When you take every effort to travel in luxurious comfort, from Bose headphones to Kiehl’s travel toiletries, restrictions from security and the dismal food courts often leave little for luxury travelers in terms of food. Rather than run into the safety of the airline’s private lounge or subjecting your stomach to fast “food”, airports are now offering a third option, luxury eateries.

Travel+Leisure reported on the new luxury rest stops that are landing in an airport near you, here’s an excerpt:

JFK Airport in New York – Vino Volo wine bar in American Airline’s Terminal 8 creates an intimate atmosphere filled with carefully chosen bottles from both popular and remote wineries around the world.

Logan International Airport in Boston – Todd English opened the third installment of his Bonfire restaurant serving up South American fair to those who rather have their meat with avocado crema than pickles and ketchup.

LAX in Los Angeles – Oneworld is luxury southern-Californian style as an eco-lounge made with natural materials and complete with shower suites for First- and Business-class travelers, so you can reach your zen before reaching highest altitude.

Heathrow Airport in London – Plane Restaurant brings luxury comfort food to travelers. The new Gordon Ramsay terminal 5 spot offers both breakfast and special picnic baskets, helping jet-setters start their day off right.

And those are just the food options. There’s also spas, shops and museums opening at airports around the globe, so check them out, it might even be worth getting to the airport by the suggested 2 hours prior to flight-time…

Find luxury hotels around the world at Perfect Escapes.

By Sarah Ziering for Perfect Escapes

As the new Sex and the City movie prepares to make its debut, New York City gets ready for its close up as well. The show’s ever-present fifth character will be featured in its full glamor in the upcoming film, and hotels around the city are featuring special Sex and the City packages so that everyone can feel fabulous in the Big Apple.

USA Today found a sampling of the deluxe packages at hip hotels such as The Muse Hotel, and classics such as the Mandarin Oriental New York and The Westin New York at Times Square .

The packages include everything from luxury accommodations, hip clothing goodies, special tours and other signature SATC items (sorry, no Jimmy Choo shoes or Birkin Bag included).

If you rather star in your own fabulous New York City experience, take a look at these New York City luxury hotel offers from Perfect Escapes.

Gramercy Park Hotel – Weekend in the Park Package

Hotel Roger Williams – Just Us Girls Package

The Peninsula New York – Summer Splendour Package

The New York Palace – New York Holiday Package

Hotel Mela – Manhattan Luxe Package

By Sarah Ziering for Perfect Escapes

Europe is taking steps to win back some of its previously dedicated tourists, Americans. The recent downturn of the American economy has affected not just those here, but tourism across Western Europe as well.

While Americans still find an economic advantage in Eastern Europe (and thus the region has seen an increase in tourism), Western Europe has become an even pricier endeavor, and has lost a significant amount of tourism dollars as a result. Official tourism boards in multiple countries have launched discount coupons, heavy advertising, and special offers to woo their Western patrons back across the ocean.

For Harry’s Bar in Venice, famous for being Hemingway’s hang-out, the way to win back the Americans was with a special 20% discount on drinks for “American Victims” of subprime loans and bad economy. It seems the bar may be actually laughing at and not with Americans’ plight with this special offer, but it might just work. As Hemingway once said, “Don’t you drink?…I have drunk since I was fifteen and few things have given me more pleasure.”

Find luxury hotels around the world at Perfect Escapes.

London

Paris

Italy

You may imagine the hotel of the future with robotic on-demand housekeeping, voice-activated room entry, and all kinds of other gadgets, which may not be far off, but InterContinental Hotels is looking beyond technology to the future of the environment.

Their new Innovation Hotel is a specially dedicated section of the IHG website that will showcase the hotel empire’s green efforts both now and for properties of the future. InterContinental isn’t looking at the future in terms of another century or even decade either, many of the green practices including low-emissions paint, solar roof panels, and recycled furnishings, could be in place within the next few years.

Let’s just hope other luxury hotels take the green out of their envy and put it towards their futures as well.

Find luxury hotels around the world at Perfect Escapes.

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.

The Chicago Tribune recently reported that hotels in the Windy City are stepping up their high-tech amenities in an effort to make guests feel more at home. While the general consensus is that nothing is as important as impeccable service when it comes to a hotel experience, it can’t hurt to lavish guests with high-tech amenities to accompany the custom pillows and service. In a world where people are plugged in to some sort of device almost constantly, hotels are reaching out to high-tech lifestyles who live in a luxuriously gadgety world.

The Hard Rock Hotel Chicago is installing HDTV’s into every guest room, while The Peninsula is upgraded cell-phone coverage and many area hotels are succumbing to the almost now standard amenity of free wireless internet.

