Las Vegas City Center Preparing to Open

www.citycenter.com

Scheduled to open this December, the CityCenter has been in the news all year. But what is it, and where will it be located?  Inquiring minds want to know right!  Well here is a little something for you to digest and get excited about.

The CityCenter sits on 67 acres between the Bellagio and Monte Carlo. Who knows where they found this space, but they are definitley using every bit of it. What we know is that the project is a joint venture between MGM Mirage and Infinity World Developement Corp., a subsidiary of Dubai World….go figure right.

There are three hotels: Vdara, Mandarin Oriental, and Aria.

Vdara (www.vdara.com) will be the first hotel to open on December 1. 1500 rooms with a large spa at 18,000 square feet with 11 treatment rooms!  Vdara will be signed as a non-gaming condo-hotel, which means all rooms will have kitchens. Rates will range from $159-$2000, not too shabby.

Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas (www.mandarinoriental.com/lasvegas) will open on December 4. This will be the brands first move to the Las Vegas market, and will be considered an ultra-luxe property. It will be a non-gaming hotel with 392 guest rooms and 227 residences with the lobby sitting on the 23rd floor (47 stories in all). Opening rates are running $545 per night.

Aria (www.arialasvegas) will be opening on December 16. This mega hotel resort will have more than 4,000 rooms and a huge casino. Aria will be considred the core of CityCenter.  Cirque du Soleil will have a musical production based on Elvis Presley’s life at the resort. Expect the technology at Aria to be nothing but the best. The hotel will also have a two-level spa with 62…..yes 62 treatment rooms!

Shopping at the CityCenter will have high-end brands such as Luis Vuitton, Hermes, Prada, Christian Dior and Bulgari. The retail complex Crystals will have more than 500,000 square feet of shopping and dining venues.

So that’s your little sneak peek into the Las Vegas CityCenter. To find out more, just come out to Vegas in December and experience it yourself, it should be swell!

[Photo: Inhabitat.com]

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It’s The Most Fetishy Time of the Year: Hard Rock’s Massive Halloween Ball

Where: 4455 Paradise Rd [map], 89109

Not in the mood to get married over Halloween in Vegas? Then the place to meet the scariest and sexiest singles of the night will be at the Hard Rock’s Fetish and Fantasy Halloween Ball which is now in its 14th year.

The party kicks off at 10pm inside The Joint and will take over the Hard Rock’s convention meeting space as well. Here’s what to expect:

Daring fire performers, incredible lasers and lights, world class DJ’s, vendors, two huge dance floors, stilt walkers, freaks, monsters, surprises around every corner, and you in your naughtiest, scariest, sexiest, and most creative costumes.

The costumes will put your sexy little fraulein outfits to shame. Think lots of leather, lots of skin and lots of freaky stuff happening. And don’t assume this is just for PYTs. No, no, this party actually draws quite a healthy bunch of middle-aged folk too. (Do what you will with this info.)

A bunch of DJs and sexy-named acts like the Pussy Posse, the Girls in Rubber, and the Chain Goddess will also perform. (Remember, this is also a fetish party too.) Tickets start at a hefty $75 a person and rooms at the Hard Rock are still open but for a whopping $419 on Saturday, October 31st. That Friday is a little more doable at $179 a night.

And we don’t need to remind you to wear a costume. If you think you’ll look goofy in a costume, you’re wrong. You’ll look goofy in your jeans and t-shirt at this party.  by juliana – VegasChatter

[Photo: HalloweenBall.com.]

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Get Your Tickets To The Playboy Mansion’s Halloween Party Now

Where: Los Angeles, CA, United States

Did you watch “The Girls Next Door” religiously back when Holly, Kendra and Bridget were running the Playboy Mansion? Are you in need of Halloween plans in the Los Angeles area? Look no further then the notorious Playboy Halloween Party, for which tickets have just gone on sale, costing about $1,000 each. You’ll be rolling up to party at the mansion of course, but no sleeping over; they’ve set up packages at the Hollywood Roosevelt for that, which is just as full of collagen and nudity anyways.

