Luxury Travel

Top 5 things to include in your Hawaiian Vacation Planning

Accept the offer for the ABC Stores Reward Card.  At the first purchase, you probably won’t think you’ll meet the targeted $100 to qualify for a reward but you’ll be back, and you’ll exceed that amount by the next day! You might as well earn the free mug or t-shirt, so do not throw away your receipt for those inflatable water toys.

If you’re planning a visit to Pearl Harbor and hoping to get on that boat that takes you to the USS Arizona Memorial, reserve your tickets as soon as they become available two months prior to your dates.

While you’re making early reservations, book a Luau.  You’re in Hawaii for heaven’s sake!! Choose one that offers authentic Hawaiian dishes and try to reserve early for good seating.  We enjoyed the luau experience at Old Lahaina in Maui; the pre-show is very entertaining for the kids.

Check the weather forecast before attempting the self-drive to the summit of Haleakalā.  We did not and found ourselves on a 3-hour mystical journey to the clouds.

If you’ve got 5,000 American Airlines Frequent Flyer miles and you don’t know what to do with them, you can book a 1-way flight on Hawaiian Airlines (code-share partner) from Honolulu to Maui (subject to availability).  It’s a fantastic deal.

     The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes is one of my family’s favorite places.   It’s an oasis in a city that can be overwhelming on the senses.  Complimentary shuttles from the Resort will get you to Walt Disney World, Seaworld and Universal but when you’ve had enough of the heat and noise, gracefully and gratefully retire to the calm spaces and elegant rooms of the Ritz-Carlton.

Top 5 reasons why Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes is perfect for families:

1) Kids are # 1 -  Children have their own check-in station at Guest Reception where they receive a “VIK” (“Very Imporant Kid”) bracelet that somehow gets them free ice cream in the lobby.       If you’re traveling with toddlers, this property offers “The Protect Our Little Ones” (P.O.L.O.) guestroom package that includes blocking electrical outlets from little fingers and removing alcoholic beverages from the in-room refrigerator to accommodate bottles and other necessities. 2) The Ritz Kids Program  - Home base is a cheerful and comfortable lounge with pets, games, engaging and friendly counselors.  The program is fully supervised, focuses on environmental conservation and most of all, is FUN! My daughter spent a couple of hours fishing by the lake, cuddling with a rabbit and happily absorbed in arts & craft.  The resort fee includes 2 Pool floats and 2 free hours of the Ritz Kids Program daily. 3) In-room camping – Sleep in a tent in a hotel room?  Pure awesomeness!  If you book an Executive Suite, you can order a tent for a child instead of a rollaway bed.  When else can bedtime be this exciting? The  In-Room Camping experience costs $75.00 and includes one premium tent per executive suite, complete with (per child):

•    A double featherbed with double sheet, waffle blanket, and standard pillow  •    A battery-operated lantern  •    A children’s book  •    A stuffed animal  •    S’mores themed pastry with welcome card  •    Ritz-Carlton tent delivery and set up

The West Bay Club sits right next door to the Gansevoort Hotel on Grace Bay Beach.  It is the boutique sister property of the more sophisticated Grace Bay Club Resort.  Each of the 46 suites includes a balcony with an ocean or courtyard view and kitchenette.  There is one pool at the center of the Hotel and easy beach access for guests.  

The Beach is wide and uncluttered and guests can enjoy complimentary chairs, towels and umbrellas.  

There are 2 restaurants, both outdoors.  The Noodle Bar + Kitchen in the Main building and STIX, a beach bar serving light fare.

The entry level studio 1-bedroom suites are comfortable and attractive and the kitchenette area is impressively compact.  The Studios are offered with King beds only but a family with 1 child could request a Rollaway for the room.  Max occupancy is 3 in this category.  The 1-bedroom luxury ocean view suite is spacious at 1500 square feet with a nicely sized balcony that is large enough for a table and 4 chairs as well as a lounging area.  Suites can be configured with up to 4 bedrooms.

There is a pleasant, well-equipped fitness room on property as well as a small spa.

