Hotel Features

10 Green Hotels Perfect for Earth Day

by Kristina on April 22, 2013

Grounds at the Eco-Friendly Arenas Del Mar Beach and Nature Resort -- Costa Rica

Grounds at the eco-friendly Arenas Del Mar Beach and Nature Resort in Costa Rica.

Happy Earth Day! Today more than ever calls for some tree-hugging and eco-friendly practices, so we’ve picked ten of our favorite green hotels around the globe where you can celebrate by being kind to Mother Nature. From solar panels to vertical gardens, these unique spaces make it a point to be respectful of the environment. Need official proof? Most of them are LEED-certified. But if you don’t have a chance to get away to celebrate, pretend by clicking through our slideshow — just remember to power down afterwards and enjoy the great outdoors for a change!

Tagged as: Aspen, Barcelona, Botswana, Buenos Aires, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Las Vegas, New York City, Sonoma County

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Big Cities, Small Stays: Intimate Boutiques in Bustling Metropolises

by Kristina on April 18, 2013

Legado Mitico is a charming, 11-room boutique in bustling Buenos AIres.

Finding a quiet boutique in a big city might seem like a challenge, but in reality, some of our most intimate stays are tucked into the corners of the world’s largest metropolises. Offering personalized service and charming details, these petite hotels – most have less than 20 rooms –  are some of our favorites. So if mega-metropolises such as Buenos Aires, Hong Kong, and Los Angeles might intimidate you, fear not. You can always retreat to these intimate boutiques for some quiet time amidst the bustle of the big city.

Tagged as: Boutique Hotels, Buenos Aires, Chicago, Hong Kong, Lima, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, New York City, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Santiago, Sao Paulo, Toronto

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Top Business Hotels in Europe

by Kristina on April 17, 2013

The St. James's Hotel and Club is a top choice for business travelers in London.

Europe’s bustling capital cities always attract the suit-and-tie set, and the continent’s best business hotels cater to these travelers with great service, special features, and around-the-clock amenities. Whether you’re ironing out the details of a high stakes merger or need to be connected to all four corners of the globe at once, these impressive properties are equipped to help with your every need. Sealing the deal in Europe‘s capital cities has never been easier than at these top business hotels:

Tagged as: Amsterdam, Berlin, Business and Travel, Business Center, Business Hotels, Dublin, Edinburgh, Europe, Lisbon, London, Madrid, Paris, Rome, Stockholm

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Our 10 Fave Hotel Pool Swim-Up Bars

by Kristina on April 13, 2013

Who doesn’t like to get their drink on while taking a dip? It’s both the ultimate cool down and the possibly best way to spice up a relaxing vacation. We’re craving some refreshing fun in the sun, so we’ve picked our favorite places to liquor up — all from the cool comforts of hotels’ pools. So get your blender and piña colada mix ready — you’ll be thirsting for a fruity cocktail after browsing these awesome hotel pool bars.

The Watering Hole: Catalonia Bavaro Beach, All Inclusive — Punta Cana, Domincan Republic

Pool Bar at the Catalonia Bavaro Beach

Pool Bar at the Catalonia Bavaro Beach

You can almost imagine you’re on the set of the movie ”Cocktail” at Catalonia Bavaro Beach‘s swim-up bar, where the bartenders are quite entertaining. This laid back property comes with lots of awesome amenities, including a gorgeous beach, a golf course, and room balconies that feature private hammocks.
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Tagged as: All-Inclusive Resorts, Aruba, Cancun, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Hotel Bars, Jamaica, Los Cabos, Luxury Hotels, New York City, Resort Hotels, Value Hotels

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10 Hotels With Awesome Eco-Friendly Perks

by Devon on April 12, 2013

The heated pool at the Blancaneaux Lodge in Belize is just on surprisingly luxe green amenity

We don’t mind sacrificing a little comfort during our travels if that means reducing our carbon footprint. But then again, not all eco-conscious hotels call for lights out and cold showers. The 10 hotels that make our list of those with the best eco-friendly perks aren’t all LEED-certified, but they still know that going green makes guests and Mother Earth happy. So here’s our salute to some great stays that are doing their part to reduce, reuse, and conserve with these awesome green amenities.

 

Tagged as: Argentina, Belize, Big Sur, Buenos Aires, California, Colorado, Costa Rica, East Hampton, Finger Lakes, New York, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Snowmass, The Hamptons, Yosemite National Park

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10 Gorgeous Hotel Room Views

by Jane on March 28, 2013

During our travels around the globe, we have stayed in some pretty gorgeous rooms. But a beautiful room means nothing if it looks out at a brick wall. On the other hand, a drab room can be seriously lightened up by an amazing view. So we rounded the 10 best hotel room views we’ve ever seen.

 

Hotel Duquesne Eiffel, Paris

Hotel Duquesne Eiffel

Hotel Duquesne is a comfortable 34-room hotel in the 7th Arrondissement within walking distance to Left Bank tourist sites, such as the Musee d’Orsay and the Eiffel Tower. Some rooms even boast exceptional views of the iconic structure, built in 1889 by on the occasion of the World’s Fair in Paris.

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Tagged as: Amsterdam, Bermuda, Costa Rica, Jackson Hole, Lake Tahoe, Los Cabos, New York City, Paris, St. Lucia, Turks and Caicos

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7 Weird Things that Hotels Give Away

by Jane on March 15, 2013

Everyone knows that we here at Oyster.com love freebies. After all, we talk about them a lot — and we mean a lot. But when you’re shelling out hard-earned cash for your hotel room, it’s nice when the hotel recognizes that and throws in some perks “just because.” We’ve already gone through the freebies we love, and honestly kind of expect, but we’ve yet to go through all the freebies that really took us by surprise — and sometimes even made us laugh! Some you can bring home with you, some are just on loan, but all of these amenities are funky, looney, and downright fabulous.

