A growing number of luxury hotels in the US are now providing tablet computers for guests to use in their rooms. Initially offered as a novel amenity for playing games, the iPads are suddenly starting to generate money for the hotels with new apps.
An Orlando-based company, Intelity, provides apps for the device that allows guests to order food, request wake-up calls contact housekeeping, browse hotel amenities and message other guests while lying on the bed.
These apps are being offered in 380 upscale properties such as The Plaza in New York, Mondrian SoHo in New York, The Hilton Inn at Penn in Philadelphia, Royalton Hotel in New York and 90% of Wingate Hotels. Each app is customized to the specific hotel in question.
However this self-service amenity is not only increasing demand for room service, it is cutting down on the workload for staff by directing requests straight to the kitchen for food orders, or direct to housekeeping for extra pillows. It is no longer the front desk staff that is managing the calls, but the software.
Intelity is now working on apps for hotel conference guests to see workshop agendas, chat with other attendees and read the bios of speakers. Restaurants may also follow suit, handing diners a tablet rather than a menu, allowing then to order direct from the kitchen and use the device while waiting for the robot waiter to deliver it.
by Gillian
Luxury Hotel group Hilton has been using the latest 21st century phenomena, flash mobs, to attract publicity as part of its Hilton HHonors Great Getaway. The hotel chain recently orchestrated an entertaining flash-mob beach party on the sizzling streets of New York City as it experiences a summer heat wave.
The 40-or-so members of the group discarded their business attire to reveal bikinis and swimwear, to the amusement of commuters making their way more slowly than usual through Penn Station.
The group moved on to Times Square, Grand Central Station, the Rockefeller Center and Bryant Park tossing beach balls, dancing and generally having a good time. Hilton also orchestrated a similar event in London recently which attracted city workers along with Ben Cohen, a former rugby international player. However, I doubt that the weather was quite warm enough in London for beachwear.
The message however was clear. If you want to be part of what’s happening at Hilton hotels, best sign up for Hilton Honors to be included in the next fun event.
by Gillian
Bookings at hotels in Shanghai are on the up as couples flock to the city to get married. The attraction is Thames Town, a reproduction English village straight out of a London film set, where newlywed couples can pose for their wedding pictures.
This satellite suburb in the Songjiang suburb of China’s most populous city was built in 2006 as a replica English village attraction. The medieval architecture, cobbled streets, faux historic parish church and half-timbered 16th century cottages provide the perfect backdrop for newlyweds to pose and dream of a honeymoon far, far away.
Guests to Thames-Town-by-the-Yangtze can also get married in a lawn ceremony with the steepled church as a backdrop. This romantic setting is reached through a floral arch and along a red carpet – very Duchess of Cambridge style. Alternative wedding locations in this surreal town are hot air balloons, on bicycles or ceremonies aboard a yacht which sails across Lake Huating. Ideal for small wedding parties, the yacht’s luxurious interior is bedecked with heart-shaped balloons for the ceremony.
When it’s all over there is a great choice of luxury hotels in Shanghai from which to enjoy the rest of your stay.
by Gillian
Green is apparently “in” in top hotels worldwide. Luxury hotels in New York, Toronto and Los Angeles are recognizing the importance of offering guests some tranquil garden space, even if they are situated in the middle of a busy city.
During the summer guests prefer an outside space to sit and enjoy in drink amidst flowering shrubs and shady trees. For hotels where outdoor space is limited, innovative designers have created full-scale rooftop gardens with waterfalls and cool reflection pools. Some hotels have totally embraced the idea and are growing their own herbs, fruit and vegetables in the gardens and some even have bee-hives!
The Kyoto Grand Hotel in Los Angeles is one to look out for. This Asian inspired hotel has meandering footpaths and calming water features in its gorgeous Japanese gardens which offer great views of Downtown from its rooftop position.
The Gramercy Park Hotel in New York City has a chic garden on the roof with a retractable glass roof for showery days. The herbs and garnishes used in cocktails and cuisine are grown onsite.
A colorful array of summer flowers can be enjoyed in the English gardens at the Surrey, also in New York City. Sip Muddled Lemonade surrounded by the scent of lavender in this serene space.
Those staying at the Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, NY can take exercise classes on the roof in the shady green terrace gardens where plants attract butterflies and birds. Horticulturists will enjoy staying at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto. They can potter around the basil and pepper plants in the herb garden and admire the dwarf cherry, pear and plum trees which fruit in season. There is also a bee hive and the honey is used in the kitchen of the signature restaurant.
by Gillian at Luxique Luxury Hotels
Luxury hotels in Copenhagen are not generally known for their flamboyance or psychedelic art, but the launch of the new Volkswagen Fox 21 town car brought out the wild side of the chic Hotel Fox.
The new arty décor was commissioned for this boutique Copenhagen hotel from a team of international artists, graphic designers and illustrators to reflect their interpretation of the newly launched baby VW. Incidentally the car is anything but funky, its main claim to fame being that it lost in a Top Gear TV football match against a team of Toyota Aygo cars, but I digress.
The hotel is a real winner for those who know their art. Twenty-one artists contributed to designing the hotel’s 61 individually decorated rooms including Hort, Antoine & Manuel, Speto, Freaklüb, E-Types, Neasden Control Center, MASA, and Container (these names all mean more if you’re into street art, graphic design or Japanese manga).
Guests pick a room at check-in by selecting the design of the Do Not Disturb tag which offers a sample of the color and theme of each room. You can choose the Geissenpeter room, modeled on the classic story of Heidi; the Two Swans room which includes life-size photoscapes of trees and llamas, or try the Boxing Room complete with punch bag, trophy case and gold boxing robe.
