The Suite Life

Conde Nast Traveler has just released its Hot Hotel list for 2008. The list includes hotels in the Caribbean, Central and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Middle East, Australia and the Pacific, and of course, North America.

Here’s a sneak peak at the list’s North American Hot Hotels which included many Perfect Escapes accepted properties such as:

Aqua Cancun, Cancun
Rosewood Mayakoba, Mayakoba
Mandarin Oriental Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen
La Purificadora, Puebla
Grand Del Mar, San Diego
Ivy Hotel, San Diego
Angler’s Boutique Resort, Miami Beach
Tides South Beach, Miami Beach
Hotel Sax, Chicago
Palazzo Las Vegas
Ritz Carlton Dallas

And many more…

Some of these properties have such exciting design and anticipation that they are already achieving big industry buzz before they even open. So make sure to book early as the hotter a hotel gets the harder it is to get into, and it’s going to be one steamy summer.

Find luxury hotels around the world at Perfect Escapes.

See the entire Conde Nast Traveler Hot Hotel List for 2008.

Although the weather might not show it, Summer is just around the corner, and with it comes summer vacations.

While Europe is often considered a balmy clamor of tourists in the high summer months, certain locations boast the privacy and luxury that entice Hollywood stars and luxury travelers alike. A few spots in particular are almost guaranteed to lavish you in the vacation of your dreams while you rub shoulders with some of the celebrity elite.

Classic destinations for a vacation with the stars include St. Tropez, Mykonos, and St. Barts where upscale dining meets gorgeous views, top accommodations and enough privacy for stars and jet-setters to relax carefree.

For the trend-setters, Turkey’s Turquoise Coast and Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast have quaint towns with delicious food and cultural attractions.

Of course, there’s not always time to go clear across the ocean for some 5-star relaxation, and that’s why many luxury travelers are finding the stars in Mexico’s Riviera Maya resorts or party town Miami Beach, Florida.

Spend your summer with the stars and indulge in the world’s best luxury. You may not come back with the Paparazzi on your trail, but you certainly will enjoy a bit of starpower.

By Sarah Ziering for Perfect Escapes

Just as frequent spa-goers could recite the vast differences between a hot stone massage and a deep tissue, so could they explain that destination spas and resort spas are two wonderful, but very different, spa experiences. Luckily, Perfect Escapes wants to ensure every luxury traveler gets exactly what he or she is looking for, so here is a rundown of the intricacies and delights of each type of spa experience…

Destination spas are destinations designed for guests who seek total immersion in a spa experience. They offer an adult environment where the emphasis is on getting and staying healthy. These spas are intended to be the destination and not simply an added bonus to a vacation. As such, destination spas offer guests a wide range of therapeutically oriented activities to keep them occupied. These activities are intended to help guests find inspiration and become energized among a like-minded community of participants. They equally balance spa treatments with health-building activities such as education and seminars, exercise routines, and meditation to create an overall sense of growth and inner peace.

Most destination spas include lodging, meals, programs and some spa treatments in their base rates. Guests average longer visits to a destination spa with stays commonly being five days to multiple weeks. Destination spas are a great way to address particular health issues or initiate a healthier lifestyle. While much time is spent looking inward, destination spas are also a good way to enjoy the company of a close friend or partner looking to achieve the same relaxation and rejuvenation goals.

Resort spas, on the other hand, are for those guests seeking to enjoy some spa treatments as part of their overall experience. They often offer a family environment and a full range of dining and recreational experiences in addition to the on-site spa, such as golf and tennis. These spas offer a great way to pamper oneself as part of a larger getaway and are for the less formal spa-goer. So if you want to work those muscles playing sports, expand your mind site-seeing or simply relax on the beach, a resort spa often has all those activities close at hand, and you can go back to the resort for a body treatment to heal from all those adventures.

Most resort spas offer spa packages that bundle room nights and spa treatments but most guests book spa treatments separately from their lodging. Either way, be sure to book spa treatments ahead of your stay as they are generally difficult to get last minute due to limited treatment rooms and staff.

Need further help deciding whether a destination spa or a resort spa is for you?
- Go to a destination spa to rid your body of toxins. Go to a resort spa to tie on a couple of intoxications.
- Go to a resort spa to dine on lamb chops dressed in lemongrass. Go to a destination spa to nibble on lettuce dressed in grass with lemon.
- Go to a destination spa OR a resort spa for a perfect escape.

Top Destination Spas
If you are looking for an ultimate spa getaway, then consider a trip to any of these twelve amazing spas whose focus is on personal wellness and growth.

