hotels

A Room at the Colonnade Hotel

Looking for a fabulous winter break in Boston for this upcoming Valentine’s Day weekend?  Combine the Colonnade Hotel’s popular Frosty Friday’s package with their Valentine’s Dinner Menu, which is being offered as a special on the evenings of February 10-13th at the on-site restaurant, Brasserie JO.  This fun, romantic dinner includes four courses – appetizer, salad, fish, meat, and dessert.

If you’d prefer to stay overnight over Valentine’s Day (on a Tuesday this year), you can book the Overnight Escape at the Colonnade Hotel and combine it with the Valentine’s Day Dinner at Brassiere JO.  The package including deluxe accommodations for two and a full American breakfast in Brasserie JO (the dinner is separate).  Rates start at $249 per night, excluding tax and gratuities.

The Colonnade Hotel, a four-star boutique hotel that recently completed a $25 million renovation, is centrally located right in the Back Bay section of Boston.  You can walk right across the street to the Shops at Prudential Center and Copley Place.  Newbury Street, the Boston Public Garden, Symphony Hall, and Boston’s South End are walking distance away.

The Colonnade Hotel 120 Huntington Ave. Boston, MA 1-800-962-3030

Photo credit: The Colonnade Hotel

The Haute Chocolate Package at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead

Valentine’s Day is coming up in less than a month – have you made your plans yet?  One option is to experience one or more of the fabulous Haute Chocolate Experiences at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead in Atlanta, GA.  From February 1, 2012 through Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2012, there’s a different chocolate event going on that would be a great experience for any Valentine’s Day celebration.

Some standouts on the schedule include the “Haute Couples, Haute Chocolate” Candy-Making Class on Saturday, February 11, 2012.  Make it a weekend getaway, and also attend the Haute Chocolate Sundae Brunch on Sunday, February 14, 2012.  If you are planning to stay through Valentine’s Day (this year on a Tuesday), the whole fourteen day celebration ends with a special dessert – the Two Hearts are One” Dessert in The Café.

The Ritz-Carlton Buckhead offers 510 elegant, luxurious hotel rooms including 56 suites.  The hotel is located in the popular, trendy, Buckhead area of Atlanta, and in close proximity to the MARTA mass transit.  Amenities include a fitness center, indoor pool, business center, valet park, 24-hour in-room dining, wireless internet access, and flat-screen televisions.

The Ritz-Carlton Buckhead 3434 Peachtree Road, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia 30326 Phone: (404) 237-2700

Photo credit: The Ritz-Carlton Buckhead

Yosemite Lodge green prototype room

One of the most awe-inspiring views in California’s Yosemite National Park is Yosemite Falls. Gawkers stand for hours at the base and hikers venture up the trail to the top. When you plan your vacation to the park, why not stay as close as possible—Yosemite Lodge at the Falls.

Take advantage of the opportunity to get even closer to nature by staying in one of the new green rooms. Two of the 245 rooms at the lodge have been redesigned to be environmentally friendly as a first step to eventually get all the rooms to follow suit. The green rooms include electronic key cards, insulation made from recycled newspaper, double-pane windows, fixtures to reduce water consumption, organic cotton sheets, recycled flooring, and more.

Now that you’re all hyped up to be green at Yosemite, take note that since these are only two rooms, they may be difficult to get. When you make your reservation, make your preference known, and you may snag one. But if you don’t, you’ll be happy to know that other aspects of the hotel follow environmentally friendly practices.

Yosemite National Park seems like the ideal place to be green.

Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, 801-559-4884 Yosemite National Park, CA 95389

Photo courtesy of Yosemite Lodge at the Falls

More Yosemite-related information: Award-Winning Ahwahnee in Yosemite Delivers Best Lunch

I hope you all have had a fantastic start to 2012 – here at SLH we have certainly started the New Year as we mean to go on, with the announcement of our 2011 year end results. We enjoyed a record year – reservations revenue increased by 23% in 2011 when compared with the same period in 2010 and we also saw a fantastic 71% increase in online bookings. Melissa, I am sure your travel tales have helped inspire our guests along the way!

