Check out who decided to ring in the new year relaxing under the sun and who hit the fresh powder on the ski slopes …” (via nydailynews.com ) by ROSANNE SALVATORE AND JOANNA SLOAME

Pointswizard.com Spin: Click here to see the 37 celebrities + pictures – From Aspen to St. Barts: Celebs vacation in style

Las Vegas…

From $89 per person…3-night package..from Long Beach, CA (only $160 more from New York, JFK or BOS)..

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Cancun…

$315 per person/3-night package from Fort Lauderdale at CasaMagna Marriott Cancun Resort…

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Miami …

$339 per person / 3-night package from Washington, DC (DCA or IAD) or Raleigh, NC (RDU)…

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Pointswizard.com Spin: Click here for more about JetBlue Sale – Airfare +Hotel from $89 per person

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Please note the sale is for travel between January 4 and February 5, 2011

The Bethesda, MD-based company plans to build a curiously-named hotel called Edition on the three-acre oceanfront site of the former 12-story, 278,547-square-foot, 55-year-old Seville Beach Hotel at 2901 Collins Ave., according to a Marriott statement.

The first Edition hotel is expected to open later this year in Hawaii on Waikiki Beach. Other Editions are in the construction or planning stages in Istanbul, Bangkok and Barcelona.

The Edition line is being designed by boutique-hotel pioneer Ian Schrager who re-launched the Delano Hotel on South Beach in 1995. Schrager will be a Marriott partner in the Edition project.

‘It’s not as close to the heart of South Beach as convention groups and other meeting attendees typically like.  Yet it may have an advantage over the grand hotels like the Fontainebleau and Eden Roc that are further up the beach.”

Prior to Marriott’s June 30 bid,  other bidding developers sought to turn the rooms into a Ritz-Carlton condo and time share complex — a brand Marriott also owns — but that fell victim to an unfriendly credit market, according to South Florida Business Journal. No renovation or new construction work was ever done.

A Marriott International affiliate has picked up a prime Miami Beach hotel development site for $57.5 million — $10 million under a now-dismissed bankruptcy court lawsuit asking price.

The Bethesda, MD-based company plans to build a curiously-named hotel called Edition on the three-acre oceanfront site of the former 12-story, 278,547-square-foot, 55-year-old Seville Beach Hotel at 2901 Collins Ave., according to a Marriott statement.
The first Edition hotel is expected to open later this year in Hawaii on Waikiki Beach. Other Editions are in the construction or planning stages in Istanbul, Bangkok and Barcelona.
The Edition line is being designed by boutique-hotel pioneer Ian Schrager who re-launched the Delano Hotel on South Beach in 1995. Schrager will be a Marriott partner in the Edition project.

‘It’s not as close to the heart of South Beach as convention groups and other meeting attendees typically like.  Yet it may have an advantage over the grand hotels like the Fontainebleau and Eden Roc that are further up the beach.”
Prior to Marriott’s June 30 bid,  other bidding developers sought to turn the rooms into a Ritz-Carlton condo and time share complex — a brand Marriott also owns — but that fell victim to an unfriendly credit market, according to South Florida Business Journal. No renovation or new construction work was ever done.  ” (via realestatechannel.com ) by Alex Finkelstein

Pointswizard.com Spin: Click here to read the rest of Marriott has New Plans for Miami Beach

2. Gstaad, Switzerland

Synonymous with the international jet set, this Swiss wintertime resort appears smaller than its lionised reputation. Renowned as a haunt of Bond actors, Euro royalty, heirs and various hangers-on, Gstaad is a picturesque but tiny village crouched beneath the hilltop turrets of its pre-eminent hotel, the undeniably palatial Gstaad Palace. The actual skiing here is disappointing – far better are the après-ski activities such as seeing and being seen, partying in A-list establishments, and window shopping at the chi-chi boutiques lining the main street. Gstaad is famous for fondue (it’s a stylish kitsch thing) and the best is at Saagi Stübli, in the basement of Hotel Gstaaderhof.

3. Miami, USA

Dare to bare in the people-watching paradise that is South Beach (sorry, SoBe), where models, rappers, yuppies, starlets, celeb chefs, pop stars and ‘regular folk’ unite. Miami is a simmering, sultry melting pot, and a place in which to see and be seen. South Beach  has no shortage of beautiful bods sunning themselves on the sand, while behind them the world’s hottest designers have sexed up art-deco masterpieces and turned them into hipper-than-thou hotels. This is where the jet set comes to play and be pampered (and papped by the paparazzi), basking in the reflected glow of their bling, mojito in hand, accompanied by a soundtrack of Latino beats. You’d be crazy not to join the party. You’re nobody in Miami without the right wheels – join the glitterati with a head-turning motor from Bling Bling Exotic Car Rental.

