Value Watch: Hotels & Spas in Scotland

Photos courtesy of Luxury Scotland: The Old Course Hotel (1), The Gleneagles Hotel (2), Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa (3, 4)
Story by Olga Bas

Though the Scottish gay scene is liveliest in Edinburgh and Glasgow, it does benefit from the U.K.'s progressive attitude: same-sex couples received the right to register civil partnerships in 2005. If you've got romance on the brain, it's hard to find a more majestic setting than staying at a hotel that resembles a medieval castle or regal manor house, but has all the modern amenities. The following scenic Scottish properties are currently upping the romance factor even further with special spa packages:

• The Gleneagles Hotel, located in Auchterarder, in the heart of Scotland, has a new Spa Essence  Package offer for those wishing to escape from the bustle of the city. The package includes accommodations in a classic room, full Scottish breakfast, prix fixe dinner, 55-minute spa treatment and full use of the club's leisure facilities. Available through September 30, the package price starts at $730 per night, valid Sunday-Thursday. The Spa by ESPA is modern marvel with crystal steam rooms, tropical showers, cooling ice rubs, and a two Michelin-starred restaurant, Andrew Fairlie -- serving French cuisine with a Scottish twist.

• The Marcliffe Hotel & Spa situated on 11 acres of wooded grounds in Aberdeen, has two specials for its visitors, which can be combined. The Sunday Suite offer comes with a full a la carte menu, including Russian King Crab, Bed and Breakfast in one of our Junior Suites with a bottle of Pommery Champagne in your suite upon arrival for $478 (based on double occupancy), inclusive of VAT and service charges. The hotel's Spa Offer gives guests 20 percent off all spa treatments every Monday and Tuesday. The spa boasts multiple treatment rooms and extensive services ranging from mani/pedis to the Baleno Therapy Room -- a hydrotherapy bath unique to Scotland that relieves muscular tension and arthritis. The hotel is minutes from Aberdeen's city center, and there are at least 50 castles and 30 malt whiskey distilleries in the vicinity.

 • The Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa of Northern Scotland overlooks the beautiful Scottish coastline at West Sands beach. This prestigious five-star hotel has 144 rooms including 35 suites. The hotel's Kohler Spa, with relaxation treatments based on the healing properties of the earth’s mineral-rich waters, is currently offering the 24-hour Spa Escape. The package includes a one-night stay, full Scottish breakfast, 25-minute Kohler Massage, 25-minute Burst of Radiance Facial, a two-course spa lunch and unlimited use of the Kohler Waters Spa facilities; cost is $441 per night. The offer is good until March 2010.

• The six-story Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa in Edinburgh, the Scottish capital, is in a prime location for sightseeing and hitting the bars. It also features the ONE SPA health and fitness complex, which is one of only five spas in Scotland to offer the new Super Active treatment from ESPA. The 80-minute treatment works on calming and soothing while repairing and restoring skin – including aging, dehydration and environmental stress is tailored specifically to each client and costs $177. When you book two consecutive nights through July 31, you'll get the third night free; the daily rate is $280 based on double occupancy. The hotel also features an outdoor rooftop hydropool, Finnish sauna, thermal suites, and a state-of-the-art gym.

The 7: W Atlanta-Downtown

 

Story by Aefa Mulholland. Photos by Ben Rahn, AFrameStudio.com

The 7 Reasons I Love W Atlanta-Downtown

1. The good kind of lush. W Atlanta-Downtown’s lobby is a thing of beauty. The hotel's incredible interiors are courtesy of Canadian interior design superstars, burdifilek. Taking its shimmering influences from the lushness of the Peach State, sumptuous textures, eye catching sculptural elements, and stunning installations bedeck the space. Admire undulating, hand-carved walnut walls, a tree canopy mobile with hundreds of metal leaves, and a custom-designed metal sphere before you even get to your room.