I personally am feeling refreshed after a wonderful stay at Pangkor Laut in Malaysia. A private island resort on the West Coast, it certainly lived up to and exceeded its excellent reputation. The service was first class from all of the staff, who were so friendly and for whom nothing was too much trouble. From ordering in my favourite beer to pampering my children, our every need was met. The range and quality of food was something I particularly enjoyed – I had one of the best Chinese meals I’ve ever experienced at Uncle Lim’s and the amazing breakfasts were also a highlight. Luckily I played squash every day with my son so the delicious cuisine hasn’t had disastrous consequences.  You would have loved the Spa – it was truly the haven of tranquillity and relaxation it was described as. I long to go back!

But it’s back to work for me…and looking ahead to 2012, it’s going to be a busy year. SLH turns 21 this year and we’ll be bringing some exciting new initiatives to the table.  We’re seeing particularly strong growth in China, Latin America and Scandinaviain terms of new hotels, so stick those on your wish list for the coming months. Other new properties I’m particularly excited about are Gaya Island Resort & Spa, a jungle retreat opening in Borneo in July, and Niyama, a cutting edge hotel set to inject something new into the Maldives when it opens next month – I’ve heard there will be an underwater night club and 24 hour spa. Sounds like it was built for you MV!

PK

The Mountain Club on Loon in the Winter

The Mountain Club on Loon Mountain, a slope-side, four-season resort located at Loon Mountain in Lincoln, New Hampshire, has just finalized their $9 million floor-to-ceiling renovation.  Enhancements include the following:

• Rooms, studios, and suites updated with new appliances, bathrooms, flat-screen televisions, and flooring
• New windows and balcony sliding doors, providing new and improved views
• Free Wi-Fi available through the resort
• Hallways updated with new carpeting, paneling, wallpaper, and lighting
• Exterior enhancements including cedar trim and new lighting
• A new heating and cooling system making it an even better four-season environment

The 234-room Mountain Club on Loon Mountain is located slope-side on Loon Mountain, overlooking the Pemigewasset River in Lincoln, New Hampshire.  It’s just a short two-hour ride from Boston, and is right off of Route 93 at the base of the Kancamagus Highway in the scenic White Mountains.  For larger groups, the hotel offers 117 suites that sleep up to six guests, including separate Club rooms with king beds and Studios with queen/double beds, a full kitchen and dining area.  Hotel amenities include garage parking, several onsite restaurants, the Viaggio Spa and Health Club, an indoor heated pool, and outdoor heated pool, indoor racquetball courts, indoor basketball courts, and ski-on, ski-off access.

The Mountain Club on Loon Mountain 90 Loon Mountain Rd. Lincoln, NH 03251 800-229-7829

Photo credit: The Mountain Club on Loon Mountain

Happy 2012 everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year break and hopefully a luxury getaway too! Did anyone have any exciting holiday adventures? Do tell!

My time at Tylney Hall for Christmas was wonderful and allowed me to fully embrace my festive feeling as it was dripping in the most beautiful decorations I have ever seen, mince pies galore, as much mulled wine as I could manage and evenings spent listening to local choristers under their stunning Swedish pine tree. Perfection.

For New Year I decided to continue my traditional festive holiday and head to Scotland – home to Hogmanay and from what I’ve heard the best New Year party you can find and as I’m now travelling solo yet again (unfortunately I was left forsaken under the mistletoe this year with only my slightly inappropriate Uncle for company) a good old New Year Bash is exactly what I need. When else do you HAVE to find someone to kiss at midnight?!

When staying in Scotland there is only one place I go and that is the Marcliffe Hotel & Spa on the outskirts of the beautiful, historic city ofAberdeen. A stunning white mansion surrounded by 11 acres of delightful parkland estate, this traditional Scottish refuge offers guests seasonal Scottish produce in its restaurant, a sensational spa and a fine-art collection including a display of 140 cheese dishes! Strange but true!

