Two Palm Beach County hotels earn five stars from Mobil

Looking for five-star lodging in South Florida?

Visit the Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach and Four Seasons Resort in Palm Beach County, according to the latest Mobil Travel Guide ratings issued Monday.

Only 41 hotels across the United States made Mobil's prestigious five-star list, with none in Miami-Dade or Broward counties. And no South Florida restaurants were among the 17 nationwide Mobil gave five stars. Many South Florida hotels earned four stars, however, including Broward County's new St. Regis Resort on Fort Lauderdale beach.

The four-star hotel list also includes Palm Beach County's The Breakers and in Miami-Dade County, the Fairmont Turnberry in Aventura; three Ritz-Carltons in Key Biscayne, Coconut Grove and South Beach; the Four Seasons and Mandarin Oriental in Miami; the Loews and Setai in Miami Beach; and the Trump Sonesta in Sunny Isles Beach. The Breakers, a Palm Beach landmark, lost its five-star rating in 2002 after six years.

Seven South Florida restaurants earned four stars: Palm Beach County's Cafe Boulud, The Restaurant and L'Escalier at The Breakers and Miami-Dade's Blue Door, Wish, Azul and La Palme D'Or. No restaurant earned the four-star rating in Broward.

Mobil said its ratings are based on more than 750 standardized criteria for hotels and more than 250 for restaurants. Rankings include a facility inspection that considers cleanliness, condition and location plus "an unannounced, undercover service evaluation." Inspectors look at such service details as whether they are greeted by a valet within 60 seconds upon arriving at a hotel or if they are offered a beverage within 60 seconds after being seated at a restaurant.

Mobil has been rating U.S. hotels and restaurants since 1958. Its recommendations carry weight for traveler's choices.

Its five-star picks in South Florida were unchanged from last year's list.

Source : http://www.sun-sentinel.com/

Luxury Hotels And Condo Hotels Around The World

There are many gorgeous Luxury Hotels and Condo hotels worldwide. Because most condo hotels are or were luxury hotels, you get outstanding amenities and spectacular views in wonderful locations.

The most recent innovations in the second home industry are the introduction and rapidly increasing popularity of luxury fractional real estate and the condominium hotel, two of the fastest growing segments of the real estate industry today. It has been noted that the luxury fractional or private residence club concept has become attractive because property values in popular resort areas has skyrocketed out of reach for all but the wealthiest buyers. Buyers benefit by owning a property in a luxury resort that they can use for themselves, and take advantage of the high level amenities.

Think of all those amenities you have when you go to a luxury resort. You get daily housekeeping as you would in a luxury hotel. Another factor to keep in mind, if you are buying the condo hotel as an investment, is that when you are reselling a condo hotel unit, you’re selling not only the actual unit but also the luxury lifestyle that comes with an amenity-filled, high-service property.

What could be more perfect that owning a luxury vacation home at a landmark resort and receiving rent revenue whenever you’re not using it? The properties are usually large, high-rise, luxury hotels operated by big names like Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, Sonesta, Starwood or Hilton.

After all, you have worked for an entire year, just to be able to afford a week of luxury and serenity. Most people do not mind splurging on a luxury villa, if they know that they can get everything else for a bargain.

If you plan on taking your pet with you, luxury hotels like the Ritz Carlton and Onyx will treat your pet like a king. First class service is the forte of a luxury hotel, so go ahead and indulge your senses.

Some of the luxury hotels in Boston are named as the most exclusive hotels in the world. A little farther away but within a ten-mile radius are The Hampton Inn, The Westin Hotel, Boston Harbor Hotel, Copley Plaza hotel, Radisson Hotel and The Ritz Carlton, one of the best known luxury hotels in Boston. So, when you want to live in the lap of luxury or in a relatively cheaper but comfortable accommodation, you will have a wide choice when choosing a hotel near Boston College.