2. Pods and ‘port. It’s hard not to love a hotel with luminous check-in pods and a private heliport.

3. Haute-lanta. Sexy enclaves nestle behind bent-wood screens and curved seating merges with planting beds in the sultry Living Room lounge. Soothe away the heat of the Hotlanta day by the 22-foot water feature with its metal lilies and onyx reflecting pool. If you’re in need of more substantial sustenance, sashay to the hotels’ BLT steakhouse and tuck into Laurent Tourondel’s classic Transatlantic fare.

4. Room to thrill. A palette of mulberry, teal, or indigo greets you in the sultry guest rooms and suites at the W. Rich Makassar wood and glossy acrylics create slick sleeping quarters. Signature W beds, High Speed Internet Access, Bliss amenities, and W’s legendary Whatever/Whenever service make every overnight a star stay.

5. Bath and beyond. When you want to relax, choose from your sumptuous bathroom with Bliss Spa amenities, the decadent, hip Bliss Spa (home of a brownie buffet!), and the gorgeous WETBAR, with its infinity edge pool, views over downtown Atlanta, and enticing signature cocktails.

6. The perfect address. You couldn’t get better neighbors; the W basks downtown adjacent to soaring skyscrapers, the CNN Center, the Georgia Aquarium, and Centennial Olympic Park.

7. Hot rates. Rooms start at $135.

W Atlanta-Downtown; 45 Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard, Atlanta; 404-582-5800; StarwoodHotels.com

Daniel Craig takes on Vancouver

Story and photos by Aefa Mulholland. 

A well-written book can conjure up a place so irresistibly that it transports the reader there, immerses them in another culture, climate, country. Reading of your destination in advance can add immeasurably to the anticipation of a trip. But if you really want to up the suspense, opt for a murder mystery.

Last month in Vancouver, I was lucky enough to run into the gorgeous Daniel Edward Craig, author of three gripping murder mystery novels set in the hotel world and get a copy of his latest compelling creation. Following hot on the heels of Murder at the Universe and Murder at Hotel Cinema, both offering behind-the-scenes views of the five star hotel world, the final piece of the dashing, gay author’s Five-Star Mystery Series, Murder at Graverly Manor, is set in an eerie inn in Vancouver’s residential West End. It paints an atmospheric picture of Vancouver’s leafy streets and the lonely trails around Lost Lagoon, and is a perfect companion for any trips to the City of Glass.

You couldn’t find a better guide to Vancouver than hometown boy Daniel, former general manager of the uber-hip Opus Hotels in Vancouver and Montreal -- two of my absolute favourite hotels in North America.

After finishing Daniel’s three-part opus, you’ll definitely be delighted you booked to stay at the Opus, not at Graverly Manor.

For some more recommended reading, check out Literary Traveler with authors from Louisa May Alcott to W.B. Yeats.

For more on Daniel and his Five-Star Mystery Series, check out DanielEdwardCraig.com.

Tour Operator Spotlight: Spirit Journeys

Photos courtesy of Spirit Journeys
Story by Olga Bas

Spirit Journeys
(1-800-754-1875, www.spiritjourneys.com, info@spiritjourneys.com)

About: True to its name, Spirit Journeys strives to not only provide memorable trips to exotic locales, but also to create opportunities for mental, emotional, and spiritual growth. The company offers gay travel adventures lasting 12 to 16 days that are filled with visits to off-the-beaten-path parts of the destination, and weeklong retreats or workshops that focus on creating a community within the group, with the tour guides acting as teachers. In addition to soul searching and yoga, there are also ample opportunities for poolside tanning and shopping.

Price range: $995-4,095

Upcoming trips: "Together" is the first retreat for gay male couples, set for April 24-May 1, 2010 on beautiful, secluded Thatch Caye Island off the south-central coast of Belize. The goal of the 10-couple retreat is "to connect deeper with the man you love, as well as a chance for relaxation and play." Days are filled with outdoor activities such as fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving, and kayaking (daily and other trips included in package); there are also daily exploratory group sessions dealing with the subjects of unconditional love, acceptance, etc. You have the choice of staying in one of the five Thatch Cabanas or one of the five elevated Thatch Casitas (little homes); the group is taking over the island in its entirety.