As the clock struck midnight and 2011 came to a close I realised I’d spent more of the night marvelling at the various cheese types on display that working the room – oh well! So my New Years Resolutions for 2012 are to Try Something New, Learn Something New and Meet Someone New.

Word on the street is that 2012 is going to be a fabulous year for the world of luxury – my sources tell me that Rolls Royce have had their best year yet and SLH is going from strength to strength.

Paul, can you give us the inside goss on where’s hot for 2012?!

The Exterior of the Walt Disney World Dolphin

I recently decided to plan a last minute trip to Walt Disney World to cheer on some of my friends at the marathon.  Since it’s a popular weekend, and I was booking very last minute, my hotel options were fairly limited.  As an American Express cardholder, I was able to get a great prepaid deal at the Walt Disney World Dolphin – a hotel I hadn’t visited before.

While the Dolphin isn’t an official Walt Disney World hotel, it does have some Disney perks.  Guests are able to take advantage of Extra Magic Hours as well as Disney transportation.  However, Magical Express transportation is not available.

We had booked a two double-bed room, as there were three of us sharing the room.  However, when I checked it at 10pm, my room wasn’t available.  Instead, we got a king bed room with a sofa bed and a pull-out couch, along with a one-time $50 credit and complimentary breakfast for three.  I was a little disappointed, but the room was actually very nice.

The restaurants at the Dolphin (and sister hotel the Swan) are fabulous, if a bit expensive, and the pool area is wonderful.  But you can’t beat the location – walking distance to Epcot’s World Showcase and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Walt Disney World Dolphin 1500 Epcot Resorts Boulevard Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

Photo credit: Jodi Grundig

The Ahwahnee in winter

Tons of people visit California’s Yosemite National Park in its peak season: summer. But why fight the crowds when you can have the place nearly all to yourself in the winter?

One of the first wilderness parks in the United States, Yosemite National Park is known for its huge granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams and giant sequoia groves. Right in the heart of the valley with views of Half Dome, Yosemite Falls and Glacier Point, is The Ahwahnee. One of the best ways to enjoy winter in such a stunningly beautiful park is a stay at this grand hotel.

Listed in the National Register of Historic Landmarks, the hotel itself is known for its grand public spaces, including huge stone fireplaces, hand-stenciled beams, rich tapestries and elegant stained glass. Be sure to schedule some spare time to relax in the Great Lounge and enjoy a meal in the beautiful Ahwahnee Dining Room, celebrated not only for its looks—but also its award-winning cuisine.

Guest rooms range from standard to those with incredible views and balconies. Parlors and junior suites give you more room to stretch out and enjoy your stay, however all the hotel’s rooms have ample space. Want a little more privacy? Get a cottage, located among the dogwoods and pines on the hotel grounds. They’re perfect for a romantic retreat. Winter rates start at $299 per night.

Aside from winter activities in the park, The Ahwahnee has a packed winter season with Vintners’ Holidays, the Bracebridge Dinner and Chefs’ Holidays. If you missed your favorite event this year, sign up for next year and get it in your calendar now.

The Ahwahnee, 801-559-4884 One Ahwahnee Drive, Yosemite National Park, CA 95389

Photo courtesy of The Ahwahnee (exterior photo by Kenny Karst)

More Yosemite-related information: Award-Winning Ahwahnee in Yosemite Delivers Best Lunch

A Delta Riverboat at the Gaylord Opryland

Are you planning on staying at one of the Gaylord Hotel’s gorgeous properties this winter?  If so, you may be helping to support VH1′s Save the Music Foundation.  Under the Gaylord Hotel’s Rooms for Good program, 10% of the room package rate will be donated to a designated charity (excluding taxes, fees and incidentals incurred during stay).  In January and February, the designated charity is the VH1 Save the Music Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to maintaining and restoring instrumental music education in schools.

