Sure you can get lucky sometimes, but most people won’t be spending their summer vacations in the lap of luxury without having to pay through the nose for it.

Unless… you can find solid deals from luxury hotels that offer 5-star luxury and comfort at a 4-star or lower price tag. Here’s a few samples.

LHW luxury hotels

LHW: The ‘Save the Date Sweet Dreams’ offer includes steep discounts at luxury properties all over the world that are part of the Leading Hotels of the World Group.

You can get 15-20% off on the best available rate at luxury hotels like the Taj Campton Place in San Francisco; Setai South Beach in Miami Beach and the Fairmont Turnberry Isle in Miami; Hôtel Plaza Athénée in New York; and the The Kahala Hotel & Resort in Honolulu.

The only catch is that you need to book early. More details here.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotels of New York: The Ritz properties in NYC are offering a ‘Summer in the Park’ deal which includes a 2-night stay and add-ons like free full day bike rentals, a picnic and a private gondola ride or a a tour of Manhattan by sail. More details here.

Waldorf Astoria: “Best of Waldorf Astoria” summer promotion includes a complimentary daily breakfast for children 18 and under and a daily resort credit at any one of the brand’s 24 hotels across the globe, including the original and legendary legendary Waldorf=Astoria New York and the new Waldorf Astoria in Orlando.

The offer is valid for stays booked between 5/1/2011 and 9/5/2011 and completed between 5/27/2011 and 10/2/2011. Use promo code PBBWS1 or call and ask for the “Best of Waldorf Astoria” promotion.

Starwood Resorts: This is for SPG members only, but it’s worth a mention since there are so many millions of them and you can always sign up. From now until July 31, registered SPG members who stay three times at any of the more than 1000 Starwood hotels or resorts worldwide will earn one free resort night award.

The stay can be redeemed at over 200 resorts including stunning resorts like the St. Regis Princeville Resort in Kaua’i and the Equinox Golf Resort & Spa in Vermont. More details here.

Ravella at Lake Las Vegas: This was until recently a Ritz which has reopened under new management, and it’s still a luxury hotel. To make it even more attractive, they’re offering a 50% summer escape discount with free breakfast for two adults and two children included.

So what you’re getting is a brand new luxury hotel stay that’s on paper a 4-star property with a 2-star price tag. Offer valid until September 30, 2011. More details here.

Photos courtesy LHW

Newly remodeled rooms at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes

I have long been what can best be described as a passionate advocate of the spa at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes. My first visit to that dimly lit slice of heaven helped me decide to move my family to Central Florida almost four years ago. And yet, I had never set foot – let alone spent the night – in an actual guest room at the luxury hotel until recently.

As you can imagine, I had high hopes when I checked in.

I stepped into the cavernous marble lobby for the first time on a Monday morning. The elegance was understated but everywhere, from the ornate furniture placed every few yards along the walls to the single flower blossom atop every visible table. The decor on the lobby level, which included a lounge area and bar, was beautiful while remaining quietly in the background. I found myself speaking and even stepping more quietly in response.

Despite having arrived well before a respectable check-in time, the woman at the desk confirmed a room was available for me. After handing me my key, she escorted me to the closest elevators while explaining that I’d be staying in one of the newly-renovated rooms.

New furnishings at Ritz-Carlton Orlando

The hotel is about halfway through a renovation that’s scheduled for completion next fall. The project includes a replacement of the furnishings and decor in the guest rooms and a makeover of the hallways on guest floors. One of my favorite things about my guest room was the powder blue chaise lounge that has been added to king guest rooms as part of this overhaul, which I noticed immediately when I entered my room. (I would spend most of my evening in that chair curled up with my Kindle. It’s just as comfortable as it looks!)

In addition to the perfect spot for reading, my room also included a large desk and work area, granite-topped dressers and entertainment stand, flat screen TV, balcony overlooking the lake, spacious bathroom, and a king bed with linens so luxurious I had to rely on Twitter to talk me out of taking them home with me. The theme of refined details that I’d noted in the lobby was repeated in the room.

My only complaint about the room was the towels. In a hotel with bedding that encourages a late checkout, I was surprised to find the soaking tub and marble-tiled shower stall outfitted with white towels that felt over bleached and rough. It’s a minor complaint, but everything about the hotel and the room seems designed to soothe the senses; the sudden scratching on my skin gave me a temporary jolt back to reality. Fortunately, I had only to get dressed and make my way down to The Vineyard Grill to be quickly lulled back into a fantasy land.

