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7f917962d3bbe5bc23cb981551be99c8 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/people/zohardayan/ | Zohar DayanForbes Councils Member |COUNCIL POST Expertise from Forbes Councils members, operated under license. Opinions expressed are those of the author.| Membership (fee-based) | Zohar DayanForbes Councils Member |COUNCIL POST Expertise from Forbes Councils members, operated under license. Opinions expressed are those of the author.| Membership (fee-based)
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aad84e82533178a01c25e6d115bf7a45 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestheculture/2020/08/11/unanimous-media-ceo-jeron-smith-is-doubling-down-on-black-storytelling-with-sony-studios-partnership/?sh=cd3bde4740d1 | Unanimous Media CEO Jeron Smith Is Doubling Down On Black Storytelling With Sony Studios Partnership | Unanimous Media CEO Jeron Smith Is Doubling Down On Black Storytelling With Sony Studios Partnership
Jeron Smith and Stephen Curry are the cofounders of Unanimous Media. NurPhoto via Getty Images
Over the last five years, trending movements such as #OscarsSoWhite have spurred greater recognition of work by creatives of color in Hollywood. But recent examples—including the 2020 Oscar nominations wherein Black British actress Cynthia Erivo was the only person of color nominated across 20 categories—shows there’s still progress to be made.
Unanimous Media’s CEO Jeron Smith is looking to help change this narrative. When Smith, a 2015 Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, cofounded the multimedia company in 2018 with three-time NBA champion Stephen Curry, the goal was to produce television, film and digital content centered around family, faith and sports. Spotlighting stories by and about people of color was always core to the mission, but the team is now doubling down on those efforts through its new partnership with Sony Studios.
The companies have collaborated to form the Incubation Lab, which will seek out and bolster work by underrepresented talent across digital platforms. Smith will serve as executive producer for projects that emerge through the incubator.
During an Instagram Live conversation with For(bes) The Culture, Smith shared that Sony Studios and Unanimous Media have been in talks about this Incubation Lab partnership for over a year.
“Timing might be serendipitous,” Smith told the #CultureTalks audience. “I think the need has always been there, but there are a lot of things that are transpiring in the world that really create a lot of synergy.”
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One of the first projects to come from the Incubation Lab will be a feature film in collaboration with producer, director and writer Isaac Yowman.
“That project that he is working on is going to be incredible,” says Smith. “It is going to be an incredible film, but also for the culture, so we are excited about that.”
Prior to confounding Unanimous Media, Smith was a marketing lead at Nike, where he developed a knack for spotting diverse talent. He left Nike to join the Office of Digital Strategy as its deputy director during the Obama administration.
“I feel blessed to be in the position that I am in,” says Smith. “[I use] these resources to create pathways for other storytellers, executive producers, directors and writers. I see more of myself as a conduit to bring two worlds together.”
For(bes) The Culture is Forbes’ recently launched hub for Black and brown professionals.
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f0b36245d1cb9679e28d556484b5d814 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestheculture/2020/08/23/women-who-tech-launches-challenge-to-help-fund-startups-affected-by-covid-19/ | Women Who Tech Launches Challenge To Help Fund Startups Affected By Covid-19 | Women Who Tech Launches Challenge To Help Fund Startups Affected By Covid-19
The Women Who Tech Women’s Startup Challenge in Paris, France on October 7, 2019 at Hôtel de Ville. Kristin Johnson
Women Who Tech, one of the largest organizations dedicated to funding women-led tech startups, launched a new grant program to identify standout female leaders in tech working to mitigate issues caused by the pandemic.
The COVID-19 Tech Grant will award women-run companies innovating in industries such as healthcare, education and civic engagement. Of the five finalists, two will be named winners and will be rewarded either the $3,000 impact grant or the $10,000 innovation grant. Award recipients will also receive one-on-one pitch coaching. Applications close Sunday, August 23, at 11:59 p.m. PT.
“We believe one of the best ways to solve some of the world’s biggest problems that we’re facing as a society is through tech,” says Women Who Tech founder Allyson Kapin.
While women are often at the forefront of innovation in tech, they continue to face funding obstacles. The pandemic has only intensified this gap.
“Funding for women-led startups has declined by over 30% between Q2 of 2019 and Q2 of 2020 and they were only getting 2.7% of funding to begin with,” says Kapin “For Latinx women-led startups: 0.32%. For Black women founders, funding is even more dismal at only 0.0006%.”
Women Who Tech leans on its allies, including Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist and Craig Newmark Philanthropies and Women Who Tech advisory board member. Newmark, who’s the only male on Women Who Tech’s seven-person U.S. advisory board, is very clear about his role: “The idea is to give a voice to underserved populations, and then, for the most part, get out of their way,” says Newmark.
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Through past grant programs, Women In Tech has assisted companies like the Black female-founded streaming service kewliTV that’s aiming to combat media’s underrepresentation of Black narratives. The company’s content is now streaming on Comcast platforms.
Women Who Tech wants to be an ongoing part of the funding gap conversation, with plans to release a survey accessing the top barriers and challenges women face within startup and tech culture. The organization also wants to expand its influence.
“We’re thinking about ways we can fund more women-led startups who need our help globally,” says Kapin.
For(bes) The Culture is Forbes’ recently launched hub for Black and Brown professionals.
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68bd5d8ca6f7448d143e16fc7d5fe0e6 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestheculture/2020/09/18/award-winning-tv-music-composer-robert-toteras-discusses-where-the-industry-is-headed/?sh=41fc41ec799f | Award-Winning TV Music Composer Robert ToTeras Discusses Where The Industry Is Headed | Award-Winning TV Music Composer Robert ToTeras Discusses Where The Industry Is Headed
Robert ToTeras' diverse portfolio includes Nickelodeon's Gigantic and LeBron James' and Maverick ... [+] Carter's Cleveland Hustles. Amy C. Elliott
Robert ToTeras is one of the few Black television musical composers. But that isn’t the reason why he stands out. His diverse portfolio includes Nickelodeon's Gigantic and LeBron James' and Maverick Carter's Cleveland Hustles, and since 2012 he’s worked with Magical Elves' productions on projects such as Cold Justice and the GLAAD award-winning L Word Mississippi: Hate the Sin. He most recently earned a BMI award for his score for the Netflix baking show Sugar Rush.
"Since I was three, I have been playing, and I knew right away that is what I wanted to do,” he says. ToTeras, who lived with his mother and grandmother growing up, took a liking to a 1950s piano his grandmother had kept. As it turns out, music runs in the family: His 11-year-old daughter has played guitar on several of ToTeras’ scores.
After his time studying at Temple University, the 42-year-old spent time as a guitarist in a rock band, touring the country before making the transition to writing music for television.
“A composer for TV or film is generally the last link in the chain,” says ToTeras, but that doesn’t mean his role is any less important. “My job is to explore the emotional content of that subject matter through the music of the score.”
For(bes) The Culture, Forbes’ recently launched hub for Black and Brown professionals, spoke to ToTeras about the challenges of being a television composer, how he sets himself apart from others and where he sees the television composer industry headed for underrepresented talent.
For(bes) The Culture: How does someone become a television composer?
Robert ToTeras: There are two routes. There are the music school kids who went to a university like California, Berkeley. A lot of people attend Berkeley and work with equipment and learn how to build computers. However, I didn’t attend Berkeley. I went to the Manhattan School of Music. The first time was for classical composition, not for film and television.
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The other route is if they come from a well-off background. They are able to go to work for free and intern, and then they work their way up to become an assistant, and get their foot in the door that way.
For(bes) The Culture: You are only one of a handful of Black music composers in television, but how do you set yourself apart from others in the industry through your work?
ToTeras: Musically, everyone has a different style, even if you are not trying to. Just like everyone dresses differently. Everyone has a personal style, whether they know it or not. Hollywood is filled with talented people.
Beyond the work: Are you easy to work with? I think one of the things you don’t want to be is difficult. This is a collaborative business. People get into the business and don’t understand that.
I also set myself apart by focusing on every note I write. I think everyone I have worked with will say I am very concerned with how my score will be perceived. I labor over every second, and I love what I do.
For(bes) The Culture: What have been some of the challenges you’ve faced throughout your career with projects such as, Cleveland Hustles, Sugar Rush and Cold Justice?
ToTeras: There are numerous creative challenges with every project. And television has some ridiculous deadlines.
The biggest challenge is that you’re always trying to capture the soul of the project with each score. Cleveland Hustles was all about the determination and grit of people trying to build better lives. The score had to reflect that. Sugar Rush is about the intensity of creativity against the clock.
But a project like Cold Justice is a little different because you’re dealing with people losing loved ones to violence. You want the music to honor them and their struggle but is not intrusive to the story. It can be suspenseful, but it’s not a corny melodrama. These people are real. Their pain is real. Their desperate need for justice and closure is real. The music has to feel as authentic as they are.
For(bes) The Culture: Where do you see the industry headed in the next five to 10 years?
ToTeras: It’s like a second renaissance for Black artists, the first being in the ’80s with artists like Spike Lee, John Singleton and Robert Townsend. Now we have artists like Ava DuYernay, Ryan Coogler, Lena Waithe and Gina Prince-Bythewood. And it’s not just writers and directors—it’s composers, editors, set designers, even hair and makeup professionals.
But it’s not just about Black artists telling only Black stories, though that’s extremely important. It’s also a universal thing. Cold Justice is not a ‘Black show,’ neither is Sugar Rush. Lebron James produced Cleveland Hustles, but the people the show features are as diverse as America itself. Hollywood is waking up to the fact that Black artists, and artists of color, can do anything. Other people have told our stories for a long time. We have just as much capacity to tell theirs. It feels like a revolution and I just want to be a part of it.
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5e292ea745dead99503956f51a8a26e3 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestheculture/2020/12/03/former-drake-executive-discusses-her-transition-to-tech-and-entrepreneurship/?sh=34b8838d6cb8 | Former Drake Executive Discusses Her Transition To Tech And Entrepreneurship | Former Drake Executive Discusses Her Transition To Tech And Entrepreneurship
Courtne Smith has launched three companies since leaving Drake’s management team. Courtesy of NewNew
After spending more than a decade on rapper Drake’s management team, Toronto native Courtne Smith is creating new opportunities for connection.
Smith is the founder and CEO of NewNew, a social app that allows users to collaborate and connect based on their shared love of video (think TikTok meets Facebook). This isn’t Smith’s first go at entrepreneurship. She and her business partner Filip Diarra founded hair product line Tharen in 2015 and giveaway game Suprize in 2018. But NewNew marks Smith’s debut in the tech industry, a competitive market where women founders are few and far between.
If Smith is anything, though, it’s adaptable. Since launching NewNew earlier this year, she became one of fewer than 20 Black female founders in the history of tech to build an eight-figure, venture backed company. “Technology allows you to touch everyone around the world, I wanted to find a different way to be creative,” she says. “So when I started brainstorming businesses earlier on, maybe like five, six years ago, I realized that I would always keep going back to the latest technology.”
NewNew focuses on people and how they share their content. Courtesy Of NewNew
For(bes) The Culture spoke to Smith about her transition from working on Drake’s management team to becoming an entrepreneur, the journey to launching NewNew and the roadblocks she encountered along the way.
For(bes) The Culture: What have you learned from being on Drake's management team and what were some of the biggest struggles pivoting?
Smith: I gained insight into the unique ways that entrepreneurs and brands think and operate. Being able to see that firsthand, behind the scenes, was really a big catalyst in me wanting to create something on my own. Primarily, something that would have a really big impact in the entertainment and music industry. In a world of creativity where there's endless possibilities in entertainment, I saw various opportunities where I could integrate my own ideas. During that time, it really fostered my passion and my strength in creating and executing on large scale projects. I parlayed those skills into tech, so the transition was pretty natural.
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For(bes) The Culture: What makes NewNew different from other apps?
Smith: There's a huge interest right now around people creating original content, especially in the social space. Most apps, whether it's new ones or the OGs, are constantly looking to turn out the next big content creator and their focus up until this point has been predominantly pushing users to create their own original content.
That’s leaving a huge untapped market focusing more on people and how they share that content. Also, the bonds and the relationships that they can form by doing so. There's a lot of power in being a person who can influence other people just based on content that's liked and shared. NewNew allows users to get real-time feedback and influence other people by asking content-based questions that aren't necessarily rooted in users having to create original content. Users and their friends can collaborate by voting on the various polls and having conversations based on content that already exists. We're seeing the app allow its users to share things and create bonds in new ways.
For(bes) The Culture: You're not new to the entrepreneurial game. How did these previous experiences help you and how has this time been different?
Smith: I’ve learned so much over my journey. The big thing, though, and this kind of applies across all businesses, is to not get married to your own ideas. Founders frequently set out to build or provide something that they're passionate about. The problem with that is, that idea or that product you want to build or that service you want to provide might not actually work in the real world.
As a founder and as an entrepreneur, you need to be able to know when it's time to disconnect from that idea and take a step back and figure out what really needs to be changed in order for the product to work or for the service to work. I’ve had to rely on my ability to be agile and adapt to change. Those are things that keep you on your toes. Ultimately, you just need to be able to put your own wants aside and create or provide a product or service that people want.
For(bes) The Culture: Describe the transition from an executive-level position to founding multiple startups.
Smith: It's like transitioning from being a passenger to a driver. When you're a founder, there's nobody else to make the final decision, but you. There's really nobody to lean on when things get rough and there are no days off. It's a non-stop, 24/7 pressure that exists. I live for that environment and I strive under that kind of sentiment, but it’s a very stark difference between working for someone versus doing something on your own.
For(bes) The Culture: What were the benefits or challenges of developing and releasing the app during the height of the pandemic?
Smith: We used that time to retarget our core users and develop new features to streamline the platform. We're all kind of adapting to the world with Covid and our new normal. In terms of our platform, we've definitely seen changes and user usage. People are spending a lot more time on the app and we've seen it spread faster. The goal during this time is to still consistently come out with new features and always make sure that people can communicate with each other in innovative ways. The pandemic allotted our team an opportunity to build the app out and connect with our users to answer their questions.
For(bes) The Culture: In what ways are you paving the way for other Black women in tech?
Smith: I'm very aware that there's an extremely limited number of women who look like me in tech. I'm also very aware that there's a next generation of young Black female tech founders that are out there and possibly watching. [For] myself and other Black female tech founders, encouraging and uplifting the next generation of Black girls to reach their dreams is our responsibility.
The pressure is on for us to be the best and to give them the inspiration and the confidence that they need to create their own mark on the world.
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0522d845f3547479b46b2672c31f44f0 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestheculture/2021/02/09/what-kamala-harris-is-expected-to-focus-on-during-her-first-year-as-vice-president/ | What Kamala Harris Is Expected To Focus On During Her First Year As Vice President | What Kamala Harris Is Expected To Focus On During Her First Year As Vice President
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a virtual roundtable event with participants from local ... [+] Black Chambers of Commerce. Getty Images
Last month, Kamala Harris showed the world that delay did not equal denial when she was sworn in as the vice president of the United States.
She broke barriers when she was elected as vice president to an office that has always been occupied by white men. It was a defining moment in American history, one that Black and Brown communities hope is followed by defining change.
Harris holds the tie-breaking vote in the Senate (she’s already cast two-tie breaking votes on a budget resolution for Covid-19 relief), which gives her the power to demonstrate her sincerity in confronting ongoing racial inequality in America. This is especially important for Black Americans who cite her decisions as a California prosecutor, including her support for a truancy law that disproportionately impacted and criminalized parents of color (something she later expressed regret for), and remain skeptical of her political priorities. It’s also important to her supporters—including the some 90% of Black women who voted for Biden and Harris—who want to remain confident in their vote. Here’s what Harris, who has a lot of show and prove in terms of ensuring her political priorities match up with her words, might tackle during her first year as vice president.
Student Loan Debt:
Black graduates are more likely to take on student debt and twice as likely to be jobless after graduation than their white counterparts. Black women also carry the highest amount of loan debt. An alumna of a historically Black college herself, Harris has been in favor of decreasing tuition for students of low socioeconomic status at HBCUs, as well as implementing loan forgiveness for HBCU graduates who earn under $125,000 a year. Harris also vowed to invest $70 billion in historically Black colleges and universities.
Beyond HBCUs, Harris had also proposed cancelling up to $20,000 of student loan debt during her presidential campaign and has since expressed support for a legislative proposal to cancel $10,000 of student loan debt with demonstrated income loss from Covid-19.
Police Reform:
Last year saw a number of police-involved killings of unarmed Black Americans, and little to no disciplinary action. Tensions grew even more after peaceful protestors were subjected to arrests and brutality, and just days before the inauguration, pro-Trump protesters stormed the Capitol building.
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Harris has made her current stance on police reform clear: In the wake of Breonna Taylor’s death, she publicly addressed her frustration that the officers involved were not charged. Reform efforts also date back to her former career: In 2015, during her time as California senator, she launched a police anti-bias training program that we could see take greater shape, perhaps in a national capacity, during her time as VP.
Gender Equality:
It’s no surprise that Harris, now the highest-ranking female leader in U.S. politics, will be expected to tackle gender equality.
Among the issues that need addressing: the rise in maternal deaths amongst Black Women (Black mothers are three to four times more likely to die during or after delivery than white women) and the large pay gap that still exists between women (worse for women of color) and men.
“[People] are burdened by only having the capacity to see what has always been instead of what can be,” Harris said during a 2020 Black Girls Lead conference. “But don’t let that burden you.” Here’s hoping Harris sets new standards for what’s possible in 2021.
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3c28ddcc03eb6cf1d162933ffa2717a6 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestheculture/2021/02/11/why-pro-athletes-like-rodger-saffold-are-trying-their-hand-at-esports/?sh=6331b6c16157 | Why Pro Athletes Like Rodger Saffold Are Trying Their Hand At Esports | Why Pro Athletes Like Rodger Saffold Are Trying Their Hand At Esports
NFL veteran Rodger Saffold is the founder of esports team RISE. Jacob Norman
Competitive gaming, or esports, as it is commonly called, has evolved into one of the world’s biggest social and virtual recreation outlets. According to Nielsen Games Video Game Tracking, more worldwide gamers than ever are playing video games, in part due to Covid-19. In fact, gaming rates are up 46% in the U.S. since March of 2020, the highest among France, UK, and Germany, the four countries researched.
The uptick in gaming and esports engagement has major collegiate athletic programs and professional athletes also increasing their efforts to capitalize off of the surge. Stephen Curry, Andre Iguodala, Kevin Durant, Chad Ochocinco and Odell Beckham, among others, have cashed in on esports through sponsorships, investments and majority, outright or partial ownership of their own teams.
NFL veteran Rodger Saffold is one of the first professional athletes to make a big mark on esports and is also one of few current pro athletes to own his own esports team. A guard for the Tennessee Titans, when Saffold takes off his cleats, he picks up a controller and immerses himself in the esports world. Saffold has been a gamer since he was 3 years old, playing on his sister’s Super Nintendo and eventually graduating to playing Modern Warfare and Call of Duty. After streaming his content on Twitch and playing for fun with friends, Saffold was encouraged to consider investing in a team of his own.
In 2014, he turned his interest into an investment by founding his esports team RISE, making him one of the only active NFL players-turned-owners in the esports world.
“When I got into esports I knew that this was going to grow rapidly and I knew the longer that I stayed in this [industry] the more it was going to grow and stabilize,” Saffold told For(bes) The Culture.
Upon its inception, RISE capitalized on the popularity of Call of Duty Ghost and was a fierce competitor in the World Championships. It continues to draw viewers by competing in Call of Duty Tournaments. In 2021, RISE will be expanding its global reach through its newest venture, FIFA Esports.
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RISE also serves as a model for athletes actively seeking sports ownership opportunities. A Black-owned company, RISE is committed to creating opportunities for other people of color, with the goal of organically adding diversity to the esports world. “Whenever you’re getting into anything investment wise or starting your own company, you want to be innovative and to inspire real change,” says Saffold. “This is going to be a generational change. Technology is continuing to improve, something that is especially true due to Covid-19.”
Collegiate athletics is also increasing its effort to be competitive in esports. The National Collegiate Athletic Association, National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics, and the National Junior College Athletics Association now all recognize esports as a varsity sport. Colleges and universities including University of California, Irvine, University of Utah and Robert Morris have dominated in esports, a product of investing in multi million-dollar gaming facilities and recruiting top talent.
As the esports world continues to explode, an undeniable link between virtual sports experiences and traditional sports will continue to exist. Many wonder if virtual reality will replace other aspects of our sports experiences post-pandemic, and if professional athletes will continue to invest in this space. Only time and technological advancement will tell.
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c24c17dbcd9847b31d335f440cacb04a | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestheculture/2021/02/15/exclusive-charlamagne-tha-god-launches-mental-wealth-alliance/ | Exclusive: Charlamagne Tha God Launches Mental Wealth Alliance | Exclusive: Charlamagne Tha God Launches Mental Wealth Alliance
Charlamagne tha God attends AfroTech 2019. Getty
Charlamagne Tha God is not new to using his personal platform to amplify awareness around mental health in the Black community. He’s doubling down on those efforts with his new initiative, the Mental Wealth Alliance.
Launching today, MWA is a “forward-thinking foundation created to destigmatize, accelerate, and center state-of-the-art mental health outreach and care across the U.S. while building an unprecedented long-term system of generational support for Black communities.” Its goal is to raise $100 million over the course of five years and to partner with Black-led organizations and experts to lead the charge in destigmatizing mental health.
“I hope getting these brothers and sisters to go to therapy makes them realize the things that they’re going through, whether it’s panic attacks, depression, anxiety or PTSD, these are normal things,” the Breakfast Club co-host told For(bes) The Culture.
MWA will provide free pre-therapy services to more than 10 million Black Americans over the next five years. “There’s reasons why you have these triggers that cause these things to happen,” Charlamagne Tha God adds. “Once you get the language, that helps to normalize it and helps you feel normal.”
Ahead of the launch, For(bes) The Culture spoke to Charlamagne Tha God exclusively about celebrating the launch of MWA, the importance of mental health and the evolution of his personal mental health journey.
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For(bes) The Culture: Tell me about the Mental Wealth Alliance and what inspired it.
Charlamagne Tha God: The Mental Wealth Alliance was inspired by the work that I’ve already been doing, which I didn’t even realize was work. A few years ago I started telling people about how I’ve dealt with anxiety, bouts of depression. [I started] therapy sessions and putting those therapy sessions in a book, Shook One: Anxiety Playing Tricks On Me. I put that book out and didn’t even look back because truth be told, I wasn’t even truly comfortable with having those conversions yet. I never expressed those things I was feeling in public settings like that. I went from not really speaking about it at all to every now and then to being on Dr. Phil or something talking about it. That’s giving me panic attacks in itself.
Next thing I know, people are coming up to me in the streets saying they started going to therapy because of me. People are telling me thank you for talking about my anxiety because those are feelings that they’ve had. You kind of become a mental health advocate without even trying. I remember the first time somebody announced me as that and I was like, ‘I’m not a mental health advocate.’ It was like, ‘Yes, you are, whether you want to be or not.’ Then you have other people like Taraji P. Henson, Tracie Jade and Brandon Marshall, and it just felt like a light started shining in the culture. People just started coming out of the shadows like, ‘Hey, I’m dealing with it, too.’ The MWA is the evolution of all of that. There’s nothing that I’m doing that fulfills me more [or] gives me a greater sense of purpose than doing this work. Why not create a foundation so I can really elevate the work in a real way?
For(bes) The Culture: What will providing free pre-therapy resources to more than 10 million Black people do for the community, in terms of normalizing therapy?
Charlamagne Tha God: It’ll normalize it by letting people know it’s OK to not be OK. When I first got diagnosed with anxiety, it was 2010 and I always tell this story: I was back home living with my mom in Moncks Corner, South Carolina, I had just gotten fired for the fourth time from radio, my daughter was two-years-old, my now-wife was living back home with her parents and I just started collecting unemployment checks. I’m driving down I-26 in South Carolina and I felt that feeling I felt so many times in my life before: Chest getting tight, breathing getting short but heavy, clutching my chest like I’m about to have a heart attack - again. I went to the doctor the next day and the doctor told me what all doctors told me when I checked myself into the emergency room for that same feeling throughout my life: ‘You’ve got an athlete’s heart. You’re fine.’
But that doctor said, ‘Do you suffer from anxiety?,’ and that’s the first time I ever heard that. I’m like, ‘No, what is anxiety?,’ and he said, ‘It sounds like you suffered from a panic attack. Are you stressed about anything?’ I said, ‘Hell yeah!’ When I got that language, in my mind, all I had to do was get another job and everything will be fine. Five years later, and the next job I got was The Breakfast Club. I’m having more success and money than I’ve ever had in my life, but I’m still having those panic attacks and those feelings. I started having those conversations with those people I knew were in therapy and they would talk to me about it. The stuff that they would talk to me about sounded very similar and when I started going to therapy, I started to get the language and understand that what I was dealing with was pretty normal. It’s not something that people don’t go through. It’s just like any other ailment you may have; you just gotta know how to treat it and take care of yourself while you’re dealing with it.
For(bes) The Culture: Let’s talk about the three major pillars of life-changing impact: train, teach and treat. Can you expand upon these?
Charlamagne Tha God: The training aspect is as far as what we want to do in the mental healthcare space. We want to increase that 3% [of Black board-certified psychiatrists] because we need culturally competent people in that field. The craziest thing is when you’re Black and you sit down with somebody who doesn’t understand where you’re coming from. How can you properly teach or help somebody when you don’t know where they’re coming from? The treatment part is providing the therapy for 10 million Black people over the next five years. Getting people trained and teaching is the curriculum aspect of it all and getting that social and emotional learning into the schools. Getting some type of bill passed where this has to be in the Black community. If you tackle those three Ts, I think it’ll be game changing for our community.
For(bes) The Culture: How have you seen the pandemic, the election cycle and the tragic events in the Black community impact the mental health of Black Americans?
Charlamagne Tha God: I’ve never had more people call me, FaceTime me or text me saying, ‘Yo, bro, I’m ready to talk to somebody.’ Everybody’s sitting at home and having to deal with themselves all the time. There’s a lot of people who are just seeing themselves for the first time and they might not necessarily like what they see. I had one friend in particular who I love and miss dearly Jasmine Waters, and Jas was somebody who I bonded with on a million different things, but it was definitely on the fact that we both dealt with anxiety and bouts of depression. She handled the language way earlier than I did; she got diagnosed when she was 19 so she went to therapy for years.
She’s one of many who didn’t make it out last year. It got too unbearable for her and when she did what she did, that made me think that I really had to lean into this work. I really gotta get this foundation off the ground and assist as many people as I possibly can because she was someone who had the language, was doing the work and still couldn’t handle it. It’s been heavy for a lot of different people but it pushed a lot of people to the edge in a negative and positive way. The negative way where people feel like they can’t take it anymore and they take their life; the positive way is where people push themselves to a point and finally say, ‘I gotta go get some help and finally talk to a therapist.’ Give people grace.
For(bes) The Culture: How has your self-discovery journey in mental wellness evolved between the release of Shook One in 2018 and the launch of MWA?
Charlamagne Tha God: I was just telling my story and I was just being transparent like I attempt to do all the time, but therapy has taught me how to be more vulnerable. I am an empath, but it made me have more grace with humans. I always say to give people the grace that you want God to give you and if that’s too much, just give people the grace you’d want for yourself. I know for a fact there are many things that have probably changed about me, especially when it comes to my approach on the radio, how I talk to people, and how I talk about people because everybody’s fighting battles that we know nothing about.
Everybody’s simply doing the best they can and a lot of people have not figured it out. A lot of people aren’t where I am as far as doing the work on myself so you’ve got to give people grace when it comes to that. Over the last three years, I think that’s been the biggest evolution of having more compassion and constantly learning. Not just learning more languages but learning more techniques and practices to stay mentally healthy.
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48f8c3437d1be1723e3388a526f21e28 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestheculture/2021/02/23/how-tamron-hall-is-helping-women-get-back-to-work/?sh=7c0ec9324c5a | How Tamron Hall Is Helping Women Get Back To Work | How Tamron Hall Is Helping Women Get Back To Work
Tamron Hall speaks onstage during the 51st NAACP Image Awards. Getty Images
Not too long ago, women outnumbered men in the U.S. workforce. However, since the start of the pandemic, the total number of women who have left the labor force has surpassed 2.3 million (in comparison to the 1.8 million men who have left the labor force).
