I have to confess that I have a lot of cynicism about hotels and their efforts to help the environment. There's hardly a hotel that I visit that doesn't give me the opportunity to save the earth by opting not to have my sheets and towels replaced, which does indeed save on water and detergent, but, I know it also saves the hotel serious dollars. Don't get me wrong, I'm not against win-win situations, I'm just not getting too many green good vibes if doing less laundry is the only earth-friendly step that a hotel takes.

In fairness, it's often hard for a guest to tell what a hotel is doing for the environment, because most of the heavy lifting comes behind the scenes -- in the hotel's construction, energy supplies and so on. Here are a few fabulous properties that are also doing right by the planet, in ways you might not recognize.

• The Nines in Portland, Oregon. In the renovation of this hotel from its previous life as a department store, 90 percent of construction waste was diverted from landfills for reuse or recycling. In addition, housekeeping employs green cleaning products and the hotel gets 100 percent of its energy from renewable sources including wind power and carbon offsets.
  
• The Westin Riverfront Beaver Creek, Colorado: This hotel just received Silver LEED certification, and it's saving energy in a variety of ways, including a building control system that allows the front desk to adjust the temperature in guest rooms so unoccupied rooms aren't heated or cooled unnecessarily. The hotel also donated a 5 acre zone along the Eagle river as a permanent public open space.
• The Ritz Carlton Highlands, North Lake Tahoe: This soon-to-open hotel was built with environmental factors in mind, from careful site planning designed to spare as many trees as possible, to the introduction of underground parking, which reduces the use of asphalt, allowing snow melt and rain to return to the water table. What's more, Northstar Resort, which the Ritz is a part of, is the first ski resort to be entirely LEED certified.
• Harbor View, Martha's Vineyard. One of the most luxurious places to stay on Martha's Vineyard also has a serious commitment to the environment, from its use of low-flow plumbing, to energy efficient appliances, to an active recycling program that includes replacing the distribution of plastic water bottles with reusable water bottles and water stations.

The Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta marked its 25th anniversary with a complete redesign of the entrance foyers, lobby, and lobby bar, now named Lumen, which features exotic, sophisticated edible cocktails, a Lumen signature cocktail, and art-themed cocktails.

The new interiors feature well-known, traditional elements transposed in an updated way, such as a Chippendale Mahogany sideboard refinished in a hand-applied gilded platinum tone; sheer shrouds wrapped around the hotel's crystal chandeliers; and accent chairs graced with damask patterns in oversized formats.

Lumen underwent a great change. The lounge, so named for its many light effects, now greets guests with crystal chandeliers that glow red at night; seven-foot tall custom settees covered in midnight blue mohair, complete with their beaded sconces; a bar cabinet that glows blue in the evening; mirror-polished, handspun metal tables custom-designed by Brad Oldham (brother to designer Todd); beaded corkscrew floor lamps; and a custom-designed, under-lit onyx-topped communal-styled table seating up to eight.

My friend Nancy is scheduled to speak at a meeting being held at this Ritz, and I can't wait to hear what she thinks of the new spaces. See the gallery for before and after shots.

Well, I might as well confess: I am not grace personified on the slopes. Forget snowboarding, my goal is (and has been) to navigate a green slope all by myself before I turn 40. If you're similarly situated -- and glare at impossibly skilled children as they schuss past you -- make your plans to visit North Lake Tahoe this winter. On December 12th-13th, it's the 10th Annual Learn to Ski and Board Weekend. It's a bargain at $25, and includes all-day beginner lift ticket, group lesson and gear rental at the area's nine resorts, including Alpine Meadows, Boreal Mountain Resort, Diamond Peak, Granlibakken, Homewood Mountain Resort, Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe, Northstar-at-Tahoe, Squaw Valley USA and Sugar Bowl.

I had my annual ski lesson -- yes, only one a year, which may be why I've yet to really learn -- in South Lake Tahoe this year, at Heavenly, which was worth it for the view and the excellent lunch on the top and the itsy-bit of progress I made. If you need more incentive to visit the area this year, a new Ritz Carlton will be opening up at Northstar this season.

