The Suite Life

Litquake: 12 Years in San Francisco

September 29th, 2011

Loads of Prose, a Litquake event. Courtesy Shelley Eades.

Nine days and 848 authors – San Francisco’s Litquake has come a long way since its humble 1999 start in Golden Gate Park with just 300 attendees. Now in its 12th year, the festival features readings in a diverse array of venues: Laundromats, Sausalito houseboats, Mission District dive bars, a police station, a cheese shop, and classic literary settings like bookstores and theaters. Most of the 165 events scheduled from October 7-15 are free or inexpensive to attend. Among the hundreds of authors featured this year are Deepak Chopra and Chelsea Handler. And be sure to keep the night of October 15 open for Lit Crawl, the world’s largest free literary crawl in the heart of San Francisco’s Mission District. This year, some 450 readers will take part in 79 readings over the course of one prose-perfect night.

Find great luxury hotels in San Francisco on Perfect Escapes.

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Tags: lit crawl, litquake, San Francisco
Posted in Festivals, San Francisco | No Comments »

Savoring Santa Barbara

September 28th, 2011

Beautiful Santa Barbara. Courtesy Toby Keller on Flickr under CC.

Head to Santa Barbara this October for epicure.sb, a citywide celebration of good food, drink, culture, and community. Now in its third year, the festival has grown into a month-long culinary event that includes food and wine festivals, cooking classes, winemakers’ dinners, seasonal menus, food-inspired art exhibits, and plenty of other delicious opportunities to enjoy the best of Santa Barbara.

Find great luxury hotels in Santa Barbara on Perfect Escapes.

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Tags: culinary festival, epicure.sb, food festival, Santa Barbara
Posted in Festivals | No Comments »

The Luxury of Internet Access

September 27th, 2011

Complimentary WiFi can be hard to come by at high-end hotels.

According to a 2010 lodging survey conducted by STR Global, 75% of luxury and “upper upscale” hotel chains charge for in-room internet access, “something that drives me and a lot of my clients relatively insane,” says travel agent Janice Hough. What’s even more mind-boggling is the fact that just 2% of full-service midrange hotel chains charge for the same service, and “the same hotel chain will often provide complimentary internet in its less expensive properties, while charging for it at the upscale ones.”

With wireless internet access ranking as one of the top five “must-have” amenities for hotel guests, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study, it’s an expected feature in most hotels of all price ranges. And while most luxury travelers continue to pay for this perk if they must, we have a list of hotels that offer complimentary WiFi to Perfect Escapes guests.

Barcelo Raval, Barcelona

Cassa Hotel and Residences, New York

Charing Cross, London

Cheeca Lodge & Spa, Florida

Grove Isle, Miami

Heritage The Villas, Mauritius

Ikies Traditional Houses, Santorini

Mondrian South Beach, Miami

The Ashbee Hotel, Sicily

The Royal Horseguards, London

Find more luxury hotels around the world with complimentary WiFi access and other perks on Perfect Escapes.

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Tags: complimentary internet access, complimentary wifi, free internet access, free wifi
Posted in Business Travel, Luxury, Luxury Hotels, Luxury Travel Blog, Theme | No Comments »

Spend this Saturday at a Museum

September 22nd, 2011

Grab a friend, pick a museum, download your ticket, and go! This Saturday, September 24, 2011 is Smithsonian Magazine’s Museum Day across the United States. Admission to participating venues is free with your ticket – good for two people per household, per address, to one museum. Check the Smithsonian Magazine website for details about participating museums in your area.

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Tags: museum, smithsonian
Posted in Art | No Comments »

Take a Quick Trip around the World

September 22nd, 2011

The colorful town of Júzcar, Spain. Courtesy sade_1411 on Flickr.

Need a little break without leaving your desk? Courtesy of the Los Angeles Times, enjoy a quick virtual vacation to a treasure trove of unusual sights and destinations across the globe. Bon voyage!

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Tags: photography, Travel
Posted in Luxury, Luxury Travel Blog | No Comments »

Introducing Instagram 2.0

September 20th, 2011

Picture-perfect Paris. Instagram by Kevin Nellies via Flickr.

One of the most popular photo-sharing apps for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad, Instagram is getting an upgrade. Now users will be able to preview filters live, before taking a picture. And after you snap, switching to a new filter is 200 times faster. Plus, there are four fresh filters to choose from: Amaro, Rise, Hudson, and Valencia.

Other new features include instant tilt-shift effect, 10 times larger high-resolution images for iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4, optional borders for all filters, and one-click photo rotation within the camera. With all of these new options, your Instagrams from home or afar will look better than ever.

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Tags: instagram, iPad, iphone, ipod, Photos
Posted in Technology | No Comments »

A Tight Spot beneath the High Line

September 16th, 2011

The High Line, above and below. Top photo by Katy Silberger.

