During a difficult economic time, where both business and recreational travel is significantly down, Hilton Hotels is making a bold move by announcing a bold, new hotel brand – Denizen Hotels.

Striking a balance between business and pleasure, Denizen Hotels will be technology-rich, smart-in-design and comfortable for each guest.

Launched last week, this new brand means ‘citizen of the world’ and will appear in international cities catering to globally-conscious modern travelers in the coming years.

Denizen Hotels, a luxury boutique hotel brand, is being introduced as a global lifestyle brand to the Hilton Family of Brands.

“We are thrilled to welcome Denizen Hotels into our portfolio of brands,” said Christopher J. Nassetta, President and Chief Executive Officer, Hilton Hotels Corporation. “While we continue to operate in a challenging macro economic environment, the addition of Denizen Hotels demonstrates our commitment to continuing to invest in our long-term growth.

Denizen Hotels will definitely benefit from being part of Hilton’s global infrastructure. The Hilton empire supports a worldwide network of more than 3,200 hotels and 545,000 rooms in 77 countries.

Denizen Hotels is aimed primarily at the globally-conscious modern traveler. Developments are being planned in cosmopolitan, urban cities as well as resort destinations.

Denizen Hotels provides for everything from an inspiring urban weekend getaway to a rejuvenating retreat or smart business trip in destinations across the globe.

To read more, click here: www.denizenhotels.com

We all hate to travel – the crowded airports, long lines, rude people ….. But there are ways to make our traveling experience a little nicer and also be pampered at the same time.

Check out these luxury airport lounges that are sure to impress even the most seasoned traveler.

1. The Wing – Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong
The Wing is a 43000 sq ft open-air facility that features and 80ft bar (The Long Bar – featured above), four restaurants and a full-service day spa. This luxurious terminal lounge also features private cabins with showers, beds and Jacuzzi tubs. Top it all off with free Wifi, and executive office suites and you’ve got yourself quite the lounge. There’s no doubt why this lounge is always featured near or at the top of every one’s favorite airport lounge.

2. Premium Terminal – Qatar Airways, Doha International Airport, Qatar
First of all, you are greeted by a porter to take your bags and a concierge just to make sure you find all the other enclosed luxuries. If you are in need of secretarial or medical services, you’ll find both in here. Pretty nice. There is also a complete world-class spa where anti-aging facials and deep-tissue massages are administered. You can also take advantage of the Jacuzzis, and If you have kids there are a number of Wii consoles as well as a free nanny service. Definitely a relaxing way to get ready for a flight, or to recover from one.

3. Golden Lounge – Malaysian Airlines, Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia
KL’s airport deserves mention to this list if only for the fact that there is a rain forest enclosed within the airport itself. Within the Malaysian Airlines Golden lounge, you will also find a river that literally runs through the terminal. Other notable amenities include: a gym, private rooms, and arcade and a full-service daycare center.

4. Lufthansa Lounge – Lufthansa, Frankfurt International Airport, Germany
Lufthansa’s Frankfurt terminal consists of a 12,000 square loft-like lounge with plenty of seating, a dining area and private office space (if you travel for work). This lounge also features a cigar lounge, and if you are a first class traveler you will have a personal assistant from checkout to departure (where you will be driven out to the tarmac on a Porsche Cayenne).

5. Virgin Atlantic Lounge – Virgin Airlines, London-Heathrow, England
Virgin’s flagship at London-Heathrow features: a lounge, a den as well as a clubhouse all done in typical Virgin style. In the lounge, you can take to the roof where you can grab a drink while you wait for your flight and catch some rays. Leave the kids in the Den where billiards and video games will occupy their short attention spans until just before departure. And if you are hungry, you can take to the clubhouse to grab a drink, where you can get anything from a light snack to a hearty and tasty plate of bangers and mash.

6. Air France Lounge at Terminal #2 – Air France, Charles de Gaulle International Airport, France
The Air France lounge at CDG Terminal 3 features some of the most useful amenities: showers and massages. While all the modern bells and whistles are nice, nothing beats a nice hot shower upon arrival. And, If you weren’t able to sleep that well, or you’re just tired from the overnight flight, treat yourself to a massage. Because hey, you deserve it.

