According to their site, they make pet travel fun and easy. They are an internet company and online community serving pet loving people everywhere. They provide a vast collection of resources on accommodations for you and your pet, dog parks, emergency hospitals and tips for traveling. In addition, they send out a newsletter to their members, post airline travel regulations, have a vet and pet relocation specialist on staff to answer burning questions (what are you to do when you need an 8-hr sedative for your dog/cat?), have an online store with much needed pet travel supplies,  and you’re able to book your pet-friendly travel plans right on the website.

Happy traveling!

Photo Credit: RoBeE @ flickr

Post from: The South Florida Traveler

•  Restaurants & Bars
• Area Attractions
• Hotels
• Festivals
• Theatre and Art
• Shopping 
• Weekend Getaways

So scroll on over to the side and let me know what you’d like to read more about. If I don’t have a topic listed, just leave a comment for me. I’ll be sure to take a look at everyone’s comments. Thank you!!

Post from: The South Florida Traveler

•  large bathtubs – need I say more? Even better if they have jets
• plush robes and slippers – I’ve never been much about slippers, but when you are cold and they warm you up, nothing could be better.
• Soothing toiletries – shampoo, conditioner,  body lotion, all Bulgari
• plush pillows, a large bed – there’s even some places that have a pillow menu and others that guarantee you’ll have a good night’s sleep
• free Internet  - Should you really have to pay to go online when you are already paying $400 to stay overnight?
• Good food, room service around the clock and my hotel companion would definitely say if a hotel will bring him chocolate milk at any hour of the night, it’s definitely worth a night back.
• A good restaurant and bar, pool, large room, good view and all the others that you typically think of

Although, it didn’t happen last night, here are some other things that have won me over:

• having a pet fish in my hotel room
• a bottle of Bling Water and some goodies to snack on upon my arrival, very memorable
•    

Photo (from our dinner at Acqua) [personal collection] Bling water [Travis Vocino flickr]

Post from: The South Florida Traveler

Right now I am sitting in my hotel room at the Four Seasons in Miami. (Yes! This is the part of my job that I love. I’ve been jumping for joy ever since I got the invite.) I was invited down here for a wine dinner at their restaurant, Acqua that will take place this evening and for a stay in the hotel. This is my first stay at a Four Seasons and yes, it is quite nice, but for some reason I always thought it was the best of the best, something more that couldn’t be touched by others around. Now I am questioning that. (Or maybe I’ve just been spoiled and have been able to stay at some really great places.)   I’ll have to see how the dinner goes, but its definitely comparable to other places that I’ve stayed before.  Question here is: Where have you stayed that you were blown away by? Where has the service and the experience been so amazing that others don’t compare to it? Some of my favorites have included Hotel Monaco in Seattle, Hotel Helix in Washington D.C. (though I didn’t actually stay there) just visited the bar, Grove Isle in Coconut Grove and maybe even The Gaylord Palms - just a memorable experience. What about you?Photo Credit [Zach K] 

Post from: The South Florida Traveler

Are you feeling lucky? Are you counting down the days until your next trip to Las Vegas? This Saturday, June 7th, South Florida Cares will be sponsoring the Annual World Poker Challenge. The buy in for the Texas Hold-em tournament costs $285 and includes entry into the tournament, 4,000 units of chips, free buffet, use of the hotel facilities, and tournament day prizes for the top twelve players. You can participate in the tournament while your family will be thoroughly entertained. The event will take place at Crowne Plaza in Hallandale Beach.

South Florida Cares established in 2008 works to enhance to quality of life for the people in South Florida through programs that work to develop the mind, body and spirit of the community.

Post from: The South Florida Traveler

New York City’s trendy Gansevoort Hotel has expanded into South Beach. The full service resort and lifestyle center is a mecca for trendsetters and includes 334 guestrooms with spectacular ocean views, oversized bathrooms, and sport a modern and chic tone with 1930’s and 1940’s pin-up photographs on the walls. The landscape includes a multitude of pools, including a 110-foot rooftop pool, private cabanas and an oceanfront beach club.

This lifestyle center spreads out over 100,000 square feet and includes fine boutiques, restaurants (including the soon to open Philippe by Philippe Chow), lounges (including Louis, the VIP lounge by the Opium Group) and the David Barton Gym + Spa.

This summer they will be offering special lifestyle enhancing packages.

June = Film + Art

This package includes a 2 night stay, a daily American breakfast for two, a book by local artist Romero Britto, a “Movies Night” Dinner for two at Phiippe and 2 movie tickets. Package starts at $745.