Toys for Adults at Hotel Avante, Silicon Valley

Have fond memories of your childhood at Hotel Avante.

Get your mind out of the gutter. Those are not the kind of toys we are talking about — and we would definitely not be okay with them if they were on loan! Instead, Hotel Avante offers adult guests good old-fashioned toys in each room. Called “executive toy boxes,” they include toys such as Slinkys, yo-yos, Etch-a-Sketchs, and Rubik’s cubes, and are meant to be used as inspiration — or even just distractions — for business travelers burning the midnight oil. But if you’re a leisure traveler, we won’t tell — go ahead and have some fun!
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Tagged as: Austin, Big Sur, freebies, Hawaii, Lanai, New York City, Palm Springs, Portland, Silicon Valley

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Pretty Potty Talk: Hotel Bathrooms With Amazing Views

by Devon on March 6, 2013

One Bal Harbour Resort bathrooms have some of the best views in the Miami.

Some people prefer to read a magazine in the restroom, but we’d much rather gaze out over a stunning view. There’s nothing we love more than exotic sights, no matter where we’re taking in the view — the shower, tub, or elsewhere. From Hong Kong to Miami, Boston to Barcelona, here are our favorite hotel views from the best seat in the house.

 

Tagged as: Atlanta, Barcelona, Boston, California, Cancun, Carmel, Denver, Hawaii, Hong Kong, Kauai, London, Los Cabos, Luxury Hotels, Madrid, Mexico, Miami, New York City, Puerto Morelos, Rome, San Diego, Santiago, Singapore, Stockholm, Vancouver

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Unleash Your Inner Rocker At These A-List Hotels

by Kristina on February 6, 2013

Awards season continues this Sunday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles as the biggest names in the music industry strut their stuff at the 55th Grammy Awards. And as we dream about jamming on stage with the likes of  Elton John, The Lumineers, Jack White, and Justin Timberlake (who’s making his return to the Grammy stage after a four-year hiatus from the music scene, swoon), we can’t help but be a little jealous of those who get to do so. Thankfully, some of our favorite hotels understand our musical plight. From on-site recording studios to guitar rental services, these hotels may not promise celeb-studded jam sessions but they’re definitely rocker-approved. And we mean that literally: Everyone from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Stevie Wonder has visited these music meccas of the hotel world. So if you want to drop a beat before the awards or just pick up the vibes left behind by some of your favorite musicians, check out these rock-ready hotels.

Sunset Marquis Hotel & Villas, Los Angeles 

The Nightbird Sound Studio at the Sunset Marquis has hosted A-list recording artists for decades.

The Sunset Marquis cost guests just $8 a night when it first opened in 1963 as a motel for musicians playing at the nearby House of Blues, Roxy, and Viper Room, all located within a few minutes’ walk. Today, there are so many celebrities that continue to traipse through the hotel that the staff doesn’t get starstruck anymore. During Oyster’s two-night stay, Lars Ulrich of Metallica, Joss Stone, and Roger Daltrey of The Who were all spotted at the hotel, validating the hotel’s “paparazzi diversion tactics” that are offered for a nominal fee.

In addition to its innate rocker vibe, the hotel also offers a state-of-the-art recording studio on-site — Nightbird Sound Studios — designed by renowned acoustician George Auspurger. Accessed via a hidden entrance in the underground garage, the space features (in addition to the usual trappings) a Yamaha Mark IV Disklavier piano, one of only two in America, on which Stevie Wonder has been recorded. Every A-list musician has passed through the studio, including the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Justin Timberlake, and Lil Wayne and Green Day both recorded here within days of Oyster’s visit. High rollers can rent out the studio for personal use, including karaoke birthday parties.

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Tagged as: Berlin, Grammy Awards, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Music and Travel, New Orleans, New York City, Puerto Vallarta, San Francisco, Toronto

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Free-Spirited Spots For Your Favorite Aquarians

by Kristina on January 21, 2013

“This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius…”  Yesterday, our favorite astrological free spirits started celebrating their 2013 birthdays, and we couldn’t be happier for them. Possessing a deep social conscience, Aquarians are humanitarian, philanthropic, and dedicated to making the world a better place. And they do so with flair. Known for their wildly inventive and creative ideas, Aquarians can also be temperamental and flighty if you don’t encourage their quirk. Luckily, Oyster has stayed at some of the best off-beat, hippie-chic retreats for fostering the unpredictable and artistic notions of the Water Bearers in your life. So get your sketchpads ready, it’s time to take these rebellious visionaries on a one-of-a-kind vacation.

Korakia Pensione, Palm Springs

Korakia Pensione brings a bit of the Mediterranean to Palm Springs.

Korakia Pensione is a striking hotel in Palm Springs. Modeled after a Mediterranean pensione, it looks like something out of Greece or Morocco, and Aquarians are sure to relish in its exotic, eclectic vibe. Aquarians are also notorious flirts (what with all of that passionate, creative energy roiling around inside them), so they’ll definitely appreciate that Korakia was named one of Forbes’ sexiest hotels in America. The two Korakia Pensione pools and many outdoor spaces – including fire pits, fountains, and stone paths — are all beautiful and unexpected. And the hotel plays old movies every night outside on the terrace. The rooms are named, not numbered, and each is slightly different, but all have an old-world, whimsical feel.
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Tagged as: Austin, Belize, Berlin, Brooklyn, Jamaica, Long Island, Palm Springs, Portland, Riviera Nayarit, The Hamptons

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