All Entries in the "North America" Category

Quebec City’s Luxury Ice Hotel

In January a handful of hotel guests outside of Québec City, Canada did the unthinkable: they climbed into sleeping bags for a long night’s sleep atop giant blocks of ice. It’s a ritual performed every year from January through March at the Hôtel de Glace of Québec.

The hotel is made up entirely of ice and compacted snow; construction typically begins in late November as long as the weather in the Northern Québec cooperates. The 2012 version boasts some brand-new features never before seen as well as what hotel officials describe as “amazing discoveries and lots of fun,” combining the art, culture, and history of the First Nations that once inhabited the area.

New York’s First Gay Hotel Opens in 2012

The boutique hotel is rising to new heights in New York City, as Parkview Developers plans to open the Big Apple’s first gay hotel. The OUT NYC, scheduled to open in phases throughout 2012, will be located on 42nd St. in the heart of Manhattan. Developers hope it becomes the premier resort and entertainment venue for both tourists and locals from the gay community.

The project’s first phase is the XL NIGHTCLUB, an 11,000 sq ft lounge, cabaret, and dance club set to feature noted gay entertainers John Blair and Beto Sutter. When the doors open it will be the first gay nightclub to open in the city in over a decade. Visitors can expect to see typical dance club features including several dance floors, modern LED light shows, and a state-of-the-art stage for live acts.

As for the hotel itself, current plans include a property with 105 rooms. The rooms will be designed in a chic, modern décor that speaks to the LGBT community in a way that is up-scale, classy, and sophisticated. According to officials the OUT NYC is “an idea whose time has come.” If all goes according to plans the hotel will not only be simply a place for gay tourists to stay while they’re in New York, it will become the focal point of New York City nightlife for the entire LGBT community.

PUBLIC Hotels Bring Modern Classic Style to Chicago

The former Ambassador East Hotel has been a Chicago landmark since its opening in 1926. Now, thanks to iconic hotel designer and developer Ian Schrager, the legend of days gone by has been transformed to rise to new heights of sophistication and elegance for the discriminating traveller. Schrager, widely known for his revolutionary boutique hotel concept birthed in the 1980s is once again changing the luxury hotel paradigm with a new brand known simply as PUBLIC. The brand is Schrager’s attempt to redefine luxury travel without the unnecessary excess which has long made it unaffordable to the masses. His PUBLIC brand changes the way we think of luxury hotels, thus allowing access to anyone who wants it.

At the heart of PUBLIC Chicago is a design theme that harkens back to the days of the American and European coffee houses in the 1950s. The hotel’s public spaces are designed to encourage both socialization and business interaction by including relaxing sofas and chairs intermingled with workspace tables. Soft colours and sleek lines combined with refined and low-key décor, present a sophisticated space that is instantly classic without being ostentatious. When you’re in the hotel’s lobby you will know you’re somewhere special — though you might not know exactly why.

Hilton Puerto Vallarta to Open in 2012

Hilton Hotels is headed to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico according to a recently released statement from Hilton Worldwide. The company announced it has signed an agreement with Grupo Hotelero Santa Fe to develop and operate the popular tourist destination’s first Hilton resort. The new property is scheduled to open in mid-2012.

Not only will the new hotel be conveniently located just a few minutes from Puerto Vallarta’s airport and cruise ship terminal, but it will also offer the same luxurious hotel experience Hilton Hotels & Resorts is known for worldwide. The hotel will feature nearly 260 world-class rooms as well as honeymoon suites and executive accommodations. Rooms will feature modern décor, elegant design, plenty of amenities, and an atmosphere designed around comfort and relaxation.

Golden Eagle Luxury Tree House at Primland

In Southern Virginia’s Patrick County, at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, lies the sleepy bedroom community of Meadows of Dan. This quaint and unincorporated community doesn’t seem like much to travellers passing through, but that’s only because most of them don’t know what’s there. For hidden away is a unique resort that combines the ultimate in luxury with an unparalleled respect for the great outdoors: Primland.

Primland has always been a great property indeed, but now it’s being improved with the addition of the new Golden Eagle Tree House. This new creation is one of four new suites being added to the resort.

