Some of us may be counting our pennies and looking for deals online, but based on number of new luxury hotels being built around the world, there are still plenty of rich folk out there!

WAtoday has a story about five insanely luxurious hotels that were either just built, or are about to be finished. Most of them are out of reach for one reason or another — this year I won’t be visiting Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai (the Poseidon suite goes for a mere $9300/night), or spending my days on safari in Panna National Park in Madhya Pradesh, India with nights at the luxury lodge Pashan Garh. Only slightly more likely are stays at the W Hong Kong, where they pledge to fulfill any (legal) service request, or the Hilton Melbourne South Wharf, which is scheduled to open in April.

But the fifth hotel, which is right here on American soil, is totally on my list of must stay there hotels: The Standard Hotel in New York, developed by Mr. Chateau Marmont himself, (and former Uma Thurman dater) Andre Balazs.

A room with a view of New York

You may have heard about this property, which was profiled in Vanity Fair and countless newspaper travel sections. It’s in the Meat Packing district, and actually straddles the High Line, the elevated railroad that is (mercifully for the hotel guests) no longer in use.

A bathroom made for people watching

The Standard is all glass — seriously, floor to ceiling windows that open, stunning views of the New York skyline and Hudson River, and full views of the guests in the bathrooms if you don’t pull the curtains.

How perfect would a martini be in this room?

Every review has described the outside as looking like an open book, and since they’re right, I’ll copy them. The sheets are Italian, the bath stuff organic, the bar far too cool for me.

I’m dying to stay there.

Of course, so is everyone else, so I doubt there will be many rooms available on Priceline anytime soon. Oh well, a girl can dream.

Photos: The Standard New York

Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo

Bored of the same ole, same ole hotel scene? Lobby, check-in, hotel room, sleep, do it all over again? I came across an article by Mary M. Alward written a few years back, and she put together a fantastic list of “10 Whimsical Hotels.” I’ve included a short sampling of these playful hotels around the country will surely make you smile, and none of them contain an ounce of the mundane. Not even the hotel in a library! These hotels are expensive, but sometimes truly unique experiences are worth a little extra.

Jules’ Underwater Sea Lodge

At the time Ms. Alward’s article was written, this amazing hotel was the only underwater lodge in the world…I believe there are now several others under construction, including the amazing Hydropolis in Dubai. However, Jules’ Underwater Sea Lodge is in Key Largo, Florida, and you can get group packages for as little as $275/person, though you do need to take scuba lessons before you go down to the hotel. There are only two rooms available, so book early! Imagine gazing out of 42-inch window at night at all of the beautiful sea life.

Library Hotel

Do you love falling asleep to the smell of leather-bound volumes? Battling insomnia by pouring over drawers of Dewey Decimal entries? Well, the Library Hotel might be just perfect for you. More than 6,000 books await you at this imaginative hotel, which has designed rooms with themes relating to the books inside them. You get free wine and cheese every evening in the Reading Room, too. There are ten floors, and each one is themed around a Dewey Decimal System category such as Social Sciences, Math & Science and Art & Religion. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a room with a view of frenetic Madison Avenue. Rates start at about $400/night, and there are lots of packages available.

The Madonna Inn

Unfortunately, this is not the Material Girl hotel, but it is amusing nonetheless. The Madonna Inn is located in San Luis Obispo, California and it’s outfitted entirely in pink and white. All 110 rooms have their own themes – check out the Caveman Room, the Swiss Chalet and the African Safari. Some rooms require booking over a year in advance. There’s a helpful Room Grid on the website that lets you read about the rooms and look at pictures. Rates are $179-$300/night. Some of the rooms are wild!

Photo Credit: Omar Omar

The Chateau Marmont where real celebrities party with fans

The allure of David Cook is somewhat lost of me — let’s be kind and chalk it up to me being too old for him — but apparently he has a crazed bunch of groupies who chase, harass and stalk him in hotel rooms.

Gee, I wonder if they use my favorite site, “Hotels of the Rich and Famous” track him down?

However they find him, apparently these enthusiastic girls (guys? the articles don’t mention gender…) are managing to get into his hotel rooms and invade his sacred and holy privacy.

This had David in such a tizzy that he resorted to posting a screed on his MySpace page telling fans that their attempts to provide “turn down service” are unhealthy.

I have several questions:

• How bad it the hotel security where he stays that people can get into his room? Are they mugging maids? Hasn’t he heard of throwing the deadbolt?
• How ugly are these fans that he’s not “enjoying” their company?
• What kind of a rock star scolds his fans for trying to be groupies?
• WWTLD? (What would Tommy Lee Do? — and I think we all know the answer to that)
• Shouldn’t David be too busy drinking, fornicating and working on his “craft” to complain about too much fan attention?

David Cook is trying to single-handedly destroy the whole celebrity hotel room mystique, and I think he should be stopped. Where is Lindsay Lohan when we need her? Or Britney Spears? One of them needs to set up a private tutoring session at the Chateau Marmont, including proper celebrity hotel etiquette like drunk lobby antics, television tossing, and maid flashing.

The future of rock and roll depends on it!

Hyatt Regency Atlanta

I was surfing the ‘net for some great hotel deals, and I came across this one for Spring Break – it’s a fantastic family deal. Now through May 17,

Available now through May 17, 2009 five participating Southeast Hyatt hotels are offering a “Stay for 1 Night, Get the 2nd Night 50% Off” deal. And, kids twelve and under get to eat for free!

The five participating hotels are:

Hyatt Regency Atlanta (Downtown)

Grand Hyatt Buckhead (Near downtown Atlanta)

Hyatt Regency Suites – Atlanta Northwest

In these Atlanta-area hotels, you’ll be close to all the city has to offer, from the Coca-Cola Museum, to the Fox Theater to Stone Mountain. Atlanta is a great family destination.

Hyatt Regency – Greenville, South Carolina

Hyatt Regency Greenville is located in the center of the city, where you’ll have many entertainment options to choose from. Dining, golf, concerts – it’s all within reach.

Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront

You’ll be very close to pretty sandy beaches at the Jacksonville Riverfront hotel!

There’s no limit to how many nights you can stay, either. So, you could stay for two nights and get one for 50% off, or for four nights and get two for 50% off, etc. The only small catch is that you have to arrive Thursday-Saturday, but that’s generally when most people start their vacations anyway.

Photo Credits: Word Junky