If you’ve never stayed at a Gaylord Hotel, now is definitely the time.  These hotels are like a beautiful city all under one climate-controlled glass atrium ceiling – including waterfalls, restaurants, shops, clubs, conference facilities, a spa, bars, a fitness center, and much more.  In addition, the Gaylord Hotels are now partnering with Dreamworks for an even more family-friendly vacation experience.  Rates start at $179 at the Gaylord Palms, and $199 at the Gaylord Texan, the Gaylord Opryland, and the Gaylord National Hotels.

The Gaylord National 201 Waterfront Street National Harbor, MD 20745

The Gaylord Opryland 2800 Opryland Drive Nashville, TN 37214

The Gaylord Palms 6000 W Osceola Parkway Kissimmee, FL 34746

The Gaylord Texan 1501 Gaylord Trail Grapevine, TX 76051-1945

Photo credit: The Gaylord Hotels

The Lobby of the Onyx Hotel

So far, winter 2012 has proved to be fairly mild, but most New Englanders like me know that it’s just a matter of time before Boston is blanketed with the white stuff.  Celebrate in style this winter with the Kimpton Hotel Group’s Winter Wonderland package – available at the three Kimpton Hotels in Boston (the Nine Zero Hotel, the Onyx Hotel and Hotel Marlowe).

The Kimpton Hotel Group’s Winter Wonderland package is a great way to enjoy the Boston winter weather.  It includes the following:

• One night of deluxe overnight accommodations at either Nine Zero in Boston, the Onyx Hotel in Boston or Hotel Marlowe in Cambridge
• Breakfast in bed for two people (up to $50)
• Free valet parking (regularly over $40 per night!)
• Late 2pm check-out so you can have a lazy morning in Boston
• Two tickets and ice skate rentals to ice skate on Boston Common’s famed Frog Pond

The Kimpton Hotel Group’s Winter Wonderland package can be booked online at http://www.kimptonhotels.com/hotels/hotels-boston.aspx or by calling 1-800-KIMPTON and mentioning the rate code PWTR. All rates are subject to space, availability and change. The Winter Wonderland package does not includes taxes or gratuities.

Nine Zero Hotel 90 Tremont St Boston, MA 02108

Onyx Hotel $161 155 Portland Street Boston, MA 02114

Hotel Marlowe 25 Edwin H Land Boulevard Cambridge, MA 02141

Photo credit: Kimpton Hotels

InterContinental The Clement Monterey

When you vacation in Monterey, Calif., you want to get as close to the water as possible. Why waste any time away from that magnificent view? For a front-row seat right on the edge of Monterey Bay, get a room at the InterContinental The Clement Monterey.

The hotel is in the heart of Cannery Row, right next to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Even during busy times, the nature of this hotel is so calm that it’s like taking a deep breath of salty ocean air.

The 208 guest rooms and suites include natural wood, marble and glass. All include bathrooms with soaking tub and separate shower, 37-inch plasma TVs, iPod docks, Wi-Fi (for an additional fee), coffee maker and enough desk space to get work done if you really have to work (come on, just tell the boss you’re going to Monterey). My favorite thing in the rooms, however, is a plush otter in place of a teddy bear on your bed. Winter weekday rates start at $159 per night, and weekend rates start at $209 per night.

Of course, you’ll want to spend plenty of time watching the water, and you can do it in a few ways. First, get a room with an ocean view. Second, spend time out on the Pacific View Courtyard (lounging around two fire pits) or hang out along the railing and watch for marine life.

Warm up on the Pacifc View Courtyard

The third way to get an eyeful of ocean views at the InterContinental The Clement Monterey is to eat a meal at the C Restaurant. Sticking to the standards of the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program, the dishes here include sustainable fresh seafood, premium meats and organically grown local produce.

Don’t leave without some down time in the hotel’s spa, where a long massage is the perfect thing to get you ready for the rest of 2012.

