Check your wallet. Is there a Bank of American credit or debit card in there? If so, then you’ve got a ticket to enter over 120 museums around the country for free during the first weekend of each month through December 2010.

It’s a new program from the Bank called “Museums on Us,” and it’s actually pretty brilliant, with a surprising selection of very good museums included in the free days. All you need to enter the museums is your Bank of America card and another photo ID, and you’re in—but sadly it’s just for the cardholder, no +1 included.

The next weekend you can take advantage of the free admission is this weekend, and you can find a list of all of the included museums here. Still, we picked out a few of our favorite, after the jump.

Jaunted

Woo-hoo! Another victory for the modern traveler as Amtrak has named this the year of free WiFi aboard their Acela trains. To tell you the truth, we knew this was coming, even that it would be free, but we didn’t know when it would be completed or if we could even count on it.

Well we can count on it! Amtrak announced that installation of WiFi on the Acela trains (which are the express routes on the East Coast) will be completed by March, as part of a celebration of the Acela’s tenth anniversary of service. Other upgrades due for the trains include “leather seats and improved tray tables and power outlets.” Score!

But who knows when we’ll get to try out the WiFi and outlets; the Acelas are too damn expensive. Yeah right like we’re paying $100 for a one-way to Boston when a WiFi and outlet-equipped BoltBus takes almost the same time and costs around $30. Keep trying, Amtrak, but we’re proud of your achievements thus far.

Amtrak travel [Jaunted]
[Photo: pandoralyrael]

Celebrate your inner “Vanity” this New Year’s Eve inside the latest indulgent nightlife creation at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.  Located in the luxurious new HRH Tower, Vanity nightclub opens its doors Thursday, December 31st to ring in 2010, followed by the official grand opening party January 2nd with illustrious party host Diddy.

Brought to you by The Nightlife Group (Body English, Rare 120, Rehab, Wasted Space) and co-owner Jason Giambi, Vanity focuses on the most important person in the room – you. The entrance welcomes with a sparkling collage of reflective tile and antique vanity mirrors. The interior, courtesy of Mr. Important Designs, transports guests into an eclectic jewel box adorned with pearls, hand cut crystals and reflective walls of bronze fused with metallic gold.

The heartbeat of the club is a spectacular cyclone chandelier lit from within by more than 20,000 LED lights that truly bring the dance floor to life.

“We’ve taken everything we learned from Body English, one of the best nightclubs to hit Vegas, and brought it to the next level,” said Cory McCormack, Hard Rock’s managing partner of The Nightlife Group. “Vanity will cater to a person’s every whim.”

The 14,000 square-foot venue features two marble bars, 50 intimate VIP booths, an outdoor terrace with cabanas, fire pit, and offers direct access to the new outdoor Sky Bar opening April 2010. For those who are just a bit more vain, the ladies lounge is complete with nail and makeup technicians available for touch ups and all bathrooms are equipped with full-length three-way mirrors, naturally.

VIP seating lines the 80-foot sunken dance floor, while a larger center seating area borders an onyx catwalk lined with tall lanterns. Staff in rocker-style uniforms offer champagne menus engraved on handheld antique mirrors.

Venue entertainment will include:

Thursday – Godskitchen with world-class dance DJs

Friday – DJ Eric D-Lux

Saturday – DJ Clinton Sparks

Sunday – Sin at Vanity with DJs Presto One, Five, and Eric Cubechee

Vanity Nightclub will be open Thursday through Sunday from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. Cover charges will be $20 for women and $40 for men; local ladies will enter for free at all times. VIP booths and tables start at $500 and include crystal punch bowls. For VIP booths and tables, Vanity guests can call 702.693.5555 or visit www.VanityLV.com

Vanity is part of the Hard Rock Hotel’s $750 million expansion which includes the addition of approximately 860 new guest rooms – the recently opened Paradise Tower and HRH Tower opening December 28.

HRH Tower will also house Reliquary Spa across from Vanity, as well as three new restaurants, approximately 60,000 square feet of meeting and convention space, and more than 40,000 sq. ft. of casino space.

HRH and Paradise Towers will be finalized with the new pools and Skybar in the first half of next year. By spring 2010, the property will have created more than 1,200 jobs for Vegas when the expansion is complete.

For room availability and additional information call 800.HRD.ROCK (800.473.7625) or visit www.hardrockhotel.com.