A beautiful luxury hotel near Agra (the site of the Taj Mahal) is ideal for weddings. From the rich history of its palaces to the gorgeous landscaped gardens of the luxury hotel to the serenity of the floating palace on Ramgarh Lake…everywhere you look there is pink…the color of romance. If you are on a tour and are on the look out for unadulterated luxury, there are many hotels in India from which you can pick and choose.

There are also luxury accommodations in Blackpool, a coastal destination in the United Kingdom, for those looking for a fancier vacation. But book this early; they receive 4 million visitors yearly. One of them is a four star hotel in Blackpool overlooking the sea, Courtney’s of Gynn Square is a fine Victorian building amidst the beauty of Gynn Gardens, 20 minutes walk from the Tower and just 400 yards from Gynn Square tram stop. This lovely hotel still retains the glory of its past and offers all the modern facilities; Courtney’s is all you would expect from a hotel of this class.

When it’s time for your next vacation try out a Luxury Hotel, or if it’s time to make an investment in a property, think about the Condo Hotel for years of enjoyment and a source of income.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.

Source : http://www.ownahotelroom.org/

The Leopard Lounge has been selected to receive Wine Enthusiast Magazine�s 'Award of Distinction' for 2007

A jewel in the tiara on this exclusive, elegant resort island, The luxury 4 Star Chesterfield Palm Beach Hotel is a charming European-style boutique hotel ideally located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intercoastal Waterway, just two blocks from the exclusive shops of Worth Avenue, affectionately referred to as "a little bit of England in Palm Beach Florida".

Encapsulating all that is luxurious and relaxing, each of the guest rooms and deluxe suites at this Palm Beach Hotel are beautifully decorated with fine fabrics, furnishings, and tasteful antiques. Relax by day around the pool or in the hot tub, enjoy any of the many fun activities in the area or take traditional English afternoon tea in the wood-panelled Library. At night enjoy superb dining and dance to world-class entertainment in the renowned Leopard Lounge and Restaurant.

A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, The Chesterfield Palm Beach is located within easy reach of the West Palm Beach business district, City Place shopping and dining, Palm Beach Airport, local museums, theatres, and entertainment. It is also around a 1.5 hour drive South to Miami or even closer to see the Mets at their Spring training facility up North.

Source : http://www.chesterfieldpb.com/

South Beach Condo Hotel Options

So Many Options…

It’s true. If you’re in the market for a South Beach Condos, there are a variety of choices. A few years ago, condo purchases were generally limited to first-time buyers and single professionals. But now, as the baby boomer generation is nearing, or at, retirement age, they’re causing a shift in condominium perspective and development.

The baby boomers have driven housing markets for years. And this year is no exception. An unprecedented demand from the Baby Boom generation has sparked a condo craze in Miami’s South Beach area. As the demand for condos has increased, Developers discovered more and more creative ways to meet the demand. Branching out from the standard apartment-style condos, Developers are now offering hotel and/or resort-style living as well.

If you’re thinking about purchasing a South Beach Condo take a look at your options.

Option #1 – Standard South Beach Condo

Granted, they’re upscale condominiums with many of the same amenities of a resort or hotel. These are properties that were designed to be condos. Prices, of course, vary with location.
The Continuum

This gated community boasts 12 acres of beautiful property that includes fountains, pools, and gardens. The Continuum is 40 stories of condos with 10 ft ceilings and wrap-around balconies. Combine that with valet and concierge services, waiters and fitness trainers, exquisite views and a thousand feet of beach, and you’ve got resort-style living everyday!

There are 15 different floor plans to choose from, ranging in size from 1,200 sq. ft. to 4000 sq. ft. As a resident of the Continuum, you will enjoy door to ceiling sliding glass doors (that meet South Florida building code hurricane standards) that open up to your private balcony, imported marble, Kohler fixtures, whirlpools and more.

Surrounded by beautiful landscaping, the Continuum also has tennis courts, a private spa, pavilions, and four floors of fitness and treatment rooms.