Tamron Hall, journalist and award-winning host of her eponymous ABC talk show, is partnering with beauty brand No7 to bring women back to work through Unstoppable Together, a virtual job summit. The event, scheduled for February 24, will bring together speakers including Arianna Huffington, Minda Harts and Padma Lakshmi, and tackle the challenges surrounding gender inequality and the wage gap.
“It's important from my perspective that we remind women how relevant we are to the workforce,”Hall tells For(bes) The Culture. “This summit will give women the extra boost of confidence they need.”
The free, four-hour virtual summit, an accompaniment to No7’s new Unstoppable Together campaign, will offer workshops on professional skills, including interview strategies, virtual networking, and career pivoting. It’ll also address one of the biggest challenges facing women in the workplace: how to balance work and motherhood.
“Women are almost twice as likely to reduce their working hours to provide childcare and three times more likely to not work at all due to childcare demand,” says Hall. “We are being put in the unfortunate position to stay in the traditional role of the parent and sole caretaker at the expense of pursuing our dream and in some cases the necessary job to make ends meet.”
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The summit is a step in the right direction toward helping women reenter the workforce, but progress is also heavily dependent on pandemic recovery, a factor that’s played a major role in job loss.
Hall, for her part, is committed to moving the needle where she can, advocating for stronger pipelines for women at ABC, specifically, in part by demanding to have a wide range of women on the staff of her show. “We brought together an unstoppable team built on the diversity of women,” she says. “With the majority of daytime television viewers being women, I didn't want an environment where men were telling viewers what they should be doing or thinking.”
She hopes more companies will have conversations with employees about workplace policies, and how they affect women and pay equity.
“There has to be a pipeline where we grow and encourage female entrepreneurs in the same way men have been supported in the past,” she says. “When we look at the workforce now, many women believe there is no place for them at the table when in fact, we are the table, we are the chair, we are the people who bring in the diverse voices that make any and every company better.”
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6bf8ef34c766936e3b31412088ba59f3 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestheculture/2021/03/01/tv-host-shaun-robinson-talks-black-female-representation-in-leadership/ | TV Host Shaun Robinson Talks Black Female Representation In Leadership | TV Host Shaun Robinson Talks Black Female Representation In Leadership
Shaun Robinson is on a mission to bring more representation to media. TLC/Allied Global Marketing
The media industry hasn’t always been the most welcoming to Black women. According to Women’s Media Center, women of color make up less than 8% of print newsrooms, 12% of local television stations, and 6% of local radio staff in the U.S. Television host and philanthropist Shaun Robinson has been pushing the envelope in this white male dominated space since graduating from Spelman College and landing her first job at Detroit's WGPR-TV (now WWJ-TV), the first Black-owned television station in the U.S.
Since then, she’s served as a host on NBC’s Access Hollywood and written a book, Exactly As I Am: Celebrated Women Share Candid Advice with Today’s Girls on What It Takes to Believe in Yourself, featuring candid advice from women including Grammy award-winning singer Alicia Keys and media mogul Oprah Winfrey, who draw from the challenges they faced navigating media as Black women. Through her S.H.A.U.N. Foundation For Girls, founded in 2016, Robinson is also creating pipelines for girls interested in the STEM fields.
In January, the Emmy award-winning journalist returned to reality television’s 90 Day Fiance franchise and hosted the series’ 90 Day Bares All. “I get to show another side to my personality and the viewers love it,” she says.
For(bes) The Culture spoke with Robinson about how she’s advocating for representation in media, the Black women who are paving the wave for change and the momentum behind HBCUs in facilitating the next generations of leaders of color.
For(bes) The Culture: How do you view the current state of Black women representation within the media industry?
Shaun Robinson: I posted a picture of a woman named Beverly Payne on my social media at the beginning of Black History Month. She was the first African-American woman I saw as a news anchor when I was growing up in Detroit. After my cartoons, my grandmother would turn on the evening news and there was Beverly Payne. I knew that she was different because she looked like me and I didn’t see anyone on television like myself. Even though I never met Beverly Payne, she was the first person who really set me on the path to becoming a journalist.
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I’m very blessed to have had longevity throughout my career. So many young women come up to me and tell me that seeing me on the red carpet or TV has made them feel and know that they could accomplish something too. It’s important at the core of it to see ourselves and know that we are valued and protected. That’s something that’s very close to my heart and I will use my platform as long as I can to promote that.
For(bes) The Culture: How do you think the media industry can truly put meaning behind the words ‘diversity and inclusion’?
Robinson: A girlfriend of mine that I grew up across the street from on the Northwest side of Detroit, who I also went to high school with and is my Spelman sister, Rosalind Brewer, was just named the CEO of Walgreens. As we were texting and celebrating her, we talked about the importance of seeing ourselves. But we need to ask ourselves why it is that in 2021 she’s such an anomaly and we’re surprised. Why is this something that is unique? It is about our talents being recognized. It’s not special that we’re trying to achieve diversity; this is what we’re supposed to be doing.
We’re supposed to have a society that reflects all people. If we’re looking in corporate America and we’re not seeing what’s reflected in society, that’s a problem. When we talk about striving for diversity and inclusion, we have to make sure that we understand this is what we’re supposed to be doing. It’s something that should be required. For too long we have left out talented people because those who make the hiring decisions only pick from the pool of people that look like them. Opening our eyes and understanding that there is a world outside of our tiny bubble and recognizing the talents of all of our society is what we should be striving for.
For(bes) The Culture: Stacey Abrams, another Spelman alumna, was a driving force in the 2020 election. What does this mean to you as a Spelman alumna?
Robinson: I went to a fundraiser for Stacey when she was running for governor of Georgia and I was so impressed with her. Stacey Abrams is an extraordinary woman, but we should all be Stacey Abrams. The brunt of getting people to vote should not be on the back of one Black woman. Thank goodness for her, but we all need to participate in this process. We know our value and we know that our voice has value. We all need to be part of this effort and not depend on one single sister to save democracy. She needs our help and that's what we need to do.
For(bes) The Culture: Vice President Kamala Harris is a Howard University graduate. How has the visibility of HBCUs increased during the election cycle?
Robinson: It’s moving in the right direction, but the numbers in 2021 do not reflect what they should be. We can count them and probably have some fingers left over but this is something that we need to recognize, especially with HBCUs and educating people on the tremendous education you can get at HBCUs. Kamala’s appointment has increased the visibility of HBCUs and hopefully we will see numbers of people looking to get an education at an HBCU. We still have a long way to go.
For(bes) The Culture: How did your HBCU experience shape you into the woman you are today?
Robinson: Going to an HBCU, and specifically Spelman, there were extraordinary women who came to our campus like Nikki Giovanni, Maya Angelou and Coretta Scott King. In the four years, there were just so many incredible women who came through the doors of Spelman to speak to us. We were looking at history and there was never a time when I was at Spelman and thought that I couldn’t achieve something because of the color of my skin. I knew that because of the incredible teachers we had there at the school, the civil rights leaders that came through and the poets, I knew that it was possible. I really wish that every child of color who doesn’t see themselves could have that experience because many don’t. The most important lesson that I got from Spelman was that I could achieve it because I can see it.
For(bes) The Culture: Tell me about your work as the founder and philanthropist for S.H.A.U.N. Foundation for Girls.
Robinson: When I left my job with Access Hollywood after 16 years, I had time to focus on my passion project which was creating this foundation. With the S.H.A.U.N. Foundation for Girls, what we do is support small nonprofits doing work in five key areas of girls’ issues and those areas are represented in the acronym of my name: STEM, health, art, unity and neighborhoods. If there’s a nonprofit doing work in one of those key areas, we could possibly be a resource for them.
Helping them know that they can achieve something if they really put their mind to it, it’s something that I work on every single day. Right now, the foundation is working on a documentary about implicit bias towards Black girls. The things that we just uncovered in the documentary have been heartbreaking but we really need to shine a light on how we view Black girls. We just had this horrendous video of this 9-year-old girl being tased by police. What is that? It’s quite interesting and I can’t wait to bring it to the audience.
For(bes) The Culture: How did your personal journey with confidence and self-esteem assist you in your professional journey as a personality, author, actress and journalist?
Robinson: For my book Exactly As I Am, I interviewed Oprah Winfrey, who said, ‘You are valuable because you are born.’ That’s one of the quotes she gave me for the book and the journey to self-esteem is a lifelong one. You don’t just open up your eyes one day and say you’ve got it all together. I was blessed with parents and grandparents who believed in me and told me that I could do what I put my mind to. Every single day is a moment where I go, ‘Oh gosh, that’s gonna be hard. Can I do it?’ and I just stay the course because it’s about perseverance and keeping your eyes on the prize. It’s about knowing that if I have faith and work hard that I can achieve it.
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2dbc363a87c0fa71807b02bd2862aaaa | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestheculture/2021/03/08/these-black-women-are-bringing-representation-to-the-podcast-space/ | These Black Women Are Bringing Representation To The Podcast Space | These Black Women Are Bringing Representation To The Podcast Space
Karen Civil and Ming Lee are the voices behind the "Girl, I Guess podcast." Courtesy of Karen Civil and Ming Lee
As is the case in many industries, Black women are disrupting the podcast sector, a $1 billion market that’s historically left out diverse voices.
Among these trailblazers are Karen Civil, Scottie Beam, Ming Lee and Renae Bluitt, who are using their podcast platforms to amplify the voices of other women of color. For(bes) The Culture caught up with some of these trailblazers to discuss the importance of ownership and leading the way for future generations of Black and Brown female podcasters.
“There isn’t anything more important; representation is paramount,” says Scottie Beam, who, alongside Bexx Francois, Gia Peppers, Sapphira Martin and Alysha P. Beam, is a podcaster on Black Girl Podcast. Beam has made a name for herself as a culture shifter, using her platform to amplify Black-owned businesses and curating her buzzed about #ListenToBlackWomen Spotify playlist.
Scottie Beam cohosts podcasts including "Black Girl Podcast" and "Okay, Now Listen." Getty Images
Recently, the Black Girl Podcast partnered with Verizon Media for In The Know & Black Girl Podcast Presents: Enter The Chat, a six-week video series featuring guests such as The Creative Collective’s Simone Harrington and actress Khadeen Ellis. Beam was also tapped to be one of two co-hosts for the Okay, Now Listen podcast with writer and former Buzzfeed AM to DM on-air personality Sylvia Obell. Obell and Beam’s critically acclaimed podcast was recently renewed for a second season on Netflix’s Strong Black Lead initiative, a platform that aims to celebrate Black history every month.
“Being part of [Strong Black Lead] means being part of a vertical that understands the beauty and importance of our stories and how essential it is to amplify the voices telling them,” says Beam. “It’s support and platform are unlike anything I’ve seen or have been blessed enough to be a part of.”
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Podcasting, says Beam, is also a unique opportunity to bond over collective experiences. “It’s as much a point of amplification as it is one of connection,” she says. “We don’t fully appreciate how many of our stories have similar themes and threads until they’re shared. I’m blessed to be a part of these shows where I get to shine a light on trials, triumphs, feelings—and that blessing is compounded when I get a message from a listener letting me know how much they’ve connected with what I’ve spoken to.”
Above all, she hopes her podcasts help Black people understand they aren’t alone in their experiences. “I hope they each help the Black and Brown community to understand just how beautiful their voices and experiences are,” says Beam. “I hope they help all ages to find their share, to see the joy and beauty in their failure as much as in their fortune. I hope the cultural relevance resonates.”
Best friends and serial entrepreneurs Karen Civil and Ming Lee have joined forces for their Girl, I Guess podcast with a similar goal in mind: to highlight the candid, raw experiences of Black women. The two were approached by broadcaster Joe Budden about launching a podcast as part of his Joe Budden Podcast Network in the midst of the pandemic. “We are taking back the reminisce of FUBU—for us, by us—and it’s great to be embraced and be a part of something that was created by a Black man with Black women,” says Civil. “Everything we’ve been doing has been embodying our Black culture.”
Girl, I Guess discusses everything from scaling your business to managing your time to dating, cooking and taking care of your mental health. “People know us from the business aspect but they don’t really know our real personalities and that we go through things,” says Lee. “People think I’m perfect or we have this easy going life when we go through the same trials and tribulations that everyone else goes through.”
Renae Bluitt is the host of the new "She Did That" podcast. Courtesy of Renae Bluitt
For Renae Bluitt, the brain behind the 2019 documentary She Did That, which showcased the momentum behind Black women entrepreneurs, podcasting is a way of doubling down on amplifying these voices. Just in time for Women’s History Month, Bluitt launched the She Did That podcast this week to continue the conversation about the importance of Black female entrepreneurship. Her first episode will feature an in-depth conversation with The Honey Pot founder Bea Dixon and other forthcoming guests in the first season will include Mielle Organics’ Monique Rodriguez, Spiked Spin’s Bri Thompson and Fe Noel founder Felisha Noel.
“There’s a huge appetite for this content,” says Bluitt. “People enjoy being introduced to these Black women entrepreneurs and getting a better understanding of the way we approach entrepreneurship.”
Bluitt’s goals for the podcast mirror those of the documentary: normalizing discussions around Black women and their prominent role in history. “Black women are making history every single day in business, the arts and politics but we’ve been excluded from textbooks and mainstream conversations about American history,” she says. “When I think about the cultural relevance for young Black girls, it’s really about seeing it and as a result of seeing it, believing that it’s possible for them.”
Bluitt acknowledges that she’s in good company: The more Black voices taking up space in the podcast world, the better. “This is our way of ensuring that the people in our community who are doing amazing work—who otherwise may fly under the radar—stories are getting told,” she says.
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1ae9d2e2659a83edb03d200788026667 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2012/01/14/hotel-of-the-day-aria-resort-casino/ | Hotel Of The Day: ARIA Resort & Casino | Hotel Of The Day: ARIA Resort & Casino
What: This massive Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel has more than 4,000 guest rooms, along with more than a dozen restaurants helmed by star chefs such as Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Michael Mina and Masa Takayama. The headlining Cirque du Soleil show Viva ELVIS brings The King’s hits to life, and the spacious casino offers everything from poker tournaments to high-limit slot machines.
Photo courtesy MGM Resorts International.
Where: ARIA sits on the southern stretch of the glittering Las Vegas Strip. The hotel is part of the CityCenter development, which also includes boutique hotel Vdara Hotel & Spa, the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas and designer stores at top-shelf shopping mall Crystals. Getting around is easy—they’re all connected by a free tram.
When: The hotel opened at the end of 2009, making it one of the newest fixtures on the Strip. In 2012, ARIA was given the Four-Star award from Forbes Travel Guide.
Photo courtesy MGM Resorts International.
Why: With LEED Gold certification and a $40-million art collection including works from Henry Moore and Claes Oldenburg, ARIA provides a sophisticated take on the Las Vegas mega-hotel. Natural materials define the contemporary design style that would feel at home in any major metropolis. In the guest rooms, the technology is as current as the earth-toned décor—a touch-screen panel controls everything from the curtains to the TV to the temperature, and your preferences are recalled the next time you enter the room. —By Alicia Barney
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af14d7577e6924a0f961b0e422d3e7ed | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2012/02/03/suite-life-four-seasons-new-yorks-ty-warner-penthouse-suite/ | Suite Life: Four Seasons New York's Ty Warner Penthouse Suite | Suite Life: Four Seasons New York's Ty Warner Penthouse Suite
Gallery: Suite Life: Four Seasons New York's Ty Warner Penthouse Suite 6 images View gallery
Located on the top floor of the tallest single hotel building in New York City and commanding the highest price tag of any suite in the world—it’s fair to say the Ty Warner Penthouse Suite at Four Seasons Hotel New York is the height of luxury.
Named for the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star hotel’s owner, the 4,300-square-foot suite covers the entire 52nd floor and has some of the city’s best views of Manhattan. Guests can take advantage of the 360-degree views through bay windows and from the four glass balconies that run at a diagonal to the city’s grid of streets—a unique touch thought up by Warner. He planned the suite with architect I.M. Pei—who came out of retirement for the project—and designer Peter Marino in a $50 million and seven-year process.
For $35,000 a night, you can rent the nine-room suite, which comes with a living room featuring lacquered walls that are inlaid with mother of pearl and illuminated by a four-foot chandelier made with cut glass and fiber optics. Even the throw pillows are made with Japanese brocade fabric from the 18th century.
In the bedroom, the bed’s Thai silk canopy is made with 22-carat gold threads, while the Hastens Vividus mattress was crafted by hand in Sweden—taking 160 hours. In the master bath, gold-colored Chinese onyx covers the walls, floor and ceiling, as well as the chromotherapy soaking tub that has a view of Central Park. And onyx isn’t the only precious material featured here—the sinks are carved out of a solid block of rock crystal that’s lit by LED lights.
The bathroom’s Dornbracht steam and aromatherapy shower should provide plenty of relaxation, but just in case, there’s a spa—which can also be turned in to a second bedroom, should you want to share the suite—equipped with a massage table, gym equipment and bamboo trees. Or meditate in the Zen room with a floor-to-ceiling waterfall and views of downtown and the Empire State Building.
Guests can tickle the ivories on a Bosendorfer grand piano in the 700-square-foot library. The piano is set in a bronze-clad bay window and surrounded by gleaming walls covered by panels lacquered in France. Sculptor Claude Lalanne created the bronze vines that crawl over the built-in bookcases as well as the branch-inspired chandelier.
The services match the décor in the over-the-top Warner suite. Guests are shuttled around New York by a personal chauffeur in their choice of a Rolls-Royce or Mercedes Maybach and all other needs are taken care of by the butler who’s on-call 24 hours a day. A personal trainer comes with the room, as does caviar and champagne. In fact, everything Four Seasons New York offers—from dinner downstairs to services in the Four-Star spa—are included in that record-breaking room price.
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8af9bbfcee04d47501a870ce30fc3184 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2012/02/09/five-overwater-ocean-villas-to-book-now/ | Five Overwater Ocean Villas To Book Now | Five Overwater Ocean Villas To Book Now
Gallery: Five Overwater Ocean Villas To Book Now 10 images View gallery
If you’re dreaming of ditching your desk for a place where swimming, snorkeling and soaking up the sun are the must-do agenda items of the day, then it’s time to consider the ultimate in oceanfront getaways—the overwater villa. From the Caribbean to the Maldives, you can get instant access to crystal-clear waters and unbelievable views without forgoing the trappings of luxury accommodations at these five first-class overwater villas. Check out which ones our Forbes Travel Guide editors are daydreaming of by clicking through the slideshow.
Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, Republic of Maldives
Get off the map and into the Sunset Water Villa which is stilted over a quiet lagoon inlet on the Indian Ocean. Located in the middle of 44 acres of wilderness, the Four Seasons resort is reachable by seaplane from Malé (the Maldives’ capital on the mainland) and is made up of 102 thatched beach and water villas along a half-mile stretch of pristine white beach. The Sunset Water Villa is named appropriately—it sits at the end of a strip of villas with unobstructed views of the sun as it sinks over the ocean. While the outdoor deck is ideal for sunning, you won’t regret time spent inside the airy 925-square-foot space. Designed by Sri Lankan architect Murad Ismali, it’s a simple contemporary blend of Maldivian accents such as teak furniture, a light neutral palette, high thatched roofs and a façade made of recycled coral. You can see the sunset from the deck or through the glass-fronted living room. Modern amenities include Wi-Fi, satellite TV, an entertainment system and—count ’em—two outdoor showers. And while there are four restaurants to choose from on the shore, 24-hour in-villa dining is available so you never have to leave this heavenly hut.
Amanyara, Turks and Caicos
It’s no wonder Amanyara means peaceful place. This Aman resort is on the secluded, white-sand island of Providenciales, one of the islands making up Turks and Caicos in the British West Indies. The Tranquility Villa is tucked away from the beach on one-and-a-half acres and is partially stilted over the edge of a large private pond surrounded by mahogany trees. This villa is more of a tropical indoor/outdoor complex than anything else—it has four freestanding bedrooms with alfresco bathtubs, a living and dining pavilion, an office pavilion, a fully equipped kitchen and staff bedrooms for your personal chef and housekeeper. A rectangular infinity-edge swimming pool made of black volcanic rock and surrounded by extensive hardwood decking looks out over the pond, and the master bedroom is flanked by a large reflecting pool (the resort is all about gaining inner harmony and reflecting pools make up much of the landscape). The 20 villas at Amanyara are scattered, so each is equipped with two four-seater golf carts to get to and from the spa, restaurants and white sand Atlantic Ocean beach.
Cocoa Island, Maldives
Cocoa Island is a 40-minute speedboat ride from Malé and is located among the area’s coral atolls (large, ring-shaped coral reefs that surround a lagoon). A private entrance deck will lead you to your 1,345-square-foot one-bedroom villa positioned at the end of a long wooden walkway sprawled out over a lagoon connecting to the Indian Ocean. A spacious living room flows out to the sundeck with a dining area and has direct access to the lagoon (which is shallow enough to wade in comfortably). There’s not a sleek surface in site here: the boho-chic interior is mostly shades of whites and browns with contemporary, hand-finished furniture inspired by the colonial traditions of India. The bedroom features a king bed (with handmade Italian linen) and bathrooms that open into private shower area with the sea visible below. Modern accoutrements abound—you’ll get Wi-Fi, a flat-screen TV, DVD player, in-room dining and a personal butler.
Alila Villas Uluwatu, Bali
The three-bedroom Cliffside Pool Villas at Alila Villas Uluwatu aren’t perched a few feet directly above water—instead, they’re high up jutting out from a limestone cliff’s edge overlooking the Indian Ocean. Located along the southern coast of Bali, the resort’s villas have an open design plan, with flat lava rock roofs, 68-foot infinity pools, indoor and outdoor rain showers and pool cabanas. Walkways and bridges connect the relaxation pavilions and pools to the living areas, and a personal butler is appointed to take care of your every whim. The design is unapologetically modern and minimal, with natural Balinese accents like wood, water, stone and rattan. Sustainability is a big theme here—wood used throughout the space is recycled from railway sleepers, natural cooling airflow is aided by telephone poles and bamboo ceiling and rain gardens aid with water conservation.
Hilton Bora Bora Nui Resort & Spa, French Polynesia
For those that want the presidential suite no matter where they’re checked in, one of the two Presidential Overwater Villas should do the trick. As the only two-story overwater bungalows in French Polynesia, these villas sit on the outer edges of the resort in the center of Bora Bora Lagoon. Each has two bedrooms, three bathrooms, downright palatial living rooms, a 118-square-foot swimming pool and a private sun deck where you can easily hop off into the turquoise water. There’s no reason to leave for pampering, as the well-being room boasts a Jacuzzi, two massage tables and a full cedar-lined Finnish dry sauna. High-tech amenities such as three LCD TVs, Wi-Fi access and solar panels don’t distract from the stunning sunset panoramas and the looming backdrop of Mount Otemanu. —By Morgan Lord
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5ce222fef91226fdbbac5de433f2ad8d | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2012/02/20/what-the-presidents-drink-at-washingtons-classic-bar/ | What The Presidents Drink At Washington's Classic Bar | What The Presidents Drink At Washington's Classic Bar
On Presidents Day, Americans can at least agree on this: The long line of our country’s chief executives deserves an honorary toast, and our Forbes Travel Guide editors doubt there is a more fitting place to raise a glass to presidents past and present than the Round Robin Bar at Willard InterContinental Washington, D.C.
Round Robin Bar at Willard InterContinental Washington, D.C. Photo courtesy of InterContinental... [+] Hotels.
The Pennsylvania Avenue hotel is a frequent haunt for heads of state (it has hosted almost every president since Zachary Taylor), and its Round Robin Bar has hosted its fair share of backroom deals and lingering lobbyists. The classic, clubby spot is also known for its signature mint juleps—this is the place where Henry Clay introduced the Southern-style (and now widely accepted) version of the cocktail (made with bourbon, not brandy).
Slightly less well known is Jim Hewes, the venerable mixologist and unofficial cocktail historian who has been serving presidents from behind Round Robin’s bar for more than 25 years. Hewes pairs up cocktails with mini history lessons and, if you’re in luck, an account of POTUS drink preferences. To celebrate Presidents Day this year, the bar will feature Hewes’ presidential-themed cocktail drink menu. Options range from spirits and wines to champagnes and non-alcoholic numbers—every president from George Washington to Barack Obama has a dedicated drink.
Round Robin's Jim Hewes. Photo courtesy of Intercontinental Hotels.
Each cocktail offers a quirky fact or two about the president for which it’s named. Three of our favorites include the John Quincy Adams (a New England hot toddy with spices from the West Indies); the Herbert Hoover (a long island iced tea to reflect the prohibition era inclination to camouflage liquor); and the Ronald Reagan (a glass of sparkling California white wine that was served at his first inauguration).
We recently sat down with Hewes, who dished on everything from various presidents’ favorite drinks to what he’d serve the first lady, given the chance.
What are some presidents’ favorite drinks?
“Because they are socially and politically active, presidents tend to drink according to trend. However, there are favorites. Gerald Ford was known for enjoying Budweiser out of longneck bottles and President Obama is somewhat partial to a great margarita, and also martinis.”
What about wines?
“The Kennedys embraced French wines due to Jackie’s love of French cuisine. The Reagan administration was prone to California wines, while Nixon was an avid California sparkling wine drinker.”
Do the presidents follow a certain drinking etiquette?
“JFK never drank scotch before 4 p.m.; presidents are usually found drinking beer on the golf course and at ball games, but never wine or bourbon in those places.”
If you could have a drink with any president, past or present, which would it be?
“Right now, I would love to have a drink with President Obama because he is contemporary. On a historic perspective, Teddy Roosevelt.”
What would you serve President Obama if he came in?
“If he had the inclination to try it, I would serve something called the South Side Landslide, a drink I created. [The name is] because he’s from South Side Chicago and because of what could happen in the next six or eight months—a landslide in his favor. If it were later in the evening, I would serve a martini, and after dinner a fine single malt whiskey. We have a collection of more than 100 single malt whiskeys from different distilleries.”
What about the first lady?
“Perhaps an appletini or a cosmopolitan before dinner. Or a French 75, a champagne cocktail fortified with brandy or cognac—very elegant.”
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50960d7fe37767e7eae30f8eb010c656 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2012/03/15/inside-virgin-atlantics-new-clubhouse-at-jfk-airport/ | Inside Virgin Atlantic's New Clubhouse at JFK Airport | Inside Virgin Atlantic's New Clubhouse at JFK Airport
New York has the Statue of Liberty, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Fifth Avenue shopping, but now it can tack one more attraction to the list—a new Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at John F. Kennedy Airport. The airline recently opened this ultra-trendy lounge for its Upper Class passengers in Terminal 4, just past security. A sprawling 10,000 square feet (twice as big as the airline’s old lounge located outside security), the clubhouse cost $7 million to build and boasts the same swanky style as the airline’s other over-the-top lounges around the world. Here’s what to expect inside:
The Uptown lounge is home to the clubhouse’s centerpiece—a long bar shaped like a cloud, lit overhead by suspended gold cylinders of different lengths (meant to pay homage to the New York City skyline). Guests can kick back on a funky sofa made of shiny red balls and fit in a game on the burgundy billiards table. Travelers might find they have a bit more time to relax now that the lounge is past the TSA checkpoint—about 30 to 40 minutes extra, says Chris Rossi, Virgin Atlantic’s senior vice president for North America.
Click here for Forbes Travel Guide's list of new travel apps on our blog.
JFK Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, photo courtesy Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd
You won’t go hungry here, either. Order casual fare such as soups and sandwiches from anywhere in the lounge, or opt for a meal at the brasserie, which serves entrées such as Chinese sesame chicken or asparagus risotto. When it’s time to work, the clubhouse has a computer bar equipped with Macs in the quiet lounge and free Wi-Fi throughout.
