hotel exterior, copyright Hotel Plaza Athenee

New York City in the summer can be hot, sweltering – and loads of fun. For your next luxury family vacation in New York, plant yourself at The Hotel Plaza Athenee, a member of Leading Hotels of the World and rated one of the world’s best hotels by both Conde Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure. This boutique hotel, with European elegance and excellent service, is on the Upper East Side, offering you and your family a place of respite as well as close proximity to to the action when you’re ready for it. Check out their NYC family vacation package after the jump. (more…)

Leading Hotels of the World now has a new website to match its new initiative: www.lhwgreen.com. The purpose? To contribute to sustainable travel initiatives via contributions to Sustainable Tourism International. When guests book stays at LHW hotels through the LHWGreen website – or mention the program when booking by phone – LHW will contribute money to offset the carbon emissions of visitors to member hotels.

Of course, the whole carbon offset thing is coming under scrutiny, with some skeptics noting that it provides travelers with the false sense that they’re really solving a problem when what needs to change is the behavior that leaves the Sasquatch footprint in the first place. If you’re a traveler really looking to make a difference, this easy solution may not be a complete answer for you: after all, the hoteliers themselves may or may not be indulging in more conscientious behavior, so you could be just “behaving badly” and paying a guilt fee. But since LHW plans to use the program to gauge the true “activist” tendencies and concerns of their guests, it may be a good way to let member luxury hoteliers know that the environment is indeed a concern, even to those of us who prefer a bit more “luxe” with our “eco”. And if that results in a more comprehensive program and more “green” policies on the part of the member hotels, that would be a good thing all around.

The Langham Boston Hotel, a member of the Leading Hotels of the World that is housed in what was originally the Federal Reserve Bank, is in a prime location to enjoy the sights and attractions of Boston: the New England Aquarium, the Children’s Museum and Boston Harbor are all within a 10 minute walk, and various shopping districts are between 5 and 20 minutes walk away.

Deluxe room, The Langham Boston Hotel, copyright Langham Hotels & Resorts

Note we’ve talked about a lot of walking. While most of us travel with our familiar strollers in tow, if you’re staying at the Langham you can leave the Maclaren at home – a stroller is but one of several thoughtful inclusions in the Langham Hotel’s  V.I.B. “Very Important Baby” package. The list is long – and also includes separate amenities for Very Important Big Brothers or Sisters. We love that special touch, because let’s face it – some of us have more than one child, and it’s nice to know that they’re all being thought of and attended to in appropriate ways. Check out the laundry list of items for this package, with our highlights on the unusual (and appreciated) perks: (more…)