• HOTEL HAPPENINGS – Page 15

HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – AUGUST, 2013

August 21, 2013/0 Comments/in • HOTEL HAPPENINGS /by Karen Kuzsel

Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati opens new restaurant

This has been one of the busiest Augusts I can remember in many years. When I was younger, having a mid-August birthday meant families were taking end-of-summer vacations and not around to celebrate, or we were moving from one Air Force base to another so I could start yet another school without missing any lessons. As I aged, August meant, “Oh no, another birthday is rolling around,” or it meant corporate work for entertainers had nose-dived and thank goodness, the start of “season” was just around the corner. Unlike all those other years, (except for my birthday crash landing with a chronological number that I have yet to comprehend could be mine), this August has flown by like our backyard ducks when a predator bird comes swooping in. I’ve been on several press trips (which you’ll hear more about in next blog post), worked some fun gigs as Natasha, The Psychic Lady, and visited with friends & family. Next week we attend the annual Central Florida Film Festival in Ocoee, FL: 3 days of non-stop independent movies and after-glow events.

September looks like it’s ready to burst onto the scene, so before that occurs, here are some final summer activities, hotel promotions, and planning tips for the fall.

ACTIVITIES

Just in time for a thrilling summer conclusion, Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino opens VooDoo Zipline, a ride that will send guests soaring higher than 400 feet in the air at electrifying speeds, offering 360-degree open-air views of the Las Vegas Strip. “Rio has always been known for having some of the best views in Vegas. Now thrill-seeking guests can enjoy the legendary views that VooDoo Steak and VooDoo Rooftop Nightclub are best known for – from an entirely new Read more

HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – JULY, 2013

July 8, 2013/6 Comments/in • HOTEL HAPPENINGS /by Karen Kuzsel

Pix Photos © 2013 Disney/Jerry Bruckheimer, Inc. LONE RANGER ™ & © Classic Media

Summer is in full swing in many parts of the world. The extreme natures of the weather, with tornadoes, fires, floods, snow and drought has created stress and doubt about planning getaways. Fortunately, there are options available if you just need to get away and remember what it’s like to laugh, enjoy, rest and relax. Hope these discounted vacations put a smile on your face and get you packing.

Just saw “The Lone Ranger”, starring Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer. Totally fun and campy and even though it ran about 2-1/2 hours, it kept my attention. The fact that I happen to be going to Santa Fe, NM soon, where the film was shot, is thrilling, especially now that I know that the New Mexico Tourism office now offers tours of sites where movies and TV shows have been shot. www.newmexico.org/filmtrails is the new travel planning resource created by the state’s tourism department to help groups and individuals plan their itineraries around film history and lore. Filmmakers Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski chose New Mexico’s Rio Puerco as an authentic setting for their own version of a Wild West town. The movie’s thrilling train sequence in Cimarron Canyon was filmed near Angel Fire, N.M. For further information and a list of other films made in New Mexico, visit www.newmexico.org/filmtrails.

Fancy a train ride through East Anglia in the United Kingdom? If so, Read more

HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – JUNE, 2013

June 25, 2013/0 Comments/in • HOTEL HAPPENINGS /by Karen Kuzsel

Family fun in the Despicable Me Kids Suite at Portofino Bay Hotel

June: the time of replenishment, relaxation, and revving up for the (hopeful) onslaught of fall corporate business, unless you happen to be immersed in the tourism market or taking an overdue family vacation. For any, and all of the above, here are some deals to be done, places to ponder, and events to excite.

RESORTS AMP UP FUN FACTOR FOR FAMILIES

How cute are the new Despicable Me-themed kid suites at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando Resort? It was a no-brainer to renovate all 18 kid suites in time for occupancy on October 1. Holidays will fast approach. The Despicable Me 2 will have opened July 3, and Universal’s Despicable Me Minion Mayhem attraction has already proven to be a hit for the family. What fan of the animated movie wouldn’t love to sleep in missile beds on Minion-inspired bedding just like Gru’s three adopted girls: Margo, Edith and Agnes? The two-room suites keep the parents happy with a luxurious Italian design. Save 30% with the Stay More, Save More promotion. On-site hotel guests receive early park admission and free Universal Express Unlimited ride access. http://universalorlando.com/portofinobay; (888) 273-1311.

