hotel

Since 1927, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel has been the local meeting place of bygone luminaries, including Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, Marilyn Monroe and Montgomery Clift. Monroe stayed when her career was just emerging, while Monty stayed during some of the filming of From Here to Eternity.

The hotel itself was named after Theodore Roosevelt, who provided some of the initial funding for the star-studded spot. It was also the first place where the Academy Awards were held.

Within our century, this was the hotel where Prince stayed in 2007, where Michelle Pfeiffer sang on a piano in the film, The Fabulous Baker Boys, and where one of the last episodes of Entourage was filmed.

And as for location, it is right in the middle of classic Hollywood: located on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, across from Grauman's Chinese Theater.

Yet, like any 80-year-old Hollywood star, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, now owned by Thompson Hotels, needed to refresh and renew -- and recently, after a reported $35 million facelift, this process is complete. The 300-room hotel is again ready for the spotlight, with the redesign of the Cabana Rooms as well as the debut of three unique entertainment venues: Public Kitchen & Bar, The Spare Room and Beacher's Madhouse.

This is, without a doubt, one of the more over-the-top packages we've seen recently.

Book the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park's Royal Wedding Tour and you'll receive special access and hosted tours by family members and associates of the royal family to Kensington Palace, Chartwell, Spencer House, Althorp and Westminster Abbey, all venues which members of the public have not had such private access to before.

The hotel itself also has a rich history: Queen Elizabeth II and the late Princess Margaret first learned to dance in the gilded ballroom, Prince Charles and Princess Anne visited the tearooms as children and more recently, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were guests at Baroness Margaret Thatcher's 80th birthday party. Sir Winston Churchill was even a temporary resident while his London house was being refurbished. Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park also boasts the only private Royal Entrance from Hyde Park.

Part of a global expansion plan to add over 50 new locations to its global portfolio over the next three years, Starwood Hotels has opened a new location at Milan's Malpensa Airport.

Adjacent to Terminal 1, 30 minutes away from downtown Milan and with views of the Italian alps, the Sheraton Milan Malpensa Airport Hotel and Conference Centre offers 433 guest rooms, 19 suites, 58 "club rooms" and a 200 square-meter members' lounge. It also has 2,000 square meters of meeting rooms, including a 1,000-person multi-function hall and 22 individual board rooms, as well as a 1,000 square-meter fitness center and spa (including an indoor swimming pool), plus the Monte Rosa Bar and Il Canneto for dining options.

The hotel is owned by Degennaro Group and was designed by King Roselli Architects and Saporiti Hotel Design.

Paris' luxurious Hotel Le Bristol (above), opened in 1925 on the famed rue de Faubourg Saint Honoré, is a favorite of celebs including Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio and Natalia Vodianova. Now, the elegant property is getting ready to to unveil a $33 million revamp that includes an ultra-luxe penthouse suite occupying the top floor, poised to become one of the most expensive hotel suites in the world. The 2,583-square-foot, two bedroom suite encompassing the entire eighth story will feature incredible views of the rue de Faubourg Saint Honoré and the Le Bristol's famed private gardens – the largest of any Parisian hotel. In May, the French-style Le Bristol Spa will double in size to include ten treatment rooms as well as a separate fitness center, while the property's signature Michelin three-star Gastronomic Restaurant will move into a new space featuring expansive views of the hotel's garden, a chef's table and fireplace.

[via JustLuxe]

As befits a Brit who has his very own brand of gin, Martin Miller is more than just an entrepreneur; he's a bon viveur and connoisseur of everything from antiques and historic houses to leggy women, fine spirits and elaborately coiffed canines. The self-described "gypsy who never settled" began building an empire as a schoolboy in England which led to an estimated $40 million fortune and the birth of Martin Miller's Gin. Having sold his antiques guide business for a tidy sum, in 1999 Miller hit on the idea of creating a super premium gin better than anything else available at the time; developing the perfect gin regardless of "practical, fiscal or even geographic limitations" became something of a fixation, hence the spirit's slogan: "born of love, obsession and some degree of madness."

