The Suite Life

Apple announced it is teaming up with Air France, Continental, Delta, Emirates, KLM and United to deliver the first seamless integration between iPod and in-flight entertainment systems. These six airlines will begin offering their passengers iPod seat connections which power and charge their iPods during flight and allow the video content on their iPods to be viewed on the their seat back displays.

In-flight iPod connectivity will be available to Air France, Continental, Delta, Emirates, KLM and United passengers beginning in mid-2007.

For now, here are some airlines and what they offer in terms of their own entertainment systems. Wait until you can podcast your own entertainment to others on the plane - Virgin Atlantic, you listening?

Virgin Atlantic
Jet Blue - You can even print your own program guide before your flight
United Airlines
American Airlines
Delta Airlines
Iceland Air
Emirates Airlines
British Airways
Continental Airlines
US Airways
Northwest Airlines

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Oh no, not good news. Even though travelers the world over can give you lots of opinions on where the best place is to visit, where are the areas to avoid, and what are the latest trends in travel, one thing they can all agree on is that it appears that hotel rates are going to increase in 2007.

The LA Times, Yahoo!, San Francisco Chronicle, and Hotel Marketing.com all expect hotel rates increase up to 8% next year and even higher in larger cities, such as San Francisco, Boston, and Philadelphia. New York City is expected to increase up to 18% and some cities in Asia up to 25%!

So what happens now? With the global economy increasing in wealth and business scope, more people are traveling for business and leisure. And in regular economics, more demand equals higher prices. So do you just stop traveling? For the business traveler, that’s not possible. And for the leisure traveler, that doesn’t sound like a lot of fun. So it’s all about finding good value for the price - if you have to pay more, you might as well get as much as you can for your dollar.

Some interesting value packages at Perfect Escapes that might help:

New York City: Seduction in Soho at the Soho Grand from $309/night
San Francisco: Celebration at the Fairmont from $239/night
Miami: Mercedes-Benz Key to Luxury at the Ritz from $379/night (my personal favorite)
Los Angeles: Heavenly Honeymoon at Casa Del Mar from $625/night

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A stay at Hotel Zaza is not just a stay at a nice, upscale hotel but it’s a bit of New York dropped in the middle of Texas. It’s not a shock to rub shoulders or have a cocktail in the outdoor pool bar area with the likes of Jessica Simpson, Liz Phair, a rock band in town on tour, or any visiting NBA player in town for a game just across the way against the Mavericks.

That’s not enough? How about a parking lot filled with Bentleys, Ferraris, and Porsches? How about a restaurant with over 150 bottles of wine in its arsenal, and if you have the goods, a roped off VIP section of the pool bar just for you and your friends. How about a Bloody Mary menu, with 6 different kinds? Still not enough to convince you? They will bring you a gourmet hamburger to your chaise lounge next to the pool at 1am - talk about keeping the party going. Need more? How about the $30k Millionaire Martini - only $200 a pop with Louis XIII (that’s Remy Cognac) and Grand Marnier 150. Ouch.

Even if the party scene is not your style, Hotel Zaza’s rooms, restaurant, and spa cater to everything you need. Even the hallways have that hushed air of elegance and suaveness that a confident hotel has when it knows it has style.

Tip: If you like your quiet on the weekends, ask for a room not overlooking the pool.

Tip #2: Do not swim (or fall) into the pool fully clothed. The nice hotel security will personally give you a tour of the parking lot, very quickly.

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At Perfect Escapes, we work hard to secure some good hotel deals at luxury properties around the world. And we just have to spread the word and let you know. Our good friends at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco have teamed up to offer you this package deal at their Union Square hotel.

For rates starting at $249/night, if you book 2 nights you’ll get a 3rd night free. That comes out to a possible $99/night stay at a 4-star hotel in the middle of San Francisco? Are we serious? You bet we are. Try finding that anywhere else.

Don’t say we never do anything for you.

Oh and you can also see the Macy’s Holiday Light Display if you happen to be in San Francisco soon:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFXCfXcoNKY]

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David Lynch once said about dreams:

“When you sleep, you don`t control your dream. I like to dive into a dream world that I’ve made, a world I chose and that I have complete control over.”

In New York, The Dream Hotel in Mid-Town definitely reminds you at every turn that you are in someone else’s dream, and you can either fight it and be afraid, or go with it and enjoy the ride. The old-charm exterior of the hotel hides the over-the-top decor inside, from the fishtank column in the lobby to the buddha statues in the waiting area. Every floor has a different illuminated picture framed by the open elevator doors - some that are pretty offputting when you first see them. I still have frightening visions of the seagull.

On the top floor is the Ava Lounge, which has two floors - one is a retro-mod 60s living room (there is even a faux library room - not to be confused with The Library Hotel) with views overlooking Times Square and the second is an outdoor French Riviera-style deck, complete with recliner chaise lounges and cocktail service. It’s NYC so the price of the cocktails can be a nightmare but the views and the high-style definitely make up for it.

Tip: this is a very popular mid-week Happy Hour bar for the Mid-Town set and on warm nights, the deck fills up fast. So if it is a warm night, head for the inside area and you’ll be able to get a place on the nicely designed couches. If it’s winter and cold out, see if you can sneak your way into the back library area - little hard to find so you might luck out.

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