July = Fashion

This package includes a 2 night stay, daily breakfast, 2 cocktails at “Plunge” the rooftop lounge, an chauffeured outing to Bal Harbour Shops, a personal shopping experience at Saks, a manicure and pedicure at David Barton Gym + Spa and a Blowout at the Hair Salon. Package starts at $855.

August = Food + Wine

Starting at $935, this package includes a 2 night stay at the hotel, a daily chef’s breakfast in your room, two 50-minute massages in a private cabana, dinner for two at Philippe, and 2 passes to David Barton Gym + Spa.

Photo Credit: gawker.com

Post from: The South Florida Traveler

In a town that is magical and is filled with theme parks, dancing and a symphony of entertainment on every corner, Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center absolutely amazes me. Best known for the elaborate Convention Center, Gaylord Palms is a city in itself. Located just 5 minutes away from Walt Disney World in Kissimmee, this 2.1 million square foot resort rings “The Sunshine State” from every corner. Having a greenhouse feel to it, this resort seems to be a hotel tucked away in a hotel.

Luckily for me, I was invited to experience the Gaylord Palms a few weeks ago and see what all the buzz was about. Walking through the doors and looking around, 1st class was ringing through my ears. As I checked in, I was handed a map (that I found to be essential as this place is enormous). We walked up to our room and quickly noticed that each part of the hotel was set to a theme. The resort is divided into 3 sections: St Augustine, the Everglades and the Key West atrium, with each area decorated with the architecture of that area. Our room was located in the St. Augustine atrium and was decorated accordingly. As soon as I entered the room, I was drawn to the bottle of Pyrat Rum sitting next to the couches, only to get me excited as I knew there was a Treasure Hunt Challenge going on during our trip, and over the course of the summer. Walking further into the room, I noticed the 2 small balconies attached to our room, the long elegant table, and the ornate decorations. Did I ever have to leave?

Calling this a city in itself, is no stretch of the truth. The resort is home to 4 restaurants, a marketplace, shops, a piano bar and more. The first night, our itinerary took us to Sunset Sam’s Fish Camp. Set on a sailboat, you felt like you were on Key West (hence its location in the Key West atrium). This casual, yet hip restaurant features a selection of seafood, appetizers such as conch fritters and “cigar” shrimp, and a selection of rum that will make you glow. Wipe any idea of not having fun away, as this will make even the grumpiest person start dancing on the tables. In one corner, there is someone making balloons for the kids or hats that connect two lovebirds, in another there will be music playing and the crowd will be dancing around the restaurant in a congo line or doing the limbo.

After dinner, we went back to our room to find out what this treasure hunt was all about. We turned on the tv and a pirate took you through an introduction. This bounty of a challenge has a whooping $10,000 at stake and will run for the duration of the summer until August 27, 2008. To participate in this challenge, guests (staying 2 or more nights) are given a book, a map, even pirate tattoos. They are then required to decipher clues, overcome challenges and even put some of their creative writing skills to work. Don’t be fooled and think that you will be able to finish this quickly, because as I said there are $10,000 at stake and this is a hardcore treasure hunt, and you will see many guests running around with a patch on their eye and a bandanna around their head trying to take home the lucky prize.

The adventure continues at the Gaylord Palms as they have taken a hotel stay to the next level, and have made it all-encompassing. My experience there was a vacation in itself, and would be for anyone that walked through the doors.

photo credit [Gaylord Palms]

Post from: The South Florida Traveler

What defines luxury? Exquisite linens, marble floors, a fabulous bathtub, attention to detail one might say. Luxury Hotels, Top of the World is a welcome addition to teNeues’ Luxury Hotel series which includes: Luxury Hotels Spa and Wellness, Luxury Hotels Beach Resorts, Luxury Hotels Golf Resorts and many more. This double edition book explores the areas of Argentina, Morocco and Japan as well as local destinations right in South Florida. Incorporating gorgeous photography and the text translated into five languages, this book is a welcome edition to any coffee table.

Taking you on a tour of nearly 100 hotels, you learn to understand why any hotel would be ecstatic to be included in this list. The book features 3 hotels in South Florida including The Setai, a serene oceanfront hotel is set amid tropical gardens and glistening pools and is home to a 40-story blue glass tower, Casa Casuarina (the old Versace mansion) this landmark of beauty is home to 10 exquisitely decorated suites each with its own theme, and The Ritz-Carlton South Beach, which features concave interior and exterior walls and is fashioned after the design of luxury yachts.

Post from: The South Florida Traveler