Sherman's Travel

Having a hard time scoring tickets to the hottest runway shows this season? The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel, on the Upper East Side is there to help you get behind the curtain to see the designers, models, and celebrities this season. From February 15 – 18, the “Inside Haute” experience teams up with Kathleen Beckett, former fashion magazine guru who has worked at Vogue, Glamour, and Elle, to name a few, to take guests on a whirlwind tour of NYFW, dining with designers and attending much-anticipated shows.

For $6,000 per person, fashion mavens can sip on cocktails with Zac Posen at his studio, lunch with Donna Karen, take tea with Nadja Swarovski, enjoy some bubbly with Sophie Theallet at her atelier, go backstage after two top-secret shows to meet the designers, get a private look at the fashion archives at the Met (after the Alexander McQueen exhibit, we know the archives will be full of exquisite pieces), and enjoy lots of champagne, fashion, and glamour.

To book this package, contact Jamie Beck at The Carlyle Hotel, at 212-570-7127. Rooms are not included in the package; rates start at $795 per night.

Be sure to check out our New York City guide, and then use our Travel Search price comparison tool to plan your trip.

Crack open a cold one and book one of these beer-themed hotel packages.

Hop over to the newly opened Hotel Ignacio in St. Louis with the Bike and Brew package for weekend stays in September and October (except September 23-25 and October 7-9 and 21-23). Each weekend, guests will get VIP tastings at four St. Louis breweries (Schlafy Brewery, Urban Chestnut, Sixth Row, and Square One Brewery) as well as breakfast daily, parking, and use of the hotel loaner bikes each day. For stays September 17-19, the package also includes two VIP tickets to Schlafy’s annual “Hop in the City,” with food, live music, and 40 beers for tasting. Guests staying from September 30-October 30 will receive passes to a haunted house and a haunted brewery tour. The two-night package starts at $479. Call 314-977-4411 to book.

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The Luxury Hugging the white-sand shores of tiny Nevis, the historic Nisbet Plantation Beach Club was built in 1778. Today, 36 rooms and suites are found in cheery yellow cottages located across the property, which includes a swimming pool, croquet lawn and tennis courts, award-winning spa, and three restaurants. For a week-long romantic indulgence, the inn’s Double Rewards package allows guests to stay for seven nights and pay for five, while throwing in a three-course dinner for two at the Great House (the original main building of the plantation), round-trip airport transfers, daily breakfast for two, and a two-hour guided rain forest hike.

The Value From October 8 through December 19, the seven-night package starts at $208/night. With all the extras, the offer represents a 33 percent savings.

The Catch Hurricane season lasts through November, so it’s a good idea to book trip insurance. If a storm affects your stay, the resort does have a policy of adjusting arrival/departure dates or issuing credits for a future stay but not refunds.

The Details 800-742-6008; www.nisbetplantation.com/specials.html

For general trip-planning information, see our Nevis Travel Guide.

Ever wonder about the secret life of bees? Get the scoop on everything apian with the Fortnum’s Life of Bees package from Dukes London. You’ll get a behind the scenes tour of the upscale grocer’s four rooftop hives at the historic store in the heart of Piccadilly, followed by a honey tasting in Fortnum’s Crypt, part of the store’s wine cellars. Finally, you’ll walk away with a pot of Fortnum and Mason British Honey. Oh, and did we mention you’ll be staying at Dukes London? The 90-room five-star hotel in central St. James offers plush amenities like organic bath products, handmade chocolates, and interactive flat-screen TVs. The Fortnum package is not available on Sundays or UK bank holidays; rate is $444/night through December 31.

For general trip-planning information, see our London Travel Guide.

SHERMAN’S EXCLUSIVE

The Luxury Once the site of the notorious Charles Street Jail in Boston’s historical Beacon Hill neighborhood, the Liberty Hotel opened in 2007 after a redo. The 298 rooms (mostly in a new 16-story tower) have floor-to-ceiling views of downtown Boston and the Charles River, plus Molton Brown’s eco-friendly bath products. For cocktails, guests can visit the former drunk tank, now the trendy Alibi bar. Then they can chow down on modern (locally sourced) American fare at Clink, where some of the dining nooks occupy the original cells, or sample contemporary Italian cuisine at Scampo.

The Value Through September 1, the Liberty Hotel offers an exclusive 26 percent discount on a package including lodging, breakfast for two at Clink (or in the room), and a bottle of Veuve Clicquot. Rates start at $270/night; readers must book by June 30.

The Catch Expect packed restaurants and long lines at attractions – July and August are Boston’s peak high-season months.

The Details 866-507-5245; libertyhotel.com (code LSMARTLUXU)

From the Spring/Summer 2011 issue of Smart Luxury Travel magazine by ShermansTravel.com.

Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find low rates and travel deals on flights to Boston. For general trip-planning information, see our Boston Travel Guide.

Kate Middleton and Prince William have winnowed down their wedding guest list by now, so couples determined to celebrate the duo’s nuptials need to plot an elaborate reception crashing scheme – or fly to San Francisco. Personality Hotels, the brand behind four San Francisco boutique properties, is offering a “Shag Like Royalty” package at its Kensington Park Hotel through May 15. In addition to an overnight stay, lovebirds who book the package will get Union Jack condoms, two mini bottles of gin (for mixing gin and tonics), a can of spotted dick pudding (a traditional British dish made with suet, raisins, and currants), one copy of Knickers in a Twist: A Dictionary of British Slang, a directory to San Fran’s top British pubs, and two sets of disguise glasses (to hide from the paparazzi, natch). Rates start at $189 a night.

See our San Francisco Travel Guide for general trip-planning information, then use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rates on flights, hotels, packages, and more