The Plaza, arguably New York's most storied hotel, has come to life once again. In bits and pieces this past spring and summer, the wraps have been taken off the renovated property, which is being operated as a small hotel within what is now a white-glove luxury condo building.

If you'd like an excuse to drop in to see the transformation, I suggest you treat yourself to the hotel's afternoon tea. (Image, right, by Ellen Easton.) Fans of this civilized ritual (whatever you do, do not call it high tea, which will immediately brand you as a rube) will be thrilled by the diverse selection of loose-leaf varieties to sample from Kenya, Malawi, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Japan, among other nations.

Presented in the hotel's heart -- the opulent, domed Palm Court -- the tea is poured from gorgeous teapots as you sit back in one of the room's comfortable and conducive-to-privacy high-back chairs. There are two ordering options from which to choose: $60 for a plentiful menu of sandwiches (like English cucumber with diced mint and peekytoe crab salad), savories and pastries and sweets, or $80 for the same menu, but with sevruga caviar. Champagne and sherry also are available.

The light from the translucent ceiling above is artificial, but you'd be forgiven for not realizing it. The hue changes during the day to reflect the appropriate color of sunshine outside. By the time you've finished your treats (and the attentive staff will be sure to send you home with anything you can't finish), you'll be bathed in a pinkish glow -- the Plaza's homage to a New York sunset. Fortunately, there's no reason to expect the sun to go down on this glorious tea ritual anytime soon. Served from two in the afternoon to five o'clock.

The Plaza Hotel
Fifth Avenue and Central Park South
New York, NY 10019
212-759-3000

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If your desire to go green when you stray far from home goes beyond the bare minimum (i.e., you’re willing to do more than simply re-use your towels), you’re just the sort of traveler Fairmont Hotels had in mind when it unveiled its Lexus Hybrid Living suites.

Ensuring that both coasts were covered, Fairmont debuted one Hybrid Living Suite in its San Francisco property and one in Washington, D.C., this spring. The accommodations embrace all things sustainable, like organic mattresses, environmentally friendly paints, recycled glass kitchen countertops and drapery made of recycled polyester. In the nation’s capital, guests can reserve the Eco Power Package (from $999 per night). In the City by the Bay, the hotel offers the Eco Is the New Chic package (from $869 per night).

One of the first things you’ll notice about these suites, which were created by eco-designer extraordinaire Kelly LaPlante, is how clean the interior air is. Free of synthetic materials, dust-collecting upholstery and noxious chemicals, the suites are certain to be favorites of visitors who suffer from allergies and asthma. No matter how delicious the interior air may be, however, you won’t be spending all of your time in your room. To that end, you’ll happily enjoy the sights of these cities from the seats of your Lexus LS 600H L — a hybrid vehicle, of course. Guests enjoy complimentary use of this luxury sedan during their stay.

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While in San Diego recently to run that city's marathon, I had the pleasure of staying at the swank Grand Del Mar, a brand-new hotel located in the Los Peñasquitos Canyon Reserve, twenty minutes north of downtown. The property was developed at a cost of $270 million (more than $1 million per room), making it one of the priciest California hotels ever erected.

That staggering investment is evident in every nook of the hotel, from the detailing to the doorknobs...

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Coinciding with the official start of summer, New York's restaurant Daniel, on East 65th Street, has unveiled a strawberry margarita served with a side dish of "caviar." If you're a vegan, fear not. No sturgeon was harmed in the harvesting of these beautiful beads. In fact, through the magic of molecular gastronomy, they are created from the liqueur Cointreau - right before your eyes. Daniel's head bartender, Xavier Herit, concocted the cocktail and its sidecar after much experimentation, making Daniel Boulud's signature restaurant the first eatery in Manhattan to unveil a drink using Cointreau baubles.

T&CT TIP: If you're in a celebratory mood, request that Herit start you off with a glass of Champagne dappled with red droplets of Cointreau. But be sure to get to the bar before late August, when Daniel will close down for a month-long renovation.

Daniel
60 E. 65th St.
212-288-0033

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