Achim Lenders, vice present of international food & beverage operations for Hyatt, was the recipient of Food Arts Silver Spoon award in November. The magazine recognized Mr. Lender’s efforts of reinvigorating hotel dining and success by removing barriers between the kitchen and diners.

Among his many accolades, Mr. Lenders is the mastermind behind the first ever on-sight hotel farmer’s market at Andaz Wall Street, Michelin-stared NoMI’s urban chic dining atmosphere at Park Hyatt Chicago, and unique farm-to table display at Park Hyatt Washington, D.C.’s Blue Duck Tavern. While the chefs deserve praise, we are glad to see Mr. Lender’s have a piece of the love too!

Remember that old, isolated hotel in the 1980’s horror classic The Shining? Hard to forget. While you won’t be alone at Park Hyatt Beaver Creek, the panoramic views of the Rockies will take you back to that creepy setting (in a good way). And at 8100 Mountainside Bar & Grill their “holiday” special is the $13 Superstitious Shrimp & Marg. A Pikes Place shrimp cocktail, served alongside a chilled house margarita. The perfect way to face your fears!

You can always find comfort in food, so save the creepiness for after dinner at Park Hyatt Washington. The Blue Duck Tavern’s famed Roasted Bone Marrow with a Vandouvan Crust is $13, a delicious way to celebrate in the Capital.

 Don’t want to leave your black cat…. Or dog behind? You’re in luck because The Cottages at the Boat Basin on Nantucket has one pet-friendly cottage left for sale this weekend. Cottage number 13! Better still bring your furry-friend along on the Grey Lady and get a rate of $130. (To book, mention reservation number 310421 and “Friday the 13^th”.)

For urbanites looking for an escape but too superstitious to travel far today, Andaz Wall Street in New York is offering 13% off rooms booked on Friday the 13^th! Book the Friday the 13th offer by clicking here. To book via phone, request corporate/group ID# 71274 – Friday the 13th Offer.

Royal Mansour Marrakech 

This property might be made completely by hand, by Moroccan artisans and craftsman trained in the traditional arts of carving, silk weaving, and mosaics, but there is cutting-edge technology embedded into the nooks and crannies.  Every room in one’s private riad has a touch screen wall to control lighting and temperature levels throughout the riad.  And in case the personal butler service gets tiresome (though they come and go so quietly via a network of underground pathways), there is a ‘Do Not Disturb’ button. 

Tweetables: #Marakkech #traveltech

Crystal Cruises

A floating five-star hotel, Crystal Cruises helps guests stay as connected as they want to be.  This September, Crystal’s Computer University@Sea will feature state-of-the-art iMac workstations with 32 inch LED screens, operating on both Windows 7 and Mac OSX 10.6 platforms.  In addition to the existing Windows 7 classes, new introductory Microsoft Office and iPhoto classes for Mac will be offered.  The new systems and curriculum offer guests an ideal opportunity to work with systems that they are most familiar with while traveling, or to try something new with the helpful instruction of CU@Sea instructors. And for those flummoxed with how to upload their photos of the Arctic Sea, the tech concierge assists with all manner of hi-tech items from digital cameras to iPhone applications. 

Tweetables: @crystalcruises #Cruise #traveltech

Anantara Hotels & Resorts

Anantara Phuket Resort and spa

This spring, while New Yorkers waited in line at Apple, guests at Anantara Phuket Villas read The New York Times on the resort’s own iPads and gazed out on Thailand’s Andaman Sea.   Now, sister property Anantara Bophut Resort & Spa on Koh Samui has joined in on the fun.  Guests can check out the iPad to read the newspaper, schedule resort activities, or book treatments at the Anantara Spas. And soon all Anantara properties in Thailand, Indonesia, the Maldives and the UAE will be plugged in, too. 

Tweetables: #Thailand #traveltech

Nantucket Island Resorts

The East Coast island, over thirty miles out at sea and preserved in quaint 19^thcentury style, is the spot to enjoy technology at its most fun and leisurely.  Nantucket Island Resorts offers Flip Video Camcorders for guests to use at each property.  Record the sunset over Nantucket Bay at The Wauwinet, or borrow a Flip Cam from the White Elephant and capture footage of the beautiful boats arriving in Nantucket Harbor.  Even cooler, enter a one-minute video clip in the Flip Out on Nantucket Sweepstakes for the chance to win a grand prize Nantucket vacation worth $15,000.

