Hutton Hotel, in Nashville, honored as member of "The Leading Hotels in the World"

Hutton Hotel, a new four-star independent luxury hotel set to open on West End in January 2009, has been honored as a member of the world's most prestigious collection of luxury hotels: The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd.

"Achieving this status of The Leading Hotels of the World is a great honor, establishing Hutton Hotel as one of the finest hotels in the world," said Steven Andre, General Manager of Hutton Hotel. "We are delighted to be among a superior class of hotels and resorts that share our distinction and level of service."

Providing a fresh new alternative to downtown, Hutton Hotel is situated on West End, boasting an ideal balance of elegance and comfort. This independent luxury hotel houses innovative technology and sustainability features throughout paired with custom-designed finishes and amenities keeping business and weekend guests in mind.

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In downtown Nashville, it is round 2 in the battle of the new luxury hotel versus the honky-tonks

By Chas Sisk
Staff Writer for the Tennessean

A Colorado developer has revived plans for a controversial hotel on Lower Broadway, but historical preservationists are gearing up to fight the project a second time in a bid to protect Nashville's honky-tonk row from what they see as a 21st century intrusion.

Sage Hospitality Resources, a Denver hotel firm, wants to build a luxury hotel between Second and Third avenues and has been meeting with city officials to seek support for a revised design that would be simpler and as much as 20 feet shorter than previous ones, while adding as many as 100 more hotel rooms.
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Originally, Sage and Barber wanted a 19-story hotel with 375 rooms and 48 upscale condos. The hotel would be branded as a Westin, the developer said.

The idea drew support from many downtown business owners, who believed a hotel would give an economic boost to the area, but opponents, led by the historical commission and the staff of the Metro Planning Department, said the tower would be out of place.

Read the entire article in the Tennessean.

Over-the-Top Penthouse Suites

The pinnacle of luxury, these lofty suites are enjoyed by top international business leaders - dignitaries and diplomats, entertainment industry moguls, celebrities, high-rollers and jetsetters living the high life...



INTERCONTINENTAL HONG KONG is internationally acclaimed as one of the world's top hotels for business and leisure, with its unique Kowloon waterfront location, offering unrivalled views of Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong Island, and world-class service and facilities.

The Presidential Penthouse Suite has a Duplex living room with 2-story plate-glass windows showcasing the hotel's panoramic views. Most spectacular is the suite's expansive, 2500-square-foot wrap-around terrace with a rooftop infinity swimming pool and Jacuzzi overlooking the harbour.

The dining room, master bedroom and bathroom and private gym also have panoramic harbour views. The suite is inclusive of 24-hour personal butler service, roundtrip airport limousine service by guests' choice of Phantom VI Rolls Royce, Bentley or Mercedes limousine, plus access to Club InterContinental (Executive Lounge), wireless high speed broadband internet access and personalized concierge services.



FOUR SEASONS HOTEL NEW YORK rises 52 floors over Manhattan's premier shopping and business district, between Park and Madison Avenues. Designed by I.M. Pei, the hotel features stunning views and gracious style. The Ty Warner Penthouse occupies the entire top floor of the hotel and features a 360-degree view of the city, including the skyline and Central Park.

Guests of the penthouse have unlimited use of a chauffeured Rolls Royce or Maybach, a 24-hour-a-day personal assistant, a personal trainer and full spa treatments. Accessed by a private elevator, the 4,300-square-foot penthouse with 25-foot cathedral ceilings consists of a library, living room, master bedroom, a fitness/spa room, an indoor Zen garden with a continuous waterfall, a breakfast room, and four glassed-in balconies.

Highlights of the marble bathroom include a chromatherapy feature in the infinity edge bathtub, which changes the color of the water overlooking the skyline.



THE RALEIGH - MIAMI Situated majestically on the oceanfront in the heart of Miami’s South Beach, The Raleigh hotel is a masterpiece of Art Deco grandeur with a thoroughly modern sensibility. Sister hotel to Hollywood’s famed Chateau Marmont and The Mercer in New York, this classic luxury boutique hotel in South Beach has undergone a thoughtful renovation by hotelier André Balazs.

A consummate mix of style and understatement, of elegance and comfort, of glamour and warmth, The Raleigh is a jewel amid one of the world’s most lively and energizing cities. The duplex Penthouse at The Raleigh hotel is simply extraordinary. Bathed in 360 degrees of sunlight, this 6,000-square foot temple affords unparalleled views of the Atlantic Ocean and the city of Miami Beach buzzing at night.

With secure key-only elevator access, the Penthouse boasts a huge living room, three individually appointed bedrooms, each with their own private terrace and outdoor shower, as well as nearly 2,000 square feet of oceanfront terracing and a rooftop fountain.



COPACABANA PALACE - RIO DE JANEIRO is South America's most famous hotel, located right on Copacabana Beach. The Copacabana Palace and has welcomed the rich and famous since 1923. The thrill of Rio de Janeiro is a physical one -- drama is built into the landscape, with Sugarloaf Mountain rearing up behind the Atlantic coastline, and the iconic statue of Christ the Redeemer surveying the scene.

