L.A. is a prime example of urban sprawl. Let’s face it. L.A. is a bleak place compared to what it used to be. Night life is…lacking. Here are five ways that downtown L.A. can get that much needed face lift. It all comes in the way of some new L.A. hotels changing the recent stereotype of downtown L.A.

1. People like Matt Berman.

2. Bring in more Art.

3. The Staples Center.

4. Frank Gehry.

5. The Gorbals.

What about them? Trust us. Those things will help shape the way you look at L.A. Spice up the night, bring people back into the city, and let’s get the ball rollin’!

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The west coast hotels in the top ten sexiest hotels in the world:

Andaz San Diego, San Diego, California, USA

Many of the rooms at Andaz San Diego have glass screens between the bed and bathrooms for intimate couple sharing. It is the two-bedroom Andaz Star Suite, which really registers on our sexometer. The shag-piled master bedroom (of course) has king-size bunk beds, a mirrored ceiling and an in room ‘stripper’ pole for added exercise. Oh, and if you get bored with sliding up and down that (steady, steady) each bed has its own separate flat screen TV to watch.

After this, the sexy blue and pink mood lighting and the wide cream lounges in the sitting room are almost a letdown: And all this from the responsible people at Hyatt hotels too.

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The Palms, Las Vegas, USA

Dreams, no matter how fanciful, come true at The Palms – for a price. The Hotel’s themed suites in the $600 million Fantasy Towers building come with larger-than-life extras like two full-size bowling lanes or a basketball court. Here the luxury is of the showy variety. Fans of the forever young blonde bombshell Barbie can now experience her world in the new Barbie Suite, decked out like her Malibu beach house. For the cashed-up single blokes, pack your smoking jacket, little black book and head up to the Hugh Hefner Sky Villa which features a cantilevered Playboy Jacuzzi pool with a view of the Strip, poker table and rotating bed. Just remember, what happens in Vegas…

There is a sexy hotel in explore on every side of the US and the world.

Don Ascione, President and Chief Executive Officer of Continental Chemical USA (CCUSA) announced today, the launch of a new, all-natural product formulated to kill and control beg bug infestations. To facilitate distribution of Mattress Fresh Bed Bug Killer, an exclusive sales representation agreement was signed between CCUSA and Cutting Edge Formulations.

According to Ascione, Mattress Fresh was specifically formulated by Cutting Edge Formulations in response to the bed bug epidemic that is sweeping the nation. The Mattress Fresh, non-toxic formulation includes 100% EPA-exempt ingredients, which can easily and safely be applied by facility maintenance staff. Its effectiveness was verified with a 100% mortality rating afforded to Mattress Fresh by Snell Scientifics, an independent testing laboratory.

Sales will immediately be aimed at the hotel and motel industry that have been negatively impacted by the bed bug pandemic. Additional efforts will be directed to airlines, cruise lines, large housing complexes, prisons, hospitals, libraries and the cinemas that have been impacted by bed bug infestations.

For more information about Mattress Fresh, please visit:
www.naturalmattressfresh.com
www.continentalchemicalusa.com

The top five fastest growing big city destinations are in. What is the verdict on 2010 travels?

• Atlanta – 70 percent increase
• Washington D.C. – 41 percent increase
• New Orleans – 40 percent increase
• Denver – 29 percent increase
• Orlando – 26 percent increase

Statistics are seeing emerging destinations that show how diverse travelers are and what they are becoming interested in. Will we see a continuing trend towards newer destinations? Here are the top five emerging destinations according to Hostelworld.com.

• Buffalo, N.Y.
• South Lake Tahoe, Calif.
• Hilo, Hawaii
• Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
• Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

People are traveling, but keeping their budget down by finding new lodging options. There has been an increase in hostels and budget accommodation bookings. Much of this growth can be contributed by increased openings of hostels and travelers looking for different adventures and experiences. In terms of regional growth areas, Californian cities had seven different destinations among the top 40 accommodation choices, while Hawaii and Florida each had three cities. All data is compiled from Hostelworld.com bookings, Q3 2009 to Q3 2010.

According to British Airways, their top ten destinations include San Diego and Las Vegas.
1. Marrakech
2. San Diego
3. New York
4. St Kitts & Nevis
5. Puerto Rico
6. Maldives
7. Japan
8. Las Vegas
9. Mauritius
10. St Lucia

The new routes from British Airways are a large contributor to the increase in travelers going to these places. This will bring huge potential growth for the future of the hotel industry.

