Salt of the earth: Hawaii's Grand Wailea resort is a great place for pampering and holiday gift ideas.
By Mark Chesnut
Time is running out to plan the perfect holiday gifts for friends, families and business contacts. So what’s a harried business traveler to do? Happily, hotels have made it increasingly easy to find great gifts without leaving the lobby. (more…)
By Blane Bachelor
Holiday shopping + San Francisco’s 48 hills = 100 percent exhaustion. Thankfully, the City by the Bay boasts a variety of wonderful spas with an array of antidotes to stress, blisters and Bah-Humbug vibes. Choose from traditional Japanese massage to seasonal, spice-infused treatments, many offered at some top San Francisco hotels.
Art at the airport: Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta.
By Mark Chesnut
Long layovers and delayed flights don’t have to mean hours of boredom. Increasingly, airports large and small are using public space to exhibit original artwork and historical displays. So rather than stopping at yet another Cinnabon, consider checking out some of the latest exhibits. (more…)
Party with a view: Pelican Hill organizes holiday parties at its poolside cabanas
By Mark Chesnut
With December just around the corner, it’s time to start planning the company holiday party. To keep this annual tradition from resembling some ridiculous scene from “The Office,” consider these ideas from hotels around the nation, where everything from decoration to catering and even transportation is taken care of. After all, party time is more enjoyable when someone else worries about the details. (more…)
Second home: Rendering of a Hyatt House suite
By Mark Chesnut
Business travelers and vacationers will have yet another brand to consider when taking longer trips. In September, Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced that it is “evolving” its extended-stay brand into a new concept, called Hyatt House — and that it would rebrand its 38 existing Hyatt Summerfield Suites hotels, as well as 16 Hotel Sierra hotels that Hyatt recently acquired from a company called LodgeWorks, L.P. (more…)
San Diego promises a fall bounty, from San Diego Restaurant Week to the Little Italy Festa.
By Francesca Pardo
Now that May gray, June gloom and August shade are over, fall is my favorite time of the year in San Diego. The weather is ideal, the water is warm, the evenings are cool and hotel rates go down. Along with these ideal conditions are a few great things to do while visiting this idyllic city. (more…)
By Mark Chesnut
Few people would choose to vacation at an airport hotel, but when it comes to convenience, these strategically placed properties are among the best options for anyone looking to catch a flight or make a quick business trip. But not all tarmac-adjacent guest rooms are created equal. Here are a few of the best choices around the nation.
Aloft Denver International Airport
Starwood’s relatively new aloft brand, which aims to combine style elements from W Hotels with value prices, offers a fresh-faced option for travelers stopping in Denver. The property features the brand’s trademark cheery colors and contemporary, loft-style decor, as well as 1,500 square feet of meeting space. (more…)
Eco style: The Hotel Wilshire in Los Angeles
By Mark Chesnut
From new hotel options to an airport expansion that will accommodate gigantic 21st-century aircraft, there is always something new for travelers to discover in Los Angeles. Whether you’re planning a California vacation or an important business trip, check out these fresh ideas for that next visit.
Los Angeles hotels
New hotel options in the Los Angeles area include The Hotel Wilshire, which debuted in September with 74 eco-friendly rooms set in a six-story former medical office building, and the Shore Hotel, which opened in Santa Monica in September. (more…)
Artistic vibe: a painting by Ed Moses in the lobby of ONE Bal Harbour Resort & Spa
By Mark Chesnut
The theft of a $250,000 Rembrandt drawing from The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey in August helped to make travelers more aware that hotels are more than a place to rest your head; they can also be a great place to appreciate original artwork. Here are a few great places — including Florida hotels, New York hotels and Hawaii hotels — where travelers can get a healthy serving of artistic inspiration.
Florida hotels
ONE Bal Harbour Resort & Spa, located at the northern tip of Miami Beach, exhibits more than 400 privately commissioned works of art from new, emerging and established American and foreign talent. Major artists including Guy Dill, Ed Moses, Darren Waterson, and Richard Deutsh comprise the collection, which is valued at more than $3.5 million. (more…)
Peace and quiet: Raleigh-Durham's Club at RDU.
By Mark Chesnut
Variations in travel habits and budget concerns can make it difficult for many travelers to justify the cost of an annual membership with an airline club lounge. But the recent growth of independent airport VIP lounges has resulted in a variety of less-expensive options for harried travelers looking for peace, quiet and amenities during that next long layover. All of the lounges mentioned here offer free Wi-Fi as well as other features that vary by location. (more…)
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