The Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers is among the Sheraton Hotels getting upgrades.
By Mark Chesnut
Starwood Preferred Guest members take note: Sheraton Hotels, one of the upscale hotel brands owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts, is unveiling some $350 million worth of upgrades at an array of its properties in the coming months. (more…)
Golden gates: The Fairmont San Francisco is among the hotels with upgrades.
By Mark Chesnut
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, which operates upscale hotels that range from the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess in Arizona to the Fairmont Monte Carlo in — you guessed it — Monte Carlo, is making some major overhauls on a bunch of its properties worldwide, and guests are the beneficiaries. (more…)
German accent: The Residence Inn Munich City East opened in 2011.
By Mark Chesnut
Residence Inn may be a well-recognized brand of hotels throughout the United States, but if parent company Marriott International has its way, the name will be increasingly familiar to international business travelers as well as anyone planning a Europe vacation or international vacations in the Middle East and northern Africa. (more…)
Play for paradise: A stay at Dreams Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa is one of the 50 prizes we're giving away.
By Valerie Moloney
While winter isn’t melting away anytime soon (no thanks to Punxsutawney Phil), we at Orbitz do our best to keep your travel lust hot and alive.
So we’re giving away another set of 50 free vacations — with airfare included — on Facebook via Orbitz 50 Faves from Feb. 16 to March 25. Just like last round, we’re going big, and plotting hotel stays and fancy upgrades on just about every corner of the earth. (more…)
Happy sailing: The Queen Mary 2 is among the cruise ships that caters to meetings. Credit: KMJ.
By Mark Chesnut
For most travelers, cruises bring to mind things like a Caribbean vacation or family travel, not a business trip. But today’s increasingly high-tech cruise ships can be ideal settings for corporate and organizational meetings, conferences and private events. (more…)
Special Edition: Marriott's sole Edition property is in Istanbul for now, but growth is in store.
By Mark Chesnut
It’s taken a while, but Marriott International’s Edition brand, the so-called lifestyle hotel chain developed in conjunction with hotelier Ian Schrager, is getting ready to grow. As a result, travelers will soon have new options when choosing New York hotels or planning a Miami vacation. (more…)
Reading room: the Taschen Library at the Trump Soho Hotel in New York City.
By Mark Chesnut
Sure, ebooks have made it easier for travelers to bring all the reading material they need when on the road. But a growing number of luxury hotels have introduced their own stylish collection of coffee table books and even business books — so whether you’re planning a Mexico vacation or hopping among New York hotels, you can find a worthy alternative to that well-traveled iPad. (more…)
Connectivity: an in-airport sample of the Lobby Zone at the Courtyard by Marriott Chicago O'Hare.
By Mark Chesnut
Travel isn’t what it used to be, and neither are hotel lobbies. Among the latest examples of the evolution of lobby design is Courtyard by Marriott, which has introduced a new concept for its public spaces, in what the company says is a reflection of changes in how people want to experience hotels. (more…)
Fall for Autumn: London's rustic hues near Tower Bridge. Credit: az1172.
by Kristin Dillon
While crowds flock to the picturesque towns of New England for fall vacations, international cities unwind a notch to render local character (and cheap hotel rates). From the Salon du Chocolat in Paris to fall foliage in Central Park, see what the harvest yields among the panoply of peep in London, Paris and New York City. (more…)
Roman profile: The Boscolo Palace Roma is a new member of Marriott's Autograph Collection.
By Mark Chesnut
The Autograph Collection, Marriott International’s new brand of independently named and owned hotels designed to suit the needs of business travel and upscale family travel and vacations, is adding six more hotels, bringing the total count now to 26.
The new brand, which launched in 2010, gives travelers access to a variety of independent luxury hotels even as they maintain loyalty to Marriott’s guest program. (more…)
We love to travel, and we love to talk about it. The Orbitz Blog is another way we can share our expertise, advice and the occasional random thought.
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