Grand Hyatt Seoul
The Grand Hyatt Seoul is a hot spot for foreign travelers to Korea. Built in 1978 and fully renovated since then, the hotel is at the foot of Mt. Namsan and overlooks the Hahn River. It is in Seoul’s famed Itaewon shopping district where custom-tailored clothing can be made in as little as a day and good food can be had at many international restaurants. A problem with the Hyatt, though, is that once you arrive you don’t want to leave. You can fill your weekend at the hotel’s bars, restaurants, gym, indoor and outdoor swimming pools and sauna, and by checking out the live entertainment. The Grand Hyatt Seoul has had a host of famous visitors from Queen Elizabeth to the Prince and Princess of Wales, George Bush Sr. and Bill Clinton.

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The Westin Chosun
The Westin Chosun Seoul is Korea’s first international hotel. This classic hotel was built in 1914 with the first running water, elevator and ice cream in the country, attracting celebrities like Marilyn Monroe and Bob Hope. Rebuilt in the 1960s and fully renovated since then, The Westin Chosun is within walking distance of the headquarters of major international banks, local government offices, historic landmarks and thriving shopping districts
The hotel has 462 guest rooms and 40 suites with the Westin Heavenly Bed, anti-allergy carpets, self-serve espresso coffee machines, mobile phones and high-speed Internet access. Guests can access a business center with state-of-the-art conference rooms and a drug store, barbershop, beauty salon and souvenir shop as well as the City Athletic Club, a Pilates studio, a swimming pool, steam and dry saunas and whirlpools. For corporate events and weddings, there is the Grand Banquet Hall, six mid-sized banquet halls and conference rooms.

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Westin Tokyo
“Preserving wellness in travel” is the goal of The Westin Tokyo. And that it does. The hotel is a luxurious European Classic/ Empire-style establishment combining French, Roman and Egyptian décor. The 22-story building is surrounded by abundant greenery, a contrast to other major Western hotels in Tokyo. The Westin Tokyo says its aim is for guests to leave feeling better than when they arrived. At first I thought that was just a bit of clever marketing. But I must admit that I did leave feeling better than when I arrived. Well done, Westin. Well done.

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Nippon Seinenkan Hotel
The Nippon Seinenkan Hotel is a great choice for people traveling to Tokyo on a budget. This simple and clean hotel is at the heart of Tokyo in an upscale neighborhood just blocks from the Omotesando crossing famed for its fashion boutiques. What I enjoyed most about the Nippon Seinenkan was taking a quiet, early morning stroll among the lush greenery that surrounds the hotel before starting my day in bustling Tokyo.
The rooms are reasonably priced between 7,700 yen and 10,815 yen per person at time of print. A 40% discount is offered on Sundays and Mondays for online reservations. The hotel is a combination of traditional Japanese and western accommodations. But unlike most western hotels in Japan, you can invite three guests to your room, and all four of you can sit around a table without being in an expensive suite. More unusual, you can also do this on traditional Japanese tatami mats while still being able to sleep on a westernstyle bed. Or if you prefer, you can pull out some futons and sleep on the tatami.

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Reconnect with nature, get in touch with your creative side, release the stress inflicted by everyday life and heal yourself.

For an exquisite excursion outside of Tokyo, I recommend Art Biotop NASU, a quiet creative art hotel (B & B) surrounded by nature in the lush and beautiful Yokozawa area, area is also attracting attention as an art village, with art-related facilities including the event stage Kagami, the Kankikan Multipurpose Hall and Niki Club, one of the most famous healing resorts in Japan. Biotop means a “biome” or “habitat” in German. It is also the name of an ecological movement to re-establish a regional ecosystem by reviving vegetation and reintroducing insects and small animals. Beh ind this , lies a long tradition of German Romanticism, whi ch celebrates nature as a source of art. Its roots come f rom a desire to forge a cultural renaissance by restoring lost natural habitats and cultural strength. Part of Art Biotop’s philosophy is the aim to bring nature back to an area where habitats were destroyed during the post-war p eriod of economic growth. Art Biotop was bo rn as a nursery given to this B&B in the hope that people would gather in this wonderful environment, surrounded by undisturbed nature, perfect for gaining a rtistic inspiration an d goal of Art Biotop is to make a contribution to the development of Japan’s art and culture.

