Paris Hilton All Up In Your Eyes at The Hard Rock This Friday

Where: Las Vegas

Paris Hilton apparently has a sunglass line and she will be debuting it this Friday at The Hard Rock from 8pm to 10pm at the pool. The shindig is officially called, “Paris Hilton Fashion Show and VIP Cocktail.” Sorry but not even “VIP Cocktails” (whatever that is) could get us to party with Paris. But we are whores for free shades. Early birds will get Paris Hilton sunglasses for free.  by juliana – VegasChatter

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The Ivy Hotel’s Ultra Lounge Turns into a Wine Bar

Where: 600 F St. [map], San Diego, CA, United States, 92101

San Diego’s Ivy Hotel will unveil a new Ultra Lounge and Wine Bar on Oct. 1 to give you more and cheaper options to get tipsy off of vino.

Although the hotel’s been promoting the “new Ultra Lounge and Wine Bar,” it’s not so much “new” as it is a shift in focus to wines. The Ultra Lounge didn’t close for renovations or anything. Instead, 20 new WineStations were installed along orange walls in the ground-floor lounge.

The WineStations will pour 80 wines by the glass, allowing you three ways to get drunky-drunk: You can order “taste” portions at 1.5 oz. each, “half” glasses at 4 oz. and “full” glasses at 6 oz. Prices range from $1.76 for a taste of the 2007 Williamette Valley Riesling to a full glass of the 2004 Opus One for $28.47.

The taste option will allow oenophiles on a budget to sample some rare vintages for cheap, which is a departure for the luxury hotel, whose rooms run around $200 a night.

But don’t get too plastered because the WineStations are self-serve and you don’t want to embarrass yourself by making a mess when going up for your sixth round. To operate the interactive machines, you have to buy a SmartCard, a pre-paid debit card, from the staff and then simply press a button on the WineStation and swipe your card.

The wine-happy new Ultra Lounge and Wine Bar will be open Sunday to Wednesday from 1 p.m. to midnight, and Thursday to Saturday from 1 to 9 p.m. If a 9 p.m. closing time gives you a buzzkill, bring the party to Envy, the Gaslamp hotel’s four-story bumpin’ club, or the popular rooftop lounging area, both of which close at 2 a.m. Thursday to Saturday.

[Photo: Envy at Ivy's MySpace]

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Greenbrier Plans Casinos, Luxury Train

I came across an intriguing update on the Greenbrier hotel. The luxury hotel in West Virginia has had quite a tumultuous year but new owner Jim Justice some big plans for the resort. During an interview on “Decision Makers,” a public affairs program on West Virginia Media television stations, he said that he wants to offer luxury train trips from Washington, D.C., to the Greenbrier. This is no quick jaunt, the trip takes five hours and 15 minutes but it would pass through some incredibly beautiful mountainous terrain and could heighten that feeling of stepping into another world that occurs when arriving at the Greenbrier.

Justice’s plan is to create the “Greenbrier Express” which would be a a 210-passenger train with the luxuriously old-fashioned style of the resort. Passengers would board at Union Station in D.C. and once they arrived in Greenbrier County, they would be taken via horse-drawn carriage to the resort. Justice would like to use a passenger train which has the last steam engine manufactured in America and can hold up to 210 passengers.

He hopes to have the train up and running by next summer. He is also working on plans for a $25 million, 75,000-square-foot casino. The smaller Tavern Casino will open on October 1,and will offer table games, including blackjack, roulette and three card poker as well as slot machines. The Casino at The Greenbrier will open next April and have a Monte Carlo-style casino, as well as retail and dining areas in an underground complex. Champagne will be passed nightly at 8:00 p.m., offering a toast of luck to all guests.  by Deidre Woollard – Luxist

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Thanks to Facebook, We Get a Sneak Peek at the W Barcelona

There are still six days to go till it opens, but the folk at W Barcelona have stuck up some sneak peek photos on their Facebook page. The teases!

Up top is the the sundeck at the Altitude Terrace. Then there’s the WET Deck (loving the water all over the place)

The gym – yep, we’d work out here.

And a corner suite. No complaints there, either.

We’re not so keen on the corridors, which look a little institutional:

But if you’re only disliking the corridors, you’re going pretty good. You know how we were saying yesterday that the prices (EUR280/$414/£255) were pretty hefty? Well we still think they are. But we’re coming round to them. A little bit.  by juliab – HotelChatter

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Grand Opening of Casa Nikki Panama

For RSVP or for more Information:

Please email: reservations.panama@nikkibeach.com, or call +507 302-6830

www.nikkibeach.com

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Hide Away from the Pool Party Scene in a Cabana

Cabanas at the Hard Rock (taken on a Tuesday morning.)

It’s no secret that Las Vegas pools are great for sunbathing, people-watching and (naturally) getting drunk in a chaise lounge. The downside: the places can be dirty madhouses, especially when the pool party scene is in full effect.

But that’s precisely what makes pool cabanas such a sensible choice. Though the pool party scene is winding down, these canvas “rooms” are still the ultimate choice for relaxing poolside. Besides, you didn’t escape the cold weather

For no more than a total of $400 a day (or no more than $200 for a half-day), you and your posse can luxuriate in the privacy of your own little fiefdom. Depending on how many people you’ve got, the cabana likely won’t cost more than $45 or $60 per person.

