We all have a travel wish list of places we want to go - for milestone celebrations, family vacations, long weekend getaways, and the like. So what kind of traveler are you, and what's on your wish list? Find out when you take our Travel Dreams Survey. In the March issue of Virtuoso Life you'll find plenty of sandy shores and sandal-worthy locations, sunny vacation temptations that you'll want to add to your list.
6 Ways to Seek the Sun Lounge in Jamaica, dive in Fiji, pedal through Sicily: Get your dose of Vitamin D now.
Big, Bold, Beachy With 5,000 miles of coastline, a booming economy, and a good-time vibe, Brazil has sandy retreats for every mood.
Capri Calling Ferry off to the Island of Dreams for iconic hotels, vintage taxis, and icy limoncello served with cliff top views of Amalfi.
Virtuoso travel advisors like ourselves were asked to identify the most intriguing emerging destinations for 2013. From countries just embracing tourism to new reasons to visit old favorites, they are featured in the January/February edition of Virtuoso Life . You'll find the list of where to go now - along with tips and insights from the best in the industry. Not to brag, but we've been to nearly every single one of those places!
Plus, as a cool perk, Tania and Francis's trip to the Danube is featured on there too...with a cool picture to match! Check it out here. You can also visit our Travel Journals for more pictures !
Breckenridge is about a 2-hour drive from Denver. It is one of the
highest mountain towns in Colorado and has 155 trails. The skiing is
fantastic. It is the largest
historic district in Colorado but the apres skii is not as lively as
other areas like Vail or upscale like Aspen.
However, if you are a skiier, you are so tired at the end of the day that it's not that important anyway.
The best thing to do in the area is to rent a cabin or condo.. They Hyatt has excellent choices and is right off one of the lifts. The choice of good restaurants is a bit limited and there is nothing in terms of fancy places (think the opposite to Aspen), but the town is very quaint and very laid back.
CLIMATE: Winter Temperatures: 28 degrees daytime / 15 degrees night time
POPULATION: 3,535(as of 2013) TOWN SIZE: 7 miles long 2 miles wide APRES SKI: Don't expect much. You go here to ski. It has a few local and good restaurants but don't compare it to the likes of Aspen! LODGING: Hyatt Main Street Station - A Hyatt Residence Club
Great accommodations and location near town with walking distance to one of the main lifts.
Click here for some great pictures of our family holiday!
Cruise through the Danube Click here for photo journal
ITINERARY OF OUR CRUISE THROUGH THE DANUBE November 8th, BUDAPEST 3:00pm Embark ship - The Amacerto!
November 9th, BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA This
afternoon, arrive in Bratislava, capital of Slovakia. You have your
choice of two tours today. The first option is a walking tour of the
city’s major sites, including the Old Town Hall, the stunning Mirbach
Palace and gothic St. Martin’s Cathedral. In the alternative, choose a
“Communist History Tour” that includes architectural landmarks such as
the Radio Building, Liberty Square and the Soviet War Memorial. Late
tonight, the ship cruises to magnificent Vienna.
November 10th, VIENNA This
morning enjoy a guided tour of romantic Vienna that will include the
impressive Vienna Opera House, the majestic Ringstrasse and the historic
St. Stephen’s Cathedral. The afternoon is free to stroll along the
Kärtnerstrasse, or sample some of Vienna’s famous pastries in the
historic city center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the alternative,
join an optional tour this afternoon to the Imperial Schönbrunn Palace
and Gardens, a famous example of baroque architecture. Tonight, enjoy an
optional Mozart and Strauss concert.
November 11th, DÜRNSTEIN – MELK Early
this morning reach the Wachau Valley for your walking tour of
Dürnstein, known as one of the prettiest towns along the Danube. Marvel
at the magnificent blue facade of the baroque Stiftskirche and see the
ruins of the castle where Richard the Lionheart, King of England, was
imprisoned in 1192. Your walking tour through medieval cobblestone
streets reveals 16th-century town houses and wine taverns. Your tour
also includes a wine tasting at a local vintner. This afternoon, you can
enjoy a guided bike tour from Dürnstein to Melk (capacity controlled).
The ship arrives in Melk late this afternoon, where you will tour the
spectacular Melk Abbey, one of Europe’s largest baroque monasteries.
Gaze at the famous library that inspired Umberto Eco while writing “The
Name of the Rose.” Afterwards, enjoy free time to explore Melk, one of
Europe’s great cultural heritage sites.
November 12th, LINZ – PASSAU, GERMANY This
morning the ship arrives in Linz, where you will have the choice of two
different excursions. The first choice is an optional excursion to
Salzburg, where you will take a walking tour of the historic center,
famous as the setting for the “Sound of Music” and as the birthplace of
Mozart. The tour includes a visit to the Mirabell Gardens, Salzburg
Cathedral, Mozart’s Square, and much more. In the alternative, remain on
the ship and cruise through scenic Upper Austria to Passau. Located
where the rivers Inn and Ilz join the Danube, this 2,000-year-old city
is noted for its Gothic and Italian baroque architecture. A walking tour
of Passau will take you along the cobblestone streets of Old Town where
you will see the city fortifications and St. Stephan’s Cathedral, home
to the largest cathedral organ in the world.
November 13th, REGENSBURG In
the early afternoon arrive in Regensburg, one of Germany’s best
preserved medieval cities and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will
have your choice of three different tours here. The first is a guided
walking tour, in which you will see the city’s architectural highlights,
including the Old Town Hall and the Porta Praetoria — gates to an
ancient Roman fort built in 179 A.D. The next tour is an afternoon bike
ride to Walhalla, where you will visit the Walhalla temple which honors
distinguished Germans throughout history (capacity controlled). Your
third choice is a trip to the Audi Factory in Ingolstadt, where a member
of the Audi team will take you on a guided tour of the Audi Car Museum
or Factory Floor (subject to availability). Known for its distinctive
architecture, the museum features unique, high-tech exhibits on the
history of the car, combined with a fascinating look back at the 20th
century. The tour is capacity controlled.
November 14th, NUREMBERG Enjoy
a morning of scenic cruising through the Main-Danube Canal and relax
during a leisurely cruise through the beautiful Altmühl Valley. This
afternoon, you have a choice of two different excursions in Nuremberg,
capital of Franconia. On one tour, you will explore the medieval history
of Nuremberg, and see the 900-year-old ramparts that surround the city,
the Imperial Castle and Old Town Hall. The other tour will focus on
Nuremberg during World War II as the center of the Third Reich. Visit
the infamous Zeppelin field used to hold rallies and the Justice Palace
where the War Crimes Tribunal sat in 1946. November 15th, NUREMBERG Disembark
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)