It’s going to be a happening summer in Central Florida. The theme park-aphile in me is ready to check out Busch Gardens’ annual Summer Nights programs, now through Aug. 18. (Hey… that’s my birthday. Wouldn’t that make an awesome birthday gift?) The event includes Cheetah Hunt (which I have yet to brave) with an after-dark twist, Kinetix music and acrobatics show on the Gwazi Park Stage, and the nightly fireworks finale. For a more “natural” adventure, you might want to get in on The Florida Aquarium’s Summer Fun Nights program. The mermaids do what mermaids do in a spectacular show, or you can hop aboard the Wild Dolphin Cruise for a sunset cruise. Love Lowry Park Zoo, especially now that summer hours go til 8 pm. The June 29 Read more

HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – (late) MAY, 2013

May 30, 2013/0 Comments/in • HOTEL HAPPENINGS /by Karen Kuzsel

WORLDLY ADVENTURES

luxury tented suites at Mahali Mzuri, which opens in August

You’ll need more than driving gloves, a good sense of direction, or a love for speed to compete in the annual off-road race held in the Kenyan bush or the world’s most challenging wheelbarrow race, held at Hell’s Gate National Park, Naivasha. The 25-year-old Rhino Charge, an off-road motorsport competition sponsored by The Rhino Ark Charitable Trust, has been raising money for conversation of Kenya’s Aberdare Ecosystem since 1989. The event is June 1. http://www.rhinocharge.co.ke/ The wheelbarrow race, June 7-8, raises funds for a new Kenya Wildlife Service Education Center. http://www.kws.org/info/events/2013/Details/26mayhellgate2013.html
If you haven’t visited Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows, CA in the past couple of years for top-notch winter sports, this may be the year to make it a planned vacation. The resort area is investing nearly $8 million in improvements this winter and next. The investment totals more than $46 million in year three of the resorts’ five-year, $70 million renaissance. Money is being poured into new snow cats for smoother, carve-able slopes, a new Wanderlust yoga studio, Spruce, a new home furnishings store, and comprehensive room renovations at The Village at Squaw Valley, as well as new on-mountain and valley signage for increased way-finding and accessibility. In the past two years, the base village was renovated with restaurants, bars and firepits. Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows Read more

HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – EARLY MAY, 2013

May 7, 2013/0 Comments/in • HOTEL HAPPENINGS /by Karen Kuzsel

NEWS UPDATE FROM Orlando that has me so excited I just had to share immediately. Rumors have been flying as steadily as quiddich broomsticks that an expansion of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter would occur inside the Universal Studios Florida theme park. Now it’s official. Universal Orlando Resort and Warner Bros. Entertainment are building Diagon Alley, set to open in 2014. It will earmark the world’s first centrally themed, multi-park experience. If you’re a fan of J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter series (as I am) and have been to the park (love, love, love it!), then you know the extreme detail and immersive authenticity that has been created. Diagon Alley will be no different. And just like in the movies and books, guests will be able to travel between ‘London’ and Hogsmeade aboard the Hogwarts Express. Now where did I put my cloak and wand?

The magic of Diagon Alley appears at Universal Orlando Florida theme park in 2014.

Summer’s coming to North America and Europe and with its imminent arrival comes the soft season discounts. I’m all for saving some of my stash on the upfront hotel costs so that I feel free to splurge on activities I may not find elsewhere. I’ve heard about some incredible deals, such as book two nights and get one free or book 5 nights and get two nights extra. At least 29 European countries are offering these savings. Here are just a few of the choices I found enticing.25Hours Hotel at MuseumsQuartier in Vienna, Austria: 219 rooms & suites. Located in the 7^th District, a progressive artsy area, the décor embodies a fantastical world of circus, spectacle and extravagance, with just a touch of madness. Hang out in the rooftop lounge or dine in the terraced restaurant that faces Wedhuberpark. There are meeting and convention facilities.

Hospes Palacio de los Patos in Granada, Spain: 32 double rooms, 10 suites including one Presidential Suite. The interfusion of Arabic influence and native Iberian tradition are apparent. Situated almost adjacent to the Puerta Real, Hospes Palacio de los Patos is an urban oasis housed in a reconstructed 19th-Century town palace. Designers retained the architectural beauty of original elements such as the grand staircase.

: Hotel Unique in São Paulo, Brazil stands out from the rest of the city

Hotel Unique in São Paulo, Brazil stands out from the rest of the city

Hotel Unique in São Paulo, Brazil: 85 rooms & 10 suites. Unique’s green copper façade alone makes this hotel stand out even in the upscale residential area of Jardins. Just meters from Ibirapuera Park, São Paulo’s largest green area, the building is dark glass and a desert garden of mini, sand-toned cubes of rock, palms and agaves. The lobby is illuminated with beige marble walls embellished by dramatic geometric themes in the décor, sleek white furnishings and transparent glass tables and fittings. City views from the rooftop terrace fascinate, but ooooh… that crimson red swimming pool is an eye-popper. www.designhotels.com/summerspecials

Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, the largest full-service beach-front resort on Northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast, is offering a VIP Passport Package for meeting planners organizing conferences, conventions or tradeshows. Bookings must be actualized August 1 through February 28, 2014. Room nights booked determines bonuses but check out some of the incentives.

* Three (3) percent rebate to the master account for guest rooms posted to the master account; Read more

HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – APRIL, 2013

April 19, 2013/0 Comments/in • HOTEL HAPPENINGS /by Karen Kuzsel

Hearst Castle pool looks down the valley to the ocean.

