Latest news with #Westin
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
DeSantis, business groups in Sarasota tout new law for stricter anti-squatting enforcement
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke from behind a lectern that read 'No Tolerance for Squatting' in Sarasota on Monday as he met with local business leaders and politicians to sign two new anti-squatting bills into law. On the sixth floor of the bayfront Westin hotel, DeSantis said the measures would allow for more consistent law enforcement against squatters and illegal tenants in residential businesses − such as motels. Some advocates have criticized a flurry of such legislation around the country as damaging to poor and homeless communities. 'This provides those property owners with a streamlined process to regain possession of the property that is rightfully theirs,' he said. The two bills – SB 322 and SB 606 – are designed to make it easier for local law enforcement to remove people who are staying on a property they don't own (against the owner's wishes) and for those who haven't been paying their rent or residential fee to be evicted. SB 322's bill analysis says it would create a procedure outside of the courts for the county sheriff to remove 'an unauthorized person from commercial real property.' Both laws will go into effect on July 1. The House sponsor of SB 322, Highland Beach Republican State Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman, told the Herald-Tribune that it wasn't designed to prosecute homeless people who are staying on an empty estate out of necessity. As long as they comply with law enforcement, they won't be charged, she said. Florida's homeless population has fluctuated since DeSantis took office, but since 2021 it has increased by nearly 49% – from 21,141 to 31,462 − according to Florida Health. This has come amid skyrocketing rent and mortgage rates across the state. Gossett-Seidman tentatively said its possible that the state's affordable housing crisis exacerbates squatting, but there wasn't enough hard data on the topic. 'There aren't a lot of numbers and it's hard to keep track of this issue,' Gossett-Seidman said. 'It's all possibly conjecture since this has been an under-the-radar issue.' She referenced a survey by the National Rental Home Council that said Orlando had the third-highest rate of squatters in the state. The National Housing Law Project, an advocacy group of poor communities, criticized anti-squatting laws by state legislatures in a 2024 report. 'Key dangers include the improper removal of rightful occupants from their homes, the potential for arrest or violent interaction between tenants and police, and a heightened ability of landlords to intimidate tenants by threats of non-judicial police eviction," the report said. The group also criticized the council survey for a lack of transparency and called its findings 'unclear beyond what appears in media reports.' The press conference was filled with DeSantis' usual law and order rhetoric, making comparisons between Florida and states like California and New York. One man several rows of chairs back held a t-shirt in his lap that read 'Don't California My Florida.' Attendees included area state lawmakers such as Sens. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, and Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota; State Reps. Fiona McFarland, R-Sarasota, and Danny, R-Englewood; former Sarasota City Commissioner Erik Arroyo, Sarasota Police Chief Rex Troche, and Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt Hoffman. 'I'm not surprised the Legislature and Governor have turned to the sheriffs to be able to enforce this,' Hoffman said to the audience. 'We're up to the task, and we're certainly going to do that.' The sheriff said his office has conducted nearly 700 evictions a year since he took office. Christian Casale covers local government for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Email him at ccasale@ or christiancasale@ This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: DeSantis signs anti-squatting bills into law in Sarasota
Time Out
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Ever slept inside a cherry blossom forest? This San Francisco hotel offers a suite you have to see.
