Florida: Naples, The Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club, Sun, Sand and Sea

Florida: Naples, The Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club, Sun, Sand and Sea. Families looking for a carefree beach vacation experience where it is is easy to unwind, have fun and rejuvenate will find The Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club ideal. Sun, sand, golf, tennis and a spa plus a family friendly, attentive staff to take care of the details, sounds like the perfect family vacation recipe.

Resort: This 125-acre tropical beachfront resort in Southwest Florida is located in the heart of Olde Naples. Enjoy plenty of year-round sunshine, the warm gentle waters of the Gulf of Mexico, miles of white sand beaches, plus remarkable golf and tennis. We offer a selection of 318 guest rooms and suites, onsite championship golf, an award winning Tennis Center, large beachside swimming pool, complete fitness center and a world class spa. Plus for the benefit of guests we have four great restaurants, a sunset beach bar, and five retail shops.

Accommodations: One-bedroom suites offer spacious comfort for vacationing families, with separate living room, dining area and kitchen, which includes a microwave and refrigerator. Each suite includes all the same in-room amenities as our guest rooms 256 guest rooms - a mix of two double beds, two queen beds and king-bedded rooms. There are also 42 suites each with kitchenette, living room, bedroom, and refrigerator as well as 20 efficiencies each with bedroom, kitchenette with refrigerator and microwave. Room amenities include: color cable television, two telephones and voice mail, two data ports, wireless high speed internet access, refrigerator, shopper’s service, hair dryer, iron and ironing board, in-room safe and many with wet bars.

Activities: In addition to everything which goes with pristine white sand and the shimmering waters of the Gulf of Mexico, guests may enjoy pedal boats, kayaking, sailing a Hobie cat, volleyball or simply lie back and soak up the sun in a comfortable beach chair. Bonus points: Enjoying the heated beachfront pool is an important part of the first-class experience at the resort.

Go for tennis or golf. They offer private lessons or clinics for both adults and juniors under the direction of Chris Eddy, formerly ranked "Number One Women's 45 and Over Player in the State of Florida" by the USTA. If golf is your family thing this is the place. The championship par 72 golf course was built in the late 1920’s and is the oldest course in the Naples community. A beautiful new full-service pro shop and locker room facilities complement the overall golfing experience. Individual and group lessons are available through the golf school onsite. Practice facilities include: a warm-up range; a short game area; and, a 14,500 square foot putting green.

Only for kids. The resort’s “Beach Klub for Kids” entertains 5-12 year old kids daily with complimentary activities including; themed activities such as Pirates Day with buried treasure hunts, swimming, beach walks, movies, finger painting and great games all under the watchful eyes of our caring and energetic staff. A “kid’s night out” of dinner, movie and games is available Friday and Saturday evenings for a nominal charge. Teenage children are encouraged to meet others through volleyball tournaments, golf and tennis clinics and a host of other coordinated activities.

Value added: Complimentary Beach Klub 4 Kids daily (ages 5-12). Plus with this package you may enjoy afternoon tea & cookies daily at 4 pm; complimentary weekly golf clinic (Thursday's 10 am) and complimentary tour of the Resort's Orchid House (Tuesday's 10 am).

Discovery: The Naples Spa offers exceptional treatments, which have been cultivated for the purpose of heightening relaxation and beauty. Need to know: Guests ages 12 - 18 are welcome to participate in salon services when accompanied by an adult and guests 16 - 18 years of age are welcome to utilize the spa and fitness facilities and services, when accompanied by an adult. Bonus points: Enjoy yoga practice at the spa. They offer guests the practice of Kripalu Yoga; yoga dance for synchronization inner and outer energy; Yoga 4 Kids created for young guests to stretch, breathe and relax.

Here’s the deal. The resort’s “Family Fun Package” includes: deluxe or superior room accommodations for two nights; full breakfast buffet daily for two adults and up to two children (ages 12 and under); reserved beach chairs daily for two; sand pail kit for each child; complimentary morning activities in Beach Klub 4 Kids daily (ages 5-12); one extra hour of boat rental with one hour purchase; one extra hour of tennis play with one hour purchase; afternoon tea and cookies at 4 p.m. daily; complimentary weekly golf clinic; a tour of the resort’s Orchid House (on Tuesday mornings at 10 a.m.); nightly turndown service; and valet parking. The “Family Fun Package” is from $870 from December 22, 2007-April 6, 2008; from $670 from April 7-May 26, 2008; from $490 from May 27-September 30, 2008, or from $670 from October 1-December 21, 2008.

