Posts in the category "Hotels":

Have a Hilton HHonors membership card in your wallet?

On Thursday, May 30th flashing that card will get you a free cup of coffee or tea at participating retail branches of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Arizona, California, New York, Nevada, Texas, Washington, D.C. and Mexico. That includes the CBTL store at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas (Term 1; Gate C-25).

The promotion celebrates the fact that this summer 740 Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton and Embassy Suites Hotels properties in the Americas will begin offering an in-room selection of coffees and teas from The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf company.

And if you’ve always wanted your bedroom at home to be more like a Hilton hotel room, with the purchase of a $14.95 bag of Hilton Morning Blend coffee through June 20th you’ll get 20% off a Hilton Serenity Bed and any of the brand’s pillows, linens, comforters or clocks.

Categories: Free Stuff, Hotels
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It’s always a bit strange for me to spend time in Portland, Oregon.

It’s the first city I lived in when I moved out west and it’s the city now portrayed in a fun and fractured way in the IFC show Portlandia and in Portlandia: A Guide for Visitors, a book that claims to describe “all that this magical, dreamy city has to offer.”

This visit I was a guest of Travel Portland - and most definitely a tourist.

I stayed one night in the Hotel deLuxe, which offers a Pilgrimage to Portlandia package, and two nights at the Heathman Hotel, which won my heart by sending someone to my room within five minutes of my arrival with a copy of my Oregon Curiosities book for me to sign so it could be added to the on-site library filled with books by authors – many of them really, really famous – who have stayed at the hotel.

Most of the weekend was spent racing around the city – on foot and on public transportation – visiting hot spots such as Powell’s Books, the Peculiarium and the Lan Su Chinese Garden, and trying to find all the venues offering the free treats that come with the Portland Passport visitors receive when they book a room through the Travel Portland site before March 31st.

The somewhat Porlandia-ish list of treats includes a doughnut from Voodoo Doughnut (where the far-out offerings include a doughnut covered in Fruit Loops and one covered in bubble gum dust and decorated with a wrapped piece of gum), a tour of Widmer Brothers Brewing (free anyway, but passport holders get a free full-sized souvenir glass), a scoop of ice cream at Salt & Straw (sorbet at 10:30 in the morning? Why not?) and five other items, some of which were inspired by the ‘what-to-do-in-Portland-in-the-winter‘ tips gathered from Portland insiders.

The most puzzling place on the passport is the 10-piece meatball plate: a reward for visitors who make the trek out to IKEA.

“Pacific Northwesterners love IKEA, especially when it’s tax-free,” is the way Courtney Ries, consumer marketing manager for Travel Portland explained it. “And since we can’t give everyone a bookshelf or a new kitchen, we thought it would be something fun for the people that make IKEA a must-visit place when they come to town – or for those that have a special hankering for meatballs.”

Fair enough. But IKEA is just one stop on the MAX light rail line before my favorite place in the city – Portland International Airport – and there are plenty of fun and unique shops and restaurants there – along with art and entertainment. And, while I arrived in town on the train, it might be fun for visitors coming to town by plane to get their last passport stamp – and tasty treat – as they head home.

Categories: Hotels, Museums, Restaurants
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A little bit of this and that from airports and hotels here and there….

At the Dubai International Airport, there’s now an interactive virtual assistant on duty – the first of its kind, says Tensator, the company that created the first three non-interactive virtual assistants already on duty.

The HD-projected virtual assistant greets passengers and “interacts” with them in Arabic and English – offering information and answers to frequently asked questions, such as the location of departure gates, restrooms and check-in areas, via the interactive touchscreen.

Virgin America launched its first domestic lounge – the Virgin America Loft – at Los Angeles International Airport’s (LAX) Terminal 3.

And, for those who want to be alone – the Radisson Blu Strand Stockholm now has a suite named after Swedish-born Greta Garbo, who was a regular guest at the hotel.

She first visited the hotel’s rooftop terrace when she was an aspiring starlet in 1920s and, after becoming a major name in Hollywood, she returned to the hotel often and her family continues to frequent the hotel. The hotel collaborated with Garbo’s family to create the suite, which combines artwork and textiles from Garbo’s movies with pieces by Swedish designers.

Categories: Airports, Hotels
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Courtesy The Benjamin

Millions of people consider their pets to be part of the family and take their animals with them when they travel.

Hotels have caught on and there are now more than 25,000 “pet-friendly” properties. Some simply put up with you and your pet if you pay a hefty extra fee. Others go all out, offering welcome amenities that might include toys, treats and special services.
For a slide show on MSN Travel, I found some lodgings where pets have a paw-up on people.

Here’s a sampling:

Robes for Rover

Courtesy The Benjamin

At The Benjamin Hotel in New York City, pampered pooches snack on complimentary treats, relax in plush doggie bathrobes, dine from ceramic food and water bowls set in wrought-iron stands and drift off to sleep in specially-designed dog beds, sized small, medium or large.

Good dog: The hotel can arrange for a spa gift basket ($40) filled with lavender-scented doggie bath amenities to be delivered to the room.

Massages for “Material Dogs”

At check-in, dogs at La Quinta Resort & Club in the Palm Springs desert community of La Quinta, CA receive “Material Dog” travel totes with organic pet treats, travel-size bottle of disinfectant and deodorizers, biodegradable waste bags and stainless steel pet tags. Hour-long, in-room relaxation massages for pets and their people are also available.

Good dog: A massage therapist offers instructions on performing pet massage at home.

B&B in the world’s biggest beagle

Fans of kitsch and canines get both at Dog Bark Park in Cottonwood, ID. On site is Toby, a 12-foot tall statue of a beagle, and Sweet Willy, a 30-foot tall, 32-foot long structure that is the World’s Largest Beagle and a bed and breakfast with a sleeping loft in the muzzle and a bathroom beneath the tail.

Good dog: Guests can purchase dog-themed carvings at the on-site gift shop.

Camping Canines

Canine Camp Getaway hosts dog-centric vacations events in Lake George, NY twice each year. In addition to a dog-friendly swimming pool, camp staff includes dog trainers, veterinarians (traditional and holistic) and a dog nutritionist. Camp activities include “Barks & Crafts” and canine freestyle dancing.

Good dog: In addition to nightly “Yappy Hours,” the dining room has a dog friendly section for those who enjoy dining with their dogs.

(All photos courtesy of these pet-friendly hotels).

More hotels that roll over for pets tomorrow.

Categories: Hotels, Pets
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Here’s a interesting offer that may just spark a trend:

Loews Hotels & Resorts has partnered with the Department of Homeland Security to promote the Trusted Traveler Network, which meshes the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Global Entry and the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Pre✓ programs.

Members of the hotel’s YouFirst Platinum loyalty rewards program will get complimentary enrollment in the Global Entry program. With a Global Entry membership, U.S. citizens are automatically qualified to participate in expedited screening with TSA’s Pre✓ program.

Current Platinum YouFirst members (which includes guests with 10+ stays) will be invited by email to participate in this one-time offer, which will made available for the next 60 days.

Good idea? For those who travel a lot and stay loyal to one hotel, you bet!

Categories: Hotels, TSA
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