Luisa McGrath has spend the last 20 years in Aruba during the month of January. Here's her report on the latest restaurant scene:
A new, terrific "open-air mall" has been built, across and very short walk from the Hyatt, where they have shops, restaurants, and even a fountain that has a light show at 8pm. Dancing waters (very mini Bellagio) but fun and does attract a lot of people. One can see it from any of the restaurants in the mall.
There are several restaurants with outdoor dining, a Mexican, a seafood, etc., also one of called Taste of Belgium, they have indoor and outdoor dining, looked really nice but did not have time to get back there for dinner. My group had dinner (10 of us) at the new Mr. Jazz (indoors) with big windows overlooking the square, and they do have a jazz band starting at 8pm (great band) and a dance floor as well. Great looking place and the food was excellent. We all had different food choices and each one of us loved our meal. Highly recommend it.Not terribly expensive.
The Hyatt itself has several restaurants, my favorite Ruinas del Mar. Try to get a table outside. Only about 6 tables and fun to watch the swans floating on the little river while you have dinner. Cannot make reservations for an outside table, so recommend going early for better chance. Food and service there excellent. On the high-priced category.
In that area there is a fun place, "Smoky Joe's" their specialty being ribs - Dick had them and they were fabulous. They have everything, from Cuban style chicken, to terrific burgers with gouda cheese, to fish and chips (they use the catch of the day - Lisa had it and it was Mahi-Mahi. ) Casual and fun. (outdoor seating) Not expensive.
Chez Matilde is back and wonderful! Pricey but fabulous. For the past couple of years it has undergone ownership/management changes and they finally put their act together again. It's downtown, but worth while the drive down. I always have the escargot and Lisa loves their onion soup. Lisa and Dick had fillet and some other kind of steak. I had a wonderful veal picatta. Lisa had a banana souffle for dessert - to die for.
Also downtown and specializing in fish is The Driftwood. We go there every year. It is a favorite of all our friends from our time-share. All of us go back and back again. Highly recommended. On the expensive side, but not terribly.
Another downtown restaurant we never miss is El Gaucho. Argentinian beef. Try the Churrasco. They don't make reservations, but when you arrive you can have a drink at the bar and they give you a little beeper that tells you when your table is ready. It used to be a long time to get your table, but the economy has take its toll and we just had to wait around 15 minutes this time. Also highly recommended. Average on the high side prices.
Downtown has a Cuban restaurant "Cuba's Cookin" real Cuban food and fun. It can be very noisy because they do have live band, so if you go, do ask for a table in the quieter room. Not sound-proof.... quieter.... If you, or a client goes there, let me know and I will suggest what to eat. Moderately priced.
Marandi has excellent food. I did not go this year but friends of mine did and they told me food as great as always. But, it used to be on the beach, which was fun, and now they have moved to the land-side. Expensive.
Madame Janette is very popular, people love it. Somehow it is not one of my favorites, but it is always crowded and very difficult to get a reservation. Also on the high-side pricing.
Chalet Suisse on the low-rise side of hotels, is excellent. They do have excellent Chilean seabass and I have had very good filet. Not romantic, but simple, elegant decor. Food is great. On the expensive side.
There is a new, casual place - Bingo - I did not go but friends of mine had a burger that they raved about. They do have full menu and it is not terribly expensive.
Marina Pirata, past the airport, a bit of a drive, has always been fun. Specializing in seafood. Worth the drive. Moderately priced.
Hostaria Da'Vittorio is a delightful Italian restaurant. On the expensive side, but excellent.
Bucaneer is an old favorite. Very fresh fish and seafood. If you go ask to be seated in one of the rooms with the walls line the fish tanks. One side especially, with the larger tanks, has lobsters and all kinds of strange fish - lots of fun to watch. Casual, on the moderately priced side.
On the low-rise side of hotels, short walk from my place, is Pizza Bob's. Casual, fun, and we had a pizza that I thought I would never like, but Lisa wanted it, so we had it - and I loved it! Barbequed chicken pizza. They have all kinds of pizzas of course and burgers and lots of other simple stuff. They also have wonderful Aruban beer on tap - great combination.
And the one I feel is the most romantic setting is Papiamento with fabulous food and wonderful service. One of the more expensive ones. Tables placed around the original (quite old) house and surrounding the pool with tables also inside, but you really want to sit outside. I do love this one.
And a new one (We went for brunch and it was to die for). Called Windows and it's located at the new Divi Golf Course. Set up high with wonderful views of the sea and the golf course. If you are drinking champagne they do keep pouring.... I lost track.... I did have a very good nap on the beach that afternoon.... Recommend very highly for brunch on Sunday. Pricey of course...
Many other restaurants - it is hard to have a bad meal in Aruba. Just highlighting the ones I know best.
I'm hungry.... I am going home.... Luisa
Luisa McGrath
Travel Exchange - A Virtuoso Agency
Westport, Ct. 06880
203-221-3500
Friday, February 5, 2010
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Best Hotels of Hawaii and Aloha Spirit
Aloha is the coordination of mind and heart... it's within the individual. It brings you down to yourself. You must think and emote good feelings to others.
A stands for AKAHAI, meaning kindness, to be expressed with tenderness.
L stands for LOKAHI, meaning unity, to be expressed with harmony.
O stands for `OLU`OLU, meaning agreeable, to be expressed with pleasantness.
H stands for HA`AHA`A, meaning humility, to be expressed with modesty.
A stands for AHONUI, meaning patience, to be expressed with perseverance.
Just back from 12 days in Hawaii and i was touched by the Aloha spirit. Some of you may have heard me say before going - i am not keen on Hawaii - it's such a long way to go for beaches that are not as good as those we have nearby.
It has been 27 yrs since I was there - hard to believe. i used to go every year before that with one group or another and one of my early fams was to Hawaii. But then flying became such a chore. Well not on Continental - they have superb service I must say, and flying their nonstop (767) was delightful. the 767 does not have flat beds, but a very well padded and comfortable seat and the leg rest was perfectly positioned for getting a solid 6 hrs. of sleep.
Continental's airport facility at Newark is very, very good, with lots of good shopping, restaurant outlets, and very courteous and friendly ground crews, and equally friendly flight attendants in each direction - it was a pleasure to fly Continental. I know Cliff and Luisa indicated they shared this nice experience recently on CO as well.
So yes, it's a long way to go, but CO makes it very pleasurable and you can get a good solid sleep. From the moment you land, one is touched by the Aloha spirit. I learned this time around, that it is not just a tourism gimmick, but deeply felt as part of the culture, which is why i give you the essence of the Aloha spirit.. This spirit is embodied in everyone at Four Seasons and the Hawaiian people practices Aloha, and finds pleasant things to say and do as part of every day.
One usually says one needs at least 10 days for Hawaii - I would add another two for twelve days if one can do it and the perfect blend was the hotels I had the wonderful opportunity to visit. The perfect in every way to do it is with the three Four Seasons properties. but first another great hotel....
Waikiki
Halekulani - we all know it, and it has won many an award as being one of the best hotels in the world, and it did not disappoint. The redo has exceptionally beautiful furnishings and style, and immediately puts one in a calm and serene frame of mind, despite being in the midst of Waikiki (although it is tucked away just enough off the main street ). Lewers Street from Kalakaua leading to the Halekulani is oh so lovely, with torches lining the streets at night, sweet little boutiques with very reasonable prices, and for those wanting Hermes, etc. it is right there - extraordinary shopping along Kalakakaua. Afterall, here is where the Japanese come to shop the LV & Hermes of the world, with great selections. One can even save on the sales tax which is a paltry 4%, and the selections are terrific.
Halekulani means " House Befitting Heaven" and, for us old timers ,who remember when it was a collection of one story (most two) cottages on prime Waikiki real estate in sore need of a redo. Well the new construction honored the old ,and it is an inspired modern design that strikes just the right scale.
so i keep the little note from my pillow on my bedside table now.... "May your journey bring you home to our "House Befitting Heaven".
Kahala Resort- we did go out to Kahala to see how it is and it is still a quiet, wonderful little spot and the best place to eat beachside. The central lobby is still elegant and has held up very well although I miss the dolphins as you check-in. they have moved them along the lagoon thing along the back - a sign of the times I guess. Now it has sort of an admission booth - not quite, but some kind of sign up station which changed the feeling quite a bit.
Lunch was okay but not wonderful, although the magical setting along the beach is still as I remember, and the people are that wonderful friendly style of Hawaii.
Waikiki is most definitely worth a stopover - a place where East meets West in a gentle land, and one cannot beat the shopping, dining and city scene which goes all night.
Hawaii in Four Seasons style .... the absolutely best way to see Hawaii and capture the Aloha Spirit
much has changed, and now Wailea is, from my view, the more desirable side of Maui, but then, Kaanapali is so close to charming Lahaina.
The Four Seasons Maui offers something for everyone and is a lovely hotel in design on a very nice cove beach good for swimming. The outdoor restaurant serves a good selection and is chaming and candlelit for dinner under the stars.
The hotel is a large edifice however the lovely gardens (and they are grand) and the open feel of the lobby, bar and dining areas add that Four Seasons touch.
A new addition - an adults only serenity pool is marvelous - the GM told us it was done at a cost of $10 million and one can believe it. a delicately done, tasteful swim up bar, cabanas where one can get a discreet outdoor massage, and ringed with jacuzzi jets around the perimeter that stretches the length on both sides of the 50 ft. long infinity pool. all of this is on the hill overlooking the Pacific, and the curve of the beach - breathtaking!
Duo, the main reastaurant is open air, skirted by the main pools and the food is excellent and inventive. Another good dining experience is in Wolfgang Puck's signature restaurant for the wonderful fusion they serve up.
In keeping with FS policy, they invite local artists to exhibit their work in the lower lobby and, as one goes to/from breakfast ,there are these wonderful artists, and a chance to find a special piece, which adds to the connectedness of place that FS always strives for. Did you know that Isadore Sharp (founder and wonderful leader of FS, started with his first hotel in Toronto, and introduced it by starting an art show for emerging artists, which is now 40 years old and going strong.
It is the exposure to art and fine taste that makes all FS unique, and one feels lifted up in spirit being surrounded by such quality and fine, fine service and kindness. Not to mention I had one of the best massages of my life here, and became pain free (bad back) for the first time in over a year as a result.
Most rooms face the sea in 4 distinct areas each offering certain charms. we were in Sea Shell which was perfect for us. There was a salt water lagoon just in front for worry free swimming in the Pacific, and a pool and one of the restaurants was just nearby. The other areas are Beach Tree (nearest to main pool), Kings Pond, and Palm Grove . Each area is different to some extent and I would be happy to help if you are sending clients to this wonderful resort. Some of the outdoor rooms have outdoor lava showers while the upstairs rooms from the terrace give lovely views - the terraces are large with a table & chairs and two chaise longues.
Hualalai has been all redone and, while I heard a few women colleagues say they found the rooms a bit on the masculine side, I personally find them very much in keeping with the ambiance of the Big Island.
VOG -one negative is this volcanic Smog they call Vog. it comes from the Big Island, a new fizzure that opened two years ago and adds sulphur dioxide to the air when the trades stop blowing., Oahu was particularly effected when we were there, when the Kona winds blow, (prevailing winds are from the NE) but when the wind comes from the south it reaches Oahu,. At certain times the air quality on Hawaii is not good for anyone who suffers from asthma or respiratory conditions and the local people I am told put multiple air filters on their homes.
Last stop the quiet island of Lanai - Lanai had been a private island for the Dole Pineapple Company and their 3,000 workers and in its heyday no one could go to Lanai unless they were connected to Dole Food Company now owned by Castle & Cooke who became real estate developers..
While all FS offer children's programs and do special things for kids, we were very impressed by the children's center on Lanai especially, . The program offers a good sampling of activities and Lanai is perfect for families. But it is also perfect for honeymooners or, as we had, a final stop on a Hawaii sojourn. It is so very relaxing.
Lanai City is a 15 min drive in the complimentary shuttle or, for those that are more sportive, a bicycle ride away and offers some little art galleries, I am told some nice island boutiques and a glimpse into old Hawaii.
There are only 3,500 inhabitants on Lanai. The airport is modern and for the outdoor types ,Lanai offers some good outdoor adventures such as riding along the ridge in jeeps along the crest of the island.
Four Seasons Lodge at Koele is very special . Maginificent grand Norfolk Pines line the road all the way up and it is truly a unique experience to visit the lodge. All visitors to Lanai should plan on using the Lodge facilities as well as Manele Bay.
When one walks into the great hall of the lodge there are fireplaces burning on either side. The air is decidedly cooler and a bit misty as the sun sets which makes it just right. The sunsets from here are spectacular, and the rooms at the lodge are everything one would expect from a Great Lodge - charming with views over the extensive gardens, horse pastures and croquet fields.
__________________
posted by: Barbara Herrott | President
Travel Exchange | 32 Thread Needle Lane | Stamford, Ct. 06902 | 203.961.1900 | 800.248.0248
Original Post: 02/03/10
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Machu Picchu: A Traveler's Experience January 2010
The Ramada Inn was literally a couple of steps across a cross walk from the Lima airport arrivals exit. Nothing fancy at all, but absolutely perfect for a late arrival. Again, there is no point in arriving late and getting shuttled to a nice place, only to return early the next day for a flight out of Lima.
