Recently, I came across this article regarding a new virtual concierge program at the JW Marriott in Chicago, Illinois. I haven’t been to the Marriott, I personally love the idea of a virtual concierge. Why wait in line to ask a simple question when you can have all of the information you’re looking for at your fingertips? Plus, you don’t have to worry about taking up too much time at the front desk when all you want to do is go relax in your room or go out and see the sights. I still don’t understand why I see long lines at check-in and check-out at hotels; can’t this mundane necessity be taken care of completely at kiosks? The virtual check-in and check-out experiences I’ve had so far have been great – quick and easy.

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If you haven’t made plans for the Memorial Day Weekend, now would be a good time to start thinking about it. You have more of both motive and means this year, considering that Osama is no longer with us and neither is the recession.

Graves at Arlington, Memorial Day

Here’s a few places where you can get some pretty sweet Memorial Day Weekend hotel deals.

Orlando – The Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek is offering Memorial Day Weekend rates starting at $159 per night and the Waldorf Astoria has a $199 per night package.

The kicker is that for every two nights booked with either of them, you will receive a free Walt Disney World one-day one-park ticket.

The AAA four diamond Hilton Orlando has a $139 Memorial Day Weekend package for its facebook fans. The “Making Memories on Memorial Day” package includes deluxe accommodations as well as breakfast and dinner for two daily.

Guests who mention they are Facebook fans at check-in will receive extras like a s’mores kit for use at the outside fire pits, free in-room movie with a bucket of popcorn and liter of soda or a drink voucher for use at a hotel bar.

Las Vegas – Start here, and you’ll find some great Sin City hotel deals for between May 27-30, starting from $24.50. If you’re not in the mood to scrape the bottom of the barrel, there are nice (and new) hotels offering rates well below $100 for the dates in question, including Caesars Palace, Stratosphere, Rumor and Circus Circus.

New York – The Mandarin Oriental New York has an “Extra Fun Day Away” package with a complimentary night after a two-night stay this Memorial Day weekend.

Note that New York also has a well attended Fleet Week (May 25 – June 1) to contend with, and discounted hotel rooms will be hard to come by. But you can save a lot of big bucks here on NYC hotel deals for the Memorial Day Weekend.

Also, the Omni Berkshire Place in New York has a Memorial Day package with 30% off on regular rates. Actually, Omni Hotels & Resorts is offering 30% off on all their hotels and resorts. Well, not exactly… it’s 10 percent off on a one night stay, 20 percent off on a two night stay and 30 percent off on a three night stay.

Travel Ticker – Oahu hotels near Waikiki Beach from $65; Vegas hotels on the strip from $55. Cancun hotels are on offer from $119; Seattle from $129 and Los Angeles from $139.

Expedia – Memorial Day special rates, with Vegas starting from $45 and Orlando from $25. Even if you want to splurge on a better hotel in Orlando, that won’t cost you more than $120 or so.

Hotels.com – 30% off Memorial Day sale, with New York hotels from $132, Chicago starting from $65 and San Antonio from $71.

Photo – public domain (source)

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The Vegas Strip is going to the dogs. TheHotel at Mandalay Bay says it has dog-friendly suites on its 22nd floor, specially kitted out with eco-friendly food and water bowls for Fido. They’ll even welcome you with tasty treats and doggy relief bags.

Pet-friendly hotel - THEHotel at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas

For the discerning doggy, there are special options. Fido’s in-room dining menu, for example, includes a Backyard Delight consisting of hamburger, potatoes, zucchini, carrots, apples, parsley and ground turmeric.

For those who feel like stretching their legs, Barking Lot Lane is just steps away near the west entrance of THEhotel. Owners can walk Fido themselves, or call in the Concierge if required. Upto two dogs weighing 100 pounds combined are allowed, and should be on a leash when outside the room.

The 43 story all-suite TheHotel has 1,117 one-bedroom suites with plasma television, high-speed internet and wet bars in-room. They have a billiards lounge, lobby bar, coffee bar and café.

The hotel is part of the Mandalay Bay resort, which has 4,752 rooms and suites and a whole lot more including a 11 acre tropical pool with real sand and poolside gaming.

But for those only interested in pet-friendly hotels, here’s the top 10 Las Vegas hotels where guests are allowed to walk on all fours and bark (just to be clear – this refers to dogs and not drunk casino revelers).

1. TheHotel at Mandalay Bay
2. The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
3. Four Seasons
4. Caesars Palace
5. Paris Las Vegas
6. Planet Hollywood
7. Harrah’s
8. Flamingo
9. Bally’s
10. Rio

Expect to pay anywhere between $25-50 per day per dog and an additional fee if pet-sitting or dog-walking services are required.

Photos courtesy Mandalay Bay

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The world’s first Nobu Hotel will soon open in Las Vegas, according to an agreement announced between Nobu Hospitality and Caesars Palace.

Nobu Hotel in Caesars Palace

The 180-room hotel will be housed in what is currently the Centurion Tower. The plan also calls for the Vegas Strip’s first Nobu Restaurant and Lounge.

The hotel will have 16 suites and a penthouse with a stylish interior and Japanese-style design that makes use of natural materials. Nobu Hotel guests will have their own private check-in and room service from the Nobu Restaurant’s culinary team.

The 9,500 sq ft restaurant and lounge will be at located at the base of the Nobu Tower, near the existing Appian Way at Caesars Palace. The Centurion Tower will probably shut down this summer for renovations, and the work is expected to take around 15 months.

Caesars Palace already has 3,300 hotel guest rooms and suites, and 23 restaurants and cafes. But Gary Selesner, president of Caesars Palace, said that “The re-branded hotel tower, restaurant and lounge will offer an experience unlike anything in Las Vegas, pairing exclusive accommodations with a resort famed for world-class entertainment, shopping and leisure experiences.”

Nobu is a partnership between Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, actor Robert De Niro and producer Meir Teper that came to America in 1994 with the opening of Nobu New York in TriBeCa. Robert De Niro also owns the stylish 88-room Greenwich Hotel in TriBeCa.

It’s early days yet and Nobu Hospitality hasn’t said anything about it, but if the Nobu Hotel in Vegas is a hit, then it won’t be long before a Nobu Hotel pops up in New York too.

Photos courtesy Caesars Palace

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