Location: The Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club 851 Gulf Shore Boulevard North, Naples, Florida 34102. Toll-free 1-800-455-1546, 1(239) 261-2222

Source : http://www.thefamilytravelfiles.com/

The Betsy Hotel

The Betsy stands out as the lone surviving ‘Colonial Masterpiece’ in an Art Deco-dominated neighbourhood on South Beach’s famed Ocean Drive. Pampering and comfort are unequalled with the assistance of the ‘Your Desires’ guest programme.

The Betsy is a sophisticated enclave reflecting impeccable service in an unpretentious environment. With stately lines marked by an expansive four-column front porch and rows of shutter-framed windows, it exemplifies refinement and style.

All 62 guest rooms and suites offer a welcoming, soothing canvas of understated elegance. Rich dark-wood floors highlight the hotel’s timeless, colonial style while infusing it with a relaxed contemporary feel. Guests receive private, personalised spa treatments at the lavish rooftop solarium, while admiring the stunning views of the Atlantic; alternatively, for a night to remember, the hotel’s B-4 Lounge is the ultra-VIP spot to begin an unforgettable evening.


Location

18kms from Miami International Airport.
Things to enjoy

Outdoor swimming pool, rooftop solarium, fitness centre, beach area, private massage treatments, VIP lounge.

Nearby: Beach activities, nightclubs, shopping, golf, museums, art galleries, helicopter and sea plane tours, fine dining, boating/yachting cruises, American Airlines Arena and Carnival Centre for the Performing Arts.
Attractions: Art Deco District, Lincoln Road, Star Island mansions, Miami Beach Convention Centre.

Source : http://www.slh.com/

Florida hotel added to Cipriani empire

The Cipriani empire of luxury hotels and exclusive restaurants is set to expand in the US, after the group completed the largest property deal in Miami over the past 12 months.

In the UK, the Cipriani name is best known for its upmarket restaurant in Mayfair, famed for celebrity clientele including David Beckham and Naomi Campbell. The restaurant's parent company, the Cipriani Group, runs eateries from Hong Kong to Buenos Aires.

At the end of December, a group of private investors teamed up with the company to buy the Saxony Hotel in South Beach, Miami. The deal, which has now been completed through a sale and leaseback venture, is understood to be worth about $250m (£127m). It was the largest property transaction in the city in the past year, according to sources close to the deal.

The hotel is now under renovation and will reopen at the end of next year as part of what will be called the Cipriani Ocean Resort and Club Residences.

The acquisition of the hotel was negotiated by Crédit des Alpes, a banking group that specialises in luxury hotel developments. It also holds a stake in Cipriani's Mayfair restaurant.

The Cipriani restaurant empire traces its roots back to an abandoned warehouse in Venice, Italy. It was there in 1932 that Giuseppe Cipriani opened Harry's Bar, whose patrons included Humphrey Bogart, Orson Welles and Truman Capote. The Cipriani Group is run by Giuseppe's son Arrigo and his grandson Giuseppe.

Source : http://www.independent.co.uk/

Florida Hotel Meth Lab Prompts Evacuations

A methamphetamine lab found inside a hotel room near Sea World prompted the evacuation of two floors late Monday, according to police.

Authorities responded to an anonymous call from inside the Extended Stay Hotel located at 6451 Weswood Blvd., and discovered a strong chemical odor coming from a fourth-floor room.

Guests from two floors of the hotel were immediately evacuated.

"They were talking about fumes and the floor below it and the entire floor up there," evacuated hotel guest Debbie Nixon said. "I'm asthmatic and there was a little girl staying a few doors down, that's dangerous."

Two people were arrested in connection with the discovery, police said.

Fire crews worked for seven hours to clean up the rooms before guests were allowed back inside the building.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is investigating the incident.

Source : http://cms.firehouse.com/

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.

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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/