Most cabanas include a flat-screen television, house telephone, safe, a refrigerator stocked with non-alcoholic drinks and seating for six. On weekends, many also include complimentary snacks, such as fresh fruit or chips.

During a recent visit, we camped out with five friends in a cabana at the brand-new Garden of the Gods pool oasis at Caesars Palace. Over the course of the afternoon, we used the canvas hut to sleep, sunbathe, eat lunch and watch college football.

The cost: Roughly $50 per person.

Other Strip cabanas worth exploring are those on the pool deck at the Palazzo, the ones surrounding the dumbbell-shaped pool at Wynn, and the new swanky offerings at Tao Beach in the Venetian.

In Summerlin, the cabanas at Red Rock Casino Resort also are worth a try, especially if you like a more quiet an intimate pool experience overall.

Wherever you reserve your cabana, keep in mind the following pointers:

· Most cabanas do not include a restocking fee to restock the fridge after you leave. This is usually about $25.
· Gratuities for servers are included with cabana service, but tips for the cabana host are not (and are usually expected).
· The safe is there for a reason—use it or your buzz will be killed by theft.  by Whalehead – VegasChatter

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Roman Abramovitch Lives The Perfect Vacation On A $90 Million Dollar Chunk Of St. Bart’s

Why is it that Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich consistently steals our hopes and dreams and lives them out? The man purchased a $500 million property in the south of France, built himself two mega-yachts with innovative anti-pirate defenses, and he’s even got another yacht on the way. That’s why, with all these playthings already and the fact there’s not enough time in a year to enjoy them, we’re a bit miffed that he would go snatch up a prime chunk of the ritzy Caribbean island of St. Barts for himself.

Roman bought the 70-acre property, with a full beach and Balinese bungalows, for a cool $90 million. If he only spent one weekend in one of his two Colorado ski-in, ski-out properties (um, in July) last year, then when will he find the time to vacation in the Caribbean? Perhaps it’s just a parking space for his three-plus boats?

Forget winning the MegaMillions lottery or working all your life for a quiet retirement full of all-inclusive vacations; it sounds like the best job in the world is to be Abramovich’s pool boy. We volunteer; we’ll even throw in scrubbing barnacles off of his boats. If Abramovich is going to set up shop on a hefty piece of land on one of the world’s most expensive islands, then the least he can do is hire some people who will whistle while they work. Roman, call us. by JetSetCD – Jaunted

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Kempinski To Drop Some Bling On Croatia

Where: Alberi 300 A, Savudrija, Croatia, 52475

For a good few years, now, everyone’s been banging on about Croatia being the hot new Med destination. And now it’s got the Kempinksi seal of approval too – they’ve just opened the Kempinksi Hotel Adriatic on the Istrian peninsula in the north of the country as their latest pin on the board of world domination.

We approve of the choice of location – Istria (the closest bit to Italy) isn’t the most obviously touristy bit of Croatia, so presumably that will make for a nice feeling of isolation in your luxury. We also approve of the price – rooms start at €200 ($293 or £175), which isn’t bad compared to some of their properties – especially considering it’s a seaside resort.

The “seaside” bit sounds pretty fly, too – on a clear day, they reckon you can see Venice (only minus the hordes and the smell) across the water. Plus, you’ve got your free wifi, Bang & Olufsen TVs and three restaurants to choose from.

There you go – Croatia’s all blinged up. Definitely no excuse for not going now.  by juliab – HotelChatter

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The Park Hyatt Experience

Luxury is personal at Park Hyatt Hotels. With premier destinations from Chicago to Goa, the Park Hyatt Hotels know how to pick the most prestigious avenues in the world!

Park Hyatt provides an unparalleled experience of elegant, contemporary luxury. Distinguished guests of Park Hyatt receive highly attentive personal service in an intimate and refined environment. Located in many of the world’s premier cities and select resort destinations, each Park Hyatt is custom designed to combine understated sophistication with distinctive regional character.

From the exquisitely appointed guestrooms to the critically acclaimed art program to the signature restaurants featuring award-winning chefs, every detail of the stay experience is thoughtfully and impeccably executed. Park Hyatt hotels serve discerning, affluent individual business and leisure guests and are gracious settings for social events and small group meetings.

Isn’t it time to get pampered?  We think so =)

References: Park Hyatt Hotels

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Nikki Beach Turks and Caicos Closes

Say farewell to another luxury resort. Leeward Resort Ltd. the owner of the Nikki Beach Resort & Spa in Turks and Caicos, has been placed into receivership. The resort, which offered 48 rooms and suites with luxury amenities, has been closed after being open less than two years. The Nikki Beach brand remains afloat with resorts around the world including Miami, New York and Thailand. The British Caribbean Bank will manage the 430-acre resort and 110-slip mega-yacht marina and is hoping for a buyer. Since the Four Seasons Exuma was recently snapped up by Sandals there’s reason to believe that their might be another hotel company willing to make a deal and pick up a resort which has been widely regarded as one of most exclusive in the Caribbean. Expansion plans for the resort had included condominiums, a spa, casino and new restaurants.  by Deidre Woollard – Luxist

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