Miller's is a top drawer London dry gin made from ten carefully balanced botanicals that's transported 1,500 miles to Iceland following traditional copper pot still distillation to be mixed with the purest spring water on the globe. The result is a potent spirit with a strong citrus nose and taste, notes of juniper and a clean, soft finish. A Westbourne Strength variation ups the ABV from 40% to 45.2%, bringing the juniper to the forefront along with spicier notes and the same soft finish. Both bottles are stunning. That degree of good taste and craftsmanship extends to Miller's small empire of boutique luxury hotels in renovated historic structures, the first of which he opened to house his burgeoning collection of antiques.

Miller's four UK properties echo the eccentricity and artistic sensibility of their creator; showcasing his "maximalistic" approach to decor, they're positively overflowing with antiques and finds from his lifelong adventures. Here's a rundown [cont'd]:

Ignazio and Maggio Cipriani, fourth generation of the famed Cipriani family internationally renowned for its restaurants, landmarked banquet spaces, clubs, and residences, have announced the debut of Mr. C, a chic new signature hotel brand opening its first property in Beverly Hlls this April. Mr. C is designed to be "a modern version of old-world simplicity and stylish European glamour, providing today's traveler with a comfortable, elegant and effortless experience blending contemporary amenities with discreet, personalized service." The 138-room property will feature 12 Signature Suites and Classic Suites, alongside spacious guest rooms ranging from 365–800 square feet, each with a private balcony and many with panoramic views of Beverly Hills and Los Angeles. The interior design aims to be "rich and welcoming" with dark hardwood floors, burgundy and gray color palettes, and crisp white accents. Vintage black and white photographs from films like La Dolce Vita bring iconic and historic cultural moments to life on the walls, and well-appointed bathrooms feature teak flooring, marble accents, and luxe amenities.

Additionally, the property will feature five multi-level, residential-sized bungalows averaging approximately 3,000 square feet, each with a private garden, gourmet kitchen, plunge pool and views of Beverly Hills. Renowned Californian architect Ray Kappe designed the bungalows, which will feature all the Mr. C amenities including spa treatments, housekeeping, and room service from the signature Mr. C restaurant. The restaurant will welcome guests and Angelenos alike with a menu featuring classics from Cipriani's famed kitchens alongside grilled specialties and pizzas from morning to night. The restaurant will offer indoor and outdoor seating, a separate entrance for non-hotel guests, and two private rooms for more intimate occasions. The hotel will also feature an outdoor swimming pool for hotel guests only and an indoor/outdoor private event space boasting 360-degree panoramic city views from the 12th floor of the hotel, with a private exterior glass elevator. Rates will run from $429 for a Deluxe City View room to $2,009 for a Specialty Suite.

The Waldorf-Astoria is a veritable New York City landmark. But what was once a single establishment has since grown, under the direction of Hilton Hotels, into The Waldorf=Astoria Collection.

In addition to the flagship location in Manhattan, four more opened in the United States (including the Arizona Biltmore, La Quinta in California, the Dakota Mountain Lodge in Utah and the Grand Wailea in Maui), but the expansion isn't limited to America alone. The Calalieri in Rome joined the collection in 2008, which was preceded by the Qasr Al Sharq in Jeddah. The roster has since expanded to include dozens of locations, but Saudi Arabia isn't even the only country to put The Waldorf on the map in the Middle East.

Visitors to Jerusalem will invariably notice the construction of the latest location in the Israeli capital, opposite the boutique Mamila Hotel and the modern David Citadel, and just down the street from the historic King David. But soon that development is set to be joined by an additional location in Tel Aviv.

The Mediterranean development is planned for the Tel Aviv beachfront on a plot next to the expansive Tel Aviv Hilton. Although details of the project have yet to be confirmed, the Jerusalem location is set to feature 220 guest suites along with 30 residential condos.

[Source: Yedioth Aharonoth]

I'm sure you'd love to believe that your concerns are being heard. At an airport, restaurant, hotel or any other place where you're parting with your hard-earned cash, you expect a certain level of service. When you don't get it, you expect management to give a damn. Shocking, I know, but sometimes even this second part doesn't happen.

