…)