Today is one of those sticky humid days for which Florida is famous… or is that infamous? I’ve recently returned from a glorious vacation to the Central Coast region of California, where we imbibed in the riches of cuisine, wine and destinations for which that area is known. It was our first for many experiences in the Central Coast area as we usually roam the grape-vined hills of Sonoma and Napa. As I wanted to be in the moment, I chose to play tourist and not overburden myself with notebooks and scratched hasty words of reporter prose.

Nonetheless, when I do write about the experiences from a fond after-glow, you will hear about the Starlight Coastal train ride from Oakland to Santa Barbara (don’t wait… do it! Ask me about the roomette advantages), Cielito Restaurant in Santa Barbara and Novo Restaurant in San Luis Obispo, Hearst Castle, Sextant and Cypher Wineries (the latter was so amazing we actually became club members), and The Read more

HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – MARCH, 2013

March 23, 2013/2 Comments/in • HOTEL HAPPENINGS /by Karen Kuzsel

House Hotel Galatasaray is a 19th-century boutique hotel in Instanbul

When I was a child, my family travelled on a pretty regular basis. We moved on a fairly regular basis from one end of the country to the other, or from one country to another, depending on the whims of the Air Force, to which my dad belonged. I knew even then that our worldly adventures, geographical awareness, and exposure to many cultures was something to be relished like a fine wine paired with the right piece of cheese. My love for travel continues today, even when I find the vagaries of airline restrictions often inconvenient. I feel blessed to share travel opportunities with you. May you find the opportunity to pack your bags for an exciting learning and fun experience in the near future.
HOTELS & RESORTS
If you left your heart in San Francisco and are yearning to go back for it, the San Francisco Marriott Marquis would like to check out their $90 million redo of the lobby, meeting space, fitness center, Bin 55 Restaurant and Wine Bar, Mission Grill, Starbucks Cafe, second floor atrium, and all 1,499 rooms and suites. The 39-story Marquis lies next to the Moscone Convention Center and just steps away from Yerba Buena Gardens, renowned museums and cultural attractions, world-class shopping in Union Square, and AT&T Park — home of the San Francisco Giants. 415-896-1600 or www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/sfodt-san-francisco-marriott-marquis
If I can’t get to San Francisco (one of my favorite cities), then will someone please book me passage to Istanbul so I can stay at The House Hotel Galatasaray. This place looks stunning. Tucked away among the antique stores of Read more

HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – FEBRUARY, 2013

February 19, 2013/0 Comments/in • HOTEL HAPPENINGS /by Karen Kuzsel

The Thief… an upscale hotel in Oslo, Norway

No disrespect to Vicksburg, MS but I was more than surprised to learn it was named as one of the top 13 places to visit in 2013 by “AAA Southern Traveler” and “AAA Midwest Traveler.” Some of the other cities named were expected, such as Orlando (bring on the tourists, please), Ireland, San Francisco (always a favorite) and Las Vegas. Panama made the list. I just returned from a glorious press trip to Panama, so I can understand why this city is so intriguing. On that trip, we stayed at Trump Ocean Club (stunning architectural beauty surrounded by the Pacific Ocean) and visited hot spots like the Panama Canal (undergoing an impactful expansion) and the Frank Gehry Biodiversity Museum, which is so colourfully exquisite in both the architectural conception and what will be contained within, that I am sure when it opens later this year (keep your fingers crossed) the world will be beating a path to its door. More on Panama later… after I write my story for “Prevue Magazine.” Other destinations named in the top 13 to visit are Christchurch, New Zealand, Read more

HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – mid-JANUARY 2013

January 14, 2013/0 Comments/in • HOTEL HAPPENINGS /by Karen Kuzsel

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HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – JANUARY, 2013

January 3, 2013/0 Comments/in • HOTEL HAPPENINGS /by Karen Kuzsel

You can see forever from Scrub Island

The beginning of January is a lot like Spring cleaning. There’s a forced necessity to let go of the old to make room for the new. In the hospitality, meetings & events industries, January rushes at you like an Amtrak disgorged from the tracks. While you’re still purging old emails, there’s a plethora of conferences, association meetings you meant to attend last year and never found time for but this year is going to be different, and a reassessment of how to bring in more business in 2013. So, here’s my belated gift to you: some destinations you may want to travel to, hotels to book, and promotional offers that are enticing, whether you are a planner looking to bring your group or an individual seeking new experiences.It’s no surprise that millions of people around the world either travel to NY’s Times Square or watch on television the New Year’s Eve countdown to midnight. That iconic ball drop may be why New York City ranks number 1 as Americans’ most romantic holiday destination in December, at least according to a survey of 8,000 readers of destination-dating site, MissTravel.com. See if you are as surprised Read more