You know, when we were first planning this trip, I was thinking/concerned that we were mainly going all that way just to see one site: Machu Picchu. And that all of the rest of the stuff was really just “filler” activity. I was simply wrong about that. The other things we did and saw were interesting, fun and fascinating: the condor/llama/alpaca sanctuary, the crop laboratory, the salt mines, certainly the ruins at Ollantaytambo, the Pisac market, the weaving demo at Chinchero…all really wonderful stuff. Also the picnic they set up for us out in the middle of picturesque nowhere (see the photo). And there are really no adequate words to describe Machu Picchu itself. I would recommend this exact trip to anybody who will listen. And to do the trip in the same order we did it. Machu Picchu must be seen last, or the other sites would seem anticlimactic, for sure.
And having the private guide completely made it. I don’t know how else you could do this trip, though. And of course, the driver was excellent and his private van comfy. Our guide, M.C., was excellent. Extremely personable, excellent English skills and impressive knowledge of all that we did/saw.
Our accommodations could not have been better:
The Ramada Inn was perfect for the situation.
The Villa at Urubamba was exquisite. The concept here is that you are IN your villa. There is nowhere else to go, nothing to do in the villa resort. But it was beautiful inside and out. Inca Indian décor, etc. Completely comfortable, luxuriously appointed, etc. And there was Roxana…our private cook. She quietly came into the kitchen (via a side door), in the morning, and at the exact appointed time, a sumptuous breakfast spread was on the table. Then we’d leave for the day to do our thing. We’d get back to the villa late afternoon. Roxana would come in, light the fire in the fireplace and start preparing dinner. The fact that she cleaned up was almost as good as the food she made. And while we were having dessert, she was sneaking hot water bottles between our bedsheets. Aaaaahhh. Next morning, same routine. She didn’t speak a word of English. No problem for us.
The train to Aguas Calientes was really fun, with spectacular scenery. We were told that we could each only bring one small duffel on the train with us because of restricted baggage space. We were not at all please with this news. But we managed to consolidate our stuff and pack what we needed for Aguas Calientes/Inkaterra/Machu Picchu, while the rest was forwarded to our Hotel Monasterio in Cuzco. I felt we should have been advised of this limitation by Andean Experience before coming to Peru so we could plan the packing accordingly and the specific luggage pieces. After all of that, though, it turned out to be no problem either way. We managed our packing, and it wouldn’t have mattered even if we had boarded with all of our large luggage. I mean there were Japanese and Dutch tourists on that train with suitcases the size of Toyota Vans! No problem.
The Hotel Inkaterra was outstanding in every way. A beautiful eco-oriented property with a mid-rainforest feeling. Great spa, good restaurant. We took the Orchid tour (very cool) and treated ourselves to spa treatments. Aaaahh.
We were pleasantly surprised that our private guide for Machu Picchu turned out to be the same wonderful young lady, M.C., from the first part of the trip. She was already like an old friend! And, again, impressively knowledgeable about MP.
After all of the ‘warnings’ we had read online, in books and in AE’s info, it turned out that we never had a problem with the altitude (yeah, our chests pounded a bit extra while climbing Inca stairways), nor with mosquitos. We sprayed with Deet before the visit to MP, but honestly we never saw any bugs. Here’s an interesting one: we knew we were going in “rainy season” and that we risked lots of rain, but we decided to throw the dice and go anyway. And we NEVER had a problem with rain! Yes we had a little here and there, and thanks to M.C. (or so she claimed), it only rained while we were riding in the bus or at night, and never while we were seeing our sites. (It actually POURED at MP AFTER we were done and were enjoying our buffet lunch up there in the Sanctuary Lodge restaurant. (In spite of my fears of it being very touristy, it was superb.) The tremendous upside of going during the ‘rainy’ season was that everything was amazingly, beautifully UNCROWDED…especially Machu Picchu and Ollantaytambo and in Cuzco. Of course, having said that, only two weeks later, they did have the tragic mudslides and incredible chaos of the people being trapped in Aguas Calientes. What a nightmare that would have been, for sure. So we were very, very lucky the way the weather played out for us.
Note: We checked out the Sanctuary Lodge right there at the entrance to MP. No way would I want to stay there rather than Inkaterra. It looked OK, but you couldn’t actually see MP from the Lodge, and there is nothing to do there. After we did our very extensive tour of the ruins, we had no need to re-enter to see more at dusk or anything like that. Plus, the Inkaterra was a very short walk to the restaurants and market in Aguas Calientes.
There is no real need to have lunches reserved at the Inkaterra Hotel if you don’t want to be obligated there, especially if you are going to eat dinners there. There were all kinds of interesting places to eat in Aguas Calientes. In fact, we’d had our lunch included for our departing day, yet the train departure was too early to allow us to have that lunch. However, Inkaterra packed us a great box lunch which we enjoyed on the train back to Ollantaytambo (instead of their ‘airplane’-style snack provided.)
We were met at the train in Ollantaytambo by David, our driver, Luis’, brother (both of whom were delightful people and very good drivers) and taken to the Hotel Monasterio in Cuzco. What a fantastic hotel. Clearly it is THE place to stay in Cuzco. Definitely one of the nicer hotels we have stayed in over the years. And perfectly located. We very much enjoyed our ‘unguided’ exploration of Cuzco. While we loved and appreciated being so well taken care of for the previous several days by the AE contractors (as Emma so eloquently put it, “ It’s nice to be coddled like a little egg”), being on our own was really nice. In Cuzco we went to one great museum (Inca Museum) and then spent most of our time shopping. We enjoyed the dinners on our own, too. Before we said goodbye to MC in Machu Picchu, she asked us if we wanted to meet up for lunch in her home town of Cuzco, and we said, “Of course!”. She led us to a very local place back in the old town and we feasted on goat, pork and corn beer. Lunch was our treat!
The next day we flew from Cuzco to Lima where we were faced with that eight-hour layover (this would be good to avoid next time, if possible.). But we were met by an AE rep and a driver/van, and driven out to a beautiful restaurant on the beach. It was a nice way to kill a couple of hours before returning to the airport to catch our flight out.
Just FYI, Continental Airlines continues to be one of our least favorite airlines (in terms of service, convenience, etc.), but it had the schedule we needed, so…
That’s it! All in all, an amazing trip. I hope you enjoy the photo album. Let me know if you want any other information or have any questions or comments, or if you can’t open the album.
Thanks for everything, and we are hard at work trying to decide where to go next and when. As soon as we do, I’ll call you!
Pam VR Long
Travel Exchange
Virtuoso Associate
PO Box 559
Palm City, FL 34991
Phone 772 781 8099
You know, when we were first planning this trip, I was thinking/concerned that we were mainly going all that way just to see one site: Machu Picchu. And that all of the rest of the stuff was really just “filler” activity. I was simply wrong about that. The other things we did and saw were interesting, fun and fascinating: the condor/llama/alpaca sanctuary, the crop laboratory, the salt mines, certainly the ruins at Ollantaytambo, the Pisac market, the weaving demo at Chinchero…all really wonderful stuff. Also the picnic they set up for us out in the middle of picturesque nowhere (see the photo). And there are really no adequate words to describe Machu Picchu itself. I would recommend this exact trip to anybody who will listen. And to do the trip in the same order we did it. Machu Picchu must be seen last, or the other sites would seem anticlimactic, for sure.
And having the private guide completely made it. I don’t know how else you could do this trip, though. And of course, the driver was excellent and his private van comfy. Our guide, M.C., was excellent. Extremely personable, excellent English skills and impressive knowledge of all that we did/saw.
Our accommodations could not have been better:
The Ramada Inn was perfect for the situation.
The Villa at Urubamba was exquisite. The concept here is that you are IN your villa. There is nowhere else to go, nothing to do in the villa resort. But it was beautiful inside and out. Inca Indian décor, etc. Completely comfortable, luxuriously appointed, etc. And there was Roxana…our private cook. She quietly came into the kitchen (via a side door), in the morning, and at the exact appointed time, a sumptuous breakfast spread was on the table. Then we’d leave for the day to do our thing. We’d get back to the villa late afternoon. Roxana would come in, light the fire in the fireplace and start preparing dinner. The fact that she cleaned up was almost as good as the food she made. And while we were having dessert, she was sneaking hot water bottles between our bedsheets. Aaaaahhh. Next morning, same routine. She didn’t speak a word of English. No problem for us.
The train to Aguas Calientes was really fun, with spectacular scenery. We were told that we could each only bring one small duffel on the train with us because of restricted baggage space. We were not at all please with this news. But we managed to consolidate our stuff and pack what we needed for Aguas Calientes/Inkaterra/Machu Picchu, while the rest was forwarded to our Hotel Monasterio in Cuzco. I felt we should have been advised of this limitation by Andean Experience before coming to Peru so we could plan the packing accordingly and the specific luggage pieces. After all of that, though, it turned out to be no problem either way. We managed our packing, and it wouldn’t have mattered even if we had boarded with all of our large luggage. I mean there were Japanese and Dutch tourists on that train with suitcases the size of Toyota Vans! No problem.
We were pleasantly surprised that our private guide for Machu Picchu turned out to be the same wonderful young lady, M.C., from the first part of the trip. She was already like an old friend! And, again, impressively knowledgeable about MP.
After all of the ‘warnings’ we had read online, in books and in AE’s info, it turned out that we never had a problem with the altitude (yeah, our chests pounded a bit extra while climbing Inca stairways), nor with mosquitos. We sprayed with Deet before the visit to MP, but honestly we never saw any bugs. Here’s an interesting one: we knew we were going in “rainy season” and that we risked lots of rain, but we decided to throw the dice and go anyway. And we NEVER had a problem with rain! Yes we had a little here and there, and thanks to M.C. (or so she claimed), it only rained while we were riding in the bus or at night, and never while we were seeing our sites. (It actually POURED at MP AFTER we were done and were enjoying our buffet lunch up there in the Sanctuary Lodge restaurant. (In spite of my fears of it being very touristy, it was superb.) The tremendous upside of going during the ‘rainy’ season was that everything was amazingly, beautifully UNCROWDED…especially Machu Picchu and Ollantaytambo and in Cuzco. Of course, having said that, only two weeks later, they did have the tragic mudslides and incredible chaos of the people being trapped in Aguas Calientes. What a nightmare that would have been, for sure. So we were very, very lucky the way the weather played out for us.
There is no real need to have lunches reserved at the Inkaterra Hotel if you don’t want to be obligated there, especially if you are going to eat dinners there. There were all kinds of interesting places to eat in Aguas Calientes. In fact, we’d had our lunch included for our departing day, yet the train departure was too early to allow us to have that lunch. However, Inkaterra packed us a great box lunch which we enjoyed on the train back to Ollantaytambo (instead of their ‘airplane’-style snack provided.)
The next day we flew from Cuzco to Lima where we were faced with that eight-hour layover (this would be good to avoid next time, if possible.). But we were met by an AE rep and a driver/van, and driven out to a beautiful restaurant on the beach. It was a nice way to kill a couple of hours before returning to the airport to catch our flight out.
Just FYI, Continental Airlines continues to be one of our least favorite airlines (in terms of service, convenience, etc.), but it had the schedule we needed, so…
That’s it! All in all, an amazing trip. I hope you enjoy the photo album. Let me know if you want any other information or have any questions or comments, or if you can’t open the album.
Thanks for everything, and we are hard at work trying to decide where to go next and when. As soon as we do, I’ll call you!
Pam VR Long
Travel Exchange
Virtuoso Associate
PO Box 559
Palm City, FL 34991
Phone 772 781 8099
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Ireland Fam Report
You need to read all of this. There will be a quiz at the end...
Last week I returned from a 6 night FAM trip to Ireland hosted by Celebrated Experiences. The itinerary (attached) was a very busy one and I travelled with 7 other agents from
all parts of the USA. I haven't been to Ireland in 8 years and the changes have been enormous. The past 20 years have been a time of unprecedented growth bringing in wealth
from all parts of the world. "The Celtic Tiger" is what these years have been titled as it was a time that sleepy Ireland suddenly became one of the most happening places on the planet. International companies came to Ireland opening offices and manufacturing plants attracting mostly younger workers. Ireland also became a part of the European Union
which has helped it modernize its roads and infrastructure.
Dublin's International Airport is just completing a multi million Euro expansion and the roads into the city are new and modern. As with the rest of the world the economic climate
has changed in the past year Ireland was hurt as much or more than any country. Dublin has changed in many ways since I last visited but the casual friendly atmosphere is
still very much in existence. The streets are alive with well dressed locals and tourists visiting the many shops, restaurants and other attractions.