Deals and steals: When you register early for any of the trips offered by Spirit Journeys, you will save $100. Deadlines vary by trip. Register for the featured couples retreat by November 1, 2009 and you'll pay as little as $1,595.

Value Watch: Twin Farms, Vermont

Photos courtesy of Twin Farms
Story by Olga Bas

Twin Farms, a country estate spanning over 300 acres of green meadows in Barnard, Vermont, is celebrating the changing seasons with a Spring into Summer promotion. When you book two nights, the third night is free. Only have time for a one or two-night getaway? Then opt for a complimentary one-hour in-room massage or spa service each day instead. The promotion runs through September 12 and includes weekends.

The property's late 18th-century farmhouse and lodge is converted into six elegant guest suites  ($1,300-1,500 based on double occupancy) plus a living room and dining room, and ten guest cottages ($2,000-3,000 based on double occupancy) dot the grounds. Rates include four meals a day and complimentary wine -- the Twin Farms cellar is stocked with 26,000 bottles of French and California vintages. Guests also have access to a pub, fitness center, spa treatment facility, lakeside cabana, and a Japanese-style sunken tub.

During the summer, activities range from hiking, biking, fly-fishing, and picnicking to canoeing, tennis, swimming, and croquet. In the winter, skiing, snowshoe hikes, sleigh rides, and ice skating keep guests active. The property is also available to rent for weddings, civil unions, and vow-renewal ceremonies.

Travel tip: If you're traveling with a tour, be sure to get the guide's cell phone number in case you get separated from the group and need to contact him or her.

Pridewatch: New York

Images in Order (1, 8) courtesy Getty Images, (2-6) by Joseph Alexiou, (7) Courtesy Gem Hotel
Story by Joseph Alexiou

Mid-June is an exciting time to be in New York City—not just because all the guys spend Sundays tanning on the Pier. This is better in just two words (is it possible?): Gay Pride 2009. This is a big year for Pride, not only after the release of Gus Van Sant’s Milk, but also being the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Inn riots.

That’s right, Gay Pride week officially begins this weekend with the Rally, and next week a flurry of festivities so wild that drag queens can barely keep their wigs on. Before we can even sink our teeth into the main event, Brooklyn Pride (New York’s second biggest pride) takes place this weekend, which begins with a 5k fundraiser run starting at 8 a.m., followed by a  day festival from 11 a.m.-6 P.M.,  finishing with the Night Pride Parade (7:30 p.m.  start) and the official after party.

Still, this weekend will see the Rally (imagine a gay pep-rally) featuring out comedians Michael Serrato and Marga Gomez, performance artists the Gender Offenders, Academy Award-winning screewriter (and Parade Grand Marshal!) Dustin Lance Black, and many other big LGBT names. The other pre-festival activity is  Rapture on the Pier, also known as the Pier Dance for Ladies, with music spun by circuit favorite DJ Susan Levine.

In celebrating the "Year of Milk," Grand Marshaling the parade along with Black are activists and (Harvey Milk Cohorts) Cleve Jones and and Anne Kronenberg. Starting on June 28 at noon, the Parade (sponsored by numerous national corporations, be on the look out for almost naked boys slinging vodka, running shoes, politicians...) begins at 52nd St and 5th Avenue, descending the stately thoroughfare until W. 8th St, where a right turn and a sharp left (with a quick right turn in between) brings the revelry down Christopher St., the original gay epicenter of the city and the PrideFest street fair (which, by the way, also carries on from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the June 28).

A great spot to grab early (think 10 a.m.) is right at 9th St. and 6th Ave., so you can head into the West Village if you desire—crossing Avenues is near-impossible during pride. You can have the option to head to Greenwich Ave and bask in what may be the gayest place in the universe, at least, for one day.  Also expect the wonderfully fattening street foods and many vendors selling chunky jewelry, CDs, and gay themed everything—from pride flags of every size to any object imaginable slathered with rainbow colors.

