El Conquistador Resort in Fajardo, Puerto Rico

September 9, 2010 | Posted by bLavish as Hotels, Luxury Travel at 8:00 pm | Comments off

If you’re getting tired of the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it might be time to take a vacation. If what you want is a resort retreat of epic proportions, El Conquistador resort in Puerto Rico should be on your list of options.

The resort sits perched atop cliffs, overlooking the ocean. Five discrete villages are contained within the resort, each boasting its own set of luxuries and amenities. The La Vista  rooms are located in an atrium garden village just minutes from the golf course and spa. Each room has its own private French balcony that looks out onto the sea.

The Las Brisas rooms are housed within a v-shaped village set up on the cliffs, with easy access to the main pool, shopping, and casino. The Las Olas rooms have their own private pool, and are steps away from the Marina and Palomino Island catamarans. Whichever of the five villages you choose to stay in, you’ll be greeted with unparalleled service.

If you are looking to move beyond the resort setting into someplace even more plush and opulent, the Las Casitas Villas adjacent to the resort are one, two, and three-bedroom villas with all the resort amenities and the added bonus of 24 hour butler service. Whether you’re looking to just get away or to be waited on hand and foot, El Conquistador has a room waiting for you, just a quick flight from the US.

The Saxon Gets Ready for FIFA World Cup World Class Luminaries

May 19, 2010 | Posted by bLavish as Hotels at 6:00 am | Comments off

The construction of three new villas with 29 suites at the Saxon Boutique Hotel, Villas & Spa more than doubles the capacity of this luxurious hotel in time to host world leaders gathering soon for the FIFA World Cup.  The existing suites are also getting a lift so that the entire hotel will have a fresh, updated look when the project is completed in June.

Designed to offer the same exclusivity and luxury for which the Saxon is known, each of the new, stand alone villas will have its own pool, terrace and lounge, as well as a boardroom which may be converted into a dining room, a satellite kitchen and butler service.  Each villa will also have a private entrance from the garage and the skywalk. The suites will be similar to the open plan design of the hotel’s popular Egoli Suites, and will also include six one-bedroom Presidential Suites convertible into three two-bedroom Platinum suites.

Changes in the existing 24 suites in the main hotel will include new beds, linen, TV, blue ray DVD players, carpets/rugs, 1000 thread count linen, toweling and Saxon robes, mp3 docking stations, new integrated lighting systems, advanced air conditioning controls, free use of laptop in every suite as well as free wireless internet access.  Also, one of the in-room telephones will be converted to a mobile phone for use during the guest’s visit.

The Saxon, a favorite among discerning leisure and business travelers alike, offers an extraordinary architectural design, full-service spa and gym, African art collection, fine dining and beautiful gardens as well as excellent service.  One of the most sought after hotels in the world, it has been voted World’s Leading Boutique Hotel every year for the past eight years at World Travel Awards and was recognized in Conde Nast Traveler’s Reader’s Choice awards 2009 as the best hotel in Africa.

For further information, please contact The Saxon Boutique Hotel, Villas and Spa, call +27 11 292-6000 or e-mail reservations@saxon.co. The website is www.thesaxon.com.

Watch President Obama hit the links from Island Inn

May 17, 2010 | Posted by bLavish as Hotels at 12:10 pm | Comments off

Looking for a place to escape on Martha’s Vineyard this summer? Then look no further than the Island Inn. Located in Oak Bluffs, The Island Inn has three tennis courts and is just a short bike ride from all of the boutique shops and pristine beaches that Martha’s Vineyard is so well known for. Oak Bluffs offers beautiful gingerbread houses and the nation’s oldest platform carousel.

The island fills with celebrities and political figures (think Dan Akroyd and President Obama) during the summer months but offers a quiet respite in the off-season. The Island Inn is a deluxe, all-suite, full-service resort located on 7.5 acres. This resort is ideal for families staying with kids as most have the rooms here have kitchens and there are fireplaces in many rooms. Keep an eye out at the neighboring 18-hole par 72 Farm Neck PGA Golf Club where President Obama plays in the summer months when his family vacations on the island.