Our first night was spent at The Fitzwilliam which is located right on St. Stephen's Green. The Fitzwilliam is a very comfortable combination of urban modern and traditional hotel design. The rooms are extremely comfortable with large bathrooms and many with balconies, some overlooking the park. There are 2 restaurants. Thorntons, the larger of the
two is considered by some to be the best restaurant in the country. From the front door of the hotel you can walk to many of the local attractions like Grafton St. and Trinity College.
http://www.fitzwilliamhotel.com/
Saturday night we stayed at the Merrion which is just around the corner but a world away in terms of experience. The Merrion is a traditional deluxe hotel with a warm comfortable
decor, furniture and a wonderful art collection displayed throughout the hotel. The hotel has gardens in the rear of the hotel that many of the rooms look out on. Other rooms
overlook Merrion Street. The lounges are warm with real fireplaces in almost every public room. The smell of the peat fire adds to the warm feeling. There is a pool and a small health club and several restaurants which I will not drone on about-they are excellent. By the way we had a site inspection on Sunday of Hotel Dylan which was named by the Times of London best modern urban hotel in Europe. This hotel is an ultracool, low attitude property that is becoming the place to hang out in Dublin. Check out their website:
http://www.dylan.ie/
http://www.merrionhotel.com/
Sunday we headed out to the countryside touring Glendalough with its historic monastic sites and the town of Kilkenny with its castle and design center. That night we stayed at
the Mt. Juliet which is a huge estate that includes a golf course (Jack Nicklaus), a horse stud farm and a well equipped spa. The approach to the resort is like you are in a movie with this giant home surrounded by some of the most beautiful grounds you will ever see. The rooms are large and very deluxe. This is one of the few places you can go on a fox hunt in Ireland.
http://www.mountjuliet.ie/
On Monday we drove down to the coast of Ireland where we had a site inspection of the Cliff House in Ardmore. The Cliff House is one of the few hotels in Ireland that face directly
on the sea. It is a modern 39 room hotel built into the side of a cliff with all rooms looking on the water, Ardmore is a short drive from Waterford and the Cliff House is worth a visit
for its spa, its restaurant and the views That afternoon we had a tour of the Jameson Distillery and a tasting before heading down to Cobh to get a short tour of the immigrant experience. There are some very interesting exhibits in Cobh which was the final port for the Titanic before she sailed for New York. Next we headed to Cork which is
a vibrant city with a large university and many food and cultural festivals. Monday night we stayed at Hayfield Manor which was the one property that was a bit of a disappointment.
The building is relatively new but was designed to look hundreds of years old. First of all it is of a style that is not needed in a city like Cork. The rooms are large with some wear
showing. It feels strange to walk out of a Manor House and one half a block away you are on a college campus. Don't get me wrong the place is great but look where I had previously stayed...
http://www.thecliffhousehotel.com
http://www.hayfieldmanor.ie/
Tuesday morning we drove to Kenmare stopping at a cheese and produce shop and a Chocolate shop called Lorge's operated by a relocated Frenchman. The afternoon was spent in Kenmare with a stop at Park Hotel Kenmare for afternoon tea. I think Kenmare was my favorite town of the trip and the Park Hotel was a really charming property
overlooking Kenmare Bay. This is a very traditional hotel that has a good deal of warmth and exceptional spa and indoor pool. It is walking distance from the town and
the rooms are all different and feel like you are staying at your very rich grandmother's house. About 3 miles away is Sheen Falls Lodge which is a grander version of the Park Hotel. The hotel is surrounded by the falls and most guests can fall asleep to the sound of the water. This is a very dramatic location with new 2-5 BR villas close by for families
who want a bit more privacy. Guests can fish in the river and have their catch smoked at the resorts smokehouse. Golf is nearby and the 2 restaurants are excellent.
http://www.sheenfallslodge.ie/
http://www.parkkenmare.com/
It is Wednesday and I am tired, over-fed and slightly hungover. I wasn't aware that what I needed was a boat ride on a lake in Killarney with some Irish Coffee. Who knew?
A couple of sips of the coffee and an Irish band begins to play and I am back in business. Seriously, the scenic drive to Killarney via Molls Gap was an awesome experience.
The views are like a postcard and by noon I was at Adare Manor with a live Falcon eating chicken from my left arm. Adare Manor is a true castle experience. The grounds are
a piece of art as is the restored building itself. The guest rooms are huge with all the modern amenities you would expect. There is a golf course just outside the door was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and is the focus of many of its guests. Fishing, cooking demonstrations and clay pigeon shooting are some of the many other amenities.
After leaving with drove out to the Cliffs of Moher which are a dramatic sight. Finally we arrived at The Lodge at Doonbeg which is a 7 year old golf/resort that has a links course overlooking the Atlantic. This property is owned and operated by the same group that owns Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina. This is a deluxe Manor style hotel with
a country club feeling. The golf course was designed by Greg Norman has ocean views from 16 or its 18 holes. The rooms are big and have either golf or ocean views.
There are many dining options from pub style to fine dining in The Long Room. The mattress here was the best of the trip and by now I have become a mattress professional.
Thursday begins and Shannon airport and home is just a hour away. Whew!
http://www.adaremanor.com/golf-resort-ireland
http://www.doonbeggolfclub.com/index.html
----------------------a word about Celebrated Experiences----------------------------
After a Fam trip agents feel that the host of the trip and the company they represent are the greatest
company you can use in the future. I really think that Celebrated can be viewed as a one stop shop for England, Ireland,
Scotland and Wales. This trip was a no nonsense fam. A true working fam attended by some excellent agents who know their
stuff and could be invited free to any of these hotels yet paid a fee to attend this trip. We were up at 8am daily and covered
over 900 miles on the trip.
Jonathan Epstein from Celebrated is a young guy was described by several of the Irish Hoteliers as more knowledgeable about their
country than they were. Every agent I spoke with who has used Celebrated said the feed back from clients is excellent.
They handle any kind of travel in the countries they deal with. They send documents with information and things to do for
even a single hotel night. They know all of their hotels personally and usually will suggest a particular room given
a description of the guest. They will do transfers, private touring, event tickets etc. They are located in Atlanta so you can speak
to them real time. I only suggest that you try them. They are a small but hard working team.
http://www.celebratedexperiences.com/
Cliff Morgan
Travel Exchange
Last week I returned from a 6 night FAM trip to Ireland hosted by Celebrated Experiences. The itinerary (attached) was a very busy one and I travelled with 7 other agents from
all parts of the USA. I haven't been to Ireland in 8 years and the changes have been enormous. The past 20 years have been a time of unprecedented growth bringing in wealth
from all parts of the world. "The Celtic Tiger" is what these years have been titled as it was a time that sleepy Ireland suddenly became one of the most happening places on the planet. International companies came to Ireland opening offices and manufacturing plants attracting mostly younger workers. Ireland also became a part of the European Union
which has helped it modernize its roads and infrastructure.
Dublin's International Airport is just completing a multi million Euro expansion and the roads into the city are new and modern. As with the rest of the world the economic climate
has changed in the past year Ireland was hurt as much or more than any country. Dublin has changed in many ways since I last visited but the casual friendly atmosphere is
still very much in existence. The streets are alive with well dressed locals and tourists visiting the many shops, restaurants and other attractions.
Our first night was spent at The Fitzwilliam which is located right on St. Stephen's Green. The Fitzwilliam is a very comfortable combination of urban modern and traditional hotel design. The rooms are extremely comfortable with large bathrooms and many with balconies, some overlooking the park. There are 2 restaurants. Thorntons, the larger of the
two is considered by some to be the best restaurant in the country. From the front door of the hotel you can walk to many of the local attractions like Grafton St. and Trinity College.
http://www.fitzwilliamhotel.com/
Saturday night we stayed at the Merrion which is just around the corner but a world away in terms of experience. The Merrion is a traditional deluxe hotel with a warm comfortable
decor, furniture and a wonderful art collection displayed throughout the hotel. The hotel has gardens in the rear of the hotel that many of the rooms look out on. Other rooms
overlook Merrion Street. The lounges are warm with real fireplaces in almost every public room. The smell of the peat fire adds to the warm feeling. There is a pool and a small health club and several restaurants which I will not drone on about-they are excellent. By the way we had a site inspection on Sunday of Hotel Dylan which was named by the Times of London best modern urban hotel in Europe. This hotel is an ultracool, low attitude property that is becoming the place to hang out in Dublin. Check out their website:
http://www.dylan.ie/
http://www.merrionhotel.com/
Sunday we headed out to the countryside touring Glendalough with its historic monastic sites and the town of Kilkenny with its castle and design center. That night we stayed at
the Mt. Juliet which is a huge estate that includes a golf course (Jack Nicklaus), a horse stud farm and a well equipped spa. The approach to the resort is like you are in a movie with this giant home surrounded by some of the most beautiful grounds you will ever see. The rooms are large and very deluxe. This is one of the few places you can go on a fox hunt in Ireland.
http://www.mountjuliet.ie/
On Monday we drove down to the coast of Ireland where we had a site inspection of the Cliff House in Ardmore. The Cliff House is one of the few hotels in Ireland that face directly
on the sea. It is a modern 39 room hotel built into the side of a cliff with all rooms looking on the water, Ardmore is a short drive from Waterford and the Cliff House is worth a visit
for its spa, its restaurant and the views That afternoon we had a tour of the Jameson Distillery and a tasting before heading down to Cobh to get a short tour of the immigrant experience. There are some very interesting exhibits in Cobh which was the final port for the Titanic before she sailed for New York. Next we headed to Cork which is
a vibrant city with a large university and many food and cultural festivals. Monday night we stayed at Hayfield Manor which was the one property that was a bit of a disappointment.
The building is relatively new but was designed to look hundreds of years old. First of all it is of a style that is not needed in a city like Cork. The rooms are large with some wear
showing. It feels strange to walk out of a Manor House and one half a block away you are on a college campus. Don't get me wrong the place is great but look where I had previously stayed...
http://www.thecliffhousehotel.com
http://www.hayfieldmanor.ie/
Tuesday morning we drove to Kenmare stopping at a cheese and produce shop and a Chocolate shop called Lorge's operated by a relocated Frenchman. The afternoon was spent in Kenmare with a stop at Park Hotel Kenmare for afternoon tea. I think Kenmare was my favorite town of the trip and the Park Hotel was a really charming property
overlooking Kenmare Bay. This is a very traditional hotel that has a good deal of warmth and exceptional spa and indoor pool. It is walking distance from the town and
the rooms are all different and feel like you are staying at your very rich grandmother's house. About 3 miles away is Sheen Falls Lodge which is a grander version of the Park Hotel. The hotel is surrounded by the falls and most guests can fall asleep to the sound of the water. This is a very dramatic location with new 2-5 BR villas close by for families
who want a bit more privacy. Guests can fish in the river and have their catch smoked at the resorts smokehouse. Golf is nearby and the 2 restaurants are excellent.
http://www.sheenfallslodge.ie/
http://www.parkkenmare.com/
It is Wednesday and I am tired, over-fed and slightly hungover. I wasn't aware that what I needed was a boat ride on a lake in Killarney with some Irish Coffee. Who knew?
A couple of sips of the coffee and an Irish band begins to play and I am back in business. Seriously, the scenic drive to Killarney via Molls Gap was an awesome experience.
The views are like a postcard and by noon I was at Adare Manor with a live Falcon eating chicken from my left arm. Adare Manor is a true castle experience. The grounds are
a piece of art as is the restored building itself. The guest rooms are huge with all the modern amenities you would expect. There is a golf course just outside the door was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and is the focus of many of its guests. Fishing, cooking demonstrations and clay pigeon shooting are some of the many other amenities.
After leaving with drove out to the Cliffs of Moher which are a dramatic sight. Finally we arrived at The Lodge at Doonbeg which is a 7 year old golf/resort that has a links course overlooking the Atlantic. This property is owned and operated by the same group that owns Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina. This is a deluxe Manor style hotel with
a country club feeling. The golf course was designed by Greg Norman has ocean views from 16 or its 18 holes. The rooms are big and have either golf or ocean views.
There are many dining options from pub style to fine dining in The Long Room. The mattress here was the best of the trip and by now I have become a mattress professional.
Thursday begins and Shannon airport and home is just a hour away. Whew!
http://www.adaremanor.com/golf-resort-ireland
http://www.doonbeggolfclub.com/index.html
----------------------a word about Celebrated Experiences----------------------------
After a Fam trip agents feel that the host of the trip and the company they represent are the greatest
company you can use in the future. I really think that Celebrated can be viewed as a one stop shop for England, Ireland,
Scotland and Wales. This trip was a no nonsense fam. A true working fam attended by some excellent agents who know their
stuff and could be invited free to any of these hotels yet paid a fee to attend this trip. We were up at 8am daily and covered
over 900 miles on the trip.
Jonathan Epstein from Celebrated is a young guy was described by several of the Irish Hoteliers as more knowledgeable about their
country than they were. Every agent I spoke with who has used Celebrated said the feed back from clients is excellent.
They handle any kind of travel in the countries they deal with. They send documents with information and things to do for
even a single hotel night. They know all of their hotels personally and usually will suggest a particular room given
a description of the guest. They will do transfers, private touring, event tickets etc. They are located in Atlanta so you can speak
to them real time. I only suggest that you try them. They are a small but hard working team.
http://www.celebratedexperiences.com/
Cliff Morgan
Travel Exchange
Friday, July 17, 2009
Trendy Paris shopping
In Paris: Made by Hand, Bijkerk divulges the contents of her little black book, focusing in over 50 shops that exemplify the Paris fait main aesthetic by offering truly one of a kind items produced or restored entirely by hand.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Antigua Curtain Bluff
If you're looking for a relaxing and peaceful vacation then Curtain Bluff is the perfect resort.