Agua Spa at the Delano Hotel, Miami Beach, Florida
Amandari, Bali, Indonesia
Brenner’s Park Hotel & Spa, Baden-Baden, Germany
Canyon Ranch, Tucson, Arizona
Canyon Ranch, Lenox, Massachusetts
Chiva-Som International Health Resort, Hua Hin, Thailand
Lake Austin Spa Resort, Austin, Texas
Mii Amo at Enchantment Resort, Sedona, Arizona
Miraval Resort, Tucson, Arizona
Plateau at Grand Hyatt, Hong Kong

Top Resort Spas
If you are looking to enjoy a terrific spa as part of a greater getaway, then consider staying at one of these twelve properties or go to Perfect Escapes for a list of great spas at many luxury hotel properties:

American Club, Kohler Waters Spa, Kohler, Wisconsin
Bacara Resort & Spa, Santa Barbara, California
Bathhouse at Calistoga Ranch, Napa Valley, California
Boulders Resort & Golden Door Spa, Carefree, Arizona
Esperanza, An Auberge Resort, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Fairmont Banff Springs, Willow Stream Spa, Canada
Hotel Le Sirenuse, Aveda Concept Spa, Positano, Italy
One&Only Ocean Club, Paradise Island, Bahamas
Spa at the Mandarin Oriental, New York City
Spa Halekulani, Honolulu, Hawaii
Banyan Tree Phuket, Thailand
Canyon Ranch SpaClub at the Palazzo Las Vegas, Nevada

By Eric Jeck, CEO for Perfect Escapes

There have been quite a few “top destinations of 2008” lists floating around, and the latest one comes from The Times, London. Their list spans the globe, including everything from the Maldives to Mexico. Many of them are new hotels set to open sometime this year, but others are ready and waiting to serve all of your luxury traveler’s desires.

Of course, New York City was first on the list, as the place that continues to command attention across the globe and radiates with the energy of multiple new hotel openings. The Times highlighted the new Robert DeNiro Greenwich Hotel set to open in TriBeCa and the first of the Firmdale hotels to cross the great Atlantic from London and settle nicely in SoHo.

Other U.S. luxury hotels to make the list included Gansevoort South in Miami Beach and the nearby Mondrian South Beach.

Outside of the States, over 18 other destinations were listed. The Fairmont and Rosewood in Mayakoba, Mexico, were on the list as well as Panama, Colombia, and Brazil.

In Europe, the new Rocco Forte Augustine Hotel in Prague was highlighted alongside hotels in Switzerland and of course Britain and England. Getting high praise was the Hyatt’s new Andaz Hotel which premiered in London and will soon makes its way to its first opening in the U.S.

Read the whole Times article.

Find luxury hotels in your destination from Perfect Escapes

By Sarah Ziering for Perfect Escapes

Welcome to the first 2008 edition of the “Three + Three” in which the Perfect Escapes Suite Life Blog brings you three great deals in three top destinations around the country. Published twice monthly, you can also get your 3 deals delivered directly to you by subscribing to our RSS feed.

We’re starting off the New Year with three very different offers. A newly named hotel in South Beach, a new offer from one of our Chicago hotels, and our first inclusion of an offer from everyone’s favorite place to escape the winter blues: Hawaii. As always, each deal comes with special amenities exclusively for Perfect Escapes guests. So pick your deal and your destination, and make your escape.

Sunrise to Sunset – De Soleil South Beach (Formerly Vincci)

Live the five-star Miami Beach dream at the recently renamed De Soleil South Beach. This offer is exclusively for Perfect Escapes guests and includes: top suite accommodations (which comes with a private rooftop terrace, hot tub, and retractable roof), breakfast for two, and a complimentary bottle of champagne.

Book this offer or any other De Soleil South Beach stay and you’ll also receive exclusive Perfect Escape perks such as early check-in and late check-out.*

Chicago Celebrity – Ambassador East Hotel

The newest exclusive offer for Perfect Escapes from the Ambassador East Hotel let’s you enjoy Chicago in style with accommodations in a Celebrity Suite, dinner at the renowned and gloriously hip Pump Room, guaranteed late check-out, and VIP turndown service each night of your stay.

Plus, when you book this or any other Ambassador East stay with Perfect Escapes you’ll receive the special perks of complimentary wireless internet, complimentary room upgrade and early check-in.*

Prince Winter Escape – Maui Prince Hotel Makena Resort

Escape the winter into this tropical sanctuary where gardens, waterfalls and the open ocean reign supreme. Book the three-night Prince Winter Escape and you’ll receive: a Prime Oceanview room and a $100 resort credit to use on any on-site activities.

An amazing high season opportunity, book this offer soon as it is good exclusively for 3-night or longer stays from January 4 through March 31, 2008.

* Amenities based on availability upon arrival

To book these offers and for more details go to Perfect Escapes and search for the deal of your choice or just click the links above in each offer. The Three + Three will be back with 3 new great offers in two weeks.

See all Perfect Escapes offerings in Miami, Chicago, and Maui.

By Sarah Ziering for Perfect Escapes