Pebble Beach will always reign supreme among California resorts, and deservedly so, but at $500 for a round of golf its rates aren't exactly recession-friendly. If you're looking for a more affordable golf getaway on the Pacific Coast, consider this: The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, an award-winning clifftop retreat 45 minutes south of San Francisco, is offering an unlimited stay-and-play package through year's end.

For a nightly rate of $399 for one player or $519 for two--a savings of $250–$500 per day--guests can play as many holes as they choose on the resort's two 18-hole courses. The Old Course, co-designed by Arnold Palmer, is an American parkland-style layout that finishes in dramatic fashion, with a par four that skirts the edge of a bluff. The newer Ocean Course, featuring more seaside holes and open expanses, draws its inspiration from the great windswept Scottish links; as testament to its character, it hosted a local qualifier for this year's U.S. Open.

In addition to golf, the special offer also includes complimentary valet parking and access to the hotel's spa, known for its co-ed Roman mineral bath.

Summer will be here soon, and if you have not yet planned a vacation, now's the time. Here's an idea: The Ritz-Carlton, a name synonymous with luxury accommodations, just introduced two vacation packages made to create memories with "a selection of offerings that are not just about spending less, but experiencing more." The "Peace of Mind" or "Reconnect" packages are available in city and resort locations in the United States as well as abroad.

The Peace of Mind package includes accommodations, daily breakfast for two, Internet, local calls, parking and up to three complimentary nights The Ritz Kids special activities program is available for two youngsters. The Reconnect package includes accommodations and a credit to spend within the hotel. The range of value-added options are for travel between now and September 30, 2009.

The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort – and its sister property, the Beach Resort – are making it easy to hide from the world for a few days this summer. And, I can tell you from experience, the twin Ritz properties are great places to hide. With the Spa Escape Package, you can be treated as you deserve (or, in my case, better), for a mere $259 a night ($299 at the Beach Resort).

The spa at the Ritz-Carlton Beach Resort services both Naples, FL properties. As part o this program, a stay at either hotel will get you a $200 spa credit, which includes both services and retail. You'll also pick up a $50 gift card for the properties' on-site stores.

The Ritz-Carlton Spa integrates organic and eco-friendly options to mitigate environmental impact without degrading the quality of the treatments provided. The Eco-Luxe Facial and Eco-Luxe Cocoon are conducted in the Eco-Room, which features soft materials made from organic cotton and bamboo and washed in a separate machine with fragrance-free and sulfate-free cleansers. The floor and chair are made from bamboo, and the massage table was crafted entirely from sustainable materials.

With domestic flights cheaper than ever (except when I'm flying, it seems), getting to Naples won't be painful, and JetBlue has countless flights into the area. And, the perks that come with the Spa Escape Package basically make the room free. I hit this spa last summer and might just make it an annual experience.

Several months ago Ritz-Carlton finalized a $180 million transformation at its AAA Five-Diamond Kapalua, Hawaii, hotel with the opening of the 17,500-square-foot Ritz-Carlton Spa, Kapalua. The hotel, which has 463 fully-renovated guestrooms, including 107 Residential Suites, is located on the healing waters of Waihua, which the ancient Hawaiians believed was the most pure form of water.

The spa features 15 treatment rooms, with half opening to private outdoor shower gardens, and all with iPod docking stations with pre-programmed music selections and robe warmers. The spa also features two outdoor couples' hale (cabanas), men's and women's relaxation areas with the depiction of lava stone grotto areas, steam rooms, saunas, and whirlpools, and the only coed indoor/outdoor relaxation area in Hawaii with a whirlpool.