Springtime in San Francisco's Union Square means you'll see flowers everywhere as part of the plaza's annual 'in bloom' celebration. It's an upbeat, joyful time—and while the neighboring Westin St. Francis decorates its lobby with flowers to the degree that it's worth stepping into for an Instagrammable moment, this year the venerated hotel rolled out something even more intense. It's an over-the-top, extravagant beyond belief, frothy confection of a springtime suite. The ' Suite in Bloom ' is billed as a 'luxurious floral escape,' and that captures it exactly. It's a dream come true for anyone who ever wanted to retreat to the woods and live with nature's bountiful color—but without, you know, the actual nature part. The two-bedroom suite is utterly bedecked in 'cherry blossoms' and holds three life-sized 'trees' (all faux foliage in this case). Ivy twines everywhere, and even the bathroom shower is festooned. I visited with my daughter and her friend, and we all fangirled over the idea that we had always wanted a tree in our childhood bedrooms. We also loved the discreet machine that periodically emitted a floral fragrance into the suite. We walked back and forth between the rooms in a daze. We had never seen a hotel space that was so devoted to fantasy, to surprising and pleasing the guests. Each room in the suite has a French bistro set to enjoy a glass of rosé in front of an incredible skyline view out the window (the suite's on the ninth floor). The photos you see here are the main bedroom, and the second bedroom has a Murphy bed, two trees and a sitting room with a sofa. This is the first year the Westin St. Francis has decorated the suite, and it's only available until July 31 (the lowest rate we could find for the remainder of the run is $894). If you can't get in this year, it will be offered again next spring. So how did this incredible suite even get decorated? A team of 20 people helmed by Flowers by Edgar worked all day to set it up. These workers lovingly orchestrated the transformation of a hotel suite into an orchard you'd expect to see a fawn walking around in. There must be hundreds, if not thousands, of individually placed flowers poked into the 'frog' of a false wall. That night, I lay in bed looking at how each individual flower was embedded in the wall. Although the room's terribly romantic, I was actually glad my husband wasn't there because I think he might've felt a bit of claustrophobia at the amount of pink involved… and like me, he would be tripping on the ivy at the base of the tree. Our group checked in, swooned, took about a million photos, then went to the hotel's beautiful wood-paneled Westin Club Lounge for some snacks. Once upon a time, the Westin St. Francis washed coins for its guests, and you can see the machine that performed that duty in the small St. Francis Museum. It wasn't that long ago that women wore white gloves, and coins could soil them if not cleaned. We went back to the room for more photos, and then headed out on foot to see the enormous R(Evolution) statue in front of the Ferry Building. Returning in the evening, the three of us ate a great informal meal at the lobby's Cafe Rito (shrimp scampi, skirt steak and chicken alfredo). The hotel itself is worthy of a story. It survived San Francisco's two biggest earthquakes (1906 and 1989) and sits right on the cable car line. If you watched the movie Babylon, this is also the hotel where, during a wild party in 1921, actress Virginia Rappe was assaulted and actor Fatty Arbuckle was charged with her murder. I was told which room it happened in and crept outside it that night to marvel at the darkness of history. It's just a room now. Anyone can stay without knowing what happened there. Another astonishing part of the hotel is the fact that a delicate staircase goes all the way up the original 12-story building. It's terrifying-slash-exciting to walk past enormous windows to the exterior while on a winding staircase. The hotel is honestly a blast to explore at night, with wooden hallways, impressive elevator banks and historical photographs everywhere. Don't leave without taking a ride on the exterior glass elevator. It goes up to the 32nd-floor Tower Salon—part of a more recent addition—where you can get a cocktail at night or a breakfast buffet in the morning. The views up there are supreme at night. The next morning, we rose well-rested… but reluctant to leave the room. For breakfast, we got housemade pastries at Cafe Rito and brought them back to the room to eat because we honestly just wanted to savor every last minute in that magical space. It was San Francisco at its finest: history, creativity, spectacle.