     Amanyara sends a sporty and luxurious SUV to pick me up from my Hotel in the Grace Bay Area.  The 45 minute drive to the Resort allows me to see a part of the island I have not yet visited and I realize that Providenciales is quite spacious for its 22,000 residents.  Suddenly the highway ends and the vehicle makes an abrupt left on to an unpaved and winding road.  I notice there are no signs or lights along the way and idly I wonder if the Driver knows where he’s going. Turns out to be a subliminal metaphor for the Resort as it’s perfect for people who want to get “lost” and feel completely removed from the bustle of everyday life, transported to a cocoon of privacy.  We pass through a security checkpoint and soon we’re pulling up to the entrance of the Hotel where a team of people, including the Resort’s Manager, Sven Van Den Broeck, is waiting to welcome me.  It feels a little formal but friendly and I’m immediately acquainted with the level of personal service that is the hallmark of the Aman brand.  Amanyara wants you to know, as soon as you step through its doors, that you are a special guest.        There are no conventional “rooms” at Amanyara.  Accommodations are offered in one of the 40 freestanding pavilions situated down private pathways in dense vegetation around the resort.  There are two 2-bedroom pool suites that include a lounge, nanny's room, exercise room and 60 ft pool. Take your flashlight when you leave for dinner as it’s just you and the moonlight on the trek back to your door.  All of the pavilions are identical in layout and the categories are differentiated by location and views – pond, alcove and ocean.  The pavilions have glass walls (automatic shutters can be used in the evenings) and are very large and attractive spaces.  There is a complimentary mini bar in each, stocked with juices, soft drinks, assorted bottled water, nuts and cookies.  Guests can make free telephone calls to anywhere in the world.  Bikes are available to travel around the Resort but I utilized the services of the golf carts that arrived almost immediately after a call to the Reception Area.      Large travel parties have the option to rent a 3-5 bedroom villa. The bedrooms are detached from the main living pavilion that includes a full kitchen and a private Chef.  A complimentary golf cart is assigned to the villa.      The spa is a beautiful, Zen space with a massive square pool in the center for Aqua Therapy treatments.  I was particularly intrigued with the description of a massage involving “Tibetan singing bowls”.        The Nature Discovery Centre houses the Kids Program and is an interesting and comfortable place for the children to spend a few hours. In addition to outdoor activities, children have the opportunity to learn about conservation and enjoy the resident pets in assorted aquariums.       There are extensive facilities for tennis lovers  - 4 clay courts and 1 youth mini-court and guests can arrange private lessons with a Pro.  Older children can enjoy a Games Room outfitted with a Pool Table, Foosball, Table Tennis and shuffleboard.      I ate dinner in the Main Dining Room and lunch at the Beach Club.  The menus offer Asian and Mediterranean dishes and plenty of seafood options in addition to casual fare like pizzas and salads.  There are no convenient, alternative dining outlets close to Amanyara and food, while good, is not inexpensive.  Seasonal promotions that include some meals or a full meal plan offer considerable value for this Resort.       Amanyara is visually stunning, presenting a photo opportunity at every turn. It is also very, very quiet despite the presence of young families.         Service is warm, attentive and discreet and possibly best summed up in my luggage experience.  Before I left my pavilion for the airport, I ripped off the inbound airline’s sticky luggage label from my suitcase.  As I was checking in for my flight, I glanced down and noticed a fancy, blue, leather-like tag marked “Amanyara” attached to the handle of my case.  Neatly typed inside the flap was my name and home address.   The subtle attention to the details of the client’s experience is the very thing that resonates during a stay at this Resort.

Behind walls similar to those seen in the movie “Jurassic Park” sits the Mayakoba Resort complex comprising the Fairmont, Banyan Tree and Rosewood properties.  It’s hard not to be intrigued by the gates and security checks and the relatively lengthy drive through a bit of jungle to the entrance of the Fairmont.  At the door, we were welcomed by name and offered a glass of cold, fruit juice while completing the check-in.   

