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| Three new SoCal hotels ready to pamperEven in troubled times, opulence and expert service are in demand. Enter Newport Coast's Resort at Pelican Hill and Beverly Hills' SLS and Montage. Foreclosures are up, stocks are down and the workplace is awash in pink slips. Amid this economic gloom and doom, at a time when frugality is fashionable and opulence suspect, three Southern California luxury hotels have opened -- the Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Coast, Montage Beverly Hills and the SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills. In the giddy days of rampant prosperity -- remember those? -- when planning for these properties began, no one foresaw that they were destined to make their debut in a worsening recession. One might assume that these hoteliers, faced with filling $400 and up guest rooms, high-end restaurants and luxury spas, might be in panic mode. One would be incorrect. "Hotels are generally one of the first markets that bounce back," said Sam Nazarian, chief executive of L.A.-based SBE, whose quirky and ultra-stylish SLS is its first luxury hotel brand. "People need to come to L.A. to do business, and we still have the entertainment industry, a solid core for our business. [Los Angeles] is notorious for not having the proper amount of rooms at this level. It's the safest and best hotel market in the country.">> Read more | Think outside the boxy hotel roomExchanging houses can mean affordable travel with a personal touch. Just be sure you're a homeowner who can handle it. If you want your sheets changed daily, your breakfast delivered to your room or even the reassurance of knowing the toilet has been sanitized, you may be a candidate for an overnight stay in one of the 48,000 properties that populate the U.S. lodgings landscape. But hotels, motels and bed-and-breakfasts aren't for everyone, especially in these economic times when a seven-day stay can cost four figures. >> Read more Susan Spano: Though I live in Italy now, I sometimes need to return to Southern California. Paying for hotel accommodations and car rentals on previous trips had cost me dearly. Jason La: Most of what I know about Susan, I know from colleagues or from reading her stories. But this I do know: We both have a thrifty side to our travel character. In fact, when it comes to traveling, I'm cheap. >> Read more |
Jane Hotel a tight fit for budget travelersThe rooms are shipshape and even though you share a bathroom with strangers, you can't beat the price of $99 a night.
Enjoying the Jane Hotel in Manhattan's West Village completely depends on your point of view. If even a mini suite at Le Parker Meridien feels claustrophobic, the Jane would feel as dreadful as solitary confinement. Photos
Home swap stories from Times readers
For home swappers, the experience is a wonderful way to save money and fully experience life in another part of the world. Here's a sample of home swap stories from our readers. Photos
Enjoying the Jane Hotel in Manhattan's West Village completely depends on your point of view. If even a mini suite at Le Parker Meridien feels claustrophobic, the Jane would feel as dreadful as solitary confinement. Photos
Home swap stories from Times readers
For home swappers, the experience is a wonderful way to save money and fully experience life in another part of the world. Here's a sample of home swap stories from our readers. Photos
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