Francis through the Enchanted Rhine - November 2011
AMAWaterways - MS AMACello
On November 12th, we arrived in Basel, Switzerland for the start of our journey. Though it’s cold this time of year, the markets were bustling and the fresh produce was beautiful. Winter squash and the last of the summer vegetables filled the stands next to cider kiosks.
While we weren’t in Basel for a long time, we did manage to see the Hotel Bar at Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois Basel, which is a stunning Virtuoso property. It has a very old-world feel with dark wood and crystal sconces and chandaliers. Heavy velvet drapes and leather furniture complete the feel, letting you know that you must be in Switzerland.
For our river cruise, we chose AmaWaterways, the premier river cruise operator in Europe, Russia, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Our particular vessel was the MS AMACello which carries 148 passangers down the river Rhine. From the moment we stepped aboard we knew that the service would be impeccable. The staff greeted us all from the top deck of the ship as we boarded, and the friendly service continued throughout our stay.
For those used to cruises, small, cramped cabins are the biggest complaint, but the rooms on the MS AMACello are quite spacious and well-appointed. Because it is a small river boat cruise, every room also comes with a beautiful view of the passing scenery on the bank, or swans on the river, depending on the day.
The boat is also appointed with a beautiful bar and restaurant, giving a scenic view and offering delicious local cuisine.
The boat cruise allows passengers to disembark at beautiful destinations, much like any larger cruse. We stopped first in Heidelberg in southwest Germany, where mink is a must in the cold weather. The city’s architecture is beautiful, as well. Our next stop was Rüdesheim, a popular stop on any Rhine River cruse. One of the popular attractions in this riverside town is Seigfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet Museum. It is the first museum collection of automated musical instruments in Germany and holds an impressive collection.
One of our last stops was Cologne, Germany. As we entered the city, we were treated to an onboard Wine Lecture, and upon arrival, took a guided walking tour through the oldest part of the city, visiting Cologne’s treasure, the legendary 13th century Gothic cathedral. The tour ended with a tasting of Kölsch, Cologne’s specialty beer, which has a straw-yellow hue and is brewed in the city. Dinner was provided by Früh beer makers in their private cellar.
I must say that being my first river cruise I didn't know what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised. If you are looking for complete entertainment from the moment you walk on the ship with things like casinos and shows, this is definitely not the way to travel for you. But if you like to get to know the smaller cities in an intimate arena, with a slow pace, then this is definitely the way to travel for you!
I arrived in China via Shanghai. It is
the largest city proper in the world and the largest by population within
China. The total population of Shanghai is over 23 million people as of 2010.
In addition to its impressive population size, the city of Shanghai is host to
an equally impressive array of skyscrapers. Shanghai is host to a number of
luxury hotels which I was able to visit during my stay. The best are these:
●Grand Hyatt Shanghai
●Park Hyatt Shanghai
●The Peninsula Shanghai
●The Portman Ritz-Carlton, Shanghai
●The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong
●The St. Regis Shanghai
Pudong
Just across the majestic Huangpu River from the
heart of downtown Shanghai lies the city’s eastern extension, Pudong. This
section of the city is newer and is still emerging as a commercial and
financial center. The Ritz-Carlton is the only hotel in Pudong which integrates
luxury office, residential, and retail space along side its more than 250 hotel
rooms. The building itself is beautifully modern, its angular spears piercing
the sky at 58 stories.
I was able to
visit the Ritz-Carlton in Pudong
during my time in Shanghai. The room was nicely appointed with a small sitting
area by the large windows, and a very large dressing room and bathroom. The
view was as stunning as their website suggests. I overlooked the river toward
downtown Shanghai with a clear view of the brightly lit skyline.
Shanghai blends
the beauty of old-world China with the modern amenities of a large city. Tall,
glass-walled buildings stand next to curved and pointed rooftops. Shanghai,
like many Chinese cities, is home to many bikes. It is the favorite of local
commuters and tourists will see streets crowded with them.
