Archive for the 'Luxury Travel' Category
Two California luxury hotels added to AAA’s 2010 Five Diamond Award list
November 6, 2009 2:45pm
Open less than a year, the Resort at Pelican Hill in Orange County like all hotels, has struggled against the tides of a beleaguered economy. But that doesn’t mean it can’t take a great compliment. The luxury coastal property is one of two California resorts that have danced into the exclusive ranks of AAA’s just-released Five Diamond Award list for 2010. [Corrected at 5:45 p.m. Nov. 6: An earlier version of this post said the Resort at Pelican Hill is south of Laguna Beach. It is north of Laguna Beach.]
California, with 20 five-diamond hotels, also added the opulent Grand del Mar in San Diego to its coffers.
The new Golden State additions join the company of some real longtimers, like the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, which has populated the list for 24 consecutive years, and the Peninsula Beverly Hills, with 17 consecutive years under its belt.
A nifty hotel deal for 50-and-over crowd in Central California
November 4, 2009 5:57am
OK, so you’re still 12 years away from drawing Social Security and 15 years from getting Medicare. Aren’t there any perks for turning 50? Well yes, and we’re not talking about getting an invite in the mail to join AARP or receiving snarky birthday cards with over-the-hill jokes. The over-50 set can score reduced room rates and more this winter at five inns in San Luis Obispo County in Central California.
Deal: If you or someone in your party is 50 or older, you’re eligible for the “Nifty Fifty” special at five inns run by Boutique Hotel Collection: Apple Farm Inn in San Luis Obispo, the Cliffs Resort in Pismo Beach, Inn at Morro Bay in Morro Bay, Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort in Avila Beach and SeaVenture Resort in Pismo Beach.
The details of the deal differ from inn to inn. But generally, you’ll get discounts on your room, food and items from the gift shop. Room rates vary by location, and not all rooms may be included in the deal, which is subject to availability and other restrictions.
Air France and KLM join rush to charge for second bag overseas
October 21, 2009 6:33pm
Want to check a second bag to Europe on Air France or KLM? Hand over $50, s’il vous plait.
These European airlines, both owned by Air France-KLM Group, are the latest to charge for what used to be free on overseas flights. In recent months, British Airways, American Airlines and United Airlines have all announced fees for coach fliers to check a second bag between the U.S. and Europe. Although at least one carrier, Air New Zealand, still gives second bags a free ride, the list is dwindling.
In the case of Air France and KLM, the $50 second-bag fee will apply to tickets issued Nov. 1 or later. If you’re flying after Nov. 1 but buy your ticket before that date, you’ll still get two bags for free, an Air France-KLM spokeswoman explained. Like other airlines, they will exempt high-mileage frequent fliers, customers flying in first and business class and some others from the fee. For details, see the airlines’ joint news release.
Get a third night for free at 35 California hotels
October 21, 2009 5:59am
Buy two, get one free. That’s the idea behind the Third Night Free offer at 35 California hotels run by Joie de Vivre, a boutique chain based in San Francisco. Launched to promote the company’s new “Joie of Life” micro-site that focuses on social networking, the deal isn’t being advertised on the chain’s main website. But you can book it there anyway — if you know the code.
The deal is worth hunting up because Joie de Vivre runs a lot of fun and well-located hotels in a range of prices, such as San Francisco’s Hotel Rex and Hotel Vitale, Hotel Angeleno in Los Angeles and Hotel Erwin at Venice Beach. The 411:
Deal: Pretty straightforward. You book a room for three nights in a row, and the third night is free. There are two ways to get the deal: You can book it through the Third Night Free section of the Joie of Life micro-site or go to the regular Joie de Vivre website and enter the code “JOIE” in the “Promo Code” window when making a reservation. The micro-site lists the participating hotels, with nightly rates that start at $79 to $459, depending on the hotel.
The ultimate shoe store opens at Galeries Lafayette in Paris
October 7, 2009 5:58am
As enlightened souls —or is that soles?—surely know, it’s all about shoes.
So we’ve just got to take note when what’s billed as the the world’s largest footwear emporium opens at the venerable Galeries Lafayette department store on the tres chic Boulevard Haussmann in the 9th arrondissement of Paris.