Gone are the days when even the risk of a customer complaint struck horror in the eyes of a hospitality manager. Close to a decade ago, I emailed a gripe to Kelly's Roast Beef in Massachusetts. Within 24 hours, I had a call from the manager who as horrified, embarrassed and eager to make things right. I didn't care about the free meal offer – in fact, I turned it down twice before giving in – it was the attitude that made the difference. He was genuinely upset that he was losing a single customer, and the prospect of that didn't sit well with him. Now, so many years later, this remains my go-to story about customer service perfection.

Today, that seems to be gone – or at least scarcer. For some restaurants and other hospitality companies, even in the luxury space, it's the belief that a certain amount customer churn is to be expected. Or that brand is irrelevant. Or that intermediaries (such as online booking sites) have made price the motivator, obviating the need for a commitment to customer service excellence. In a recent case for me, at The Mercer Kitchen, in the Mercer Hotel, it was clear that brand was the problem – namely that a cool, upscale spot didn't need to worry about customer satisfaction.

Using this experience, let's take a look at five things you should be wary of when expressing your concerns to a hospitality manager; they indicate that your complaint isn't being handled properly:

As my colleague Deirdre Woollard reported the other day, Paris' famed Hotel de Crillion (above), one of the world's most luxurious hotels with a clientele of celebs and royalty, is being sold to unnamed Saudi investors with ties to the country's royal family for about $354 million. Now an insider tells us that Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, one of the world's richest men with a fortune of $19.4 billion, has a big stake in the deal. The Prince already has significant luxury hotel holdings including an interest in the Four Seasons and Fairmont groups. Back in January 2009 Deirdre reported that the Prince was preparing to embark on a major spending spree via his company Kingdom Holdings to acquire more hotel assets. Earlier this year he also sold off the Raffles Hotel in Singapore for $275 million.

The Crillon acquisition is part of the Prince's new plan for diversification, we're told. Constructed in 1758 as a government building commissioned by Louis XV, the palatial edifice near the Champs Elysées on Place de la Concorde was converted into a hotel 100 years ago. Its Leonard Bernstein suite, on the top floor with a wrap-around terrace, features one of the late maestro's pianos. Other luminaries past and present who have patronized the Crillon include Marie Antoinette, King George V, the Shah of Iran, Winston Churchill, FDR, Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie O, Mariah Carey, Madonna and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Starwood Capital, the property's sellers, took over the Crillon in 2005 as part of its €2 billion acquisition of Taittinger's hotel and champagne empire.

Welcome to Sanctuary Retreats Sussi & Chuma in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, near Livingstone, Zambia. If you've ever wondered what it's like to stay in a treehouse hotel, check out the video above.

The guestrooms on the Sussi side of this property are all somewhat like the above, except for that a few of them are being renovated. A hop and a skip from the treehouse lodge are two "Chuma" houses, which have their own pools, kitchens and lavish living areas for guests who want a little more privacy. You can check out pictures the Chuma houses, as well as some of the Sussi renovations, in the gallery below.

The Museum for Contemporary Art in Berlin has a very unique exhibit that must be experienced in a unique way. The exhibit is intended to give visitors a taste of what it would be like to experience soma, the mythical healing and enlightenment drink that was used by ancient Vedic nomads in India to access the divine. No one knows for sure what soma was made of but experts believe 'magic mushrooms,' or fly agaric mushrooms, were a likely ingredient and so the installation features a floating hotel room where guests can spend the night suspended over a large 'shroom-shaped platform.

Besides re-enacting a soma experience artist and creator Carsten Hoeller also aims to explore how to achieve enlightenment and the roles science and myth play in our society. The exhibit will be open November 5th through February 6th for $1400/night.

This Halloween, travelers visiting New York City don't have to miss out on all the fun events surrounding the spooky holiday.

Families staying at The Surrey Hotel, the gorgeous boutique hotel on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, on Halloween will get to experience all the usual tricks and treats, with fun and festive offerings for both children and parents alike.

Upon checking in to The Surrey, guests will be greeted with a decadent treat of gourmet salted caramels. As the children get ready for a night of spooks and sweets, Moms are invited to escape to The Spa at The Surrey, the luxurious day spa (see video below), where they will receive a special Halloween offer of 20% off any 60-minute spa treatment. Feeling relaxed and refreshed, they will be ready to join their children for some good old-fashioned trick-or-treating, beginning in the hotel's lobby, where The Surrey's Bellmen and Front Desk staff will be giving out an array of delicious treats to guests and local trick-or-treaters throughout the evening. Pets are invited to join in on the fun too, where they can nosh on special doggie treats and mingle with Bentley, the hotel's adorably irresistible Havanese puppy.