Etiquette Tips

Hotel teas look so inviting, with refined guests sipping chamomile and nibbling on delicate finger sandwiches. But if you’re worried that people will gasp you if don’t point your pinky the right way while holding a tea cup, don’t fret.

We recently went to the Four Seasons Chicago to glean some tea tips so that you won’t look like a teatime newbie, or even worse, an uncouth pig.

1. Dress the part.
Okay, you don’t have to don white gloves to attend high teas, but dress up. We spotted two ladies in jeans, and while no one shot them disapproving looks, they stood out among the skirts, lady pants and suits in the room.

2. Don’t get drunk.
If you choose to get a glass of champagne before your tea, which everyone did in our room except for the jeans-wearing delinquents, try to pad your stomach with some alcohol-soaking food before you arrive. Otherwise, the bubbly will hit your empty stomach quickly and your tipsy party will get a little rowdy and loud, much to the chagrin of the murmuring tea drinkers.

3. Mind your napkin.
If you need to use the bathroom or get up for any reason, the proper protocol is to transfer the napkin from your lap to your seat, not the table. And obvs, don’t use the napkin like a bib. For shame.

4. Eat in order.
You should first eat the savory finger sandwiches, next the scones and then the sweets. There’s no mixing courses.

5. Slice up those scones.
When it’s time to eat those scones, cut them down the middle and use a knife to slather on the Devonshire cream, jam or lemon curd. Do not even think about dipping the mounds of deliciousness into the spreads.

Of course, use common sense when you’re at teatime. Don’t loudly slurp your tea, be sure to chew with your mouth closed and, in case you’re wondering, you don’t need to point your pinky while holding a tea cup.

-hotel chatter

Overview

If only this one had been open in January when millions rushing to D.C. to witness President Obama’s Inauguration were faced with sold-out hotels left and right. In what marks another milestone in the global expansion of the W Hotel brand, the W Hotel in Washington, D.C opened this past Thursday with a giant bash. It was a jam-packed party full of the town’s political elite, including Presidential Aide Reggie Love and the President’s personal secretary Katie Johnson, as well as celebs like Emmy Rossum who flocked to hear an intimate performance by John Legend. In an event that brought Versailles to Washington, the party was full of Marie Antoinettemodels sporting powdered wigs and opera glasses while guests sipped on pink cocktails and munched on cotton candy.

The new W Hotel, the 25th to open in North America, takes over the historic Hotel Washington, which opened in 1917. The new design incorporates the 1920s Beaux Arts architecture of the original building with the edgy designs of Diana Wong whose, L.A.-based firm transformed all of the interiors. Wong gathered artwork symbolizing “old Washington,” which she sprinkled among her more modern designs including a digital fireplace, crackled paint, deconstructed fixtures, and new chandeliers complimenting the original 1920s light fixtures. Her theme throughout the hotel is “pinstripes and lace,” to appeal to both the masculine and feminine powers of Washington.

As the city’s closest hotel to the White House, the location features unparalleled views of our nation’s monuments, and can expect to attract an abundance of stately guests from around the world, and perhaps a national scandal or two.

Dining

W turned the famed rooftop, where for decades politicos have converged to drink and deliberate, into a modern cocktail lounge, with a menu provided by cocktail king Sasha Petraske of Milk & Honey and Little Branch. The cocktails can also be ordered in the Living Room, W’s design of the traditional hotel lobby. Dining options include the J&G Steakhouse and Wine Bar from Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

WOW Suite

The W Washington D.C. has 317 guestrooms in total, including 23 Marvelous suites. The W’s interpretation of the traditional Presidential Suite, the “pinstripes and lace” Extreme WOW suite, is an exact symbol of the new design influence quickly arriving in our nation’s capital.

This is what makes the coolest W to ever reside in the capital city: Virtual fireplace so the heat is on, signature W cocktail candy to cool it off, so much space you can roam like it was the land of the free.