The official name of the party is the “Kandy Halloween Party at The Playboy Mansion,” since not only will the place be packed with dudes who shelled out the $1,000-$2,000 just for entrance, but also with Kandy models, Playboy bunnies, and “over 1,000 of the sexiest girls in the world.” That’s like paying $1-$2 each, just to be in their presence.

What costs $10,000, after the jump.

For some reason, we always thought that Playboy parties were mainly private affairs, with Hugh celebrating amongst his closest several thousand friends, but nope—any old schmuck with a large bank account can get in. Oh, and any old schmuck can do even better if he’s willing to part with $10,000 to have a table or cabana that evening. It will entitle the buyer to “free flowing bottle service, dedicated Kabana Girl, 2 bottles of Cristal, seating for 8-10, VIP Check-in, security and special Kandy surprises!”

So far, the only celebs we know who will be there are Flo Rida, who is performing, and good old Hugh Hefner, whose girls do the performing for him. They also promise robotic monsters, professional scare actors, expert set designers and lavish haunted décor, so long as you promise to get in the spirit of Halloween. Costumes are mandatory, and there’ll be no throwing on a Scream mask at the last minute; you’ve got to go whole-hog with your getup or face the wrath of the bunnies.

To book your tickets, head to their website at KandyHalloween.com, and enter VIP invitation code “TP3333,” which we hope gives you some fun benefits or something.  by JetSetCD – Jaunted

[Photo: nj.com]

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Chilean Luxury Hoteliering – W Hotel’s First South American Accomodations in Santiago

W Hotels will officially open their first property in South America (the W Hotel Santiago) on November 17, 2009.

The W Hotel Santiago is a modern take on the varied Chilean landscape by New York designer Tony Chi and Chilean designer Sergio Echeverria. Chilean exports such as copper, wine, and fruits and vegetables are incorporated into the design of the W Hotel Santiago to create an authentic sensory experience.

Inside W Hotel Santiago you’ll find Gerber Group hotspots Whiskey Blue and rooftop bar Red2 One as well as restaurants such as the Asian-inspired Osaka and modern French dining at NoSo and Terraza. The W Hotel Santiago also offers an intimate Tea Library, modern wine bar and WET, a heated rooftop pool on the 21st floor.  Via: Marissa Liu – HotHotelReviews

References: starwoodhotels, designscene.net

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The Top Three New York Fashion Week Hotels

New York City better get down on its knees and thank the hospitality gods for its good fortune this season. Although it’s been a year full of recession talk and an accompanying slide in room occupancy, the first cool breezes of autumn are blowing in the city’s favor, with both Fashion Week and the US Open rallying for the city’s tourism industry.

Over at our brother site, Jaunted, we’ve already rounded up the Top Three Hot Spots To Avoid During Fashion Week, and the movers and shakers of the international fashion industry have to sleep somewhere in between runway shows and parties. Thus, we’ll let you in on the Top Three Hotels For Fashion Week:

3. The Jane:
The Jane’s popularity might come as a surprise to those familiar with its itty-bitty $99 rooms and shared, down-the-hall bathrooms, but this hotel on West Side Highway makes our list simply for the celeb-spotting and schmoozing that goes on at its bar. It’s actually the former ballroom, and it’s furnished with a whole amalgamation of collected oddities from hotelier Sean MacPherson. Cynthia Rowley held her fashion show here last season, but this time around it’s the location for the after-party after the after-party.

2. The W Union Square:
You won’t find any parties or runway shows here, but you will hear the town cars being orders up by guests to get to these events. W Hotels are a huge sponsor of New York Fashion Week, and have hosted a backstage lounge in the tents at Bryant Park for the past several seasons. Ask you concierge for access, and you could be chilling with B-list celebs like Amanda Bynes and Solange Knowles in no time, not to mention noshing on Pop Burger sliders.