The Waihua concept is evidenced by wood panels carved with images of taro leaves and the dry stone river bed design in the entry. The walls are curved, representing water movement, with water walls in select areas. Guests walk through groves of tall bamboo, and Hawaiian artwork is present throughout the public corridors. Basalt stone floors are found in the treatment rooms, and the lockers are made with mahogany wood. Raw natural ingredients of spa treatments, including Hawaiian sea salt, kukui nuts, awapuhi, and ginger, have been placed in alcoves.

The spa offers a range of Hawaiian-based spa treatments, including authentic Lomilomi massage and Hawaiian healing treatments based on relaxation and rejuvenation. Guests may honor Kupuna Kahiko (ancient elders) from the Honokahua burial site by presenting an offering outside their treatment room.

Many of the spa treatments incorporate natural ingredients in the spa products such as pineapple, papaya, kukui oil, coconut, pumpkin, and blueberry. The spa features a range of innovative facials using Murad products and the natural lines of Naturopathica and Eminence, along with Intraceuticals Oxygen Infusions treatments. The spa also offers pregnancy massage treatments using Mama Mio products. The salon offers a full range of hair, manicure, pedicure, and waxing services; treatments for younger guests, such as a Choco Holic Pedicure; and packages for teenagers, including the Bring a Friend Package, which includes a 50-minute Lomilomi Massage or a 50-minute Ritz-Carlton Signature Facial, side by side, followed by a Fabulous Feet Pedicure.

My sister, Gina, and I were lucky enough to receive a basket with samples of some of the wonderful products used at the spa. To read our reviews, click on the continued link. Better yet, visit the spa! Make reservations for the hotel here.

The fabulous Russian billionaires will have a new place to party in Moscow when the Ritz-Carlton opens up on July 1. The new Ritz-Carlton will be a $350 million, 334-room hotel with an imperial Russian facade.

The hotel includes Jeroboam he restaurant of three star Michelin chef Heinz Winkler. A separate wine room, Petrus, will be available for small groups to choose from the expansive wine and rare spirits collection such as a shot of Macallan Fine and Rare Collection vintage 1969 whisky for $400. The restaurant will serve the Tsar's Breakfast which costs $700 per person and includes a bottle of Crystal champagne, an omelet with Kobe beef steak, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and truffles, foie gras with caramelized apple and pain brioche, 56 grams of Beluga caviar with blinis, sour cream and quail eggs and more.

The rooftop bar is the O2 lounge which has a glass dome, black tile floor, red velvet cocoon chairs and white leather furnishings and will serve food by chef Seiji Kusano who whips us sushi creations such as a gourmet roll prepared with Beluga caviar and blue fin tuna, garnished with gold leaf. In the Lobby lounge, the vodka sommelier can help guests choose from a wide variety of vodkas. The hotel also includes a spa and fitness center for working off all that food and booze. They are offering a summer special through August with rooms starting at $385 (plus 18% VAT) which is nearly half of the usual price.

Prada Beauty and the Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation have joined together to create a relaxing beauty experience on Lake Oconee, deep in the Georgia-native loblolly pines. In addition to the usual Ritz-Carlton luxuries like feather beds, private porches, and oversized marble & granite bathtubs, the "Prada in the Pines" package will get the additional benefits of Club access, a men's or women's Prada Fragrance, a Prada Exfoliant Visage Facial, and in-room champagne and truffles.

The package starts at $1,109 per evening and is available for a limited time, this spring through fall.

Planning to drop in on Brangelina in the Crescent City? Wondering where to stay? Well, good news is here. The Ritz-Carlton has reopened after a renovation to repair the damage caused by hurricane Katrina. The beautiful hotel was originally the Maison Blanche department store features a variety of restaurants and a lovely courtyard. After Katrina, the hotel closed and the entire HVAC system was replaced along with numerous other repairs and enhancements. While New Orleans might not be the safest city, if you desire to stay over, the Ritz-Carlton is a safe bet.