Perhaps the most unique addition to the lounge is the Bumble and bumble spa. Fit in a haircut and blow out in the salon or book a massage from therapists trained by natural skincare line Dr. Hauschka. The brands’ top-notch products can also be found in the lounge’s bathroom showers—great for a quick rinse before one of Virgin Atlantic’s evening flights out of the Big Apple. —Caroline Patek
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8c3d887fcca157447d969be9aa15dfdf | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2012/04/04/luxury-corporate-retreats-are-back/ | Luxury Corporate Retreats Are Back | Luxury Corporate Retreats Are Back
Get ready for some teambuilding and brainstorming—corporate group travel is heating up again as companies (long skittish about the stigma known as the “AIG effect”) are slowly resuming retreats and conventions in luxury resort locations. The market for upscale working retreats had been essentially frozen for years, following public outcry about AIG’s half-million dollar retreat in 2008—taken just days after the insurance giant accepted $85 billion in federal bailouts.
ARIA Resort & Casino's meetings wing. Photo courtesy of MGM Resorts International.
Group business travel fell off dramatically during the recession and has been slower to rebound than individual business travel, according to Joseph Bates, senior director of research at the Global Business Travel Association. But that’s changing, he says. Group travel spending went up nearly 8 percent in 2011 and is expected to continue to rise in 2012. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it's back to the status quo—retreat trips are coming back smaller, shorter and with much fuller agendas than before, Bates says. “No one is really looking at resuming pre-recession extravagance,” he says. “There’s a balance.”
A recent upswing in business travel to Las Vegas is a sure sign of corporate travel’s comeback, Bates says. Companies that long avoided Las Vegas because it could be perceived as too much fun are now starting to relax a bit, he says. Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas is a popular spot for corporate groups and is seeing more visitors now. The LEED Gold-certified resort has a 300,000 square-foot meeting facility spread over three floors, as well as a business services center to cater to the companies meeting here. As for Las Vegas’ fun reputation—ARIA offers retreat attendees four pools, restaurants from Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Michael Mina, Cirque du Soleil’s VIVA Elvis show and the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Spa & Salon at ARIA.
The St. Regis Monarch Beach. Photo courtesy of Starwood Hotels and Resorts.
A longtime corporate travel destination, The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo., currently owes 60 percent of its business to corporate trips, according to Meredith Whatley, the resort’s marketing coordinator. While the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star property hosts meetings, trade shows and conventions, small corporate retreats are currently on the rise, she says. These working retreats include meetings, of course, but also entail creative brainstorming and teambuilding activities (think cooking classes, golf tournaments and rock climbing) on the 3,000-acre resort.
The increasing luxury travel trend is even being seen at resorts that have made the news. Set in the coastal bluffs of Dana Point, Calif., The St. Regis Monarch Beach (the site of the much-maligned AIG meeting) is drawing increasing numbers of small-scale retreats for product launches or general workplace education, according to Brad Doell, director of sales and marketing at the hotel. The Five-Star resort is well-suited for doing business, with indoor and outdoor reception space—terraces rim the high-tech boardrooms and ballrooms—and a 24-hour staffed business center offering secretarial services. If meetings end early enough, corporate travelers can head for the oceanfront golf course, Michael Mina’s Stonehill Tavern or the Five-Star spa—perks are back, after all. —By Sarah White
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6220b73cfe24476103b60006df41a00e | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2012/05/16/whats-new-in-nantucket-now/ | What's New in Nantucket Now | What's New in Nantucket Now
Nantucket Harbor. Photo courtesy of iStock/Hidvalfm.
Nantucket is beloved as a sleepy beach town with muted gray shingles and windswept shores, but the island isn’t just historic windmills and antique shows. This summer, the tiny island off Cape Cod will be home to a slew of new places to eat, stay and play. Head to our blog for Forbes Travel Guide’s full roundup of top picks hitting Nantucket’s cobbled streets for the 2012 season.
New lifestyle brand C. Wonder—owned by the co-founder of Tory Burch—is bringing its preppy home décor and women’s clothing to the island through a pop-up shop—a trendy move that also helped the brand avoid city restrictions on new chain stores. Summer visitors can stop in for cocktails at the 40-foot zinc bar at Met on Main, a new cafe from Boston restaurateur Kathy Sidell opening in mid-June on Main Street. For beach-break entertainment, get the details on the first Nantucket Yoga Festival and the renovation of the historic Dreamland Theater. There’s no shortage of activity on the 14-mile long island, so visit our blog for the full story. —By Sarah White
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e4cfbef201eedc7381397b83fb9db777 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2012/06/14/an-insiders-guide-to-chicago-dining/ | An Insider's Guide To Chicago Dining | An Insider's Guide To Chicago Dining
Sixteen. Photo courtesy of Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago.
Picture the quintessential Chicago dining experience and you might conjure up an image of cheesy deep-dish pizza accompanied by a pint of pilsner. While this is a fine meal (especially at the original, 69-year-old Pizzeria Uno on Ohio Street), there’s much more to the restaurant scene in the Windy City. No matter what you’re looking for—from spectacular views and late-night lounges to killer steaks and cutting-edge molecular gastronomy—Forbes Travel Guide picks some of the hottest places to eat across Chicago.
For more about restaurants, hotels and what to do in Chicago, visit Forbes Travel Guide’s website.
For Unbelievable Views
On the 16th floor of the Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago (the second tallest building in the city) sits Sixteen, a Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star American restaurant. The cuisine is seasonal and refined, but the views are the real showstopper. You’ll get an up-close look at the iconic Wrigley Building clock tower, the Chicago River and city skyline through floor-to-ceiling windows. Arrive a little early for a cocktail on the breezy outdoor terrace.
For Alfresco Eating
On the inside, Shanghai Terrace is all 1930s supper club, but on the large, open terrace, the restaurant transitions into a modern garden patio with views of surrounding skyscrapers and Michigan Avenue. Located on the fourth floor of the Five-Star Peninsula Chicago, Shanghai Terrace dishes up Chinese cuisine (you can order from a slew of small plate options outside) served by a waitstaff dressed in traditional Chinese garb. The vibe is relaxed but sophisticated—head here at dusk for alfresco dinner and drinks.
For Late-Night Scenesters
Paris Club makes a night out easy—it’s both a great dinner spot and a place to party afterward. The food is approachable French (think steak frites, charcuterie and puff pastry-wrapped escargot) and the large space is rustic-urban (vaulted ceilings, unadorned wood tables and exposed brick). Once dinner is over in the loud and lively main dining room, head upstairs to Studio Paris where the city’s beautiful people dance and drink the night away at the indoor-outdoor cocktail lounge.
For Red Meat Connoisseurs
This Midwestern metropolis has a bevvy of steakhouses—and many are a good bet for meat and potatoes—but if you want the ultimate Chicago steakhouse experience, book a green-and-white checked table at Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse. This spot has been around for more than 20 years and is consistently packed—locals can’t get enough of the buzzy atmosphere. (Can’t get a weekend reservation? Have a dinner of steak, fries and martinis at the cozy bar.) If you’re looking for a modern take on the standard steakhouse, head to new-on-the-scene Chicago Cut Steakhouse. Overlooking the river, this splashy spot has crimson booths, floor-to-ceiling windows and dishes such as truffled mashed potatoes, Amish brick chicken and a juicy prime bone-in ribeye.
For Foodie Cachet
Any gourmand worth his weight in truffle oil can tell you that James Beard Award-winning chef Grant Achatz’s Next is one of the country’s most exciting restaurants. You need to buy tickets well in advance—they usually sell out in minutes—to get in for a pre-set, themed dinner. Currently the theme is Sicily, but the restaurant has pulled inspiration from 1906 Paris, Thailand and Spain’s famous El Bulli restaurant. If you can’t snag a ticket (check Next’s Facebook page for last-minute availability), head to Achatz’s original concept, the Five-Star Alinea. It’s the city’s reigning fine-dining experience, but a dinner here also offers the best look at the star chef’s imaginative cuisine and exacting culinary skills. —By Jaydine Sayer
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72cc157fbec859b88aedca4b4f05c8ca | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2012/07/12/three-unique-beer-tours/ | Three Unique Beer Tours | Three Unique Beer Tours
The Brewcycle. Photo courtesy of Joel Fischer.
Breweries across the country open their doors (and their beers) to the public with sip-and-see tours. But if you’ve already visited a few of the big names—Samuel Adams in Boston, Anheuser-Busch in St. Louis, MillerCoors in Colorado—there’s more to see, with tours that stray from the standard outing. Forbes Travel Guide found three unique beer tours that showcase great craft beers in out-of-the-ordinary ways.
Click here for Forbes Travel Guide’s list of the 10 best whiskey distilleries to tour now, on our blog.
Brewcycle, Portland, Ore.
Hop on a 16-seat bike, the Brewcycle, for an exercise-propelled tour of some of Portland’s best breweries. Once on board, your tour guide will offer up some fun beer facts, but mostly they’ll just plug in an iPod so your group can rock out while you ride. You’ll visit three to four breweries—depending on how ambitious your group is—which might include Brewcycle favorites such as Lucky Labrador Brewing Company, Bridgeport Ales and Deschutes Brewery. You can’t actually drink beer on the bike, but that’s a good motivator to get to the next stop. The three-hour tour runs rain or shine (ponchos are on board if you need them), and be prepared to sweat—Portland’s hills may seem small, but on a 900-pound bike going just five miles per hour, you will feel the burn. There is no formal sit-down meal on this tour, but you can order appetizers at any of the stops; we recommend the pizza by the slice at Lucky Lab.
Scavengers Beer and Adventures Tour, San Diego
Scavengers tour. Photo courtesy of Adam Hall.
There’s one thing you should know before you start this six-hour tour: You’re not riding in a bus. The tour guide will make it clear that you are, instead, a passenger in a 14-seat, open-air, Swiss military vehicle called a Pinzgauer for a tour of San Diego’s brew scene. The ride is anything but smooth in this six-wheel-drive vehicle (expect it to be loud and windy), but you will be treated to ocean views and in-transit drinks. Each tour guide is a home-brewer—they even pass out samples of their beer on the Pinzgauer—and will take you to popular spots such as Stone Brewing Co., The Lost Abbey and Iron Fist Brewing Co. You’ll spend about an hour at each brewery, where you’ll be treated to five or six samples (each is about five to six ounces). In between breweries, your tour guide will pick up ribs at Phil’s BBQ. The famed San Diego spot is known for its long waits, but on the tour you’ll just pick up the pre-ordered barbecue and cruise to the next spot.
Beer and Chocolate Tour of Beacon Hill and Back Bay, Boston
Explore the sweet side of beer drinking on this three-hour tour of Boston’s brews and chocolate treats. Starting at the Charles Street Liquors shop, your guide will lead you on a leisurely walk through the city’s famed Beacon Hill neighborhood, Boston Commons, and Newbury and Boylston streets. Along the way, you’ll stop at bars (The Sevens Ale House, Bukowski Tavern) and chocolatiers (Max Brenner, Beacon Hill Chocolates) to pair beers with sweets. Your tour guide will provide chocolate at each bar, help with combinations—try Mystic Brewery’s Saison ale with Byrne & Carlson’s sea-salted French 68 chocolates—and dispense facts along the way. Once the tour wraps up (and you’ve had your beer-and-chocolate fill), stroll to the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star restaurant L’Espalier, where you’ll find a cozy, chic bar area serving upscale fare including oysters, cheese flights and a sampler of Maine lobster. —By Ashley Hamilton
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4ee76c59e7b7abcc007121cee5e87a87 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2012/10/17/7-california-wine-experiences-you-cant-get-anywhere-else/ | 7 California Wine Experiences You Can't Get Anywhere Else | 7 California Wine Experiences You Can't Get Anywhere Else
A visit to California’s Wine Country is enthralling any time of year. But during harvest season (typically late August to early October), there’s something magical about seeing vines with purple fringes of grapes and smelling the aroma of freshly pressed juice lingering in the air. Each winery has its own unique charm, but our Forbes Travel Guide editors whittled down the list to seven that offer unforgettable experiences. Read on to find out which ones caught our attention.
Want to take a peek at some top-notch wine cellars? Check out our travel blog for all the details.
Robert Sinskey Vineyards, photo courtesy Robert Sinskey Vineyards
Robert Sinskey Vineyards, Napa
There’s an inviting warmth to the Robert Sinskey experience, even before you taste your first glass of pinot noir from the organic grapes—perhaps it’s the hearth-style oven that anchors the tasting room. Gardeners and chefs will enjoy the Farm to Table Tour ($75), which has you ducking under fig branches and stepping through a pumpkin patch as you walk along the organic garden. Wind through the volcanic rock caves before you stop on the cozy patio, where you’ll find bountiful plates of salumi, housemade jam, Marcona almonds and plenty of stellar wines.
Schramsberg Vineyards, Calistoga
Reservations are essential if you want to explore this pioneering sparkling-wine house with the oldest wine caves in Napa Valley. These spooky caverns built next to a quaint Victorian house were hand-dug into the mountain by Chinese laborers in the mid-1800s. Along the tour ($45), you might see winery workers placing the 2.7 million individual bottles of sparkling wine into the caves by hand as they have for nearly 150 years. Bubbly lovers will be in heaven sipping the Blanc de Noirs that’s often mistaken for French Champagne; others will be impressed by Schramsberg’s balanced J. Davies Cabernet Sauvignon.
Darioush, Napa
You know there has to be something magnificent on the inside when you’re greeted with a brazier full of flames and soaring sandstone columns topped with horses. Owner Darioush Khaledi’s magnificent winery is inspired by the architecture and culture of the ancient Persian city of Persepolis. It’s an artful marriage of ancient and modern inside—not to mention a boutique filled with Fornasetti and Missoni Home. The newest experience takes you into Khaledi’s private cellar gardens for vino, lunch and a chat with a raconteuse who happens to be one of world’s leading wine historians.
The Crystal Cellar at Raymond Vineyards, photo courtesy Tina Wong, The Wandering Eater
Raymond Vineyards, Saint Helena
Take a walk on the wild side in this historic winery that’s been transformed by new owners Jean-Charles Boisset and his wife, Gina Gallo. The first tasting room looks straight out of a luxury home catalog. But stroll into the Crystal Cellar and prepare yourself for Parisian chic—this room is glammed up with Baccarat chandeliers, gleaming stainless tanks and mannequins hanging from the ceiling on trapeze swings. For the ultimate experience, don a modern jumpsuit and be a winemaker for a day ($100). You'll take home a bottle of your own red wine blend with a custom label. Dog lovers will want to stop into Frenchie, the über-canine-friendly winery on the same site, with a “doggie wine bar” (it’s just water) and portraits of Gallo’s French bulldogs dressed as Marie Antoinette and George Washington.
Castello di Amorosa, Calistoga
Imagine a 13th-century Tuscan castle—from tower to dungeon—and you'll have a good idea of what Castello di Amorosa is all about. Dario Sattui (of V. Sattui Winery fame) spent about $36 million and 14 years planting Italian varietals and importing every stone, nail and furnishing to complete his dream winery, which was featured in the movie Bedtime Stories. You’ll feel as if you’re touring a vineyard in the rolling hills of Tuscany, yet you’re in the heart of California’s Wine Country. Trying to expand your cellar? Spring for the Wine Aficionado tour, where you’ll taste high-end reserve wines and, of course, check out the castle.
Medlock Ames Winery Tasting Room, photo by Joe Fletcher
Medlock Ames, Healdsburg
This is as delightfully granola as it gets with farm tours, all-organic vineyards and sustainable practices at this mostly solar-powered winery. After all, getting back to the land is what a trip to Sonoma is all about. The low-key Ranch Tour ($45) takes you through key portions of the cabernet sauvignon and merlot vineyards, the sprawling gardens where you might snag a late-season raspberry or cherry tomato off the vine and the sun-drenched production facility. Mosey over to the clean-lined winery around 4:30 p.m. to see the indie-style art exhibit capturing the grounds through the year. You’ll be in the right place when the Alexander Valley speakeasy opens at 5, serving garden-fresh libations like the ginger-thyme martini.
Ma(i)sonry Napa Valley, Yountville
Set in a stone house at the edge of the commercial strip in the deliciously tony enclave of Yountville, Ma(i)sonry Napa Valley is a mash-up of a wine-tasting collective and art gallery. Locals love it for its relaxed service style and the fact that you can taste wines from 19 boutique labels led by star winemakers like Aaron Pott and Jeff Ames ($15 to $35 a flight) in a lovely garden filled with sculptures of dancing sheep, a bust of Einstein and gnarled olive trees. Stop here before heading off to dinner at one of the town’s renowned restaurants run by famed chefs Thomas Keller, Richard Reddington, Michael Chiarello or Perry Hoffman. —By Maria Hunt
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bd76fdc95df46fc3207eda28c10117a2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2013/01/16/hotel-of-the-day-willard-intercontinental/ | Hotel Of The Day: Willard InterContinental | Hotel Of The Day: Willard InterContinental
Willard InterContinental, photo courtesy InterContinental Hotels
What: A Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel with a top-notch location and plenty of history of its own, Willard InterContinental is an iconic D.C. landmark that once served as a transitional residence for presidents-elect in the weeks prior to their inauguration. You can view copies of presidents Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant’s hotel bills, have a drink in the bar where Thomas Jefferson once sat, and enjoy amenities and luxuries at Red Door Spa that those chief executives couldn't have imagined. The 19th-century hotel features opulent French Beaux-Arts style and architecture, as well as ornate décor throughout. The lobby is especially grand—its gilded ceiling includes the seals of all lower 48 states.
Where: You'll spend a few nights as the commander in chief's neighbor at the Willard; the historic hotel is a block from the White House. Often called the Crown Jewel of Pennsylvania Avenue, it is a short walk from the some of D.C.'s best sites, including the National Mall, Smithsonian Institution, Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument—so you can get the most out of your Capitol Hill stay.
Lincoln Bedroom, photo courtesy InterContinental Hotels
When: Since opening its doors in 1818, the Willard has hosted almost every president since Franklin Pierce. It received its Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star rating in 2012 and is one of the top hotels in D.C. This Inauguration Day, Willard InterContinental is the place to be. Many rooms look right out onto Pennsylvania Avenue and the inaugural parade route, so this year you can stay warm as President Obama and first lady Michelle pass by just below. Book the Presidential Inaugural Package to enjoy a four-night stay, as well as access to a parade-viewing party on Jan. 21.
Oval Suite, photo courtesy InterContinental Hotels
Why: The location is superb, but there's plenty inside the Willard that makes the hotel worth the stay. The Round Robin Bar & Scotch Bar, which is a favorite haunt of many a politico, is adorned with photos of presidents and other luminaries who have tippled there—including Woodrow Wilson, Buffalo Bill Cody, Walt Whitman and Mark Twain. Presidents Thomas Jefferson, Lincoln and Grant were also known to toss back a few at the legendary bar. In fact, one of the Willard’s claims to fame is that it’s the spot where Grant coined the term “lobbyist.” Of course, it's not all history at the Willard: At the hotel’s Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Red Door Spa, you can prep for the inauguration with everything from invigorating facials to relaxing massages. When it’s time to hit the hay, do so in an executive manner in the aptly named Oval Suite—after all, it may be the closest most of us will get to the real thing. —Greg Presto
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931b9e3d95e7b2b400a4552216aa852e | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2013/01/30/10-unexpectedly-romantic-cities/ | 10 Unexpectedly Romantic Cities | 10 Unexpectedly Romantic Cities
With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, you might still be scrambling to put together a romantic getaway. As alluring as the usual travel go-tos are (Paris, New York and London), there’s something about discovering a new city that’s more alluring than even “the most romantic cities in the world.” Our editors scoured the world and uncovered 10 destinations that are romantic in an unexpected way—from a medieval hilltop village to the mountains of western Massachusetts. Check out which surprisingly romantic places have won over our hearts.
Want to wow your loved one this year? Check out our travel blog for five spas with amazing views.
Washington, D.C., photo courtesy iStock/drnadig
Washington, D.C.
When you think of romantic cities, the nation’s capital probably doesn’t come to mind. But as you stroll through the National Mall you’ll see why, despite all of the rhetoric and politics, D.C. is downright alluring. History buff or not, you’d be hard-pressed not to be awed by its historical monuments, and come nightfall, they’re all aglow with romance. The brick streets of Georgetown add to D.C.’s charm, while its up-and-coming restaurant scene provides ample options for dinner for two. And in the spring when the cherry blossoms blanket the city in a powdery pink hue, it becomes even more captivating.
Madrid
There’s something romantic about walking through a city like Madrid, which reveals a different personality in every neighborhood. But it’s the architecture—both historic and modern—that sums up this city the best: It’s a juxtaposition of past and present. Wander through El Retiro Park to marvel at its monuments and sculptures—from the semicircular colonnade built for King Alfonso XII to the statues that line Paseo de la Argentina. At the northwest corner of the park stands the enormous gate that once guarded the city—yet another glance into Madrid’s past.
Èze, France
The French Riviera may seem like an obvious choice, but we think the village of Èze is especially romantic. Often compared to an eagle’s nest, Èze sits atop a cliff overlooking the Mediterranean and St. Jean-Cap Ferrat. But what’s really majestic about the medieval village—aside from its view—is its tangle of narrow paths that lead into tucked-away squares and tranquil courtyards. The village, once a fortified stronghold thanks to its proximity to Nice, is also home to Chèvre d’Or, a fantastic restaurant with arguably one of the most beautiful vistas from the dining room.
Austin
Springtime in the Texas Hill Country is unlike anything you can imagine: The weather is near perfect and the fields are blanketed in Texas bluebonnets. Austin, with its Texas pride and quirky neighborhoods, is a great place to soak up that eclectic spirit. The capital city is centered on Lady Bird Lake (known as Town Lake) where residents and visitors flock to paddle board, kayak and canoe. Stroll along the path surrounding the lake to immerse yourself in the city’s green belt, or head down South Congress to the infamous food truck parks to experience more of the local vibe. Seal the deal with a romantic dinner at the modern Japanese hot spot Uchi. It’s located in a unique house just across the lake from downtown, so you’ll want to take advantage of its outdoor seating while you imbibe on a glass of top-notch sake.
Minneapolis
If there’s one Minneapolis landmark that says romance, it’s the Stone Arch Bridge (trust us on this one). When it’s lit up in an orange glow, the Mississippi River glimmers beneath. While the Twin Cities are plenty urban, you can surround yourself in nature thanks to the 180 parks and 22 lakes, not to mention 80 miles of bike trails to explore. Head to the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden or catch a show at the Guthrie Theater to immerse yourself in the city’s cultural scene. Just be sure to head to Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star La Belle Vie for a romantic French dinner—think pan roasted poussin (young chicken) with endive, celery root and duck confit—and wine.
Cinque Terre, photo courtesy iStock/SGregPanosian
Cinque Terre, Italy
The moment you arrive in one of the five towns that make up Cinque Terre, you’ll know why this spot made our list. It’s tough to find anything about these cliffside villages on the Italian Riviera that’s not steeped in romance. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site, so cars or motorbikes are banned in the villages, though electric buses do run throughout. Take a walk along the appropriately named Via dell’Amore (Lovers’ Lane) between Manarola and Riomaggiore, and you’ll find stone beaches carved into the cliffside and unbelievable ocean views. The longer blue trail links all five towns, and, if you’re surefooted, it’s definitely worth the hike.
Sydney
We’ve all seen the iconic Sydney Opera House and there’s not much about it—or the Sydney Harbour—that doesn’t say romance. But there’s more to this Australian city than its opera. Take a stroll through the Royal Botanic Gardens and you’ll stumble upon picturesque picnic spots (with the Opera House in the background, of course). If you don’t have the butterflies yet, climb up the Sydney Harbour Bridge to see the city from a different point of view. Soaking up the sun at the infamous Bondi Beach is a must for couples, but you’ll find quieter—and perhaps more alluring—scenes at Tamarama and Coogee. If you can’t get enough of the captivating views, head to the 36th floor of Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney and watch the nighttime skyline come to life with a glass of champagne or a signature cocktail at Blu Bar on 36.
Pittsburgh, photo courtesy iStock/traxlergirl
Pittsburgh
If you’ve never been to Pittsburgh, it’s probably the last city you’d think of as romantic; but what was once a steel town now shines. The numerous bridges—there are more than 440—add to the wonder of Pittsburgh’s skyline, and its abundance of nature really makes the city romantic. Walk through Point State Park, which sits where the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers meet to form the Ohio River, and you’ll see the softer side of Steel City, or take the Duquesne Incline up to the top of Mount Washington for a view from above.
The Berkshires, Mass.
We can’t pick just one city in the Berkshires as the most romantic because so many of are worthy of the title. In July and August, venture up to Tanglewood (the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra) in the quiet town of Lenox to soak up the sweet melodies of the BSO. After, dinner at the intimate restaurant Wheatleigh is also a must. Here you can dine on the cuisine of chef Jeffrey Thompson while you soak up the beauty of the Berkshires from The Dining Room’s open-air portico. Lenox is also home to The Mount—Pulitzer Prize-winning author and designer Edith Wharton’s estate and gardens—which is known as one of the most beautiful settings in the area. And when it’s time to get cozy by the fire, there’s no better place than Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Blantyre inn’s countryside locale.
Brussels, photo courtesy Stock/Ziutograf
Brussels
It may be the capital of the European Union, but Brussels is also an intriguing city. The eclectic public art reveals Brussels’ humorous side, while the French and Flemish influences make for fantastic cuisine. The 17th-century cobblestoned Grand-Place is particularly romantic with its border of gilded buildings and gothic towers—so a tour here is a must. As is a visit to the Magritte Museum for a look at its collection of René Magritte’s surrealist artwork. And no romantic trip to Brussels would be complete without indulging in (a lot of) its famous beer and chocolate.
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7aa6971307bdb776a21ed387a1ae3e98 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2013/02/04/first-look-at-vegas-exclusive-nobu-hotel/ | First Look At Vegas' Exclusive New Nobu Hotel | First Look At Vegas' Exclusive New Nobu Hotel
Las Vegas has a new kid on the block: The world’s first Nobu Hotel opens today inside the sleek, sexy and exclusive tower at Caesars Palace. The new hotel also debuts the Strip’s first Nobu restaurant—the largest in the world. Our Forbes Travel Guide team got a sneak peek at the luxurious boutique hotel-within-a-hotel.
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Guest room, photo courtesy Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace
The 181-room hotel has been in the works since famed chef Nobu Matsuhisa, actor Robert De Niro and Hollywood producer Meir Teper teamed up with Caesars Palace to overhaul the outdated Centurion Tower. Well-known architect and designer David Rockwell spearheaded the hotel’s look, pulling inspiration from everything from origami to the energetic atmosphere of Nobu restaurants around the world (which he’s also helped design).
The hotel’s exclusivity is obvious as soon as you walk in the door. A personal concierge leads you from the 100-square-foot lobby to the “smart” elevator where you swipe your key card and choose your floor before stepping inside.
The Japanese-influenced rooms are chic and spacious (the smallest is 350 square feet) and sport the latest gadgets—like docking stations that allow you to stream videos to the 55-inch flat-screen TV. And when you return from a long night on the Strip, the cloud-like beds are particularly alluring—300-thread-count satin linen sheets and a pillow menu (with scented mist at turndown) ensure you’ll have a good night’s sleep.
Guest room bath, photo courtesy Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace
Matsuhisa’s Japanese influences are apparent in the guest rooms, and include customary hot tea and rice cookie from the chef’s hometown of Saitama welcoming guests to their rooms. The design schemes feature contemporary cream-and-brown color palettes mixed with Eastern elements like calligraphy painted on the walls above the headboard, colorful Japanese-style pillows on the sofa and artwork Matsuhisa curated from up-and-coming Japanese artists. The minimalist bathrooms also take note from his heritage; traditional Japanese black tile in the shower and white ceramic tile floors create a striking contrast to the teak vanity, shelving and shower stool, which is a standard feature in many Japanese households.
