This summer a lot of people are staying closer to home and discovering the joys of the U.S. You might not think of the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas as an ideal vacation destination but a new eco-lodge in the Ozarks offers lakeside views and some luxury amenities that make vacationing in the land of Walmart a bit more enticing.

Anedodi is designed for families or groups to share a vacation getaway. The lodge on Lake Norfolk has a contemporary style with double rainfall showers, egg baths, and woven circular daybeds. Green features such as dual flush toilets, recycled tiles, reclaimed wood furniture, bamboo bedding, and organic towels are in evidence. Summer on the lake includes waterskiing, wakeboarding and fishing. The local national park has places to hike, rock climb or paddle a canoe. The weekly rate in the high season is $5,995 and includes daily maid service and a fully stocked refrigerator but if you book before July 31 they will take 20 percent off your stay.

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.

President Obama vacationed in Hawaii in December but not a lot of other people did. The Honolulu Star Bulletin reports that Hawaii's hotels and resorts experienced their lowest occupancy in December since the aftermath of 9/11. The hotel occupancy ratewas 60.9 percent in December, down from 70.4 percent the year before. Revenue per room was also down and the average daily room rates were off by almost five percent. The occupancy rate for the year was 70.4 percent which was down 4.6 percent overall.

It's not predicted to get better any time soon. Joe Toy, president and chief executive officer of Hospitality Advisors LLC, who spoke yesterday at the annual Travel & Tourism Research Association/Pacific Asia Tourism Association tourism forecast seminar said that he expects that the recovery phase won't begin until summer 2010. It is expected that some businesses will close during the slowdown and much of the recent growth in the past few years will be lost.

One of the world's most exotic resorts Frégate Private Island, in the Seychelles is now offering Banyan Hill, the private villa belonging to the island's owner up for rent. Banyan Hill is located atop a plateau for perfect private views of the beaches and ocean. The villa is on the eastern side of the island, away from the resort's 16 guest villas and accessible only via a private pathway, Banyan Hill is three separate villa, each with a large bedroom, veranda and bathroom - all centered around a shared living area with a terrace, pool, seating area and al fresco cooking facilities. Banyan Hill is attended by a private chef and no less than three butlers. The villa can hold up to six adults and three children for €10,000 per night with a minimum five-night stay.

We're only a month and change into winter, but here on the East Coast it's been a tough one so far. I've been daydreaming about a vacation, but my luggage is not travel-ready -- it's old and drab. Looking for something with more panache, I came upon Tumi's Townhouse Collection.

My favorite piece is the Groom Train Case. Traveling with this would make me feel as if I were one of the ladies boarding a ship for a cross-Atlantic journey many years ago, when wealthy travelers seemed to pack their whole houses into trunks and then have their staff move them on and off the ship at every port of call.

The Townhouse Collection features 38 styles that range from the $6,995 Wardrobe Trunk to the $150 Constitution Tie Case. All styles are offered only in black (I would love to have seen some brighter colors), and are made from leather or fabric. The collection has two sub-sets: Travel and Business, which include trunks, wheeled cases, hand-held briefcases, satchels, a garment case, duffels, messenger/body bags, clutches and small zipped cases.

Check out the gallery for a look at a few of the styles.

It's been a long journey but the Montage Beverly Hills is finally ready for guests. The company opened the Montage Laguna Beach in 2003 and have been working on their Beverly Hills location since 2005, fighting a battle in order to begin construction. The Montage Beverly Hills is a 201-room luxury hotel situated in the "golden triangle" of Beverly Hills and it is the first new luxury hotel to be built in Beverly Hills in more than 16 years. The hotel has a Spanish Colonial Revival design and features details like hand-painted ceilings in the Marquesa ballroom and the Library and a curator-assembled art collection. There are three restaurants and a two-level spa with a fitness facility, relaxation area and beauty salon.

The guest rooms and suites are designed to reflect the glamour of old Hollywood but with the latest in technology. Rooms range from 500 to up to 5,000 square feet. Guest services include 24-hour check-in, complimentary John Lobb shoe shine, custom-designed suit hangers and Agraria's golden pomegranate scented bath products. Guests who book Corner Suites and higher can borrow Mercedes-Benz cars to use during their stay.

The restaurants include Parq, an 88-seat restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and signature dishes include Marinated "Japanese Kobe" Cobb, Cannelloni of Braised Short Ribs and Cedar Plank Medallions of Spiny Lobster. For dinner, the 44-seat Muse serves exotic seafood and prime meats. Bordering the rooftop pool, The Conservatory Grill offers all-organic options for breakfast and lunch.

Hotel Chatter reports that rooms, which usually start at a steep $595 a night, can be had for a $425 introductory rate.

