The Belfast Shipyard in Northern Ireland – where the star-crossed Titanic was built – will be home to a new Titanic themed 5-star hotel.

Titanic Quarter

The 90 room boutique hotel is part of the gigantic Titanic Signature Project – an attempt to turn the 185 acre Titanic Quarter in Queen’s Island, East Belfast, into a major tourist attraction in time for the 100th anniversary of the Titanic’s ill-fated voyage in 1912.

The Titanic Hotel is being developed by Titanic Quarter Ltd, whose plans for the zone are just as big as the vision of the original Harland and Wolff Execs who drew up the blueprint of the Titanic, which ended up in the frigid depths of the Atlantic, along with the deaths of 1,517 passengers and crew.

Is it wise to turn a terrible tragedy like this into a Titanic themed hotel?Maybe they can get Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet to headline the launch party. It’s a moot point though, because the hotel is just the tip of the commercial iceberg, so to speak.  

Hundreds of millions of pounds are being spent, and upon completion  20,000 people are expected to work or live within Titanic Quarter, a partnership between Titanic Quarter Ltd and Belfast Harbour.

A spokesperson for Titanic Quarter Ltd said that “Titanic Quarter is one of the largest mixed-use developments underway in Europe and additional hotel space is an integral part of that mix. Given the enormous global interest in the Titanic and the building’s close associations with the ship, such a hotel will add to the Northern Ireland tourist experience.”

This morbid fascination with the Titanic has been extended into much more ghastly tourism opps, like the  Titanic Cruise abroad the Balmoral -which will carry the exact same number of passengers (1,309) as the Titanic, and follow the same route on the same dates in April 2012 – exactly 100 years after the Titanic tore apart and went down.

Titanic Quarter photo courtesy Titanic Quarter Ltd.

Swine Flu, regular influenza, colds, sinus infections, and more lurk everywhere the public is.  Here are a few tips to keep you healthy while traveling and staying in hotels.  Even the swankiest hotels have germs lurking all over.

The Obvious:

1 ) Wash your hands.  If you aren’t washing your hands before eating, and every time you return from being in public, than you already put yourself at risk for contracting and spreading germs.  My 5 and 10 year old know to wash their hands as soon as we return from the supermarket, the shops or school and I don’t even have to prompt them anymore.  I can’t remember the last time either one of them had a cold.

2 ) Get enough sleep.  It’s sometimes difficult to get enough sleep when you’re flying at odd times or partying it up at a resort.  Try to grab a nap when you can and say no to ‘just one more drink’ at the pool bar.

3 ) Drink enough fluids.  It’s very easy when you’re busy running through an airport or vacationing to become dehydrated.  Try to get your water in where you can.

4 ) Try to get a workout or a walk in every day or every other day that you’re gone.  It will reduce stiffness from traveling, and make you feel better.

5 ) Wear flip-flops in your hotel room, including the shower.  Who knows when the carpet was last cleaned?  Avoid plantar warts and fungus by keeping your feet safe.

The Not-So-Obvious But You’ll Probably Think I’ve Lost My Mind:

6 ) Don’t use the hotel’s hot tub.  Hot tub’s often carry bacteria that cause the skin rash folliculitis.  Not afraid of a pesky skin rash?  Okay, how do you feel about breathing in the bacteria-filled air and developing pneumonia or bronchitis?  How about a UTI?  It’s more common than you think.

7 ) Use your flip flops in the pool.  (See #5)

8 ) Lose the coverlet – put it in the corner.  They are washed about every 6 months, even in the 4 star hotels.  If you are cold, ask for another blanket.  Also, check your bed for bed bugs.  Wear socks, long pants and long sleeved shirts to bed to have minimal contact with the bed.  Bring your own sheets and pillow if you’re able. Do not eat in your bed.