When you check in to a hotel donning a world-class chef’s name, you expect the food to be spectacular—and it is. It’s the first time that Matsuhisa has created a 24-hour in-room dining menu or breakfast foods, and he nails them both. His take on the classic bagel and lox features crispy rice that’s coated with salt, garlic and other seasonings typical on an everything bagel and then finished off with salmon sashimi, onion, capers and ponzu. Our highlights of the in-room dining menu were the bento boxes, which include everything from the Katsu with panko-fried chicken, beef or pork ($28) to the High Roller with lobster wasabi, Wagyu steak, spicy garlic shrimp, spinach dry miso with crab, and premium rolls and nigiri ($288). For more Japanese fare, raid the mini-bar, which is stocked with chocolate-dipped Pocky pretzels, Nobu's chilled sake—offered exclusively at Nobu restaurants and now in the hotel—and genmai-cha (brown rice green tea).
Nobu, photo courtesy Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace
The 327-seat restaurant Nobu—which joins Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Restaurant Guy Savoy and Central Michel Richard in Caesars Palace—served its first dinner on Friday. Nobu’s signature dishes, such as the yellow tail topped with a thinly sliced jalapeño and the black cod with butter lettuce—the course that made Matsuhisa famous—are musts. (Guests staying at Nobu Hotel snag priority reservations at the restaurant and VIP access to Pure Nightclub.)
We were also blown away by the specialized Nobu spa treatments at Qua Baths & Spa. Our favorite was the 90-minute Nagomi Ritual, which begins with a traditional Japanese footbath, followed by a full-body massage that incorporates Thai, Balinese and shiatsu techniques, and finally finishes off with a revitalizing facial. If you stay at the hotel, you’ll get complimentary access to the 5,500-square-foot gym at the spa, which is located in the Augustus Tower.
Though Nobu Hotel is officially open, there are still a few finishing touches remaining. The 18 suites, which range from 900 to 1,800 square feet, are slated to debut in April.
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bd5bac58d6dbd12267fa0c9ce611d721 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2013/02/21/hotels-mix-things-up-with-in-room-bartenders/ | Hotels Mix Things Up With In-Room Bartenders | Hotels Mix Things Up With In-Room Bartenders
Whether you’re exhausted from a marathon of business meetings or prepping for a night out on the town, there are times when you just don’t want to make the trek down to the hotel bar. Luckily for thirsty travelers, several hotels have answered the call and now offer custom cocktail service in the comfort of your room. Our Forbes Travel Guide editors set out to find which hotels have muddled, jiggered and misted together the best collection of in-room mixology service, and these are our favorites.
Planning a hops-centric vacation? Head over to our blog for the details on five hotels for beer lovers.
The James’ In-Room Cocktail Experience, photo courtesy The James
The James, New York, Chicago, Miami
All three The James locations—Soho, Chicago and South Beach—give you the necessary accoutrements to mix cocktails, including a pint glass printed with recipes crafted specifically for the in-room amenity. And while the glass and its recipes provide a nice starter kit, hone your skills with the hotel’s In-Room Cocktail Experience (part of the room service menu). You’ll get a variety of liquors and ingredients delivered to your room to create drinks such as a Corpse Reviver 2 (gin, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc and lemon) and Blood & Sand (bourbon, cherry heering, sweet vermouth and orange). And if you don’t know the difference between neat and on the rocks, no worries—a mixologist will come whip up the libations for you, giving tips and pointers along the way.
Cavallo Point, San Francisco
This San Francisco hotel near the Marin Headlands features gorgeous outdoor fireplaces with cushy seating perfect for drinking in the views of the Golden Gate Bridge over shared cocktails. But if you’d prefer imbibing from the comfort of your own room—elegantly restored officers’ quarters of Fort Baker—check out Cavallo Point’s in-room cocktails. The hotel was the first to offer a bartender at your service when it debuted the program in the summer of 2011. The program offers tipples prepared in your room by Cavallo Point’s bartender, ready-to-drink cocktails made at the bar or, if you’re feeling creative, ingredients you can use to mix your own. Cocktails include hand-shaken classics such as the Moscow Mule and margarita, as well as the Salty Dog (Tanqueray gin and fresh grapefruit juice served on the rocks with a salted rim) and the Bourbon Street (Bulleit Bourbon, fresh lemon juice and Grand Marnier, garnished with an orange slice).
In-room mixologist at The Surrey, photo courtesy The Surrey
The Surrey, New York
Once a hot spot for celebrities such as John F. Kennedy and Bette Davis seeking discreet and confidential service, the chic Surrey hotel on New York’s Upper East Side provides an in-room cocktail service that’s prime for anyone looking for a little privacy as they sip their spirits. After selecting your choice of gin, tequila, bourbon, vodka or rum, a mixologist from the swanky Bar Pleiades will head to your room to prepare the first round of drinks, including its popular blackberry-mint margarita and basil-lime gimlet, before leaving you to drink at your leisure. The Surrey’s service also includes enough ingredients and tools for you to mix four to five additional cocktails, but if your skills are a little rusty, the mixologist will gladly return to make another round.
Soho Beach House, Miami
This breezy hotel set on the shores of Miami has a cocktail service with a fitting moniker: “One While Changing.” Meaning, while you’re primping in your beachside room for your night on the town, call down to reception and request, well, one while changing. Minutes later, a bartender will knock at your door with a fully stocked cocktail cart in tow. Sporting a wide range of ingredients—including basil, cilantro, cucumbers, fresh mint and daily-squeezed juices—the mixologist will have everything he needs to create premium cocktails like the Eastern Standard (a twist on a Prohibition classic made with Grey Goose, lime, muddled cucumber and mint) and the Picante de la Casa (Cazadores Tequila Reposado, muddled spicy red chilies and cilantro, balanced by fresh lime and agave nectar). —Alex Skjong
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23466174eb0a6d109473bd8ccf5630b8 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2013/03/13/out-of-the-way-wine-trails/ | Out Of The Way Wine Trails | Out Of The Way Wine Trails
Sure, California’s Napa and Sonoma valleys are premier U.S. wine destinations, but what about those lesser-known wine trails tucked into other parts of the country? Rather than walking this beaten path—though it is beautiful and produces some of the world’s best wines—set out to explore some of the country’s more localized wine regions. Our Forbes Travel Guide editors tracked down several out-of-the-way wine trails, some more well known than others, and have the lowdown on which regions to add to your must-visit list this year.
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The Inn Above Onion Creek, photo courtesy Inn Above Onion Creek
Hill Country, Texas
The trail: Just to the west of trendy Austin and to the north of quaint San Antonio is a pocket of 30-plus Hill Country wineries screaming for a weekend wine getaway. Texas-style gems such as Becker Vineyards in Stonewall, which offers a crystal wine glass souvenir with tastings and welcomes well-behaved pets and picnics, and boutique Bending Branch Winery in Comfort, which uses sustainable farming practices to produce organic wines (including an award-winning petite sirah), offer tastings on weekends and during the week. But perhaps the most enjoyable way to visit the Hill Country wineries is to buy tickets to one of the area’s wine trail events. Next up on the calendar is the 2013 Wine & Wildflower Trail, April 5-14, a self-guided tour of 32 wineries timed to coincide with the blooming of the bluebonnets.
Where to stay: There are plenty of inns and bed-and-breakfasts in the Texas Hill Country, but we have our eye on The Inn Above Onion Creek, nestled on a wooded hill in Kyle, which offers quaint countryside accommodations, a three-course dinner and a hot breakfast. If you’d prefer to stay in the city, check in to Four Seasons Hotel Austin and make your trek to the Hill Country Wine Trail a day-trip.
The Winderlea Vineyard and Winery, photo courtesy The Winderlea Vineyard and Winery
Willamette Valley, Ore.
The trail: The lush Willamette Valley in northwest Oregon offers a plethora of trails for wine enthusiasts. Cycling addicts (particularly those who like the idea of riding along wildflower fields and endless green pastures) should navigate the peaceful Eugene Wine Trail. Art aficionados will enjoy the Corvallis Wine Trail, which is dotted with galleries and an arts center, and flower lovers should head for the fragrant Mololla, Canby and Silverton Wine Trail—it’s lined with tulip and dahlia farms. But to appreciate the ultimate panoramic view of this valley’s rolling hills, and a glass of the area’s legendary pinot, make your way to the Chehalem Hillsides Wine Trail in the Yamhill Valley. The Anne Amie Vineyards, set into steep hillsides near Carlton and Lafayette, Ore.; the family-owned, French-heritage WillaKenzie Estate; and the modern, boutique Winderlea Vineyard and Winery in Dundee Hills all offer lovely sweeping vistas, as well as plenty of pinot noir, gris and blanc to sip.
Where to stay: The Allison Inn & Spa in Newburg provides plush accommodations convenient to the Willamette Valley’s 200 wineries. Located just an hour’s drive from Portland International Airport, the luxury hotel’s guest rooms and suites have hillside and vineyard views, and the on-site spa serves a selection of top-notch treatments, and sauna and steam rooms.
Geneva on The Lake, photo by Neil Sjoblom
Finger Lakes, N.Y.
The trail: There are three wine trails in upstate New York’s Finger Lakes—Keuka Lake Wine Trail, Seneca Lake Wine Trail and Cayuga Lake Wine Trail. But the Seneca Lake trail offers the most wineries to visit—at least 34—in addition to a distillery, three breweries and even a meadery. You’ll love the sights of the deep blue glacial Seneca Lake from the region’s hillsides, not to mention the many award-winning wines, including the rieslings, cabernet francs and pinot noirs that are produced in the area.
Where to stay: Cozy bed-and-breakfasts abound in the Finger Lakes region, but we are particularly enamored with Geneva on The Lake Wine Country Villa & Resort. Modeled after a villa in Italy, this Finger Lakes resort on the shores of Seneca Lake includes 29 suites and studios, some with fireplaces and balconies.
Santa Barbara
The trail: While this wine trail isn’t exactly out-of-the-way, it’s certainly not where you’d expect a wine trail to be—in the heart of a city. The Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail was established by area wineries that collaborated to set up tasting rooms, most within walking distance of each other, in downtown Santa Barbara not far from the beach. Wines from vineyards in the Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Rita Hills and Santa Maria can be tasted for between $5 and $15 right in the middle of this urban-beachside paradise.
Where to stay: Stay at Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara, a luxurious Spanish-style resort that sits on 20 beautiful acres along the Pacific within striking distance of the urban trail.
The Inn at Perry Cabin, photo by Joe Vaughn
Eastern Shore, Md.
The trail: Maryland Wine Country is home to six wine trails, but the Chesapeake Wine Trail on the Eastern Shore promises to be particularly scenic, since its wineries dot the coastline. St. Michaels Winery is the largest on this trail, offering tastings seven days a week of its dry whites, dry reds and sweet wines. The boutique Cassinelli Winery & Vineyards in Church Hill, presents tastings of its chardonnay, merlot and viognier on Saturdays—plus its sprawling property includes apple, peach, pear and plum trees for the picking.
Where to stay: If you’re visiting St. Michaels Winery in the resort town of St. Michaels, you might as well stay at the ultra-plush, colonial-style mansion, Inn at Perry Cabin, an Orient-Express hotel, which has a pristine lawn that stretches to the shore and a full-service spa. You may recognize the charming inn from the movie Wedding Crashers, and it’s just as gorgeous in person. —Amanda Arnold
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0b1e4998d8c6caf6bbd8dfc82dbf9ea0 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2013/04/11/48-hours-in-savannah/ | 48 Hours In Savannah | 48 Hours In Savannah
The riverfront city of Savannah is one of Georgia’s oldest—it was established in 1733 by General James Oglethorpe—and is known for its Southern charm and warm hospitality. Visitors from all over the world travel here to tour the elegant architecture and ironwork, numerous fountains and graceful garden squares. And spring is one of the best times to head to Savannah for a weekend because the weather is ideal, and the flowers and trees are in bloom, so our Forbes Travel Guide team pulled together a 48-hour itinerary to highlight the best activities this historic city has to offer.
Want to dine your way through another charming Southern city? Head to our blog and we'll tell you where to go for some of the most iconic New Orleans dishes.
Savannah riverfront, photo courtesy Istock/Pgiam
Day One
Start day one in Savannah with a cup of 100 percent organic coffee at The Sentient Bean. If you need something other than caffeine, the breakfast burrito with two eggs, cheddar, spinach, salsa and black beans will hit the spot. Now with an extra spring in your step, walk through the Spanish moss-covered paths of Forsyth Park. Stop and appreciate the central fountain, modeled after one in Paris’ Place de la Concorde. Once you hit the edge of the park, it’s just a few blocks until you reach the famed Mercer-Williams House Museum, the setting of the movie Midnight in the Garden of the Good and Evil.
By the time you finish your stroll in the park and tour the museum, it’ll be time to satiate your appetite. Walk up Whitacker Street and grab a “faux boy” sandwich with blackened shrimp, slaw, remoulade and tomato at The Public Kitchen. Couple it with a ginger-infused bourbon cocktail for a playful take on a traditional Southern lunch.
After you refuel, it’s time for shopping. Continue north until you hit West Broughton Street—the best place to quench your material thirsts in Savannah. Get some bath fizzies at Nourish (go for the hibiscus or Savannah garden scents) to enjoy in your hotel room later. Fashion fiends need look no further than ARC, a trendy boutique that carries women’s blouses by Mink Pink and Maison Scotch, men’s shirts from Life After Denim and stylish reads like A Brief History of Curating. Pick up some frozen yogurt, like the sweet and tangy mango, at La Berry for a post-browsing snack.
Telfair Academy at the Telfair Museums photo courtesy Attic Fire
Now that your wallet has had some exercise, it’s time to focus on your mind. First stop: Telfair, the oldest public art museum in the South. Designed in the Regency style, the museum lines its walls with art from the region’s storied history. After that, it’s time for something more current. Skip the polish of the SCAD Museum of Art, and instead head to the school’s Alexander Hall Gallery (open only on weekdays) at the edge of town by the river. Browse the raw works of aspiring artists still in incubation. View Cory Cameron’s Schrödinger’s Nyan Cat, a lithograph of the Internet meme as filtered through philosophy, and realize that though it may be reductive, it’s of-the-moment. Wander the halls and peek in at different classes working away. It’s a great opportunity to witness the process behind the work—something you don’t get at your average gallery.
For dinner, try Planters Inn’s Olde Pink House, but look out for the ghost of its original owner, James Habersham. The staff can regale you with plenty of stories. Of course, the restaurant is good for more than just spooky tales. Order the grilled portobello mushrooms with blue cheese and truffle oil, and the filet mignon with a green peppercorn demi glace in a setting of chandeliers, fireplaces and period paintings. Everything about the experience is classic—ostentatious in just the right way. However, if you’d like your first dinner in Savannah to unfold without any hauntings, slip into the subterranean Alligator Soul and order anything featuring the restaurant’s namesake—try the bayou gator—and couple it with a Soul Sazerac, made with organic dark rye whiskey, absinthe, angostura and creole bitters, simple syrup, and a lemon twist.
Still want more? Head to Seed Eco Lounge after midnight for trendy cocktails—think organic gin mixed with elderflower liqueur—and dance the night away. Aside from being a popular late-night spot, Seed Eco Lounge also is conscious of its carbon footprint: True to its name, the eco-friendly bar has bamboo bar tops, recycled cushions and compostable to-go cups.
Local 11 Ten, photo courtesy Local 11 Ten
Day Two
After a good night’s rest, grab an egg dish at Goose Feathers Cafe, like the Eggel Bagel (scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese on a bagel), and wash it down with a dark cup of its house-blend coffee. Hit up City Market afterward and browse shops like All Things Georgia, Byrd Cookie Company and Scents of Savannah while wandering through the open-air space that nods to the city’s past through such touches as wooden carriages filled with potted plants.
And don’t dare leave City Market for lunch. In the far corner, you’ll find one of the best pizza places in the South: Vinnie Van Go Go’s. The cash-only eatery offers limited hours, sparse seating and custom-made Neapolitan pies. Throw one together with anchovies, black olives and feta cheese—or choose among many other possible combinations. For dessert, leave the market and head to Leopold’s for ice cream. The shop harkens back to its 1919 founding with a black marble soda fountain and a wooden phone booth. Try one of the more inventive seasonal flavors like eggnog, Japanese cherry blossom or a Thin Mints and cream option that references another of Savannah’s homegrown organizations—the Girl Scouts.
Tired of walking? Get into your car and escape to Wormsloe to see the ruins of the oldest-standing structure in the city. The site played host to military drills in the 18th century, which you can see reenacted daily in the Colonial Life Area of the park.
The Distillery, photo by Geoff L. Johnson Photography, Connect Savannah
Just below Forsyth Park lies one of the best restaurants in Savannah. Aptly named Local 11 Ten for its address, the eatery boasts locally grown foods and seasonal ingredients. Order the Asian pear salad with speck, toasted pecans and beet vinaigrette; coq au vin with housemade bacon; and beignets with pear jam, peanut butter ice cream and peanut brittle. Enjoy an evening of upscale epicurean excess while admiring hints of the restaurant’s former life as a 1950s bank. Traveling with a group? Reserve the semi-private “vault room” in front of the Old Savannah Bank’s historic safe.
Afterward, trot on over to The Distillery on West Liberty Street for an extensive selection of beers, including a malty Allagash Curieux and raspberry-flavored Lindemans Framboise, plus fun infusions like a coconut-pineapple-honey rum. Then head back to City Market for a raucous end to your trip listening to live music at the Jinx. —Jackson Reeves
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71f5a6bccf1d05f91b48f5b96c534170 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2013/05/20/5-beer-cities-to-hit-this-summer/ | 5 Beer Cities To Hit This Summer | 5 Beer Cities To Hit This Summer
Luxe pool parties may be nice, and stunning beach resorts are always a safe bet. But in cities around North America, the most popular way to beat the summer heat is to raise a glass of ice-cold beer with friends and neighbors. From amber ales and oatmeal stouts to standalone events and weeklong beer festivals, our Forbes Travel Guide team found something to love in each of these beer-centric cities.
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Mayor Michael Nutter tapping first keg at Philly Beer Week, photo courtesy Michael Persico
Philadelphia
In 2008, a passionate group of beer lovers banded together to create Philly Beer Week, a multi-day celebration of the City of Brotherly Love’s favorite beverage. Organizers hoped to schedule 75 events (think beer dinners, pub crawls and meet-the-brewer parties) in that first year; the final roster actually included more than 300. “It just took off immediately, and it has really grown in leaps and bounds,” says Don Russell, executive director of Philly Beer Week. This year, PBW (May 31-June 9) will feature more than 350 events at 250-plus bars, restaurants and breweries. Should you find yourself in Philly for this year’s festivities, Russell recommends attending the Opening Tap ceremony on May 31, during which Mayor Michael Nutter will swing the “Hammer of Glory” (a sledgehammer that is passed bar-to-bar in Olympic torch fashion) to open the first keg of Brotherly Suds 4, a collaborative beer created by brewers from the greater Philadelphia area. Admission to the tasting festival is $45; buy a ticket early, as this event sells out each year.
Where to Stay: After a day of partying, retire to Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia; but before you call it a night, grab one of the Dock Street Brewing Co. collaborative beers made specifically for the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel (the summer brew will be released at the hotel’s Backyard Beer Garden event on June 6, $25 admission). As an added perk, the hotel’s Mercedes-Benz S-Class can transport you to bars and breweries in the downtown area, free of charge. Simply inquire about its availability on nights you know you’ll need a ride when you check in.
Asheville Beer Week, photo courtesy Anne Fitten Glenn
Asheville, N.C.
The Appalachian Mountains aren’t the only high-gravity attraction in Asheville. This small North Carolina town has earned a reputation for the bold brews produced by its 12 hometown breweries. Tour and taste your way through them by foot or car with Asheville Brewery Tours. Four-hour mobile tours ($54) are offered on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, allowing you to taste the brews at four different breweries. Shorter walking tours ($47) in the downtown neighborhood are held on Friday and Saturday afternoons, and include stops at three breweries and a taproom. For the die-hard beer fan, Asheville Beer Week (May 25-June 1) is the best time to visit. Though only in its second year, it already has a full schedule of pint nights at local restaurants (May 29 and 31), a homebrew festival (May 25), and a unique rare and wild beer tasting event co-sponsored by All About Beer magazine and the Thirsty Monk bar to benefit Pints for Prostates (May 31). If you’re lucky, you could snag tickets to the sold-out Beer City Festival on June 1 at the last minute. You might have better luck swinging by Green Man Brewery on May 27 for the tapping of the first-ever Asheville Brewers Alliance collaboration beer, the brainchild of more than 20 breweries. Admission is free, but bring cash to enjoy the fruits of the brewers’ labor.
Where to Stay: You’ll need a good night’s rest before you tackle the brewery scene so make reservations at the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Inn on Biltmore Estate, a stately place to slumber in style or discuss the finer points of your beer exploration at the end of the night.
Portland Beer Week, photo courtesy PortlandBeer.org
Portland, Ore.
Forbes Travel Guide Tastemaker Carrie Brownstein helped spark a renewed interest in Oregon’s largest city when she co-created the hit Independent Film Channel show, Portlandia. As the show suggests, Portland is a place where things are a little different—including its beer festivals. On June 7, some 4,500 beer fans are expected to attend the third-annual Portland Fruit Beer Festival, a one-of-a-kind gathering that features more than 40 beers that span the flavor spectrum from a light orange juice-infused pilsner and a sour cherry wheat to sour cucumber beer, kiwi ale and rhubarb-infused hard ciders. General admission is $20 and VIP tickets are $28. The festival is part of Portland Beer Week (June 6-16), an 11-day affair filled with tap parties, seminars, classes and quirky events such as the Hopworks Pinball Tournament (June 10, free) and the second annual Battle of the Belgians (June 14, $15). You can even incorporate exercise into your visit by taking the Forest Pike Hike (June 12, $20), where you’ll join brewers from Breakside Brewery, Coalition Brewing Co., The Commons Brewery and Hopworks Urban Brewery for a hike through Forest Park to learn about the natural plants they’re incorporating into upcoming brews.
Where to Stay: At the end of the day, head to The Westin Portland, a Forbes Travel Guide Recommended hotel, to feast on chicken pot pie paired with a local IPA from the Daily Grill. Other luxe Forbes Travel Guide Recommended hotel options sure to help you recharge for another day of sudsy fun include Hotel deLuxe and Hotel Lucia.
SAVOR NYC, photo courtesy Brewers Association
New York City
New York City may not have the volume of breweries as its big-city cohorts, but what it lacks in homegrown ventures, it more than makes up for in style and substance. Take, for instance, the city’s newfound status as the home to SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience, which has been held in Washington, D.C. for the past five years (it will return to the nation’s capital next year). The annual fête, set for June 14-15, will draw 76 small and independent American brewers and thousands of gourmet food fans to the Altman Building and Metropolitan Pavilion in Chelsea. Guests will enjoy delectable small bites prepared by chef Adam Dulye (of The Monk’s Kettle and Abbot’s Cellar in San Francisco) in collaboration with a team of chefs and Cicerones (professionally certified beer servers), ensuring that the entire food-and-beverage experience is one to, well, savor. Grand tasting tickets start at $170.
Of course, you don’t have to be in town for a festival to toast with locals who flock to the city’s many specialty craft beer bars. Spend an afternoon exploring on a New York Beer and Brewery Tour, which hits Chelsea Brewing Co. in Manhattan, Spuyten Duyvil and Brooklyn Brewery in Williamsburg, and Bohemian Hall Beer Garden in Queens. The tour takes four to five hours and costs $100, but for the money, it’s a much more enjoyable way to see the city than hopping on a double-decker tour bus.
Where to Stay: If proximity to bars and breweries matters to you (and we hope that it does), here are our top lodging picks: ANdAZ 5th Avenue is just steps from Grand Central Terminal, where you can hop on the MTA, and ANdAZ Wall Street in lower Manhattan is close to the Brooklyn Bridge (in case you feel the need to get some fresh air on your way to or from the Brooklyn Brewery).
SAVOR NYC, photo courtesy Eddie Arrossi
San Francisco
Did you know that San Francisco’s brewing history dates back more than 100 years? It’s true—and you can learn all about it at History and Hops, an event scheduled for May 23 at the Old Mint (a building that dates back to 1874). This special event will explore the city’s beer brewing history with special presentations, a panel discussion with the San Francisco Brewers Guild, guided tours of the Old Mint and beer tastings, all included in the $30 admission charge. Other summer happenings held by the San Francisco Brewers Guild include “Meet the Brewer” events at Magnolia Pub and Brewery (June 19), Pi Bar (July 17) and The Beach Chalet (August 21). Local brews and live music go hand-in-hand in the Bay Area—you’ll find plenty of both at the Chipotle Cultivate Festival on June 8. It’s a free outdoor festival featuring cooking demonstrations from celebrity chefs such as Amanda Freitag and Tastemakers Richard Blais and Michael Chiarello, live music by The Walkmen and Mayer Hawthorne, and an à la carte tasting hall with local restaurants.
Where to Stay: Book a room at the luxe Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star St. Regis San Francisco. Should you enjoy a bit too much fun in the sun (or have a few too many beers), you’ll be able to rejuvenate yourself with a detoxifying seaweed wrap at the hotel’s Four-Star Remède Spa San Francisco. —Natalie Wearstler
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1b06a3ca8429ab81f7792e518490d697 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2013/10/08/forbes-travel-guide-hot-20/ | Forbes Travel Guide Hot 20 | Forbes Travel Guide Hot 20
Over the past few years, luxury hotels have been popping up throughout North America. Whether you're looking for a mountain retreat or a warm weather escape, here are 20 hotels and resorts to check into this winter.
Capella Washington, D.C., Georgetown
Former Ritz-Carlton president and hospitality guru Horst Schulze founded the Capella Hotel Group in 2002 and has since opened luxury hotels from Singapore to Düsseldorf. The latest, debuting last spring, is this 49-room haven on a prime spot along Georgetown’s C&O Canal. Two weeks before your arrival, your personal concierge calls to discuss everything you may need, including what you'd like in your minibar and what theater tickets you might enjoy. Soak up the views from the heated, indoor/outdoor infinity pool on the roof or relax by the two-story onyx fireplace in the Capella Living Room, available only to hotel guests.
Infinity edge pool at Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, photo credit Forbes Image
Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Puerto Rico
Laurance Rockefeller's former estate—and home to his former Dorado Beach RockResort—has become the site of Ritz-Carlton's second entry (after Thailand) for its new Reserve program, which seeks to create individualistic resorts in tune with natural settings. The job of integrating nature and luxury works seamlessly here, partly because it's relatively small—with only 115 rooms on 50 acres—and partly through shrewd touches like outdoor garden showers and floor-to-ceiling glass doors that disappear into their frames. The restaurant, Mi Casa, by Forbes Travel Guide Tastemaker José Andrés, is sited with stunning views of the sea, as are the three golf courses. (Hint for non-Tigers: the Pineapple Course was designed to be "friendlier.")
The Cove, Eleuthera, Bahamas
No longer are all of Eleuthera's luxury travelers headed straight north to Harbour Island. What was once a bland and neglected 1960s-era Bahamian resort has been reborn in the hands of its new owner, New Orleans-based real estate and waste management entrepreneur Sidney D. Torres, IV. Torres reopened the property, perched on a private 40-acre peninsula, in spring 2013, giving a streamlined, whitewashed look to the cottages, suites and guest rooms, and loading them with not-always-in-the-Bahamas touches like Nespresso coffeemakers, iPod docks and 50-inch flat-screen TVs. Top of the line are two 3,500-square-foot villas with private butler service and private pools. And, to ease the way, the resort offers the several-times-weekly Cove Express, a 45-minute direct flight from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport.
Inside a hacienda at The Inn at Dos Brisas, photo courtesy The Inn at Dos Brisas, Julie Soefer
The Inn at Dos Brisas, Washington, Texas
Houston tech magnate Doug Bosch bought 313 acres of boondocks back in 2000 to serve as a weekend getaway, but his urge to entertain—and to eat very, very well—began to get the better of him. His ranch morphed into a Relais & Châteaux hotel, and its kitchen into the only Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star restaurant in Texas. The ranch captures the charm and rustic nature of the Lone Star State, but in a very particular way—call it Cowboy Chic. The chic part of the equation has never been more evident than in the five new haciendas (in addition to the four casitas), which feel like private residences with refined touches such as astronomical-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets, working gas fireplaces and soaking tubs. There are plenty of outdoor activities, including horseback riding and mountain biking, but many folks drive from Houston or Austin just for dinner. Among its other attributes, the restaurant is renowned for walking the farm-to-table walk: Most of the fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices it uses are sourced from the ranch's own, certified organic gardens (in winter, operations move to a 7,000-square-foot greenhouse, and in blazing weather a shade house fills in).
