It's Summer Right Now in Phoenix, Price-Wise

Turns out the W Scottsdale is not the only hotel in the Phoenix-area going through some rough times. The Arizona Republic reports that luxury hotels are offering their rooms at summer rates during the peak season—about 15 to 20 percent off their normal rates.

According to the newspaper, hotels and resorts that routinely command $300 to $500 a night during the winter are on sale for 15 percent to 20 percent off. Some are even discounting further.
 
The fading Arizona Biltmore (recently snubbed by President Obama) has rooms open for $179 a night on Expedia. The new InterContinental Montelucia Resort and Spa in Paradise Valley (where the president stayed instead) has rates for $195 on Travelocity.

Much like Phoenix is home to a mounting number of houses in foreclosure, the area also has way too many hotel rooms in supply. This is known as "distressed inventory." Phoenix led the U.S. in room-supply increases in 2008 at 4.4 percent. However, it also scored the biggest occupancy drop among 25 major markets with an 11.5 percent drop, according to Smith Travel Research.

We did our own check for Phoenix for the second week of March and found the Ritz-Carlton Phoenix for $199 a night. Marriott's newly renovated Camelback Inn is also down a bit, offering rooms for $299 this season compared with $400 rates last year.

Chill With the Biz Class at ANA Intercontinental Tokyo's New Lounge
Recognizing that Tokyo is a city with a huge executive traffic, the ANA Intercontinental Hotel has emerged as the frontrunner in the race to have the best lounge simply by building the biggest with the best views.

In fact, the new executive club lounge at the ANA is the entire country's largest as such, and the 2,000-square-foot space boasts not just impressive couches, but six distinct areas: a welcome reception, library, relaxation space, dining room, bar, and meeting facility. Instead of aiming for generic luxury with the design, the Intercontinental wants to know that you are kicking butt and taking names in business in Tokyo, so expect cultural touches like transparent divider screens, lacquer ware, and bamboo use.

Although the lounge is large, it is far from packed and noisy as only 198 of the hotel's 843 guest rooms have access to it, and its startlingly awesome views of Tokyo's city center, the Imperial Palace, the National Diet building and Roppongi Hills. Executive rooms begin at $350, which is quite good for Tokyo and the included use of the club facilities; free executive club martinis all around.

Westin Golf Resort Will Bring "Wellness" to Abu Dhabi
While Westin's Dubai property, the Mina Seyahi Resort, cleans up after their possible outbreak of Legionnaires' disease, Westin has spun on its heels to focus some positive press on its upcoming Abu Dhabi Golf Course Hotel and Spa.

Due by the end of this year, the 146-room complex will be the backbone of an entire community built to give Abu Dhabi residents and business travelers a fresh alternative to the glass-and-steel behemoths going up in the city proper. Focused on recreation, the hotel itself is being designed in a "contemporary wellness style" by Chicago's GREC Architects, and will have its own tennis and squash courts, training studios and a climbing wall, as well as views of the National Golf Course.

We're not used to seeing projects like this planned for the Middle East, as usually the UAE gets stuck with more skyscrapers or some modern building outfitted like a sheikh's palace. In direct contrast, this lower-rise resort puts the focus back onto the outdoors and natural treatments. It could very well become a hit as a desperately needed urban retreat for jaded UAE businessmen.