The Rosewood collection of leading luxury hotels and resorts is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a cool new contest rewarding those who share the company's core values. Now through November 1 Rosewood is seeking nominations for 30 Under 30, open to young men and women who demonstrate the following traits: mindful of the community, leadership with integrity, passion of conviction, respect and dedication to preserving our natural environment, creativity and strong sense of life balance. To nominate yourself, a friend or colleague, visit www.rosewoodhotels.com/30under30 and submit a brief 250 word statement detailing the nominee's qualifications along with a resumé if possible. 30 finalists will be chosen from among the nominees, who will be revealed online on December 1st. Rosewood will make a $100 donation on behalf of each finalist to the non-profit organization of their choice. Additionally, they will each enjoy a complimentary dinner for two at the Rosewood hotel or resort of their choice. Finally, Rosewood will select one lucky nominee whose life is truly exemplary to receive a $1,000 donation to the non-profit of their choice and a complimentary three-night stay at any Rosewood hotel or resort.

The exclusive Rosewood portfolio includes Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek (above) and Rosewood Crescent Hotel in Dallas, The Carlyle Hotel in New York, The Mansion on Peachtree in Atlanta, Rosewood Sand Hill, CordeValle and San Ysidro Ranch in California, Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi in Santa Fe, Las Ventanas al Paraíso and Rosewood Mayakobá in Mexico, and a triumvirate of world-class Caribbean properties – Rosewood Little Dix Bay on Virgin Gorda, Caneel Bay on St. John and Jumby Bay on Antigua. Rosewood also offers Sense, A Rosewood Spa® - featuring treatments reflective of the brand's signature philosophy A Sense of Place® - available exclusively at select properties. Helping to select the best 30 Under 30 will be a panel of judges including Caroline Rose Hunt, Honorary Chairman of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, John Scott, President and Chief Executive Officer of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, Stephen Hunt Sands, Chairman of the Board of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, Peter Greenberg, CBS News Travel Editor, Jason Binn, Chief Executive Officer and founder of Niche Media, and Pamela Fiori, Editor-at-Large of Town & Country.

New York's chic Royalton, which started the boutique hotel craze when it first opened back in 1988, has just launched Forty Four (above), a stylish new bar / lounge curated by a team of all-star mixologists known as The Cocktail Collective. Occupying the hotel's former Brasserie 44 space with the addition of a square bar at what used to be the entrance to the restaurant, Forty Four's decor is a mixture of rich dark woods, leather upholstery, metal accents and innovative lighting. Selected from the best cocktail bars in the country, the founding members of The Cocktail Collective have created a menu of classics paying homage to the finest hotel bars for the new space. Meanwhile Royalton's Executive Chef Scott Ekstrom, formerly of Daniel and Oceana, has created a modern menu of small plates to compliment the cocktails including Black Lime Shrimp Cocktail, Parmesan Risotto Poppers, White Miso Tuna and Nueske Bacon Crisps.

The drinks list includes the Maiden's Prayer (gin, calvados, Cocchi Americano, and apricot liqueur served up with a twist); The Pharaoh Cooler (a tequila highball featuring fresh organic watermelon and lime juices, house-made grenadine, a hint of cane syrup and a few dashes of rosewater), and a Champagne Cobbler (champagne poured tall over crushed ice with muddled citrus zest, sugar, Peychaud's bitters and a crown of fresh fruits in season). In addition they've come up with a "punch" menu for large groups designed to replace "passé" bottle service. The founding members of The Cocktail Collective include Richard Boccato from Pain Killer in New York City; John Lermayer from The Florida Room in South Beach and Woodward in Boston; Simon Ford, a global cocktail ambassador based in New York City; Willy Shine from Contemporary Cocktails, Inc. in New York City; Misty Kalkofen from Drink in Boston; and Eric Alperin from The Varnish in Los Angeles.