One brilliant
way to see the beauty of Shanghai is via a river cruise. I was able to take one
such cruise down the river Pu, which divides Pu-Dong and Pu-Xi. River boats are
incredibly common and wonderful tourist attractions. From the boat, we were
able to get a perfect view of the skyline and the variable architecture. Many
of the buildings are more like works of art than simple structures.
Park Hyatt Shanghai
While in
Shanghai, I was also able to visit the Park Hyatt Shanghai, one of the city’s
luxury hotels also located in Pudong district. Reception at the Park Hyatt is
courteous and offers a beautiful display of local flare. The Park Hyatt
occupies floors 79 to 93 of the Shanghai World Financial Center, also known as
“The Vertical Complex City.” It is one of the world’s highest hotels, soaring
above the metropolis. Because of this, guests can take in the views of the city
skyline and the Huangpu River from any one of its 174 luxury rooms and suites.
Each room bosts a beautiful and unique poem written in gold in Chinese
calligraphy behind the bed. The stunning views are also available from the
restaurants in the building, which are some of Shanghai’s best-known.
Restaurants here offer traditional tea ceremonies and beautiful performances.
Grand Hyatt Shanghai
The Grand
Hyatt is also one of the tallest hotels in the world. Its interior architecture
is stunning. Its interior is hollow so that from the lobby, you can see all the
way up, and each floor can see down to the lobby. The luxurious Grand Hyatt has
an unparralleled reception area. When I arrived, there was a local string
quartet playing. I was able to see one of the luxury rooms at the Grand Hyatt,
which was on a corner and had floor to ceiling windows on both of the exterior
walls.
Peninsula Shanghai
By far my favorite hotel, however, was the luxurious
Peninsula Shanghai, one of Virtuoso’s beautiful establishments. The Peninsula
is right on the river and is not a high rise. It has beautifully appointed
rooms and luxurious ballrooms. During my time there, I had dinner in the
elegant ballroom area. Both visually stunning, and delicious.
My deluxe room
at the Peninsula had all of the necessary amenities and built on that to the
point of pure elegance. The bathroom suite had gorgeous carved marble and a
deep soaking tub. Every detail was perfect, from the stylish hanging lamps
beside the bed to the sitting area and personal desk in the suite. The closet
and dressing room, too, was huge and sleek.
Shanghai’s
Peninsula also offers a rooftop bar with an incredible view and equally
incredible selection of drinks.
As a seasoned traveler does, it’s now become habit that I book my own vacations last minute! We were going on our 'babymoon' (an American tradition in which you take a trip in the 6th month of your pregnancy as a last 'hurrah' before the world as you know it ends when the baby arrives) and so we wanted something relatively close, adults only and romantic. We’d never been to St Lucia and had had some request about it so I looked into it.
There are 3 Virtuoso properties in St Lucia. Jade Mountain and Ladera Resort (on the West coast of the Island in Soufriere) and Cap Maison Resort & Spa which is on Gros Islet in the north (more developed in tourism) near the capital of Castries. * Both Ladera and Jade Mountain are known for their “3 walled bedroom” (meaning outdoor living) and the minimum age is 15…and Ladera is closed in September. Cap Maison had the TV’s and “walls” which we were trying to get away from and although gorgeous, we wanted to try something different. So off we went to Jade Mountain.
I’ll be brutally honest in saying that I didn’t give it much thought or investigation. It was starting to get cold in NY so we just wanted to get away. We booked our Jet Blue flight (one of the only direct ones) and off we went. A 5 hours flight later (oops, thought is was closer) we arrived (a bit longer than we thought but St Lucia is, after all, near Venezuela).
It was obvious from just the plane ride that St Lucia is a place to go on your honeymoon or with “that special someone” as the majority of visitors were couples. We went through immigration and got our luggage (all quite fast) and our driver from Jade Mt was there to pick us up. The drive to Jade Mountain Resort is no more than 20 miles but it takes about an hour to get there given the windy roads. Its actually a nice drive (albeit windy and hilly) but you get a sense of the place. You pass by fishing villages and small towns with multicolored houses and scenic views of the ocean and rain forests. Once you come to Soufriere, the fun starts. It’s about a 15 minute climb up to the hotel. You most likely wouldn’t be able to go without four-wheel drive and walking it would be an incredible work out. They don’t do much to fix the roads in order to keep it more private as the beaches and views from the area are incredible and would be filled with non-hotel visitors.