As we arrived at Curtain Bluff my first thought was...wow, how did I get so lucky? The resort is beautiful with lots of tropical flowers and a great open-air
entranceway, that gives you the feeling, as you step in, that you have finally arrived and can start relaxing. We were immediately met by Wendy, the Assistant Manager, who took us to our room. Our room was a beautiful junior suite located on the ground floor with a patio that led directly to the beach. The room was large with a sitting area, huge bathroom and a ceiling fans that kept the room so nice and cool that no air conditioner was needed. The rooms do not have a t.v. or radio but there is a place at the resort with a t.v. and internet for guests to use. The best part of the room was the view, we had a perfect ocean views and the only noise you could hear was the sound of the waves.
There are two beaches at Curtain Bluff: the surf beach (where our room was) and a much calmer beach. The calm beach is where Curtain Bluff has their watersports and all other activities. We played bocci one afternoon and another day took out a paddle-boat, fun but a little too much work for us while on vacation. There's lots to do if you are so inclined..... you can go snorkeling, kayaking, play basketball, tennis, etc. They also have a putting green. Although most guests used the calmer beach to hang out during the day, that beach remained quiet and relaxing. I tried to use my ipod while there, but turned it off
after a minute. I found that any sound except those of the waves ruined the perfect beach atmosphere. Curtain Bluff also has a spa located on the bluffs
with each treatment room facing the ocean. These amazing views can also be enjoyed in their relaxation room which is completely open, and which has
a fabulous infinity jacuzzi. We enjoyed massages one afternoon and then spent some time in the jacuzzi, something I would recommend that every guest
experience while at Curtain Bluff.
The food at Curtain Bluff was excellent! Each morning we would start our day with breakfast on our patio (with such amazing view why leave?). Breakfast was delightful, simple. They have omelets , fresh fruit, pastries, always consistently very good. Lunch was at the beach offering a delightful buffet which featured different island specials. They offer an a-la-carte menu as well. It was easy to find something different to try each afternoon. Dinner was the main event of the day. Each evening the guests dress up and off they go to the Main dining room. The food and service is great. My favorite was the fresh snapper and, of course, dessert.... the chocolate mouse was amazing! Each night you could find Michelle Hulford (the owner) chatting with all the guests to make sure they had a great day. She gives a very personal feel to the whole resort by just simply checking on everyone and you can tell she remembers each of her guests that come back year after year.
We also took a trip over to Carlisle Bay one afternoon for a site inspection. It is a very contemporary resort while being very comfortable. The rooms are all oceanview suites with white linens complemented by dark woods. The rooms have flat screen TVs, CD and dvd players. They also have 3 bedroom suites that are perfect for families, some even have kitchenettes. The resort has a great kids club that offers a lot for the kids, with variety of activities, like one day they might get a lesson with a tennis pro and another day a lesson on how to catch and release lizards. There is also a small screening room where they show movies a few times a day. They really cater to families but there is an adults section of the resort that is quiet. Carlisle Bay is hoping to attract more honeymooners in the future. We had dinner at East - Asian food and sushi. Everything was wonderful and it was a fun night.
Both resorts are beautiful but very different, Curtain Bluff is more traditional and quiet while Carlisle Bay is a bit more hip and modern while. All in all our stay was wonderful and relaxing. I would recommend Curtain Bluff to anyone that is looking for a vacation that truly takes you away and makes you relax, it is a beautiful resort with excellent food and service.
Danielle Foley
As we arrived at Curtain Bluff my first thought was...wow, how did I get so lucky? The resort is beautiful with lots of tropical flowers and a great open-air
entranceway, that gives you the feeling, as you step in, that you have finally arrived and can start relaxing. We were immediately met by Wendy, the Assistant Manager, who took us to our room. Our room was a beautiful junior suite located on the ground floor with a patio that led directly to the beach. The room was large with a sitting area, huge bathroom and a ceiling fans that kept the room so nice and cool that no air conditioner was needed. The rooms do not have a t.v. or radio but there is a place at the resort with a t.v. and internet for guests to use. The best part of the room was the view, we had a perfect ocean views and the only noise you could hear was the sound of the waves.
A View from Our Patio
Our Room
There are two beaches at Curtain Bluff: the surf beach (where our room was) and a much calmer beach. The calm beach is where Curtain Bluff has their watersports and all other activities. We played bocci one afternoon and another day took out a paddle-boat, fun but a little too much work for us while on vacation. There's lots to do if you are so inclined..... you can go snorkeling, kayaking, play basketball, tennis, etc. They also have a putting green. Although most guests used the calmer beach to hang out during the day, that beach remained quiet and relaxing. I tried to use my ipod while there, but turned it off
after a minute. I found that any sound except those of the waves ruined the perfect beach atmosphere. Curtain Bluff also has a spa located on the bluffs
with each treatment room facing the ocean. These amazing views can also be enjoyed in their relaxation room which is completely open, and which has
a fabulous infinity jacuzzi. We enjoyed massages one afternoon and then spent some time in the jacuzzi, something I would recommend that every guest
experience while at Curtain Bluff.
Calm Beach
The food at Curtain Bluff was excellent! Each morning we would start our day with breakfast on our patio (with such amazing view why leave?). Breakfast was delightful, simple. They have omelets , fresh fruit, pastries, always consistently very good. Lunch was at the beach offering a delightful buffet which featured different island specials. They offer an a-la-carte menu as well. It was easy to find something different to try each afternoon. Dinner was the main event of the day. Each evening the guests dress up and off they go to the Main dining room. The food and service is great. My favorite was the fresh snapper and, of course, dessert.... the chocolate mouse was amazing! Each night you could find Michelle Hulford (the owner) chatting with all the guests to make sure they had a great day. She gives a very personal feel to the whole resort by just simply checking on everyone and you can tell she remembers each of her guests that come back year after year.
We also took a trip over to Carlisle Bay one afternoon for a site inspection. It is a very contemporary resort while being very comfortable. The rooms are all oceanview suites with white linens complemented by dark woods. The rooms have flat screen TVs, CD and dvd players. They also have 3 bedroom suites that are perfect for families, some even have kitchenettes. The resort has a great kids club that offers a lot for the kids, with variety of activities, like one day they might get a lesson with a tennis pro and another day a lesson on how to catch and release lizards. There is also a small screening room where they show movies a few times a day. They really cater to families but there is an adults section of the resort that is quiet. Carlisle Bay is hoping to attract more honeymooners in the future. We had dinner at East - Asian food and sushi. Everything was wonderful and it was a fun night.
our room at Carlisle Bay
Both resorts are beautiful but very different, Curtain Bluff is more traditional and quiet while Carlisle Bay is a bit more hip and modern while. All in all our stay was wonderful and relaxing. I would recommend Curtain Bluff to anyone that is looking for a vacation that truly takes you away and makes you relax, it is a beautiful resort with excellent food and service.
Danielle Foley
Monday, November 17, 2008
East Africa Safari
I recently returned from a 17 day East Africa Safari spending a week in Tanzania and a week in Kenya. This has been my dream trip since I can remember and after 20 years finally made it! I traveled with my sister and my cousins from California and we were fortunate enough to be the only 4 in our party for game drives etc. I worked with a new company called All Africa Expeditions, the owner Albert Anson, being a past manager for Park East Safari's and the past 2 years with International Expeditions before opening his own company. Initially I had booked us with IE and Albert was the contact person so when he left to open his company I decided to stay with him. He packaged the exact same itinerary for us that we had booked with IE and I had previously sold in the past to clients on Park East and Micato.
We were not disappointed! It was the trip of a lifetime for all of us for sure. We were met at the airport in Arusha by a representative of Ranger Safari's who handled the Tanzania portion of the trip. The airport was very small and we easily obtained our visa's for Tanzania within a matter of minutes after arriving. It was a short ride to our first hotel which was called the Movairo Lodge. Check in was efficient and quick as our Ranger representative handled it for us. The Lodge is on the grounds of a working coffee plantation and a beautiful setting with all the cottages surrounded by magnificent bougainvillea's of all colors. They had a small pool as well as walking trails but being so tired we did not take full advantage. Each cottage was fully equipped with electricity and all amenities we could have needed including insect lotion, spray and flashlights. Actually all of these things were provided everywhere we went so we could have nicely omitted them from our packing. The food was and service was fine, we were off to a good start.
We were met by our guide in the morning who was with us the entire tour of Tanzania. His name was "Sulieman" and he was a gem for sure! From Arusha we went to Lake Manyara for 1 night and stayed in the first of a few Serena Lodges. We spend 2 nights at the Ngorongoro Crater Serena Lodge and had a day room in Nairobi prior to departure at the Nairobi Serena ( truly deluxe property). I could detail every property for you but I'm sure most of you know them and this would get quite lengthy! Both of the lodges had spectacular grounds set overlooking the lake and the crater. Our rooms all had balconies or patios with incredible views and again were fully equipped with everything we might need and more. The beds were quite comfortable and showers strong and good with hot water and pressure. Each lodge also provided day laundry service as well as had salon & massage amenities. The massage options were well received after some of the driving in Tanzania! The food service in the Lodges was mostly buffet with main meal choices for dinner's main course. The fruits and vegetables were marvelous and very safe to eat and certainly no one went without a meal! Each property also had a nice lounge/bar area where the views were incredible. Limited evening entertainment was provided at each facility, more than enough truly.
In between Lake Manyara & Ngorongoro Crater we spent 3 nights on the Serengeti in a mobile tent camp site. This was truly a fabulous experience and so well orchestrated. Being the beginning of the short rainy season and end of a peak season, we were the last guests to stay in this location. And we were the only guests which was very special. Prior to our arrival there had been 8 tents set up for capacity of 16 guests, this being a maximum for most of their locations. We were only 2 tents along with the lounge/bar/meal tent and the crew site. We had a crew of 8 for the 4 of us and the service was just excellent. The accommodations were way more than we anticipated from a mobile sit and we were just thrilled when we saw the flush toilets in each tent! The tents were again equipped with every conceivable amenity and the beds so very comfortable! The food was the best of anyplace we stayed, I can honestly equate it to almost any cruise line I have sailed on. The portions were moderate but more for the asking and we always had 2 options for dinner. Delicious soups were the start and we ended with deluxe desserts as well. Our breakfasts began with wake up calls by the side of our tents along with coffee or tea to get you started. Eggs, bacon, sausage, all cooked to order, just couldn't ask for more.
Our guide arranged our game drives around our wishes and we of course deferred to him. We always had at least 2 per day, some days opting for a longer morning drive and other days even full day drives for which we were packed full meals to go. We were greeted after each drive (and arrival to each site) with a cool or warm clothe to wipe our faces and a cold glass of fresh juice. Hot water for our showers was provided within 10 minutes of returning to our tents. Each night before dinner we had "happy hour" by a campfire and were served drinks of our choice along with an appetizer. Our laundry was done complimentary as well and returned each evening to us. We were walked back to our tents and made sure we had everything we needed each night including our whistles in case we needed help!
Each day in the Serengeti the animals moved a bit closer to our camp site so by the time we left they were very near by. It was so peaceful sleeping each night listening to the sounds of the wildebeest, zebra and lions in the distance. Again, we were so thrilled with the entire organization, it was very impressive and first class all the way. I think they order in which we experienced the various properties was perfect too. It just got better and better and I think by experiencing the mobile camp site before the permanent ones was the right choice. No disappointments or expectations that weren't met.
In Tanzania we did all driving to get from point to point. Some of it was very rough and long, very dusty as well. It would not be for everyone for sure but it was part of the experience and will be most helpful in selling safari for me. The habitats for all the animals were quite different from place to place and much of it would have been missed without the driving. Before I go to Kenya, let me say that we saw all of the Big 5 many times over as well as up close and personal! I have some marvelous video to prove it. The migration of the wildebeest and zebra began early from Kenya because of the weather so we were able to experience that as well. To "live" on the animals territory is certainly the experience of a lifetime, at least it was for us.
Our Ranger staff drove us to the border in Kenya where we began our next week. The border was certainly interesting and busy but again an easy time had in getting our visa's here as well. The transition from one company to the other was very painless and well handled. Our next stop was Amboseli with our guide Pilot. Our next stop was a permanent camp site called Tortillis in Amboseli. This was marvelous! The main area of check in, restaurant and lounge was overlooking a small water area constantly teaming with birds and animals. The tents were luxurious for sure each with a patio area, fully equipped with amenities, deluxe vanities and bathrooms. The lighting was excellent, beds very comfortable and the setting was marvelous. The service and meal choices were excellent as well and we had no complaints at all.
Our second and 3rd permanent camp sites were Samburu Intrepid and Mara Intrepid. The Intrepid chain of sites has been around a long time I understand and certainly are deluxe for tents! I think the amenities and tents were a bit more deluxe than Tortillis but I think the overall setting of Tortillis might have had a slight edge. Both Intrepid were set on rivers with balconies or decks overlooking the water. The set up of the tents were almost identical in each with very deluxe bathrooms and amenities. Electrical service again was full and every amenity was offered along with lovely restaurant and lounge areas. The Mara Intrepid was the only site to have a lounge with an actual television as entertainment. Not something we missed but for some would he a high point! The food in all 3 camps was for the most part buffets again with a main choice selection for dinners. The food was abundant and no one lost any weight on this trip for sure! The gift shops were very well outfitted also and service at all sites was just excellent.