Wedged into a small space run by the Pace Gallery underneath the High Line at 510 West 25th Street is a new open-air art installation by artist David Byrne. Aptly dubbed “Tight Spot”, a gigantic inflated globe combines sculptural and audio components. “I wanted to go for the graceful vision, the world I knew from childhood—I used to have globes in my house that looked just like this. It’s a little lighter and a little more fun. But there is a bit of an ominous message as well,” says the artist, David Byrne. On now through October 1, the site will become Pace’s latest gallery space – its fifth in New York City.

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Tags: Art, david byrne, high line, New York, nyc, pace gallery, tight spot
Posted in Art, New York | No Comments »

Where to Find Hawaii in San Francisco

September 15th, 2011

Graceful Hawaiian hula dancer. Image courtesy Andy Beal on Flickr under CC.

With a large number of Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders calling the San Francisco Bay Area home, it’s no wonder that island art and culture thrives here. Though you may have just missed the 10th annual Poke Fest, not to worry. Travelers headed to San Francisco in October can enjoy a taste of Hawaii at Hukilau, a fun twist on Hawaiiana at the Fairmont San Francisco’s storied Tonga Room, and a real treat – The Hula Show performed by Nā Lei Hulu at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre.

Find great luxury hotels in San Francisco and Hawaii on Perfect Escapes.

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Tags: fairmont san francisco, Hawaii, hawaiian culture, hukilau, hula, San Francisco, tonga room
Posted in Culture, San Francisco | No Comments »

Toasting America’s 50 Best Hotel Bars

September 8th, 2011

San Francisco view from The Mark. Courtesy Daniel Hoherd on Flickr.

Is a superb hotel bar part of what you look for when planning a spectacular vacation or a fun evening out? If it is, Complex Media’s list of the 50 best hotel bars across the US may be of interest to you. Among the popular watering holes to make the chic list are:

Rose Bar, Delano South Beach – Come to see and be seen.

The Polo Lounge, Beverly Hills Hotel – Exceptional drinks, food, and people-watching.

Top of the Mark, InterContinental Mark Hopkins – Sublime San Francisco views.

Six Seven, The Edgewater – An ideal perch from which to soak up scenic Seattle.

King Cole Bar, St. Regis New York – Birthplace of the Bloody Mary.

Bleau Bar, Fontainbleau – Another Miami spot to see and be seen.

Rose Bar & Jade Bar, Gramercy Park Hotel – Savor a drink and the art-adorned walls.

Rebar, Trump Chicago – Sit by the window for priceless Chicago views.

Lewers Lounge, Halekulani – Original cocktails and live jazz.

Redwood Room, The Clift – San Francisco’s all-Redwood bar.

Discover more great luxury hotels on Perfect Escapes.

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Tags: hotel bars, luxury hotel bars
Posted in Hotel, Hotel Bars, Luxury Hotels, Uncategorized | No Comments »

September Flickr Photo Challenge

September 7th, 2011

La Tour Eiffel. Courtesy Anna Shkarina on Flickr.

When you travel well, where do you stay? All-inclusive resorts? Seaside villas? Beautiful, chic boutique hotels? Five-star stays are an unforgettable way to relax and indulge in truly special time away, anytime of year.

If you haven’t already, Perfect Escapes is inviting you to take the plunge and join its photo pool on Flickr. Our Flickr photo pool is the place to share your perfect escapes: Posh hotel pictures, idyllic travel images, and tales detailing all of your luxury hotel experiences and adventures. Whether you visit a luxury hotel or just walk by one, post your five-star travel memories here. Each month we look for images matching a particular travel-related topic or theme and announce it right here (and on our Flickr photo pool page, too). From the new submissions we receive, one lucky photog with then have his or her image featured on next month’s Suite Life Blog Flickr photo pool post!

For our September photo challenge, we’re looking for luxury. Show us all the posh hotel rooms and pools, the sumptuous spa, and the incredible design details your favorite five-star hotel restaurants, bars, or grounds. Wherever you’ve been (or wherever you are), if it’s a hotel or resort that oozes grand luxe, we want to see your best shots.

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Tags: five-star stays, Flickr, Hotel Photos, photographs, Photos, Travel
Posted in Flickr, Uncategorized | No Comments »

The Suite Life

Litquake: 12 Years in San Francisco

Savoring Santa Barbara

The Luxury of Internet Access

Spend this Saturday at a Museum

Take a Quick Trip around the World

Introducing Instagram 2.0

A Tight Spot beneath the High Line

Where to Find Hawaii in San Francisco

Toasting America’s 50 Best Hotel Bars

September Flickr Photo Challenge

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