4. St Barts, Caribbean

When it comes to the islands of the Caribbean, the label ‘playground of the rich and famous’ gets quite a workout. Clearly, then, this is no average playground. It is, in fact, one giant theme park for the glitterati. It’s no surprise that Saint-Barthélemy (St Barts to its friends) is the preferred retreat of the pampered and poised – this beachy bombshell fulfi ls every fantasy of a vacation in paradise. Perfectly positioned bays are backdrops for fancy-pants restaurants, rolling hills demand rambling villas, and the Gustavia harbour is simply perfect for all the megayachts. And the celebs who have holidayed in St Barts? Well, it’s probably easier to list who hasn’t, dahling… Celebrities have stressful lives, hence their requirement for constant pampering – follow suit at exclusive Guanahani Hotel & Spa, which off ers indulgent week-long treatments. (photo of Nicollette Sheridan and Michael Bolton on vacation in St. Barts)

5. Wakaya, Fiji

Any wannabe celeb worth their salt has dreamed of owning their own island. But what to build on it once you’ve made the big purchase? If you’re Canadian entrepreneur David Gilmour, the answer is obvious – one of the world’s most luxurious and exclusive resorts. Gilmour purchased the 8-sq-km Fijian island of Wakaya in 1973 and kindly lets the little people enjoy his stunning tropical hideaway. Well, little people who think nothing of blowing from US$2000 per night on a bure (traditional house) or up to US$7600 per night on the Vale O villa (Wakaya’s 1100-sq-metre royal suite). And who might be sitting on a nearby sun lounge? Maybe returning guests Bill Gates, Keith Richards, Nicole Kidman or Russell Crowe. If those prices mean you’re more Ow!-List list than A-List, sneak a peak at Wakaya from the sky; Island Hoppers offers flights from FJ$99.” (via lonelyplanet.com )

Pointswizard.com Spin: Click here to read the rest of  Top 10 glamorous A-list destinations

“My favorite member of the Kardashian clan, Khloe, is back in sunny South Florida!..

She looked to be enjoying an extremely delicious breakfast of fruits at the Hilton Bentley Hotel on Ocean Drive (South Beach)…

Showing off a bit of her funny side, she flashed some photographers who were photographing her on the balcony of her hotel yesterday… ” (via accidentalsexiness.com ) by Rosy

Pointswizard.com Spin: Plenty of pictures ->Click here to see more of- Hilton Bentley –  Khloe Kardashian enjoys an orgasmic breakfast!

thanks to reader Sue S. for the tip.

A: I am really big on bathtubs, the bed and minibar. I love baths…

Normally when I make a hotel reservation I try to request a bathtub, but sometimes they can’t guarantee it….

I like to feel pampered at a hotel and when you don’t have a bathtub, I’m like, “Hello? What are you thinking?” A lot of the newer hotels don’t have bathtubs…

I sit on the bed and jump up and down. I want to see if the bed is comfy. I like the really big duvet covers and comforters. You wrap yourself in them. I’m someone who sleeps with the air on and cozies up in a blanket. With the minibar, I always want to see what kind of candies and goodies are in there.

Q: What’s the sexiest place you’ve ever visited?

A: I was in Miami for 2½ months (for E!’s Kourtney and Khloé Take Miami) and I think Miami is so sexy. It’s like no one has a job there. It’s so weird because all day long they’re at the beach, no matter what day or time. People are always in string, European bikinis. There are so many topless beaches there. It’s very sexy and everyone is so laid back, which is another thing that makes it sexy. You’re in your skimpiest amount of clothing. Everyone is so nice and sexy. The men are all Latin and there are these beautiful, ethnic women with great bodies. It motivates you to stay sexier, because everyone is so on top of their game with their body and health and fitness.

Q: What’s the most surprising/unexpected place you’re ever visited?

A: Kim, Reggie (Bush, Kim’s boyfriend and a running back with the New Orleans Saints) and I went to South Africa. This might be a little close-minded of me but when we left people were like, “Don’t bring nice purses. Don’t bring any good jewelry.” They said it’s a third-world country and this and that. (Johnnesburg) was so amazing. There were more Ferraris and Range Rovers than I’ve seen in California. It’s a city like Chicago. I was expecting to see animals. I was like, “Hello, I thought I was going on a safari.” I’m sure parts of Africa are like that, but where we were it just wasn’t. … We went to visit schools, and their education is way better than ours. The education requirements that the children have to go through are so insane.