We had 3 different guides for each site and certainly the terrain was very different in each place. All our guides were excellent and our game drives were incredible. Each offered a variety of options with our drives, from bush breakfasts to sundowner happy hours on the mountains or hills. If anyone thinks this was roughing it well, this experience gives new meaning to camp sites! We also did a balloon ride over the Mara as well which was quite the experience ending with a champagne breakfast served on the plains!
I almost forgot our 1 night stay at Mount Kenya Safari Club which is currently under renovations as a Fairmont Property. To say the least it is a deluxe property for sure as you expect from a Fairmont. A nice experience as I had always heard about this property and William Holden and Stephanie Powers contributions to it. Truly a magnificent place but honestly to me, would not be my choice for a safari stay. Loses something in the translation of atmosphere for me but glad to have tried it.
We also used Air Kenya in short flights within Kenya for the most part. Talk about a pleasure flying! Arriving 5 minutes to the airstrip prior to the flight arriving and taking off 5 minutes after that give new meaning to ON TIME ratings! Very courteous staff and enjoyable flights for sure. Also, we did not ever have a problem with the weight restrictions on our flights and we were all over the 33 pound restriction. I think mostly this was because our flights were not overly full either but this is something we need to be aware of for our clients, it could have been a problem for us, thankfully was not!
I could go on and on about this trip but will just say it was everything I had ever dreamed it would be and I would not hesitate to go again in a heartbeat. I'm not sure if I have a client base for safari but am certainly going to try. From the small amount of safari and area I have experienced I can see where this type of a trip can be planned to meet almost anyone' needs. I was able to see a couple of other property types and they can be quite diverse and accommodating. I'm more than happy to provide any additional detail to anyone who might need it.
One other note worthy thing. My cousin Bob has sleep apnea and uses a breathing machine at night. Arrangements were made in advance for this and as happens on any trip (never mind Africa!) these don't always work out. At our first camp site they were not aware of this need and of course being a mobile site it was not a simple matter. The staff went above and beyond while we were out on our first drive to connect an additional link to the generator to make it work. At the lodges of course this was not a problem but the camp sites are different. Each site shuts down the electricity during the night while we sleep as part of operations. If they were not able to configure their generators they instead left the power on all night for us.
Again, above and beyond for the entire trip, we have not one complaint or thing we would change. I thank Albert for helping make my dream come true, it was a perfectly planned trip! His years of experience selling Africa (and being a native helps) certainly worked for us and I would highly recommend All Africa Expeditions and will certainly use them again.
Sorry to be so long with this, hard to condense a dream trip! I'm sure I have forgotten key points, please just ask me if I can help.
Kathy Wachter
We were not disappointed! It was the trip of a lifetime for all of us for sure. We were met at the airport in Arusha by a representative of Ranger Safari's who handled the Tanzania portion of the trip. The airport was very small and we easily obtained our visa's for Tanzania within a matter of minutes after arriving. It was a short ride to our first hotel which was called the Movairo Lodge. Check in was efficient and quick as our Ranger representative handled it for us. The Lodge is on the grounds of a working coffee plantation and a beautiful setting with all the cottages surrounded by magnificent bougainvillea's of all colors. They had a small pool as well as walking trails but being so tired we did not take full advantage. Each cottage was fully equipped with electricity and all amenities we could have needed including insect lotion, spray and flashlights. Actually all of these things were provided everywhere we went so we could have nicely omitted them from our packing. The food was and service was fine, we were off to a good start.
We were met by our guide in the morning who was with us the entire tour of Tanzania. His name was "Sulieman" and he was a gem for sure! From Arusha we went to Lake Manyara for 1 night and stayed in the first of a few Serena Lodges. We spend 2 nights at the Ngorongoro Crater Serena Lodge and had a day room in Nairobi prior to departure at the Nairobi Serena ( truly deluxe property). I could detail every property for you but I'm sure most of you know them and this would get quite lengthy! Both of the lodges had spectacular grounds set overlooking the lake and the crater. Our rooms all had balconies or patios with incredible views and again were fully equipped with everything we might need and more. The beds were quite comfortable and showers strong and good with hot water and pressure. Each lodge also provided day laundry service as well as had salon & massage amenities. The massage options were well received after some of the driving in Tanzania! The food service in the Lodges was mostly buffet with main meal choices for dinner's main course. The fruits and vegetables were marvelous and very safe to eat and certainly no one went without a meal! Each property also had a nice lounge/bar area where the views were incredible. Limited evening entertainment was provided at each facility, more than enough truly.
In between Lake Manyara & Ngorongoro Crater we spent 3 nights on the Serengeti in a mobile tent camp site. This was truly a fabulous experience and so well orchestrated. Being the beginning of the short rainy season and end of a peak season, we were the last guests to stay in this location. And we were the only guests which was very special. Prior to our arrival there had been 8 tents set up for capacity of 16 guests, this being a maximum for most of their locations. We were only 2 tents along with the lounge/bar/meal tent and the crew site. We had a crew of 8 for the 4 of us and the service was just excellent. The accommodations were way more than we anticipated from a mobile sit and we were just thrilled when we saw the flush toilets in each tent! The tents were again equipped with every conceivable amenity and the beds so very comfortable! The food was the best of anyplace we stayed, I can honestly equate it to almost any cruise line I have sailed on. The portions were moderate but more for the asking and we always had 2 options for dinner. Delicious soups were the start and we ended with deluxe desserts as well. Our breakfasts began with wake up calls by the side of our tents along with coffee or tea to get you started. Eggs, bacon, sausage, all cooked to order, just couldn't ask for more.
Our guide arranged our game drives around our wishes and we of course deferred to him. We always had at least 2 per day, some days opting for a longer morning drive and other days even full day drives for which we were packed full meals to go. We were greeted after each drive (and arrival to each site) with a cool or warm clothe to wipe our faces and a cold glass of fresh juice. Hot water for our showers was provided within 10 minutes of returning to our tents. Each night before dinner we had "happy hour" by a campfire and were served drinks of our choice along with an appetizer. Our laundry was done complimentary as well and returned each evening to us. We were walked back to our tents and made sure we had everything we needed each night including our whistles in case we needed help!
Each day in the Serengeti the animals moved a bit closer to our camp site so by the time we left they were very near by. It was so peaceful sleeping each night listening to the sounds of the wildebeest, zebra and lions in the distance. Again, we were so thrilled with the entire organization, it was very impressive and first class all the way. I think they order in which we experienced the various properties was perfect too. It just got better and better and I think by experiencing the mobile camp site before the permanent ones was the right choice. No disappointments or expectations that weren't met.
In Tanzania we did all driving to get from point to point. Some of it was very rough and long, very dusty as well. It would not be for everyone for sure but it was part of the experience and will be most helpful in selling safari for me. The habitats for all the animals were quite different from place to place and much of it would have been missed without the driving. Before I go to Kenya, let me say that we saw all of the Big 5 many times over as well as up close and personal! I have some marvelous video to prove it. The migration of the wildebeest and zebra began early from Kenya because of the weather so we were able to experience that as well. To "live" on the animals territory is certainly the experience of a lifetime, at least it was for us.
Our Ranger staff drove us to the border in Kenya where we began our next week. The border was certainly interesting and busy but again an easy time had in getting our visa's here as well. The transition from one company to the other was very painless and well handled. Our next stop was Amboseli with our guide Pilot. Our next stop was a permanent camp site called Tortillis in Amboseli. This was marvelous! The main area of check in, restaurant and lounge was overlooking a small water area constantly teaming with birds and animals. The tents were luxurious for sure each with a patio area, fully equipped with amenities, deluxe vanities and bathrooms. The lighting was excellent, beds very comfortable and the setting was marvelous. The service and meal choices were excellent as well and we had no complaints at all.
Our second and 3rd permanent camp sites were Samburu Intrepid and Mara Intrepid. The Intrepid chain of sites has been around a long time I understand and certainly are deluxe for tents! I think the amenities and tents were a bit more deluxe than Tortillis but I think the overall setting of Tortillis might have had a slight edge. Both Intrepid were set on rivers with balconies or decks overlooking the water. The set up of the tents were almost identical in each with very deluxe bathrooms and amenities. Electrical service again was full and every amenity was offered along with lovely restaurant and lounge areas. The Mara Intrepid was the only site to have a lounge with an actual television as entertainment. Not something we missed but for some would he a high point! The food in all 3 camps was for the most part buffets again with a main choice selection for dinners. The food was abundant and no one lost any weight on this trip for sure! The gift shops were very well outfitted also and service at all sites was just excellent.
We had 3 different guides for each site and certainly the terrain was very different in each place. All our guides were excellent and our game drives were incredible. Each offered a variety of options with our drives, from bush breakfasts to sundowner happy hours on the mountains or hills. If anyone thinks this was roughing it well, this experience gives new meaning to camp sites! We also did a balloon ride over the Mara as well which was quite the experience ending with a champagne breakfast served on the plains!
I almost forgot our 1 night stay at Mount Kenya Safari Club which is currently under renovations as a Fairmont Property. To say the least it is a deluxe property for sure as you expect from a Fairmont. A nice experience as I had always heard about this property and William Holden and Stephanie Powers contributions to it. Truly a magnificent place but honestly to me, would not be my choice for a safari stay. Loses something in the translation of atmosphere for me but glad to have tried it.
We also used Air Kenya in short flights within Kenya for the most part. Talk about a pleasure flying! Arriving 5 minutes to the airstrip prior to the flight arriving and taking off 5 minutes after that give new meaning to ON TIME ratings! Very courteous staff and enjoyable flights for sure. Also, we did not ever have a problem with the weight restrictions on our flights and we were all over the 33 pound restriction. I think mostly this was because our flights were not overly full either but this is something we need to be aware of for our clients, it could have been a problem for us, thankfully was not!
I could go on and on about this trip but will just say it was everything I had ever dreamed it would be and I would not hesitate to go again in a heartbeat. I'm not sure if I have a client base for safari but am certainly going to try. From the small amount of safari and area I have experienced I can see where this type of a trip can be planned to meet almost anyone' needs. I was able to see a couple of other property types and they can be quite diverse and accommodating. I'm more than happy to provide any additional detail to anyone who might need it.
One other note worthy thing. My cousin Bob has sleep apnea and uses a breathing machine at night. Arrangements were made in advance for this and as happens on any trip (never mind Africa!) these don't always work out. At our first camp site they were not aware of this need and of course being a mobile site it was not a simple matter. The staff went above and beyond while we were out on our first drive to connect an additional link to the generator to make it work. At the lodges of course this was not a problem but the camp sites are different. Each site shuts down the electricity during the night while we sleep as part of operations. If they were not able to configure their generators they instead left the power on all night for us.
Again, above and beyond for the entire trip, we have not one complaint or thing we would change. I thank Albert for helping make my dream come true, it was a perfectly planned trip! His years of experience selling Africa (and being a native helps) certainly worked for us and I would highly recommend All Africa Expeditions and will certainly use them again.
Sorry to be so long with this, hard to condense a dream trip! I'm sure I have forgotten key points, please just ask me if I can help.
Kathy Wachter
Friday, November 14, 2008
Paradisus Palma Real
I just returned from a 3 night stay at Paradisus Palma Real in Punta Cana. The airport there is pretty cool with those giant thatched roof buildings. Getting a taxi can be a bit of a hassle, you are accosted as soon as you go outside but the ride is a short half hour. The entryway and lobby of the resort are gorgeous, the hotel centers around a giant courtyard looking right through to a massive pool and great beach. We had a garden view room and it was well appointed. The beds were very nice and the maid service was unbelievable considering it was three guys making a mess in there. We made sure to take good care of her when we left. Paradisus has a main buffet and five or six restaurants which require reservations and a bit of a dress code. Not having anything other than shorts and flip flops we were restricted to the buffet which suited us fine. There is a good selection with fresh fruit and juice. The dishes themselves could be a little off, not bad per se, just not what you expect but I think that's standard in the Caribbean. Overall the staff were very warm and considerate and if you can manage a little spanish they'll appreciate it. Tips here and there are also more than welcome. This all-inclusive is pretty much all couples as well as a few wedding parties. There were only two families with kids but maybe there's more during the peak season. I talked to a bride and groom from Ohio who raved about their stay for their wedding and honeymoon. A great place for a couple who wants a beautiful setting and a nice quiet vacation (except a show every night and a small casino almost nothing at night)
Peter Cacciari
Peter Cacciari
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Report on the World
Columbus may have discovered America, but I have discovered THE WORLD. As soon as you step on the gangplank and you
are greeted by Dennis, who has been with the line since its inception, you know that you have entered a different sphere, a planet
where everything is gentle and soft. Each and every member of the staff/the crew is there for you - service with a smile - and what
smiles! There are 250 employees no matter how many residents/guests are sailing. On our cruise we were about 125. Speaking
to the son of one of the residents, he told us that he tries to sail as often as possible (his parents own a 3-bedroom apartment on board)
and the maximum guests on board that he has experienced have been around 350.
Pauline and I each had a Studio Apartment, with clean lines, built for the ultimate efficiency. There is a sitting area and a desk
and a delightful balcony. One architectural/designer special feature that I have never experienced on any other vessel was a big picture
window in the bathroom that looks into the cabin area and on to the balcony and on to the sea. So one can shower, or while putting
makeup on, look out and watch the seas, the skies with varying colours especially at sunset. Or you can draw the shades closed
electrically when in Port.