Las Vegas is not just about the entertainers, chefs, and fashion designers. Architects and interior designers are the new “it” in town and they are doing it Dubai-style. More and more hotels are beefing up their marketing and hospitality by finding more ways to increase booking. Well, what has Las Vegas not done yet? The answer is, hotels at the hospitality level and presentation of Dubai. To stand out, new hotels will need a unique look, design, and ambitious imagination. Dubai World investment group is helping Wynn with its new CityCenter project.

Top architects and interior designers flock to Las Vegas. With the new edge in new hotels, what will Las Vegas be seeing in the near future? With Dubai’s unique take on hotels, Las Vegas may be seeing a push for high end, luxury, and unique experiences for their guests.

USA Today – Travel shares the low-down on what’s new in Las Vegas. Check it out!

A PBR Rock Bar and Grill just opened at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. It’s the first bar and grill associated with the bull riders. You can chug a beer in eight seconds (the amount of time a rider must stay on a bucking bull for a clean ride) or try your luck on a mechanical toro.

Sexy shows are hot, hot, hot, hot, and a powerhouse singer called Lorena Peril is dangerously sultry. She just stepped in to headline the topless revue “FANTASY” at the Luxor. Of Middle Eastern and Latin descent, she has been compared to Christina Aguilera. The nightly 10:30 p.m. show includes a caliente salsa and many doffed tops. Not hers, however.

Coming soon: The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas casino resort, on the Strip between Bellagio and CityCenter. Billed as a sophisticated contemporary lodging, it is due to start checking in guests Dec. 15. One draw is the fact that you can book entry-level rooms with balconies overlooking the Strip — rare at the upscale Vegas properties. $300 rooms are the lowest rates found, however, there are $150 starting rates for slow days in February.

Something new for the vegans! Wynn Resorts just premiered a vegan culinary program, putting vegan dishes on the menu. At award-winning Alex, you may find fava bean puree with sautéed mushrooms, snap pea salad and aged balsamic vinegar. Society Cafe Encore is serving chopped salad with avocado, carrots, celery, pumpkin seeds, edamame and tarragon vinaigrette. Switch has tofu carpaccio. Even SW, Wynn’s steakhouse, has dishes such as grilled royal trumpet mushrooms with polenta and shallot balsamic sauce. Other Wynn and Encore eateries are following suit.

According to Smith Travel Research (STR), the US hotel industry saw an increase in summer occupancy, demand, and revenue.

“The industry achieved an all-time high for absolute room demand during the June-to-August time period, which was a welcomed surprise,” said Chad Church, director of special services at STR.

July reported the largest occupancy increase during the three months of summer. July also saw the largest RevPAR growth, up 8.5% to US$67.35. August experienced the largest ADR increase, up 1.5% to US$98.69. Despite earlier concerns, the hotel industry’s overall performance over the summer came as a surprising relief.

Click Here for the full article on the U.S. Hotel Industry: Summer 2010 Reveals Strong Performance Gains by Hotel News Source.

The Obama Administration has taken steps to launch the Corporation for Travel Promotion. The initial board of directors has been announced and the Department of Homeland Security has established the funding mechanism that, combined with private sector contributions, will create a marketing program of up to $200 million per year. It will be used to attract millions of new visitors to the United States.

“This is a momentous week in laying the groundwork for attracting millions of new visitors to our country and creating thousands of new jobs,” said Roger Dow, President and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “The rapid speed with which the Obama Administration launched this program is concrete evidence that our government leaders embrace the importance of welcoming more international visitors.”

Read more about the article. This is exciting news for the traveling and hospitality industry!

According to a recent press release, the Element Denver Park Meadows in Colorado is the second hotel to be Leed-certified.

Bradley Preston, General Manager of Element Denver Park Meadows said:“We know that Element guests value the fact that Element hotels are environmentally conscious and we’re excited that we’ve met the very high standards for the Silver LEED designation,”

He also added: “At the same time, we realize the certification is really the beginning of a process, and we’re looking forward to continually improving our efforts around conservation and waste reduction.”

One of the most important and significant online searchers for the hotel industry, Expedia Inc., has decided to expand its horizon to the Brazilian market.

Marco Tagliatti, Vice President of Market Management, Latin America, Expedia, Inc. commented:“Hotels in Brazil have a huge opportunity to extend their reach to our entire Latin American and international customer base.”

He also said:“We are expanding our team in Sao Paulo because it is a tourism market that is growing rapidly both domestically and internationally. We’re seeing many international travelers visiting Brazil for the first time, and we want to help Brazilian hoteliers grow their businesses by helping them reach our millions of customers across the globe.”