It's not often that an article on a hotel will send me scrambling for pictures. But a recent article in the Ottawa Citizen had me curious to check out Jade Mountain in St. Lucia. Perhaps it was the quote in the article that claimed some people burst into tears when seeing their hotel rooms. What kind of place provokes this sort of reaction? The gallery below will give you some idea.

Jade Mountain offers 24 unique rooms that have just three walls and are open to the Caribbean on the fourth side. Each one also has its own private infinity pool that drops off into the distance. The rooms are designed with an open floorplan that even includes the bathrooms. The overall effect is one of tranquil luxury designed to encourage the guests to never leave their rooms. The living areas of the rooms are finished with more than 20 different species of tropical hardwood flooring and trims harvested in an environmentally correct way and the iinterior walls are finished in a crushed blush toned coral plaster quarried in Barbados. The flooring exposed to the weather is finished in quarried coral tile from neighboring islands. In room facilities include fridge, tea/coffee maker, hair dryer, iron and ironing board but no television, radio or telephone and guests are asked to refrain from using their cell phones in public. Daily rates for November 1 – December 19, 2008 start at $1250.

Even Trip Advisor's reviewers rave about this place. The only caveat is that getting there often requires a wicked drive through hilly terrain. You can also get there by helicopter.

Want to vacation like a rock star? In December, Eden Rock – St Barths will unveil the Villa Rockstar, a private villa for rent that features the only private recording studio on the island. The hotel has partnered with Oceanway Recording Studios of Hollywood, CA to create the perfect musical retreat. The 16,000 square foot Villa Rockstar includes a circular bathroom tiled in white gold, a private 20-seat Cinemascope screening room fitted with THX-approved sound components and a a Land Rover and a new Mini Cooper available for guests. There are four suites and two additional cabins, two pools with a bar, a private gym, putting green, pool table and a croquet lawn as well as a personal butler. Rates at Villa Rockstar start at 15,000 euros per night.

I have a weakness for the grand hotels of the early 1900s. A couple of years ago I wrote about the renovations of the French Lick Resort's makeover but the renovations also extended to the West Baden Springs Hotel in French Lick, Indiana which was reopened in 2007 after a $500 million renovation. The most impressive feature of this resort is a huge six-story domed atrium. The atrium is a setting of classic elegance offering small seating areas, live performances of soft music and shops around the perimeter. The West Baden area was once a vacation destination for those coming to take the waters at the local springs. The first hotel was opened in the 1850s but burned down in 1901 and was replaced by today's grand incarnation. After the stock market crash in 1929, the hotel slowly lost its guests and closed in 1932. It was bought in 2005 and when it reopened last year it was the first time in 75 years that it had been in use as a hotel.

The hotel includes a spa, indoor pool and 246 guest rooms and suites. The hotel shares amenities with the French Lick Resort offering access to golf courses, riding stables and historic tours. Overnight golf packages with unlimited golf at the Donald Ross Course, The Valley Links and driving range usage start at $375.

[via The Columbus Dispatch]

Last time I mentioned the Villa Malibu complex it was to discuss Brody Jenner's move there in 2007. Now the complex which is located near the Pacific Coast Highway between Zuma Beach and Point Dume in Malibu, California, has started renting out units for vacation packages during November and December. Thanksgiving packages start at $10,700 and Holiday packages start at $11,300, per package for two-and-three bedroom suites. The packages include a one month lease, fully catered dinner for five to eight people, a private tour of Malibu wineries with a picnic lunch, horseback riding lessons and access to Villa Malibu's full-service amenities and onsite private staff which consists of a concierge, chauffeur and a beach porter. There is also a pool with private cabanas, an outdoor barbeque and dining garden, tennis courts, basketball court, fitness center, Pars course and a doggy park. While Malibu can be a bit cool in winter, like many beach towns, it is a lot calmer and easier to enjoy out of season.

The Southern California desert region is getting a new spa resort. Joseph DeNucci, former COO of the Miraval resort, is behind the Borrego Ranch Resort & Spa, which will open in November 2008. The $50 million resort is located in the Anza-Borrego Desert of Southern California and will offer a custom experience on 42 acres that includes a $25 million Tom Fazio-designed Signature Golf Course and Montesoro, a second home community. Borrego Ranch is located in Borrego Springs, 80 miles from San Diego and 150 miles from Los Angeles.