Our adjoining deluxe casitas 126 and 128 were perfectly located just a few minutes walk from the Lobby, the Kids Discovery Club, pools and La Laguna, the main breakfast restaurant.    The casitas are large spaces for families with huge bathrooms.  Rooms are offered with a King or 2 QUEEN beds, true comfort when occupancy is higher than 2 per room. (My heart sinks a little when there are 2 double beds in a room for 4 because my son sleeps like the moving hand of a clock).  Bottled water was generously replenished in our room each day.

I dislike intensely being nickel and dimed at a luxury property and my greatest pet peeve is costly internet access.  Free membership in the Fairmont’s President Club gets you complimentary Wi-Fi daily.  The nightly resort fee includes a fun range of transportation to get you around the property -  BMW bikes for adults and children (yes helmets are available) and golf carts that run from the Reception area and Spa to the beach 24 hours a day. Also, 3 free hours of the Kids Discovery Club per day.  My daughter took full advantage of this time and thoroughly enjoyed the fun and friendly atmosphere.  One of the Kids' Counselors has mad face- painting skills. One day she came back to the room looking like a pirate and the next, a butterfly. Kids under the age of 5 eat free off the children’s menu when dining with their parents at the Fairmont.

One of the highlights of our stay was a 45-minute boat ride through the canals of Mayakoba. The boats or “lanchas” accommodate up to 6 people so my family had one to ourselves.  Our captain and guide pointed out assorted wildlife and cenotes and we glimpsed some of the accommodations offered by Banyan Tree and Rosewood.  We got to learn quite a bit about the conservation efforts of the Fairmont and its role in maintaining an ecological balance throughout the property.  The roofs of the buildings are made with recycled tires and all of the limestone excavated when the Resort was constructed was then used in the walls of the casitas.

    It takes me at least a day to embrace fully being on vacation.  Pre-trip I am always so stressed out trying to get everything to a place I can leave without overwhelming panic.  A few hours after I arrive at my holiday destination, I start to unclench the fists my husband always points out I’ve formed, and then slowly, my brow unfurls.  By breakfast the next morning, my brain is on “slow” mode, only processing decisions like which book, and pool or beach?  Mexico wasn’t the plan for this summer.  I wanted to visit Alaska and do a tour of Seattle and Portland.  My children were not onboard.  They didn’t want to do mandatory sightseeing or spend long periods in a plane or car (fair enough – they are monsters on a road trip.)  They wanted to lie on a beach and eat chips and salsa with heaps of guacamole.  Fine, throw in a few margaritas for Mama and you’ve got yourself a deal!     Belmond Maroma Beach Resort and Spa is about a 40 minute drive from Cancun airport.  Pre-book your airport to hotel transfer because there is an abundance of operators offering taxi services in the terminal and it’s a little daunting.  Belmond (formerly Orient-Express) Maroma is a boutique hotel with just 63 rooms and a perfect beach.  Clean, serene and beautiful with manicured sand that feels like room temperature flour and warm, turquoise water.  Service and food are superb.  Children are welcome and those under 12 stay free in their parent’s room.  I recommend the Master Suite category for families.  Spacious with a huge bathroom and ours had a balcony with a hammock.  Be aware that there are no televisions or clocks in the guest rooms.     Belmond Maroma is generous to its guests.  Everyone receives hand-made slippers that you can take home with you and a lovely lounging caftan (if you take it, you’ve bought it).  Guests are free to use bikes, the tennis courts and the spa's facilities.  Every morning, complimentary tea, coffee or hot chocolate are delivered to your room at an appointed time, steaming in large flasks.  The organic coconut moisturizer in the bathrooms is heavenly.  I’d like a vat of the stuff.  The Resort also delights its guests with authentic and unexpected touches.  One morning in the dining room, there was a Lady demonstrating how to make corn tortillas and quesadillas.  In the evening, a Mariachi Band appeared to serenade each dining table.  In the breakfast area, there are jars of Mexican sweets to sample and a divine hot chocolate spiced with cardamom and cinnamon.

   My husband has a gluten-free diet and never felt deprived of any food categories at the Hotel.  At breakfast each morning, he received a basket of gluten-free pastries and rolls and enjoyed the corn tortillas with guacamole each day.  There are gluten-free options on the children’s menu as well.