9 ) Never EVER use the glasses provided in the hotel room, even if they are wrapped in paper.  Studies have shown staff cleaning and drying the glasses in the bathroom sink, without soap and with your dirty towel.  The towel you use to dry your body with. Pack a few paper cups to use while you’re staying.  Lastly, skip the ice machine.  They are teeming with germs, and often overlooked in the cleaning process.

10 ) Bring and use sanitizing wipes to wipe down light switches, doorknobs and the remote before you use them.

Photo Credit: Frugal Law Student

Last weekend my husband and I celebrated his birthday by making the quick drive from San Francisco to stay as guests of the legendary Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay, California. They were gracious enough to provide us with a room and valet parking, as well as access to the Club Lounge, at no charge, so that we could experience the wonders of the property.

It was a delightful 16 hour getaway that we would repeat every weekend if possible. Let me tell you, they earned that fabulous reputation! Gorgeous location, luxurious amenities, and that so-well-known Ritz Carlton service equal a pretty fabulous hotel experience.

If you can celebrate your birthday at the Ritz, do it!

The Arrival

We drove down the long driveway leading to the property, stopping at a gatehouse to give our name to a friendly guard. She responded, “Well, Happy Birthday Mr. Lincoln!” and ushered us up to the valets, mostly cute young boys dressed in plus fours, i.e. old timey-golf outfits. Nice touch for a property that boasts two golf courses overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

At the front desk my husband was once again wished a happy birthday — by three different Ritz Carlton staffers –  and we were offered glasses of wine from the tasting they were doing in the lobby. Delightful!

Balloons + feather beds = a great night's rest!

The Room

Our room was a decent size,  with a king-sized bed made all the more cozy with a feather bed and dreamy Egyptian cotton linens. The giant HD flatscreen tv was housed in a built in hutch, which also contained the honor bar (Cashews: $11) and a stunning “personal wine cellar” with several bottles of real wine. Seriously, Gary Vanynerchuk would have whole-heartedly approved of this hotel! They even offer wine classes!

The in-room wine cellar.

Making the room all the more festive were the balloons and birthday cake that greeted our arrival, along with a nice note welcoming us.

“Look, they even put a Leo on the cake, for my sign,” my husband joked.

“That’s the Ritz logo,” I replied, rolling my eyes at him. “But yeah, they do seem that good with the details.”

The view from our room: golf, bluff and Pacific Ocean

The Ritz Carlton Club

I wrote about the incredible Ritz Carlton Club lounge when I stayed at the Dearborn Michigan Ritz. Note: you always want to get a room with Club Level access. Always.

Best way to start a weekend? With champagne and pate en croute!

This lounge was even better than the one in Dearborn, and we made full use of it. We were welcomed by the very friendly concierge, Carmen, who asked for our room number, wished my husband a happy birthday (seriously) and then gave a tour of the lounge.

There are five different food presentations each day. This pre-dinner one included areas with a bar (wine, champagne, name brand booze), a charcuterie and cheese spread, chicken and carmelized fig hors d’oeuvres, six giant glass jars of cookies, an espresso/mocha maker (regular and decaf), and a broad variety of soft drinks including sodas, juices and multiple types of bottled waters.

We only meant to get a glass of champagne and a snack, but everything was so delicious, and the view of the golf course, bluffs and Pacific Ocean were so beautiful that we wound up hanging out for about 45 minutes. And we went back for dessert, later that evening!

Chocolate covered marshmallows and brandy!

As usual, I kept an eye out to see how other people (a.k.a. the paying guests) were treated, and the lounge was a great spot for spying. During this first visit I saw Carmen being incredibly gracious to everyone who came in, and the other staff members being polite and efficient. Someone even went down to the lobby store and brought back a bottle of Tylenol for a guest!

The Ocean Walk and Terrace

The late afternoon was so beautiful that we finally forced ourselves to leave the lounge and take a walk around the property. There is a paved walkway shared by golf carts, guests and several local dog walkers. We strolled along the perfectly manicured golf course and walked down a quick set of steps to a sheltered beach packed with people enjoying the unusually warm Northern California end of summer day.

