02.28.11
Voltaire once wrote, “God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.” Paris’s new Pavillon des Lettres takes this spirit to heart, and also pays homage to Voltaire himself, along with 25 other writers who were the inspiration for this chic hotel on a quiet street in the Eighth Arrondissement. Opened by the owners of the nearby Pavillon de la Reine, the 26 sleek guest rooms each channel an international author—from Hans Christian Andersen to Émile Zola—with their prose decorating the walls and their oeuvres on the shelves. Didier Benderli, the protégé of French architect Jacques Garcia, has imbued the hotel with a kind of masculine sexiness (dark velvet furnishings; stone floors).
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02.25.11
Time's running out! This weekend is your final chance to vote for the Grand Prize winner of Travel + Leisure's 2010 Photo Contest. Help decide which one of our 2010 monthly contest winners (seen above) will take the Grand Prize—a
trip for two to Hawaii—including a stay at the Halekulani Hotel, a
World's Best Award winner. Click here to see the finalists and vote for
the one you think deserves to win. Voting ends midnight Monday.
Vote here for the grand prize winner now.
If you missed the chance to enter your photos in the 2010 contest, don't miss the chance to enter your best shots in one of our current contests.
02.25.11
CNN | Mood lighting, club music and pre-flight safety
briefings from virtual celebrities: Gamblers may soon have a swanky new
way to arrive in Las Vegas, Nevada.
LV Air,
a new airline that hopes to start service this fall with four daily
nonstop flights between the gaming capital and New York's John F.
Kennedy International Airport, promises to bring a bit of Sin City fun
and luxury on board.
"When you enter the aircraft, it will seem as if you're entering a club. ... It'll be a very festive atmosphere," said Sean Smith, LV Air's chief marketing officer, describing dark blue
and purple lighting in coach class, and club music pulsating from the speakers of the chartered Boeing 767s.
Photo Courtesy of LV Air.
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02.24.11
Gone are the days of heading out to sea and losing all contact with the world. Cell and Internet services are now standard (though free in-room Wi-Fi is not), and some lines have gone even further with their tech amenities. Holland America has introduced a series of classes covering such subjects as digital photography and blogging. And on its October voyage, Crystal Symphony will offer a digital filmmaking workshop, led by BBC producer Michael Rosenblum, that includes instruction on shooting and editing travel videos.
Sherri Eisenberg is a contributor to Travel + Leisure.
Illustration by Jean-Philippe Delhomme
02.23.11
This week’s Vacationist deals run the gamut, from a northern California ski retreat to a Bermuda beach hideaway and a palazzo in Rome. Another bonus? Many of the properties recently underwent renovations and expansions, which means that you’re sure to enjoy the best possible accommodations for your upcoming stay. Get your skis, bathing suit, or walking shoes ready now.
Still not a member? Click here to join.
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02.23.11
The Newseum, an interactive museum in Washington, D.C., is dedicated to the role of journalism in history. Sound dull and preachy? Not at all. In fact, it was declared the “best museum ever” by my three under-10 companions this past weekend.
Where else can you peer inside Unabomber Ted Kaczynski’s stark cabin? Or stand in front of a real television camera and give your own fast-paced sports report? Or feel the breeze on your face as you ride the ferry to the Women’s Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell’s Island alongside investigative reporter Nelly Bly?
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02.22.11
CNN | SkyMiles no longer expire, Delta Air Lines announced Tuesday.
The frequent flier perk system, which enables users to earn free plane tickets or in-flight upgrades, is the first among major U.S. airlines to preserve points indefinitely.
Before January 1, 2011, SkyMiles became invalid if no qualifying mileage activity, such as acquiring or redeeming miles, occurred for more than 24 months.
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02.22.11
This year, Crystal Cruises is taking voluntourism at sea to a new level with its just-launched You Care, We Care program, which offers passengers the option of free, service-oriented shore excursions on all 2011 itineraries. Each of the 58 trips has been carefully designed by local tour operators to help communities. You can decorate a children’s center in Lima, Peru; tend to an urban farm in Cartagena, Colombia; or help in beach clean-up efforts in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
Sherri Eisenberg is a contributor to Travel + Leisure.
Illustration by Laurie Rosenwald
02.18.11
USA Today | It will be if Sheldon Adelson, best known as the man behind The Venetian and The Palazzo in Las Vegas, has his way. His Las Vegas Sands corporation also has holdings in Macau and Singapore, which have become Asian gaming meccas.
Now, Adelson is eyeing Spain. According to the Agence France-Presse wire service, the mogul is betting on establishing a "Euro Vegas."
He told the Foreign Correspondents Association in Singapore that Las Vegas Sands is talking to officials from Barcelona and Madrid to establish a strip of casinos.
Photo Courtesy of The Venetian
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02.18.11
Invest in a good roll-aboard—it makes life so much better on the road. Clockwise from top: Tumi Alpha Bravo Bremerton in ballistic nylon, $495; Britto Collection by Heys Landscape Flowers 22-inch hard-side Spinner, $250; Timbuk2 Checkpoint in ballistic fabric, $250; Longchamp Darshan Luggage, $475; the North Face Rolling Thunder in durable nylon, $229; Halsea Roller Suitcase in laminated canvas, $335; Trunki by Melissa & Doug child-size Trunki Ruby, $40.
Dorkys Ramos is a contributor to Travel + Leisure
Photo by Levi Brown
