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Peter Turco is a writer, editor, and lately an aspiring drummer when he's not working on the marketing team at Starwood Hotels & Resorts. This month, he writes about his first trip to Asia, where he recently traveled to Singapore, Phuket and Bangkok.

Sawadeekaap! If Singapore is for beginners, then Phuket is Asia for the Pampered and Spoiled. Butlers and porters and drink shufflers and coffee fairies take care of every little thing, just like they did in Singapore, but Singapore was still a business trip and it was still a city. And while there were some exciting moments -- like having fish nibble dead skin off my feet -- it wasn't a vacation.

So we took off for Phuket. The hotel sent a car to pick us up and speed us to the silty sands of Laguna Beach where we checked in at the Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket. We were greeted with a wristband of fresh flowers, a delicious welcome fruit drink, and, thankfully, two small towels to wipe the sweat soaking our collars mere seconds out of the air-conditioned back seat (sissies). If I haven't mentioned the oppressive humidity, I'll note it now... it's seriously humid.

The St. Regis Washington, D.C. has long been the preferred hotel of celebrities, dignitaries, and politicians, while luxury goods retailer Neiman Marcus has been associated with the finer things in life for more than a hundred years, so it only makes sense that the two should get together to make the presidential inauguration in January an event to remember. The two marquee brands will collaborate on an in-lobby boutique, where visitors and guests will be able to browse and buy exquisite products from Yves Saint Laurent Beaute, Loro Piana, Brioni, Zegna, and others. From January 16-21, 2009, Neiman Marcus at the St. Regis, Washington, D.C. will be open in the hotel's stunning lobby from 9:00 a.m. to midnight daily, offering high-end shopping as well as a few unique services that could come in handy for the inauguration festivities. The Manolo Blahnik shoeshine and bowtie-tying service, for example, will make sure that gentlemen are looking positively dashing in their tuxedos. And ladies might wish to enlist the services of Neiman Marcus wardrobe consultants, who can help outfit them with patriotic items and cold weather merchandise such as signature cashmere items, Wolford tights, and Loro Piana wraps. And to ensure that every guest has something to remember this historic inauguration by, guests will receive surprise in-room gifts from Neiman Marcus, including makeup brushes, perfumes, deluxe samples of premiere cosmetics, and complimentary gift cards. Hail to the chief, indeed. Built in 1926, the stunning St. Regis Washington, D.C. is located just two blocks from the White House, so book your stay today and become a part of U.S. political history.

Peter Turco is a writer, editor, and lately an aspiring drummer when he's not working on the marketing team at Starwood Hotels & Resorts. This week, he writes about his first trip to Asia, where he recently traveled to Singapore, Phuket and Bangkok.

A few people have referred to Singapore as "Asia for Beginners." There is no language barrier, it's lick-the-door-handles clean and very safe, and the food and shopping is fantastic. It's a relatively new city, so it's nicely organized and not etched in stone 300 years ago like some city we all know, and hence, easy to navigate. There are practically no uniformed police, almost all are undercover, and that adds even more to the feeling that you're in some sort of Utopia. And Singapore's efficient: one night, we called ahead for five taxis to take us home from the restaurant, and all five rolled up within minutes of our call, all within seconds of one another.

Thing is: there's nothing much to see. Well, this stuff:

Right outside the office is the world's largest fountain, known as the Fountain of Wealth.

Also, we went to the largest food court in the free world. It's all outdoors, and you just sit at a little table surrounded on all possible sides by a gazillion food stalls with all kinds of things--soup, satay, noodles, everything you'd expect. Waiters come over and show you menus with photographs on them, and you just point at what you want. They run around to the stalls and bring it to you, you give them a little money, and then it starts all over again every five seconds until your table is full of food, beer, plates, napkins--until you've reached capacity and they can't sell you anything because you can't fit it on the table. You sit there and eat like a slob and you've spent a total of about 20 bucks for four people. Nice, very very nice. The food here is amazing - everything has been out of this world.