The folks at Joie de Vivre are a pretty blissed out crew. Founder Chip Conley has been spreading his positive message around California since 1987, and has accrued nearly 40 boutique hotels, more than 20 restaurants, and four spas in the state during that time. And now, Joie de Vivre, (French for “joy of living,” btw),  is [...]

If you’ve ever wanted to say, “I’m with the band,” and have it mean something — this is your opportunity.
For $1,099 you can be flightmates with Australian rockers JET (”Are You Gonna Be My Girl,” “Rollover DJ”) on Richard Branson’s sexy new “boutique” airline, V Australia. The package also includes:

four nights at the Vibe [...]

OK, we all know one. Or two. Frugal Frannies, Uncle Scrooges. They can’t part with a dime, tip a lame 10 percent, and are surgically attached to the first nickel they ever earned. Well, The Orchard Hotels in San Francisco, have a deal for the Frannies and Scrooges in our lives — and everyone else who [...]

If there were such a thing, Quail Park Lodge in Kanab, Utah would take the prize for most heartwarming lodging promo. This retro 1960’s roadside motor lodge in southern Utah offers dog lovers an opportunity to help a nearby animal shelter by socializing dogs for adoption, then take one of the dogs “home” for a doggie [...]

[caption id="attachment_8121" align="aligncenter" width="644" caption="The neoclassical facade of Hotel Milano in San Francisco."][/caption] One-half block from my office at the San Franicsco Chronicle is a stylish, affordable, and well-located hotel with spacious rooms. I walk by Hotel Milano's neoclassical facade several times a week, but only recently stopped in. One of those, ...

[caption id="attachment_7983" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="The long-anticipated Crosby Street Hotel on a cobblestone alley in Soho, NYC."][/caption] The poor Crosby. We first heard inklings of its opening back in 2008, then it was set for March, then last Tuesday, as reported in the Style section of the Sunday New York Times.

[caption id="attachment_7975" align="alignright" width="305" caption="Hotel Griffon is committed to the environment."][/caption] New toilet technology? Now that's a sexy topic. As part of a recent renovation, the Hotel Griffon, along the Embarcadero waterfront in downtown San Francisco, installed something called "Perfect Flush" toilets. The Griffon expects to save up to 50 percent on water ...