Many Chicago hotels are also offering video game consoles, more accessible outlets, and in-room laptop storage safes in addition to the giant plasma TV’s and entertainment systems.

When you mix luxury with high-tech you can lay in your turned-down, fluffy bed, watching your HDTV, while your ipod charges in the alarm dock next to you, all while a concierge happily arranges for the phone charge your forgot to be replaced and dropped at your hotel room door. It’s virtual hotel bliss.

Find luxury hotels in Chicago on Perfect Escapes

This week we go to the Canadian Rockies, where three very different Fairmont hotels and resorts are ready to host your next great getaway. Enjoy a rustic lodge, lakeside luxury, or a park resort, it’s up to you. Whatever you choose there are always exclusive Perfect Escapes perks, so pick your deal and your destination and make your escape.

Rustic Elegance – The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge

The charming cabins and rustic elegance of The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge make this legendary resort the embodiment of peace, tranquility and natural beauty. Book the Rustic Elegance offer, a Perfect Escapes exclusive, and receive: guaranteed late check-out, daily breakfast for two, welcome gift, and complimentary room upgrade and early check-in (on avail.).

Rocky Mountain Luxury – The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise

Tucked deep within Banff National Park, the Chateau invites you to a retreat of welcoming grandeur. Book the Rocky Mountain Luxury package, a Perfect Escapes exclusive offer, and receive: confirmed room upgrade, valet parking, and late check-out.

Plus book this or any other Fairmont Chateau Lake Louis offer with Perfect Escapes and receive: Daily Breakfast for two, early check-in (on avail.) and welcome gift.

Banff & Breakfast – The Fairmont Banff Springs

The Fairmont Banff Springs offers all the amenities of a world-class resort, with superbly appointed guest rooms and attentive service in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. Book this Banff & Breakfast offer, a Perfect Escapes exclusive, and receive a confirmed room upgrade and complimentary parking.

Also, book this or any other Fairmont Banff Springs offer with Perfect Escapes and you’ll receive Daily breakfast for two, late check-out and early check-in (on avail.) and a welcome gift.

Remember, these special offers are exclusive to Perfect Escapes. Find more luxury hotel deals at Perfect Escapes for each of this week’s featured destination: The Canadian Rockies.

By Sarah Ziering for Perfect Escapes

This past Saturday, the 51st annual San Francisco International Film Festival held a very special award ceremony at the chic W Hotel San Francisco.

In an intimate setting, high above the energetic thump of a lively Saturday night in W’s Living Room lobby, the SFiFF late night event (it started at 10:30pm ) welcomed its select guests and the year’s award winners, Rose McGowan and Jason Lee. For its second year, the film-fest honored two young members of Hollywood, “who have made outstanding contributions to independent and Hollywood cinema and who bring striking intelligence, exemplary talent and extraordinary depth of character to their roles.”

I was lucky enough to be among the group sipping complimentary Grey Goose cocktails and munching on an assortment of passed hors d’ oeuvres as the honorees arrived. While the small room was scantily decorated, two large screens were erected alongside a small stage, and the festive atmosphere is certainly what made the night (well that, and the ever-cool W hotel interior design). While Jason Lee mingled with guests and obliged quite a few photographs (including one with yours truly), Rose stuck to her entourage and a roped off corner before taking the stage to accept their awards, engraved, silver Martini shakers.

A video played highlighting the work of each star, and after quick but warm acceptance speeches, the real party got going. For the next hour and a half the free drinks were poured and the music played while guests of all ages danced enthusiastically and chatted happily. The night was overall one of a rare but welcomed mix of star power, earnest excitement, and low-key atmosphere that marks the SFiFF’s accessibility and success.

Find Luxury Hotels in San Francisco on Perfect Escapes

Support the SFiFF51

By Sarah Ziering for Perfect Escapes

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

No, those people aren’t racing to catch their plane, they are speed-walking to burn off a few calories before their next flight.

Lambert-St. Louis International’s new airport paths give people a chance to work off extra calories, stress, and tight muscles in between their flights. It has long been known that shorter more frequent exercising is as beneficial if not more so than one long set. So even just squeezing in 20 minutes of walking around the airport can really boost travelers’ health before they get back in a plane for many more hours. This is especially true if they are carrying quite a few pounds of luggage as well, since nothing is mentioned about a place to store baggage during a walk. However, make sure your walk doesn’t take you into the fast-food joints, candy kiosks or gift stores, window shopping does not count as cardiovascular activity, unfortunately.

Find Luxury Hotels in St. Louis at Perfect Escapes.

Find luxury hotels around the world at Perfect Escapes.

By Sarah Ziering for Perfect Escapes