7. Terraces Lounge – British Airways, JFK International Airport, USA
British Airways is always known to up the ante, and the Terraces Lounge at JFK International is no exception. Put trickling water fountains and nature sounds together with hydrotherapy showers, and pre- and post-flight massages and you have a way to truly relax if your coming or going. Special bonus is the faint smell of cut grass in the terminal to give it an outdoorsy feel.

8. Admirals Lounge – American Airlines, John F Kennedy International Airport, USA
American Airlines flagship lounge is a 7,000 sq ft facility that features a complete business center and cyber cafe with complimentary printer and fax services. If you want to take a break from your work there is a renowned commissary complete with world-class wine list and a diverse menu from which you can eat to your heart’s content. A number of plasma TVs (so you can watch what YOU want) and private shower facilities round out some of the most useful amenities offered here.

9. Qantas First Class Lounge – Qantas, Sydney International Airport, Australia
Designed by the world-renowned/ native Australian Marc Newson, this lounge features a 180 degree view of Sydney’s beautiful Botany Bay. The main feature of this lounge is the day spa with a number of complimentary treatments to help you relax. There is also a dozen desktop computers free-of-charge, if you didn’t bring your laptop, and private office suites if you require a bit of privacy. And if you are hungry, there is a 48-seat restaurant that boasts a menu of exotic meals from around the world.

10. The Royal Orchid – Thai Airways, Bangkok Airport, Thailand
The Royal Orchid offers complimentary traditional Thai massage to its visitors, as well as a host of other amenities, most notably world-famous Thai hospitality. Complimentary, gourmet Thai cuisine makes for a nice touch, and private meeting rooms with wifi definitely can come in handy. And just to show you that you are in fact a VIP, you can expect tarmac transport from via the airlines fleet of Mercedes-Benzes.

Source: DepartureSpa (includes additional photos)

The imagination factor of most intimate hideaways rarely stretches beyond chocolate on the pillows and dinner for two. But we’ve scoured the world for the top-10 hotels that raise the temperature on the idea of romance.

1. Las Ventanas al Paraiso: Los Cabos, Mexico
Cabo’s celebrated beach retreat takes its loving so seriously it’s hired a Director of Romance. Pick from a menu of amorous experiences, including “cinema on the beach for two,” “sea & stars massage for two,” and the “men in white” program – where male guests learn how to prepare a meal for their sweethearts.

2. L’Hotel: Paris, France
A “Pavillion d’Amour” in the early 1800s, L’Hotel is now among the most seductive Small Luxury Hotels in Paris. Its six-story atrium leads off to 20 lavishly designed bedrooms, while the original cellar is home to a private steam room and Roman bath that can be booked for couples’ private use.

3. Nam Hai: Hoi An, Vietnam
Nam Hai’s private villas are set on a secluded stretch of the famed China Beach. If a private butler, outdoor shower and ocean-view vistas aren’t enough, couples can slip into the spa and have a specially prepared Love Bath, laced with “love potion” (a blend of essential oils) and flowers, topped off with champagne and canapés.

4. The Bungalows Resort & Spa: Cofresi, Dominican Republic
The magazine that gave us “Secret Sex” and “Celebrity Bastards” has, improbably, opened one of the hottest resorts in the Caribbean. To get your blood pumping, The Bungalows Resort & Spa marries high luxe with high adrenaline (think kiteboarding and couples yoga). Alternatively, you can charter their 55-foot yacht for a private sunset cruise.

5. Tides Zihuatanejo: Zihuatanejo, Mexico
Terracotta-tiled suites with personal plunge pools kiss this exclusive patch of Pacific shoreline. But it’s the resort’s private isle in an azure lagoon that sets the scene for a romantic candlelit dinner. After reaching your table by canoe, dinner begins with champagne and a menu delivered in a bottle.

6. Mykonos Grand: Mykonos, Greece
Perched above the beach where “Shirley Valentine” was filmed, the white sugar-cube boxes of Mykonos Grand offers a romantic package: Book a suite with a private pool and the hotel will throw in a personal chef, a rose petal turndown service and a Kamasutra Seduction box — which includes naughty delights like vanilla crème body soufflé and sweet honeysuckle dust.