Tweetables: @WauwinetInn @WhiteElephantMA #Nantucket #traveltech

Pavillon des Lettres

Opening this autumn, Pavillon des Lettres, sister hotel to the beloved Pavillon de la Reine, is located in the 8^th arrondissement. The small upscale hotel has 26 rooms each devoted to a letter of the alphabet and an international writer corresponding to that letter. Think H for Hugo or B for Balzac. Text from the corresponding author’s book will be painted above the bed and a hard copy of the book can be found on the nightstand. Though themed with books and literature, this hotel is not stuck in the past – each room will come equipped with an iPad loaded with international best-sellers and all of the info one would find in the in-room compendium. Website will be launching this summer and room rates begin at €300 per night.

Tweetables: #Paris #traveltech

Andaz Wall Street and Andaz 5^th Avenue

New York City loves to be on the cutting edge and Andaz Wall Street and the newly opened Andaz 5^th Avenue are no different! Skipping the front-desk notion altogether, Andaz properties have floating ‘hosts’ who check guests in using mobile tablets. Check-in while sitting on the sofa in the Andaz Lounge, with complimentary glass of wine or, if you’re in a rush, in the elevator on their way to your room.  The tablets can swipe credit cards and also create room key cards on the spot. 

Tweetables: #NYC #traveltech

New York is a city filled with passion and history, which makes it one of the most visited cities in the world. The Andaz Wall Street, the only hotel located on bustling Wall Street, understands what makes New York special, and has recently began offering a ‘Welcome to the Neighborhood’ package. The most intriguing thing about this package is the 90 minuet historic walking tour the hotel offers, taking advantage of its unique location. The tour guide, Joyce Gold is a local historian and teacher. She has been leading tours of New York City for over 25 years, and is extremely knowledgeable about everything in Manhattan, both in history and more modern history. You can also find Ms. Gold teaching Manhattan History at The New School and New York University. The Andaz Wall Street is perfectly situated, and is surrounded by a multitude of New York monuments. It is within walking distance of South Street Seaport, as well as boat tours of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. This hotel is the perfect base for experiencing a bit of Manhattan’s history.

Now that our iced coffee has no chance in this 102 degree city, we’ve come up with a few cultural ways to beat the heat in our favorite US cities. Museums in Chicago, DC and New York are featuring fabulous, and fabulously air conditioned, exhibitions all summer long. Once you’re totally art-ed out, crash in style at Park Hyatt Chicago or DC, and take your pick of Andaz Wall Street or Andaz 5^th Avenue in New York.

Modernists must check out Alexander Calder and Contemporary Art: Form, Balance, and Joy, an exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago running until October 17th. Most famously known for introducing the mobile to society, Calder is represented by five colorful and movable creations (that might even resemble a fan if looked at just so). More interested in seeing the work of Leonardo da Vinci? Swing by DC’s National Geographic Museum, which is featuring a special section on the Mona Lisa, revealing 25 secrets about the painting now through September 12th. For fashionistas, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art is showing American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity, on view until August 15^th, which showcases clothing from 1890-1940, highlighting how political, social, and sexual revolutions have all affected style. Perhaps you’ll even learn a few tricks about how our pre-tank top and flip flop ancestors kept cool without central air?

While some fortunate folk are racing off to the Hamptons or flying to Nantucket, the hoi polloi are often stuck steaming in the city. This summer, take a mini-break and find refuge from the heat in an urban oasis, no travel required.

Andaz Wall Street

Where: New York

What: The intimate two-room spa provides a unique tranquility in the frenzied world of Wall Street, especially in the summer heat.

Our Pick: Shake off the stress of the week with a Saturday massage and facial. Don’t have a lot of time to spare? Spa services are offered in 15-minute increments.

More: 1-7pm on Saturdays at The SPA at Andaz Wall Street

The Peninsula Spa by ESPA

Where: New York

What: The beautiful Spa by ESPA at the Peninsula Hotel occupies the top floor and affords its guests luxurious tranquility and rooftop views.

Our pick: During the summer, the Spa is offering two “Spa-cations.” Go solo and get a spa treatment, a bento-box lunch, and access to the pool, fitness center, and daily yoga and core classes. Want to bring the kids? With the “Family Spa-cation,” the parents get spa treatments, kids get swimming lessons, and the whole family gets a poolside meal, all without leaving Manhattan. The deal is valid seven days a week, so you don’t need a weekend for this mini-vacation.

More: Call 212 903 3901 for a reservation, or email spapny@peninsula.com. To view the full treatment menu, please click here.

Park Hyatt Washington, D.C.

Where: Washington, D.C.

What: On the border of Foggy Bottom and Georgetown, the Park Hyatt Washington’s guests are surrounded by the best shopping, sightseeing, and museums the city has to offer. An added bonus: summer guests can beat the notorious D.C. heat in the indoor pool.

