It's not even Halloween yet but one hotel is hoping that you are already casting your eye toward New Year's Eve. The Curtis Hotel in Denver, Colorado has set up a special website, Won Night Only, to tempt bidders to take part in an eBay auction for take over the 330-room hotel for New Year's Eve 2010. The winning bidder gets food and drinks for everyone (up to 600 guests) including a cocktail reception, dinner, open bar, a late night munchie bar and a champagne brunch. A photographer will be available to document the event and the evening will include live music and a DJ. The hotel's design team will decorate the hotel for the event. Bidding on eBay is over $50,000 so far and the auction ends on Sunday.

[via The Globe and Mail]

Almost all sectors of the luxury market have been adversely affected by the global financial crisis, but castle rentals in Scotland seem to be immune. Harriet Filewood, managing partner of Scotts Castle Holidays, which represents more than 100 castles and country houses across Scotland, tells the London Guardian that business has never been better. "We thought all the talk about a recession would impact on demand for luxury properties this year," Filewood says, "but so far we have seen a 36% increase in sales. All our castles are fully booked for this New Year's Eve and we are even taking bookings for December 2009. Our average spend for a castle that sleeps around 10 people is £2,500 [about $3,600] a week and as far as we can see the demand for those is increasing."

Sue Bourne, manager of CKD Galbraith's Cottages and Castles rental agency, which has more than 500 Scottish properties on its books, concurs. "This year is just as strong, if not stronger, than any other year," she tells the paper. "We have not seen any decrease in demand and we have not had to discount any properties. This New Year's Eve, out of 50 castles, we only have one at the standard £3,000 to £4,000 a week [about $4,400 - $5,800] left, but we're still getting inquiries and may still let it. Compared with last year we are renting more properties. Some people are even booking now for 2010." Perhaps its simply a matter of solidity; what could be more comforting than a castle in these troubled times?

Russian oligarch (and former Luxist mascot) Roman Abramovich, who has lost a whopping $20 billion in the global financial crisis, has reportedly canceled a lavish New Year's Eve party he'd planned to host in Aspen next month. Abramovich (above, with hot young girlfriend Dasha Zhukova) had booked the event at the resort's luxe Piñons restaurant, but it's now been called off, the Aspen Times reports. "Nobody really knew about it, and it wasn't supposed to get out," the restaurant's maitre d' told the paper. "We're fine, we've got our regular New Year's reservations." As my colleague Deirdre Woollard reported, Abramovich purchased the amazing Wildcat Ridge estate in Aspen for $36 million last spring. The modern 11 bedroom mansion is perched at an elevation of 9,200 feet with incredible mountain views.

I don't know about you, but I'm ready to say goodbye to 2008. Now it's time to contemplate how to send it out in style. I have a weakness for hotel New Year's Eve packages for one reason" I'm lazy. Finding a hotel in a city means I don't have to worry about driving to and fro, I don't have to clean up the next day, and I can hide from the world a little and slowly ease into the next year.

In London you can check out the fireworks over the city as Big Ben rings in 2009. The Rubens hotel has a three-night package that includes a bottle of house Champagne on arrival, six-course New Year's Eve meal for two, camera, late checkout and full English breakfast. Check out the gallery below for some options in other cities including Singapore, Las Vegas and Berlin.