Dreaming in Bangkok

Posted by Staff in Budget Thursdays, Thailand

Naming a hotel Dream can be a risky endeavor, as you are setting your guest’s expectations high from the get go. But a hotel in Bangkok has successfully tackled this feat, Dream Bangkok.

The hotel’s goal is to make you feel as though you are sleeping on a cloud…this effect is accomplished by super soft bedding and blue lights penetrating from under the bed.  Other features in the room include large plasma TVs, preloaded iPod players, plush bathrobes and free bottled water (a must after the grueling long flight to Bangkok).

Set in the heart of the city and close to the Skytrain, the hotel is easy to navigate to and from.  The chic modern interior has been used for many music videos and is popular amongst Asian glitterati. 

The best part is that this hotel offers all the amenities you would expect of a five star hotel but at super low prices with rooms starting at $75 per night. dreambkk.com

Retro chic podding

Posted by Staff in Budget Thursdays, New York

Obviously travelers have become less concerned about space and more concerned about money…since writing about The Pod Hotel last week, I was told about another podesque hotel opening in New York, The Jane…and although I have not seen this one first hand, it is owned by one of my favorite LA restauranteurs, Sean MacPherson…creator of LA’s hippest restaurants including Swingers, Jones, and El Carmen. MacPherson partnered with Eric Goode and is now in the process of restoring the defunct Riverview Hotel and transforming it into the new and improved Jane Hotel. 

“In the ‘80s you would find both character and characters in these eccentric hotels like the Chelsea or the old Windsor Arms,” MacPherson says. “So many young people have a romanticized notion of bohemia New York, but have trouble finding it these days. Virtually all-new Manhattan hotels seem to be versions of each other, high-end design palaces. By restoring the landmark hotel, rather than renovating it, we hope to resurrect an authentic slice of idiosyncratic New York, bathrooms down the hall and all.”

Redrum skiing

Posted by Staff in Budget Thursdays, New Mexico

There is so much that goes into a ski trip…clothing, equipment, lift tickets, accommodations…it is no wonder that you are broke by the time the trip is over. Although areas like Vail have given the sport notoriety for being only for the wealthy…there are still places that make the sport accessible to the masses…one such place is Red River, just 36 miles from Taos.  

When you first arrive in this miniscule town, you will feel as though you walked on the set of a John Wayne film.  The whole town has a western feel and up until recently the center of town featured a hitching post, left over from when the town boomed due to the gold rush.

Accommodations in this town hover around basic, at best…but for the price you can’t really complain. I ended up at The Lodge at Red River…at first it was a little too mountain rustic for me…built in the 1940s, this old lodge invoked images of Jack Nicholson’s face busting through the door and screaming “redrum, redrum”…but in the end the place turned out to be quite fabulous for only $69 a night. The Lodge is set in the center of town and is home to the most popular restaurant in Red River, Texas Reds Steakhouse.  Once the image of Jack Nicholson’s face wore away I had the most comfortable nights sleep I had in a long time in the remarkably comfortable bed.

Now on to the mountain…visiting Red River Ski Area is like going back in time.  This mountain has old-school style lifts and even a mining town replica on a beginner slope to entertain the kiddies.  The mountain has 57 runs and is almost equally divided between expert, intermediate and beginner terrain…so as is the case with Ski Santa Fe, there is something for everyone…and with multi day lift tickets costing $51 per day, you get a lot of mountain for the low price.

A budget friendly spa

Posted by Staff in Budget Thursdays, Germany

Very rarely do spa resorts ever fall in the “budget” category.  But I just got word today that the spa-future of the budget-minded might be a bit brighter…

Opening on 6 November 2009 in the city of Berlin, a new and unique refuge from the bustling city will open behind the trees and noble façades of Berlin’s affluent Charlottenburg district: the Aspria Hotel, a 42-room retreat connected to a renowned 150,000 square feet state-of-the-art spa and sporting club. The result: the ultimate city health and wellness resort.

“Aspria never stands still. We’re always looking for ways to improve and continuous growth is part of our philosophy.” says Brian Morris, CEO of Aspria Group. “That’s why it is a priority for us to provide visitors to Berlin and our Club members with a truly special accommodation experience – the new Aspria Hotel. There’s really nothing in the city that will compare with this hotel, it will be a real ‘escape’ and we’re very proud of it.”

The generously sized open plan rooms have elegant furniture by Vitra and Walter Knoll. Guests enter their accommodation with a clear view of a panoramic window and a tailor-made pedestal bed that seems to float in the middle of the room. Along the length of the window stretches a desk with the same grey surface as the bed. It varies in height and can be used as a writing desk, a bench or an area to open suitcases. Even the television has not gone without a rethink: the cutting-edge Philips Ambilight screens are ceiling-mounted at an angle that corresponds perfectly with the bed’s backrest.

The three larger apartment suites contain the same mix of harmonious lines, soft colors and modern materials. Intended for guests who need more space, or might be planning a longer stay, these suites are larger, have a kitchenette and dining table, a sitting area with a sofa that can fold out to be a second bed, and have an expanded bathroom with separate bathtub and shower.

Equally as important as the rooms, however, is the hotel’s setting: in place of a standard lobby and a tucked-away afterthought of a gym, the Aspria Hotel allows guests to take advantage of 150,000 square feet of fitness and wellness space. The spa has been extended and refurbished, adding a hamam, a salt inhalation room and a wave dream installation relaxation room to the saunas, whirlpool, kneippbaths and the amazing rooftop terrace. Treatments and massages by the professional spa team complement this range of almost endless wellness opportunities. The club’s sporting offer includes state-of-the-art fitness equipment, an extensive class timetable, innovative training methods such as Power plates and highly qualified Personal Trainers.

Now here is where the budget twist is….room rates range from only 89-119 Euros per night, which is unheard of for a destination spa in the US. For more info visit: www.aspria-hotel.com