If you are interested in being able to shop without ever leaving home you might want to check out this condo at Water Tower Place in Chicago. It is located above the Ritz Carlton hotel at 180 E. Pearson Street and has hotel services such as a concierge, receiving room clerk, service and 24/7 elevator operator, door staff and maintenance personnel. There is also an indoor parking facility, health club and indoor pool as well as catering options. The 11,000-square-foot duplex has amazing views over the city and has been finished with the finest luxury details. There are seven bedrooms total. This apartment is listed at $10.5 million. After the jump, bring the decorator, lose the chef.

The Ritz Carlton Laguna Nigel on the Southern California coast has just been sold for $330 million, or approximately $840,000 per room. This makes it the second most expensive hotel sale in terns of price per room, only surpassed by the sale of the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, which had a price tag of $1 million per room.

The 22 year old hotel has 393 rooms, including 38 suites, and was acquired by Strategic Hotels, who is hoping to increase their presence in the luxury hotel market in California. Strategic feels that not only is the beachfront property worth its high price, but that it is sure to increase in value over the next two decades given that space on the coast is both desirable and difficult to obtain. The hotel, prior to the sale, underwent a $40 million renovation that revamped the interior and improved their spa and fitness offerings.  Rooms start at $400 a night and ocean-front suites are available for more than $2,000 per night. They also offer a $750 per night Mercedes-Benz package, which includes the use of a car.

Leave it to the Ritz-Carleton in Battery Park to come up with one of the world's most luxe hotel packages. The Can't Buy Me Love, But You Can Try is a one-night visit that costs you $40,000.

But don't worry, you'll get your money's worth. For the handsome fee, this package includes:

• limo service to and from the airport
• accommodations in the Presidential Suite.
• a personal fireworks show by the famous Grucci family set to the soundtrack of your choice
  
• private helicopter ride over the city
• private bath prepared by a personal butler
• Dom Perignon and strawberries
• candlelight dinner
• in-room breakfast

According to the hotel's director of guest relations, not surprisingly, only one person has taken advantage of this high-priced hotel package.

Sure, fireworks are fab as is staying at the Ritz, but if you really want to show your special someone that you are at the same pyrotechnically inspired and frugal, here's a slightly lower-budget version of the package:

• One pack of roman candles from a road side stand in South Carolina: $7.50
• One romantic Celine Dion album: $15
• One bottle of pink Andre's "champagne": $5
  
• One night at a Super 8: $65

And finally:

• Not having to fork out $40,000 to get the Ritz to do the work for you: Priceless!

Waterfront luxury in Baltimore. About time some may say. But, Ritz-Carlton has unveiled plans to build a 174 unit condo on the Inner Harbor, just at the base of Federal Hill. Ranging in size from 1,600 to 5,000 square feet, these residences will feature all the amenities of a Ritz-Carlton hotel, but the ability to leave your clothes in the closets permanently. Great views of downtown Baltimore and a 20-slip marina accommodating yachts up to 100' ensure that this new enclave of luxury will appeal to all. With housekeeping service and in-room dining arranged by Ritz-Carlton, you could throw a major fête and never break a sweat.

Tokyo, consistently rated one of the world's most expensive cities, has had a glaring absence of luxury hotels. Certainly, the Four Seasons is probably the best in town, but up till now it hasn't had any real competition. The Mandarin Oriental has just opened its 179 room hotel in Nihonbashi that balances the natural elements of forest and water. In other words, its designed to make you feel at one with nature, even though you are on top of a skyscraper is one of the most densely populated cities on Earth. Joining Four Seasons and Mandarin in 2007 are both Peninsula and Ritz-Carlton, who will open new hotels in Tokyo later in the year. The venerable Peninsula Hotel Group is opening a 315 room, 24 floor hotel in the Marunouchi district of Tokyo. Situated in a area experiencing a revitalization, the triangular shaped hotel will certainly become a hub of luxury-minded travelers. Ritz-Carlton is opening 250 rooms on the top nine floors of a high rise in Roppongi district. Part of a mixed-use facility designed by American architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. The hotel will feature a sky lobby, several restaurants, and a large spa. At long last, a place to lay my head where I can dream of the world's most expensive hotel bill.