El Encanto, Santa Barbara, Calif.
Orient-Express gave this 1918 landmark a new lease on luxury life with a seven-year, $164 million renovation completed last spring. The hilltop hideaway’s 92 Craftsman- and Spanish colonial revival-style bungalows and suites are individually decorated, many with some combination of fireplaces and terraces, and all secluded within seven acres of gardens with superb views of the Pacific. Chef Patrice Martineau is acclaimed for dishes like his slow-baked organic Scottish salmon with glazed gnocchi smoked bonito. When it's time for dessert, order Ellie's Silver Mountain aged cheddar—the savory farm-to-table cheese sourced from Ellie herself, the hotel's very own cow.
Café Boulud at Four Seasons Hotel Toronto, photo credit Forbes Image
Four Seasons Hotel Toronto
The Toronto-based Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts debuted its new flagship hotel in its hometown in late 2012, and it immediately ranked among the handful of the city's top luxury properties thanks both to its glamorous décor and its prime Yorkville location. Besides a soothing, contemporary design with plenty of neutral tones that complements the hotel's 55-story, glass-encased tower, you'll find in-room niceties such as iPads for ordering room service and scheduling wake-up calls. The hotel also houses the airy, 30,000-square-foot Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Toronto and a Café Boulud outpost by Forbes Travel Guide Tastemaker chef Daniel Boulud.
Hotel El Ganzo, Los Cabos, Mexico
There are a lot of hyphens involved in describing this hip, artsy, singular new hotel, whose sensibility is miles away from Cabo’s tourist mill. It describes itself as "Design Boutique, Arts, Live Music, Marina & Spa." Its stark white walls are slowly being covered by the works of various artists-in-residence; its own underground recording studio features a slate of live performances that doesn't appear to include a single mariachi band. If you are seeking inspiration yourself, you may want to repair to the much-admired rooftop infinity pool overlooking the Puerto Los Cabos marina and the Sea of Cortez, and affording views of fishing boats, stone bluffs and charming docks.
Glenmere Mansion, photo courtesy Relais & Châteaux
Glenmere Mansion, Chester, N.Y.
It's hard to believe Glenmere Mansion is only 75 minutes outside New York City, and that's exactly the point. Situated in the lower Hudson Valley, the meticulously restored Italianate villa (which recently hosted star chef Daniel Boulud's wedding) has only 18 rooms, making a winter stay feel cozy and secluded. Industrialist Robert Goelet commissioned Carrère and Hastings (who also designed the Forbes Building) to design this graceful country home back in 1911 and hired the no-less-worthy landscape architect Beatrix Jones Farrand to lay out the gardens. It only remained for surgeon Dan DeSimone and his partner, former public relations man Alan Stenberg, to fall in love with the place during a weekend excursion, buy it and spearhead a four-year, $30 million renovation that has restored the mansion to opulence. The hotel's perch above Glenmere Lake is especially scenic when the snow begins to fall, and there are plenty of places to curl up with a book, including the charming library with its crackling fireplace and windows affording sweeping views of Farrand's deftly composed grounds.
Hotel Jerome, An Auberge Resort, Aspen, Colo.
Thanks to a four-month restoration (and rebranding as an Auberge Resort), this Aspen landmark has a new lease on life. With the new era comes the hot après-ski spot Living Room, one of the town's buzziest happy hour locales. The Jerome may not be ski-in/ski-out, but you're only about six blocks from Aspen Mountain, with a just-far-enough-from-the-madding-crowd location. Auberge Resorts boast a spa image, and the Jerome lives up to the rep with a small but luxurious facility offering a menu of site-specific treatments such as the High Altitude Sports Recovery Massage. The guest room facelift includes cashmere curtains, big, walk-in rain showers and oversize flat-screen televisions.
Grace Bay Club, photo credit Forbes Image
Grace Bay Club, Turks & Caicos
This sophisticated, Mediterranean-inflected, adults-only hotel (kids are welcome at the adjacent villas and residences) occupies a privileged 11 acres on the sweeping expanse of Grace Bay Beach, with a quintessential powder-sand-and-turquoise-water Caribbean beach. Grace Bay Club set the pace for luxury beachfront here in 1993, and thanks to its hands-on owners (and Denver-based lead investor SV Capital Partners), it has continued to stay ahead of the curve. The latest seven-figure renovation included the dramatic glass-edge infinity pool, companion to the equally dramatic, 90-foot Infiniti Bar, said to be the longest in the Caribbean.
The Kahala Hotel & Resort, Honolulu, Hawaii
Originally opened by Conrad Hilton in 1964, the classic resort has hosted every president since Lyndon B. Johnson and has been a favorite of high-profile guests for years thanks to its secluded 6.5 beachfront acres. With its 50th anniversary looming, the resort is spruced up and adding features like the new luxury Italian restaurant Arancino. Grown-ups will enjoy the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Kahala Spa’s private suites with access to their own lush tropical gardens, while everyone gets a chance to play with the resort's resident dolphins in the 26,000-square-foot lagoon.
The Towers at The New York Palace, photo credit Forbes Image
The New York Palace, New York
Northwood Hospitality (Cheeca Lodge; Parrot Key) funded a 16-month, $140 million overhaul to this classic property. Its hotel-within-a-hotel, The Towers at The New York Palace, was unveiled in spring 2013; rooms were upgraded to include modern interiors accented by contemporary art and Creston touchscreen technology. The 1882 McKim, Mead & White-designed Villard Mansion section of the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel has been home to some top restaurants over the years (Le Cirque 2000, Gilt), but Michel Richard is the new toque in town, with Villard Michel Richard, opening this fall, housed in the same lavish space.
Old Edwards Inn and Spa, Highlands, N.C.
Onetime high school coach and later Primerica insurance mogul Art Williams has poured treasure into woodsy, WASPy, golfy Highlands in western North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains. The centerpiece of his resort, condo and event venue empire is the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Old Edwards Inn and Spa, a fine, cozy place to hole up in winter, with many working fireplaces and a free-flowing supply of sparkling wine upon arrival. Thanks to its perch atop a plateau, the resort sports stunning views. Book one of the luxurious new Falls Cottages—named for the many waterfalls in the area—opened in summer 2013. The nine stone cottages surround a double-sided freestanding fireplace and heated mineral pool and hot tub, all of which come in handy when winter rolls in. Across from the Falls Cottages sits Art's at the Lodge, the resort's newest restaurant (and a great place for an evening libation).
Rosewood Hotel Georgia, photo credit Forbes Image
Rosewood Hotel Georgia, Vancouver, British Columbia
The longtime Vancouver hotel of choice for visiting celebrities (Elvis Presley, Nat King Cole, Katharine Hepburn) has been restored to its former glory, becoming Canada's only Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star hotel. Though Dallas-based Rosewood was sold to Hong Kong’s New World Hospitality in 2011, the renovation stays true to the Rosewood DNA of maintaining a well-known hotel's individual character. The overhaul saw the circa-1927 property modernized with 156 spacious rooms and suites, and put well-known chef David Hawksworth, with his contemporary Canadian cuisine, at the helm of the hotel's signature restaurant.
The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort, Miami
Poised between the temptations of a private stretch of white sand beach and the Bal Harbour Shops across Collins Avenue, this was one of 2012’s most notable hotel openings. The zigzag architecture allows each of the 227 rooms (spread throughout three towers) to deliver ocean views. But it's the interior design that's really striking—the Art Deco touches are glamorous (this is Miami, after all) while still managing to be tasteful, a rarity in this over-the-top beach town. Celebrate your day with a glass of bubbly at The St. Regis Bar, where the bartender skillfully sabers a bottle of champagne at 7:30 p.m. sharp (as it were).
Salamander Resort & Spa, photo courtesy Salamander Resort & Spa, Justin Kriel
Salamander Resort & Spa, Middleburg, Va.
B.E.T. cofounder, Washington, D.C. sports executive (Capitals, Wizards, Mystics), producer and philanthropist Sheila C. Johnson turned her bountiful energy to luxury resorts in founding Salamander Hotels & Resorts in 2005. This, her fourth installment, has been a long time coming—construction began in 2007—but finally opened this August in the heart of Virginia Horse Country, about an hour from Washington. The 168-room resort is centered on equestrian activities (there are handsome stables, a menu of trail experiences—including horse and rider harmonizing "Mindfulness Rides"—and annual events such as polo and steeplechase). But there are plenty of other pursuits as well, including a 23,000-square-foot spa and a state-of-the-art cooking studio. Unwind on a winter weekend with a glass of fine local wine in the Gold Cup Wine Bar or shoot pool in the cozy billiards room.
Sparrows Hotel, Palm Springs, Calif.
In a town where brash and bold is the design rule, it's refreshing to encounter a stylish lodging option that eschews flash in favor of subtle minimalism. Enter the Sparrows, quietly opened this fall by Doug and Josie Smith, former owners of Palm Springs’ Korakia Pensione, itself notable for a cult following among celebrities, photographers, artists and models, and for its understated hacienda-style rooms. The Smiths took a former 1950s-era motel down to the studs in this new project, transforming the 20 rooms with redwood-clad walls, simple platform beds and earthy tones that speak to the natural desert and mountain beauty of its Palm Springs surroundings.
Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort, photo courtesy Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort
Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort, St. Lucia
Hot out of L.A., the design-forward Viceroy Hotel Group put the old Jalousie Plantation through a three-year, $100 million rethink and rebranding. The new resort still enjoys the greatest selling point of the old: one of the island’s most prized locations on a stretch of sandy beach overlooked by the Pitons, spectacular twin volcanoes. Sugar Beach features whitewashed guest rooms situated inside plantation-style buildings (it sits beside an 18th-century sugar plantation, after all). After being outdoors all day, treat yourself to a sun-soother wrap (think lavender, aloe and oatmeal) in the resort's Rainforest Spa, a nod to the 100 acres of spectacular rainforest that surround the property.
Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.
Tucked within the tony San Diego County enclave of Rancho Santa Fe, this resort is a world unto itself, one where celebrities such as Bill Gates and Chelsea Handler seek respite among olive groves and citrus trees, tennis courts and spa cabanas. A new group of owners, including Fiji Water cofounder Doug Carlson, purchased the resort in 2010, and Rancho Valencia emerged polished and enhanced from a 10-month, $30 million renovation last fall. The most well-heeled among its clientele check into the Hacienda, a 5,000-square-foot, adobe-style home with soaring ceilings and a Viking-outfitted kitchen.
Casita bedroom at Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa, photo courtesy Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa
While other accommodations at the all-suite retreat average 1,000 square feet, there are even more impressive numbers: The four-to-one staff-to-guest ratio, for instance, and the placement of 49 casitas on 45 acres. Even the amenities here have an element of name-dropping: Frette, Bang & Olufsen, Bose and Illy.
Rancho Valencia's transformation introduced chef Eric Bauer's Veladora, which serves coastal cuisine in a rustic-chic space anchored by a Damien Hirst kaleidoscope of butterfly wings. Next door, The Pony Room revels in craft tequilas. Its lantern-lined, fireplace-flanked patio is a fine place to watch the sunset and reflect that winter is somewhere far away.
Washington School House, Park City, Utah
"Old school is the new cool" is the motto at this 1889 schoolhouse, reborn as a stylish 12-room inn. Inside the limestone building, with its 16-foot ceilings, you'll find suites outfitted with European antique furnishings and a subtle French country design. This isn't your typical ski lodge—it is elegant enough that, after finishing a day on the slopes and handing your equipment over to the hotel's ski valet, you just may forget you're in Park City. But you can still restore your tired muscles in the heated hillside pool or schedule an in-room massage. All soothed, you'll want to take part in the après-ski scene in the exclusive ski lounge.
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d9434ddb9ee22d65eaed49ca3176c898 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2013/10/09/spending-two-perfect-days-in-maritime-canada/ | Spending Two Perfect Days In Maritime Canada | Spending Two Perfect Days In Maritime Canada
Montreal and Halifax are separated by less than 800 miles. Because of the vastly different cultures, though, they feel even farther apart than that. One is a gorgeous cosmopolitan city that could be the finest example of European sensibilities on North American soil. The other is a picturesque haven along the water that prides itself on seafaring almost as much as it does on smiling.
Halifax, photo courtesy Mark Tyler/Nova Scotia Tourism Agency
VIA Rail, the national passenger train service of Canada, connects the two cities with its Ocean route, a thrice-weekly, 22-hour trip that’s filled with informative guides, tasty meals and lasting memories. Couple all of the on-board excitement with everything happening outside with the passing landscape and you see why so many Montrealers make the trek. Now, before embarking on the journey yourself from Halifax to Montreal, there’s more than 48 hours of excitement waiting for you on the Maritime side of things.
Day One
Simply put, the ocean is quite the temptress. She’ll woo you with gentle breezes and hypnotic motions of the water. But get too close and she’ll bite. Nowhere is this mercurial behavior more present than in Halifax, the capital city of Nova Scotia. Situated in a basin in the North Atlantic Ocean, the area has long been a gravitating force—be it the indigenous Mi’kmaq people or the Acadians from France in the 1600s.
Many people who lived here during those times worked on the sea. Their stories are relived at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, a treasure trove of boating diagrams, nautical artifacts and vintage photos. The museum’s two most important exhibits, however, surround tragic events on the water: the Titanic disaster in 1912 and the infamous Halifax Explosion of 1917. Though Newfoundland was technically closer to the failed Titanic, emergency teams and other life-saving essentials came from better-prepared Nova Scotia. In fact, the largest resting place for Titanic victims is Halifax’s Fairview Lawn Cemetery.
Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, photo courtesy Scott Munn/Nova Scotia Tourism Agency
After visiting the museum, you have a host of options: You can grab a quick bite at one of the waterfront stalls (The Shack Oyster Bar’s snow crab and lobster rolls are just the right mix of creamy and chunky) and get lost in the shops (Lost Cod Clothing Co. is a must-stop for customizable shirts with iconic Canadian brand logos); or you could make the five-minute walk over to The Five Fishermen Restaurant & Grill, a polished eatery with split personalities—there’s the traditional grandeur upstairs and its less-serious culinary cousin downstairs. Because it’ll be lunchtime when you go, you’ll have to settle for downstairs. Luckily, it features the same spoon-filling seafood chowder and Parmesan-crusted baked haddock, so you’re still in good shape. It’s also here where you can get your first lesson in Nova Scotian wine. (Tip: Start with a glass of Domaine de Grand Pré Tidal Bay, a crisp white made with 100 percent Nova Scotia-grown grapes that goes wonderfully with most any seafood.)
Let your lunch settle by taking the walking tour at the Alexander Keith’s brewery. The local beer is beloved around Eastern Canada, and its interactive tour—actors and working kilns and free Indian Pale Ale samples, oh my!—is an absolute treat.
Peggy's Cove, photo courtesy Mark Tyler/Nova Scotia Tourism Agency
Keep the libations under control, though, because you’ll need to make a 45-minute drive to your next stop, Peggy’s Cove. While you would have gotten your first glimpse of sea life at the museum and along the harbor, it’s at the cove where you get an unfiltered view of what maritime life in the province is all about. A sleepy fishing village of about 650 residents, Peggy’s Cove offers Facebook-worthy snapshots near Peggy’s Point Lighthouse and thought-drifting moments on the rocky shore.
When you finally pull yourself away, it’s off to another unapologetically charming town called Lunenburg. It’s here where you’ll dock for the night. Like something ripped right out of a Stephen King novel—well, actually, the SyFy channel’s supernatural drama Haven is mainly filmed in Chester, about 10 minutes away—Lunenburg has everything you might expect in a city along the North Atlantic coast (churches from the 1800s, scallop-catching boats) and a few things you probably wouldn’t (Ironworks vodka distillery).
Lunenburg, photo courtesy Nova Scotia Tourism Agency
Lunenburg Arms Hotel & Spa is a historic boutique property that knows a few things about melding the old (unique hardwood furniture) with the new (lightning fast Wi-Fi). But even beyond the private quarters, the restaurant, Rissers Social House, is a find. Nova Scotia fishcakes and “fruits of the sea” (haddock, salmon, sea scallops and tiger shrimp in a light sherry-shrimp sauce over pasta) couldn’t be much fresher—even if the chef snuck out the back, ran across the street and snatched the seafood off a boat himself.
If the dinner (and glass of locally produced Blomidon L’Acadie Blanc) hasn’t taken its toll on your body, complete your night with a walking ghost tour from seventh-generation Lunenburg native Shelah Allen. A giddy storyteller, Allen insists, “Lunenburg has more ghosts per capita than any other town in Canada.”
Day Two
Let’s hope nightmares didn’t ruin your rest because you have an hour-and-a-half drive toward Annapolis Valley. The aforementioned Acadians settled in an area called Grand-Pré in the late 1600s, becoming skilled farmers and living relatively harmoniously with the native Mi’kmaq. In the 1700s, British soldiers stormed in and terrorized anyone who wasn’t for their cause. (Some Acadians who were deported went as far south as Louisiana, thus becoming “Cajun.”) The Grand-Pré National Historic Site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recounts these times through a fascinating 3-D presentation and lovingly landscaped grounds.
Blomidon Estate Winery, photo courtesy Blomidon Estate
After that emotional experience, it’ll be time for lunch. Only about 40 minutes from Grand-Pré is another postcard-perfect fishing village called Hall’s Harbour. The Hall’s Harbour Lobster Pound restaurant is kitschy (the gift shop sells lobster socks), kooky (you pick out your lobster and literally take it to the cook in a tray) and quite the culinary treat (juicy lobster mac ‘n’ cheese). Sadly, the eatery will shut its traps for the season on Oct. 14, reopening on Mother’s Day weekend in May.
From there, it’s time to fully experience some of the wine you’ve only sampled up to this point. The province is teeming with 22 vineyards. In fact, from Hall’s Harbour, you could go in the direction of Blomidon Estate Winery or go to Luckett Vineyards; however, the best overall experience is probably at Domaine de Grand Pré, a winery producing everything from seyval blanc to ice wine. Domaine de Grand Pré also does private lessons and maintains a restaurant, Le Caveau, that promotes a Nova Scotia menu filled with locally sourced ingredients, seafood and wild game.
VIA Rail, photo courtesy VIA Rail
All of the dining and driving probably have you pretty tired by now. Make your way to the cozy town of Wolfville where you will spend your second evening at the Blomidon Inn. A restored sea captain’s mansion, today the inn is a delightfully English retreat for city dwellers in need of a respite and couples longing for a romantic weekend. Whichever category you fall into, you’ll find that the staff’s hospitality warms the soul and the Victorian-inspired restaurant’s cuisine (house-smoked salmon, braised lamb shank) excites the taste buds.
When you wake the next morning, you will have one mission—make the one-hour drive from Wolfville back to Halifax in time to catch the 12:20 p.m. VIA Rail train to Montreal. If the memories collected while exploring Maritime Canada over the past 48 hours aren’t enough to fill you up for the trip, a menagerie of muffins and melons off the inn’s continental breakfast spread should do the trick.
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965cca78990618b5aaec7989bf9a7b4b | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2013/11/20/spending-two-perfect-days-in-santa-fe/ | Spending Two Perfect Days In Santa Fe | Spending Two Perfect Days In Santa Fe
You’ve seen blue skies before, but you haven’t seen them quite like this. Santa Fe’s blue looks almost Photoshopped it’s so crisp. Combine that piercing hue with the earth-toned adobe buildings the area is synonymous with, and you have the kind of breathtaking scene a writer would go on and on about in a sonnet. And wouldn’t you know it? Many have. A muse if there ever was one, The City Different, as Santa Fe is lovingly referred, has inspired the words of Willa Cather, the brushstrokes of Georgia O’Keeffe and the design sketches of Tom Ford. After 48 hours in the New Mexico capital city, a similar feeling will resonate in you. You won’t necessarily be sparked to create a work of art all your own, but you’ll certainly have a better understanding as to why others were motivated to do so.
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Day One
The Bishop's Lodge Ranch Resort & Spa, photo courtesy Bishop's Lodge Ranch Resort & Spa
Just three miles outside historic downtown Santa Fe is The Bishop’s Lodge Ranch Resort & Spa, your home for the weekend. Like the backdrop from one of O’Keeffe’s famed landscapes, the 450-acre escape has all the New Mexican charm and adobe-crafted warmth that you can handle. The lodge, which served as Bishop Jean Baptiste Lamy’s escape before Denver miner James R. Thorpe opened it to the public in 1918, features 111 guest rooms, the SháNah Spa & Wellness Center, Las Fuentes Restaurant & Bar and more activities (trap shooting, tennis and horseback riding, to name a few) than you have free hours. It’s no wonder why the hotel is one of the city’s go-to addresses for team-building retreats. However, with all of the personal touches in the room—wood-carved chairs, kiva fireplaces—you’ll wonder how any work is ever done.
Santa Fe Railyard, photo courtesy Santa Fe Convention and Visitors Bureau, Seth Roffman
If your two-day visit starts on a Saturday, let your first stop off the property be the Santa Fe Farmers Market in the blooming Santa Fe Railyard area. Here you’ll find everything from blueberry-covered doughnuts to handmade lip balms and Christmas ornaments made from the beloved chili pepper. If you’re not in the city on a Saturday, you’re still in luck because the downtown area has numerous museum options. The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum and New Mexico Museum of Art will enthrall art aficionados. History buffs will need at least two hours to wrap their heads around all that the New Mexico History Museum has to offer. And then there’s the state capitol, a building that combines history, the arts and politics (the lobby to Governor Susana Martinez’s office even doubles as a gallery) into one visitor-friendly destination.
Stay downtown for lunch by visiting Tia Sophia’s, a local haunt where the only thing better than its midday meal is its world-famous breakfast burrito. But trust us, after the Santa Fe plate (tamale, taco, cheese enchilada, beans and posole) and a few helpings of friendly service, you’ll be all kinds of full. After stuffing yourself, though, try your best to walk off the calories with some shopping downtown (the Pueblo artisans market in Santa Fe Plaza and Andrea Fisher Fine Pottery, which locals call the “Tiffany’s of Southwestern pottery,” are must-stops).
New Mexico Museum of Art, photo courtesy Santa Fe Convention and Visitors Bureau, Chris Corrie
Some of the pottery from beloved craftspeople such as Maria Martinez can fetch well into the thousands of dollars from collectors. Now, after taking your afternoon pottery class with Theo Helmstadter at Green River Pottery, you probably won’t end up with a piece of art worth anywhere close to that, but the experience with the wet clay and potter’s wheel will still prove priceless. Who really cares that your coffee mug sits at a 45-degree angle?
But that’s one of the magical things about Santa Fe: The place just has a way of easing your worries. Who knows if it’s the azure skies or all the glowing smiles? It actually could just be the stellar cuisine. At Eldorado Hotel & Spa’s Old House Restaurant, for example, chef Anthony Smith does things so inventive with fish (pan-seared ruby trout) and fowl (crispy chicken Santa Fe) that you wonder why you haven’t heard more about the city’s kitchens before now. And almost as delightful as the restaurant’s menu is its location—right next to Old House is the Agave Lounge, the perfect place to wind down with a Holiday Cheer (tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice and strawberry purée) after an action-packed day.
Day Two
La Cieneguilla petroglyphs, photo courtesy Santa Fe Convention and Visitors Bureau, Chris Corrie
Beyond its well-deserved reputation for being an incubator for the arts, Santa Fe is also renowned for its endeavors in the great outdoors. After starting your day with a quick bite at Bishop Lodge’s Las Fuentes Restaurant, meet up with Outspire Hiking and Snowshoeing nature guide Karen Denison for a morning of exploring. Denison specializes in custom journeys to some of the city’s hidden treasures, and there’s one particular hiking tour to the petroglyph-covered basalt rock in La Cieneguilla that will leave you gasping for air and frantically searching for your digital camera.
This particular trek isn’t too grueling, but your knees could ache a little from all the walking. If that’s the case, make the 25-minute drive to Body, a full-body spa, yoga studio, retail store and health-conscious restaurant. Any of the specialty services—read: hot stone, Thai and Chi Nei Tsang massages—will help with the sore muscles. The café’s grilled Brie, apple and turkey sandwich, and kale-blueberry smoothie will do their part in replenishing lost nutrients.
After your Shiatsu and snacking, make the short trip over to the Canyon Road art galleries. Here, more so than anywhere else in Santa Fe, you fully bear witness to what kind of muse the city can be. On both sides of the popular street, you’ll find showroom upon showroom from Pueblo Indian painters (Michael Smith Gallery), contemporary artists (Matthews Gallery) and photographers (Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery). Just around the block from Canyon Road is the Kakawa Chocolate House. Part coffeehouse and part-time archaeology class, Kakawa serves ancient chocolate elixirs—some bitter, others with a pinch of sweetness—the same way that Aztec warriors and 17th-century Spanish explorers used to drink them.
Canyon Road gallery, photo courtesy Santa Fe Convention and Visitors Bureau, Douglas Merriam
For one final art showing, head across the street from Kakawa to Nedra Matteucci Galleries. Founded in 1972, the gallery is absolutely loaded with precious works from O’Keeffe, Leon Gaspard and many others. Some may find the unorthodox layout a bit puzzling—one of the building’s original owners, Forrest Fenn, is an interesting character who’s as famous for a reported treasure he has buried in the Rocky Mountains as he is for his taste in art—but if you can weave your way around all of the trinket-filled rooms, you’ll be rewarded with a breathtaking, one-acre sculpture garden and pond in the back.
Back on Canyon Road, in between a few more galleries, sits The Compound Restaurant, one of the city’s most respected restaurants. Reflect on your weekend with a few courses off the celebrated menu of regional dishes with Mediterranean sensibilities. Owner and chef Mark Kiffin is a James Beard Award winner (Best Chef of the Southwest, 2005), so picking between the grilled rack of lamb and buttermilk roasted chicken as your main entrée proves a challenge. But if you properly pair your meat with one of the 200 selections from the curated wine collection, you’ll be fine. Remember: There’s an art to it—just like everything else about Santa Fe.
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4d5ef8885211eb1737a973fd72b9b19c | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2014/01/17/spending-two-perfect-days-on-oahu/ | Spending Two Perfect Days On Oahu | Spending Two Perfect Days On Oahu
Though the majority of Oahu’s population calls Honolulu home, there’s much more beyond Hawaii’s capital city. Of course, the ideal 48-hour stay requires time spent both in the metropolis (or as much of a metropolis a city can be on a Pacific island) and on the remote North Shore. After a recent trip exploring all Oahu has to offer, our Forbes Travel Guide editors have curated a jam-packed, two-day itinerary, ensuring your vacation will be as perfect as the weather.
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Day One
Your home for the first 24 hours will be Trump International Hotel Waikiki Beach Walk. The sprawling rooms and suites feel more like luxurious condos than hotel rooms, thanks to amenities such as gourmet kitchens with Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances, and spacious marble bathrooms. Though it’s not perched right on the sand, the glamorous resort is just on the other side of the block from the Pacific Ocean and offers beach service (and supplies you with beach bags stocked with towels, bottled water, fruit and sunscreen). If you don’t feel like sinking your toes in the sand, you can head up to the sixth-floor infinity pool and sip handcrafted cocktails (we suggest a Mai Tai).
Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, photo courtesy Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
If you want a dose of history, book a room at Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa. Nicknamed the “First Lady of Waikiki,” it’s the original Waikiki resort. The colonial-esque hotel stands guard over the beach, with its iconic banyan tree as the centerpiece. One of the perks about staying here is that you have access to the other Starwood properties in Waikiki (including The Royal Hawaiian) and can even charge things back to your room. That means, if you want to get a cocktail after your surf lesson at the luxurious pink hotel (see next paragraph) and didn’t bring your wallet, you can just add it to your bill.