The best room at the inn, so to speak, is the cottage that includes four rooms with full kitchen, two baths and two fireplaces (one is located in the master bedroom). Condominium and two-level townhouses include one and two bedroom suites as well as working fireplaces. The condo suite would be ideal for a family with two children with one private bedroom, and additional sleeping area with twin beds, fireplace and patio deck. The seven acres of beautifully manicured lawns in the back offer a quite respite for the perfect weekend getaway.

For more information, visit www.islandinn.com or call (508) 693-2002.

A Modern Look for Seattle with the Four Seasons

May 13, 2010 | Posted by bLavish as Hotels at 5:36 am | Comments off

If you are looking to stay in luxury, you have come to the right place at The Four Seasons Hotel Seattle. With beautiful views of Elliott Bay and Puget Sound, the waterfront hotel offers an amazing view of the Pacific Northwest.

The Four Seasons Seattle is ideally situated just a block from the famous Pike Place Market and directly across the street from the Seattle Art Museum. There are 147 guest rooms here and 13 suites and each room has floor to ceiling windows, an LCD television, wireless Internet service, and sleek marble bathroom complete with a cool TV integrated in the mirror.

The on-site spa has eight treatment rooms, including a couple’s spa room overlooking the water. Try a massage infused with the scent or cedar for something unique. Then top off your stay with a relaxing steam room visit. We enjoyed the fitness center with cardio and strength training equipment, which is located adjacent to the fourth floor pool terrace.

Staying true to its location, the hotel’s restaurant, ART highlights the most creative Pacific Northwest cuisine. The TV tray breakfast is very popular serving three courses all at once of eggs Benedict a fresh fruit salad and granola with yogurt and berries. There is a 25-seat sushi bar here where you can sample some of the chefs creations, including a spicy tuna roll with wasabi cream or a foie gras roll. Dinner here offers a wide array of fish, meat and vegetable dishes, including wild king salmon, duck confit, dry aged beef and roasted cauliflower. The wine list here is exceptional with more than 150 wines located in the 12-foot wine wall, all available by the glass.

Don’t forget to check out the bay-view rooftop terrace with infinity-edge pool and open fireplace for an amazing view. If, after a visit here, you feel as though you never want to leave, now there is a reason not to. The Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences allows guests to have 24-hour dedicated residential concierge service, valet parking, 24-hour room service from ART and access to the hotel’s amenities. Properties start at $2 million.

For reservations or more information, visit www.fourseasons.com or call (206) 749-7000.

New LA Live Complex Ritz-Carlton

April 6, 2010 | Posted by bLavish as Hotels at 9:01 am | Comments off

The luxury lives on with a new Ritz-Carlton located at the Los Angeles Live Complex.

Just a few steps away from the LA Convention Center this new Ritz opened their doors just this week and it’s already business as usual at the luxury hotel.  With 123 guestrooms spread over 54 stories, the new Ritz features a 3,000-square foot Ritz-Carlton Suite with piano and media corner as well as 24t floor wine cave and Wolfgang Puck restaurant.

Who says you have to travel far for luxurious accommodations?

Park City’s St. Regis Deer Crest Resort Opens Their Doors

January 14, 2010 | Posted by bLavish as Hotels, How the Rich Survive at 11:26 am | Comments off

Park City, Utah’s latest resort, the St. Regis Deer Crest Resort, has just opened their new doors in time for the Sundance Film Festival.

The 12-acre property is located in the elite area of Deer Crest and designed to be luxurious from point A to point B, of course.

Now, who wants to book a luxury ski trip?

The Delta Queen Sees Hotel Opportunity In Fire Safety

March 6, 2009 | Posted by bLavish as Boats, Hotels at 11:00 am | Comments off

The Delta Queen, a National Historic Landmark which once hosted President Jimmy Carter as a passenger, will no longer be offering cruises along the Tennessee River in Chattanooga.

The cruise vessel was not able to meet fire safety codes so the Delta Queen will now be a floating hotel along Chattanooga river district.  The 285-foot ship can now host 176 passengers and offers smaller cabins on up to more luxurious and larger accommodations.

Book now for the grand opening April 15.