The oval-shaped dining table for four is the hot spot for a power meal, with violet leather-upholstered chair subordinates. Before you slip into that food coma, slide onto the diamond-tufted sofa and settle among grape accent pillows—now take that power nap. As drapes of blue, violet and gold frame white accents, stretch out on the grape velveteen sofa where state-of-the-art entertainment is presented through the 46″ flat screen TV and iPod docking station—there’s no end to the spectacular selections in our culturally aware media library. You’re the host with the most seats of power, from the bronze bench with mother of pearl leather seat to the pumpkin-shaped stool with silver leaf legs and pink leather to the black oak sled chair with white crocodile seat – the only thing you’d have to stand for is your right to neat treats from the delightful Munchie Box. Need some libation liberation? Wheel and deal at the signature W cocktail caddy, where colorful cocktails are created in seconds. Make it official at the curved white lacquer desk with silver tassels—with High Speed Internet Access and a cordless phone with voicemail and speakerphone capabilities, you can kick back in the comfy plum chair. Take heart with the art by Andy Taylor adorning the walls, featuring luminous and vibrant pieces from this “Diamond Dust on Glass” collection.

Slip through sliding doors from the living room to bedroom, where the signature W bed with pillow-top mattress, 350-thread-count sheets and goose down comforter and pillows awaits. This one’s a gem with mother of pearl leather headboards and bed frame, complemented by a Bohemian glass lamp on the nightstand and bedside furnishings dressed in gray oak veneers. Go ahead and sleep soundly after some late night 37″ flat screen TV—the Tivoli clock radio gets you up in time for that meeting with Bliss® Spa amenities. Will it be a bubbly (double?) dip in the marble-topped bathtub with or a refresher under the waterfall shower behind frosted glass doors? A luxurious double vanity makes room for everyone, while the white Caesar stone vanity top and check out the silver leaf mirror to make that all-important first impression before you step out. (805 – 851 square feet)

by Ariston Anderson – Luxist

Overview

Amangiri, ‘peaceful mountain’ (Opening in October 2009), is located in the southwest region of the USA also known as the Four Corners, where the states of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona meet. Boasting one of the most dramatic landscapes in the USA with deep canyons and towering plateaus, the region has been home for centuries to the native Navajo and Hopi tribes yet is sparsely populated and presents the raw landscape for which the American Southwest has become famous.

Experience unparalleled comfort in 34 exquisite hotel guest rooms or 31 spectacular villas, available for purchase. With an extraordinary sense of entry, stylish indoor and outdoor dining and picturesque public courtyards, a tranquil atmosphere pervades, creating a quintessential Aman resort.

Spa

Catering to the fitness and well being of its guests in some of the world’s most compelling natural environments has always been a cornerstone of the Aman approach. Amangiri’s Spa sanctuary artfully blends Eastern therapy with Western hospitality for a singularly unique experience. The Spa offers a myriad of exotic treatments from ancient Thai and Indian traditions created for revitalization and renewal.

Activities

There are many diversions to entertain and exhilarate at Amangiri; from whitewater rafting down the Colorado River to heliskiing adventures at nearby Dunton Hot Springs. Explore this amazing landscape on private hikes guided by the latest in GPS technologies or a personal guide. Those desiring less rugged pursuits will delight in championship golf, private flights to Las Vegas and our Aman-designed event boats located on Lake Powell.

Overview

Tucked into a private canyon in the Upper Napa Valley, just outside the historic town of Calistoga, the 48-room luxury resort is located on a 157-acre site marked by ancient oaks, majestic hills, a rock-hewn stream and private lake. The resort captures the rich culture of wine, food and nature inherent to the region, offering guests the ultimate experience with a collection of indoor and outdoor spaces that allow you to fully experience the pristine setting.

The private restaurant celebrates the rich culture of local Napa Valley wines and cuisine, making use of the lush bounty of the region. For those seeking rejuvenation, it can be found at The Bathhouse, where guests can indulge in rejuvenating spa treatments and take advantage of the region’s natural healing mineral waters.

Other amenities include a state-of-the-art fitness center, a yoga deck, a pool featuring dramatic views of the resort’s private vineyard and oak groves, and 140 acres of land dedicated to hiking and active pursuits.

Dining

For Calistoga Ranch’s Executive Chef, Aaron Wright, fine dining is fine detail – making sure each dish is a pure reflection of the best products he can find. Growing up in California and Colorado, Chef’s passion for the celebration of food started early with tending the family’s garden and bringing everyone together to share treasured recipes.

Coming full circle, Chef has returned to his childhood home in Northern California to the Napa Valley’s award-winning Calistoga Ranch, an Auberge Resort. With an effort to increase environmental responsibility, and with access to the abundance of local, fresh, artisan ingredients and award-winning wineries, Chef brings his culinary vision to Calistoga Ranch’s private restaurant, the Lakehouse. His “land to table” concept produces a simple, yet strikingly original, collection of dishes rooted in Mediterranean, French and Japanese traditions and technique.