Located at the Southern-most tip of South Beach, the Continuum puts you in the heart of the best that Miami and South Beach have to offer. Prices range from $1,000,000 to $15 million.
Icon

Located in the increasingly popular SoFi area, Icon’s 270 units offer the best of both worlds. World #1 is first class shopping and dining at places like Versace, Armani, Williams-Sonoma, China Grill, Nemo’s, and Smith & Wollensky. World #2 is the simple life. Sunsets on the Bay, moonlight walks on the beach, sunrises over the ocean, and calming tropical breezes.

Icon pampers it’s residents with amenities such as a Heath and Fitness Spa complete with sauna and steam room, a heated bay front lap pool, 24-hour complimentary valet parking, concierge services, housekeeping service, laundry and dry cleaning valet, and a resident café overlooking the bay. But the luxury doesn’t stop there! Each of Icon’s 1, 2, and 3 bedroom condos features a choice of either ocean or bay views, granite or marble kitchen countertops, imported European custom cabinets, 9’ high ceilings, walk-in closets, high speed internet service, and more.
The Setai

Over-sized balconies and unique floor plans make Setai condos worth seeing. The 40-story condominium tower features 175 residences, and unforgettable views of the ocean, South Beach, and the Miami skyline.
The Setai offers you the choice of one, two, and three bedroom units that range in size from 850 to 2,800 square feet. Six thousand square foot penthouses are also available and include private decks with lap pools. Condos are prices from approximately $2,000,000 to $25 million.

Located on the north end of South Beach, The Setai offers luxury, resort-style living, and stunning views. Just minutes away from the nightlife and fine dining of South Beach.
Option #2 South Beach Condo Conversions

With the rising popularity of condominium living, some Developers have opted for condo conversions rather than build a brand new property. Real Capital Analysts, Inc, a New York-based research firm, estimated that sales of condo conversions more than doubled last year, going from $11 billion in 2004 to approximately $28 billion in 2005.

Though these made not be as luxurious as “built from the ground up” condominiums, they are often given luxury upgrades such as stainless steel appliances, granite counter tops, and top of the line carpet, window treatments, and fixtures.

Condo Conversions are excellent for first-time buyers and single professionals.

The Flamingo South Beach is a prime example of why condo conversions are so successful and popular.

With 1,689 units in three towers, The Flamingo South Beach is set to become one of the largest condo conversions in Florida. Prices will range from the $200,000’s to the $700,000’s for these studio, one, two, and three bedroom units. Square footage ranges from 504 to over 2000 square feet.

Conveniently located just minutes from the McArthur and Venetian Causeways, The Flamingo South Beach views of the ocean and Biscayne Bay are spectacular.

Reservations for these units are expected to begin this month, with actual sales beginning in April.
Option #3 South Beach Condo Hotels

Last but not least, there is the most recent trend in condo living – the condo hotel.

Often managed by a well-known, well-respected hotel chain such as Hilton or Ritz-Carlton, condo hotels are popular among those who are looking for either a second home or a vacation home.
When you purchase a condo hotel, you have the option of participating in a rental program overseen by the in-house management company. If your unit is rented, the management company shares the income earned on your condo unit with you. In addition, the management company cleans and maintains your unit while you’re gone, alleviating the stress of finding someone reliable or having to return and do it yourself.

Unlike a time-share, where you’re buying a specific block of time, purchasing a unit in a condo hotel means that you can rent it out, stay in it, or sell at your own discretion.
W Condo Hotel – South Beach

A name that’s synonymous with chic, hip, and elegant.
Spacious rooms with modern design and décor put the W Condo Hotel in a class by itself.

When completed, the W South Beach will be 19 stories of 511 units designed and decorated by Yabu Pushelberg and Costas Kondylis of Kondylis & Partners. These units will look and feel like home. Studio, one, and two bedroom units, will range in size from 600 – 1200 sq. ft., and in price from $800,000 to $5 million.

Some amenities include: private beach access, two outdoor pools, wired and wireless business center, multi-lingual staff, foreign currency exchange, two gourmet restaurants, 24/7 room service, wellness spa.
The Tides

Purchased in 2004 by the Falor Companies, this elegant, art deco-style hotel is being converted to a condo hotel. It’s 10 stories and 45 units will undergo minor construction and updates, and are expected to be completed in the Spring. Suites will range in size from 539 to 667 sq. ft, and all of them will have ocean views. Prices will range from the $900,000’s to just over $1.1 million.

