Drive-in Parking & Breakfast at Gramercy Park New York

Want to zoom around NYC in a complimentary Merc? The Gramercy Park hotel, an institution whose Haute Bohemian heritage has been plugged into a modernistic lifestyle by Ian Schrager, is offering a 'Drive in Parking and Breakfast' package. Includes luxurious overnight accommodations in your choice of room category, complimentary overnight parking, complimentary use of hotel Mercedes during your stay, complimentary high-speed wireless internet access, and a full American breakfast daily (including tax and gratuity). Rates from $805. More details about this and other specials at the Gramercy Park here.

It would be a mistake to try to describe all the amenities the hotel provides, as that could spread across several pages. I'll just round it up in brief. There's a Chinese restaurant (Wakiya), and two bars (Jade and Rose), a private rooftop club which has another bar, Aerospace fitness center, Aerospa, meeting, conference and event facilities, 24 hour concierge and room service, wi-fi access, and best of all - A private key to Gramercy Park. If you're wondering what that's about, Gramercy Park is a private park with access restricted to residents of the neighbourhood. You can't just walk into the park. Everybody has their own key.

As for accomodations, the hotel offers 185 guest rooms, 6 custom Gramercy suites and there's also the inescapable penthouse suite, without which New York hotels would be incomplete. The rooms offer views of Gramercy Park, Lexington Avenue or the Courtyard. Each room features King, Queen or double bedded rooms with down comforters, pillows and feather beds, 400 thread count Italian linens, every single room has a distinct design, with original handmade furniture made by artists from across the world, imported rugs, custom light fixtures, a mahogany wood bathroom with oversized soaking tub or shower, Extra-large flat screen LCD TVs with full cable access, Video on-demand with entertainment center featuring compact disc player/ DVD and specially programmed iPod and docking station, in-room safe, stocked in-room refrigirator, newspaper of your choice delivered to the door, and full turndown service.

And this is just scratching the surface. Like I said, the Gramercy Park hotel is an institution, not just a place to crash. Think luxury New York vacations. You go there if you're on a honeymoon, or if you're in town to complete shooting a scene for your latest movie, or if you don't know how many billions of $$ you have in your name.

Info: 2 Lexington Avenue New York NY 10010; (212) 920-3300; www.gramercyparkhotel.com/

Romance in the Air at the Kyoto Grand Los Angeles

One would assume that there's nothing much in the air in Los Angeles other than pestilence of the thick smog, but not so it seems. The Kyoto Grand Hotel & Gardens claims there's Romance in the air. And to that end, they have a special offer by the same name - 'Romance is the Air'.

Includes executive room with King bed (or suite upgrade if available), strawberries served with whipped cream, brown sugar, chocolate sauce and confectioner’s sugar, and champagne delivered to your room following check-in, full American breakfast in bed for two delivered by room service, parking and includes taxes and gratuities. More details here.

I usually take special offers from establishments purporting to be romantic hotels with a pinch of salt. I mean, its not like they offer something which you can't get from room service. Its just a room with some freebies thrown in. But what attracts me about the Kyoto Grand's offer is the price tag - $199. And remember, that includes all taxes.

Besides, this boutique hotel is something of a novelty, with a pretty obvious Japanese influence in the decor and the services offered, and there's a lush green rooftop sanctuary atop the 21 floors of the hotel (which alone should be enough to keep the all pervasive LA smog away from the hotel's premises). Plus, its location in Little Tokyo isn't all that shabby as a base for Los Angeles vacations. They also have two solid dining options in the Genji Bar and the Garden Grill.

The hotel offers 434 guest rooms and 20 suites, including 3 Japanese inspired suites. In room amenities include a coffee maker, color television with premium movie channels, hairdryer, iron and board, and rollaway beds. The suites have plush sofas, wodden shutter doors, and a large wall inset rack for the television. Sober colors and tasteful decor make this a relaxing place to stay at.

Can't say if its very romantic, but from the looks of it, seems the Kyoto Grand is at least more romantic than most other Los Angeles hotels.

Info: 120 South Los Angeles Street Los Angeles CA 90012; (213) 629-1200; www.kyotograndhotel.com/

New Year's in the Big Apple with the Wellington

There's no better time for New York vacations than during the new year. And hotels are full up already, so its wise to book well in advance. The snooty Midtown Manhattan hotel Wellington next to the Carnegie Hall is offering a 3 night package for New Year's in New York.

Package includes 3 nights in a King room or suite with full American breakfast in the Park Café each morning, shopping discounts including Macy's, South Street Seaport, and an in-room gift (one per room). Rates from $909 (for 2 people). Subject to availability before and after Dec 31st. More details here.

Amenities at the Wellington include concierge services for theater, sight seeing and local transport, a gift shop, the award-winning Molyvos mediterranean restaurant, Park Cafe for breakfast, lunch, dinner and after-theater snacks, valet parking (charges apply), hair dresser, room service, valet laundry and drycleaning, high speed wireless, business center and complimentary safe deposit boxes at the counter.

The hotel has 515 guest rooms and 85 1-bedroom suites with kitchenettes, all equipped with wireless internet, cable TV with pay per view movies, hairdryers, and iron & board.

If you're looking for decent New York hotels near Times Square where you can crash after watching the ball go on down on New Year's, and which is convinient for checking out all the other NYC attractions, then the Wellington just about fits the bill.