7. The Fairmont Orchid: Big Island, Hawaii
After a massage in Fairmont’s waterfall gardens, retire to your oceanview suite for a special “Make Room for Romance” turndown. Then follow a trail of orchids leading to a floral heart on the bed. Champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries prep you for a steamy bath laced with salts, bubbles and floating candles.

8. Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire: Hampshire, England
Reenact Darcy’s love for Elizabeth at this Georgian manor presiding over gorgeous heritage gardens. Couples can tour the estate by horse-drawn carriage or drift down wooded canals in the hotel’s own cruiser. Pause for a picnic lunch, or better yet, learn to make “a romantic meal for two” from the executive chef in a private demo.

9. The Rania Experience: Maldives
The ultimate fantasy-island experience where couples stay on their own private atoll in a three-bedroom villa serviced by 30 hosts (including chefs, butlers, spa therapists and scuba instructors.) The $12,000-per-night package also features exclusive use of an 86-foot yacht with a jacuzzi and cinema.

10. Jade Mountain: St. Lucia
Only 24 three-walled “sanctuaries” compose this exclusive hillside resort. With open floor plans, you can slip straight out of bed and into your couple-sized chromotherapy tub — or into your glass-tiled infinity pool with views of St. Lucia’s green-peaked Pitons.

The days of drab dress, expressionless people and communist rule are long gone. Eastern Europe is displaying a vast array of phenomenal vacation spots for all to enjoy. It’s virtually uncharted territory for the luxury traveler.

There’s a surge of luxury resorts being built. What causing this? Tourism is quickly becoming a source of economic growth. The other main reason is that historic buildings in the region are a virtual bargain, as compared against real estate in western and central European countries.

Many of these Eastern European countries, such as Poland and Hungary, offer tax breaks to foreign businesses that bring in tourism dollars. This allows hoteliers to save up to 15% on their investment.  Full article

Morocco has always been a land of mystery and intrigue. Four years ago, very few people outside of Morocco had heard of Saidia – or even of the Oriental region along the Algerian border, where it is situated. Lying on the eastern-most edge of Morocco, with no highways connecting it to the rest of the country, the region has been a backwater, even though it has one of the country’s most attractive coastlines.

But in a heartbeat, all that quickly changed. In 2002, King Mohammed VI made an announcement that Saidia would be the site of his flagship resort – ”Mediterrania-Saidia”. This luxury resort would be the first of six luxury coastal developments in Morocco. The other five are being built along the country’s Atlantic coast.  Full article

Are you a globetrotting billionaire and now bored with private jets? Maybe this is for you.

If you are someone whose diary has breakfast meetings, lunch conferences, dinner date and all the in-between activities of the day scheduled in different countries, you are sure to appreciate the announcement of Aerion’s supersonic business jet that will take you places in minutes. The demise of Concorde has ensured that enough thoughts are given to the design and commercial viability of the jet. While Concorde was a civilian flight, the SBJ is aimed solely at the corporates and jet setting billionaires to ensure the return of their invested money.

The preliminary orders the company booked in just three months is nearly $1.5 billion with an initial deposit of $250,000 for its $80 million SBJ. Aerion’s key innovation is the plane’s so-called ‘laminar airflow’ wing. The design helps minimize drag at high speeds. The SBJ flies at a maximum of Mach 1.6 to reduce the need for costly high-temperature materials. It will also fly at a maximum of 51,000 feet like other other business jets. So, ready to take the skies on the world’s first supersonic business jet? Not so soon, you have to wait until 2014 before the first flight takes off; unfortunately time doesn’t fly at supersonic speed!  Full article

Since its opening in 1914, the Panama Canal has been an engineering wonder.  The new project will create a new lane of traffic along the Canal by constructing a new set of locks, and will double the canal’s capacity and allow more traffic. Full article

NASA and Microsoft have teamed up to give people a 3D photographic look at the space shuttle Endeavour before its launch this week, in a public-private partnership that could lead to more use of digital imagery in future space-agency missions. Full article