We did a site of the 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments. And the one thing they all have in common is, when you walk in the front door
you enter into amazing brightness. Yes, the sun was shining when we were doing our site, but with the miles of deck space
these larger apartments have, I cannot envision any one of them ever being dark. Each bedroom has its own bathroom. The
Master has a separate tub and shower. Top designers, i.e. Nina Campbell, Hirsch Bedner, JP Molyneux and TMT Design have
been the decorators and of course each individual owner has put his/her stamp on their own residence. When renting, one can
request the preferred type of decor. From delightful modern, to English country, to Italianette, lots of choices. These larger
apartments have a great kitchen with very well hidden washer and dryer.
Dining is pure delight. Four diningrooms and a deli. Food delicious and lovely service. Activities on board abound. There is a great
tennis court. The golfers find putting greens, chipping areas, a simulator, and driving range. The Sports and Golf Director
is available for lessons and happy to arrange private golf trips to the best golf courses all over the world. Same can be done
for the tennis player. There is a gym, a beautiful outdoor pool and indoor pool as well. The Banyan Tree Spa is divine. I
had the best massage I have ever had. The spa has a jacuzzi, steam baths and saunas. There are no "shows" but each night
at cocktail hour and after dinner, there is a variety of piano and violin music, jazz, a wonderful singer, and, when in Port you do
get excellent local talent to perform as well. The library is great with excellent variety of books and DVDs. Library has a lovely
seating area. Pauline and I were most fortunate to have attended a cocktail party where their guest Chef, Serge Bottelli (who manages
La Coquille Restaurant and oversees the cuisine at Tuckers Point Club in Bermuda, where he made the most amazing hors d'oeuvres
(accompanied by lovely champagne of course) Serge has been profiled on Discovery Channel's "Great Chefs of the World".
Serge also gave a cooking demonstration where we got to sample all the delicious dishes (accompanied by wine of course). He
was charming and very funny. The World always arranges to have such special features on board.
Those on board have the choice of full privacy in their own apartment, or they have friends over for dinner, get together around the
pool, make reservations in one of the restaurants to dine together, etc., just like one would do on land. One can see the existing
camaraderie amongst the owners. And we found they were very open to meet the new "faces". We had great chats with them
and enjoyed listening to the stories of their various sailings. Most spend 4 months and more on board. It is only The World that
will spend 2, 3, 4 days and more, depending on destination, at Port. Side trips can be taken knowing your floating home is waiting for you when
you return - back to the "other" WORLD.
Luisa McGrath
Travel Exchange - A Virtuoso Agency
2 Sconset Square
Westport, Ct. 06880
203-221-3500
are greeted by Dennis, who has been with the line since its inception, you know that you have entered a different sphere, a planet
where everything is gentle and soft. Each and every member of the staff/the crew is there for you - service with a smile - and what
smiles! There are 250 employees no matter how many residents/guests are sailing. On our cruise we were about 125. Speaking
to the son of one of the residents, he told us that he tries to sail as often as possible (his parents own a 3-bedroom apartment on board)
and the maximum guests on board that he has experienced have been around 350.
Pauline and I each had a Studio Apartment, with clean lines, built for the ultimate efficiency. There is a sitting area and a desk
and a delightful balcony. One architectural/designer special feature that I have never experienced on any other vessel was a big picture
window in the bathroom that looks into the cabin area and on to the balcony and on to the sea. So one can shower, or while putting
makeup on, look out and watch the seas, the skies with varying colours especially at sunset. Or you can draw the shades closed
electrically when in Port.
We did a site of the 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments. And the one thing they all have in common is, when you walk in the front door
you enter into amazing brightness. Yes, the sun was shining when we were doing our site, but with the miles of deck space
these larger apartments have, I cannot envision any one of them ever being dark. Each bedroom has its own bathroom. The
Master has a separate tub and shower. Top designers, i.e. Nina Campbell, Hirsch Bedner, JP Molyneux and TMT Design have
been the decorators and of course each individual owner has put his/her stamp on their own residence. When renting, one can
request the preferred type of decor. From delightful modern, to English country, to Italianette, lots of choices. These larger
apartments have a great kitchen with very well hidden washer and dryer.
Dining is pure delight. Four diningrooms and a deli. Food delicious and lovely service. Activities on board abound. There is a great
tennis court. The golfers find putting greens, chipping areas, a simulator, and driving range. The Sports and Golf Director
is available for lessons and happy to arrange private golf trips to the best golf courses all over the world. Same can be done
for the tennis player. There is a gym, a beautiful outdoor pool and indoor pool as well. The Banyan Tree Spa is divine. I
had the best massage I have ever had. The spa has a jacuzzi, steam baths and saunas. There are no "shows" but each night
at cocktail hour and after dinner, there is a variety of piano and violin music, jazz, a wonderful singer, and, when in Port you do
get excellent local talent to perform as well. The library is great with excellent variety of books and DVDs. Library has a lovely
seating area. Pauline and I were most fortunate to have attended a cocktail party where their guest Chef, Serge Bottelli (who manages
La Coquille Restaurant and oversees the cuisine at Tuckers Point Club in Bermuda, where he made the most amazing hors d'oeuvres
(accompanied by lovely champagne of course) Serge has been profiled on Discovery Channel's "Great Chefs of the World".
Serge also gave a cooking demonstration where we got to sample all the delicious dishes (accompanied by wine of course). He
was charming and very funny. The World always arranges to have such special features on board.
Those on board have the choice of full privacy in their own apartment, or they have friends over for dinner, get together around the
pool, make reservations in one of the restaurants to dine together, etc., just like one would do on land. One can see the existing
camaraderie amongst the owners. And we found they were very open to meet the new "faces". We had great chats with them
and enjoyed listening to the stories of their various sailings. Most spend 4 months and more on board. It is only The World that
will spend 2, 3, 4 days and more, depending on destination, at Port. Side trips can be taken knowing your floating home is waiting for you when
you return - back to the "other" WORLD.
Luisa McGrath
Travel Exchange - A Virtuoso Agency
2 Sconset Square
Westport, Ct. 06880
203-221-3500
Friday, October 31, 2008
Paris Oct 25-28, 2008
I have recently returned from a quick trip to Paris. My trip started by flying the new airline OpenSkies. I had business class from New York to Paris and it was very nice. All the seats in business class lay completely flat. There is a good selection of movies, tv shows and games and the service was excellent. We flew into Orly airport and since it is a smaller airport than CDG we quickly made our way out of there.
Once we arrived in Paris we made our way over to Le Meurice. I had a deluxe room at Le Meurice. It was an elegant room with a courtyard view and spacious marble bathroom.
Many of the rooms have views of the Tuileries. The Belle Etoile Suite on the seventh floor is fabulous and has panoramic views of just about all of Paris. Le Meurice has beautiful banquet facilities, two restaurants, and a great bar. It also has a one of a kind frosted mirror in the lobby that guests can write on. I did leave my handprint on it.... it does get wiped out though....
The next day we went over to Plaza Athenee and checked into our Junior Suites. The hotel has a great location. They have modern and traditional rooms and some have views of the Eiffel Tower. There is a Dior Spa, a wine cellar where private tasting can be arranged and in the winter their courtyard has ice skating for their guests. We had a wonderful dinner at the hotel and drinks at their very modern and hip bar.
My Room
The following day we were back to the airport for our flight home. This time we had Prem + class on OpenSkies. Each seat has plenty of legroom, reclines 140 degrees and has a personal entertainment system with the same movies as Business Class. The service was again excellent and the time passed very quickly.
All in all it was an excellent trip and I hope to return to Paris soon.
Once we arrived in Paris we made our way over to Le Meurice. I had a deluxe room at Le Meurice. It was an elegant room with a courtyard view and spacious marble bathroom.
Many of the rooms have views of the Tuileries. The Belle Etoile Suite on the seventh floor is fabulous and has panoramic views of just about all of Paris. Le Meurice has beautiful banquet facilities, two restaurants, and a great bar. It also has a one of a kind frosted mirror in the lobby that guests can write on. I did leave my handprint on it.... it does get wiped out though....
View from the top of Le Meurice
In the afternoon we take a bike tour of Paris with Fat Bike Company http://fattirebiketours.com/Paris. The ride lasted about 2 hours and took us all around the city but was a very easy ride. Our guide would stop frequently to give us some history about the city. He was very knowledgeable and the tour was great. After the tour we had dinner at a nice local restaurant, L'Ardoise. It was a very small restaurant but the food was good. .The next day we went over to Plaza Athenee and checked into our Junior Suites. The hotel has a great location. They have modern and traditional rooms and some have views of the Eiffel Tower. There is a Dior Spa, a wine cellar where private tasting can be arranged and in the winter their courtyard has ice skating for their guests. We had a wonderful dinner at the hotel and drinks at their very modern and hip bar.
My RoomAll in all it was an excellent trip and I hope to return to Paris soon.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Round Hill Inspection - by Cliff
I recently returned from a short visit to Montego Bay and Round Hill. After all the years of hearing how great Round Hill was, I was very glad to get the opportunity to see it for myself.
Not having been to Jamaica in many years, I had the common impression that it is somewhat dangerous and you would be confined to your resort. On arrival I found an extremely modern and efficient airport. While a car and driver from Round Hill was there to meet me, common travel sense would tell the independent traveller to go to the Authorized Taxi Desk located just outside of the Customs Hall. Yes there are many "independent" taxi drivers that one should avoid for obvious reasons.
Round Hill is a 25 minute ride from the airport and is a 40 acre complex of villas as well as the 36 unit Pineapple House hotel section. The Pineapple House units designed by Ralph Lauren using a very simple white and blue color scheme framing the huge windows (on the upper floor) or balconies (on the main level), all looking out to the sea. Scattered around the hillside are the 27 villas each decorated by the individual owners. 22 of these villas have their own full sized pools and all are staffed from 8am to 2pm. The villas are a great spot for families or several couples who want to share the experience. Unless requested in advance, televisions are not in the units--at first a sort of strange experience, but ultimately a plus. The hotel is over 100 years old and has the feeling of a very comfortable club. Many guests return year after year. While many owners and guests are wealthy and celebrities often vacation there, Round Hill does not have a feeling of pretense. These are people who could spend their vacation time at any resort in the world but enjoy the relaxed style of this singular location.
If you are looking for flaws, they are there. As I said earlier, this resort is over 100 years old and you can see a bit of rust here and there, but it is part of the charm. Maintenance seems to be constant with the large staff pruning and painting etc. The public areas are clustered around the beach and consist of 2 restaurants, the beach bar and the main bar which was designed by Ralph Lauren who lives at Round Hill several weeks a year. The main bar has wonderful photographs of past celebrity guests from the hotel archives. The food is very good. Do note guests are not permitted into the restaurant in shorts after 7pm. The chef is a 33 year old local who is a James Beard award winner. Jamaican buffets and beach dinner parties are offered twice a week.
During the day the beach is the center of activity as well as the newly constructed infinity pool. There is a spa located in a very quiet area as well as a full fitness center. The resort faces The Tryall Club across the bay where Round Hill guests have privileges. Other daytime activities are water-skiing, scuba diving and deepsea fishing. We took a ziptreking trip which is always a fun adventure and it is only 25 minutes from Round Hill. One night we went to downtown Montego Bay, or MOBAY as they call it, to sample a local restaurant. The venue called "Wine With Me" was a really modern, local restaurant with extremely attentive service. Again the trip off property was a really good option as it gives you a taste and feel of the local fare and culture.
There are many non stop flights from New York to Montego and it takes less than 4 hours to get there. Travellers can leave NYC in the early morning and be on the beach by early afternoon, making Jamaica a good choice for a short vacation as well. While not the newest and most high profile resort, Round Hill is a historic, still much in demand, resort with many unique features.
http://www.roundhilljamaica.com/
Cliff Morgan, Manager Leisure Services
Travel Exchange - A Virtuoso Agency
2 Sconset Square
Westport, Connecticut 06880
203-221-3500
cliffm@travelexchange.net
Not having been to Jamaica in many years, I had the common impression that it is somewhat dangerous and you would be confined to your resort. On arrival I found an extremely modern and efficient airport. While a car and driver from Round Hill was there to meet me, common travel sense would tell the independent traveller to go to the Authorized Taxi Desk located just outside of the Customs Hall. Yes there are many "independent" taxi drivers that one should avoid for obvious reasons.
Round Hill is a 25 minute ride from the airport and is a 40 acre complex of villas as well as the 36 unit Pineapple House hotel section. The Pineapple House units designed by Ralph Lauren using a very simple white and blue color scheme framing the huge windows (on the upper floor) or balconies (on the main level), all looking out to the sea. Scattered around the hillside are the 27 villas each decorated by the individual owners. 22 of these villas have their own full sized pools and all are staffed from 8am to 2pm. The villas are a great spot for families or several couples who want to share the experience. Unless requested in advance, televisions are not in the units--at first a sort of strange experience, but ultimately a plus. The hotel is over 100 years old and has the feeling of a very comfortable club. Many guests return year after year. While many owners and guests are wealthy and celebrities often vacation there, Round Hill does not have a feeling of pretense. These are people who could spend their vacation time at any resort in the world but enjoy the relaxed style of this singular location.