The Vineyard Grill is one of nine dining options at the Grande Lakes resort and I was fortunate to enjoy a breakfast there with the property’s PR Director during my stay. In the evening the vast restaurant is a steakhouse, but it serves an impressive buffet for breakfast and Sunday brunch that includes made-to-order omelets and a sinful array of pastries. You’ll also find fresh salmon, local fruit and a variety of classic breakfast staples continually replaced by an attentive staff.

Pool area at Ritz-Carlton in Orlando

No matter where you are in The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, you feel a sense of both peace and refinement. That calm extends beyond the thick walls into the surrounding grounds. The citrus garden provides a beautiful spot for quiet reflection or a romantic wedding ceremony. Lounge chairs and stone statues surround the pool and hot tub, which looks more like an Italian fountain than a jacuzzi. The resort itself, including the attached JW Marriot, covers more than 500 acres and offers access to a golf course, private lake, and the headwaters of the Everglades. When you tour the property, it’s easy to forget that you’re just a short drive from the hustle and bustle of major theme parks and a large city.

I think that’s what The Ritz-Carlton Orlando does best – make you forget. You can forget about the rush and stress of real life, if just for a little while. Sure, you may be visiting to attend one of the many conventions and meetings held in the ballrooms, but deep relaxation is always just a moment away at The Ritz. Head to the spa, have a drink in the bar, or simply enjoy the view from one of the floor to ceiling windows; you’re sure to find exactly the kind of escape you need.

I received a complimentary room for an evening at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando.

Photos courtesy of Ritz-Carlton and Britt Reints

StyleChic founder Aly Scott has created two hotel packages exclusively for The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles, which will help you uncover fashion and style secrets across the city.

Aly Scott is famous for being a celebrity stylist for stars such as Scarlett Johansson, Dave Matthews and Jane Seymour, and as the former associate publisher for six different fashion magazines.

With 10 years of fashion industry experience and as the founder of StyleChic, Aly is now also working with the Ritz in Los Angeles as a personal stylist and fashion consultant. The packages she created are not just about fashion, but also about getting a taste of the glitzy and glam fashion lifestyle that stars and celebrities enjoy.

So in between trips to jewelry designers and vintage boutiques in a chauffeured luxury car, a sample StyleChic itinerary would include a champagne welcome in the VIP terrace lounge at Tods on Rodeo Drive and lunch at The Ivy in West Hollywood.

And of course, a stay at The Ritz-Carlton, with dinner at Wolfgang Puck’s WP24 Restaurant & Lounge on the hotel’s 24th floor and unwinding in The Ritz-Carlton Spa.

The 123 guestrooms and other facilities the Ritz-Carlton offers are located in Downtown Los Angeles on the upper floors of a 54-story tower which the hotel shares with the The Ritz-Carlton Residences and the JW Marriott Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE, steps away from the Staples Center.

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In addition to a Technology Butler and a Bath Butler, The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay now also has a Fire and Wine Butler, whose job it is to provide assistance with fire and wine and whatever else that might be needed to “create the perfect outdoor moment.”

The Ritz-Carlton

Before we get to the butler and his butlermobile (a specially-outfitted golf cart), take a look at the package that necessitates a butler – The Fire & Wine package with a patio featuring your own personal gas-burning fireplace.

In addition to the terrace fire pit room accommodations, it also includes a bottle of wine from the featured winery in their Summer Vintner Series, s’mores kit for two to roast on the fireplace, and rose petal turndowns.

The butler obviously helps with the whole fire and outdoor wine part, but there’s more. You can also hit him up for the s’mores and after-dinner desserts on the terrace.

Bernd Kuhlen, the hotel’s General Manager, says “Because our guests spend so much time relaxing outside and on their patios, The Fire & Wine Butler is a meaningful new way for us to truly anticipate their needs.”

Translation: We’ll take care of the pesky stuff while you loaf on the Adirondack chairs with a drink in your hand and desserts on the table, and enjoy the ocean view and the golf course.

To be noted that you don’t have to book the Fire & Wine package to get your own Fire & Wine butler. This is a roving butler, and guests are free to ambush him as he passes by. Read More »