    This is the perfect place for a honeymoon or a restful getaway.  Quiet and romantic with dining tables set just yards from the water’s edge.  In the evenings, the property is lit with 1,000 candles and the moon.

Wondering what to do in Jackson Hole with your family?  How about a Safari ?

When we take a trip, I try to incorporate one “experience” - usually something we’ve never tried before but will always remember -because it was spectacular and not because we ended up in jail!

On our recent trip to Wyoming, we opted for a “Family Wildlife Art and Sleigh Ride” offered by the Four Seasons Jackson Hole.  This is a fascinating, full-day Tour that will appeal to 10-year olds and Grandparents alike.  It’s also perfect for the day after the first skiing extravaganza when the muscles are sore but you don’t want to waste precious vacation time.  

We left the Hotel at 8 AM in the good company of Resort Biologist Tenley Thompson.  Tenley is like walking, talking encyclopedia of nature.  Gregarious and intelligent, she’s the perfect Ambassador of Hospitality for the Four Seasons.   We visited the Grand Teton National Park and spotted bison, deer, bighorn sheep, and lots of birds including bald eagles.  Then we moved on to the National Elk Refuge where we boarded a private horse-drawn sleigh to visit the herds of elk.  Our last stop was the National Museum of Wildlife Art that houses an extensive collection of work from Carl Rungius.  There is a play area for children within the museum so that the younger guests can occupy themselves with art and craft projects while the adults roam quietly.  We had lunch (included in the Tour) at the Museum’s restaurant that offered a surprisingly diverse and delicious menu.

My children’s desire to see snow has featured prominently on their Christmas wish lists for several years running.  I have tried valiantly to make this happen for them since it seems easier and less expensive than getting a puppy (#1 on those lists).  Confined by school vacation parameters, we've visited Montreal, Quebec, New York and Washington DC for Spring Break – no luck!  It’s been bitterly cold on those trips but none of the white, fluffy stuff.  This year, I was determined to achieve the goal –seemed reasonable enough, there’s been a LOT of snow in North America these past few months.  In February, there was snow on the ground in part of every state EXCEPT Florida (there was snow at the peaks of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea in Hawaii).  So where could I take the children to live out their most ideal snow fantasies including learning to ski and sled, making snow angels and snow people, having snowball fights and sipping hot chocolate in heated pools surrounded by winter’s “confetti”?   Jackson Hole, Wyoming!

I chose a resort because it offers the most convenience as far as arranging logistics – space to play, comfortable accommodations, and close proximity to all of the activities required for the perfect first-snow-experience.  

There are two Virtuoso properties in the state of Wyoming – Four Seasons Jackson Hole and AMANGANI.  We stayed at both since they are quite different to experience yet only only 20 minutes drive apart.

Four Seasons Jackson Hole is the perfect place to spend a snow vacation with your family.  The Resort was teeming with excited children of all ages. Standard rooms are large with fireplaces and most have balconies or terraces.  A huge walk-in closet offered not just hanging room, but shelves and hooks to store damp gear, and shoe brushes to clean boots.  The Hotel is located in the center of Teton Village and has ski-in/ski-out access.  The restaurants, particularly The Handle Bar, are popular dining options for those coming off the slopes with an appetite.  Just park your boards and skis at the door and step right in!  Buffet breakfast cost $35 per person in the Westbank Grill but if you book through a Four Seasons Preferred Partner, you get it free for two people daily in addition to a $100 Food and Beverage credit.  These are tremendous complimentary values.  

My children thoroughly enjoyed whole days in Ski School at the Kids Ranch just a few minutes walk from the Hotel.  Also popular après-ski was the patio area where complimentary s’mores and hot chocolate could be consumed while intermittently deviating between the toasty waters of the pool and three whirlpools.  I was really impressed by the heated lockers poolside in which diligent Attendants stored towels, robes and slippers for the swimmers.  Nice touch, Four Seasons!

The Kids Club is not supervised but is housed in a room containing a foosball table, a pool table and computer games and consoles.  Upon check-in, the children were given a fun scavenger hunt sheet to complete throughout the hotel.  Once done, they were rewarded with chocolates – foolproof and immediate customer loyalty from the kids.