InterContinental The Clement Monterey, 831-375-4500 750 Cannery Row, Monterey, CA 93940

Photos courtesy of InterContinental The Clement Monterey

More Monterey area-related information: Fandango: Fine dining in Pacific Grove, California Monterey, California’s Sardine Factory

Harth at the Hilton McLean Tyson's Corner

Are you planning to visit the Washington, DC area this wintertime?  If you are a foodie, the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner has a great hotel package for you!  The Hilton McLean Tysons Corner, along with their on-site restaurant Harth, is offering two cooking packages for two this winter/spring.  Packages are running on January 14, February 11, and March 17, and they include the following:

• A two-hour cooking class for two with Harth Executive Chef Thomas Elder with the following themes for each weekend – January 14 – Holiday Leftovers; February 11 – Romantic Meals for Two; March 17 – St. Patrick Day Treats
• Lesson from Harth’s in-house mixologist Andrew Pecoraro
• A copy of From our Harth, to Your Home
• A bottle of Moët Gold to enjoy during your meal
• free valet parking at the hotel during your stay
• Overnight accommodations in a redesigned guest room at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner

Packages start at $259, and include a one night stay.  If you are local to the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner and still want to do the package without the overnight stay, there’s a no-room option available too.

Hilton McLean Tysons Corner 7920 Jones Branch Drive McLean, Virginia 22102 703-847-5000

Photo credit: Hilton McLean Tysons Corner

More time to relax at the Hotel Diva

Do you hate having to pay extra for parking when you stay at a hotel? At San Francisco’s Hotel Diva, you can leave your car with the valet, and not have to pay a penny more for your stay.

The hotel’s Get Pumped Parking Package lets you leave your vehicle with the valet with unlimited in and out privileges, plus get a $10 gas card when you check in. One car per room allowed, and if you drive an oversized vehicle, you’ve got to pay just $5 per day.

Fresh from a $2 million renovation, Hotel Diva is conveniently located in downtown San Francisco, close to primo shopping locations as well as two of the city’s best performing arts theaters. And when you don’t have to worry about the parking, that’s more time for shopping, theater, dining, or lounging in your swanky room.

With the savings, that’s more you can spend on fun in San Francisco.

Hotel Diva, 415-885-0200 440 Geary Street, San Francisco, CA 94102 Photo courtesy of Hotel Diva

More San Francisco-related information: Nopalito—San Francisco, CA Hog Island Oysters in San Francisco: Best Lunches With a View

A King Suite at the Comfort In and Suites Plattsburgh

When I travel, I generally look to find nice hotels with unique amenities.  While I do stay in chain hotels frequently, I don’t always expect to find anything especially unique in them.  So I was quite surprised to see all of the wonderful family-friendly amenities during our recent stay at the Comfort Inn and Suites Plattsburgh in the Adirondacks.

We traveled to Plattsburgh, in the Lake Champlain region of New York, over Christmas break to visit Ausable Chasm and to ski, and stayed in a king suite – pictured at left.  The suite, which was one large room, included a king bed, a pull-out couch, a dining area with a table, microwave, and refrigerator, and a large bathroom with a shower and whirlpool bath.  The room itself is huge, and offered plenty of room.  Everything is very new, and extremely clean.  The only issue I’d have about the room is the location, which was right across from the weight room and adjacent to the small water park.  Noise wasn’t a huge issue, but we could definitely hear sounds from both locations.

The hotel amenities are the big draw here though.  The aforementioned small water park is perfect for little ones.  It includes two water slides and a splash area.  My five-year old son and my seven-year old daughter absolutely loved it, and wouldn’t leave.  But, as much as they loved the pool, they loved Champy’s FunZone even more.  It includes an indoor miniature golf course, a two-lane bowling alley (sized for kids), and loads of arcade games.  The Comfort Inn and Suites Plattsburgh also offers a full exercise facility, which is complimentary for hotel guests.

Comfort Inn and Suites 411 Route 3, Plattsburgh, NY 12901 518.562.2730

Photo credit: Jodi Grundig

Disclosure: I received a complimentary stay at the Comfort Inn and Suites.  All opinions are my own.