Our Pick: With the Walk from the Park package, guests who want to explore DC on foot will be supplied with an exclusive concierge-designed walking map of the city, breakfast for two at Blue Duck Tavern, and two smoothies to stay energized during the trek. You might as well spend the night to truly cool off—guests get a complimentary upgrade to a Premier Park Deluxe room, equipped with tea lights and aromatic bath salts to unwind after a day of sightseeing.

More: Available April 26-September 10 with rates starting at $349 per night. Click here for more information.

Park Hyatt Chicago

Where: Chicago

What: Tired pedestrians can step off of the sweltering, crowded streets and into an urban sanctuary of tranquility at the Tiffani Kim Institute. The spa offers a plethora of options, including hair and scalp treatments, pedicures using reflexology, and massage therapy, to name a few.

Our Pick: On your lunch break, duck in for the fully-clothed, 60-minute Thai Massage. Using a variety of techniques, including rhythmic movement and joint compression, this style of massage helps to improve flexibility, relieves pain, and improves your resistance to injury. Leave feeling as refreshed as you would after a vacation, without the hassle of travel.

More: Also available for 90 minutes. Click here for more information on treatments.

Andaz Wall Street

Where better to spend Memorial Day than in Lower Manhattan, the most historic part of the city? Stay at Andaz Wall Street, brand new in January, and take in some American culture, Manhattan-style. Federal Hall, where George Washington took the oath of office, is just down the street.  Visit the cobblestoned streets of the South Street Seaport and its new Water Taxi Beach, pay homage at the grave of Alexander Hamilton at Trinity Church, or to capitalism at the New York Stock Exchange. And you’re at the ideal point of departure for sightseeing tours of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

Andaz, meaning ‘personal style’ in Hindi, is not your average hotel. Here guests can imprint their own styles on their experiences, starting with check-in. This takes place in the Andaz Lounge where service is simplified, without the middlemen of doorman, bellhop, and concierge at the desk – just one “host” for each incoming guest. Full of clever features like a rotating closet that can open either into the bathroom or the bed chamber, and which innovatively incorporates a hanging area, full-length mirror and  minibar and a vanity mirror on the back of the 42-inch flat screen television, Andaz Wall Street is ahead of its time, and has not forgotten the classics like a complimentary shoe shine, suit press, and the day’s paper (The Wall Street Journal, of course).  

Rooms start at $275/night, click here for more details.

Inn on the Alameda, Santa Fe

Think it’s impossible to get a good rate over Memorial Day weekend? Not at Inn on the Alameda, where rates start at just $215 a night and include the lavish “Breakfast of Enchantment” served each morning and wine and cheese reception each afternoon. Located in the heart of Santa Fe, it’s ideal for a weekend of relaxation, great Southwestern cuisine, and history. With classic Pueblo-style architecture and attentive personal service, the old-world ambiance of Santa Fe flows throughout the comfortable 71 rooms and communal areas.  Mexican tile, handmade furniture, hand-woven rugs, local artifacts, and traditional Kiva fireplaces contribute to the hotel’s warm and inviting atmosphere. Amenities include complimentary parking for guests, two outdoor hot tubs, fitness facility, guest laundry, complimentary Wi-Fi in guest rooms and public areas, coffee service, and toll-free and local calls at no charge.

Over Memorial Day, experience the arts and culture by gallery hopping and shopping at the Jemez Red Rock Arts and Crafts Show, or catch a showing of Hitchcock’s Vertigo at The Lensic, Santa Fe’s Performing Arts Center on Saturday, May 29^th.

For reservations and information, contact the Inn on the Alameda at 1-888-984-2122 or 505-984-2121 or at www.innonthealameda.com. 

Park Hyatt Beaver Creek, Colorado

The Blues, Brews and BBQ Festival, taking place over Memorial Day weekend in Beaver Creek, Colorado, is the unofficial start to summer in the Rockies. Celebrate the long weekend with an escape to Park Hyatt Beaver Creek, which hosts the largest tasting of Colorado microbrews in the state on Saturday, May 29. Featuring more than 80 special concoctions from 35 breweries, the Colorado Microbrew Tasting has become one of the highlights of festival. 

The hotel’s restaurant, 8100 Mountainside Bar & Grill, has joined in on the festivities by offering a special “Featured Brewers Menu” that will pair beer creations from the microbreweries with special dishes.

Package includes:

• Accommodations at the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek, located in the heart of the festivities
• 2 entry tickets into the Blues, Brews and Barbecue Microbrew Tasting
• 2 commemorative tasting mugs
• 30% off services at Allegria Spa

Rates start at $219 per night. To book this package, click here  or call 866-471-7658. For tickets to the Colorado Microbrews Tasting at Park Hyatt Beaver Creek, call 970-827-6505.  Tickets are $35 in advance or $40 at the door.

Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos

Enjoy the Caribbean this Memorial Day without the crowds –or prices – of the high season. Instead of enduring the goose bumps that come after throwing on summer clothes and hoping for warm weather, celebrate on Parrot Cay and kick the summer off early. Check out the amazing deals, all available through September 8, 2010, and if you bring them, kids eat free.

• Four for three deal, starting at $2088
• Seven for five deal, starting at $3480
• 25% discount on packages – applies to all packages, which include the Sun and Seclusion, Parrot Cay Honeymoon, Dr. Perricone COMO Shambhala Experience, Wellness programs, and the brand new Babymoon and Romantic Runaway packages.

GIVE HER SPA: Spa Day at the Peninsula Spa by ESPA, New York

Were you a particularly nasty teenager?  If so, choose between several Mother’s Day treatments at the Peninsula, including the “Spa Experience” and “Mother’s Delight” 75-minute, $225 treatments.  Mom can spend all day at the spa swimming in the pool, lounging on the outdoor patio, and enjoying the complimentary champagne and macaroons available throughout Mother’s Day weekend.   ESPA treatments are so unbelievable that Mom might forgive you for years 13-18…if you’re lucky.

GIVE HER BRUNCH: Brunch at Brant Point Grill at White Elephant, Nantucket

This is not just your average brunch – it’s the Brant Point Grill’s Annual Mother’s Day Bloody Mary Brunch, where Mom can request exactly how much Tabasco, Worcestershire, and horseradish she wants in her morning Mary.  Treat Mom to an overnight stay at the White Elephant and Mom might forget about Michael Bublé altogether.  Brunch is $45/person, and rooms start at $195.

OR GIVE HER BOTH: Breakfast and SPA at Andaz Wall Street, New York City

If Mom isn’t a stockbroker, she may never have been down to Wall Street.  Introduce her to the Lower Manhattan neighborhood and the new Andaz Wall Street hotel, where brunch is being served now at Wall & Water restaurant.  Enjoy creative fare like fried eggs and foie gras or classics like Belgian Waffles.   Finally, all mothers who brunch at Wall & Water on Mother’s Day receive a card for 20% off at The SPA, valid through December.  The SPA uses Luzern Laboratories facial products known for their anti-aging properties; not that you’re looking old mom, but we just thought you’d like to know!

While the rest of America is busy gearing up for Valentine’s Day, AMPR is holding off on candy hearts and celebrating the start of National Pancake Month! Flapjacks, silver dollars, griddle backs, or just plain pancakes. Whatever you call them, get in the spirit with a steaming, stacked plate at one of these happening locales. You’ll find everything from simple buttermilk pancakes with syrup, to an edgier order featuring poached pineapple and vanilla yogurt. Dig in!

Just in time for Pancake Month, TOPPER’S restaurant at The Wauwinet is now serving breakfast to all of Nantucket! Order up a plate of Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes and a side of Apple Smoked Bacon from their À la Carte Breakfast Menu. Or stop by the White Elephant’s Brant Point Grill for buttermilk pancakes with soft vanilla butter, Vermont maple syrup, and a sweet Nantucket-y classic – cranberries!

Be first in line for breakfast at Andaz Wall Street’s new restaurant Wall & Water. Go on and overdo it with pancakes smothered in whipped cream, berries, and maple syrup. (After all, you can start your diet tomorrow instead, right?)

There’s nothing quite like a long breakfast spent basking in the Caribbean sunshine. Find it at Parrot Cay in Turks & Caicos, where you can choose buttermilk pancakes topped with maple syrup and Vermont butter or with poached pineapple, blueberries, and vanilla-scented yogurt on the hotel’s Terrace. Overdose on pancakes the first day? Enjoy healthy alternatives from the COMO Shambhala menu, including homemade muesli and energy smoothies.

A hearty morning meal is the perfect fuel for a brisk day out on the ski slopes. Try Park Hyatt Beaver Creek’s fluffy buttermilk pancakes with maple syrup at their 8100 Mountainside Bar & Grill. Still hungry? No shame in seconds! Get your daily dose of protein with the organic three-egg omelet and roasted fingerling potatoes.

Haven’t had a chance to check out the new Andaz Wall Street hotel yet?  Take a moment and visit the hotel virtually with this video above from Shermans Travel Hotel Buzz blog.    Watch the rotating “valet” swivel around and see the sexy tub that overlooks the rest of the room.  Once you’ve watched this sneak peek, you’re sure to head downtown and stay for the night.