The area (which is that spot you reach after climbing that hill from Soufriere) is called Anse Chastanet and it encompasses 600 lush tropical acres bordering two soft sand beaches. It is St. Lucia's only resort property with the iconic view of both the Piti and Gros Piton mountains floating upon the Caribbean Sea.
Not only do you get a UNESCO World Heritage Site anchored by the twin peaks on land, the resort’s two crystal-clear bays are part of a designated marine reserve protecting miles of colorful coral reefs teeming with tropical fish.
The beach is known for excellent scuba diving and snorkeling and many of the reefs are accessible by simply swimming a few meters out from the beach.
The beach is part of the private resort owned by Russian-Canadian architect Nick Troubetzkoy. Troubetzkoy purchased Anse Chastanet in the 70’s and was determined to revolutionize conventional thinking as to what a hotel room should look like and why one hotel room should not be a cookie cutter duplicate of the next. Troubetzkoy’s love for large open spaces built in harmony with nature was first realized in his redesign of Anse Chastanet Resort, and now has reached a new level of sophistication in his creation of Jade Mountain…the more upscale of the two resorts.
When we arrived to the very top (Jade Mountain is at the top of the hill, Anse Chastanet is at the bottom) we were taking straight to our room. Now, I knew it would be open air living, but I really didn’t know what that meant or what to expect and hadn’t thought about the fact that this meant no AC. At first I thought I was going to have some sort of panic attack. Coming from the summer in NY, I could not fathom it and both my husband and I just looked at each other like a deer in headlights. Then came the news of no TV or electronics (ie Phones in the room) (although there is very fast WiFi which is free) . I thought I was hearing things. I just remember asking our Major Domo (aka Butler) where the “other wall” was.
You know what though? Best thing ever. The first day was a bit rough as I actually don’t remember the last time I was somewhere with no AC. Both of us were coughing up all the “gunk” (we kept kidding that we were allergic to nature) and by the end of the trip, I actually was fearing going back to AC filled, pollution based NYC. My skin was the best it had ever been, I think we actually lost weight from all the walking and fresh air, and even our eyes were clearer.
And when was the last time you saw stars? At night you could actually see the galaxy it was so clear. It did feel a bit as though we were in tree houses or the movie Avatar.
The food was obviously seafood based with a Caribbean (creole) twits. Not my absolute favorite but it’s a personal taste. They have an excellent 'sommelier 'at the main restaurant for Jade Mt whom was very knowledgeable and professional making the ambiance particularly upscale.
The spa at Jade Mountain, albeit small, was very comprehensive (from couples massages to pre-natal massages to facials). They have a gym as well (both spa and gym have AC) but you really don’t need to go at any point given the amount of walking you do!
Service was a bit disjointed. Your front of office staff was incredible (Manuel and Jeff particularly) and the butlers and some of the waiters at the Jade Mountain main restaurant (there is only one exclusively for Jade) were fantastic. But then you’d get some of the other staff that was not as “fantastic” and I think a lot of it had to do with the mixture of the two resorts.
Let me explain.
It took me a while to understand the relationship between the two resorts (Anse Chastanet and Jade Mountain) but basically, as a guest of Jade Mountain – the more upscale, elite of the two - you can roam the entire area, eat wherever you want and enjoy all the activities and amenities both resorts have to offer. By the way, when I say “roam” I mean that very loosely as remember that the resorts are on a hill so you literally go up and down to get anywhere (like your room to the beach) which is an excellent work out (they do offer shuttles for the Jade Mountain guests but that’s no fun).