The 34,500-square-foot shoe Parnassus opened in July. Reached by a gold and white staircase worthy of Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, it has chocolate-brown leather sofas for the trying-on ritual, 150 brands of shoes and 12,000 pairs altogether.
‘Julie & Julia’ foodie tour of France
October 6, 2009 5:56am
Have you seen the movie “Julie & Julia,” directed by Nora Ephron? Read the book?
Much of the film takes off from “My Life in France,” describing Julia Child’s post-World War II encounters with French cooking and eating. The renowned chef was working on the memoir when she died in 2004, leaving it to be finished by Alex Prud’homme.
Now true believers in the “French Chef” can follow her tracks through the land of tripe and escargot on a tour devised by New York-based Tour de Forks, which specializes in culinary excursions around the world, from New Orleans to Australia.
Air France auctioning off seats on its first A380 flights
October 1, 2009 10:52am
If you’re determined to be the first to fly on Air France’s cool new Airbus A380, the world’s biggest passenger plane, here’s your big chance: You can bid for a seat.
Starting today, the French airline began auctioning off seats on the jet’s two inaugural flights from Paris to New York on Nov. 20 and from New York to Paris on Nov. 21. The auction, on eBay, goes through Oct. 21. Air France said the opening bid “in most cases” will be $380 for Voyageur (economy) class and $1,380 in Affaires (business) class, but that it may change during the auction. (The auction includes a return ticket on a regular Air France flight.) Proceeds go to charities in France, India and South Africa.
Is this trip worth it? It’s up to you how much you want to pay, but I can say that riding this super-wide-bodied jet is an amazing experience. On a short demonstration flight out of LAX two years ago, I was impressed by how quiet it is, despite its size and power.
Napa Valley wine travel: Use Twitter and Facebook to nab a deal during ‘Crush’ season
October 1, 2009 5:56am
TripAdvisor recently named Napa Valley the “undisputed American capital of wine” in its list of Top 10 North American Wine Destinations. Second place went to Sonoma and third place went to the Willamette Valley in Oregon. To celebrate, Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa put up a sale on rooms through Twitter and Facebook for their fans during the 2009 “Crush” grape harvest season. It’s a 72-hour sale that started Sept. 30, so book your rooms by Friday if you want to take advantage of a good deal during this annual event.
Deal: Rooms start at $99 (Sunday through Thursday) and $199 (Friday and Saturday) for stays through Nov. 14. That’s a significant markdown, considering that rates typically range from $209 to $259 weekdays and start at $279 on weekends. The lowest weekday rate I found (on sale) at Hotels.com was $159 per night. This deal is only good on Twitter and Facebook. It’s also worth following the Marriott on Twitter (@napamarriott) because it sometimes gives out free tasting passes to its local winery partners to tweeps who visit. Note that the offer is only good through .
Kauai’s St. Regis Princeville hotel to reopen after $100-million makeover
September 27, 2009 6:01am
The St. Regis Princeville is set to reopen Thursday, Oct. 1, after a $100-million redo designed to give it more Hawaiian flavor.
The 201-room, 51-suite Kauai hotel has added a spa that features taro-suffused treatments and added such touches as koa wood trim, raffia and coconut palm hardwood floors. And the pool area (pictured above) also has been redone.
Then there’s the view, which wasn’t redone but is priceless. The hotel looks out on Mt. Makana, which starred as Bali Hai in the 1958 film version of “South Pacific.” The human star of the movie, Mitzi Gaynor, will return to help celebrate the grand reopening of the hotel, which has been closed for more than a year.
Want to choose your seat? Pay up at British Airways
September 24, 2009 3:15pm
We’ve seen airlines add extra charges to reserve popular exit-row seats and aisle seats. But are you ready for this one? Starting Oct. 7, British Airways plans to charge you just to select a seat. That’s right: $30 to $90 for the right to choose a seat any time up to 24 hours before flying. After that time, you get a free pick of what’s left. Middle seat, anyone?
“Every airline is looking for new revenue streams [after] the bottom fell out of the business,” said British Airways spokesman John Lampl. At least this fee is optional, he said.
“It’s for the customer who, two or three or four months out, wants to have that peace of mind that they have that particular seat,” Lampl said. “It’s a service that benefits the customer and at the same time generates revenue for British Airways.”
And boy, could Lampl’s airline use the money. But then, so could you, right?
