Sherman's Travel

Among all the best picture nominees, Life of Pi really cleaned up last night, winning four Oscars (cinematography, visual effects, directing, and music). So, in honor of the movie we rounded up some travel ideas inspired by the film. Check them out. Read more

Envelope, please. And the winner for “Best Zurich Hotel” goes to . . . The Dolder Grand. Perched on a hilltop with scene-stealing views Lake Zurich and the city below, this five-star grand dame, dating from 1899, reopened in 2008 after a major expansion by Sir Norman Foster married the historic main building with two curvaceous contemporary wings.

Earlier this month, I was lucky enough to stay in the hotel’s Spa Wing, home of SpaFinder’s “Best Spa in Switzerland” and the Masina Suite (pictured), where Rooney Mara filmed one of the final scenes for her Oscar-nominated role in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (click here for more locations from Oscar-nominated films). Inspired by Giulietta Masina, actress and wife of Federico Fellini, the 1,790-square-foot Masina Suite has two separate bedrooms, a sauna and steam shower, a billiard table, a Fendi sofa, and screens that play Fellini movies in a continuous loop (with the competing soundtracks turned off, thankfully). Read more

Now that the Oscar nominees have been announced, where are you planning on watching the Academy Awards on February 27? If you’re traveling during the event, we’ve got you covered. Larger than your flat-screen TV, and more intimate than a movie theater, these hotels are the places to view the red carpet parade and watch your favorite actors up-close and in vivid color.

Hotel deLuxe, Portland, OR

The Hotel deLuxe in downtown Portland, Oregon, is having an Academy Award Tweet-Up (Follow @hotel_deluxe for updates) starting at 3:30pm (PST) in their 1,240-square-foot screening room. Visitors take part in a contest to guess the winners and whoever gets the most correct wins a free night in a suite like the Marlene Dietrich room, with its eight-foot circular bed. Free popcorn and treats will be served and the first 40 guests get a drink on the house. Want to make a night of it even if you don’t win? Rooms go for $99 that day, a 10 percent discount.

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