The ranch will feature 19 private casitas and 44 poolside rooms each with a service bar, sitting area with fireplace, marble bath with Cactus Tea bath amenities, coffee maker and private patio or balcony. The casitas range in size from one to four bedrooms and most have a wood-burning fireplace and private pool or spa and all include a wet bar, compact refrigerator and microwave. The spa offers massage, skin care, hair care, manicures and pedicures. The resort has an impressive amount of activities to keep you busy from golf and tennis to fitness classes, hikes, swimming and bicycle and horseback riding. There is also life-size chess, shuffleboard, bocce ball, a putting green, an archery range and championship croquet courses. Instead of being stuck to a strict spa schedule, guests can choose what interests them whether it's a romp through the desert or just some poolside time with a good book. Rates start around $300 per night.

It's hard to have a bad vacation in a place like Bermuda. The island is lovely, the people are friendly, and it's unlike any other place on earth. When traveling internationally, it's always a plus to stay somewhere with a warm, accessible staff. I've never been better accommodated than when I stayed at the Pompano Beach Club in Southampton, Bermuda.

The resort itself is made up of a few dozen oceanfront cottages along the most sparkling blue water you'll ever see. The Pompano has all the standard resort amenities, including a private beach, pools, game and fitness center, spa, and water excursions, but by far the greatest amenity is its dining room. Your breakfast and dinner each day are included in the price of your stay, and the food easily competes with most of the finest restaurants in America. The dress code is "smart-casual," meaning collared shirts for men and no jeans, t-shirts, or sandals. You will have your choice of three or four different items per course each evening on the resort's rotating five-course dinner menu. There are plenty of restaurants nearby if you choose to dine out, but why would you?

The staff is the friendliest I've ever encountered on any of my travels. Merv, the bartender, makes the best rum swizzle on the island -- it's a Bermudian staple.

Even though Bermuda is due east of the Carolinas, its climate is much nicer, tempered by the gulf stream. It can get uncomfortably hot and humid in the summer months, but spring and fall are lovely. Even in winter, temperatures rarely dip below the mid-50's, and the water is usually warm enough for a swim.

It's a tiny island -- only a few miles long -- but there's so much to do. Don't let Bermuda just be a short stop on your next cruise, like so many tourists do. This island is ideal for a nice long vacation, and the Pompano is the perfect place to spend that time.

Vacation...Time off...Getaway... no matter which term you use personal travel seems to be driven more by individual interests than any other purpose lately. In a recent survey taken by American Express Travel, 87% of respondents indicate taking trips for the pursuit of personal passions will continue or even increase over the next two years despite economic conditions. Whether you have always wanted to learn top culinary skills, play a new instrument, or attend a sporting event of your dreams putting your vacation funds towards individual enrichment seems to be the trend and personally I am all for it! Here are the top interests shared by Americans:

• 42% choose destinations for culinary reasons
• 28% take-off for a sporting event
• 25% traveled for adventure
• 21% skipped town for music-related opportunities
• 15% claimed educational interests for their travel

Most people expressed they are also willing to spend more money and stay longer for vacations that further their personal dreams. If you have time off I think why not grow as a person while enjoying time away from the daily grind.

Like Las Vegas, Atlantic City is steadily trying to move from being strictly a gambling destination into turning into more of an overall vacation spot. Two new hotels go a long way toward furthering that aim. The Water Club is a a $400 million, 800-room hotel built by the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa which opened earlier this summer. It was quickly followed by the 330-room Chelsea, a retro-modern hotel which has a 1950s/60s theme and is a $110 million makeover of two older hotels.

Both hotels feature lavish rooms, concierge services, spa treatments and fine dining without a roulette wheel or a slot machine in sight. Both are located near casinos, The Water Club is next to the Borgata and the Chelsea is next to the Tropicana Casino, but the focus is on the vacation not the gambling. Atlantic City also has one major advantage over Las Vegas, attractive beaches and ocean views.

Eco travelers there is a new place to check out in Borneo. The Gayana Eco Resort is located on Gaya Island 10 minutes off the Borneo coast and the city of Kota Kinabalu. Gaya Island is one of the five coral reef islands that make up the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. The location is also home to a marine ecology research center which works with coral reef rehabilitation.

The resort has 44 luxury rooms all located over water and feature balconies, large bathroom with Harnn luxury amenities, in villa private bar, king or twin beds with luxury linens, feather pillows and duvet, LCD televisions and DVD players. Some villas also have steps directly from their balconies into the lagoon for that afternoon swim. The resort offers gudied kayak trips and nature tours and there is also a spa at the resort which includes double treatment suites with Jacuzzis. The resort's cafe Macac" sits beside the resort's infinity pool and offers cocktails, cool drinks and lunch specialties to the pool including pizzas from a wood fired pizza oven. The resort also includes the Alu Alu restaurant, an overwater restaurant which serves seafood and has over 15 display tanks of live seafood from spectacularly bright coral trout to giant lobsters, prawns and snapper. Rates start around $200 a night.