Though some critics have blasted it as a kitschy tourist attraction with mediocre artwork, the world’s first Beatles-themed hotel opened last week in Liverpool to much attention from travelers and the travel press. The 110-room, four-star Hard Days Night Hotel features artwork and Beatles artifacts ranging from artist Shannon’s original portraits of the Fab Four to a Yellow Submarine jukebox in the lobby, as well as off-the-wall touches like the Two of Us wedding chapel and the McCartney Suite’s full suit of knight’s armor. Kitschy? Probably. But then, if you’re willing to pay upwards of $600/night to stay in a Beatles’ themed hotel, then I’m guessing you’re likely to be happy with the all Beatles all the time atmosphere. In fact, that’s exactly what you’re probably going there for in the first place. Various packages are available to celebrate the opening, but to give you an idea of the regular rates, I found availability on a Friday and Saturday night in March 2008 for 300 GBP/night, including breakfast.

Silverjet has a rather unusual promo happening this weekend in honor of the Superbowl. In short, buy a ticket between Friday and Sunday. If the Giants leave the stadium victorious, you win an additional free ticket from the airline. I won’t regurgitate all the details, as they are outlined quite nicely on View from the Wing. Link below.

Silverjet Buy One Get One Free… If the sports book works out in your favor

Here’s a promotion for DailyCandy readers that you can take advantage of: Book by Jan. 30th for travel through Oct. 31, 2008, and you can save $125 off Silverjet flights between Newark Liberty International and London Luton Airports with the promo code DAILYCANDY08. Choose a “Very Sivilised Fare,” and a roundtrip ticket will cost $1,509 (including taxes and fees). Not a bad deal considering you fly in private-jet style with no more than 100 passengers (cabin pictured) on each flight, 6′3″ flat beds, seat back massagers, in-seat power outlets, noise reduction headphones, in-seat entertainment systems and meals designed by London restaurant Le Caprice.

Silverjet DailyCandy Promotion

This year, Liverpool has been deemed one of the two official European Capitals of Culture, an effort launched back in 1985 that celebrates European cities and their unique cultural offerings throughout their designated year. Not surprisingly, Liverpool’s reign kicked off (today) with help from one of the Beatles. Ringo was in town today to promote the year-long series of events. For his part, Ringo will be highlighting the city’s musical underpinnings in Liverpool, The Musical along with Echo and the Bunnymen and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. You can check out all the events happening in Liverpool this year at the link below.

Liverpool European Capital of Culture Yearbook ‘08

Good news for those of us who can’t seem to fly anywhere without loads of stuff-ola (hey, you gotta have options):

London’s Heathrow Lifts One-Bag Restriction

But here’s the bad news. Just to make things a little more exiting for harried travelers, the new two-bag carry-on allowance doesn’t apply at some Gatwick London Airport gates. How fun. Some gates, but not all, still only allow passengers one carry-on item a piece. If you plan to fly through Gatwick in the near future, call your airline in advance to check which rules will apply to you.

Also, USAirways will honor MAXJet tickets - but the $100 surcharge to fly standby with this airline is more expensive than doing so with Continental (details in previous post).

US Airways to Assist Customers Affected By Suspension of MAXjet Airways Service

To help launch you properly into the New Year, we’re rehashing all the scandalous moments in celebrity travel from the past year. One shining example? The seemingly endless human train wreck that is Courtney Love. As we reported this fall, Love’s behavior in one of London’s finest hotels did not go over well with the Brits in 2007:

The five-star Claridges Hotel in London has reportedly refused Courtney Love as a guest. It’s not a surprising move on the part of the hotel management. The last time Love bunked in at the luxury hotel in London’s Mayfair neighborhood, she started a fire (allegedly from smoking a cigarette) in her $3,000-a-night suite. Worse, Love has a reputation for ruining hotel rooms. Earlier this year, you may recall reports of Love’s raucous birthday celebration at the Covent Garden Hotel, where she wrecked her $1,000-a-night suite. In slightly less shocking news, Love is still really scary looking.

We all know celebrities request some special perks when they bunk at the world’s best hotels. While most requests we’ve read about fall into the scented candles and Fiji water category, Marilyn Manson’s must-haves during his recent stay at the 5-star Dorchester Hotel in London’s Mayfair neighborhood go far beyond the norm (and if you think that’s an accident, think again). The dark and angsty performer reportedly (Marilyn Goes Batty) asked employees at the hotel to outfit his penthouse accommodations with bats, black drapes and beverages the dark, red hue of blood. Now, we could deal with blackout curtains and red wine in our hotel suite any day, but bats? All I have to say is: guano.

With the push of the holidays upon us, travelers have even more reason to seek out pampering and personal maintenance services in airport terminals. And hey, what better way is there to spend a lengthy layover than indulging in a massage? But which airports have the best spas? According to Style.com, the Five Great Airport Spas that stand out from the crowd are:

1. Oasis Day Spa - John F. Kennedy International Airport

2. Jetsetter Spa - Boston Logan International and Miami International Airport

3. OraOxygen (pictured) - Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport and Calgary International Airport

4. Departure Spa - Newark Liberty International Airport and Orlando International Airport

5. Elemis Travel Spa - John F. Kennedy International Airport and London Heathrow Airport

Looking for a second opinion? Citysearch has a longer list titled Top 10 U.S. Airport Spas.

Now if you like to drink (and by that we mean draaaannnnk), have we got the travel experience for you: The World’s Biggest Pub Crawl. The 25-day around the world tour led by Thirsty Swagman departs in March 2008 from London and hits 60 watering holes in 12 countries on four continents. Here’s the route:

- London, UK

- Düsseldorf, Germany

- Prague, Czech Republic

- Maria Alm, Austria

- Munich, Germany

- Reykjavik, Iceland

- Phuket, Thailand

- Auckland, New Zealand

- Queenstown, New Zealand

- Honolulu, USA

- Cancun, Mexico

Here’s a detailed itinerary. The tour starts at $9,990 per person and includes crazy Australian guides who’ll ferry you too and from some of the world’s best bars and drinking establishments, as well as all airfare and transfers, land transportation, three-star hotel accommodations and drink discounts. Funny, it seems like a bottle of pain killers and box of condoms should be included in the price.

You can check out the World’s Biggest Pub Crawl YouTube video below: