Hotels & Resorts

If you've ever wondered if somebody is actually reading those comment cards you fill in at hotels, here's proof positive they are. Barbara de Lollis from USA Today recently checked in at the Sheraton New York (the hotel is just wrapping up $160 million in renovations to its 1,789 guestrooms) to see how the property responded to its number one guest complaint. It turns out that what guests had complained most about over the years was a lack of control over the heating and cooling systems pumping air into the rooms. During the spring and summer months, the air conditioning was automatically on in the rooms and during fall and winter the system switched over to heating. Luckily, opening a window was an option to escape the extremes--but then there was NYC street noise to contend with. It's easy to understand how the hotel received hundreds upon hundreds of complaints from guests about this issue. After the updates, guest rooms now all have individual temperature controls that can switch into an energy-saving mode when the room is vacant. Here are a few of the other updates to the property as part of its massive makeover:

• New bedding and built-in minibars in every room (with Starbucks coffee), additional outlets in all rooms and flatscreen TVs built into the wall.
• Brighter hallways with improved lighting
• Expanded seating in the 44th floor club lounge overlooking Times Square
• New marble in the bathrooms, where tubs have been replaced with glassed-in showers

Sounds like a good time to give an old hotel a new glance!

Earlier this year, another special room type opened up at Disney World. The Royal Rooms are found in Disney's Port Orleans Riverside. But don't call them princess rooms; the majestic blue-and-gold color scheme, richly embellished with gold and crystal accents, is designed to appeal to both prince and princess. An extra touch of magic appears at a button press on the headboards of every bed; "fireworks" right in your room.

^{Image courtesy Charlyn Keating Chisholm}

Part of the magic of Disney is that feeling you can get of being small again; reliving part of your childhood, either real or idealized, just for a while. Disney's newest resort takes that idea even farther, shrinking you to the size of a small clownfish. Walk into the Finding Nemo courtyard of Disney's Art of Animation Resort, and everything scales up to the size Nemo would see it: his teacher, Mr. Ray, stretches to a 27-foot wingspan, and Crush the Turtle is big enough to cradle you in the curve of a fin.

Impressive, too, are the guest rooms; not so much for their size, but for their creative use of space. One-bedroom family suites sleep up to six people, thanks to a clever trick with a pull-down bed that serves as a table for four during daylight hours. Family suites also include two full bathrooms, a microwave and a refrigerator.

The Finding Nemo section of the resort opens at the end of this month. On June 18, the Cars section will open, followed by The Lion King on August 10. The Little Mermaid wing, which will house standard rooms with room for up to four guests, will open September 15. Rates for family suites will start at $248; rates for standard rooms start at $94. All Disney resort guests enjoy the perks of staying on-property, including extra time at the theme parks, complimentary transportation to and from the airport, and complimentary transportation throughout Disney World.

Take a photo tour of Disney's Art of Animation Resort, or check out other Disney World resort hotels.

^{Image courtesy Charlyn Keating Chisholm}

Across the U.S. and around the world, spring has effectively sprung! And to many urban folks, that means taking the elevator up from the crowded city sidewalks to a favorite hotel rooftop to maximize sunshine and views with something fresh and frosty to drink. It's hard to top the temple-and-skyscraper views of sprawling Bangkok from the Banyan Tree Bangkok's rooftop bar, Vertigo, perched high on the hotel's 61st floor.

Read on for some of the best hotel rooftop bars around the world for raising a glass to springtime--and please, chime in with your own on-high haunts, too!

• New Yorkers swoon over the scene at The James New York's rooftop oasis, JIMMY, with its poolside rattan chaise lounge chairs inviting you to settle in to enjoy cocktails made with such exotic ingredients as fresh raw honeycombs and mint ice blocks.
• A private elevator whisks you up to The Roof at the ME Madrid hotel, where daybeds are surrounded by palm trees and you can gaze upon the Plaza Santa Ana.
• Hold your own with politicos and hangers-on at the W Washington DC's sublime rooftop hangout, P.O.V. Terrace. Views from the 11th floor are a virtual visual tour of the most important monuments of the nation's capitol.
• When Norway finally warms up for spring and summer, Oslo locals know to maximize their time soaking up the midnight sun and the country's fleeting Vitamin D rations. The First Hotel Grims Grenka lures locals and tourists to the rooftop Q Lounge, where daylight lasts till midnight and beyond during the longest days of summer.
• Dream big with the rest of the big dreamers downing cocktails and ogling views at the super sexy Rooftop Bar at The Standard Los Angeles--there are vibrating waterbed pods and an outdoor dancefloor to stoke the revelry.

Cheers!