Hotel Fox rooms have no minibar – they offer a portable cooler, also themed to match your room. When the bubble-gum pink clouds start to make the room feel a little claustrophobic, take refuge on the roof terrace or the Fox Kitchen and Bar where sanity prevails.
by Gillian at Luxique Luxury Hotels
It seems a royal wedding connection is a whole lot more powerful than any PR ad campaign. In London, the Goring Hotel is cashing in on its moment of fame by reinventing the hotel garden as a beach bar modeled on Basil’s Bar on the Caribbean island of Mustique. They have shipped in the sand and recreated the “greatest bar in the world” – it’s just a shame about the weather.
The Seychelles are having better luck on the sunshine front. Since they were discovered to be the honeymoon destination retreat of Prince William and his new bride, it has put the Indian Ocean islands firmly on the map with a rush of enquiries. Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, is ramping up its services to the islands, seeing a “strong and growing appeal as a premium leisure destination” particularly for UAE residents and European travelers.
The irony is that the big selling point of the Seychelles is its peace and tranquility with gorgeous sandy beaches and barely a soul around. With unbeatable snorkeling, perfect sailing and surfing from May to September (the rainy season for the Maldives), Luxique’s choice of luxury hotels in the Seychelles is worth considering. If you want to stay closer to home, you may have to settle for a Mustique Mule at the Goring Hotel in London, showers permitting.
by Gillian
Always seeking a new experience, two luxury hotels in New York have come up with a new summer attraction – sleeping outdoors. The AKA Central Park started the trend this month by offering guests staying in the penthouse the option to have the bed moved out onto the terrace. The 17th floor terrace with its built-in wood burning fireplace could recreate a sort of camp-fire sleep over.
The $3,000 per night suite does include a bottle of champagne, chocolate covered strawberries, flashlights, an e-reader and a telescope for checking out the night sky.
The obvious downside is the fact that the 17th floor in Manhattan is not the tallest building around and the al fresco guests can be looked down on from all sides. Sirens, rattling air conditioners, honking horns and the general drone of traffic do not abate after midnight in “the city that never sleeps” so getting any undisturbed sleep could be a problem, unlike “real” camping in the backwoods. Still there is a luxury bathroom handy and an excellent breakfast in bed.
The Affinia Gardens on the Upper East Side even includes tents for those wanting to sleep beneath the stars from one of the four ground floor suites. Tents are pitched in a fenced-in area on the rear patio and you have to bring your own sleeping bag. Suites cost from $309 per night, tents are an extra $35. Alternatively, park benches I believe are free!
by Gillian at Luxique Luxury Hotels
What governs your choice of luxury hotels? Do you go to your favorite booking site and punch in the destination? Are you loyal to a particular brand, maybe drawn by the benefits of a loyalty card? Or do you choose the hotel with the best bath products?
Hilton Hotels seem to think the latter is all important and has even gone to the trouble of ousting its high class La Source amenities from Crabtree and Evelyn, replacing them with a new line from Peter Thomas Roth. Both retail for top dollar so it is not a money-saving exercise, yet Hilton Hotels believes this change in the bathroom will convey a “more worldly image”.
This new line is certainly not a mass-market brand and actually runs the risk of being underrated as few people have heard of it. However Hilton’s execs believe it suggests a sense of exclusivity and cache, making Hilton looks eminently more stylish.
Hilton executives reportedly took 18 months to choose their new toiletries and considered more than 50 products - nice work if you can get it. The products include a shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, body wash and two soap bars, so nothing new there. It has yet to be decided whether to use the Peter Thomas Roth brand in the spas, but the products will be on sale at Hilton Hotel’s shops. Meanwhile Doubletree by Hilton recently switched from Neutrogena to Crabtree and Evelyn’s Citron line, but does anyone really care?
by Gillian at Luxique Luxury Hotels
Guests have been known to go to great lengths to get a free upgrade, a particular favorite being to pretend you are on honeymoon. However, a chain of luxury hotels in California have decided to make up their own rules for the game. Joie de Vivre are offering one upgrade per day in five of their luxury hotels in California for those with the talent and/or bravery to take the challenge.
The freebie is offered to the first guest to arrive at check-in and sing a particular song. Appropriate songs have been chosen to reflect the personality of the hotels and include Kate Perry’s “California Gurls” to the equally predictable “Hotel California,” first recorded by the Eagles.
If you think singing tunelessly in public is OK as no-one knows you, think again. The hotels will be recording those early morning performances and uploading them to YouTube and Facebook. Worse still, viewers worldwide can log on to the Joie de Vivre hotel website and actually vote for their favorite singer, with the winner getting an additional prize.
This offers seems more likely to appeal to wannabe singers who will do anything to get in the limelight, rather than guests wanting to save a few $$ on an upgrade. But it does beg the question, how low would you go for a free room upgrade?
by Gillian at Luxique Luxury Hotels
Cruise ships have long been called floating luxury hotels. With their butler service, designer shopping, choice of restaurants and spa facilities some are certainly in the same league. The latest idea being trialed at Echo Bay Marina on Lake Mead, NV are luxury floatels.
These moored lodgings are ideal for larger parties, families and gatherings of friends but can they really compete with luxury hotels in Las Vegas? Thankfully the boats are climate controlled for the dry desert environment, and they do come with a kitchen, four bedrooms, a TV and a sundeck with hot tub. Waterfront views are a given.
However, room service is not available and it is a long drive back to bed after dining on the Strip. While some places spring to mind as being a pleasant place to stay on water - Vancouver Harbour or Sidney Australia for example - most marinas with spare capacity for floatels tend to be seedy docklands and places you certainly would not want to return to alone after dark.
On the plus side, pets are welcome at these floatels and prices are lower than comparable luxury hotels. For me, floatels are closer to camping than pampering, despite what their optimistic advertising claims them to be.
by Gillian at Luxique Luxury Hotels
