It’s time to get wet, y’all! With Spring Break just around the corner — and the rest of us here dying for a warm-weather vacation — we thought about where we’d wanna party in the sun. Check out the hottest pool parties around the globe, and then tell us: Which is your favorite pool party?
The Pool at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino; Las Vegas, NV
WHY SPLASH AROUND HERE: Easily one of the most popular with the bachelor-and-bachelorette set, the weekly Sunday Rehab Pool Party is notorious for bringing in huge (but sexy!) crowds. An eight-hour affair (it starts at noon), the party is known to bring in top party DJs from around the globe including Paul Oakenfold and Bad Boy Bill who spin tunes that range from Top 40 pop hits to banging house beats.
Check out more sexy hotel pool parties after the jump!
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Here at Oyster we appreciate the art of a fine bath — and how it fits into a hotel room, too, considering it’s our No. 1 way to relax when we’re not at work. We scoured the 2,000+ hotels we cover to find the five most incredible tubs for you to dive into (no pun intended).
The bathroom in a one-bedroom suite at the Grand Luxxe; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
The Tale Behind the Tub: Grand Luxxe is the most posh of a group of Mayan timeshare resorts located in the Puerto Vallarta area. The huge rooms and suites (complete with gigantic private terraces) are designed with some serious flair — including each of the bathrooms, natch. Check out the tub, above, in a 1-bedroom suite: The free-standing unit comes equipped with a little wooden stand for all your bath-time essentials, and should it get a little stuffy, open the folding French doors to take a peek into what’s going on in the other part of your suite.
CHECK OUT MORE OF OUR FAVORITE TUBS >>
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We already knew that airlines were regularly ripping us off — $25 to check a bag, $10 to board in the first group — but now we’re finding more hotels charging so-called daily “resort fees,” some which are obscured a bit during the hotel booking process. Hotels will often explain these extra fees are for using the amenities, upkeep of the property, pretty much anything a concierge or bellman can think of on his or her toes. And when we read yesterday that a guest at Walt Disney World‘s Swan and Dolphin Resort was fighting with the Starwood-owned property over an “unmentioned” $10 per day resort fee, we decided to go on a mini-mission: To find three super-luxurious hotels that charge the daily rate (plus tax, natch) and that’s it. The result? Many of our fave spots did charge said resort fee (upwards of $35 a day) — but three incredibly luxurious resorts made the cut. (If you can’t leave your cube, don’t fret — the pictures alone make us feel like we’re on vacation, too.) Check out ‘em out below, and then tell us: Would you pay a daily resort fee?
Punta Cana Hotel & Resort, Dominican Republic
The main pool at the Punta Cana Hotel; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Why We Love It: This resort is practically the definition of luxury, with not only one of the best swimming beaches in all of the D.R., but also two crystal clear pools to splash around in. Need even more R&R? Check out the major Six Senses Spa — but make sure to book your massage in one of their beachside cabanas. Can’t you hear the ocean breeze already?
The breakfast buffet at the Punta Cana Hotel; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Our Favorite Free Amenity: Gourmet buffet breakfast. Yum. Fruit on a tropical vacation? Yes please!
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by Jane on December 12, 2011
You were always a good kid — especially around Christmas time — so Santa rewarded you with gifts from your wish list: the coveted doll, the electric train, the drum set, you name it! But what of those items you asked for that didn’t make it under the tree? Your parents had promised that Santa wanted to give you your own private island, but it couldn’t fit down the chimney…but Santa is magical, right? It just didn’t add up…
Is there no pony in any of those presents? Don't worry, we have something so much better.
But you’re an adult now and you’re over it…or maybe not. If you fall into the latter group, let us first say – no judgement here. We’re still holding a grudge against Father Christmas for never delivering ”a diamond the size of my face”; that is definitely no wider than a chimney chute! More importantly, let us say that there’s still hope for you to get your wish — in fact, the cooler, “grown-up” version of your wish. Santa may have denied you a tea set, but a measly plastic set can’t beat afternoon tea served in the birthplace of the tradition itself. And sure, a BB gun would have been fun, but biathlon training combines your love of dangerous weapons with skiing — how did you not think of this sooner?! Check out our list below of the ultimate grown-up Christmas wish list.