Considering you’re staying in Waikiki, some time on the beach is definitely in order. Start your day with surf lessons—this is where surfing was popularized, after all. Even if you haven’t caught a wave in your life, this is the place to learn. The waves in Waikiki are typically beginner friendly, though if you go to the beach around sunrise, you’ll spot plenty of veteran surfers. Venture from your hotel over to The Royal Hawaiian (it’s the massive pink resort, you can’t miss it), where you’ll find Waikiki Beach Services and its crew of stellar surfers. When we were there, we paddled out with Pohai McWhirter, who was more than patient (even after a few spills on our part).
After your surf lesson, you’ll be ready for a bite to eat before continuing on your Honolulu adventure. For a quintessential meal, make your way toward Diamond Head (the site of your next activity) and stop at Diamond Head Cove Health Bar. It’s a tiny spot in a strip mall that only accepts cash, but once you bite into that açai bowl, you’ll forget about the nondescript location. We suggest ordering Da Cove Bowl, which is a large scoop of puréed açai berries (frozen, so it has the consistency of a smoothie) that’s topped with honey, granola, bananas and strawberries. It’s technically the smallest size, but trust us when we say it’s big enough for two.
Waikiki, photo courtesy Hawaii Tourism Authority, Tor Johnson
Once you’ve fueled up, it’s time to do one of the more touristy—yet completely worth it—things in Honolulu: hike up Diamond Head. Getting to the summit of the volcanic crater will take about an hour; you’ll climb on a switchback, head up a series of stairs and tunnels before reaching a World War II bunker. Once you’ve reached the top, you’ll be rewarded with stunning views (some of the best on the island, in fact).
Now that you’ve got two activities under your belt for the day, you can soak up the sun on the beach or by the pool. This is the perfect time to refuel with some fish tacos or ahi poke, which will likely be some of the freshest fish you’ve tasted. Be sure to put on sunscreen and drink plenty of water because you still have about 36 hours to go in your Oahu vacation.
'Iolani Palace, photo courtesy Hayley Bosch
Rinse off the salt and sand, and get to Honolulu’s Chinatown for a tour of the city, courtesy of Holoholo Bicycles. Brandon Reid, who co-owns the shop with his wife, Nicole, will fit the stylish beach cruiser to your liking and guide you through historic Honolulu. On your 90-minute ride, you’ll stop at landmarks such as the ‘Iolani Palace, the Hawaii State Capitol building and Aloha Tower.
Oahu is all about being active, and you’ve gotten your fair share today. Head back to your hotel to freshen up before dinner. Your day isn’t over just yet. Foodies will want to make a beeline for Vintage Cave, which, oddly enough, sits inside the Japanese department store Shirokiya inside Ala Moana Center. Don’t let its location fool you though, this dynamic restaurant offers just one tasting menu—at $295 per person—and just one seating per night. Chef Chris Kajioka does wonders with his ingredients. Prepare to savor dishes such as local sashimi and Shinsato suckling pig.
For those looking for a more casual dinner, indulge in ramen—one of the hottest dishes in the culinary world these days. We suggest heading to Hokkaido Ramen Santouka, the city’s newest ramen shop; just be ready for an hourlong wait.
Day Two
Turtle Bay Resort, photo courtesy Turtle Bay Resort
It’s time for you to see another part of this paradise. Your second day will be spent on Oahu’s famous North Shore. There’s no rush to get out there, but you’ll probably want to get a head start on the hourlong drive. Set out on your scenic journey in mid-morning, allowing you to make a delicious pit stop just before you arrive at Turtle Bay Resort—your residence for the second part of your trip. For the best views (and food) along the way, you’ll want to take the coastal route. About five minutes before you arrive at the resort, you’ll spot shrimp trucks on the right side of the road in Kahuku. This is lunch (or perhaps a late-morning snack). They all essentially serve the same thing, so it’s a matter of which truck has the shortest line. We stopped at Fumi’s Kahuku Shrimp and ordered the garlic shrimp plate, which comes with a handful of tasty shrimp, two scoops of rice and a small salad. It really hits the spot.
After you’ve chowed down, continue on Kamehameha Highway until you spot Turtle Bay Resort on the left-hand side. The massive, 840-acre resort has just about everything you could want in a property, including stables, golf courses, restaurants and even helicopter tours. Check into your room—all of the rooms and suites in the main building are freshly renovated—and change into your bathing suit because it’s time for a stand-up paddleboard lesson.
Surfing on the North Shore, photo courtesy Oahu Visitors Bureau
Located just off the lobby, Hans Hedemann Surf School offers a variety of water activities. But if you’re here in the winter and have never surfed before, we suggest sticking to stand-up paddling. It’s a great workout for the core, so you’ll feel like you’ve really earned a treat after the hour lesson. If you need a bit of rest and you are here during the colder months, grab a chair by the pool and position it to face the ocean, allowing you to watch expert surfers catch some massive waves.
The North Shore is a rather idyllic place. It feels worlds away from the high-rises of Honolulu, and perhaps one of the most picture-perfect spots is the surf town of Haleiwa, which sits about 15 minutes north of Turtle Bay. Venture into town for yet another must-try Hawaiian specialty: shave ice. We suggest going to Matsumoto Shave Ice. The line is almost always out the door, but it’s definitely worth it. The finely-shaved ice is topped with whichever flavor you choose (or combination) and you can add on ice cream, sweet azuki beans and condensed milk.
Haleiwa, photo courtesy Hawaii Tourism Authority, Tor Johnson
Explore Haleiwa a bit; check out the Clark Little Gallery, where you’ll find gorgeous photographs of the ocean. Little actually shoots these stellar images in the water, offering a unique perspective (think inside the pipe of a wave with the sunset in the background).
Make your way back to Turtle Bay after you’ve soaked up all that Haleiwa has to offer. If you’re a thrill-seeker, we suggest booking a helicopter tour in the resort’s Magnum P.I. chopper. To really get your adrenaline pumping, request to fly with the doors off. Embark on a 20-minute tour, during which you’ll scope out the biggest surf spots (Sunset Beach, Banzai Pipeline and Waimea Bay), Waimea Valley and Sacred Falls.
With your heart pounding, head back to your room to relax on the balcony before getting ready for the evening. Since there isn’t much else on the North Shore (that’s the beauty of it), dinner will be at Turtle Bay. The good news is that there are plenty of restaurants to choose from, including beachfront Ola, which you may recognize from the movie Forgetting Sarah Marshall. The menu is highlighted by local ingredients; and when you’re sitting right on the beach, it doesn’t get much more Hawaiian than that. Start with some ahi poke that’s made with local ahi tuna, North Shore limu (Hawaiian for algae), arugula from Pupukea and Kahuku sea asparagus. It’s light and fresh—a great way to begin your meal. As for your main course, we suggest going with one of the fresh fish dishes, so you can make the most of your Oahu vacation.
Finish off your two days on Oahu with a cocktail at Surfer, The Bar. Sitting just off the lobby, the lively bar hosts all kinds of events, ranging from karaoke to “Talk Story,” which is held every Wednesday night and features surfing legends sharing their tales.
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f3806645587965439747b4f1355f70c9 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2014/02/05/10-hotels-for-the-active-traveler/ | 10 Hotels For The Active Traveler | 10 Hotels For The Active Traveler
With February here already, there’s only 10 more months to make good on that New Year’s resolution to stay fit. It can be difficult to work toward your health-centric goal when traveling, but your nutrition kick doesn’t have to be put on hold. Whether your goal is to eat healthier or get in touch with your inner Zen, there’s a vacation spot for you; our Forbes Travel Guide team found a handful of hotels that cater to everyone from runners and yogis to vegans and healthy eaters. These 10 resorts will help you stick to your get-fit resolution.
Can't decide where to stay on an upcoming vacation? Check out the 2014 Forbes Travel Guide Star Award Winners at ForbesTravelGuide.com.
Serenity Yoga Pavilion at Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa, photo courtesy Rancho Valencia
For the Yogi
After a massive makeover, Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa in sunny Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. (about 25 miles north of San Diego), is back and better than ever—especially for those looking to find their inner yogis. The Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star resort features a beautifully tranquil yoga pavilion, where you can take classes or practice on your own. Choose from various classes daily, ranging from gentle yoga to power yoga, all of which are complimentary. When you want a break from sun salutations, try fitness activities such as boot camp, tennis, spinning and TRX. Maintain your diet by ordering from the hotel’s spa menu, which features light options such as Baja California grilled fish tacos and farmers market crudité with Greek yogurt ranch dip and roasted garlic hummus.
For the Snow Warrior
Perched mid-mountain at Park City’s Deer Valley Resort, Stein Eriksen Lodge Deer Valley is the ideal base for an avid skier, snowboarder or all-around mountaineer. Considering the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star hotel is named after Norwegian Olympic gold medal skier Stein Eriksen, we can’t think of a better place to hit the slopes. Not only do you have ski-in/ski-out access to the 2,026 acres of trails, but the lodge provides a full-service ski locker room and ski valets—meaning you can have your boots heated, check out the weather and trail conditions, and warm up with hot chocolate before your first run. You can also rent skis at the convenient sports shop. Keep in mind that Deer Valley is a skier-only mountain, but the hotel offers shuttle service to Park City, where you can snowboard to your heart’s content.
For the Hiker
In the Four Corners region—where Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona all meet—sits Amangiri, blending seamlessly into the arresting desert landscape with towering plateaus and deep canyons. And it’s in those surroundings that you’ll find spectacular hikes. The Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel boasts its own trail system in its backyard. Amangiri guides are more than happy to suggest routes depending on your fitness level and interests; the eight trails on the property range from a one-hour beginner hike to a cave to a five-hour advanced option to explore some canyons. The resort also offers daily complimentary one-hour guided hikes, in case you want to get the lay of the land before embarking on your own with a hotel-provided map.
For the Fitness Fanatic
We’ve all worked out in lousy hotel gyms, where the lack of equipment leads to a less-than-stellar workout. For a fitness-focused hotel, check into The Houstonian Hotel, Club and Spa. The Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star resort gives you complimentary access to one of Houston’s best health clubs—and you don’t even have to leave the grounds to get there. You’ll find just about everything you could possibly want in a health club: more than 300 cardio and strength-training machines; indoor and outdoor tracks; courts for tennis, racquetball and padel (a hybrid of tennis, racquetball and squash; the club is the home of the U.S. padel team); a cycle studio; and a rock-climbing wall. And if you need motivation, hit one of the 165-plus weekly group exercise classes that range from kickboxing to barre.
For the Health Nut
California Health & Longevity Institute, located at Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village, recently partnered with The Ranch at Live Oak in Malibu to make a stay at the serene Los Angeles hotel even healthier. Dubbed The Ranch 4.0, the all-inclusive, four-night wellness retreat combines luxury with well-being. Each day consists of eight to 10 hours of intense exercise (ranging from a four-hour hike in the morning to body-toning classes in the afternoon), with a massage as your reward. Geared to those looking to shed pounds, The Ranch 4.0 puts you on a daily 1,400-calorie diet of vegetarian fare. Of course, it doesn’t sound so bad when it’s served in a private greenhouse setting at the luxurious Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel.
The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, photo courtesy The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel
For the Surfer
Standing atop a 150-foot bluff, The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel is a water enthusiast’s dream vacation. Salt Creek Beach, which sits just below the resort, has some of the best waves in Dana Point, so paddling out is a must. Whether you’re new to surfing and need a lesson or are a seasoned veteran and want to ride some of the best breaks along the Southern California coast, the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel has an activity for you. The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel can even outfit you with wetsuits, surfboards, leashes, wax and anything else you could possibly need. If you aren’t into surfing, get a core workout with a stand-up paddleboarding session.
For the Nature Lover
It’s Mother Nature at her finest: vibrant foliage in the fall, snow-blanketed mountains in the winter, wildflowers in the late spring and lush greenery in the summer. The Ranch at Rock Creek is a scenic escape for nature lovers—spend the day outdoors, but retire to a luxurious room come nightfall. One of the best parts about this Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Montana resort is that it’s all-inclusive. That means you can explore all that the 6,600-acre ranch has to offer, including horseback riding, fly fishing in Rock Creek and the trout ponds, and mountain biking in the warmer months as well as cross-country skiing and snowmobiling in the winter. All kinds of wildlife (moose, deer, elk, coyotes, wolves, beaver and more) call The Ranch home, which will make you feel that much closer to nature.
For the Tennis Player
One of the top tennis resorts in the world, The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort is a must-hit. Take your pick from two complexes: the year-round Roy Barth Tennis Center or the seasonal West Beach Tennis Club. Whichever you choose, you’ll find plenty of hard and Har-Tru clay courts. Throughout the week, both centers offer a variety of lessons. For more intensity, sign up for a three-day mini camp. Those looking for some one-on-one time can opt for private lessons with pro Roy Barth himself. If you don’t need to brush up on your game, reserve one of the courts. Bonus: Rental equipment is available so you don’t have to lug your racquet through the airport.
For the Golfer
When a hotel overlooks one of the most picturesque holes at one of the most beautiful golf courses the world, it’s hard to say no to a round or two. The Lodge at Pebble Beach hedges the 18th green of Pebble Beach Golf Links, with the Pacific in the distance. Head to the Pebble Beach Golf Academy to work on your swing (though you’ll play on the Peter Hay Golf Course and The Links at Spanish Bay) and score tips from world-renowned pros such as Laird Small and Dan Pasquariello. The Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel offers year-round packages that include rounds on Pebble Beach Golf Links, The Links at Spanish Bay and Spyglass Hill Golf Course. And when the U.S. Open returns to the fabled links in 2019, you’ll be able to say that you’ve played Pebble.
For the Runner
Portland, Oregon, is a runners’ city, thanks to its 220-plus miles of trails and popular Portland Marathon. Even if you don’t run the 26.2 miles in October, the city is still a great place to jog, especially when you stay at The Westin Portland. The Forbes Travel Guide Recommended hotel teamed up with Runner’s World magazine to map out three-, five- and seven-mile runs along the Willamette River for guests. If the weather isn’t cooperating, the third-floor gym will get the job done—the treadmill’s LCD TV helps make the miles pass quicker. And don’t worry about bringing your gear—the hotel lends out New Balance sneakers and running apparel. Come for the Rock ’n’ Roll Portland Half Marathon in May; The Westin serves as a headquarter hotel.
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12ababa792703dd166fef5fa02014a07 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2014/02/20/sampling-st-petersburgs-new-art-and-food-scene/ | Sampling St. Petersburg's New Art And Food Scene | Sampling St. Petersburg's New Art And Food Scene
Given all the “best beach” lists the St. Petersburg, Fla., area has topped over the years, you could be forgiven for thinking the Gulf Coast town is all sand and no substance. But beyond the 35 miles of coastline, which reaches from Caladesi Island in the north to Fort De Soto Park in the south, it’s not a stretch to say that St. Pete is experiencing an art- and food-fueled renaissance. The two scenes often intermingle, in fact, from the inaugural, celebrity-chef-studded Enjoy Arts & Tastes festival last November to the Beer Project that will bring three days of tastings to the Museum of Fine Arts this June. Though a host of new developments—including the Museum of the American Arts and Crafts Movement, a redesigned pier and luxury shopping at The Shops at St. Pete—are still on the horizon, food lovers and culture hounds will find plenty of draws in downtown St. Pete now. Here are Forbes Travel Guide’s tips for your trip to this most sophisticated of beach towns.
Can’t decide where to stay on an upcoming vacation? Check out the 2014 Forbes Travel Guide Star Award Winners at ForbesTravelGuide.com.
The Birchwood, photo courtesy The Birchwood
Where to Stay
Rarely does an 18-room boutique inn draw the lines you’ll find at The Birchwood on high-end Beach Drive. With the farm- and sea-to-table Birch & Vine restaurant and cabana-lined The Canopy rooftop lounge, The Birchwood lures locals and visitors looking for elevated gulf cuisine and a buzzing social scene. More than a few merrymakers no doubt wander in after seeing projections of The Canopy’s happy throngs, tropical-inspired cocktails in hand, on the sidewalk in front of the hotel. But while the bartenders’ blood orange margaritas are refreshing and Birch & Vine’s seasonal specialties, such as sous-vide butter-poached lobster with truffle grits (the truffles just flown in from Alba, Italy), are perfectly prepared, it’s the 18 guest rooms that make The Birchwood a true gem. Each one puts a modern twist on 1920s décor—the era when the building first opened—with two- and four-poster beds, romantic lantern lighting, and porcelain and silver claw-foot tubs under gilded mirrors (there’s a large shower with a rainshower head, too). The color palette and materials are dramatic, with bold damask, wide stripes and marble and crimson bathrooms. Despite the water views, this is not your typical beach hotel.
What to See and Do
Start your exploration of St. Pete’s art scene just a block from The Birchwood at the Morean Arts Center’s Chihuly Collection. The museum—a stunning but intimate structure that complements Dale Chihuly’s glassworks with wood-plank walls and marble floors—was the first of its kind when it opened in 2010; a second facility designed to house a permanent collection of Chihuly’s work has since opened in Seattle. If the artist’s iconic Las Vegas pieces, in the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Bellagio hotel and in his CityCenter gallery, don’t impress you, this collection will, as each nook here was designed to display a specific work. Get a better understanding of the collection on one of the short, docent-led tours that leave every hour on the half hour, Monday through Friday, until 3:30 p.m.
From one striking waterfront museum to another, The Dalí Museum, opened in 2011, is a mind-bending, bulbous building that houses an expansive collection of Salvador Dalí’s provocative art, with a helical staircase as the centerpiece. Here, too, taking one of the numerous daily docent-led tours is a must in order to fully appreciate the complexities—and there are a lot—of each work. From now through April 27, catch the special exhibition featuring one of Dalí’s most famous contemporaries, Andy Warhol. Warhol: Art. Fame. Mortality. brings more than 100 of the artist’s works to The Dalí and explores the similarities between the two icons and friends.
In contrast to St. Pete’s impressive museums, the Grand Central District is a grassroots arts strip that stretches from approximately 16th to 31st streets along Central Avenue between downtown and the beaches (with the Central Avenue Trolley shuttling from city to sea). If you’re visiting on the second Saturday of any month, the 2nd Saturday Art Walk from 5 to 9 p.m. is an excellent way to browse the district’s studios and galleries. Participating spaces include neighborhood anchors Duncan McClellan Glass and Nuance Galleries, as well as smaller enclaves and boutiques. This area is also home to a number of studios that offer workshops if you’re looking to try your hand at painting, glass blowing or clay firing—Painting with a Twist, Zen Glass Studio and St. Pete Clay are just a few places to see the city’s creative community at work.
The Dalí Museum, photo credit iStock, Dominika Sebjan
Where to Eat and Drink
St. Pete’s dining landscape is dotted with quirky, independent restaurants rather than national chains or imports (one exception: the first-ever Sylvia’s soul food restaurant to open outside of New York City debuted here in November 2013), and the Central Avenue corridor is home to a growing number of them. Perhaps the most eye-catching is Taco Bus, serving authentic Mexican tacos—pulled pork in ancho pepper sauce, chicken in mole sauce—from a food truck disguised as a yellow school bus. There’s also Bodega, a trendy restaurant housed in a tiny box of a shop with yellow awnings and chalkboard menus. You’ll find a range of Latin flavors in the sandwiches here, from Cuban-style roast pork to churrasco with pepper-and-onion sofrito, and as at many St. Pete restaurants, the cuisine is meant to be enjoyed under the sun, at casual tables where the people-watching is as delicious as your dish.
On the other end of the spectrum is downtown’s newest fine-dining destination. The visually stunning Rococo Steak opened in October 2013 in a restored 1920s Neoclassical Revival building, with a chic interior swathed in deep hues of scarlet and purple—think red crystal chandeliers—and a 25-page wine list that includes such rarities as a 1906 Château Lafite Rothschild. Executive chef Richard Potts, who previously helmed the kitchen at Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Sorrel River Ranch Resort & Spa in Moab, Utah, has created a playful menu to match the dramatic space. Before tucking into your filet or rib eye, begin with his free-range fried-chicken lollipops, foie gras pain perdu or bacon flight featuring three styles alongside rustic grilled bread.
For gastronomic artistry in a more casual environment, head to Z Grille on Second Street, another area densely packed with restaurants and bars. The focal point of this sleek space is a skateboard mural depicting The Last Fiesta—a twist on Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper featuring masked Mexican wrestlers. Chef Zack Gross’ food is just as whimsical. Start your meal with one of the unique daily deviled-egg specials. On a recent visit, the habanero-topped Sriracha deviled eggs, along with the blue cheese-bacon-spinach version, were packed with vibrant flavors. Then you might try the chef’s locally famous fried chicken and waffles, with a bacon-and-caramelized-onion waffle, pink peppercorn butter, applewood smoked bacon-cheddar grits and bacon maple syrup.
One of the biggest culinary trends in this sun-kissed corner has nothing to do with food, but rather beer. The peninsula is home to a burgeoning craft beer scene, with half a dozen breweries and beer bars opening in downtown St. Pete within the last few months alone. Green Bench Brewing Co.’s new 6,000-square-foot warehouse is home to a brewhouse, tap room and beer garden. More local brews can be found at the recently opened Cycle Brewing on Central Avenue, where there’s also a sidewalk café; 3 Daughters Brewing; The Amsterdam; The Flying Pig Taphouse; and The Brass Tap, adjacent to Rococo Steak. Tampa-area beers are also taking local restaurant taps by storm, including those at The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club, a short walk from The Birchwood. Try a local draft at the elegant Marchand’s Bar & Grill, a frescoed, columned throwback to the historic hotel’s 1925 opening. The Vinoy has since hosted generations of celebrities, from Jimmy Stewart to George Clooney; during Spring Training, don’t be surprised if you spot a star ball player here, in the same place where Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio once stayed and played. While St. Pete has long drawn all kinds of sunseekers, it’s never had more to offer travelers.
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459be8e7808d7d15b0c4c1c331a7387a | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2014/08/27/spending-two-perfect-days-in-virginias-shenandoah-valley/ | Spending Two Perfect Days In Virginia's Shenandoah Valley | Spending Two Perfect Days In Virginia's Shenandoah Valley
Triathlons are a pretty big deal around southwestern Virginia. Almost every month of the year, in fact, extreme athletes can find some sort of event in this part of the state where running, cycling and a watersport are all involved. If you don’t believe us, check out the event calendar—the New River Trail Challenge takes place on September 20—around the Shenandoah Valley.
When you take the time to scout this part of the country for yourself, though, you see what all the fitness fuss is about—the Blue Ridge Mountains are absolutely stunning. Creeks and rivers meander through it all, almost like a colorful backdrop to a Dr. Ralph Stanley song. It’s a truly inspiring setting for a good run or a grueling swim, especially in foliage-filled autumn.
But all of this natural wonderment isn’t just for folks who can run 10Ks in their sleep. On the contrary, there’s another type of triple threat who’s right at home here, too; we’re talking about the traveler who appreciates dining, doing and having some downtime. Should you fit in that category of sightseer, follow this guide, and you’ll be able to muscle through as much of the region as possible within a 48-hour span.
City of Roanoke, photo courtesy of Cameron Davidson
Day One
Actually, it’s pretty ironic that running would be such a big deal in Roanoke when so much of the city’s essence lies in taking things slowly. Have a look around and you’ll feel as if you’ve taken a DeLorean ride back to another time. You’ll see a massive Dr Pepper sign from the 1950s (as one of the soda’s many origin stories goes, the name came as a heartfelt gesture from one of the drink’s innovators to a local doctor who granted permission for his daughter to wed); the Texas Tavern selling cheeseburgers for the bygone price of $1.45; and enchanting buildings erected during the 19th century.
One of these endearing edifices is the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center, a DoubleTree by Hilton, your sleeping quarters for the first night. The 296-room Tudorian property that opened in 1882 is proud of its history. Interestingly enough, though, for every piece of vintage crown molding and Czech-made chandelier found in public spaces, you’ll see contemporary takes in the rooms—flat-screen TVs, ergonomic chairs at the work station, complimentary Wi-Fi—that today’s traveler will appreciate.
Another great quality about the hotel is its proximity to many of the city’s top sights. Just a couple minutes walk from your room, in fact, is the Roanoke Valley Visitor Information Center. Stop here for attraction brochures and directions toward the Market Street Walkway. This bridge crosses over railroad tracks that were once the central arteries of the economy and leads to a now-bustling section of downtown where you’ll find Market Square Plaza and Center in the Square.
Grab a quick bite at one of the farmers market stalls—vendors peddle fresh vegetables, natural soaps and other items here every day of the week—and make your way to the Center, a multilevel learning facility that will certainly captivate for a few hours. History buffs will be in awe of the stories told at the Harrison Museum of African American Culture and History Museum of Western Virginia. Folks will ohhh and ahhh at the expanded Science Museum of Western Virginia’s new Butterfly Garden. If you’re traveling with others who still aren’t impressed, show them the 6,000-gallon lobby aquarium or the green rooftop deck with a living wall, koi-filled ponds and spectacular views of the skyline. Should none of that work, make the five-minute walk over to the gorgeous Taubman Museum of Art. This 16,000-square-foot masterpiece offers complimentary entry because of the continued generosity of Advance Auto Parts and Nicholas Taubman, its former chairman and Roanoke native.
After all of the walking, even a world-class Olympian would need some downtime. Relax and refresh back at The Hotel Roanoke. When dinnertime arrives, head toward the South Roanoke area for The River and Rail. Though a self-proclaimed Southern bistro—heartfelt “y’all” salutations, a delicious jar of pickles and some remarkable deviled eggs certainly help in that declaration—the modern feel of the place could work most anywhere—and that’s saying something seeing as how the building used to be a pharmacy. The kitchen effortlessly goes from scrumptious openers to more intricate mains (New Bedford scallops with corn pudding and green beans), all coming together for a meal your tummy will remember for days.
Another memory of the city that you’ll be sure to keep with you is found a few miles away and 1,045 feet high on Mill Mountain. One of the area’s most beloved attractions, Roanoke Star, an 88.5 foot decoration that was originally meant for Christmas when it was erected in 1949, is one of those kitschy items that has somehow come to symbolize the city throughout the year. (The star shines white most nights, but goes red, white and blue on Memorial Day, Flag Day, July 4, September 11 and Veterans Day.) Make sure you let your friends know when you’re heading up to see it, too, because there’s a real-time camera at the site that live streams 24 hours a day.
Zynodoa, photo credit DeMarco Williams
Day Two
Rise and shine, superstar, because it’s time to hit the road again. But unlike participants in North Garden’s Wisdom Oak Winery Olympic & Sprint Triathlon on September 13, you won’t be lacing up for any race; instead, you’re hopping back in the car to head toward Lexington. Before getting on I-81, however, stop by local haunt Bread Craft in downtown Roanoke for a French press and cinnamon roll—hey, even athletes need their morning carbs.
The drive from Roanoke to Lexington is under an hour, and with so many auburn oaks and brown maples to ogle over when fall comes, the time will fly by. When you arrive in Lexington, you’ll have an initial feeling much like the one you had entering Roanoke. You’ll feel the neighborliness. You’ll imagine being back in an era when local artisans and unabashed smiles ruled the day. Heck, you’ll even see horses in the street—but that’s mostly because of the Lexington Carriage Company, a tour agency that gives you an informative, four-legged look around a town with two prominent schools (Washington and Lee University, Virginia Military Institute) and two unmistakable marks on American history (grave sites of Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson).
While not as widely known as those interesting tidbits, the culinary scene around this town of about 7,000 residents is pretty impressive. Southern Inn Restaurant, a Lexington tradition since the 1930s, is a favorite lunch stop for anyone who appreciates golden fried chicken, meatloaf and other Dixie delicacies. Sweet Things might not be on the National Register of Historic Places like Lexington Presbyterian Church, but its Cookies & Cream ice cream on a hand-rolled waffle cone is tastiness of historic proportions. Between licks, take a peek inside the Artists in Cahoots gallery, find eclectic gifts at Mia and peruse the other quaint shops.
Your next stop, Staunton, is about 40 minutes away. Keeping with the throwback theme, Staunton (the “u” is silent) is the kind of peaceful pocket where a new stoplight is a discussion-worthy occurrence. But the warm hamlet is also the kind of place where you’ll meet wholesome folk like Evy and Joe Harman, owners of the Frederick House, a 25-room boutique property in the center of town that couldn’t be more charming if it tried. You won’t so much check-in with Joe as you will pull up a chair and chat. Trust us, somewhere in the light-hearted conversation keys will be exchanged. He’ll also give you a map of the surroundings, point to which building (of the six) your room is in and circle a few must-see highlights of the city.