More information after the jump!

Value Watch: NYC Pride Hotel Deals

Photos courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton (1, 2), GEM Chelsea (3)
Story by Olga Bas

In honor of June Pride and the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, we've compiled a list of New York City hotels that are offering Pride-specific deals.

• All Marriott Hotels in the New York area are offering the new OUT in New York package. Five percent of the package room rate will be donated to GLAAD, and you will receive a detailed LGBT New York travel guide from Out Traveler as well as breakfast for two. Aside from convenient locations (like the heart of Times Square), the Marriott boasts marble bathrooms and state-of-the-art fitness centers with great views. Rates vary from hotel to hotel and room to room, but range from $224-659 per night. Valid through December 31. Use the promotional code VIQ when making your online reservation, or call 800-228-9290 in the U.S.

• The 39-story, 298-room Ritz-Carlton in Battery Park, which overlooks historic New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island, has not one, but two Pride packages. The Gay Pride Dance on the Pier package is available June 27 or June 28 and starts at $545; it includes overnight luxury accommodations in a Club Level City View guest room and two VIP Access tickets to the official NYC LGBT Dance on the Pier with fireworks and the musical talents of Phillip Kimball, Jack Reina, and Corey Craig. The Gay Pride Splash package is available June 26 or June 27 and starts at $295; it includes an upgrade to a Deluxe Harbor View guest room at time of booking and two tickets to Splash Bar in Union Square for drinks and dancing.

• In celebration of Pride, the GEM Hotel Chelsea is offering guests 10% off its starting room rate ($189) June 26 through July 5. Although it's more affordable than the typical New York hotel, the GEM Chelsea doesn't sacrifice luxury. In addition to the standard LCD TVs and turndown service, it also offers high-end Gilchrist & Soames bath amenities, monogrammed bathrobes, and free shoeshine service. To receive the discount, use the promotional code TAG when making your online reservation, or call 212-675-1911.

Don't forget to check out our W vs. Kimpton post for hotel deals in NYC and beyond.

Money-saving tip: Inquire at your hotel or hostel about local entertainment that's not geared toward tourists. Usually there are inexpensive or free concerts available at the nearby cafes and bars or free movie screenings in the park.

Pridewatch: Toronto

Images in order (1,3) courtesy Getty Images, (5) by Helen Filatova (6) courtesy the Cosmopolitan Hotel
Story by Jason Nelson

Planning a visit to Canada may invoke, for some, visions of maple syrup, caribou, and lusty, axe-wielding lumberjacks. But envision instead North America's largest pride parade (and second in the world, dwarfed only by Sao Paulo's 3.5 million-strong march). The upcoming Toronto Pride Festival, from June 19 to 28, does not focus on any of the iconic Canadian images but hopefully will feature a sexy lumberjack or two.

The launch party on June 19th will includes a live performance by electro-dance band, Fritz Helder & The Phantoms, the first act to be signed to Nelly Furtado's new label, Nelstar, and drag sensation Sofonda Cox and the Cristobal Burlesque show. The parade festivities will be led by Grand Marshal Victor Juliet Mukasa, Parade Grand Marshal, El-Farouk Khaki and the AIDS Committee of Toronto on June 28 at 2 p.m., through downtown Toronto.

If you want to take a break from the drinking, dancing and flirting, join the folks on Saturday June 27 at the annual Dyke March (starting at 2 p.m.). This event is not a parade, but a political demonstration of critical mass; a moment seized to revel in the strength, diversity and passion of queer women and transfolks. If you want to participate in the demonstration register online now.

For those trying to avoid substances altogether, Toronto Pride also features a drug and alcohol-free space called “The Free Zone,” offering those in recovery a safe place to enjoy the festivities. Including a DJ and a stage with live performances, there are holistic services, and confidential recovery meetings available. The two-day event lasts from June 27 to June 28.