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Fuji-Hakone Guest House
For a weekend excursion out of Tokyo, I recommend the Fuji- Hakone Guest House in Hakone, a mountainous town to the south of the capital . You can reach the inn by car, bus or train in under two hours from Tokyo. It is in a gorgeous area of Japan and just minutes from Lake Ashi (Ashinoko). I highly recommend getting up early to visit the lake for a glimpse of the elusive Mount Fuji in the distance.
You won’t need my advice on what to do while in Hakone because the hotel owner Masami Takahashi and his lovely wife and family are friendly, hospitable and well versed in English. They are happy to provide information on what to do in the area. Masami Takahashi is so knowledgeable of the area that he was appointed by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism as a 2012 Visit Japan Ambassador.
Ask the Takahashis about Owakudani, a volcanic valley with active sulfur vents where you can eat eggs boiled in the hot springs and covered in black sulfur (kurotamago). Legend has it that for every black egg you eat from Owakudani, you extend your life for seven years. But the legend warns against eating more than three eggs, saying it is best to stick with two and a half. No matter, it is a unique experience to eat the black eggs with the sulfuric smell in the air.

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Seikei Yamanaka Lake Side Hotel
If you come to Tokyo and you’re looking for a weekend excursion that includes seeing Mount Fuji, an inexpensive lakeside hotel to consider is Seikei Yamanaka Lake Side Hotel. Located approximately two hours from Tokyo, accommodations range from 5,000 to 9,500 yen per person, depending on the time of year and if breakfast or dinner is included. A reasonable price, while being lakeside with a gorgeous view of Mount Fuji and surrounded by relaxing forests. There are modest western as well as traditional tatami style rooms available, and guests can dine at the hotel’s Chinese restaurant. The hotel can accommodate 300 people.

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As I walked into the lobby of the Aloft Downtown Dallas hotel, I wasn’t expecting much out of the ordinary in this historic-looking, factory-type building in downtown Dallas. But I immediately did a double take. It looked like I’d wound up at a mixture of a hip nightclub, art gallery, and trendy café. Soon enough, however, I was pleasantly surprised to find I was where I wanted to be: the Aloft Downtown Dallas.

Owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts, the group that also has chains like Westin, Sheraton, W Group, Regis and Le Méridien, Aloft is an enjoyable change from the norm. I don’t usually wander hotel corridors to admire the interior design, but Aloft inspired me to do so. When I first checked into my room, I had to stroll around a few times to take it all in. After I sat down to relax, I walked around the room again just to see if I’d missed anything (which I had!). Then looking out my window across the street at the Dallas Convention Center, train station and City Hall, I was reminded how conveniently located the hotel is. For frequent travelers, hotels are a blur of similar designs. That’s not the case with Aloft. It is a lift for the senses.

Aloft is a “select” service hotel that does not have bellmen but caters to on-the-move business-savvy travelers who know what they want. The other primary segment of their clientele includes guests attending conferences at the convention center across the street.

The lobby has different areas to relax in: a bar, lounge and a self-serve snack and coffee area that has a “build your own” fresh and hot breakfast and complimentary coffee in the morning. All of the decor appears out of the latest interior design magazine. I don’t think I’ve ever seen rocking chairs in a hotel lobby before, but the modern-retro design made the chairs fit right in. At night, the hotel is a great place to mix and mingle by enjoying a glass of vino at the w xyz bar, or a game of pool in their re:mix lounge. Both are located in the lobby area.

There are event and meeting spaces of various sizes throughout the building. The event facilities are extremely vibrant and trendy and have been used for “After Parties” by celebrities such as Britney Spears and Jamie Foxx.

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FOR a trendy stay while visiting the historic U.S. capital, consider the Aloft National Harbor or Aloft Dulles North hotels. The hotel chain’s core values are sassy, savvy and space. Sassy stands as a contrast to stuffy hotels. Savvy is because all the hotel staff (not just the bell captain or concierge) are knowledgeable of the hotel and city. Space? Well, the hotel’s public areas are just that: extremely spacious and not cramped. The hotel chain provides incentives to join in its sustainability practices. Guests who skip everyday room cleaning receive $5 towards the Re-Fuel station (food) or Starwood points. If you need a little extra motivation while on the go, stop by the Re:charge 24/7 fitness center and download easy-to-execute a-workouts onto your laptop, iPod, iPhone, Blackberry, Treo or other handheld device.

FOR a trendy stay while visiting the historic U.S. capital, consider the Aloft National Harbor or Aloft Dulles North hotels. The hotel chain’s core values are sassy, savvy and space. Sassy stands as a contrast to stuffy hotels. Savvy is because all the hotel staff (not just the bell captain or concierge) are knowledgeable of the hotel and city. Space? Well, the hotel’s public areas are just that: extremely spacious and not cramped. The hotel chain provides incentives to join in its sustainability practices. Guests who skip everyday room cleaning receive $5 towards the Re-Fuel station (food) or Starwood points. If you need a little extra motivation while on the go, stop by the Re:charge 24/7 fitness center and download easy-to-execute a-workouts onto your laptop, iPod, iPhone, Blackberry, Treo or other handheld device.

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