Planning a trip to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C. this February? If you're quick you might still be able to snag one of the 96 rooms at the Opus Vancouver, the city's top luxury boutique hotel. Located in historic and fashionable Yaletown steps away from the inner harbor, the Opus has played host to a long list of A-listers including Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore, Zac Efron, Janet Jackson, R.E.M., and The Pussycat Dolls, to name a few. The lavish rooms boast five different décor schemes to suit every taste, ranging from modern and minimalist to artful and eclectic, with comfort and style as the unifying elements. In addition to standard amenities, luxuries for guests include Frette bathrobes, L'Occitane bath products, an in-room oxygen dispenser and complimentary transportation within the downtown area via the hotel's luxe 7-Series BMWs. The penthouse suites feature wrap-around balconies, floor-to-ceiling windows, and double-sided fireplaces; all suites have a wet bar, while the hotel also features a fine French bistro, Elixir, as well as the Opus Bar, voted "Vancouver's Most Popular Nightspot" by the Zagat Survey.

Luxury linen purveyor Frette has announced their "Win a $5000 Shopping Spree" promotion starting this week. The promotion will be valid in store and online at www.frette.com and will run from now through December 20th The winner will be announced December 20th just in time for last-minute holiday gifts. $5000 should be just enough to outfit your bed in style. Bedding collections include the tonal brown Izmir, the cool Mediterranean Konya Blue and Antalya Lila which features a stylized dandelion print.

Brides get your wish lists ready, Frette, the Italian maker of high-quality linens, has created a wedding registry which recently launched both online and in stores. Now affianced couples can select from linens, home accessories, Frette to Wear for men and women, bath and the Essentials Collection. Upon registration the bride and groom will receive their own personalized his and hers embroidered Frette100% Egyptian cotton terry robes. For every $5,000 worth of purchases off your registry you will receive a $500 gift card. After one year, Frette will offer a one time savings of 10 percent on the remaining items in your registry.

Last month I attended the FRETTE Beverly Hills Designer Event on Rodeo Drive checking out bedrooms designed by Barbara Lazaroff, Mark Cutler and Martyn Lawrence-Bullard Furniture (a few pictures in the gallery below). As a parting gift, Frette was handing out a set of linen napkins (shown after the jump). One commenter chosen at random will receive the napkins, just leave me a note with your tip for an elegant table.

This year's G8 Summit takes place in L'Aquila, Italy. The Italian Government has decided to move the G8 Summit venue from La Maddalena to L'Aquila, the city symbolizing the earthquake that hit Abruzzo on April 6. The world leaders taking part in the global summit will likely be tired after long days of discussing the future of the world. Good to know then that they will be sleeping in personalized hand embroidered sheets by Frette. The linen company will also be giving the particpants, his and hers personalized plush robes and towels.

The Ritz-Carlton is rolling out a new "Bar Experience" at its luxurious properties worldwide, building on a tradition of elegant cocktails and catering to a new generation of patrons. Where once such bars were once noted for their high-end singles scenes and some serious drinking, the company's latest research shows they are now primarily visited by those more interested in socializing with friends and colleagues, and hence food is increasingly important. So is the whole concept of "comfort" as opposed to ostentation. The new Ritz-Carlton bar experience includes both new cocktails, new appetizers and even edible cocktails. The impeccable service remains as always.

The new bar menu features gourmet comfort food meant for sharing among a group. The final menu includes 30 snazzy snacks such as brie and parsley risotto balls, smoked salmon and arugula egg rolls, chilly water lobster flat bread and calamari in remoulade sauce. Each Ritz-Carlton property features a selection of these 30 in addition to some local specialties. The idea behind the whole project is to reinvigorate and reposition the brand, eliminating the "illusion of rigidity" and prohibitive priciness the luxe chain may have given off in the past and "creating a nice environment where you feel comfortable" in the bars and lounges.

We went down to the elegant bar at 2 West at the amazing Ritz-Carlton Battery Park in New York City to experience it firsthand the other night and got extremely comfortable, so we would say it's definitely working. On the cocktail front, among our favorites was the Sunsplash, made with Grey Goose L'Orange vodka, Cointreau, fresh lemon and orange juice, and cranberry. Another standout was the Ritz-Carlton Martini, made with Tanqueray No. 10 gin, simple syrup, peeled English cucumber, mint and lime juice. Food-wise we particularly enjoyed the Italian spicy sausage and artichoke pizza, the mini Black Angus beef sliders, and the plate of artisanal cheeses served with quince paste, honey comb and chutney.