If you are looking for flaws, they are there. As I said earlier, this resort is over 100 years old and you can see a bit of rust here and there, but it is part of the charm. Maintenance seems to be constant with the large staff pruning and painting etc. The public areas are clustered around the beach and consist of 2 restaurants, the beach bar and the main bar which was designed by Ralph Lauren who lives at Round Hill several weeks a year. The main bar has wonderful photographs of past celebrity guests from the hotel archives. The food is very good. Do note guests are not permitted into the restaurant in shorts after 7pm. The chef is a 33 year old local who is a James Beard award winner. Jamaican buffets and beach dinner parties are offered twice a week.
During the day the beach is the center of activity as well as the newly constructed infinity pool. There is a spa located in a very quiet area as well as a full fitness center. The resort faces The Tryall Club across the bay where Round Hill guests have privileges. Other daytime activities are water-skiing, scuba diving and deepsea fishing. We took a ziptreking trip which is always a fun adventure and it is only 25 minutes from Round Hill. One night we went to downtown Montego Bay, or MOBAY as they call it, to sample a local restaurant. The venue called "Wine With Me" was a really modern, local restaurant with extremely attentive service. Again the trip off property was a really good option as it gives you a taste and feel of the local fare and culture.
There are many non stop flights from New York to Montego and it takes less than 4 hours to get there. Travellers can leave NYC in the early morning and be on the beach by early afternoon, making Jamaica a good choice for a short vacation as well. While not the newest and most high profile resort, Round Hill is a historic, still much in demand, resort with many unique features.
http://www.roundhilljamaica.com/
Cliff Morgan, Manager Leisure Services
Travel Exchange - A Virtuoso Agency
2 Sconset Square
Westport, Connecticut 06880
203-221-3500
cliffm@travelexchange.net
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
My NYC Fam
Yesterday I was in New York and experienced 2 great new travel products. In the morning I had a site inspection of the newly opened Plaza Hotel and in the afternoon I flew by US Helicopter ( Delta & Continental code share on it ) to the Delta Terminal at JFK.
The Plaza
As we all know the Plaza Hotel closed 2 years ago for a complete transformation. The iconic formally 800+ room hotel has now reimerged into a mixed use
residential/hotel operation. The building is the same on the outside but inside is another story. You now enter the hotel from the Fifth Avenue side only. The CPS entrance is for the residents only. You enter into the familiar, fully restored Palm Court with has a recreated glass ceiling (not seen since the 1940's) over the room which is still the premier location for afternoon tea in the city. To the left is a brand new lobby area with seating and a Champagne bar facing Fifth Avenue. The Oak Room & Bar are still being restored but will be the same only better I was told.
The hotel now has only 280 rooms that face Fifth Avenue, 58th Street or a newly created courtyard. The courtyard rooms look over a fountain and garden area that is not a public or function space. There are no Parkview rooms. The condo portion of the building has the park views. The guest room floors were completely gutted and are essentially brand new. The hallways are very traditional white, bright with no artwork, just chandeliers and a blue carpet. The rooms are huge-from 450-575 sq ft. Rooms have every amenity expected with state of the art technology all controlled by a computer screen that detaches from the entryway hall. The large Bathrooms have separate baths,showers and double sinks with gold plated fixtures. Each floor has 2 butlers who introduce themselves on arrival and are there for whatever is required. The hotel is doing scheduled site inspections for the next 2 months. It is a property that should be seen as you will be asked about it. Contact Clovia Leslie at clovia.leslie@fairount.com or (212) 518-1178.
US Helicopter
US Helicopter is doing codeshare flights from Wall Street "JRB" or 34th Street "TSS" to either the Delta Terminal at JFK or Continental at Newark. These 8 minute flights from Manhattan to your terminal make the Virgin free limo seem so last century. You check your luggage at the terminal to your destination (50lbs, one piece maximum) receive your boarding pass and clear security before leaving the city. You fly from the East Side of Manhattan directly onto the runway at Terminal 3 where a van picks you up and takes you to Gate #11---still within a secure area. There is no security rescreening. Best of all is that all full fare Business class passengers ( C, J & D) get this for no additional charge when booked and ticketed in conjunction with their transatlantic ticket. It can be sold independently using the US Helicopter code "UH" see the attached link for details.
http://www.flyush.com/
Delta Terminal JFK
We arrived at the Delta terminal on the day the merger of DL/NW was announced and found the facility to be in much better shape than on previous visits. The attached Terminal # 2 has completed a full renovation including a new Todd English Restaurant and a Balducci's take out store. The lounge is looking sharp and I was told that the plan was to move the LHR and CDG flights here so passengers can drive up to the entrance check in, with many newly added stations and be at the gate within minutes and less than 100 yards from the driveway. The Terminal #3 side is still a work in progress (for like 30 years) but shows signs that it is getting its act together. The 3 lounges there were quite nice, in fact nicer than the Air France lounge at Terminal 1. The people we encountered were most positive about the merger and the morale seemed great. Delta's first 777 aircraft was parked on the runway and it looks like Delta will is going to be a good choice again.
The Plaza
As we all know the Plaza Hotel closed 2 years ago for a complete transformation. The iconic formally 800+ room hotel has now reimerged into a mixed use
residential/hotel operation. The building is the same on the outside but inside is another story. You now enter the hotel from the Fifth Avenue side only. The CPS entrance is for the residents only. You enter into the familiar, fully restored Palm Court with has a recreated glass ceiling (not seen since the 1940's) over the room which is still the premier location for afternoon tea in the city. To the left is a brand new lobby area with seating and a Champagne bar facing Fifth Avenue. The Oak Room & Bar are still being restored but will be the same only better I was told.
The hotel now has only 280 rooms that face Fifth Avenue, 58th Street or a newly created courtyard. The courtyard rooms look over a fountain and garden area that is not a public or function space. There are no Parkview rooms. The condo portion of the building has the park views. The guest room floors were completely gutted and are essentially brand new. The hallways are very traditional white, bright with no artwork, just chandeliers and a blue carpet. The rooms are huge-from 450-575 sq ft. Rooms have every amenity expected with state of the art technology all controlled by a computer screen that detaches from the entryway hall. The large Bathrooms have separate baths,showers and double sinks with gold plated fixtures. Each floor has 2 butlers who introduce themselves on arrival and are there for whatever is required. The hotel is doing scheduled site inspections for the next 2 months. It is a property that should be seen as you will be asked about it. Contact Clovia Leslie at clovia.leslie@fairount.com or (212) 518-1178.
US Helicopter
US Helicopter is doing codeshare flights from Wall Street "JRB" or 34th Street "TSS" to either the Delta Terminal at JFK or Continental at Newark. These 8 minute flights from Manhattan to your terminal make the Virgin free limo seem so last century. You check your luggage at the terminal to your destination (50lbs, one piece maximum) receive your boarding pass and clear security before leaving the city. You fly from the East Side of Manhattan directly onto the runway at Terminal 3 where a van picks you up and takes you to Gate #11---still within a secure area. There is no security rescreening. Best of all is that all full fare Business class passengers ( C, J & D) get this for no additional charge when booked and ticketed in conjunction with their transatlantic ticket. It can be sold independently using the US Helicopter code "UH" see the attached link for details.
http://www.flyush.com/
Delta Terminal JFK
We arrived at the Delta terminal on the day the merger of DL/NW was announced and found the facility to be in much better shape than on previous visits. The attached Terminal # 2 has completed a full renovation including a new Todd English Restaurant and a Balducci's take out store. The lounge is looking sharp and I was told that the plan was to move the LHR and CDG flights here so passengers can drive up to the entrance check in, with many newly added stations and be at the gate within minutes and less than 100 yards from the driveway. The Terminal #3 side is still a work in progress (for like 30 years) but shows signs that it is getting its act together. The 3 lounges there were quite nice, in fact nicer than the Air France lounge at Terminal 1. The people we encountered were most positive about the merger and the morale seemed great. Delta's first 777 aircraft was parked on the runway and it looks like Delta will is going to be a good choice again.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Intercontiental - Athens - two perspectives
1. LEISURE/INDIVIDUAL Perspective
From the moment you walk in you know you have entered a wonderful art gallery, which doubles as a hotel.The owner is an art collector and has filled the hotel with originals,wonderful reproductions, photographs, etc. At your arrival you are faced with the Blue Man (sculpture) standing on one arm and one leg, the other arm and leg extended to the skies(depicting North, South, East and West). So now "you have arrived".
Although a large hotel one gets the feeling of intimacy . All the rooms are enormous, with a separate sitting area with loveseat and a large, comfortable chair, desk, etc. Large windows in all rooms - the preffered side faces the Acropolis in the distance. Quite a sight at night when the Acropolis is all lit up. Soothing blues and warm white (not stark white) in Club Rooms. The standard rooms are currently covered in deep greens and whites and will possibly convert to the blue scheme after refurbishing. Be it male or female, the decor is unobstrusive. Not utterly masculine or feminine.Great choice of colors and furnishings and the room amenities were exquisite!
The suites are all wonderful, my favourite being a Jr. Suite(qualifying anywhere else for a one bedroom suite)separate bedroom/livingroom with a great terrace and lounge chair(for sunning on a bright sunny Athens day)as well as table and chairs. Wonderful for breakfast or candelight dinner...There are two of these Junior Suites
with larger terraces.The rest have typical terraces.The Presidential Suite of course was fabulous.The Conference Rooms/Ballroom etc,very well done. Self-contained with its own elevator which takes the conference attendees straight down to that area,or one can use the escalators.
Dining is wonderful throughout.Be it CafeZoe(where we had wonderfullunch and breakfast buffets)to the rooftop diningroom - Premiere - which I was informed received One Hat (equivalent of a Michelin Star).The food delicious,presentation exquisite.Impeccable service.During the warmer months the restaurant has additional seating on their rooftop terrace overlooking the City and the Acropolis. A spais now in the process of being built.
The Club Lounge staff could not have been more helpful and gracious.And last but not least,a lovely,inviting,bar/lounge-where a great time was had by all of us.... excellent wines... and where even at 2 o'clock in the morning we felt welcome....
With a few necessary changes which they are working on
The Intercontinental Athens is a good choice!.
Luisa, Senior Corporate & LeisureTravel Consultant
Travel Exchange - A Virtuoso Agency
125 Main Street | Westport, Ct.
203-221-3500
----- -----
2. MEETINGS & GROUPS Perspective:
Athens, Greece - a wonderful Group destination! Dining, Shopping, Meeting, Tours, Sophisticated venues and numerous excursions, too great to number are all of the necessary ingredients for success with any group size or event.
The IC in particular offers more than adequate meeting space.With pieces of art meticulously placed in the meeting rooms the owner has managed to transform a basic breakout room into a warm and inviting place to meet. Don't be misled - all of the rooms feature the usual necessities for any meeting: built in screens, climate control, even the occasional breakfront to hold coffee and mid-day snacks.
The meeting space to room ratio is quite impressive. Offering two ballrooms and many other breakouts and spaces for smaller meetings and workshops you can easily provide for a group of 400+.Ceiling height is generous and the larger rooms maximize their capabilities with soundproof dividers offering planners the ability to mix and match to meet their needs.
As the rest of the hotel is undergoing refurbishing I would strongly suggest taking a look at the carpeting in the meeting area and ballrooms. I found them to be worn and stained. The only other point that may or may not be a deterrent - depending on your program type and size is the columns in the main ballroom. Although they act as a nice divider for a reception, etc. they could be obtrusive and sight problems if the entire room was needed for a presentation, etc.
My associate has already submitted comments and observations on the hotel from an individual guest's point of view so I will refrain from the obvious, such as the room decor, amenities, etc. and try to limit my comments to those that apply more to the expectations of meeting planners.
The rooms are consistent throughout the hotel in size which is a plus for groups! The differences are limited to views - City vs. Acropolis. There are decor differences with the Club Rooms but of course the highlight would be the lovely lounge that Luisa has already touched upon. Aside from suites for VIPs - the Club Rooms offer another upgrade possibility for VIPs and different tiered management when doing a larger group.
While everyone was extremely hospitable and always willing to assist I felt that the front door could have use more attentive servicing. There should always be someone at the door, be it bellmen, etc. to greet you, hold a door open, or flag a taxi. On more than one occasion it was hard to locate assistance for these very things. The revolving door was a nuisance as well, since it was set to stop when someone got close and I witnessed many people hitting into the doors.
The other issue of service that I would like to reiterate was the check-in process. While this may be fine for some properties it would not suit a VIP or someone used to Virtuoso procedures. There was no escort to rooms, which is vital to the guest and assists them in locating the amenities and services provided in the individual guest rooms.
The quality and presentation of all food and beverage is superb! With the training that the IC staff will soon be getting and a the refurbishing (updating in-room TVs, soft goods, bathrooms, etc.)
Carrie Negrinelli, Director - Groups,Meetings and Events for Travel Exchange
203-961.1990
From the moment you walk in you know you have entered a wonderful art gallery, which doubles as a hotel.The owner is an art collector and has filled the hotel with originals,wonderful reproductions, photographs, etc. At your arrival you are faced with the Blue Man (sculpture) standing on one arm and one leg, the other arm and leg extended to the skies(depicting North, South, East and West). So now "you have arrived".