Pay particular attention to where Zynodoa is in relation to the hotel; that’s where you’ll be dining around 6 p.m. The décor—ultra-sleek bar, striking blue lights, leather-backed booths—feels a bit mod for a town with less than 24,000, but once your server comes over with a gentle, but professional greeting, you feel right at home. Our gastro guide was a jolly fellow named Bill, and he did a thorough job explaining the intricacies of a smart, inspired Southern menu where maple-glazed shrimp and Wade’s Mill grits, and Buffalo Creek braised short ribs were the highlights. Should those items not be two of the seasonal selections when you stop by, your team member will happily suggest another of-the-moment dish that executive chef James Harris is proud of.
Where you go after dinner all depends on how much energy you have left in your tank. Still have that map from Joe? Good, because if you’re ready to call it a night, the only other thing you have to do is walk a few blocks over to The Split Banana Co. for a few scoops of the best gelato in a 10-county radius. Should you have a little more pep in your step, mosey over a block in the other direction to the American Shakespeare Center for a polished production—The Comedy of Errors, Macbeth and Cyrano de Bergerac are all showing through late November—inside a 300-seat playhouse believed to be the world’s only re-creation of the Bard’s indoor theater.
Now, if you’re looking to have your last night in the Shen Valley ring with the most authenticity, you’ll make the 30-minute drive to the outskirts of Lexington for a turn-back-the-clock outing at Hull’s Drive-In, the nation’s first community-owned, non-profit drive-in theater. You can’t help but smell the nostalgia in between whiffs of the real melted butter going atop the popcorn.
The one other observation you’ll make is that everybody in southwestern Virginia has a touch of triathlete in them. How else can you explain how people in the congested concession stand line are able to scurry back to their cars before the 8:30 p.m. movie begins?
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578767d677f8f74deff2f24da1f21b8c | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2015/07/30/how-to-spend-two-perfect-days-in-hilton-head/ | How to Spend Two Perfect Days in Hilton Head | How to Spend Two Perfect Days in Hilton Head
Family-friendly musician Gregg Russell might be the luckiest man on earth. Nearly every summer night from Memorial Day through Labor Day, the Hilton Head legend gets to perform tunes from his toe-tapping catalog under the large Liberty Oak in beautiful Harbour Town, the symbolic center of stunning The Sea Pines Resort, a mixed-use residential community and hotel. Yes, the good folks he’s serenading are pretty fortunate, too, but our Forbes Travel Guide editors figured out Russell’s game — he entertains here so he can reside in South Carolina’s version of paradise. Sounds like a fair trade to us. But the good thing about Sea Pines is that there’s plenty of room for everybody under its shady oak. It doesn’t matter if you’re a full-time resident or merely in the neighborhood for a few days; by the time you leave, you’ll be singing the sweet sounds of Hilton Head, too.
Sea Pines Beach Club (Credit: The Sea Pines Resort)
Day One
Situated between the Calibogue Sound and Atlantic Ocean, Hilton Head tends to get a bit steamy. Needless to say, when you step into Sea Pines’ Inn & Club at Harbour Town, the first thing you’ll notice is the glorious AC-produced breeze. Ironically enough, the next sensation you feel is one of warmth — not from the mercury but from the pleasant staffers at the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star luxury hotel working to make your check-in as smooth as possible.
Culture Of Yes: An eBook From Forbes What’s the key to great hospitality? The top hoteliers and restaurateurs in the business tell all.
Someone will offer you a bottled water or tea and point out the pool right past the lobby. But before your mind drifts too far away, head to your room. With just 60 rooms and one suite, the Inn is relatively small, but it’s a luxurious Lowcountry retreat. Neutral tones pepper the bedroom while granite countertops and glass-enclosed showers highlight the bathroom. Many units offer patios that have two chairs and a splendid view of Harbour Town Golf Links, home of the PGA Tour’s RBC Heritage tournament every April (if you want to take a swing on the famous course, you’ll have to visit in September, when it will reopen after being re-grassed).
Gaze to your right and you’ll see your next stop, Harbour Town Clubhouse. Lunch will happen at Links, one of the many headliners of the recently opened golfer’s paradise. At 26,000 square feet of reclaimed West Virginia oak and soft coastal hues, the clubhouse features a restaurant, a 4,600-square-foot ballroom, an oil painting gallery of past RBC Heritage winners and a locker room so pristine you’d think that Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth were regulars.
After feasting your eyes on all the lavish sights, settle into a table that overlooks the greens. And before racking your brain over whether or not you should order something light, go with the bison burger. It’s easily one of the tastiest we’ve ever eaten. The simple but masterfully prepared patty topped with fresh butter lettuce and horseradish white cheddar will leave you pondering seconds. But once you realize you have truffle fries and a mango-strawberry smoothie still to go, you’ll think better of it. In the rare chance you’re not in mood for a burger, the lunch menu overflows with dishes that take a world-class take on American cuisine.
Harbour Town Lighthouse (Credit: DeMarco Williams)
Once you drag yourself from your chair and go outside, you’ll notice the iconic white-and-red-striped Harbour Town Lighthouse between some trees. Walk along the winding path through a stretch of villas — Sea Pines is loaded with private residences — and around a yacht basin until you get to Harbour Town. Like something from a Pat Conroy novel, the happy hamlet is just all kinds of cute. You’ll find a boutique selling summer dresses. There’s a playground and an ice cream shop for the kiddos. There are boats that take you on dolphin tours and even a pirate ship.
Still, the marquee attraction is the lighthouse, a 45-year-old structure that has come to symbolize Hilton Head. As you make the 90-foot ascent, read a brief history of the building and South Carolina as a whole. But no words can express the 360-degree beauty you see atop the lighthouse. At one spot, you notice stand-up paddleboarders in the water; at another, you’ll spy Harbour Town’s 18th hole; and at another, you can see the tree where Russell’s magical sing-alongs occur.
By the time you make the 15-minute walk back to your room, it should be 3 or 4 p.m. If we were talking about anywhere else, we’d probably tell you to stay clear of the beach at such a peak time, but the Inn & Club at Harbour Town recently debuted a beach concierge service that washes away any hassle of finding a park or getting a decent spot in the crowded sand. Andrei (or any of the other helpful attendants for that matter) will not only find you a comfortable position on the beach, but he’ll also equip your group with towels, chairs and umbrellas, and even set up a time to pick you up when you’re done — and it’s all complimentary. Of course, with all the offerings at the just-debuted Sea Pines Beach Club — the site has a retail shop, grab-and-go Surfside Market, Ocean Lounge and spectacular seafood eatery Coast — we’re not sure that you’ll ever want to leave.
Have a detailed peek at Coast’s menu before heading back. Though the establishment has a resort-casual feel (see tan chairs, exposed wood beams, nautical knickknacks on the walls), its menu takes a serious look at the sea. Choices range from grilled tuna steaks to lobster and shrimp pasta, but the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Atlantic ensure that any meal will be a memorable one.
If you want your dinner experience to have a more formal feel, look at the convenient Sea Pines Trolley’s schedule (the shuttle runs until midnight during the summer) and organize a time to get to Live Oak, yet another fresh epicurean endeavor at the resort. Located at the new Plantation Golf Club, this cottage-like eatery emits refinement through a 35-foot rotunda, a breathtaking porch overlooking the 18th hole at Heron Point by Pete Dye, and a kitchen serving freshly shucked oysters, locally snagged grouper and other Lowcountry-inspired bites. Finish the evening off with a refreshing Grey Goose Back Nine (vodka, sweet tea and a splash of lemon) and you’ll forget the fact that you made it through a day with a 98-degree heat index.
Harbour Town (Credit: The Sea Pines Resort)
Day Two
Before the temperature rises too much, choose among a host of options for a morning workout: you can hop on one of the bikes and pedal around the campus; you could play one of the three renowned public golf courses (beyond Harbour Town and Heron Point, there’s also the esteemed Ocean Course); or you can lace up the sneakers for a few sets at The Sea Pines Racquet Club, a tennis facility overseen by 1971 U.S. Open winner and 1972 Wimbledon champ Stan Smith. Even if the legend isn’t teaching a class the morning you’re there, the pro shop and 21 clay courts have plenty to keep you busy.
After a few hours swinging your racket or putter, you’ll need to shower up for the rest of the day. As soon as you do that, go down to the lobby and speak to a representative with the BMW Resort Driving Tour, a partnership between the car brand and the Hilton Head hotel running through September that allows guests to borrow one of the of nine models for a three-hour test drive. Try to score your reservation for 6 p.m. You’ll be long back from exploring town by then.
When you leave the property, head for bustling William Hilton Parkway for lunch at Java Burrito Company. Keep your eyes peeled for the shopping plaza; because of strict building codes, most signage and structure exteriors look about the same. (For example, you’ll find a McDonald’s but you won’t see any golden arches.) But trust us, any scavenger hunt for the Mexican grill will prove worthwhile. If you could imagine a Chipotle undertaking a massive, industrial-inspired renovation and adding a cozy coffee shop, you’ll get a feel for the space. Russell doesn’t have a song dedicated to the delicious local snapper tacos yet, but he might want to consider it. Burritos made from sustainably raised chicken and beef are music to your taste buds, too.
Coastal Discovery Museum (Credit: Coastal Discovery Museum)
Not a 12-minute drive from the restaurant is the Coastal Discovery Museum, an attraction for anyone in the car who wants to know more about the region’s culture and critters. Through an interactive museum, three boardwalks that lead onto Jarvis Creek, an impressive butterfly sanctuary and a host of lectures and tours, you can learn lots about the Lowcountry in a few hours.
Drive back to the Inn to relax and wash off the gator and snake you touched. Try not to think too intensely about the crabs you just befriended because dinner is at Skull Creek Boathouse, a crustacean lover’s dream that locals have flooded for the past few years. The laidback restaurant doesn’t take kindly to stuffiness or reservations, so throw on your shorts and plan for a bit of a wait if you don’t time your trip just right. Whenever you get to your seat overlooking the water, you’ll find a menu filled with fresh catches. From salmon ceviche and tuna sashimi to pecan-crusted mahi mahi and Maine lobster, the kitchen certainly knows its way around the docks. And unlike some places that have a bounty of dinner options, Skull Creek consistently delivers on taste — the seafood chowder blends flavors wonderfully while butterfly shrimp couldn’t be more golden with a paintbrush.
As you make your way across the Charles Fraser Bridge to get back to the Inn, one of Russell’s popular songs, like “When I Grow Up,” might come to mind. There’s no harm in singing along to the chorus. Just remember that his easygoing vocals and lighthearted guitar plucks come from decades of experience around Hilton Head. You’ll be humming along with only two days of ecstasy under your belt.
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48e1aee4b5bb79d88c8eca6957cc6e0d | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2015/08/20/5-things-that-make-norfolk-virginia-a-hidden-gem/ | 5 Things That Make Norfolk, Virginia, A Hidden Gem | 5 Things That Make Norfolk, Virginia, A Hidden Gem
Photo: Getty Images
Your Uber driver’s demeanor can tell you a lot about a city. If he’s a bit steely and overdoes it with the horns, you might be in Queens. On the other hand, if you’re greeted with bottled water and a fist bump, you may be in Norfolk, Virginia, a place that’s genteel enough to still be considered country and busy enough not to be boring. But as Forbes Travel Guide editors uncovered during a recent trip to the coastal Virginia metropolis, it has more going for it than merely having congenial chauffeurs at the airport. The city’s burgeoning culinary and arts scenes have it on the cusp of exploding. If you visit now, though, you can have plenty of fun without much of the big-city fuss.
Downtown Norfolk (Credit: Visit Norfolk Today)
The Mermaids
Almost everywhere you look around the city, you’ll find some reference to a mermaid. From the city’s logo to Virginia’s first urban winery (Norfolk’s Mermaid Winery), the mythical siren of the sea is everywhere. As legend has it, mermaids would serenade soldiers back to safe shores after battles on the harsh waters. As a nod to being the home of the world’s largest naval station, Naval Station Norfolk, the city adopted the creatures as a sort of unofficial mascot in 1999. Today, folks proudly pose for pictures in front of the 100 or so mermaid statues positioned around the city and even test their own artistic skills by painting mini replicas at the Mermaid Factory. The statues are a cute way for the city to honor its maritime roots without drowning visitors in anything too serious. Plus, when you’re lost downtown and need directions, they can come quite in handy as landmarks.
One Of The City’s Mermaid Sculptures (Credit: Visit Norfolk Today)
The Arts
With the nautical-themed public arts project alone, you could consider Norfolk a pretty creative place. But the mushiness over mermaids is just the beginning. The city has a growing number of eclectic neighborhoods like the Norfolk Arts District and Ghent that are starting to fill with easels and paintbrushes. The latter section of town houses some noteworthy exhibition halls (Okay Spark Gallery) and the renowned Chrysler Museum of Art, a newly renovated, 220,000-square-foot attraction filled with European paintings, contemporary American art and a world-class glass art collection. Should you feel inspired by the museum’s impressive Tiffany holdings, head across the street to The Chrysler Museum Glass Studio for a free demonstration every Tuesday through Sunday, or sign up for a more in-depth glassblowing or kilnworking session. Incorporating techniques that have been passed down for centuries, instructors like Robin Rogers make sure an afternoon at the studio is as much a fun outing as it is a history lesson.
The Barrel Room (Credit: The Barrel Room)
The Food
If there’s one thing we’ve learned about the state of Virginia over the past few years, it’s that the place loves to eat. Things are no different along the coast, where Norfolk serves up everything from high-end snacks (The Grilled Cheese Bistro) and low-carb rice bowls (Field Guide) to mouth-watering seafood (The Barrel Room). Though the paint at just-opened Sweet Teas Southern Cuisine was still drying when we visited, we could easily tell (and taste) it knew what it was doing with perfectly fried whiting and macaroni and cheese so good you’d swear that someone snatched your grandmother’s recipe. Visit 456 Fish and you’ll be equally pleased with your decision. The unfussy Norfolk staple keeps locals and visitors coming back with an amazing potato-chip-encrusted jumbo lump crab cake, chargrilled filet mignon and one of the best pan-seared groupers we’ve had in some time. But if you want your dinner with a side of sexiness, head over to Todd Jurich’s Bistro, a restaurant where natives come for happy hour and tourists should go for a quiet booth that’s perfect for sharing a rack of grass-fed lamb and a bottle of 2010 Fiore Sangiovese.
The Beer
Almost as underrated as Norfolk’s kitchens is its budding craft beer scene. In fact, when we were in town, the popular Virginia Beer Festival was happening at the waterfront’s Town Point Park. Though we couldn’t sample from all of the 65 local, national and global pours, we instantly fell in love with Norfolk’s Smartmouth Brewing Company. The three-year-old brand’s Alter Ego is a Belgian saison with a fruity essence and just enough pepper at the finish. Try it, along with the company’s other tasty selections, during a brewery tour or tasting room stop. Another area winner is O’Connor Brewing Co., which has a taproom for sampling the El Guapo agave IPA or Norfolk Canyon pale ale and an event calendar filled with vinyl-playing parties and food truck detours.
Sail Nauticus (Credit: Visit Norfolk Today)
The Location
For all that Norfolk offers, one of its greatest assets is its proximity to everywhere else. Look to the east and you’ll find Virginia Beach only 18 miles away. Head south just across the Elizabeth River and you’ll hit Portsmouth. Go about 17 miles north, and you’ll run into Hampton and Newport News. Thirty miles past them, however, might be the coolest hamlet of them all—Williamsburg. A living, breathing snapshot into U.S. history, Colonial Williamsburg is the restored village where the likes of Thomas Jefferson and Paul Revere roamed in the 1700s. Visit the walkable history museum today and you’ll find restaurants still serving venison-stuffed game pie and women in ruffled dresses sewing on the front porch. Just down the street from this time capsule sit Forbes Travel Guide Four-Stars Williamsburg Inn and Williamsburg Lodge, two properties that live by the ageless credo of treating guests like best friends and feeding them like family. But as we’ve come to realize during our time in coastal Virginia, that seems to be the mantra for the entire area.
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1e13e2717d16ec6d9021fdb88e7f3376 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2015/08/27/20-trips-for-the-adventure-of-a-lifetime/?sh=1f5723fa242b | 20 Trips For The Adventure Of A Lifetime | 20 Trips For The Adventure Of A Lifetime
Gateway Canyons Resort (Credit: Noble House Hotels and Resorts)
There was a time when a waiter handing you a rum punch by the pool was the textbook illustration of a vacation. While sipping drinks from a bungalow is still quite high on many to-do lists, more travelers are longing for adrenaline rushes they simply can’t find at the bottom of a cocktail glass. High-end hotels around the globe have heard this primal call for more thrills and are delivering them in the form of skydiving excursions, ATV rides through the mountains and even elephant feedings. Buckle up for a look at 20 properties that our Forbes Travel Guide editors found that pamper and get hearts pounding.
Joyride in the Desert
When you imagine Colorado’s Red Rock Canyons, you probably conjure thoughts of long nature hikes and wild ATV rides. And while all of that can certainly be done during your visit to remote gem Gateway Canyons Resort — in fact, tell curator of curiosity Zebulon we said “hello” on your morning Talks, Walks and Rocks tour — your heart will really start racing once you try Driven Experiences, a revved-up onsite program that allows you to either drive or ride shotgun in a Pro-Baja truck on a private two-mile desert track. Jazz things up by taking a Bentley Continental, Tesla Roadster or one of the other extravagant cars out for a spin for a few hours.
Embark on a Sea Odyssey
The white sands of Seven Mile Beach are wildly captivating, but what lies beneath the azure waters may be even more spectacular. With the help of The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman’s Ambassadors of the Environment program, explorers of all ages are given the chance to point out colorful triggerfish and blue tangs through various snorkeling odysseys or a trek some 100 feet down in the Atlantis XI submarine. If you don’t feel like donning flippers this time around, rest easy knowing that the Grand Cayman hotel also coordinates kayaking trips through mangroves filled with coastal birds, green iguanas and jellyfish.
Witness the Wildlife
When you venture around The Lodge and Cottages at Primland’s 12,000-acre playground, you aren’t shocked when a fawn or wild turkey skirts by. It’s this abundance of wildlife that makes the Blue Ridge Mountain getaway so attractive to hunters. Though wing shooting and deer hunting are major draws, there is plenty of clay shooting and archery fun to be had on the premises, too. Still, the biggest rush at Primland might come when you put down the weaponry and put on the helmet for a riveting RTV ride through the wilderness. Follow your guide up steep terrain, down through rocky streams and across picturesque mountain stretches — just remember the rabbits have the right of way.
Attempt Daredevil Skiing
Adventure seekers head to Park City, Utah, in droves, but the lesser-known (and less crowded) place to go for some of the most difficult terrain in the West is on the other side of the Wasatch Mountain Range. Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort is known for its deep, dry powder; killer drops; and ample backcountry. The Cliff Lodge sits at the base of the resort, and serves as a very welcome luxury respite from the exhilarating topography. Battle-weary skiers and boarders should get a service at the rooftop spa (hello, outdoor hot tub) and take in the majestic alpine views in comfort.
Have the Ultimate Winter Adventure
The Ranch at Rock Creek offers a dream trip for winter sports enthusiasts. As part of the Five-Star ranch’s Winter Wellness and Adventure Special, you will cross-country ski, snowshoe, ice skate and ride a horse along the property’s spectacular 6,600 snow-dusted acres in Montana. The four-day package gives you an extra perk: either a downhill skiing excursion or a treatment at its spa — stay six days and you’ll get both. If you stay longer, then you can add snowmobiling, Snowcat tours, sleigh rides and snowga (snowshoe to a mountain-top yoga class where warm tea will be waiting for you) to your itinerary, too. And don’t worry about lugging your gear; the all-inclusive resort will outfit you with everything.
Try Ice Climbing
You can check ice climbing in Alaska off your bucket list after paying a visit to the modern, chalet-inspired Hotel Alyeska, about 30 miles from Anchorage. What else? Extreme skiing, dogsledding, glacier cruises, canyoneering and bear viewing are just a handful of thrill-inducing escapades to be had at this outdoor wonderland. There are lots of creature comforts here, too, but we’re partial to the jaw-dropping views on display at Seven Glaciers, the hotel’s mountaintop, fine-dining restaurant accessible only by an aerial tram ride.
Atlanta's Porsche Experience Center (Credit: Karen Images)
Race in a Hot Car
If you have a need for speed, Four-Star Corinthia Hotel London will send you off on a day trip to Chichester’s Goodwood Estate—home to the Festival of Speed and Goodwood Revival—for the Ultimate Driving at Goodwood experience. Pick from a BMW fleet that includes a Mini Cooper, M and X models, an i8 and an M235i Racing, and embark on an off-road ride on 32 miles of ancient woodland trails in the 12,000-acre estate. Stateside, Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta will put you in the driver’s seat of a 911 Carrera 4S, Boxster S or another car of your choosing at the only U.S.-based Porsche Experience Center. A personal driving coach will help you through the 90-minute session, where you can zoom around a 1.6-mile driver development track.
Plunge into Skydiving
If you’re hesitant to take the skydiving plunge, Mandarin Oriental, Singapore can give you all of the thrills without the safety hazards. The Five-Star hotel’s Fuel the Adrenaline package lets you soar at iFly Singapore, the world’s largest themed wind tunnel for indoor skydiving. You won’t need to jump out of a plane; the wind tunnel (which is the equivalent of five stories) simulates the free-falling drop and its 18-foot-tall acrylic glass wall affords a view of the South China Sea. To make your stay even more of an adventure, you’ll also receive a pair of three-day tickets to the Formula One Green Room, where you can watch the Singapore Night Race from an air-conditioned suite or a private balcony.
Roam on a Ranch
If you don’t plan on spending at least a week at Four-Star Sorrel River Ranch Resort & Spa, you may not have enough time to do all of the exhilarating activities. At this 240-acre, Colorado River Valley escape, raft down the river, go mountain biking in one of the nearby national parks or hop on a horse for a memorable detour somewhere in between. If you’re feeling extra adventurous, ask someone from the Ranch’s guest experience team to set up a skydiving trip over the breathtaking red rock formations for you and any other brave souls in your party.
Ride the Rapids
You can choose your own adventure with St Julien Hotel & Spa's action-packed package, but we’re snapping up the whitewater rafting trip near Boulder. Half- and full-day options for all levels are available, but expert paddlers should go for the advanced session to tackle ominous-sounding spots like the Double Knife, Hells Corner and the Terminator. Make it through the rapids, and you can enjoy dinner at the Four-Star hotel’s Jill’s Restaurant (use the $50 daily food credit for the filet mignon Diane with truffle sauce) and a luxe spa treatment (apply your $130 credit toward a massage).
The Whiteface Lodge Presidential Suite Living Room (Credit: The Whiteface Lodge)
Embrace the Great Outdoors
Whiteface Lodge Resort & Spa sports luxury lodge décor at its finest — deer antlers, slate floors and stone fireplaces — and the tasteful interiors aim to reflect the outdoorsy nostalgia that runs deep in Upstate New York’s Lake Placid. When you tire of the seemingly endless alfresco exploits this area offers (rock climbing, boating, fishing, snowshoeing, skiing, dog sledding), hit up the nearby Olympic venues for a history lesson or one of the many onsite indoor amenities, including a great spa, family game room, pool, movie theater and ice cream parlor.
Zero in on Zip Lining
Don’t let The Broadmoor’s classic, sumptuous décor fool you — this Five-Star Colorado Springs hotel is an adventure junkie’s playground. There’s The Ranch at Emerald Valley, nestled among more than 100,000 acres in the Pike National Forest; Cloud Camp, which sits 9,200 feet atop Cheyenne Mountain; and the Fishing Camp, a fly-fishing spot along the Tarryall River. The newest addition is the Broadmoor Soaring Adventure, two zip-line courses (the second opens mid-September) that let you explore Seven Falls waterfalls. Glide through 10 zip lines ranging from 300 to 1,800 feet long and then hike, cross rope bridges and rappel your way through the rest of the striking canyon.
Conquer Canyoneering
When you sign up for Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo’s canyon tour, you won’t simply hike and admire the scenery. To conquer steep canyon Guachipelin and the fast-moving river below it, you’ll zip line, rappel, rock climb, venture along hanging bridges and swing like Tarzan. Then journey on a horse for great vistas of Rincón de la Vieja volcano and enjoy a relaxing swim in La Chorrera waterfall before heading back to the Four-Star Costa Rica hotel, which offers its own onsite activities (snorkeling, stand-up paddleboarding, sunset kayak tours, nature hikes and more).
The St. Regis Princeville Resort Beach Cabana (Credit: Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Inc.)
Surf with a Pro
Whether you’re a novice or seasoned surfer, Hawaii’s epic waves make it a bucket-list-worthy destination. But there’s another big reason to vacation in paradise: Legendary pro Bill Hamilton, who has been hailed as one of the most influential surfers in the sport’s history, will school you at The St. Regis Princeville Resort in Kauai. Get a two-hour private surfing lesson from Hamilton, followed by a poolside lunch at the Four-Star hotel’s Nalu Kai Restaurant. Afterward, visit Hamilton’s Hanalei workshop to design and create your own custom surfboard (which will be shipped to your home).
Live Among the Elephants
There’s something about the entrance to Khao Sok National Park’s Elephant Hills that’ll make you feel as if you’ve walked onto the Jurassic World set. But just beyond the massive gates and thick foliage, you discover a camp that doesn’t house its animals behind electric fences; instead, this sanctuary for endangered Asian elephants that were once used in Thailand’s logging industry allows its inhabitants to roam as if they were in the wild. So, instead of watching elephants play soccer or polo, here you feed them pineapples and wash off their trunks. Mahouts (elephant trainers) and warm, knowledgeable guides assure your safety. Eco-luxe tents and flavor-packed buffets guarantee your comfort.
Tackle Jackson Hole and Yellowstone
Who says staying mountainside is best? The Wort Hotel is proudly located in Jackson Hole’s town center, and guests are the better for it. A private shuttle whisks skiers to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in about 15 minutes, and the concierges here are experts in planning outdoor exploits, from wildlife expeditions to tours of Yellowstone. And you get to retire to The Wort for a boisterous meal at Silver Dollar Bar (check out the elk gyros) and admire the original Western art scattered throughout the historic Four-Star boutique hotel.
Triple Creek Ranch Horseback Riding (Credit: Triple Creek Ranch)
Seek Out Skijoring
It’ll be tough deciding when exactly to visit Triple Creek Ranch, a Four-Star luxury ranch in Western Montana. The fall brings with it breathtaking views of the foliage and activities like hiking, whitewater rafting and panning for sapphire; the often-mild winters offer cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and skijoring (a horseback rider pulls a skier). Horseback riding and fly-fishing are popular year-round pursuits, as is lingering over fine wines after a superb local-inspired, seasonal dinner in the casual-chic dining room.
Sample Snowshoeing or Tobogganing
Sure, you can go skiing at nearby Whiteface Mountain, but Lake Placid Lodge, a Four-Star Adirondack stunner, has more than slopes to lure in guests. Autumnal colors are a true sight to behold here, especially during heart-pumping trail hikes out the front door. In winter, lace up ice skates to glide around Lake Placid, borrow a toboggan to hit the 30-foot-high Lake Placid chute or don snowshoes to explore the landscape. Private cabins are about as rustic-chic as it gets, but don’t skip the communal nightly bonfires.
Become a Cowboy
Glampers will want to book a so-called luxury tent at The Resort at Paws Up (don’t worry, you won’t be roughing it with a personal camping butler) before the end of the glamping season in mid-October at this gorgeous Montana resort in Big Sky Country. For the rest of us, one of the 28 luxury cabins will fit the bill through the winter. It’s located on a 37,000-acre cattle ranch and is laden with opportunities to get your inner adventurous cowboy excited — horseback riding, ATVing, dogsledding, snowmobiling and sleigh rides.