Aulani Disney Resort – The Luxury Hawaiian Getaway

Always known for its first-class accommodations and entertainment venues, Disney opened its latest resort hotel on the island of Oahu, Hawaii to much fanfare and customer anticipation. The first guests arrived the last week of August to enjoy a combination of Disney quality and the gorgeous island atmosphere of Hawaii; an atmosphere that provides an unforgettable holiday getaway for people of all ages.

The Aulani Disney Resort sits on 21 gorgeous acres of waterfront space just 30 minutes from Waikiki. Guests can spend their days soaking up the sun, relaxing in a Disney spa, touring the island with official Disney excursions, and having fun in the resort’s swimming pools. Yet the hotel’s most unique feature is its storytelling theme, which plays off the ancient Hawaiian tradition of carrying on indigenous history through storytelling. And as an added bonus, just like Disney has scattered “hidden Mickey’s” all over its resorts in Orlando, they’ve also hidden an unknown number of Menehune statues for guests to try and find.

First Virgin America Hotel Announced in Chicago

In Europe the Virgin brand name is one of the most well-known and respected among all industries. Now the company aims to strengthen its position in North America by venturing into the hotel business. To that end, Virgin Group has announced the completion of a deal that will bring the first Virgin-branded hotel to America. The site of the property is a historic office building in downtown Chicago that the Group purchased from Wabash Lake Partners LLC, Chicago.

Assisting Virgin Group in the deal was Chicago-based John Buck Company. The two will jointly work together on a redevelopment plan to transform the property into a 250-room, four-star hotel. No details have yet been released on the direction designers will be taking, or the total cost of the renovation, but Virgin’s hotel division has been allotted as much as USD $500 million to acquire and develop properties in America’s most dynamic cities. In addition to Chicago, Virgin has targeted New York, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, and Washington DC.

The Chicago property is a 27-story building on the city’s West side, between the shores of Lake Michigan and the Chicago River. The Art Deco building is significant to Chicago’s heritage, making it a perfect venue for the Virgin brand name. Virgin has not yet scheduled a date for the property’s grand opening and is open the possibility of another US-based hotel debuting before the October 2013 Chicago deadline.

Four Seasons Baltimore Opens November

If you’ve ever visited Baltimore you know that it is a thriving hub of medical research, business, professional sports, shopping, dining, and culture. If you’ve never visited, you need to do so. In fact, there’s no better time to go than this November, when the new For Seasons Hotel Baltimore opens its doors.

This 18 story hotel rises majestically above the city’s bustling east harbor with an edgy, modern look. It’s just minutes from the Baltimore convention Center, the world-famous Johns Hopkins Medical Center, and the city centre. The hotel offers 256 rooms all complemented by Baltimore’s most extensive hotel-based art collection and interior design from Brayton & Hughes Design Studio.

St. Regis New York – The Dior Suite

The St. Regis New York hotel is proud to announce the availability of their new Dior Suite in collaboration with the famed Parisian fashion house. This is the hotel chain’s a second joint effort with Dior, this time in a 1700-square feet space of decadent luxury. And just like the Tiffany Suite, the Dior was designed to the highest standards the St. Regis brand is known for.

The Dior is normally a one bedroom suite with views of 5th Avenue, Central Park, and 55th St. However; it can easily be converted to a two-bedroom suite. It’s been painted almost entirely in the St. Regis signature colour known as “whispering gray”, with the finest luxury appointments included.

LEGOLAND Hotel to Open in Carlsbad, CA – Luxury for Kids

This past summer the ownership of LEGOLAND California Resort made a major announcement regarding the first ever North America based LEGOLAND Hotel to open on resort property in summer 2013. The property will occupy space now being used by the resort for bus parking. Construction begins this month on the 250-room hotel which will feature a LEGO theme with bright colours, LEGO designer décor, a swimming pool, and a restaurant. Initial approval for the project was first given by the city of Carlsbad back in 2009. Since then the company has been working diligently to secure the proper permits and other approvals required.

LEGOLAND California resort first opened in 1999 with just a single theme park area. It has enjoyed astronomical growth in the 12 years since, expanding to four total areas welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. As for the new hotel, it will be designed specifically to cater to families with children with accommodations being themed after the four main LEGOLAND areas. Guests can expect LEGO characters, LEGO themed furniture, and plenty of colour throughout the rooms and public spaces. Once the hotel is complete it will join two other on-site hotels, the Sheraton Carlsbad Resort and the Grande Pacific Palisades, in providing accommodations for LEGOLAND California’s guests.