Although a large hotel one gets the feeling of intimacy . All the rooms are enormous, with a separate sitting area with loveseat and a large, comfortable chair, desk, etc. Large windows in all rooms - the preffered side faces the Acropolis in the distance. Quite a sight at night when the Acropolis is all lit up. Soothing blues and warm white (not stark white) in Club Rooms. The standard rooms are currently covered in deep greens and whites and will possibly convert to the blue scheme after refurbishing. Be it male or female, the decor is unobstrusive. Not utterly masculine or feminine.Great choice of colors and furnishings and the room amenities were exquisite!
The suites are all wonderful, my favourite being a Jr. Suite(qualifying anywhere else for a one bedroom suite)separate bedroom/livingroom with a great terrace and lounge chair(for sunning on a bright sunny Athens day)as well as table and chairs. Wonderful for breakfast or candelight dinner...There are two of these Junior Suites
with larger terraces.The rest have typical terraces.The Presidential Suite of course was fabulous.The Conference Rooms/Ballroom etc,very well done. Self-contained with its own elevator which takes the conference attendees straight down to that area,or one can use the escalators.
Dining is wonderful throughout.Be it CafeZoe(where we had wonderfullunch and breakfast buffets)to the rooftop diningroom - Premiere - which I was informed received One Hat (equivalent of a Michelin Star).The food delicious,presentation exquisite.Impeccable service.During the warmer months the restaurant has additional seating on their rooftop terrace overlooking the City and the Acropolis. A spais now in the process of being built.
The Club Lounge staff could not have been more helpful and gracious.And last but not least,a lovely,inviting,bar/lounge-where a great time was had by all of us.... excellent wines... and where even at 2 o'clock in the morning we felt welcome....
With a few necessary changes which they are working on
The Intercontinental Athens is a good choice!.
Luisa, Senior Corporate & LeisureTravel Consultant
Travel Exchange - A Virtuoso Agency
125 Main Street | Westport, Ct.
203-221-3500
----- -----
2. MEETINGS & GROUPS Perspective:
Athens, Greece - a wonderful Group destination! Dining, Shopping, Meeting, Tours, Sophisticated venues and numerous excursions, too great to number are all of the necessary ingredients for success with any group size or event.
The IC in particular offers more than adequate meeting space.With pieces of art meticulously placed in the meeting rooms the owner has managed to transform a basic breakout room into a warm and inviting place to meet. Don't be misled - all of the rooms feature the usual necessities for any meeting: built in screens, climate control, even the occasional breakfront to hold coffee and mid-day snacks.
The meeting space to room ratio is quite impressive. Offering two ballrooms and many other breakouts and spaces for smaller meetings and workshops you can easily provide for a group of 400+.Ceiling height is generous and the larger rooms maximize their capabilities with soundproof dividers offering planners the ability to mix and match to meet their needs.
As the rest of the hotel is undergoing refurbishing I would strongly suggest taking a look at the carpeting in the meeting area and ballrooms. I found them to be worn and stained. The only other point that may or may not be a deterrent - depending on your program type and size is the columns in the main ballroom. Although they act as a nice divider for a reception, etc. they could be obtrusive and sight problems if the entire room was needed for a presentation, etc.
My associate has already submitted comments and observations on the hotel from an individual guest's point of view so I will refrain from the obvious, such as the room decor, amenities, etc. and try to limit my comments to those that apply more to the expectations of meeting planners.
The rooms are consistent throughout the hotel in size which is a plus for groups! The differences are limited to views - City vs. Acropolis. There are decor differences with the Club Rooms but of course the highlight would be the lovely lounge that Luisa has already touched upon. Aside from suites for VIPs - the Club Rooms offer another upgrade possibility for VIPs and different tiered management when doing a larger group.
While everyone was extremely hospitable and always willing to assist I felt that the front door could have use more attentive servicing. There should always be someone at the door, be it bellmen, etc. to greet you, hold a door open, or flag a taxi. On more than one occasion it was hard to locate assistance for these very things. The revolving door was a nuisance as well, since it was set to stop when someone got close and I witnessed many people hitting into the doors.
The other issue of service that I would like to reiterate was the check-in process. While this may be fine for some properties it would not suit a VIP or someone used to Virtuoso procedures. There was no escort to rooms, which is vital to the guest and assists them in locating the amenities and services provided in the individual guest rooms.
The quality and presentation of all food and beverage is superb! With the training that the IC staff will soon be getting and a the refurbishing (updating in-room TVs, soft goods, bathrooms, etc.)
Carrie Negrinelli, Director - Groups,Meetings and Events for Travel Exchange
203-961.1990
South Africa & Zimbabwe - By Pam
Hello everyone..
I just returned from two weeks in SA and Zimbabwe.I took six lady friends with me and planned the trip with our Virtuoso onsite Trans Africa Safaris. I have used them many times for clients with great success so I was confident they would do a good job for us. It was undoubtly one of my best trips and it was done with perfection.
Accommodations, guides and activities were spectacular. Leslie and Jennifer Paterson were very responsive to all our needs and were always ready to accommodate any changes or address any concerns as well as keeping the cost under control. They also very graciously invited us to dinner at their home in Capetown with some of their SA friends which was a thoroughly enjoyable evening for all. Their were also beautiful gifts in our hotel rooms when we arrived....made by SA artisans...with a note saying they were from me!
Capetown is a destination in itself and has a spectacular setting on the water.We opted to stay at the Victoria and Albert Hotel which was very comfortable & service oriented. It is slightly less expensive than Cape Grace hotel which is just next door. The waterfront shops and scenery were very enjoyable.
Our guide (Chris) in Capetown was superb..I don't know if he enjoyed us more or we him! Our first day we went to Robben Island ..the ferry leaves right from the harbor. This was where Mandela was imprisoned for many years. It is a good learning experience and a nice boat trip to the island. South Africa should be very proud of its accomplishments in bringing peace and prosperity to their country. You may remember that there was an imbargo on travel to SA during apartheid and the country did not really open up until 1996.
We spent one day going to the Cape of Good Hope and had a wonderful seafood meal at the Black Marlin.We saw African penguins and baboons and ostriches along the way.
The next day we toured the wine country with a visit to the lovely town of Stellenbosch. I would have enjoyed a night or two just staying there at the hotel in town. Again we had a glorious lunch at La Petite Ferme overlooking the vineyards..Napa has nothing on this countryside..the scenery is gorgeous and the food even better...you can see we did alot of eating !!
Our next destination was Phinda Game Reserve which is operated by CC Africa which has over 40 camps in all parts of Africa.We stayed at Phinda Forest Lodge.
We flew to Durban, you can also go to Richards Bay. We used commercial airlines as opposed to private air charters. Phinda is noted for having some of the best games..and we saw it all...lions, giraffe, elephants, cheetah, black and white rhinos. We missed the elusive leopard and we loved to tease our cute young ranger Luke about it.Our day began typically with a wake up and coffee at 6am and then off on the range rover until 10..a coffee break was usually planned half way with complete service at a picturesque setting. Then back for breakfast and a nap! Again another meal..lunch at 1 and another game drive in the afternoon to watch the sunset with cocktails served on the vlei. Phinda has several other camps that are even more deluxe..Phinda Vlei, Phinda Zuka and Getty House.
After three nights we were off to Jburg for an overnight at the very convenient
and deluxe Intercontinental Hotel at the airport before we flew to Vic Falls the
next day. Of course I debated about going to Zimbabwe as opposed to Zambia but I am glad we made the choice of Vic Falls Hotel..a true old world classic and they do a great job despite the economic and political disaster that Mugagbe has created. We enjoyed a walking tour to the spectacular falls.
Our last stop was ..Matetsi Water Camp..also CC Africa on the Zambezi river.
It was only a 45 minute drive from Vic Falls.
We enjoyed the change of scenery..our rooms looked out to the river and we could hear the hippos roaring. The staff there was wonderful. They made us feel so welcome and comfortable..even though there were secuity guards and locked rooms at night I felt very safe. I was alone in a single room by then. The rooms were over the top with luxury linens and outdoor and indoor showers and large tubs and bathrooms. Our last night we came home from our game drive and there was a warm bubble bath waiting for each of us! The food and service was done with elegance and imagination.
In case you send anyone to Zimbabwe...only bring US $ and do not use CC!!
We flew back to Jburg and then came home to the USA.
I flew BA via London and still think that is the best way to go to split
up the journey. Some flew SAA out of NYC but it is a crowded long flight.
Again, I attribute the success of the trip to Trans Africa and Lesley and Jennifer Paterson. Every day was an adventure and planned perfectly. South Africa is truly all about the animals and the people ...I do not know which I enjoyed more!
Please let me know if I can answer any questions. I also want to thank Renee and Cliff for taking care of some of my clients while I was gone. I always feel confident that they can handle any situation and it is one of the many strengths of The Travel Exchange.
Pam Van Rensselaer-Long
Virtuoso Associate | Travel Exchange
125 Main Street | Westport CT 06880
860 674 8700
paml@travelexchange.net
I just returned from two weeks in SA and Zimbabwe.I took six lady friends with me and planned the trip with our Virtuoso onsite Trans Africa Safaris. I have used them many times for clients with great success so I was confident they would do a good job for us. It was undoubtly one of my best trips and it was done with perfection.
Accommodations, guides and activities were spectacular. Leslie and Jennifer Paterson were very responsive to all our needs and were always ready to accommodate any changes or address any concerns as well as keeping the cost under control. They also very graciously invited us to dinner at their home in Capetown with some of their SA friends which was a thoroughly enjoyable evening for all. Their were also beautiful gifts in our hotel rooms when we arrived....made by SA artisans...with a note saying they were from me!
Capetown is a destination in itself and has a spectacular setting on the water.We opted to stay at the Victoria and Albert Hotel which was very comfortable & service oriented. It is slightly less expensive than Cape Grace hotel which is just next door. The waterfront shops and scenery were very enjoyable.
Our guide (Chris) in Capetown was superb..I don't know if he enjoyed us more or we him! Our first day we went to Robben Island ..the ferry leaves right from the harbor. This was where Mandela was imprisoned for many years. It is a good learning experience and a nice boat trip to the island. South Africa should be very proud of its accomplishments in bringing peace and prosperity to their country. You may remember that there was an imbargo on travel to SA during apartheid and the country did not really open up until 1996.
We spent one day going to the Cape of Good Hope and had a wonderful seafood meal at the Black Marlin.We saw African penguins and baboons and ostriches along the way.
The next day we toured the wine country with a visit to the lovely town of Stellenbosch. I would have enjoyed a night or two just staying there at the hotel in town. Again we had a glorious lunch at La Petite Ferme overlooking the vineyards..Napa has nothing on this countryside..the scenery is gorgeous and the food even better...you can see we did alot of eating !!
Our next destination was Phinda Game Reserve which is operated by CC Africa which has over 40 camps in all parts of Africa.We stayed at Phinda Forest Lodge.
We flew to Durban, you can also go to Richards Bay. We used commercial airlines as opposed to private air charters. Phinda is noted for having some of the best games..and we saw it all...lions, giraffe, elephants, cheetah, black and white rhinos. We missed the elusive leopard and we loved to tease our cute young ranger Luke about it.Our day began typically with a wake up and coffee at 6am and then off on the range rover until 10..a coffee break was usually planned half way with complete service at a picturesque setting. Then back for breakfast and a nap! Again another meal..lunch at 1 and another game drive in the afternoon to watch the sunset with cocktails served on the vlei. Phinda has several other camps that are even more deluxe..Phinda Vlei, Phinda Zuka and Getty House.
After three nights we were off to Jburg for an overnight at the very convenient
and deluxe Intercontinental Hotel at the airport before we flew to Vic Falls the
next day. Of course I debated about going to Zimbabwe as opposed to Zambia but I am glad we made the choice of Vic Falls Hotel..a true old world classic and they do a great job despite the economic and political disaster that Mugagbe has created. We enjoyed a walking tour to the spectacular falls.
Our last stop was ..Matetsi Water Camp..also CC Africa on the Zambezi river.
It was only a 45 minute drive from Vic Falls.
We enjoyed the change of scenery..our rooms looked out to the river and we could hear the hippos roaring. The staff there was wonderful. They made us feel so welcome and comfortable..even though there were secuity guards and locked rooms at night I felt very safe. I was alone in a single room by then. The rooms were over the top with luxury linens and outdoor and indoor showers and large tubs and bathrooms. Our last night we came home from our game drive and there was a warm bubble bath waiting for each of us! The food and service was done with elegance and imagination.
In case you send anyone to Zimbabwe...only bring US $ and do not use CC!!
We flew back to Jburg and then came home to the USA.
I flew BA via London and still think that is the best way to go to split
up the journey. Some flew SAA out of NYC but it is a crowded long flight.
Again, I attribute the success of the trip to Trans Africa and Lesley and Jennifer Paterson. Every day was an adventure and planned perfectly. South Africa is truly all about the animals and the people ...I do not know which I enjoyed more!
Please let me know if I can answer any questions. I also want to thank Renee and Cliff for taking care of some of my clients while I was gone. I always feel confident that they can handle any situation and it is one of the many strengths of The Travel Exchange.
Pam Van Rensselaer-Long
Virtuoso Associate | Travel Exchange
125 Main Street | Westport CT 06880
860 674 8700
paml@travelexchange.net
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