Billed as a “boutique hotel”, The Tides will offer the same luxury living as larger condo hotels, but in a more individualized and personal setting.
The Setai – South Beach

Part of the Setai Resort, the condo hotel offers eight stories of up to 1000 sq. ft. rooms, and access to all of the resort’s amenities.

The décor and attention to detail at the Setai are unparalleled. Three restaurants, 24/7 room service, state-of-the-art fitness center, pools, private yacht charters, a spa and more are available to all guests and residents. Combine the first-class amenities with spectacular views of the beach and the Miami skyline, modern art deco décor, and a first-class staff and you’ve got a home away from home.

Prices for these units will range from $800,000 to $3 million.

With over 14 years experience between the two, Paul and Carole have the knowledge and experience to help with all of your Miami real estate needs. Carole is a native of Miami Beach and Paul has made Miami home for the last 15 years. They have both seen and experienced the dramatic changes that have taken place in the Miami real estate market over the last several years. This knowledge of the real estate market makes them the perfect choice whether you are looking for a primary residence, second home, investment property or pre construction opportunities. With millions of dollars of closed transactions, they have the experience to avoid the pitfalls of buying and selling real estate.

Source : http://www.ownahotelroom.org

Endless Happiness At Beach Hotel Pattaya

Pattaya beach is really famous for tourists, not only for Thai travelers but also to people all over the world. Pattaya gain its reputation from the beauty of beaches as well as variety of beach activities. However, there are differences in terms of the style of travel of foreign traveler from different regions.

Firstly, we have to under stand the nature and characteristics of the travelers. As I am the person who is a tourist guide for almost 10 years and working in Pattaya and many part of the country. The difference of the tourist behaviour sometimes depends on the region that they come from. For example, travelers from USA and Europe are likely to prefer relaxing trip rather than sight seeing trip or joining many kind of activities. This is also depends on the climate of each region that they come from, for the one comes from the region that has long winter, they intend to relax with some countries in tropical zone like Indonesia (Bali), Thailand and so on. Mean while tourists from other country like Asia seem to enjoy activities rather lying on the beach and pleasure with sunbath.

The number of foreign tourists from western region who visited Pattaya city reaches million per year. According to this reason, many of hotels and resorts in Pattaya city have to provide excellent services to attract guest from this regions in order to survive in this very competitive market.

Beach hotel means the hotel that located close to the beach or have its own private beach to provide service to guests. It is the top priority for foreign travelers to look for hotel accommodation that has private beach for them to relax. Fortunately, there are quite number of luxurious five stars hotel in Pattaya which has private beach to ensure that guests are able to enjoy holiday.

However, in general, these hotels have online booking system of their own as well as having deals with travel agent or online hotel booking websites. However, for travelers who have to plan the trip in advance, they have to book for accommodation through local travel agent or make hotel reservation through websites. And the fact is that it is really important for them to make sure, if they want to book for hotel where they can relax on the private and cosy beach, they have to see the picture of the accommodation and the beach that the hotel has. This is because sometimes there is misunderstanding of the location and condition of the hotel.

As long as online booking system does not provide complete visual of the hotel, especially for the small hotel booking websites which usually provide basic pictures of accommodation and sometimes they are out of date. Therefore, you as a traveler may have to visit the hotel official websites to see the complete pictures of the hotel before you make decision to make a reservation. Also, if possible you may have to call the hotel to check the room availability especially if you plan to go during high season, which is about December to April.

Source : http://www.isnare.com/

Art Basel Miami Beach: Fashion begins its move into the art world

Fashion is a stepchild, in photography no less than in other areas of the culture. The reach of the imagery it produces influences everything from trash television to presidential campaigns. Yet the slick work cranked out by the fashion machine is rarely taken seriously.