^{Image courtesy Terry Ward}

Looking for an all-inclusive Caribbean resort where you can bring the whole family and manage not to break the bank, too? Judy Koutsky thinks she's found just the place on a beautiful stretch of oceanfront in Antigua. She reports that while the Grand Pineapple doesn't have the bells and whistles of sister properties Sandals and Beaches, the property is priced considerably lower and has perks such as rooms with private patios overlooking the ocean and a quiet adult pool set apart from the family play area.

Another highlight, she says, is the hotel's location on stunning Long Bay Beach, with its calm blue waters teeming with colorful tropical fish. Among the all-inclusive inclusions are unlimited drinks (yes, cocktails included), watersports including snorkeling, kayaking and sailing, all meals and tips, too.

^{Image courtesy Grand Pineapple}

To coincide with the same day of Paul Revere's historic 1775 ride, the Revere Hotel Boston Common opened its doors last week on April 18. And how I would have loved to have been there to see this gravity-defying fashion show where the alfresco catwalk was the side of the 24-story hotel and models used the assistance of rock climbing pros to keep their grip while strutting their vertiginous stuff in form-fitting body harnesses. The fashion show put a spotlight on the hotel's new staff uniforms as well as fashions from a famed UK brand, Ted Baker London, to tie in the historic London connection.

There's no time like spring or summer to find yourself in beautiful Boston. And the hotel is offering a special introductory rate through May 31, with rooms starting at $177.50 per night. Call the hotel directly to request the "Revolutionary Rate" and mention the special promo code, REV775.

^{Image courtesy Revere}

With all the hidden airlines fees we're forced to face these days, I have to admit I get pretty excited when I can find someone to pick up the tab on my airfare. And an offer just announced by the decadent Viceroy Riviera Maya has me ready to pack my bags for some fun in the Mexican sun at the all-villa oceanfront property. With the Fly Free program (good for stays of a minimum of four nights now through Dec. 19, 2012), you and up to three friends will get a portion of your airline tickets reimbursed when you book in (airfare reimbursement ranges from $800 to $3500 depending on the category of villa and season you're booking for). It works this way: you book your flight and then show your airline receipt when you check into the villa. The maximum reimbursement is then put as a credit toward your bill and can also be applied toward food and beverage and spa services. As for the property? The 41 private villas here are all super indulgent with private plunge pools and outdoor showers fronting a quiet beach just a bit south of the Cancun fray. Bliss? It sure sounds that way.

More and more these days, you can turn your vacation into an education. Whether it's learning how to mix your own signature scent at a perfume workshop at the Ayana Resort and Spa in Bali or taking everything from mixology classes in Manhattan to surf lessons in Florida, here's where to stay to morph into renaissance men and women from the comfort of your hotel:

• Mix exotic essences from things like frangiapani and Spice Island cloves into your own signature scent with a perfume workshop at L'Atelier Parfums et Creations at the oceanfront Ayana Resort and Spa in Bali.
• Learn the art of painting with watercolors at a pretty en plein air location at the Mediterranean-inspired Boca Raton Resort and Club in Florida, led by the resort's artist in residence.
• Feel the stoke of standing up on gentle curling waves with the Omphoy Ocean Resort's Surf Goddess Program in Palm Beach, FL.
• Learn to mix the perfect Manhattan and more from the master mixologists at the James Hotels in Chicago and New York.
• Sit atop a noble steed during horseback lessons with a magnificent western backdrop at the all-inclusive Tanque Verde Ranch in Arizona.
• Master the art of preparing an authentic five-course Turkish feast with cooking lessons at the Sarnic Hotel in Istanbul.

Now that's what I call a global education!

^{Image courtesy L'Atelier Parfums et Creations}

Has it already been four years since Beijing? The Summer Olympics are coming to London this year, and if you have yet to book your room for the spectacle, it's time to get cracking. If you're looking to do the sporty scene in style, check out my picks for top luxury London hotels, with spots like the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park and legendary Claridge's among the gold medal list. About.com's London travel expert, Laura Porter, shares her favorite hotels here. Lots of addresses are sure to be booked out already, so if you're having trouble nailing down a hotel room have a look at the website OneFineStay, where you can find four-star accommodation in upscale homes across London that's likely to be less pricey than hotels of a similar standard.

The Atlantic City Boardwalk got a big dose of glitz earlier this month with the opening of the $2.4 billion Revel resort, a 47-story property spread across 6.3 million square feet. They're calling the hotel's first eight weeks a 'preview' because, while the resort will be fully functional, some of the restaurants, spa and nightclub will be rolled out progressively in the weeks to follow. By May 25, just in time for Memorial Day Weekend and the official opening of the New Jersey beaches (or shore, as they say in these parts) all 14 (!) restaurants, the spa and nightclub will be open.

If it's been a while since you've tried your luck in Atlantic City, it's a good time to go back.

^{Image courtesy Revel}