1. The Standard, duh:
There’s no competition here, what with the opening of the Standard Grill restaurants and the hotel’s proximity to the Meatpacking District events of Fashion’s Night Out tonight. In the lobby and in line for their table, you might run across the like of Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, Gwen Stefani, and Elle Creative Director, Joe Zee.  by JetSetCD – HotelChatter

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Four Seasons Launches Online Lifestyle Magazine

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is launching an online lifestyle magazine this week designed to “satiate the discerning traveler’s thirst for trusted, insider knowledge.” Part travel blog and part lifestyle e-zine with a bit of booking agent mixed in, FourSeasonsMagazine.com is a planning tool that “brings the destination expertise Four Seasons is known for to the web in an editorial travelogue format.” In addition to booking a stay, travelers can learn about exclusive experiences such as cactus planting adventures at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale in Arizona, destination “must dos” from a local celebrity such as fashion designer Trina Turk’s Los Angeles, and concierge recommendations including the hottest culinary “crawl” in San Francisco.  by Jared Paul Stern – Luxist

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The Hard Rock Cafe Is Now Open On The Strip

Where: 3771 Las Vegas Boulevard South [map], 89109

The new Hard Rock Cafe just a few days before opening.

Finally, there’s a way to enjoy the Hard Rock without actually having to schlep on down to Paradise Avenue and fight through the drunken partiers at the Hard Rock Hotel. The brand’s new Hard Rock Cafe opened on the Strip over the weekend.

We told you back in June, the cafe was getting close to completion and now, the three-story building–with its interactive 18-foot Rock Wall that allows folks to see every bit of Hard Rock rock n’ roll memorabilia and its Rock Shop, for folks who want to take more than just the iconic Hard Rock Cafe t-shirt home with them–is wide-open.

The 42,000-square foot flagship cafe features a 950-seat restaurant, live concert venue and the world’s largest Rock Shop complete with Hard Rock’s limited-edition merchandise. This is Hard Rock’s second cafe location in the Las Vegas market. The original Hard Rock Cafe Las Vegas at Hard Rock Hotel, located at 4475 Paradise Rd., remains open and will continue to provide Rock Star service for guests.

Meanwhile, the Hard Rock hotel just plunked down $48,000 at an auction in Australia for a white glove worn my Michael Jackson in the mid-1990s. No word on which place it will end up but we think the new Strip location might get more foot traffic.  by juliana – VegasChatter

[Photo: JohnJoh]

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Construction Has Begun on Drai’s Nightclub at The W Hollywood

Where: 6250 Hollywood Boulevard [map], Hollywood, CA, United States, 90028

Don’t worry. This is just a construction shot of Drai’s. It’s not the finished product.

As we eagerly await the opening of The W Hollywood on December 3, we’ve got word that construction on the hotel’s nightclub, Drai’s Hollywood–a spin-off of the legendary Las Vegas club–has begun. The club’s construction firm, R.D. Olson sent us this press release with some detes:

Drai’s Hollywood will include an intimate 2,331-square-foot VIP lounge on ground level with a private VIP entrance separate from the hotel’s public lobby entry; a 21,552-square-foot penthouse glassed-in bar on the 11th floor with a 1,000-square-foot open air balcony; and an adjacent 2,131-square-foot rooftop pool deck and bar. The total capacity of Drai’s Hollywood will be 792 occupants.

And perhaps to avoid the noise problem that has plagued the W Scottsdale, the 11th floor bar will be atop an “unusual insulated adjustable concrete slab.” Still, we’d be wary if we were one of the residents who live on the floor below.Interested in some nightclub construction shots? R.D Olson has set up a webcam of Drai’s construction. In the meantime, you can also become Drais friend on Facebook. But that doesn’t mean you’ll get VIP treatment when it opens.  by juliana – HotelChatter

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Back of the Envelope Travel Guide: Toronto International Film Festival

Where: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

This year’s Toronto International Film Festival is right around the corner, so it’s time to start thinking about what films to see, where to stay and where to go for celebrity gawking. This year’s roster includes Whip It, Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut, Up in the Air, starring George Clooney, and Precious, a smaller film with a couple of big names (Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry) appearing at the festival to back it.