On paper, having the two resorts intertwined sounds like an excellent marriage. However, the demographics of the two resorts are completely different. Those staying at Jade Mountain and paying over $1500 a night are expecting the best (Note: we had a special travel agent rate, thank you Jade Mt!). They are high net-worth individuals and perhaps described best as “high maintenance” travelers. Point is, they are very different to those at Anse Chastanet paying $250 a night. You may see where this is going. When you are at the other restaurants or the beach, the staff doesn’t actually know whom you are so that may be where the issue lies.
This is my one main criticism.
However, to my grand delight, as we were walking up from the beach we literally ran into Parrot Cay’s (Virtuoso resort in Turk’s and Caicos) former General Manager whom was recently brought in as the new general manager of Jade Mountain and Anse Chastanet. I believe that he’ll have this issue resolved in no time at all.
The good thing is that most packages come with meals included as things are expensive on the resort.
I did leave the best for last though…the rooms are something out of this world. It is no surprise that they have won so many awards. Even the “Bachelor UK: was filmed here (and returning soon!). I can’t even begin to describe them and the pictures don’t do them justice so here is a short video we took.
So the question is: would I recommend Jade Mountain? If you want to get away from it all…pollution, AC, stress and revive and regenerate…then absolutely. If you are a honeymooner (or simply want to spend quality time with that special someone) then absolutely. Just make sure you are informed as to where you are going, how far, and what it entails.
The most surprising thing? The St Lucian’s love of country music and line dancing!!
Tips:
Take advantage of the activities such as climbing the Pitons or jungle biking (if that’s your thing), sunset sail or visiting Soufriere or the volcano (try to get a water taxi there so you avoid that steep hill road).
If you can afford it, make one of the transfers from the airport by helicopter. Its an 8 minute ride but well worth it to avoid the winding roads.
Take mosquito repellant and good sandals (not flimsy flip flops only!)
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* A fourth hotel was added to the Virtuoso collection after this trip. Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Hotel (use to be the Jalousie Plantation)
Where in the World... The Cove, Atlantis, Bahamas by: Tania Swasbrook
Only a 2 ½ hour flight from New York, The Bahamas is extremely simple to get to…and if booking during low season, inexpensive.
The most marketed and well known hotel is The Atlantis Resort and Casino where I just recently spent the weekend.
The entire Atlantis Paradise Island resort offers 3,614 guestrooms. Opened in 1998, the resort was created by South African hotel magnate Sol Kerzner. Located on Paradise Island, a 20 minute drive from the airport (which has recently gone under renovations), Atlantis first opened it Coral and Beach Towers under Trump Plaza and later changed it to Atlantis.
It is a massive resort. It caters to kids and adults. If you go with children, you don't have to worry about them because all the kids activities are supervised by trained professionals. There are an abundance of different water activities at “Aquaventure" which opend in 2008. The 141-acre (0.57 km2), 200 million gallon Aquaventure combines slides, lazy rivers, and rapids into one large waterscape. The centerpiece of the attraction is the Power Tower which contains four waterslides.
Yet this Bahamas resort has much more than just a water park. If you want to get up close and personal with marine wildlife, there are many instructional interactive activities. You can play with dolphins in shallow natural pools and learn about their habitats. They can also play with real tame California Sea Lions, touching, hugging them, and even kissing them on the nose. There are supervised underwater dives, educational experiences with marine life researchers.
For adults, there are also many different things to keep them entertained. There is a golf course, a span and more than 40 different lounges, bars and restaurants to choose from. In addition to this, there are an abundance of entertainment venues, including concerts, theater opportunities, and a 9,000 square foot Aura Night Club.
The Atlantis Hotel Bahamas also has a full service casino, with slots, card tables, and so much more. There is also an adults only pool area, where no one under 18 is allowed. Here you can rent your own private cabana, or sit by the pool on a bed. There are often live offers concerts & event (such as Taylor Swift or Jerry Seinfeld when I went).
They do have an "adult only" part to Atlantis which is where we stayed. Called The Cove, it's trendy and they have DJ's at the pool where you can drink and dance at some points.