We signed on for a Wildlife Art and Sleigh Ride Trip organized by the Four Seasons and hosted by in-house Biologist ,Tenley Thompson.  More about this later - it was so great, it deserves separate attention.

Teton Village is about 25 minutes away from the Town of Jackson and sits at the base of the mountain.  There are Hotels, Restaurants, Bars, Stores and the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.   Everything you might need for a few days is located within the Village but we wanted to explore Jackson as well.  Taxis are costly and required a 20-minute pre-booking from the Hotel but there is also a convenient bus service that runs frequently into town and costs only $3 per adult and $1.50 per child each way (have the exact cash because the bus drivers don’t make change).  

We took a gondola ride from just outside the doors of the Four Seasons up 3,000 feet to the restaurants at the Deck.  The view was mesmerizing as were the paragliders.

AMANGANI was the first AMAN Resort in North America.  Now, the AMAN portfolio also includes AMANGIRI in Utah.  I did pause briefly to question the wisdom of taking two 10-year olds to an exclusive 29-suite Hotel whose name translates to “peaceful home”.  As it turned out, there were other families there with children younger than mine and we all survived splendidly.  

Upon arrival at AMANGANI, we were greeted warmly by Chandler, a Guest Manager, who gave us a full tour of the property before showing us to our room.  Moments later, a Server appeared with cups of hot, spiced apple tea as a welcome amenity.  The Hotel is perched high in the mountains, about 7,000 feet above sea level.  It is very chic and very quiet with high ceilings and open spaces.  

AMANGANI has one formal restaurant but meals can be served in-room or more casually in an adjoining lounge.  The focal point of the Hotel is the pool deck offering unparalleled views of the Tetons and the Valley below.  There is a Spa on the lower levels and a lovely, well-stocked library with board games and complimentary computer stations for guests.

The suites are modern and open with magnificent bathrooms and lots of storage space.  At turn down, we were pleasantly surprised to find a humidifier installed in the bedroom and gift boxes containing beautiful, wooden, hand-carved bison and a bear.

During our stay, a seemingly resident moose the staff called “Lucy” roamed the property and charmed the children.  

Photo Credit:  Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris

On our last visit to the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris, we stepped into the lobby’s elevator and were joined by two members of the Rolling Stones.  For the ten seconds or so it took to arrive at our floor, I tried and failed at accomplishing two tasks.  The first was not to stare and the second was an attempt to communicate with my husband standing behind me via mental telepathy.  “This is freaking amazing, can you believe it?  Pinch one of them.  I want to see if this is real!”  I was yelling this in my mind without daring to turn around.  When we stepped out of the elevator, I released the breath I had been holding and we burst into laughter.  That was our George V Hotel “moment”.

Photo Credit:  Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris

George V is breathtaking for many reasons.  When you walk through the front doors, your senses are assaulted by the beautiful floral arrangements in the lobby.  Faultless service is delivered in a friendly and warm manner and the guestrooms are large and comfortable.  It’s well located just steps from the Champs-Elysées and within easy travel distance to most of the big attractions.  A Grande Dame of France but not as “Parisian” in atmosphere as Le Meurice, the George V will not disappoint.

Happy New Year!

Are you resolved to having a healthier lifestyle in 2014?  Travel is a great medium to support this goal.  Get outdoors, walk around and explore, try new foods, and learn (your brain needs exercise too)!

I love the Canyon Ranch Resorts.  Three locations – Lenox, Tucson and Miami Beach, customized wellness programs, focusing on fitness, diet, culinary demonstrations and SPA.  Canyon Ranch Lenox and Tucson are all-inclusive and rates include accommodation, meals, snacks, a wide array of daily activities and classes, as well as the complimentary use of all facilities.  Also, transportation to and from local airports, valet parking if you drive to the Resorts, internet and laundry facilities.  Canyon Ranch Miami Beach offers à la carte wellness services.  Guests are here for the “scene” as well as the pampering.

Virtuoso amenities at Tucson and Lenox Resorts include an upgrade at time of booking, based on availability and a $50 credit to be used towards a “Health and Healing Service”.