Lounging by the San Juan Marriott pool is far better than shoveling snow

Do you like to be the center of attention, or at least, in a place that’s the center of attention? Let the newly renovated Red Coral Lounge at the San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino be your excuse to get out of the cold this winter, and on a plane to Puerto Rico.

The lobby lounge is the focal point of the hotel, right in the center of its lobby. It’s a place where you can enjoy live local music with a cocktail, or relax in a corner and have a private conversation. The rich, earth tones and wood finishes are highlighted with vibrant colors and metal accents that keep the lounge at the center of attention. Even the lobby artwork, created by renowned local artists, is part of the new look.

But the hotel isn’t just the Red Coral Lounge. Once you’ve spent your time there, you can enjoy meals in the La Vista Latin Grill & Bar or Ristorante Tuscany & Wine Bar. Prefer dining by the beach? Pick the La Isla Beach Bar and Grill for when you’re lounging at the pool or getting some sun on the beach. Ready to try your luck? Head into the casino to see if you can go home with some winnings.

Even your room at the San Juan Marriott is a place you want to be—and with the San Dollar package, you can get your fourth night for free. The package also includes free daily breakfast for two at La Vista Restaurant, and is good through April 30, 2012.

Now, what’s the reason to stay at home in the cold this winter?

San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino 787-722-7000 1309 Ashford Ave., San Juan 00907 Puerto Rico

Photo courtesy of San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino

Related post: Puerto Rico Hotel Review: San Juan Marriott & Stellaris Casino

The Exterior of the Colonnade Hotel

The Colonnade Hotel, which just completed a $25 million renovation, is offering a fun winter discount promotion through March 31, 2011.  The Frosty Friday promotion, now in its fifteen year, is popular with visitors to the city who often make repeat visits year after year.  Guests traveling on the promotion receive a reduced rate on the Friday night of their stay – the rate is based upon the temperature at 5:00 p.m. on Friday as measured by the National Weather Service . So, for example, if the temperature reads 20 degrees (very possible, here in Boston), guests will pay $20 for their Friday night stay and a special rate of $295 for Saturday night.

The Frosty Friday promotion includes a double occupancy room, the choice of two tickets to either the Old Town Trolley Tour or admission and skating rentals at The Boston Common Frog Pond Skating Rink, hot chocolate for two at the on-site Brasserie JO, and overnight parking at the hotel.  The package is based upon a two-night stay and does not include taxes.  Call 1-800-962-3030 to book this package.

The Colonnade Hotel is located right in the heart of Boston, in the Back Bay section.  The Shops at Prudential Center and Copley Place are right across the street.  It’s a great hotel destination for a weekend getaway in Boston!

The Colonnade Hotel 120 Huntington Avenue Boston, MA 02116

Photo credit: The Colonnade Hotel

Thanks Paul, the Square Mile Masked Ball was a great start to the festive season and definitely put me in the Christmas spirit. Therefore I have decided this year to banish my inner-Scrooge and fully, 100% embrace all that is great about the holidays with a stay at the divine Tylney Hall in the depths of beautiful Hampshire.

Nothing embodies the spirit of Christmas more than this majestic Victoria mansion set in 66 acres of gardens, parkland, lawns and lakes – perfect for an afternoon stroll to walk off those Christmas lunch calories! I can’t wait to sit by the fire in Tylney Hall’s exquisite dining room with a glass of brandy in hand and crispy chestnuts roasting.

Whether you’re embracing or escaping Christmas this year, I hope you all have a wonderful festive season, full or happiness and cheer wherever you are.

I’ll see you in 2012 for another year of fabulous adventures!

Waterline Restaurant at the Boston Marriott Long Wharf

The Boston Marriott Long Wharf, a hotel conveniently located right on the Boston Harbor, is now offering a Kids Concierge.  Guests to the hotel can now get personalized activity and restaurant recommendations that are perfect for their family.  The Kids Concierge service is complimentary, and guests just need to visit the concierge desk to set up a consultation.  If your family is more interested in exploring the whole city, you can also get a kid-friendly map of the city that highlights local sites perfect for kids.

