Beach Deals, From Sea to Shining Sea

Exciting week at HT HQ, with big funding news, in addition to new deals in Ft. Lauderdale and LA - Beach Cities.

That’s right; we’re bringing back LA Beach Cities and we’re bringing it hard. Feel like some oceanfront luxury on Malibu’s Billionaire’s Beach? Done. In the mood for the livelier Santa Monica scene? All yours. More of a Venice Beach bum? You got it. 

On other coast, South Beach occasionally steals some thunder from South Florida’s other seaside communities, but Ft. Lauderdale has a legit scene of its own. Beyond the party-hungry Spring Breakers, the city’s sun, sand and surf attract business travelers and families interested in exploring the downtown attractions, beaches and unique canal system. And now, HT gives everyone with a smartphone the ability to spend a night in the Venice of America.

No need to thank us.

6 months ago  /  3 notes  / 

Making the Best Better? Believe It!

We just unleashed the latest and greatest version of the HotelTonight iPhone app. We painstakingly rebuilt the app from the ground up, retaining all the rad features you love but doubling the awesome quotient with an even speedier nav and sleeker look. Check out some of the improvements and additions:

* Share deals and invite friends via email, SMS, Facebook and Twitter.
* New cities: Portland, Charleston and Minneapolis, plus DFW added to our list of major airports.
* New categories: luxe, charming, solid and a mysterious one you’ll have to look closely for.
* Access the hotel info pages for your previous bookings at any time.
* Add extra nights to your stay more easily from the hotel page.
* Recently viewed cities stay at the top of the city list.
* Email your booking receipts (expense accounts FTW).
* Add/edit credit cards more easily, from the options page.
* Improved photo display.
* Link to our jobs listing (because you know you want in).
* Miscellaneous improvements & bug fixes. Because you deserve it.

Get it here!

6 months ago  /  4 notes  / 

Armed with HT, the Hip Get Hipper in Portland

Portland’s not for everyone. But the people it’s for are generally superior humans. After all, the city has awesome access to the outdoors, from the Willamette River to nearby Mt. Hood. It’s a foodie haven, a coffee snob’s paradise and a sanctuary for the eco-conscious. Oh, and we hear there’s some sort of hipster-related stuff happening too. But best of all, Portland now has HotelTonight. Check out a few of the partner hotels we’ll be displaying on the app in the coming days:

the Nines - Between the hip atrium lobby, rooftop bar and high-end steakhouse, this place is happening seven days a week. Contemporary art, French-inspired furnishings and rustic accents come together in an approachably elegant mix. And the location is about as good as it gets. Atop the landmark Meier & Frank Building, it’s in the heart of downtown and across from Pioneer Place.

Jupiter Hotel - This retro-inspired hipster haven is definitely for the young and young at heart. Quirky guestrooms include photo murals and chalkboard doors (keep those notes witty; you’re being judged). An airy, bamboo-laden courtyard with an outdoor fireplace is perfect for relaxing, and the Doug Fir Lounge is the spot for an evening of debauchery. You know there’s fun to be had when the hotel supplies earplugs.

RiverPlace Hotel - Victorian elegance meets Northwest casual at downtown’s only real waterfront hotel, which boasts rave-worthy views from the restaurant and the bar’s patio. Comfy rooms contain contemporary furnishings and plush beds. And guests are pampered. Loaner bikes and a DVD library are just a few of the complimentary perks.

6 months ago  /  4 notes  / 

HT’s Halloween Haunts

Halloween means many things to many people. For some, it’s a chance to stock up on bags and bags of snack-size candy bars without judgment from supermarket clerks. For others, it’s all about showing more skin than would be socially acceptable on a typical Monday. For us, it’s a time to talk about reportedly haunted hotels. We’re not talking Estes Park here, but many a strange sound has been heard at historic hotels. Among them:



Hotel Union Square - The downtown San Francisco staple damned the man and hid a speakeasy during Prohibition, and over the years there have been reports of ghostly visitors sleeping off their supernatural hangovers in hotel hallways. American playwright Lillian Hellman, a first-rate boozer herself, also reportedly used the hotel for a dramatic love affair that wound up lasting three decades. People have noticed flying objects in and around room 207, believed to be frequented by Hellman’s mischievous ghost.



Le Pavillon Hotel - These days, the New Orleans landmark and bastion of European elegance makes guests feel welcome by serving complimentary PB&J sandwiches on silver platters. Really! It seems to make the nonliving feel welcome, as well. Experts have reportedly documented a wide range of supernatural encounters, from floating apparitions to ghosts that actually sat on the beds while guests tried to get their beauty sleep. Rude, right? 



Hotel San Carlos - Established in 1928 on the location of Phoenix’s first school, which was hit by a deadly flu epidemic, ghosts have been spotted — and celebrated. Regular ghost-themed tours are available throughout the fall, with special events scheduled year-round, and the lobby-adjacent Ghost Lounge opened last year, letting guests enjoy spirits of the liquid variety. Look out for a little girl, who is said to visit rooms at night and cry. So dramatic. 

6 months ago  /  1 note  / 

Adding Charleston Charm to the HT Mix

After several years as top dog, HT’s home base of San Francisco is not No. 1 on Conde Nast Traveler’s list of readers’ favorite U.S. cities. This year’s champ is South Carolina’s capital of charm, Charleston. And just in time, we’ve put together a mix of top-shelf Charleston hotels that is heavy on elegance, style and history. Fire up the app to check ‘em out.

7 months ago  /  21 notes  /