Obviously if you are one to like solitude then this is not the place for you. But if you are looking for an easy place to get to where everyone in the family is entertained with elements of luxury, then this is definitely a good option.
Where in the World... Spaceport America, New Mexico by: Francis Contreras
On March of 2011, Fabian and I went to visit SpacePortAmerica...same month when the Accredited Space Agents surpassed the $10 million
mark in sales of future Space flights. We couldn’t believe it. What seemed like
just a dream a year ago is now a reality.
We flew into El Paso Texas and drove to Las Cruces which
took about 45 minutes. Las Cruces is a very small town with the best hotel
being “Hotel Encanto” . From there we
drove to the Spaceport America which was another 45 minutes. Very scenic drive
with the mysteries of the desert displayed all around and the infamous America
“ghost towns” all throughout.
Arriving to the Spaceport was like a mirage. It blends in
perfectly with the landscape. It was designer by Sir Norman Foster (along with
Philip Stark). Foster’s other projects include the new airport in Hong Kong,
Beijing International Airport, Metro Bilbao, Wembley Stadium and the “Gerkin”
Swiss ReBuilding in London.
We really couldn’t believe we were there. Still a work in
progress but my goodness…what a sensation to be present in the creation ofhistory. It is set to be completed by end of
this year.
A few days later, the BBC's Richard Scott was the first journalist to be allowed inside the Virgin Galactic spaceship. Read story here
This is just the beginning of an extensive program for
Virgin that will not cease until the system is as safe as it can possibly
be. With no actual competitors and only a handful of other companies
even talking about offering sub-orbital tourist spaceflights, Virgin
Galactic are fully expected to be the first to operate commercial flights.
However that is not the priority, safety is
their guiding star.
We arrived in the mystical city of Muscat on our cruise, Silversea Cruises. The
port of Muscat has one of the most spectacular and diverse welcoming: the
contrast of the mountains with the clear water…the modern port with the
historical monuments.
The country itself is like that. Modern Oman was really born in 1970
when sultan Sa'id bin
Taimur, who had ruled since 1932, was overthrown by his son, Qabus ibn Sa'id
(also spelled Qaboos) who promised to establish a modern government and use
newfound oil wealth to aid the people of this very isolated state. Oman joined
the Arab League and the United Nations in 1971 and has never looked back.
One of the first
things you notice is how clean it is. It feels like it is a criminal offense to
litter and people actually get a ticket if they are driving a dirty car. The
loyalty to the Sultan is quite evident as is the pride of those that are
citizens of Oman (almost impossible to become one). Citizens are very well
taken care of and that is reflected on the way they take care of their country.
Don’t get me wrong –
it is not a “modern” country in what you may describe New York or even Dubai.
It is purposely taking its time to become ‘modern’ in that sense but it still
keeps its roots and history. As a tourist, you can feel and clearly see the
history and you definitely feel as if you are in the Middle East.
That being said, there
are pockets of extreme luxury such as The Chedi hotel in Oman. What an
incredible hotel…both modern and luxurious but encapsulating Oman perfectly.
With 156 rooms and
suites (and growing) it sits on the Gufl of Oman. A short drive from the
airport (or port) it has two swimming pools, a pristine private beach, spa and
almost all of the rooms have a scenic view of the Gulf or surrounding
mountains. Although there are impeccable standard rooms…we definitely recommend
getting the extra space for a bit more with the Deluxe Club rooms. The villas
are absolutely incredible and perfect for a family or a discerning couple.
Funnily enough, having
your honeymoon here would be ideal as you can do absolutely nothing other than
the beach, spa and wonderful food….or have a full day of exploring the nearby
mountains and regions.
We look forward to
going back to the Chedi Oman and thank Olga kindly for showing us around!
On November 12th, we arrived in Basel, Switzerland for the start of our journey. Though it’s cold this time of year, the markets were bustling and the fresh produce was beautiful. Winter squash and the last of the summer vegetables filled the stands next to cider kiosks.