Info: 871 7th Ave at 55th Street New York NY 10019; (800) 652-1212; www.wellingtonhotel.com/

Wellness Weekends Package at the Palomar San Francisco

San Francisco isn't all that famed for spas and spa getaways, although Napa Valley has a bucketload of spa resorts and hotels where the A-list crowd enjoy downtime and recuperations for their skin and body. Still, if you're talking about San Francisco per se, there aren't that many classy massage and therapy joints which come with a vacation package.


One of these happens to be the Palomar Hotel in San Francisco's Union Square, which offers in-room spa services. They also have a package special called 'Wellness Weekends', which includes luxe accommodations, a welcome 'Detox Mocktail' (that's supposed to be a non-alcoholic pomegranate juice spritzer), take-home aromatherapy scented eye mask, use of in-room yoga bag for your use during your stay, take-home copy of body + soul Magazine and Guide to Balanced Living booklet, a healthy breakfast (in-room or at the Fifth Floor restaurant with take-home recipe sheet), and an opportunity to book a signature Kimpton Relax & Rejuvenate in-room spa experience with a 10% discount off regular price. package rates from $239. More details here.


The Palomar is a Kimpton hotel, and as such offers all the things that Kimptons have, like KimptonKids, and EarthCare (an eco-friendly program). Besides, the hotel is extremely per friendly and the lcoation is suitable as a base for exploring San Francisco. Hotel amenities and services include free wi-fi, Manager's hosted wine reception in the evening, complimentary morning coffee and overnight shoeshine, laundry and valet services, on-site fitness center, and the hotel offers 10% off on parking charges if your vehicle is a hybrid. The Fifth Floor Restaurant & Lounge is stylish, neat and spacious, and offers French cuisine.


The French influence can be seen in the hotel's design and artwork and the 195 guest rooms and suites as well. In-room amenities include free wi-fi, comfortable workdesks, down comforters, L'Occitane bath products and plush bathrobes, TV with on-demand movies, Nintendo for games and DVD player, Honor bar stocked with specialty and gourmet items, in-room safe, iron & board, hairdryer, full-length and two-sided make-up mirrors, and here's the kicker - They'll bring in a companion goldfish to keep you from getting lonely for the duration of your stay. Course, it better be there after you leave, so if you have a cat, make sure the cat and the goldfish don't get into an argument.


Info: 12 Fourth Street at MarketSan Francisco CA 94103; (866) 373-4941; http://www.hotelpalomar-sf.com/

Pet Friendly Mt. Charleston Lodge Las Vegas

The whole concept of pet friendly hotels is actually a pig-headed idea. That's because by definition of a hotel, your pet is locked up in a room, same as at home. If you really want your pet to enjoy the vacation same as you, then the only way to do it is choose pet friendly lodging, as opposed to hotels.

Which is where the Mt. Charleston Lodge - located in Kyle Canyon, in the Humboldt Toiyabe National Forest, 38 miles off the Strip in Las Vegas - comes in. They offer these neat log cabins set in a scenic outdoorsy place where your dog has the run of the place. $20 fee per night per night, with a maximum 30-pound weight limit and no more than two pets. More details here.

The lodge offers two types of cabins - honeymoon cabins (500 sq ft) for couples and larger family cabins (900 sq ft). Each A-frame cabin has whirlpool baths and showers, and some are equipped with VCR or DVD, and microwave and a mini refrigerator. The cabins have private decks and gas fireplaces. No telephones, so its basically a getaway from the urban bedlam in Las Vegas.

The honeymoon cabins cost $267.50 and the family cabins clock in at $347.75. Don't ask about why they need the 50 and 75 cents. Special holiday rates for December are available, with weeknight honeymoons at $160.50, and weekend honeymoons at $240.75. The family special rates are $214.00 and $294.25 for weeknights and weekend nights respectively.

New Year's eve rates are slightly higher, but include champagne or sparkling cider, a spa basket & party favors.

Info: Kyle Canyon, Humboldt Toiyabe National Forest 1200 Old Park Road Las Vegas NV 89124; (702) 872-5408; www.mtcharlestonlodge.com/

An Affair to Remember at the Ivy San Diego

No, I didn't indulge in a one night stand and a sodden hangover. 'An Affair to Remember' is a package special at the Ivy Hotel in San Diego. As it is, the Ivy is one of the top three San Diego hotels for partying and wild nights in the Gaslamp Quarter.

Throw in a bottle of Veuve Clicquot, gourmet chocolate truffles, and bath butler service with molton brown bubble bath and scented candles, along with premium accomodations thrown in, and what you have is the an 'Affair to Remember'. Rates starting from $399. More details here.

I think I've written about the Ivy before, but I'm kinda losing track of what hotels I've already reviewed, and which ones are yet to be done. What the heck, I guess the Ivy is well worth a redo. Besides, they've added a few things since I've last been there, like the Ivy Enticements - Daily events and shows, like Mondays with Damon Gordon's Quarter Kitchen where the celeb chef shows you how he creates his masterpieces, and live music where performers play acoustic sounds with a fusion of rock, funk, jazz, blues and pop.

Course, the primary reasons to book in at the Ivy remain the Envy nightclub and the Eden rooftop pool and bar, full bottle in-room bar, 24 hour valet parking, and the fabulous 42" HDTV wall mounted plasma screens virtual 5.1 sound effect. The rest of it is standard stuff, with same day laundry, fitness center, 20,000 sq ft of event space and 9000 sq ft of meeting space, complimentary wireless throughout the hotel, fine linens, microfiber bathrobes and Korres environmentally friendly body care products.

Info: 600 F Street San Diego CA 92101; (619) 814-1000; www.ivyhotel.com/