Chef’s cooking philosophy has not changed much from when he was a child, calling for the use of food’s restorative qualities and the principle that every menu should include items that are full of taste and abundant in flavor. Chef believes that food of the highest quality ingredients can enhance the enjoyment of life and promote longevity. He places equal importance to every ingredient on the plate, from vegetables, to seafood, to meat. This philosophy is celebrated in the Lakehouse menu, which serves to compliment renowned wines from Napa Valley and Calistoga Ranch’s own Vineyard.

Accommodations

The 48 Guest Lodges at Calistoga Ranch are free-standing, with natural cedar exteriors and relaxed decor, an indoor/outdoor living experience set amongst tall pines, and forest and mountain views that embrace the natural surroundings. Lodge accommodations include fireplaces, down duvets, customized bathroom amenities, mini bars, entertainment centers with TV, DVD and CD players, high-speed internet access and two-line phones.

The Calistoga Tradition

Nestled in the wooded canyon of Calistoga Ranch, the Bathhouse has revived the classic Calistoga spa experience, and the tradition of “taking the waters,” with a new level of luxury and sophistication. Calistoga’s rich history, as one of the original spa towns in the United States, continues to attract those looking to experience its curative powers. At Calistoga Ranch, our soaking pools overlook the creek and moss laden oaks, creating the perfect atmosphere to begin your journey of relaxation.

Overview

Nestled among the lush foliage of rolling hills and a beautiful beachfront, in the midst of a century-old pineapple plantation, The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua provides that rare opportunity to experience a different view of Hawaii – one that hearkens back to unspoiled landscapes, breathtaking sunsets, and swaying coconut palms. Escape to a distinctly memorable tropical getaway, where world-class service converges with captivating island culture. Framed by two championship golf courses, this exclusive Kapalua Maui hotel is the annual home of the PGA TOUR season-opening championship, offering a prestigious address, recognized throughout the world. Embrace the spirit of aloha within our Kapalua, Maui beach hotel, the quintessential Hawaiian destination.

Accommodations

Bask in the luxurious newly-designed guestrooms with dark hardwood floors, large travertine bathrooms, all new furnishings, Hawaiian artwork and plush bedding. Enjoy superb extras like a spacious lanai, LG LCD televisions, terry bathrobes and twice-daily turndown service. You’ll feel right at home in paradise.

Spa

Indulge in the healing powers of Waihua – the name ancient Hawaiians gave to water that is pure in every sense. Inspired by the spirit, The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Kapalua offers a variety of treatments and therapies, based on native Hawaiian healing and the potent plants, flowers, fruits and herbs abundant in the islands. Allow time-honored remedies to alleviate modern ailments at this newly-transformed haven. Relax with a lomilomi massage. Add vibrancy to your skin with a refreshing facial. Relieve stress and tension with one of our Maui spa’s hot-stone lomilomi massages. This luxurious 17,500 square-foot Maui, Hawaii, resort spa and fitness center offers private outdoor gardens and new spacious and private couples cabanas. Rekindle your spirit and restore balance to your mind, body and soul at our soothing Maui spa.

Golf

Trace the footsteps of golf legends as you golf in Maui at the annual home of The PGA TOUR’s season-opening SBS Championship. Set amid a 23,000-acre historic pineapple plantation, The Kapalua Golf Club offers two 18-hole courses of unrivaled distinction and prestige. This world-renowned Maui golf resort stretches from the majestic mountains to the west to the azure Pacific Ocean providing the perfect backdrop for The Plantation and The Bay. Immerse yourself in the stunning terrain and diverse topography of these premier Maui golf courses, with fairways that blend easily into the breathtaking natural landscape. Designed with the thoroughly experienced perspective of Arnold Palmer, Ben Crenshaw, and Ben Coore, our Maui golf courses cater to golfers of all skill levels. Delight in the challenge and scenic beauty of the island, with an unforgettable Maui golf vacation at this Kapalua golf resort. Test your skill and precision with 36 holes of award-winning play.