Tickets for the fest, which runs from September 10th-19th, can be purchased via the festival’s box office in customized packages, pre-set packages or individually (single tickets go on sale September 4th at 7 am). If you’re heading north of the border for the red carpet festivities or just to watch them, we’ve got all the tips for where to stay and eat and what else to catch when you’re not asking for autographs.

Where to Stay:
The Fairmont Royal York has been a mainstay for celebrities and industry hot shots in town for TIFF. In honor of the festival, they are offering a special TIFF and the City package, which includes one night’s accommodation in a Fairmont Gold Room, deluxe continental breakfast in the Fairmont Gold Lounge, evening hors d’ oeuvres in the Fairmont Gold Lounge, two martinis in the Library Bar, one in-room On-Command movie, two Film Passes (up to 5 regular screenings each), TIFF guest swag bag, 2009 Program Book, the 2009 Official Film Schedule and two CN Tower Passes, all of which is presented to you by a private concierge upon your arrival. The package starts at $389—such a steal for all of this!

Where to Eat:
Pangaea Restaurant is one of the city’s celebrity hot spots during the festival; Bono and Diane Keaton have both been spotted here during recent fests. This posh restaurant has an incredible selection of teas from around the world and an equally impressive wine list, but their specialties are inventive entrees like the Ontario Lamb, a roasted loin of lamb with sautéed turnips, radish pods, baby carrots and fondant potatoes for $38.95, or the Wild Striped Bass served with ven roasted, braised pearl onion, sautéed fava beans, sweet peas, fennel and fresh herb beurre blanc which is also $38.95.

What Else To Do:
Its easy to get burned out on films during the festival with over 300 movies being screened at this year’s fest, ranging from local fare to big-name  blockbusters. It’s therefore a great idea to have something else planned while in Toronto that has nothing to do with cinema. Through January 3rd, the Royal Ontario Museum is featuring a special exhibit of the Dead Sea Scrolls that includes 17 scrolls, four of which have never been displayed before. The museum is open from 11am to 5:30pm on weekdays and between 10am and 5:30pm on weekends. You can buy advanced tickets online for $28.00.  by cmb

Jaunted – [Photo: Fest 21]

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The World’s First Armani Hotel – Dubai

Jetset to Dubai - SocialiteTravel.com

When and Where Will the World Gets Its First Armani Hotel?

Where: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

It’s been more than three years since Giorgio Armani announced his plans to open ten eponymous hotels and resorts, and yet the first one in Dubai hasn’t even secured an opening date. That’s what they get for starting with the world’s tallest structure, the notorious Burj Dubai, whose final height won’t even be released until the tower reaches completion in September of this year (it’s around 2,050 feet now).

Future Armani Hotel guests need not worry about vertigo, however, as the 160-room hotel will be situated in the first 37 stories, along with the Armani residences. Expected to open sometime in this first quarter of 2009, it will precede the other Armani Hotel under construction in Milan, to then be followed by London, New York, and the first resort in the collection.

Since just looking at pictures of the Burj give us the heebie-jeebies, especially this one and this one, we’re happy to report that the place will not be blinged-out like an evil headquarters. Instead, as Armani’s first residential endeavor, his furnishings line Armani Casa will outfit the hotel rooms and apartments in his trademark understated, refined luxury; there will be no Swarovski crystal-embedded faucets here. Giorgio explains his vision:

I want to share more than the expressions of personal spirit, taste and identity. Armani Hotels & Resorts will bring to life my dream of creating a complete lifestyle. I cannot think of a more energising prospect than the opportunity to bring my philosophy of style and design to a collection of resorts, hotels and residences.

 

The key word there is “taste.” In Dubai and even Milan, guests have plenty options for outrageous hotels, but Armani wants to attract based on aesthetic rather than logo. Once your curiosity about the tower draws you in, he’s hoping the unexpected comfort will keep you there and in his other hotels to come around the world.  Via: JetSetCD – Hotel Chatter

[Photo: The Red Pill]

Hot Links: Hotels in Dubai, Dubai Vacation Packages, International Flights to Dubai

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