• Iraq Hotel Bombings: Bombs exploded at the Hamra Hotel, the Istar Sheraton, and the Babylon Hotel on Monday, killing 41 people. All hotels were veritable fortresses of security, with armed guards and barricades. If terrorists can breach the security perimeter of hotels in Bagdad, what does this say about security precautions in, say, the Four Seasons Mexico City, or the Bangkok’s The Peninsula?
• The Dumbing Down of Dubai: The ruler of this popped bubble of a sheikdom, Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum is not attending this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos to avoid unwanted attention of Dubai’s economic collapse. So why did he personally approach Posh Spice to design a luxury hotel – for $40 million?
• Be careful when asking for toiletries at the Hotel Gansevoort in Manhattan. Cameron Douglas, son of actor Michael Douglas, just pleaded guilty to dealing methamphetamine and cocaine while sequestered in the chic hotel. According to intercepted phone calls, his code words for meth were “bath salts.” (He’s now looking at a minimum 10 years at Hard Time Hotel.)