The Resort

At the crossroads of incomparable luxury and unspoiled wilderness lies The Resort at Paws Up®. Distinguishing itself from all other Montana luxury resorts, the Resort at Paws Up® offers an enchanting escape into the tranquility and magnificence of Montana’s pastoral countryside. This authentic Montana resort is discretely nestled among some of the most breathtaking country in the world. Spend a day on horseback, cast a fly in sparkling waters to eager cutthroats, explore the land Lewis and Clark swooned over, or indulge in sumptuous spa treatments. Choose from 28 luxury vacation homes or 12 impeccably appointed tents – all featuring an interior landscape rich in rustic elegance. It’s first-class adventure in a wilderness sanctuary
Request Brochure you’ll never forget. The Resort at Paws Up – truly The Last Best Place.

Accommodations

Escape to a wonderland of rustic elegance at The Wilderness Estates at Paws Up, a collection of new, stately domains nestled a world away from the everyday at our breathtaking Montana resort. Whatever you can imagine is at your fingertips. Total indulgence. Complete relaxation. A secluded wilderness sanctuary, all discretely hidden behind gated chaparrals. Your expansive estate comes complete with panoramic vistas, uber-privacy and an extensive list of features including a great room with a soaring vaulted ceiling, a cook’s kitchen, a loft game room, and three huge master suites featuring luxurious master bathrooms outfitted with a spacious slate shower, a jetted spa tub, sumptuous spa products and seriously plush towels.

When you’re ready to fully disconnect, saunter out to your sprawling private deck for a soak in your rejuvenating, six-person hot tub. Or head out on a family wildlife safari in your personal, eco-friendly electric car that’s so silent, the animals won’t hear you coming. If and when you’re ready to reconnect, high-speed wireless Internet access, surround-sound entertainment systems and 42″ flat-screen TVs are at your beck and call. The Wilderness Estates at Paws Up – the wilds of Montana have never been so civilized.

Wilderness Adventures

No matter the time of year, adventure is abundant in Montana’s Rocky Mountains. Whether it’s in the saddle of a horse, on a mountain bike, behind the wheel of an ATV, or breaking in a new pair of hiking boots, The Resort at Paws Up will take you places few have ever been. Here in the Paws Up wilderness nirvana, nestled near Seeley Lake and Blackfoot River, every day brings new beauty and adventure. Since the warm summer days in Montana seem to get never dark, you can fill your adventure vacation with hundreds of moments you’ll never forget. These everlasting times can be shared with others when you tell them about your spectacular Montana fly fishing trip, upland bird hunting trip, or how you spent the morning golfing in Montana. When you combine America’s most beautiful lakes and rivers in the majestic Rocky Mountains with a one-of-a-kind luxury resort, you truly have the ultimate outdoor playground. Our vast array of wilderness adventure activities is limited only by your imagination.

This summer, enjoy Montana’s luxury resort, and all the exciting adventures waiting for you!

Dining & Entertainment

Drawing from the agricultural wealth of Montana and the West, the Chef at Paws Up creates world-class, five-star cuisine that articulately blends the most sophisticated culinary techniques with the freshest meats, produce and ingredients available. Huckleberries picked from the slopes of surrounding mountains might complement a breakfast of French toast and hand-made sausage. Fresh Rocky Mountain trout, sauteed with herbs, may be paired with an exquisite Napa Valley Chardonnay. Soak up the rustic luxury of Paws Up at a lavish barbeque where guests may indulge in a flight of vintage Pinot Noirs as dinner sizzles nearby. Every sense is excited. Every meal brings new adventure.

Note: Paws Up will accommodate any special dietary requests you may have. Please let us know in advance.

The Spa

The serene, yet majestic location of Spa Town® could have easily inspired the Meriwether Lewis quote “Much pleased at having arrived at this long wished for spot.”

Discretely nestled on the edge of an expansive meadow, in the waving shade of soaring pines—sits Spa Town® at Paws Up. Made up of eleven oversized, impeccably appointed tents, Spa Town® is one of the most unique spas ever to be built. This haven of relaxation offers natural light, soothing sounds and indigenous aromas—and that’s just the Reception Tent. A winding boardwalk takes you to the privacy of your own treatment tent where one of our talented massage therapists will provide healing treatment for mind, body and spirit. Every moment at this unique sanctuary brings treasured relaxation and refreshment. We give new meaning to the term “getting lost” in the woods.

We wish for you a similar heritage of discovery and adventure native to the history of our western mountain region so when you leave our inspiring resort, you go forth with a sense of strength and renewal.