Q: What’s your favorite vacation spot?

A: Cabo San Lucas. We go probably twice a year, because it’s so easy if you live in California. I don’t think Cabo is very expensive, if you know your way in and out of it. … (But) if I go with my mom we stay at Las Ventanas al Paraiso, and I think Las Ventanas is so expensive. My mom normally pays, because we’re all like, “You’re crazy, because these margaritas are $22 for one.” But it’s also more of a romantic, couples’ hotel, which I think that’s what you’re paying for. But if I go with my sisters, we stay at ME Cabo and it’s much more teenage-, 20s-, 30s-oriented. It’s a lot less expensive than Las Ventanas. (Rooms start at about $250 this time of year, vs. about $800 at Las Ventanas.) ” (via www.usatoday.com  ) by Kelly Carter

Pointswizard.com Spin: Click here to read more about – Khloe Kardashian Odom – Traveling with the Stars

1. “The Sweet Life” by Mia King. The bulk of this charming novel takes place on Hawaii’s Big Island, where Manhattan wife and mom Marissa has been unexpectedly relocated. Though her tale is punctuated with sunsets, tropical flowers and charming local customs, the sweetest

thing about the book — aside from the list of Hawaiian recipes in the back — is the lesson she learns about motherhood, marriage, friendship and life.

2. “The Beach” by Alex Garland. Pick up this 1996 cult thriller for a dose of nonstop action set in paradise, and you’ll be transported to a gorgeous, unspoiled lagoon on a remote Thai island. Just don’t expect to relax: the story has enough twists and turns and thought-provoking themes to get even a holiday-hungover heart pumping.

3. “Fool’s Paradise” by Steven Gaines. Why do celebs head to South Beach for wild New Year’s parties? According to this dishy new expose, it’s because the town is “a place where people get away with things they’d never get away with any place else.” Expect true tales about mobsters, models, Madonna and a healthy dose of scandal.

4. “Islands in the Stream” by Ernest Hemingway. It wouldn’t kill us to put down our US Weekly and pick up some Hemingway, and what better way to get our smart on than with a classic set in the islands? The novel starts in the Bahamas and ends in Cuba, but the protagonist (brooding, macho, and complex) and the plot (death, war, and even a little Nazi-hunting) make this way more than your typical beach book.

5. “The Last Song” by Nicholas Sparks. The setting of Sparks’ latest bestselling tearjerker — Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina — might not be the tropics, but the coming-of-age tale is so chock full of summer romance and beach town drama, you’ll see why Miley Cyrus fell for beau Liam Hemsworth on the set of the big-screen adaptation. That comes out this spring, by the way. ” (via  cnn.com) by  Linley Taber

Pointswizard.com Spin: Click here to read all of Your winter staycation reading list

From Hotels.com…

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Miami from $69 a night…  Daytona from $59

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Pointswizard.com Spin: Click here for Florida Beaches Sale: Save up to 30% from hotels.com

Plus, plenty of convenient departure ports – 22 nationwide from Boston to Los Angeles…

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There is the hyperreal Miami of Miami Vice, of alligator attacks and Elián González…

There are splashy art galleries and celebrity hotels…

There are also lots and lots of strip malls… But this collective weirdness happens to sit on one terrific piece of real estate. Miami has turquoise waters and white-sand beaches. It also has gleaming Modernist architecture and impossibly beautiful people. Joan Didion once described the city as having a “kind of perilous attraction.” And it does.

You can lose yourself here, among supermodels, nostalgic Cubans and the countless figures who live on the fringes - and remind us that until a few decades ago, this was all still frontier.

Like most modern American metropolises, greater Miami is composed of several smaller cities. Here the cookie-cutter developments all tend to blend into one indistinguishable mass of peach stucco and Spanish tile.

For the purposes of navigation, however, the city is essentially divided in two: Miami, the mainland city, which is businesslike in demeanor, with offices, malls, arts districts and residential subdivisions; and, connected to the mainland by causeways to the east, Miami Beach (a.k.a. South Beach, a.k.a. SoBe), the slim, glamorous barrier island that is draped in Deco hotels and where life is lived as if it were one big party.

If you have only a few hours to spare, choose one side of town and stick with it — or you may end up spending all your time sitting in traffic. ” (via time.com) by CAROLINA A. MIRANDA

Pointswizard.com Spin: Click here to read more of Miami: 10 Things to Do in 24 Hours

then click the word  next  at bottom of paragraph to go to the 10 things