Palm Court at the Langham Hotel London
On Your Kiddie Wish List: A tea set
On Your Grown-Up Wish List: Afternoon tea at the Langham Hotel London
Santa must have been pretty stingy that year if he didn’t bring you a tea set (unless, of course, you asked for one like this). But at least his stinginess gives you all the more reason to make your adult tea experience as luxurious and over-the-top as possible. How about a hop over the pond to start? Then you can head to the Langham Hotel, a 5-pearl hotel that exudes an air of exclusivity with a top-notch spa, an excellent West End location, and an in-house butler whose sole job is to supply guests with classical literature to read during their stay. But best of all, the Langham’s Palm Court is noted as the birthplace of the afternoon tea tradition, dating back to when the hotel first opened in 1865 and the Palm Court began serving tea to London’s elite. So treat yourself to a lavish high tea experience with the Wonderland Afternoon Tea menu, complete with your choice of tea (selected with the assistance of a tea sommelier) and a sampling of finger sandwiches and pastries. So much better to have waited all of these years for the real thing.
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by Kelsey on December 10, 2010
Hotel Hana-Maui, Hawaii
Earlier this year, we showed you our favorite Bohemian escapes in Jamaica (The Caves, Tensing Pen, Rockhouse Hotel, and Jake’s), special places with lots of wood and stone, breath-stopping views, serene locations. Although Jamaica has mastered the art of rustic luxury, it’s not the only island that’s home to hotels with relaxed, back-to-nature vibes. We found a handful of other beautiful properties from the Caribbean and Hawaii that prove “rustic” doesn’t have to mean camping. In fact, some of our favorite rustic hotels are downright pricey. Below, take a look at where to splurge, and where to save, on your next bohemian beach escape. Read More »
Barcelo Capella's Photo
Oyster's Photo
We all know that the way a beach looks can change greatly depending on the time of day, and even time of year. Tides shift, and with changing tides comes a changing landscape. So we have no doubt that the beach at the Barcelo Capella Beach Resort in the Dominican Republic is often incredibly lovely. In fact, we even had a chance to see it at its finest and snap some photos. But at another time of day, our hotel reviewer found the beach littered with seaweed (and even some trash, too). And although we don’t fault the hotel for showing its beach in the best possible light, we found it our duty as objective reviewers to include both photo scenarios with our review — the good and the bad. Above is our seaweed-laden photo, on the right, compared to the hotel’s pristine marketing photo on the left. The contrast is, to say the least, striking.
See all of our hotel Photo Fakeouts.
Read the full Barcelo Capella Beach Resort hotel review, or see the rest of our Barcelo Capella photos.
Natura Cabanas
One of our all-time favorite hotels is on sale right now, for dates through December. Natura Cabanas in the Dominican Republic is a romantic, eco-friendly hotel – think individual bungalows, no TVs, fresh food, and softly lapping waves. Rooms normally go for $240 per night, but right now they are on sale for just $180 per night, a savings of 25 percent.
So if you were planning on taking a romantic vacation between now and the end of the year, book now to take advantage of this sale. And as a bonus, taxes for staying at this hotel are incredibly low, so booking at Natura Cabanas is an absolute steal.
Below we’ll give you a photo tour in hopes that you’ll fall in love with this hotel as much as we have! Or you can read the full Natura Cabanas hotel review, or view all of our Natura Cabana photographs.
Check rates at Natura Cabanas for your travel dates. Read More »
Marketing Photo
Oyster's Photo
Ahh, the Dominican Republic. The sun shines, the breeze lightly blows, and the palm trees sway. And, at least at the Don Juan Beach Resort, buildings disappear. While the marketing photo on the left would have you think that the pool has an unobstructed view of the beach, our photo on the right reveals the reality. Although the pool is very close to the sand, if you stand just a little to the left and turn your camera just a bit to the right, as we did when we visited, you’ll see that part of the hotel looms over the pool. The building, cleverly omitted in the marketing photo, spoils the view and disturbs the serenity, even if the pool is just steps from the sand.
See the rest of our hotel Photo Fakeouts.
by Angie on September 2, 2010
Exterior of Tortuga Bay
We’ve shown you some of our favorite boutique hotels in Miami, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Boston, and Washington D.C. And now, we’re letting you in on our picks for the Dominican Republic! These hotels in the D.R. are beautifully decorated and offer top-notch, personalized service — a far cry from their busy, all-inclusive, megaresort neighbors. Check out more pictures of the hotels that made the cut after the jump!
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Your kids can play with a spider monkey named Mario at the Paradisus Real in the D.R.
Taking your kids on the trip of a lifetime is easier than you think. There’s nothing like wildlife to inspire awe in the little ones, and luckily for you, a handful of hotels on Oyster have the kid-friendly attraction to trump all kid-friendly attractions: animal habitats. That’s right — the following hotels don’t only host humans. Animals from lions to dolphins to penguins to monkeys call these properties home, and the thrill your kids will get from interacting with these exotic creatures can transform a humdrum family vacation into an awe-inspiring experience your kids won’t soon forget. Read More »