Looking for a family weekend getaway in Boston?  Check out the family-friendly “Weekends in New England” deal at the Boston Marriott Long Wharf.  Rates start at just $159 per night, and are valid through March 4, 2012.  Prepayment is required, and reservations must be made seven days in advance to get this great rate!

The Boston Marriott Long Wharf, which was recently renovated, is just steps away from Faneuil Hall, the Boston waterfront, the New England Aquarium, and Boston’s North End.  Hotel amenities include PURE allergy-friendly rooms, an indoor pool, a fitness center, valet parking, an on-site restaurant, and more.

Boston Marriott Long Wharf 296 State Street · Boston, MA 02109 617-227-0800

Photo credit: The Boston Marriott Long Wharf

Enjoy the views from your newly renovated room

Out with the old and in with the new! The coming new year is the perfect excuse to find vacations experiences to go with it, and there’s no better time to head to the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort.

Fresh from a six-month, $48-million renovation, this hotel (often considered one of the best in the U.S. Virgin Islands) has officially re-opened its doors. All the guest rooms have been redesigned, and the resort has added a new spa and spa pool, larger fitness center, a full-service salon, new restaurants, expanded lounge areas, a redesigned infinity pool (with kids zone) and added an adults-only pool.

The resort’s 302 guest rooms have spectacular views of Charlotte Amalie Harbour and easy access to Morning Star Beach. Newly designed rooms include Caribbean décor, rain-style shower heads, ergonomic workspaces, LCD high-definition TVs and Marriott’s signature bedding, which includes 300 thread count sheets, down comforters, thick mattresses with plush tops and fluffier pillows. Rates start at $249 per night.

Make sure to plan enough time to enjoy one of the highlights of the new additions, the Lazule Sea Spa. With 4,000 square feet of luxury facilities, the spa includes seven treatment rooms, couples room, massage cabanas, and an exclusive spa pool and couples relaxation room.

Frenchman's Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort

You don’t need to stay in your room to enjoy the gorgeous views. The newly re-designed Aqua Terra Oceanfront Grill and Aqua Terra Lounge have spectacular vistas of Charlotte Amalie Harbour through grand floor-to-ceiling windows. The Rum Bar Terrace also has views of Charlotte Amalie Harbour and the Sunset Grill offers a vista of Sunset Harbor.

All you need to do is pack your bag (you can even leave your passport at home), book your room and airplane tickets, and you can enjoy early 2012 in style—in a Caribbean resort overlooking a secluded beach with warm blue water. That’s just the way to start a great new year.

Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort 340-776-8400 5 Estate Bakkeroe, St. Thomas, 00801 Virgin Islands (U.S.)

Photos courtesy of Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort

Related posts: Fly to the U.S. Virgin Islands Direct With New Flight From JetBlue Iguana Adventures in St. Thomas

Ah, to embrace or escape Christmas? The annual December dilemma. You could check out the seasonal offers for December live on slh.com – though with such an array of ideas from sunbathing to sleigh riding, it might serve to make the decision even trickier! If you are looking for the best of both worlds, I’d suggest a truly Christmassy UK break, somewhere that really embraces the festive spirit such as Cowley Manor in Gloucestershire, followed by a more exotic New Year, spent somewhere remote like Bloomfield Lodge in Cairns, Australia. Personally, my ideal scenario would be sailing around Malaysia for the entire holiday, a million miles away from the tinsel, turkey and tv re-runs back home. I might pop into Pangkor Laut Resort off the west coast, where the exceptional Sea Villas and delicious cuisine are enough to draw me off the cat that I chartered.

I imagine your diary is already chocca block with Christmas engagements so you’ll have to fit your travels around the parties. I think it will be difficult to top the  Square Mile Masked Ball, but no doubt you will try!! The charity season is just about finished now and I am glad to report to you, Mellisa, that SLH helped raise over $ 500,000 to some great causes around the world!! Take care now and have a fabulous Christmas and hope to catch up with you in the New Year . 

PK