Then we back to the Terrace in time to hear the bagpipe player.

Bagpiper at sunset with hot chocolate bar behind him!

We were lucky enough to score a pair of chairs with a great view of everything. We plunked ourselves down, ordered signature Vodka Lime Rickeys, and waited for the sunset show. Faintly at first, and then growing louder, we heard the the strains of the bagpipe, which isn’t a soothing instrument, but it certainly lends an air of distinction to the proceedings. The kilt-wearing player did several songs, entertaining the crowd of families, couples, two bridal parties and several dogs for about 30 minutes, until the sun went down.

Signature lime rickeys at sunset!

Then staffers lit the two giant fire pits and started serving hot chocolates. With booze if you want it.

So. Awesome.

The Other Important Stuff

The perfect bathroom!

• I didn’t have a chance to tour any other rooms, but I know that next time I visit I want to get one of the Terrace Fire Pit Rooms. Just like the name implies, you’re on the ground level and have a personal fire pit right outside your room.
• The bathroom was perfect. Almost as big as the room, white marble, Bulgari white tea soaps. The toilet was in a little room with a door, good for privacy. Water-efficient rain showerhead, nice terry robes. Great light, including one of those terrifying magnified makeup mirrors with a built in light.
• When it gets cold, the staff brings blankets out for people sitting on the terrace around the fire pit.
• The spa is right by the Terrace, so right after you finish your massage, or workout you can wander out in your robe, have a drink, and contemplate the ocean.
• Weddings! We saw two while we were there and those were some happy brides — and even happier guests!
• Don’t bother washing your car before you go. It’s outdoor parking and your car will be covered with dew in the morning.

Dates like 09-09-09 don’t drop by every other day, which is why they’re so interesting. The Beatles are set to rock Sept 09 with a release of a remastered version of  ’Revolution 9′  from The White Album.  And many hotels are going all out to milk this human fascination with numerologic and astrological alignments, so we have a bucketload of $99 specials popping up all over the place.

$99 Specials for 9-9-09

Expedia: For just nine days, top 4- and even 5-star hotels are $99 a night—or less. This fall, you can stay in utter luxury while enjoying rock-bottom rates across the globe when you book on Expedia. Book by September 9; travel through September 30, 2009.

Hotels.com: Hundreds of hotels on offer for $99 or less – Book by September 9, 2009 for travel between September 7 – September 30, 2009. The featured hotels include many 3.5 and 4-star hotels in Boston and Orlando, including minty-fresh and new Aloft hotels. There’s also a $10 hotel in Las Vegas…

Speaking of Vegas, Sin City is going nuts over this astrological ‘day of good fortune.’  The La Bella Wedding Chapel at the Las Vegas Hilton is offering a $99 special that includes photos, 2 tickets to the Hilton’s Voices show, and a free witness for the wedding.

And it’s not just Vegas – the number 9 lucky star seems to have spread to Atlantic City too - The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, along with sister hotel – the Water Club, is offering a  ‘Summer of 99′  special in September – $99 hotel rooms, plus $99 Spa treatments and a chance to win a $999 bonus  on the slots. More info here (or call 866-692-6742) and here (call 800-800-8817).

And to make matters worse, the 09-09-09 bug has started spreading on twitter too. The Hard Rock Chicago has a twitter promotion for Sept 09.

Twitter users who re-tweet the message: “RT to win! @HardRockChicago is giving away 9 rooms for $9. Winners selected 9/9/09! #contest #hardrockchicago09” are automatically entered to win one room night at the hotel for a special $9 rate. The nine lucky “tweeters” will be selected at random on the date of 9/9/09.

And then there’s Starwood’s 999 promo – rooms for $9.99. Book by Sept. 9 and valid for stays upto Dec. 27.  Participating Starwood brands inlude Westin, Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton, W, Aloft, Element, Luxury Collection, Le Méridien and St. Regis hotels.  Use promo code NIN or visit www.starwoodpromos.com/999.