Fortune favors those who fill in the sweepstakes forms. Win free stays at hotels in Los Angeles, along with free round-trip travel and free tickets to the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards on Jan 31, 2010. And maybe even attend a few star-studded after parties.

Grammy Awards

1. Delta is the official airline for the Grammy Awards, and they have a sweepstakes going with 2 grand prizes, each including two round-trip flights to Los Angeles, two tickets to the Grammy Awards show at Staples Center Jan. 31, 2010, hotel accommodations and rental car.

Visit www.pandora.com/delta, choose a Grammy inspired Delta Station, and enter to win the prize.

2. Hard Rock is also running a Grammy sweepstakes. Enter to win roundtrip airfare to L.A., hotel accommodations for two nights at a swanky hotel, $250 spending cash, and access to the Official GRAMMY Celebration After-Party.

3. Hilton Hotels is the official hotel sponsor for the Grammys, and they have special prize-packages for Hilton HHonors members.  This isn’t exactly free. Actually, it’s an auction for charity, so you have to bid for it with your HHonors points.

Each of the four winners gets two tickets to the Awards, the official after party, Grammy Museum, a few other galas and receptions, round-trip airfare to Los Angeles, and three nights stay for two at the Hilton Checkers. Visit www.hilton.com/grammys for more details.

4.  Crawford Furniture and WIVB-TV want to send you to Grammys.  If you win, you get round-trip coach air transportation for two from Buffalo, NY to Los Angeles, transfers to event, hotel accommodations for two nights, and two tickets to the Grammy Awards. Fill up their form here.

Photo courtesy Hilton Hotels

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My bed at the W Westwood in Los Angeles, CA

I don’t travel well, especially when it comes to getting to sleep in a strange bed.  Besides my inherent fear that someone will break into my room, there’s always the lovely sounds of hotel neighbours to rouse me before I actually get to sleep.

Having just returned from the hip and happening W Westwood in Los Angeles, (where I must admit I felt 100 years old just like last time, more on that later), the first article I wanted to write was this one.  You know, for next time.

So, if you’re a restless, weary traveler, consider the following:

1 ) When checking in or booking the room, ask to be placed at least 2 floors away from the hotel’s hot spot.  In the case of the W, make it 6 or more.  I was on the 4th floor and heard BOOM BOOM BOOM until 1 a.m.  Not ideal when I had to be up at 6.

2 ) Also request your room not be near the ice machines or the elevators.  Even if the mechanics of these areas are quiet, there will be the human element pouring off the lift or digging in the ice machine for just one. more. drink.

3 ) Unplug your phone or ask the hotel to put your phone on Do Not Disturb mode if possible.  No need for drunk dialers to wake you if you’ve already managed to crash.

4 ) Double check your alarm clock for obvious reasons.  You don’t want to be up at 4 a.m. unless it’s your flight you’re looking to catch.

5 ) Use ear plugs, if you’re so inclined.

6 ) If you’re the type to get up in the night to use the washroom or get a drink of water, make sure your foot path is clear and save yourself the trouble of getting up for water by leaving a glass of water at your bedside.

7 ) Close your curtains before bed.

8 ) If your neighbours are particularly rowdy, you could try calling the front desk but if that fails, don’t be afraid to pack it in and go to the front desk for a new room.  Personally I don’t mind the sound of happy party people.  For some reason I feel safer if I know there are people around.

9 ) If you’re going to watch television to fall asleep, set the timer for sleep mode.  That way you don’t wake up to the Slapchop dude screaming into your dreams.

10 ) If you don’t want hotel staff to wake you up in the morning, be sure to use your Do Not Disturb sign.

Personally I find having a couple of drinks at dinner gets me lubricated enough to slip into dreamland a little easier.  Hopefully sleep finds you at your destination!

Photo Credit: Karen Bodkin

Sexy stars for Hollywood board shorts!

So you know when you wander down to the hotel pool, and you’re about to take off your robe? Then you look around and suddenly realize that everyone else is wearing a bathing suit but you’re naked.

Yeah, I hate that, too.

That’s why from now I’m going to do all my accidental-near-skinny-dipping at the Standard Hotels in LA, New York or Miami.

The André Balazs properties are partnering with boardshort designer Quicksilver to offer cobranded suit in the hotel lobby shops, and in vending machines by the pool.

Oooh, anyone got change for a c-note, right?

Starting with the LA property this weekend, you can get four different styles of men’s shorts to match the four different Standard Hotel locations. Women can only get a black string bikini, but if you only have one choice, that’s the choice 98% of women who are actually willing to wear a bathing suit in public.

Want all of the cachet of a Standard Hotel bathing suit, without the trip to an expensive hot spot? Check it out on the Standard web store.

Photo: The Standard Hotel