Museums relegate fashion picture shows to their basements. Art galleries disdain fashion photographs as work for hire. Auction houses have historically tended to accord fashion images second-class status, sneaking a few first-rate fashion pictures into sales of photography's certified masters. It's not hard to fathom why friction exists between practitioners of fine art and fashion photography. For every self-styled Cindy Sherman hoping to hit it big in the gallery world, there are scores of competent but doubtless overpaid journeymen (fees of $100,000 a day are not rare for top fashion photographers) toiling in advertising's lucrative fields.

"For a long time in the quote unquote fine arts world, fashion was a dirty word," said Joshua Holdeman, international director of the photography department at Christie's. "We're far enough away from the work now," he added, referring to the early examples from the canon, "to realize it is a valuable cultural product that belongs in the pantheon of art history."

Signs of this seem to be everywhere. Last January, a show of pictures by five important contemporary fashion photographers was mounted at the National Portrait Gallery in London. Designating 2009 as the Year of Fashion, the International Center of Photography in New York recently announced an ambitious roster of shows celebrating the fashion image, beginning with a survey of contemporary work, moving through a retrospective of fashion images by Edward Steichen and Richard Avedon, and closing with the third ICP Triennial, whose theme will be the cultural ubiquitousness of fashion imagery.

And this week, fashion photography makes its debut at Art Basel Miami Beach, the annual trade fair that is to the art world what the Coachella festival in Southern California is to indie rock. In Fashion '07, an assembly of 20 contemporary photographers brought together by Marion de Beaupre, a curator and author, opened Dec. 2 at the Surfcomber Hotel. Part survey and part marketing trial balloon, the show also tests the premise that the traditional borders between fine and commercial art are now permeable.

"As the market becomes so broad and there are so many people who have the means to collect," fashion pictures have been upgraded both critically and in the marketplace, Holdeman said. "The imagery is easy to approach and accessible in price," he added, although accessible in this case may be a relative term. Prices for images by photographers like Serge Lutens, Max Vadukul and Willy Vanderperre are modest by Art Basel Miami Beach standards (generally under $10,000). But the Irving Penn platinum print a farseeing collector might have picked up at auction 10 years ago for under $8,000 would now command $350,000, Holdeman said.

A paradoxical dimension of the current lively interest in the field is that the innovative spirit and visual daring of the late '90s — when many photographers were mining their personal lives as well as the weirder byways of pop culture, including pornography, and were also eschewing technological wizardry in favor of raw emotional response — appears to have gone into retreat.

Some in the industry point to the economy and the conservative tenor of most mainstream fashion magazines to explain this development. Some claim that a backlash against images condemned (by Bill Clinton, among others) for glorifying "heroin chic" in the mid-90s resulted in self-chastening throughout the industry.

Many note that the marquee names of the moment were already the establishment a decade ago. Where is the generation that ought by now to have supplanted stars like Jean-Baptiste Mondino, Ellen von Unwerth, Mario Testino or Nick McKnight? Who knows?

"It's obviously a complicated issue," said Dennis Freedman, the creative director of W magazine, perhaps the most visually daring of mainstream American fashion publications. "There are many photographers working today who have a lot to say, who have points of view, who have a voice that's intelligent and considered," he added. "Unfortunately within the fashion world there aren't enough opportunities to create that meaningful work."

True, there was a period within the last decade, said Vince Aletti, a photography critic for The New Yorker and adjunct curator at the International Center of Photography, "when every time I went to look at a fashion magazine, I was psyched." At the moment, he added, "there is not much to jump out of your seat about."

There is little around quite as startling as the "Fight Club" pictorial that Steven Klein photographed for W, in which Brad Pitt posed covered with sweat and grime and so little else that the magazine's caption writers were taxed. There is little that seems so controversial as Klein's pictures of Justin Timberlake, which appeared just after 9/11, images whose borders were singed and whose pretty boy subject was shown with his nose caked in blood.

Even Klein's pictures of a compulsive exhibitionist like Madonna, posed atop a table with her foot behind her head and her crotch thrust toward the viewer, seems to belong to another, more provocative time.

