Mixing business with pleasure? Trying to trade your business suit for a bathing suit? As much as we love getting away from the office, it’s sometimes hard to think about all the work piling up back at our desks. (Emphasis on sometimes.) So for those instances when we need to check our emails or send out those TPS reports while getting some R&R, these gorgeous tropical retreats have us covered, and with more than just a phone jack. Whether they feature ample meeting spaces, dedicated business staff, or any number of other great work offerings, these properties are sure to please any productive vacationers, so you’ll have just the right mix of business with pleasure. Enjoy your bizcation!

Work and Play At: Porto Bay Rio Inernacional Hotel, Rio de Janiero

We'd trade in our desks for this setup any day

Rio is both a beautiful beach getaway and a mountain-lined urban hub, so it’s no wonder that many of the city’s hotels try to appeal to both business and leisure guests simultaneously. The Porto Bay Rio Internacional Hotel is one of these hotels. Located directly across from the Copacabana beach and offering a stocked, 24-hour business center, the property also boasts some pretty incredible ocean views from the fitness center, meeting rooms, and restaurants, so you never really have to tear yourself away from the beach to get Johnson those TPS reports.

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Summertime is all about quick weekend getaways to enjoy some pampering in the sun. And what better way to relax and soak up the scene than heading to the Hamptons – home to luxe boutique properties, beautiful beaches, and a hip, see-and-be-seen crowd? We’ve visited numerous boutique hotels throughout this Long Island hot spot and have found the best of the best. After all, luxury and the Hamptons go hand in hand. So check out our list of the top five boutique hotels in the Hamptons.

East Hampton Art House Bed & Breakfast

East Hampton Art House Bed & Breakfast

This elegant B&B in East Hampton is exactly what its name suggests: a house full of art. It was designed and decorated by the owners, Michael and Rosalind, who combine mutual talents in art and hospitality. While there are only a few rooms for rent, the hotel has all the amenities of a larger property, including endless communal spaces, an outdoor pool, and fitness center. Although big in scope, the Art House retains all of the personalized charm of staying with friends, making it a distinctive option in the Hamptons.

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Lobby at The Jade Hotel, New York City

1. FACT OR FAKEOUT? The boutique Jade Hotel may only be a few months old, but it has already has some pretty famous visitors. Last week, Cameron Diaz was spotted getting drinks at the bar and flirting with strangers.

2. FACT OR FAKEOUT? The Westin St. John is one of three Starwood properties that make up the first shift towards the brand reducing its carbon footprint worldwide. The new green initiative will include the installation of high-tech water savers that will reduce wasted water at the hotel by 50 percent.

3. FACT OR FAKEOUT? Wyndham Hotel Group added Singapore to its destination list this week with the opening of a Days Inn and a Ramada.

4. FACT OF FAKEOUT? The general manager of the Lancaster London, along with numerous other volunteers, scaled up the side of the hotel in order to raise money for Kickstart Programme.

5. FACT OR FAKEOUT? Room service is pricey no matter where you go, but in a recent study, TripAdvisor found that Denver and Dallas offer the best value as far as room service. Not surprisingly, New York City and Honolulu offered the worst.

Check out the answers after the jump!

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For many New Yorkers, heading to the Hamptons isn’t just about the beach — it’s about the hopping nightlife. When the weather gets warm, it’s the Hamptons,  not Manhattan,  that becomes the place to see and be seen after dark. The first step in planning your Hamptons party weekend is choosing where to sleep when the partying is done, and we’ve saved you time by selecting five hotels to suit different tastes — and pairing each with a cool party spot of a similar style. Don’t forget your designated driver.

Stay: The Trendy Hot Spot

Capri Southhampton

The 24-room Capri Southampton received a beach-chic makeover in 2011, and the new owners brought in a BLT Steak and Lacoste uniforms for outdoor staff. These brand names attract a certain social crowd — the kind that drinks champagne and munches on seafood while mingling poolside.

Party: The Bathing Club

At this trendy hotel, the party is at your front door — literally. The rooms are all on the first floor and doors open up right to the grounds that surround the pool lounge, dubbed The Bathing Club. Lounge music pumps through the outdoor speakers, and live DJs spin on Fridays and Saturday nights. Guests can relax on daybeds and cushioned chairs, and on the weekends cocktails are served by the pool until 2 a.m.

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Memorial Day weekend is just around the corner, and with it comes the official kick-off of the summer season. When that Friday hits, thousands of beach-bound celebrators will clog the highways on their way to sun and surf. But while we love a good beach day just as much as the next patriot, this Memorial Day we’re excited to try something inland. Join us in avoiding the crowds, uncovering new corners of America, and – of course – honoring our soldiers, with parades, festivals, and much more at these ten locales not on the beach.

1. Washington, D.C.

Calling all patriots: Washington, DC wants to celebrate with you.