At the end of a busy day, what could be more relaxing than retiring to one of the Copacabana Palace's stunning Penthouse suites. The oversized suites, which are located on the 6th floor, measure more than 100 square metres. The suites, which have been decorated with works of art, exotic carpets and French fabrics, are the ultimate in luxury and sophistication. Suites can be joined to provide up to 220 square metres of space.

Features include: Large balcony facing Copacabana Beach, King bedroom and all-marble bathroom, large and sumptuously decorated living room, Butler service, wet bar, VCR and CD, Stunning rooftop swimming pool exclusive to Penthouse Suites and more special amenities.

Read the entire article in 4Hoteliers.

Housekeepers say luxury hotel beds a pain

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -

Those heavenly beds in luxury hotels may give people a great night's sleep. But how would it feel to lift the 100-pound (45-kg) mattresses and change the sheets 16 times a day?

Housekeepers at the Los Angeles Airport Hilton have scored a big win as they struggle with back and knee injuries exacerbated by making heavier beds with upscale linens, comforters and cushions that can weigh up to 16 pounds (7 kg) per bed, occupational safety activists said on Thursday.

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health fined the privately owned hotel $14,425 for violating repetitive motion injury standards and other hazards.

The activists say the citation, issued October 30, is the first against the U.S. hotel industry for repetitive motion injuries.

A spokesman said the hotel would appeal the citation but welcomed the findings of the six-month probe and would use them to improve its safety program, which includes stretching exercises to help housekeepers warm up and avoid injuries.

Housekeepers at the LAX Hilton and the Southern California Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health filed a complaint in May.

Read the entire story at Reuters.

A Night in the Hermitage Hotel by Deep Fried Kudzu

Room:
The room was a nice size; it featured an armoire for the television and minibar, a desk with internet access, a sitting area, and a very nice bathroom with double sinks, a glass-enclosed shower, nice-size bathtub, and the commode area was enclosed. The bath products - soaps, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and gel - were from Molton Brown (we liked the Molton Brown shampoo so much that we bought a bottle of it from the shop downstairs). The room's overall decor was very nice, and very comfortable. Robes were provided. Our room rate included the cost of breakfast the next morning. It was a **great** value. The Hermitage is Tennessee's only AAA 5* hotel recipient.

Service:
The service was Fantastic. The bellman, Frederick, took us on a little tour, and made it a point to let us know what he suggested to have for supper, what the hours were of the little shop (but also said that since we were guests of the hotel that no matter what time it was, we could have anything we wanted - uh, you don't hear that very much), and that we would be 100% taken care of the whole time we were at the property. Turn-down service included cookies, ice, slippers, and bottles of water. The check-in was nice, the concierge let us know that he would arrange anything in the world we wanted, and when we left the valet was prompt and let us know just how much they appreciated us coming for a visit, and to come again soon. Y'all, we drove up in Av's van - not my Volvo, and neither of us dressed all that great walking in - in fact, Av was wearing shorts and sandals - and they treated us like rock stars. Hermitage, you have my heart.

Extra:
The hotel is downtown, so it makes for a great location, especially for people on government business. Everything about the hotel is top-notch.Our experience is this: From now on, as long as there are rooms available at the Hermitage, we're not staying anywhere else in Nashville. We used to stay at the Opryland Hotel quite a bit, and especially enjoyed the balcony rooms, but there is absolutely NO comparison between the two hotels.

In fact, I'm listing The Hermitage as my new #1 hotel pick, moving the Ritz-Carlton in New Orleans to #2.



Visit Deep Fried Kudzu to read more about her visit to the hotel and Nashville.

Marriott Scraps Women-Only Floor in New Michigan Hotel

The 19th floor of a new, $100 million hotel will not be restricted to female guests, after all.
A spokesperson for the JW Marriott luxury hotel said Monday both men and women will be allowed to rent rooms on what originally was planned as a women-only floor in the 340-room hotel slated to open in September.

The floor's lounge that was to be only for women also will be open to male guests, said the spokesperson, who asked not to be identified because the plans have not been finalized.
Both the rooms and the lounge still will feature amenities designed to appeal particularly to female business travelers, such as chenille throw blankets, ionic hair dryers, jewelry holders and special bath products.

The hotel said last month that the 19th floor of the 23-story hotel, being built downtown alongside the Grand River, would be reserved exclusively for female clientele, in part to give businesswomen traveling alone a greater sense of security.

Soon afterward, the hotel received a "tremendous response" from its customers and others, and the decision was made not to go forward with the gender-segregated floor, the spokesperson said.

However, Roger Connor, a spokesman for Washington, D.C.-based Marriott International, said Tuesday it was his understanding that the idea for a women-only floor was under review after hearing from guests and taking legal concerns into consideration.

The new hotel is owned and operated by direct-sales giant Alticor Inc., parent company of Amway Corp., and will function under a license agreement with Marriott International Inc.

Alticor and its Amway Hotel Corp. subsidiary also own and operate another downtown Grand Rapids hotel, the Amway Grand Plaza.