It's been quite a month for Aeroplan as Air Canada thought they had a deal to buy it, then got rejected, just as Aeroplan announced it was adding Porter, Air Transat and Flair to its points-garnering system, and allowing redemption on any airline at any time (all effective in 2020). And this week, Air Canada announced the deal's still afoot, pending approval of a host of interested financial parties.

It's beginning to sound more like AirMiles than a specific airline loyalty program, but that's all good for the traveller.

Global News report here >>

Among the latest crop of new (or soon-to-open) boutique lodging spaces in Toronto is Canada's first Ace Hotel - an ultra hip chain synonymous with Portland, Oregon and its emphasis on "creative gumption."

The new hotel is currently under construction at 49-51 Camden Street, next to Brant between Richmond and Adelaide Streets, and developer Alterra predicts it will be open sometime in 2019.

Only 10 other Ace Hotels currently exist worldwide - all of them in hot creative cities such as New York, Los Angeles, London, Chicago and, of course, Portland, where the brand originated in 1999.

At last, you can visit Toronto and feel like you are not.

In case you missed it, you now have a new excuse to visit the ever-expanding entertainment complex that engulfs Orlando: Disney's new Toy Story Land opened this summer. Once guests arrive in Andy's backyard, they will be greeted by iconic Toy Story characters, including Woody, Jessie and Buzz Lightyear. One of the most anticipated attractions at the new land will be the Slinky Dog Dash roller coaster, which Andy assembled using his Mega Coaster Play Kit.

Throughout Toy Story Land, guests will see oversized crayons, green army men, Rubik's cubes, tinker toys and other familiar toys and game pieces from the movie franchise incorporated into the landscape. Disney invites "everyone to experience the joy of being a toy."

The only city that can beat Dubai at its skyscraper game is, apparently, Dubai. This spring, the Gevora Hotel opened in the city's financial district, becoming the tallest hotel in the world, a title previously held by its neighbor, the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai.

The Gevora reaches 356 meters (1,168 feet, nearly a quarter of a mile) into the sky-just one triumphant meter higher than the Marriott. Even with its new title, the hotel is nearly 500 meters shorter than Dubai's nearby Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. With the opening of the new hotel, the skyscraping city is now home to six of the 10 tallest hotel buildings in the world

The four-star hotel has the highest swimming pool in the world, of course, plus four restaurants and a coffee shop, all spread throughout its 77 stories. Guests can stay in one of 528 rooms and suites, which start at the surprisingly affordable price of about $US 150 per night.

It's been a banner year for banner properties, with several hundred new 5-star hotel openings around the world. Here are a few that showcase the variety in style, geography, and appeal.

Kettner's Townhouse, London, England The latest project from Soho House comes with a colorful history: Originally established in 1867 by August Kettner, who opened London's first French restaurant and fed the likes of King Edward VII and Winston Churchill, the iconic restaurant and champagne bar will reopen its doors with 33 Art Nouveau-style bedrooms and a historic Jacobean suite in Soho.

The NoMad Los Angeles After the success of its New York City flagship, the second NoMad hotel is open in Downtown LA's historic 12-story Giannini building. Drawing design inspiration from Italy and contemporary California, and since the 241-room hotel is LA, there is a swank rooftop pool with sweeping city views.

Amanyangyun, Shanghai, China The tranquil Aman resort, the group's most ambitious project to date, has a most interesting hotel origin stories: Over a fifteen-year period, an endangered village of historic dwellings and 1,000-year-old camphor trees was preserved and transported more than 400 miles, then painstakingly restored to create the accommodations: 26 Antique Villas along with 24 newly constructed Ming Courtyard Suites.

Baglioni Resort Maldives Family-owned Baglioni Hotels is bringing their Italian style and expertise in luxury hospitality (honed at nine high-end boutique hotels in Italy, France, and England) to the Indian Ocean. Located on a private island, the new resort has 96 villas, four restaurants, a spa, kids club, and access to some of the best dive sites in the world.

Line DC, Washington, D.C. After a lengthy waiting period, the first spinoff of LA's hip Koreatown hotel is finally open for business. Built inside a 110-year-old Neoclassical church in the diverse and always-buzzing Adams Morgan neighborhood, the 220-room hotel has a decidedly Washingtonian look, with lobby seating from repurposed mahogany pews, salvaged hymnal pages adapted as art, and 60-foot vaulted ceilings.

The Siren Hotel, Detroit, Michigan Housed in the iconic Wurlitzer Building, the 106-room hotel is inspired by a reinterpretation of the yesteryear hotels once found in Detroit: rooms are decorated with a mix of vintage and custom furniture, retro terrazzo tiling, black marble tabletops, Italian linens, and hand-loomed blankets.

The Middle House, Shanghai, China Located in the heart of Shanghai's popular Jing'an district, the newest addition to Swire Hotels' portfolio was inspired by the city's rich heritage of craftsmanship and culture - creating an oasis in one of the world's busiest cities.

Under Canvas, Mount Rushmore, South Dakota Located on the outskirts of an old gold mining settlement between Badlands National Park and Black Hills National Forest, the glamping resort offers stylish safari-inspired canvas tents with connected bathrooms and showers.

Six Senses Bhutan, Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, Gangtey, and Bumthang With three lodges slated opening this summer (the other two later in the year), the tiny Himalayan nation will soon be home to not one but five of Asia's most anticipated openings.

The Barcelona Edition, Spain With seven openings scheduled in 2018 in cities around the world like Bangkok and Abu Dhabi, Edition Hotel's first Spanish opening is the most anticipated, located next to the Barcelona Cathedral and Santa Caterina Market, mere steps away from your favorite beaches.

The Hoxton Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York Set on the site of the former Rosenwach factory, the British brand's first North American hotel is also their largest: 175 rooms, three restaurants, a rooftop bar, and several indoor-outdoor event spaces. Also scheduled to open in 2018: The Hoxton Downtown Los Angeles and The Hoxton Portland.

21c Kansas City, Missouri Downtown Kansas City's historic Savoy Hotel and Grill has a brand new look come summer. The award-winning museum-hotel hybrid has a contemporary art museum, exhibition space, and a restaurant and bar.

Rosewood Miramar Beach Montecito Built on the site of the defunct Miramar By the Sea Hotel, the new five-star resort will be the only one in Southern California that can claim a private beach.

Bishop's Lodge, Santa Fe, New Mexico Situated on 317-acres of wild land at the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the iconic 1920s ranch resort has undergone a $75 million renovation by Auberge Resorts Collection.

Omaanda Namibia Inspired by the Ovambo tribe, the 10-room Omaanda and its restaurant and spa will sit within in a spectacular wildlife reserve in Windhoek. Sonop Namibia, a tented camp in the desert, will open in the fall.

One&Only Nyungwe House, Rwanda A major upgrade, courtesy of One&Only, is coming to Gisakura, an existing hotel and working tea plantation on the edge of the Nyungwe National Park. Also new to the portfolio this year are One&Only Gorilla's Nest, opening in Rwanda in late 2018.

Raffles Singapore The island nation's grand dame will reopen this fall after a careful and sensitive restoration. Updates will include a new category of suites, refreshed restaurants, and updated technology. Guests can expect that the historic hotel will maintain its original colonial ambiance.

AndBeyond Tengile River Lodge Nine floating suites, a spa, and a gym are made of environmentally-friendly materials in a tranquil new safari lodge sharing unfenced borders with the game-rich Kruger National Park. Expected in December.