If you want to go hardcore patriotic, there really isn’t any place better to be this Memorial Day than Washington, D.C. (Especially since NYC had to go and cancel Fleet Week due to the sequestration.) In addition to a variety of military ceremonies taking place around town, visitors can also attend the National Parade or the Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Rally (nothing like the wind in your hair, right?!). The National Memorial Day Concert, hosted at the Capitol Building, is always a special event, and this year’s affair features appearances by General Colin Powell and actor Gary Sinise, in addition to several military bands and the National Symphony Orchestra. Visitors can also opt to simply stroll through Washington’s many amazing monuments – during the day or at night – and sample some of D.C.’s delicious culinary offerings.

STAY: The gorgeous, 317-room W Washington D.C. blends the new – fusion cuisine from Jean-Georges Vongerichten; a great spa and gym; Whatever/Whenever service – with the old – the property’s historic Beaux Arts building dates back to 1917. Plus, you can see the Washington Monument from the hotel’s hip rooftop lounge, POV, making celebrating in style easy.
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The Pool at the Magdalena Grand

An upper-middle-range beachfront property, the Magdalena Grand Beach Resort (like many resorts on Tobago) offers rooms at reasonable rates; the price covers a buffet breakfast, bicycle rentals, shuttles to a nearby beach, and numerous other freebies. Facilities include a fitness center, large pool, and nearby spa, and the hotel has numerous restaurant and bar options (although the restaurants can be overpriced). Rooms are simple, and some furniture shows wear and tear, but all feature free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and best of all, ocean views. So as we say every week, sit back, relax, and soak up the goodness that is the Magdalena Grand.

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Hidden among the Caribbean’s many mega-resorts are some of the most unique, intimate boutiques travelers can imagine. With laid-back, eco-friendly attitudes, these petite hotels are some of the best in the region, offering personalized service and truly relaxing atmospheres. So consider passing on that 500-room all-inclusive and indulge in some intimacy at these wonderful boutiques.

1. Fowl Cay Resort, Bahamas

The gorgeous Fowl Cay Resort feels more like a private home than a hotel.

Crowded beaches are unheard of on this private island resort where a maximum of 28 guests at a time have free range of 50 acres and three beaches. Personal boats for daily excursions, on-call service, spacious villas with fully stocked kitchens and wet bars, and a host of all-inclusive activities make Fowl Cay a standout gem in the ExumasRead More »

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The dry desert air may not be for everyone. Then again, neither are humid, tropical climates. While the desert offers its own exciting adventures (gorgeous sand landscapes and an array of impressive creatures, anyone) tropical getaways boast lush greenery and exotic wildlife all of its own. So which one would you prefer — a Desert Destination or Tropical Travel? Take a look at the options below and then enter your adventure pick in the comments section.

Option 1: Trekking the Tucson Desert Terrain

For a true desert escape, Tucson's Tanque Verde Ranch is hard to beat.

Tucson is one of the most popular destinations in the Southwest, attracting outdoor enthusiasts with its expansive desert terrain and year-round warm weather. With countless golf courses, hiking and biking trails, and endless rock-climbing opportunities, Tuscon makes for a great desert getaway almost any time of year. But visitors take note: temperatures reach into the 100s during the summer months — and watch out for scorpions!

For those in search of a great desert retreat, the Tanque Verde Ranch in Tucson has everything you’d expect from a true Western ranch, with horse stables, a nature center with tons of native creatures, and trails for hiking and biking. Read More »

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The weather in New York City may be a little hard to predict these days, so we understand wanting to take full advantage when the sun peaks out and the wind ceases. That’s why it’s handy to have a list of the best restaurants serving tasty al fresco treats at the ready. That’s where we come in; we’ve taken up the hard job of sampling delicious food at tons of New York City hotel restaurants to find the best spots to grub down outdoors this summer.

 The Standard Grill at The Standard New York

Standard Grill at The Standard New York

Situated under the High Line in the trendy Meatpacking District, the Standard Grill has remained a neighborhood hot spot, while other restaurants in the area have suffered from being too-cool-too-soon. Indoor seating (atop a penny-covered floor) is ample, as is outdoor seating, but nonetheless tables book up weeks in advance and reservations are a must. Diners stop by for dinner before heading to the hotel’s biergarten (or uber-exclusive Top of the Standard, better known as the Boom Boom Room) or opt for the tasty Sunday brunch, complete with brioche french toast, classic eggs benedict, and bloody Marys.
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Romantic Eco-Friendly Stays

by Devon on May 16, 2013

The Brentwood Bay Resort & Spa is just one of our favorite eco stays!

For eco-minded couples, choosing the right getaway means finding a spot that pleases both your partner and Mother Earth. Some couples opt for an au natural vibe on their trips, while others just want to practice a clean-conscience approach to travel. For those who love tree-hugging just as much as they snuggling up with that special someone, we’ve found the best hotels for environmentally-friendly duos who don’t want to skimp on the romance.

 

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