To get your dance on, the fifth annual Big Primpin' special edition pride party is on Sunday at The Phoenix. In the main room will be residents Tuff Luv, Phil V and Rory them Finest. With hostessing by Miss Margot there will be a special performance by the Legendary GIA. Cosmic disco haven will follow with LOVE SAVES THE DAY DJs Will Munro and Jaime Sin.

 If you're looking for transport, Porter Airlines flies between several major U.S. and Canadian destinations, including what is virtually a private airport located five minutes from downtown Toronto. Exciting features include free WiFi, a cappuccino machine, and free snacks.

Consider either The Cosmopolitan or Pantages Hotel. Both locations are offering Pride in Style packages featuring a one-night, double-occupancy stay in a Deluxe Suite, Welcome Amenity, Executive Continental Breakfast for two, and two complimentary martinis (both at Eight Wine Bar). Another great luxe location is the Sutton Place Hotel which boasts exceptional service and bay views of Lake Ontario.

Although sometimes we tend to forget, nobody can throw a party like the Canadians, and the largest pride celebration in North Amerca is nothing to scoff at. So, bring on the maple syrup, lumberjacks, and hundreds of thousands of queer people and allies! Toronto will be quite a party in 2009.

Value Watch: Watershed Cabins, N.C.

Photos courtesy of Watershed Cabins
Story by Olga Bas

Gay-owned Watershed Cabins in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina feature luxury log cabin rentals for the savvy, outdoor-loving traveler. The property is currently offering an exclusive deal for OutTraveler.com and GPS readers: 15% off your stay (rates range from $120-490 per night), two free spa services, and a choice of either two free hiking or kayaking trips when you mention OT. Super-peak periods are blacked out (their highest rate class, usually holidays) and your stay must be completed before Oct. 1.

Located near Fontana Lake, Bryson City, the Cherokee Indian Reservation, and the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, Watershed Cabins provide log homes, chalets, and cottages that range from one-bedroom units to five-bedroom handcrafted wood lodges that can house 15 people (or more). Amenities include stainless-steel appliances, granite countertops, surround-sound systems, 600-thread-count Egyptian cotton linens, and a hot tub in every cabin. Deluxe or super-deluxe cabins also offer entertainment that ranges from a foosball table or pool table to a karaoke machine.

If you can pry yourself out of the hot tub, outdoor activities abound -- horseback riding, whitewater rafting on the Nantahala River, hiking on the Appalachian Trail, and fly fishing for trout.

Travel tip: Bring a pair of earplugs when you hit the road. When you find yourself sitting next to a loud passenger on a plane, stuck in a train with a crying infant, or staying in a hotel with thin walls, they are an indispensable, affordable solution.

Sashay to Seattle

Story by Aefa Mulholland. Photos courtesy of Kimpton Hotels Seattle.

Sashay to Seattle this summer and enjoy Kimpton Hotels' Summer Playground Campaign, during which the Hotel Vintage Park, Hotel Monaco and Alexis Hotel will offer several splurges and fun freebies to all guests, from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Extras include a complimentary afternoon ice-cream hour in the hotel lobbies, plus sangria and Wii or Xbox games at the nightly wine hour. As usual, Kimpton extras, such as free wifi, in-room yoga, discounted parking for hybrid cars, complimentary morning coffee, and on-site fitness centers, star.

After a long day playing on Seattle’s beaches, sailing the Puget Sound, or exploring the Emerald City’s captivating neighborhoods, saunter back to your hotel for a Play Dirty/Play Nice Cocktail, including The Temptation and the Honey Kiss, available at Tulio in the Vintage Park, Sazerac in the Monaco, and the Bookstore Bar in my favorite Seattle hotel, the Alexis.

Summer Playground packages start from $208 and include deluxe accommodations, $25 food and beverage credit in Kimpton restaurants, and complimentary in-room movie and popcorn.