Luxury linens company Frette is offering the chance to win a luxurious escape to Italy for a break from recessionary ennui. Frette chose the ultra-luxe Mezzatorre Resort & Spa (above), perched on a bluff above the sea on the island of Ischia off the Amalfi Coast for the getaway (of course they use Frette linens). Grand Prize is a trip for two to Ischia including seven days complimentary stay at the Mezzatorre Resort, including business class airfare for two. Second Prize is a free bedroom makeover by Frette Creative Director Scott Formby, including a complete set of Frette linens. Third Prize is a Frette Essentials bed set and duvet cover.

Anyone in the U.S. can enter via www.frette.com or at the Frette stores located in New York, Beverly Hills, Boston, Manhasset, Chicago, Aspen, South Coast Plaza, and Palo Alto. No purchase is necessary and there are no tricky questions. Deadline for entries is July 15th. The winners will be chosen through a drawing at Frette's U.S. headquarters in New York. Founded in 1860 and based in Milan, Frette blends Italian craftsmanship and contemporary design to create elegant and luxurious collections for the home, bath and body. Frette has provided linens to royalty, the Vatican and the world's most prestigious trains and ocean liners including the Orient Express and the Titanic.

Even the most formal of brands have to relax once and a while. Frette, purveyor of elegant and expensive linens, has come out with a new more relaxed line targeted at the younger, aspirational customer with a lower price point (components for a standard bed are in the $400-$450 range). The collection is named Edmond after Edmond Frette, the company founder and it ranges from sheets and pillows to throws and blankets made of fine merino wool and cashmere. The new sub-brand pays homage to Italian style with black and white geometrics and exotic animal prints. The brand will be sold at the Edmond Frette shop in London and at all 10 Frette boutiques in the United States this fall.

Manhattan's The Marcel at Gramercy, which unveiled a luxe new makeover a few months back transforming the quaint 3 star hotel into a chic and stylish 4 star standout, is putting the finishing touches on its much-awaited rooftop bar in preparation for the warmer weather. We hear it's going to be open by June, and while the chic watering hole with a stunning view of the Empire State Building will officially only be open to hotel guests, we're told a select number of civilians will be allowed to pass the portals each evening as well. It should make a welcome respite from the extremely over-the-top Gramercy Park Hotel nearby.

Meanwhile, a new restaurant / bar has opened in the hotel's ground floor space with its massive windows affording a great view of the street scene. It now houses a branch of hip Lower East Side fave 'inoteca, the prized panini-and-vino specialist, with fresh-squeezed juice at the bar. The vibe is very Milan Fashion Week, and the wine list has over 600 selections representing every wine making region in Italy. Now housing 135 rooms, the Marcel's new amenities include Frette linens, marble bathrooms, iPod docking stations and LCD TVs. A spa and gym are also in the works.

Manhattan's The Marcel at Gramercy just unveiled a luxe new makeover, transforming the quaint 3 star hotel into a chic and stylish 4 star standout. The Gramercy Park fixture's upgrades include the addition of several new floors, a complete modern redesign of the guestrooms and lobby with a stylish fireplace (above), and a hip new Northern Italian restaurant / wine bar, Bar Milano. Now housing 135 rooms, the Marcel's new amenities include Frette linens, marble bathrooms, iPod docking stations and LCD TVs. A rooftop deck, spa and gym are also in the works.

Frette's holiday collection is always something special. In 2006, we had Sophia, a line inspired by ancient brocades and damasks used by royal dynasties across Europe. In 2007, we experienced Helena, a golden set inspired by Helen of Troy. This year the inspiration was 17th Century Swedish Queen Christina and her stirring portrayal by Greta Garbo in the 1933 film. The dramatic collection rendered in rich reds with a tapestry look consists of just 64 numbered sets in an ebony box containing a duvet, two Euro shams and two pillows. The retail price is $6,000.

The rest of the holiday collection includes mink slippers, a mink throw, wool blankets, cashmere scarves and a few selected high-end pieces of loungewear. The collection will be on display in Frette windows in November but you can catch a sneak peek in the gallery below.

[via Home Textiles Today]

Frette calls the throw shown here the Cashton, perhaps because you have to spend a lot of cash on it. It is made of pure cashmere and bordered in python. It is shown here resting on a python pillow. The throw is $4,000 and the pillow sells for $3,500. I've never though of python as a particularly cozy material but it certainly makes a statement.

Luxury sheet maker Frette's new Sophia line is a holiday fantasy. The years designer duvet set also comes with the chance to outfit yourself in luxury as well with a red velvet robe and a pair of slippers. The Sophia line was inspired by ancient brocades and damasks used by royal dynasties across Europe. Garnet-colored silk is interwoven with natural linen to create a surprisingly modern jacquard. The duvet set includes a cover and two rectangular shams in an ornate pattern and two striped square shams and boudoirs. The line takes its name from Queen Sophia of Bourbon, the last queen of a Spanish dynasty to rule on Italian soil. Each robe comes with a 24-carat gold numbered plaque for the engraved name or initials of the owner.