"The entirety of that Madonna sitting was very dark," Aletti said. "And it couldn't have been further from the classicism and clean lines of Beaton and Horst."

Like the 20 photographers whose work is on view in Miami Beach, Klein sometimes gives the impression that he consults fashion history only rarely and cares little or nothing about clothes. This is illusion, of course, but one that de Beaupre, the curator of In Fashion '07, said helped set terms for a new kind of photographic engagement with the business of selling garments.

With the notable exception of Steven Meisel, whose work mines an obsession with fashion's back pages, most fashion photographers of recent years have made it clear that their concerns lie mainly in "material that has nothing to do with the history of fashion," as Aletti said.

Enmeshed in both fashion's past and the cultural present, Meisel exploits an unabashed affection for fashion's surface obsession while simultaneously devising a sly form of cultural critique. "I don't know whether a term like avant-garde works in this case," Aletti said. "But, like a lot of people over the past few years, Meisel is really trying to do something creative and risky. He's really pushing photography."

Whether or not by intention, he is helping propel fashion photographs in the direction of art and in the process creating an alluring hybrid, one that sometimes supports an aesthetics of glamour and just as often parodies it. "Fashion photography now is not about fashion alone," de Beaupre said. "The material is of interest now because there is this strong creative and personal language," de Beaupre said, "that belongs very much to our times."

Source : http://www.iht.com/

Beach Hotels- Cocoa Beach

Just six miles long and barely one mile wide this is a unique place which offers fun on every square inch of its existence. If you don?t believe this and your only appeal is a 20 mile long beach you are welcome to Cocoa Beach to change your perspective. More fun you can make you from this place and that too within your budget than any other beach. Cocoa beach is really different and fun packed holiday destination.

The Cocoa beach is popularly known as the quintessential beach town. As an all year popular tourist destination, Cocoa beach offer many options for the tourists. One of the more affordable vacation spots in all of Florida, there is never a lack of exciting things to do and see in and around Cocoa Beach. One of the attractions in Cocoa beach is the warmth of sun which can be had for most part of the year. It is also the space coast of Florida with the Kennedy Space Center which is quite busy with space activities, and you may get lucky enough to see the shuttle lift off. Besides lazing around on the beach, while on the Space Coast you can go deep sea fishing or parasailing, try your luck aboard a casino cruise ship, or take a river tour to get up close and personal with Florida's awesome wildlife.

You can visit the Kennedy Space Center, or the Brevard Zoo, then spend time doing some exciting shopping or golfing. You can enjoy the life in Cocoa beach by driving around in the country side or enjoy the exciting nightlife offered by the beach.

The crucial part while holidaying to any location is the connectivity to other regions. This is also a part where Cocoa beach can score the points. It is well and conveniently connected with all the means of transports. You can take a flight to Cocoa beach from any place or go for a little more than an hours drive from east of Orlando, Florida. A quite number of budget hotels can be located in the heart of the city which can make your stay convenient. The bookings should be made well in advance as Cocoa beach experiences loads of tourists all year round. Some of the regular facilities offered by the hotels in Cocoa beach include air conditioned rooms, car rentals, airport pick and drop facilities, swimming pools, health clubs, spas, restaurants etc. The restaurants here offer several delicacies including continental food which you will find relishing and admired by your taste buds. Some of them are located on the beach itself and provide a fabulous view in the evening.

Above all, there are a great deal of good hotels, resorts, motels and many other exciting places where you can not only stay but enjoy the beautiful nature which surrounds you. The hotels in Cocoa beach serve the delicacies which at sometimes you may find more tempting than the site seeing. Most of the hotels offer good deals wherein you can stick to your budget while surrendering yourselves to the temptations. The after effect of such surrender is a wonderful experience of lifetime which surely prepares you for the hectic schedules back home. So what are you waiting for? It?s your call, pack your bags and book the tickets for Cocoa beach is waiting for you. The land full of exciting promises is waiting for your arrival to embrace you in its cozy surroundings. Don?t miss the bus of a lifetime experience.

Source : http://www.kiloarticles.com/