Tom's Guide
21-05-2025
- Business
- Tom's Guide
Recreate hotel luxury at home with the Westin Heavenly Bed, now 35% off in the Memorial Day mattress sales
The best luxury hotel mattresses often come with a premium price tag. However, now is your chance to recreate a 5-star staycation at home for less with 35% off the Westin Heavenly Bed at the Westin Store ahead of Memorial Day. That brings the price of a queen mattress to $1,621.75 from $2,495. Westin's guests love the plush pillow-top innerspring, which has graced luxury hotels rooms since 1999. Its supreme comfort, support and pressure relief properties are all features you'll find in the best mattresses for all sleepers. Still shopping around for a good deal? Visit our Memorial Day mattress sales page where we're tracking top deals on mattresses, pillows and much more. For now, though, let's find out more about the Westin Heavenly Bed... Westin Heavenly Bed: twin was from $1,645 now from $1,069.25 at Westin StoreLike the best hybrid mattresses, the Westin Heavenly Bed is a 13.25" innerspring mattress crafted from individually wrapped pocketed coils and gel infused memory foam layers, delivering comfort and support for all sleeping styles. The hybrid design is similar to some of our best luxury mattress picks, which strike a balance between contouring plushness and responsive bounce. Available in five sizes, the Westin Heavenly Bed is now 35% off for Memorial Day, bringing the price of a twin mattress from $1,645 to $1,069.25 while a queen size is now priced at $1,621.75 (was $2,495). You can also add a box spring to your purchase in either a standard and low profile. While the Westin Heavenly Bed comes with a 10-year warranty, it does not offer a sleep trial. We went hands-on with Westin Heavenly Bed and found it to be a medium-firm mattress rating 6 out of 10. While our reviewer thought the pressure relief was on par with the best mattresses for side sleepers, she recommends it for back sleeping in particular. While the Westin Heavenly Bed isn't a dedicated cooling mattress, it's breathable and temperature-neutral and we didn't have any problems with overheating. We also found its motion isolation to be good, which makes it an ideal choice for couples, and its edge support was good but not super-firm; anyone over 250lbs might not find the edges supportive enough. If you're planning on buying the Westin Heavenly Bed, you might also want to explore the wide range of bedding products offered by the hotelier — the Westin Hotel pillow is made from plush down-alternative fibers and suits back and stomach sleepers.
San Francisco Chronicle
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Nintendo's new store is now open in S.F.'s Union Square. Here's a look inside
Nintendo has arrived in San Francisco in a big way with its second U.S. store, a significant boost to Union Square's beleaguered retail district. The Japanese video game giant opened its two-level store Thursday in one of the most high-profile recent openings in the shopping district, which has seen dozens of retailers close since the pandemic. Nintendo leased the space at 331 Powell St. in the historic Westin St. Francis hotel after a multiyear West Coast search, said Doug Bowser, president of Nintendo of America. 'We were looking for a place that had a vibrant local community and a larger local community. And we were also looking for a place that was more of a tourist destination,' Bowser said. 'San Francisco fit that bill perfectly. First of all, it's an iconic city. It has a very large population, a very passionate population and community, and we're really proud to be a part of it. And then, obviously, it's a key destination for many, many tourists. 'We believe in the city very, very much,' said Bowser, who coincidentally shares a name with Mario's archnemesis dating back to 1985's 'Super Mario Bros.' The opening comes less than a month from the much-anticipated release of the company's Switch 2 console on June 5, which Bowser confirmed will be available to buy in person at the new store. 'We will have supply available. We have a steady stream of supply coming between launch date and the end of the year. Our goal is to obviously meet demand,' Bowser said. At around 9,000 square feet, the store is divided into sections featuring Nintendo's most popular franchises. There are colorful statues of Mario, Pikachu from 'Pokémon,' an Inkling from 'Splatoon' and Link from 'The Legend of Zelda.' The store's walls and signs are white and red, consistent with Nintendo's logo and its other stores. Along with video games and accessories, the store has a wide range of home goods and cookware including themed bowls and cups, vases, apparel including Zelda ties and button-ups, Nintendo-themed Lego and Hot Wheels toys, plus Animal Crossing picnic baskets and stationery. Many of the goods are sold only at Nintendo stores. The store also offers San Francisco-exclusive merchandise including hoodies, hats and water bottles with the city's name. Nintendo also plans to hold events at the store in the future. 