Old City, New Fun

When I planned my trip to France last summer, I knew I would spend most of my time in Paris, but I also wanted to explore the South of France. I looked into Cannes and Nice (both looked beautiful), but ultimately decided to go to Marseille.

Although I hadn't heard as much about Marseille as the other Mediterranean hot spots, I knew that Johnny Depp, Beyonce and Jay-Z were just a few of the celebs who have been spotted there. And I found that not only is Marseille beautiful, it was also pretty affordable. I recommend the New Hotel Vieux Port, found on hotelbook.com. It isn't too far from the best beaches, and is in the heart of the city, which is the oldest city in France!

Marseille was full of history, had gorgeous beaches and the shopping was almost as good as Paris! Although we didn't run into Beyonce, I completely understand why the stars love it there.

Guilty Pleasure #47

It's sad but true -- I am a fan of the show Laguna Beach on MTV. There's just something so shamefully addicting about watching the lives of the young, filthy rich, and extremely privileged who are only famous just because of that fact. These high school kids drive around in their Range Rovers and have not a care in the world - I wish I had that kind of life back then! A old buddy from school lives out there and I tease him all the time about being a Laguna Beach brat, but maybe I should pay him a visit and stay at the Surf & Sand Hotel and have a few "star" sightings!

New York Star Power

There I was, just minding my own business wandering through New York City's Soho, when lo and behold there was Matt Dillon, just walking down the street! After regaining my composure, my dignity and closing my dropped jaw, I continued on my way. A few blocks later I almost bumped into Kevin Connolly from Entourage!  Needless to say it was a star struck day.

So for those travelers on the hunt for your favorite actors and actresses, it appears as though Soho might be a hot spot. And, even if your stars aren't aligned, Soho still offers great shops and restaurants. For more information about the hot places to visit in New York, visit www.hotelbook.com's New York Destination Guide.

New Spa Pages

We launched a new section on hotelbook with some incredible spa resort offers.  We dug through hundreds of resorts to find the ones with the best deals, but if you go to one I don't want to hear about it.  I am way too stressed out these days and hearing about someone else's relaxation may put me over the edge.  Have a nice day!

A Little R & R

My parents are retiring soon and I've been thinking of getting my mom a gift certificate to a spa somewhere for a little bit of pampering that is very much deserved. It's cute how they're so excited to travel now that they have so much time on their hands. My dad wants to go to the beach and my mom is adamant about Disneyworld so perhaps I should get them to stay at the Amelia Island Plantation Inn in Florida, one of the many featured spa hotels on hotelbook.

Muggle News

I, along with millions of muggles worldwide, am anxiously awaiting the newest installment of the Harry Potter movie set to premier in November of 2008. There have already been sneak peaks of the movie being filmed and I can't wait. It shall be a very bittersweet day when the last book is out as it will be the end of the Harry Potter series. I'm sure J.K. Rowling will find inspiration from her hometown of Edinburgh once again as she did before. Edinburgh, the 2nd most visited city in the UK after London, is also home to the annual Fringe Festival, the world's largest art festival.

Family Vacation

My boyfriend's workplace is giving away free tickets to SeaWorld so we've decided to pack up and take the kids (my kid brother and his little sister) on a little road trip to San Antonio before summer ends and school starts up again for the not so little ones. It should be a fun trip with lots of things to do and see. Plus, since we're saving on the free tickets, we might just treat ourselves to a stay at the Hotel Contessa, a brand new 4 star hotel right on the Riverwalk.

7 Star Wonder

Over the past few years, Dubai has quickly become a mecca for affluent jetsetting globetrotters. I was watching VH1's "The Fabulous Life of Supermodels" over the weekend and I noticed that many celebrities are now flocking to Dubai for vacations. Naomi Campbell recently threw herself an extravagant birthday party at the The Burj Al Arab, the world's only 7 star hotel. It is taller than the Eiffel Tower and is also with out a doubt, the world's highest hotel building. Unless you're arriving by way of lamborghini or helicopter, be prepared to pay $75 just to get inside the gate!  But no worries -- if you aren't a supermodel or your rolls royce is in the shop, hotelbook has almost two dozen properties in Dubai that are just as nice and luxurious. Check out the Al Murooj Rotana Hotel and Suites with it's impressive pool and skyline views, located in the financial district.

Edinburgh Fringe Festival Podcast

Hello and welcome back to the Hotelbook.com podcast. In just a couple of weeks, one of the United Kingdom’s most historic cities will be transformed and overrun by creative and innovative thespians, entertainers, comedians and artists. This is the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

MP3 File