'It's kind of this unique, immersive shopping experience that highlights characters, worlds,' Bowser said. Retail is just one prong of Nintendo's entertainment strategy, which spans theme parks, movies and a new museum in the Kyoto region, where it is headquartered. Nintendo also has a store in New York's Rockefeller Center, which turned 20 years old this week, along with Japanese outposts in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. Bowser previously lived in the Bay Area for 17 years and worked at Nintendo's now-closed Redwood City office, which shuttered during the pandemic. Nintendo of America is headquartered in Redmond, Wash., near Seattle. 'I love the Bay Area. I still have friends here, fond memories here,' Bowser said. 'And I've noticed that since the pandemic, having come back here multiple times as we've been building the store, to see the city really come to life post-pandemic has been very, very exciting.' Pedestrians had already been looking into the store this week, before it opened. 'Without even being open yet, it's becoming a gathering point for people,' Bowser said. Bowser declined to say how much Nintendo invested to build out the store or the number of jobs on-site, but noted the company has hired locally. 'We really spent a certain amount of time making sure not only are they passionate about retail, but more importantly, they're passionate about Nintendo and they have a deep knowledge and understanding of our products and our games,' he said. On the basement level, a 14-foot screen is plugged into a Switch console that shoppers can play. Come June 5, the Switch 2 and new 'Mario Kart World' game will be available to try out. Shoppers had to register in advance to visit on opening weekend, and will have to register during busy times like Memorial Day, but otherwise the store will take walk-ins. Nintendo is closely monitoring President Donald Trump's tariffs, which have roiled the economy including video game companies, Bowser said. The Switch 2 and its upcoming games prices 'have been established and haven't been influenced by the tariffs that have been announced, either the initial or the secondary wave. What I can say is we're continuing to look at ways based on market conditions that our products can be attainable and accessible as possible to our consumers overall. But it's still an ever-changing situation,' he said. 'The real goal here is to bring as many consumers as we possibly can onto the Nintendo Switch 2 platform.'
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Yahoo
Experience More with a Longer Stay at The Westin Resort & Spa Ubud, Bali
BALI, Indonesia, May 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Surrounded by lush landscapes and located just moments away from Ubud's cultural and natural treasures, such as the Sacred Monkey Forest, Campuhan Ridge Walk, Tegalalang Rice Terraces, and Tampaksiring, The Westin Resort & Spa Ubud, invites travelers to slow down, recharge, and truly experience the essence of Bali. Guests who choose to stay longer are rewarded with deeper connections. Upon arrival, they are welcomed with a traditional Balinese blessing ritual, a symbolic gesture of harmony and respect. This cultural immersion continues throughout the stay, with opportunities to participate in meaningful traditions such as the art of making canang sari offerings and the calming Sandikala ritual at sunset. The Westin brand's core philosophy of wellness comes to life in Ubud through daily yoga, revitalizing aqua exercise, and hands on sessions like the Barista Class and Mixology Class. The experience is further elevated with signature Heavenly Spa Ubud by Westin™️ treatments, designed to restore body and mind in a serene jungle setting. Complementing this immersive journey, the resort's culinary experiences reflect the Eat Well pillar of the Westin brand. From nourishing breakfasts to wholesome lunches and dinners, guests can indulge in thoughtfully prepared dishes at Tabia Restaurant and Tall Trees Restaurant, each crafted to balance flavor and well-being. For a fresh take on wellness dining, guests may also opt to enjoy their meals at Tabia Terrace, the resort's newest dining spot offering a serene open air ambiance. All of these experiences unfold naturally when guests take the time to truly immerse themselves in the rhythm of Ubud. To enhance this journey, The Westin Resort & Spa Ubud, Bali presents the "Stay Longer, Save Bigger" offer, ideal for travelers seeking a deeper connection and a more enriching escape. For additional information and reservations, please visit or contact the reservations team at Follow The Westin Resort & Spa, Ubud social media to find the latest information and promotions: Instagram and Facebook Media Contact: Nadya ChendanaMarketing Manager The Westin Resort & Spa Bali, View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE The Westin Resort & Spa Ubud, Bali Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