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9e321042d2c19f56cfb4744c9bee4e77 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2015/11/06/12-out-of-the-ordinary-christmas-getaways/ | 12 Out-Of-The-Ordinary Christmas Getaways | 12 Out-Of-The-Ordinary Christmas Getaways
When Hollywood tells a holiday story, it often involves snow, splendidly decorated trees and festive dinners at a loved one’s house. Rarely, if ever, does the script call for bathing suits, palm trees or passports. But with so many tropical locales and international cities getting into the Christmas spirit these days, traditional gatherings from the comfort of home are almost as outdated as that sweater you got last December 25. As an early gift to you, we’ve made a list of some of the best outside-the-wrapped-box destinations — and yes, our Forbes Travel Guide editors checked it twice — so you and your family can start new holiday customs, only this time they’ll be done with sand between your toes or an unusual locale.
Tokyo
While Christmas isn’t widely celebrated in Tokyo, locals get into the spirit with dazzling illuminations. Starting in November, the city is blanketed with sparkling trees and elaborate LED displays (some favorites include those in Roppongi Hills, Tokyo Midtown and Tokyo Dome City). Admire the bright lights from Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo, which resides in a 38-story tower. The Five-Star hotel’s three-night Luxury of Winter deal will give you a room upgrade, daily breakfast and an $82 dining or spa credit. Be sure to stay through January 2: The hotel’s Japanese New Year Package gives you three nights in a Mandarin Grand Room, dinner for two at Signature or Sense, a countdown party at Oriental Lounge, daily breakfast (including a traditional osechi, a special bento-box-like meal for New Year’s), a tour of the local Knadamyojin shrine with a private guide and more.
Charlottesville, Virginia
We’re not sure why this beautiful city at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains isn’t on more holiday radars. The cedar-filled hills and horse-prancing farms are backdrops right out of a feel-good, made-for-TV movie. And Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Keswick Hall and Golf Club, with its tastefully decorated grand mansion and grounds, makes for the perfect place for taking it all in. Get the mood started by cozying up to a fire in one of the festive public spaces, but truly make the holiday special with a gingerbread-house-building class (December 5), breakfast with Santa (December 19) and a three-course dinner at Four-Star Fossett’s Restaurant on Christmas Day.
Bermuda
We know that the beloved Bing Crosby song says that he’s “dreaming of a white Christmas,” but nowhere does it say that one draped in pink or aqua has to be any less fantastic. Sure, beachfront celebrations at the vibrant Elbow Beach Resort might consist of more conch and sun than they do sugar plums and stockings, but that’s not such a bad thing. Still need some semblance of tradition in December? The property’s Christmas Cheer Package presents you with a two-night stay, breakfast with Santa, a collector’s ornament and Christmas Day dinner. Consider the all-too-rare opportunity to enjoy eggnog after snorkeling as the bow on top of the island vacation.
Nantucket
Tourists leave this island at summer’s end, only because they don’t know about its one-of-a-kind holiday celebration. During Nantucket’s Christmas Stroll weekend (December 4 to 6), head to the wharf to greet Santa, who arrives by Coast Guard boat. He’ll lead a parade down closed-off Main Street; join the elegantly dressed carolers as they walk along the cobblestone. Then visit the Whaling Museum’s Festival of Trees, which features 80 beautiful trees designed by local artists and merchants. Stay at The Loft at 32 Main Street, luxurious apartment-like accommodations that give you a full view of the parade from the second story of a historic brick building. Or opt for Four-Star White Elephant’s Christmas Stroll package, which includes three nights’ accommodations; Nantucket Vineyard’s Red Sangria with the recipe to make mulled wine; an autographed copy of local Nantucket author Nancy Thayer’s new novel, A Very Nantucket Christmas; fresh mistletoe; and a souvenir Christmas Stroll ornament.
Four Seasons Resort Nevis (Credit: Four Seasons Resort Nevis)
Nevis
Imagine celebrating the holidays aboard a catamaran, cruising the Caribbean at sunset and sipping a glass of champagne; luxuriating in a cabana-style beach house while a butler serves you a rum punch; or partaking in a full slate of golf and tennis clinics. That’s how you can spend December at Four Seasons Resort Nevis. Of course, there are festive activities, too: On Christmas, Santa will visit the resort, as will local children’s choirs, who will set a festive mood with Nevisian carols. The hotel’s Coral Grill will serve a traditional Christmas Eve spread, but we’d happily give up the turkey and trimmings for Mango’s barbecue ribs, coconut coleslaw and addictive sweet potato jerk fries.
Salt Spring Island, British Columbia
This unspoiled island filled with natural beauty is known as a haven for artists and foodies. But it also beckons those who want a quiet, peaceful holiday escape. Hastings Country House Hotel will provide the picture-perfect setting, as the charming Tudor-style hotel along the Ganges Harbour will be decked out in poinsettias, bows and lights. On Christmas Day, warm up at the Four-Star hotel’s bonfire with rum and eggnog and enjoy seasonal treats. Then at night prepare for a top-notch traditional feast that includes roasted free-range turkey, potato puree, stuffing, caramelized yams, Brussels sprouts, cranberries and pumpkin pie with Chantilly cream. Cap off the evening relaxing by the fireplace in your own luxe cottage or suite.
Geneva
Standing regally on the banks of Lake Geneva with the Alps just beyond, Le Richemond Genève, Dorchester Collection in Switzerland’s picturesque city just oozes holiday appeal. The grand old dame will be done up with tasteful, stately decorations and guests are said to mingle around the main Christmas tree sipping on warm mulled wine in the evening. The acclaimed restaurant, Le Jardin, will host a decadent five-course Christmas Eve dinner (think champagne, foie gras and venison). Geneva itself is a winter wonderland, flush with holiday markets, ice skating, trees decorated by international artists and slew of festivals, concerts and parades.
Windsor Court Hotel's Christmas Tree (Credit: Windsor Court Hotel)
New Orleans
NOLA is the obvious destination for Mardi Gras, but for family-friendly Christmas celebrations? You bet. There’s a cornucopia of festive holiday activities all over town, from Christmas Eve bonfires on the Mississippi River levees to caroling in Jackson Square to jazz-gospel concerts at St. Louis Cathedral. Book the Papa Noel package at the Four-Star Windsor Court Hotel in the city’s business district and you’ll get 10 to 20 percent off the best available rate, plus 10 percent off services at its lovely Four-Star spa. Then reserve a table at the hotel’s Four-Star The Grill Room for a traditional Creole-style Reveillon dinner.
Hampshire, England
Why not head to overseas for the holidays? And while London will be filled with lights and cheer, Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire, a quiet country escape in nearby Hampshire, has an allure all its own. The main house is an 18th-century Georgian gem with decidedly English-country décor (stately furnishings, floral accents), a knockout spa and tip-top dining. Come Christmastime, the hotel goes all out with a festive afternoon tea (mini mince pies!), a special Christmas Day lunch, gingerbread house decorating and mistletoe manicures.
Greenough, Montana
Hear that? It’s the wilderness calling. And all you’ll need for an adventure-filled Montana Christmas is a 10-gallon hat and warm clothes. Make home base one of the luxurious-rustic ranch homes at The Resort at Paws Up in secluded Blackfoot Valley. For the holidays, you can take part in all the winter activities (ice skating, sleigh rides, cross-country skiing) plus get a visit from your family’s personal Santa, join in gingerbread house building and a Christmas Eve party for kids. The five-night Christmas Package includes an already-decorated Christmas tree in your home and a couple glutinous holiday feasts.
Santa Rosa Beach, Florida
When folks typically think about Florida’s Emerald Coast, it’s mostly during conversations about spring break or summer vacation. But leave it up to places like WaterColor Inn & Resort and it won’t be long before that corner of the Sunshine State becomes known as a winter wonderland. Just 30 minutes from the Northwest Florida International Airport, the Four-Star beauty doesn’t let a little thing like 65-degree December temperatures keep it from being in the yuletide spirit. On November 27, it’s planning a lavish breakfast with St. Nick at Four-Star Fish Out of Water. Then, on December 25, the restaurant will serve salmon gravlax, poached Maine lobster and other new holiday treats at a special dinner. Every other night, consider your amenity-stuffed room and a property aglow in new seasonal decorations as your early gift.
Bernardsville, New Jersey
Pastoral New Jersey never sounded so good. Bernardsville in Jersey’s Somerset Hills is a quaint little town with a turn-of-the-century train depot and the historic Bernards Inn. Somerset County comes alive during the holidays with charming small-town festivities like a production of Miracle on 34th Street at a local theater, a festival of holiday trees and more. The Forbes Travel Guide Recommended inn will host two elegant Christmas Eve dinners — one at its restaurant featuring a three-course prix fixe, and the other is bountiful buffet held in a stately ballroom. Stay overnight in one of the 22 individually decorated rooms.
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05c46c8a4356035fd1475c90d6719f37 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2016/01/08/how-to-spend-two-perfect-days-in-rome/ | How To Spend Two Perfect Days In Rome | How To Spend Two Perfect Days In Rome
Rome Cavalieri (Credit: Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts)
The commotion caused last September when Pope Francis made his first visit to the United States was unprecedented. There were TV specials, magazine covers and, in an unconfirmed first, several hip-hop-inspired memes posted on Instagram. Somehow, the fervor caused by that trip has carried over to the new year, largely because of the Extraordinary Jubilee, the Holy Year of Mercy , the nearly yearlong religious event consisting of papal audiences, festivities and other spiritual celebrations. Through November 2016, people from all corners will flock to Rome and the Vatican to be a part of the historic happenings. If you feel so inclined to visit during this time, Forbes Travel Guide’s editors have laid out a first-timer’s itinerary that’s equal parts history lesson, scenic tour and culinary adventure.
Day One
When it comes to hotels in the Eternal City, the options can go on forever. (The actual origin of the moniker stems from ancient Romans’ belief that the city would endure, no matter what ails plagued the world.) Places like Baglioni Hotel Regina and Hotel Majestic Roma rest in the center of it all. Villa Spalletti Trivelli is close to everything but still feels quaint. And once the beloved Hotel Eden completes its massive restoration project in the fall, it’ll again be a must-stay destination.
Pantheon (Credit: DeMarco Williams)
Since you’re in the land where Tiberius and Nero once reigned, though, it makes sense to stay as royalty yourself. The majestic Rome Cavalieri exudes an air of aristocracy from the moment you step into the gold-leaf- and tapestry-adorned lobby. Rooms speak with a similarly opulent verve through lush sofas, marble baths and Salvatore Ferragamo toiletries. And then there’s the priceless view of Rome and Vatican City from atop Monte Mario, the tallest hill in the city. You can see the Borghese Gallery, Castel Sant’Angelo and other landmarks from your balcony.
Once you finish surveying the land you’ll conquer over the next few days, hop in a cab for the 20-minute ride down to the Colosseum. You could pose in front of the iconic amphitheater like most or wait in line for entry like others. But if you want to skip the long queues at the 1,900-year-old attraction, the only way to go is with the Colosseum and Ancient Rome tour from City Wonders, a tour provider that prides itself on delivering stimulating experiences you can’t get anywhere else. When you schedule your 3 p.m. excursion, make sure to request Sev as your guide. Like the coolest professor you had in college, Sev has a way of making quarry mining and vaulted arches sound a lot more fascinating than they probably are. And you’ll appreciate the way he doesn’t romanticize the times; he speaks of slaves and living conditions in a manner you won’t get from a rented headset.
Another truth: The tour takes up every minute of its allotted three hours. Needless to say, you’ll be primed for a rest once the session ends. Ride a taxi back to the hotel and prepare for your pre-dinner treatment at Cavalieri Grand Spa Club. Don’t worry — the nearly 27,000-square-foot facility remains open until 10 p.m. daily. Try the stress-relieving Ritual Treatment for legs or go all out with the Ultimate Caviar Lift Facial if you want to add luster after a few hours in the sun.
By now, your body might be thinking more about an actual bed than a bed of lettuce, but fight the urge just a little bit longer by heading up to the renowned La Pergola for dinner. The menu from charismatic chef Heinz Beck is filled with traditional Italian favorites such as risotto and spaghetti, but most are done with a clever culinary twist. The latter dish, for example, comes topped with scorpion fish. No matter how adventurous you choose to go at the table, expect everything to feature only the freshest ingredients Beck’s team is able to gather from local purveyors.
Sistine Chapel (Credit: City Wonders)
Day Two
Your day is starting pretty early, so you might only have time for fruit and coffee on the balcony. As you peer across the stunning landscape, look to your right just a bit; you should be able to spy the top of St. Peter’s Basilica. That’s where you’ll need to be by 7:30 a.m. We promise getting up at the crack of dawn will be worth it.
Amid the throngs of folks trying to get into Vatican City, you’ll spot your City Wonders guide for the Sistine Chapel Express and Vatican Museums tour. (Even if Sev isn’t with you this time, you’ll be in great hands.) Like a VIP who knows the pontiff personally, you’ll be whisked past everyone in the queue and granted access to the Sistine Chapel and halls of the Vatican before anyone else that morning. As you ask your guide questions about the Jubilee and snap away at artifacts — whatever you do, however, don’t be that person who tries to sneakily take a picture of “The Creation of Adam” after the guard warns otherwise — you’ll feel like you seemingly have every inch of the museums all to yourself.
City Wonders Tour Guide at the Colosseum (Credit: DeMarco Williams)
After a few hours in the presence of Michelangelo’s most prized pieces, make the 12-minute cab trip over to acquaint yourself with Apollodorus of Damascus’ finest work, the Pantheon. Arguably the best-preserved building of Ancient Rome, the A.D. 118-erected temple still mystifies today with paintings, sculptures and the tombs of several Italian luminaries, including the artist Raphael.
Work your way around the guys incessantly hawking selfie sticks and other trinkets at Piazza della Rotonda to get to Scusate il Ritardo. Though a bit of a tourist trap with regards to its shaky service and steep prices, the place is a perfect detour for some cheesecake or mixed fruit gelato. For a proper pasta lunch, go a few blocks away from the crowds to Ristorante Grano or La Nuova Capannina.
Walk off the carbs by trekking 15 minutes past cute boutiques and even more gelato shops to Piazza di Spagna, where you’ll find the Spanish Steps. Take your obligatory pics at the site and drink from one of the nearby fountains, but before you leave the area, make a point to do a little shopping, too. You’ll see familiar names such as Prada and Gucci , but you’ll also stumble on lesser-known places like Ju’sto, a snazzy bag company that lets you customize handles and straps on the spot.
When all of the sightseeing (and fighting for space in crowded public squares) takes its toll, hail a cab back in the direction of the Rome hotel. But instead of going straight back to your room, stop off first for dinner at 384 Ristorante, a contemporary-style eatery that has made its mark over its two-year existence with locals, not loud vacationers. With a decent-sized dining room and patio, there’s plenty of space to rest your feet and enjoy a superb four-cheese pizza or paccheri topped with shrimp and olives alongside a well-earned glass of Lazio IGT Il Gelso.
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69fd2467901882952a65589b01294757 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2016/02/25/why-virginias-charlottesville-is-a-hidden-travel-gem/ | Why Charlottesville, Virginia Is A Hidden Travel Gem | Why Charlottesville, Virginia Is A Hidden Travel Gem
KeswickHall (Credit: Keswick Hall)
Even if you don’t know the words to “My Shot” by heart, you’ve probably at least heard of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s theatrical production Hamilton by now. An absolutely fascinating mélange of American history and hip-hop, the play is as much a game-changing cultural phenomenon as it is a biography about one of our founding fathers.
View the full list of official 2016 Forbes Travel Guide Star Ratings here.
Thomas Jefferson has a role in the Broadway smash, but it’s clearly one of the supportive variety. History buffs know that if they’re to get the full story on the United States’ third president, they have to look somewhere other than New York City for it. (And who are we kidding? You couldn’t score a ticket to the play before 2018 anyway.)
For a true peek into Jefferson’s life, you have to venture to his home in Charlottesville, Virginia. But the proud city steeped in history has a lot more going for it than massive estates sitting atop the Blue Ridge Mountains. Charlottesville is a naturally stunning city with a burgeoning culinary scene, Five-Star-quality accommodations, world-class golf and a calendar full of spring activity. So, if you have a few days for exploring, continue reading Forbes Travel Guide’s itinerary to set the stage for a memorable vacation.
Keswick Hall Deluxe Balcony Room (Credit: Keswick Hall)
Day One
One of the more topographically diverse states in the south, Virginia has small towns that remind you of Mayberry and waterfront areas with enough cragged shoreline you’d think you were in Montauk.
Charlottesville has a decidedly hilly and green landscape. Tree lines and farms seemingly go on for miles on the outskirt of the city. One such stretch leads you straight to Keswick Hall and Golf Club, the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star hotel about seven miles outside of the city that will serve as your home base for the weekend.
When you walk into the main lobby, you will immediately feel the 48-room mansion’s aristocratic air. Coffered ceilings, leather chairs and Persian-inspired rugs have had that kind of effect.
If you get to the property between noon and 2 p.m., you may also get a whiff of the Villa Crawford lunch spread. It would border on treason to ignore the smell of duck confit quesadillas or pan-roasted chicken, so hand your bags to the bellman and grab a bite.
After lunch, the king-sized bed in your classic Deluxe Balcony Room may have your name on it — no, really, there’s a chance that a hand-written greeting from the staff will be on your pillow — but fight the urge for a midday snooze.
Instead, take a few minutes to check out the picture-frame molding in the bathroom, snap some pictures of the decorative fireplace or look out onto the Full Cry golf course from your private balcony. You have a 9 a.m. tee time, so it won’t hurt so bad when you have to part from the room to make the short ride to Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s iconic home.
Some museums and historic sights lose visitors’ attention with their storytelling; words come off as a passionless rattling of facts and dates. A Monticello visit flips that stale experience on its wig-topped head. A tour almost feels like a production where a guide tells stories and answers questions in ways that don’t feel scripted.
Why did Jefferson have a thing for spinning knick-knacks? How could Jefferson rationalize having slaves while, at the same time, fathering four children with enslaved lady’s maid Sally Hemings? After a two-hour exploration through the house, around the gardens and in the domestic quarters, you should have your answers.
Expect an especially busy spring at the UNESCO World Heritage Site as it celebrates Jefferson’s 273rd birthday (April 13) and Historic Garden Week (April 18 to 25).
University of Virginia Lawn (Credit: Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau)
The logical next stop after visiting Jefferson’s most famed architectural achievement is to see the site of his proudest academic one — the University of Virginia. A school of higher education founded by Jefferson in 1819, UVA’s 1,682-acre campus oozes colonial pride through white-column-adorned buildings surrounded by gorgeous lawns.
The Roman-inspired Rotunda, completed in 1826, is the university’s statement piece. If you’re quiet enough, you can almost imagine early board members James Madison and James Monroe conversing in front of the building. When your moment of reflection is interrupted by an excited bunch of students, cut them some slack — their fantastic Cavaliers men’s basketball team is one of the favorites for a long March Madness run.
After that trip through time, head back to Keswick Hall for your 7 p.m. reservation at Four-Star Fossett’s Restaurant. The hotel’s signature eatery sets a romantic mood with a bay of floor-to-ceiling windows that look out onto the golf course, and it will melt your heart with a menu of in-season dishes like Keswick Garden beet salad, Chesapeake bouillabaisse or cranberry-crumble-topped pheasant.
Jefferson would have likely ended the evening with a glass of his favorite sherry. No judgment here if you follow similar suit with a selection from the 5,000-bottle Treble wine cellar.
Day Two
Quickly grab some fruit or house-roasted granola from Fossett’s because you don’t want to be late for any of the action at Full Cry. Christened in 2014, this 18-hole beauty from iconic course designer Pete Dye combines Old World charms with modern golf innovations.
While Dye’s stamp (railroad ties, frightening-but-fun layouts) is seen across the course, the third hole (which is a part of a treacherous five-hole stretch lovingly referred to as The Gauntlet) stands out — and that’s only partially due to the herd of deer running across the fairway. The closing three holes also prove memorable because of a charming bridge, deep bunkers and magazine-cover-quality vistas of Keswick Hall and the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Depending on how well you did on the putting green, you may want to celebrate your score over a double-stack burger at the onsite Club Grill. However, if your scorecard had more red on it than the Continental Colors flag, it’s probably time for the next activity.
Court Square at Nightfall (Credit: Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau)
Michie Tavern is where you’ll go to eat away your sorrows. A sort of hamlet you’d expect to have flourished during Jefferson’s day, the property consists of a restaurant, gift shop and 18th-century lodgings you can tour. Once you’ve waited in line for 15 to 20 minutes (sorry, no reservations for groups under 15), step inside and find a rustic cabin with servers in period attire and a buffet filled with timeless selections like hickory-smoked pulled pork, mashed potatoes and stewed tomatoes. Sample a little bit of everything, but make it a point to try the fried chicken, unofficially the best in Albemarle County.
If you can get up from your seat, make the six-minute drive to downtown Charlottesville. Amid the relaxed vibe of the central district, you’ll find Graves International Art. Though the place is a treasure trove for everything from 16th-century Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino to 20th-century Keith Haring any day of the week, when you stop by through May 3, you’ll be treated with “Roy Lichtenstein & Company: 20th-Century Masters of Contemporary Art,” a collection of handmade prints from the Pop icon and his contemporaries.
Pop in as many of the neighboring boutiques as you’d like. Your dinner reservations at The Alley Light aren’t until 6 p.m., so you have plenty of time. Besides, the eatery sits just a few blocks over down a short, harmless alley. Look for the, well, alley light above a nondescript door and it’ll lead you to the dining room.
When you get up the stairs, you’ll spot couples, UVA students and other folks with one thing in mind — enjoying classic French small plates (salmon tartare, potted shrimp and an almost-too-cute-to-eat vegetable board) and cocktails proudly constructed with house-made bitters and syrups.
Once you finish, see what’s happening around the block at The Paramount Theater. No, you won’t find Hamilton on the marquee, but if you’re lucky enough to be in town to see Joan Baez (March 11), an HD screening of Madama Butterfly (April 2) or Mavis Staples (April 9), you still ensure yourself of a night in Thomas Jefferson’s home city that’s nearly as historic.
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727b1a128503e1436ab1ee915081da05 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2016/06/17/10-hot-hotels-to-visit-right-now/ | 10 Hot Hotels To Visit Right Now | 10 Hot Hotels To Visit Right Now
Hotel Derek's Freedom Suite (Credit: Destination Hotels)
It’s easy to return to your favorite travel destinations year after year. But this summer is packed with new hotel and restaurant openings, renovations, secret champagne gardens and much more. Venture out and visit somewhere new this season, and let our Forbes Travel Guide editors show you the way.
Hotel Derek
This Houston boutique hotel seems made for millennials — it has a step-and-repeat station that lets you upload selfies to Facebook and a pop-up craft beer bar — but its six newly refreshed terrace suites transcend age demographic.
Of course, they maintain the edgy vibe of the rest of the hotel, and each has its own distinctive design with a Texas twist. The bold Freedom Suite, for example, pays homage to the state's Mexican roots with graphic plum wallpaper and eye-catching contemporary canvases featuring vaqueros (cowboys).
Ritz Paris' Deluxe Suite (Credit: The Ritz Hotel Limited)
Ritz Paris
After an extensive four-year renovation, which included delays from a January fire, Paris’ grand hotel finally reopened in early June. It was worth the wait — the 1898 icon debuted pastel rooms steeped in their original splendor, suites dedicated to famous former guests (Marcel Proust, Coco Chanel), the world’s first Chanel spa, a French garden with a retractable glass roof and three new kitchens at the L'Ecole Ritz Escoffier cooking school (for culinary dabblers and advanced chefs alike).
Bernardus Lodge
As if a romantic vineyard-laden landscape wasn’t enough to draw you to the Carmel Valley, the Four-Star hotel’s 14 new suites and villas make it a must-visit summer stop when they debut August 1.
The 1,050- to 2,100-square-foot accommodations have luxurious touches, such as outdoor fire pits, bathrooms with hammered copper freestanding tubs, wet rooms with wall and rain showers, radiant-heat floors, double-sided fireplaces and private bath patios and terraces offering vineyard or Santa Lucia Mountain vistas.
The Inn at Dos Brisas (Credit: Katie Park)
The Inn at Dos Brisas
An hour north of Houston, this Four-Star hotel just reemerged from a five-month renovation. One of the biggest changes can be found in its Five-Star restaurant, where noted toque Jonathan Cartwright (formerly of The White Barn Inn Restaurant) serves as “visiting chef in residence” alongside new executive chef Matt Padilla (who recently left Five-Star Element 47 at The Little Nell in Aspen).
Cartwright’s residency is open-ended, but book now to ensure a spot in the intimate dining room to sample his creative American cuisine featuring ingredients from the restaurant’s expanded farm.
Monarch Beach Resort
A $40 million makeover helped shed this former St. Regis’ traditional, formal environs in favor of a beachy, casual-chic aesthetic. Ocean inspiration infuses everything from the lobby’s color palette to the seagrass wallpaper in the 400 guest rooms. The independent hotel also added a new 24-treatment-room Miraval Spa.
Thankfully, the Orange County hotel kept some things the same, namely the excellent Stonehill Tavern restaurant from chef Michael Mina and the Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed Monarch Beach Golf Links.
Four Seasons Jakarta's Suite (Credit: Four Seasons Hotels Limited)
Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta
Travelers to Jakarta were likely disappointed when Four Seasons shuttered back in 2014, after 20 years in the area. But they needn’t fret any longer, as a brand-new Four Seasons opens June 20 in the business-centric Capital Place development.
The 20-story all-suite hotel got a glamorous, neo-classical look from designer Alexandra Champalimaud. Rooms boast wall-to-wall windows, elegant chinoiserie wall panels and shiny white-marble-filled bathrooms. Also on our radar: the 20th-floor rooftop Italian restaurant and a tropical outdoor pool with hanging daybeds.
Georgie (Credit: Montage Hotels & Resorts)
Montage Beverly Hills
We’ve had our eye on another trip to this Five-Star hotel ever since celebrity chef Geoffrey Zakarian took over our Instagram account for a behind-the-scenes peek at his new L.A. restaurant Georgie, which is now open for dinner.
Inside the garden-inspired space, enjoy pasta (hen egg tagliolini with sea urchin, Meyer lemon, chive blossom), meat (N.Y. strip) and seafood (roasted scallops with grilled leeks, chanterelles), along with playful cocktails, like the Engaged & Cant-Aloupe (Barsol Pisco Mosto Verde, fresh cantaloupe, lime juice, beet sugar syrup, egg white, angostura bitters).
Four Seasons Park Lane Veuve Clicquot Secret Garden (Credit: Four Seasons Hotels Limited)
Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane
Those in the know will while away hot summer days at this Five-Star gem. Hidden among begonias, clematis, salvias and jasmine, you’ll discover the London hotel’s secret champagne garden. Under a golden umbrella, sip a refreshing Veuve Clicquot Rich, a new bubbly served over ice with your choice of garnish (grapefruit, pineapple, cucumber, celery, pepper or Earl Grey tea).
To accompany the drinks, the hotel crafted a new menu of light bites, including a Portland crab tortellini with lobster jus and courgette.
InterContinental New York Barclay
Open since 1926, the Midtown Manhattan hotel poured $180 million into a top-to-bottom restoration. And after 20 months, it debuted in May with 704 modern guest rooms and 31 suites with details like Hudson River School-style landscape murals. Though the most covetable accommodations will be the Penthouse Sky Suite, which comes with a 1,500-square-foot terrace overlooking the Chrysler building.
Don’t forget about the amenities, including a large Club InterContinental, a VIP club-level lounge, and The Gin Parlour, which serves 88 different varieties of its namesake spirit.
Topping Rose House
The Hamptons is one of our favorite warm-weather escapes, but we have an extra incentive to visit right now. The charming Bridgehampton hotel tapped superstar chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten to take over its restaurant.
To prepare for Vongerichten’s Memorial Day weekend debut, the hotel freshened up the dining room by eliminating the stiff white tablecloths and adding bright green banquettes. We look forward to seeing what Vongerichten does with the local catch and the hotel’s own bounty from its one-acre farm each season.
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555cb13e58ae1e95c84892037b25e484 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2019/02/12/how-wnba-star-candace-parker-wins-at-home-and-away/ | How WNBA Star Candace Parker Wins At Home And Away | How WNBA Star Candace Parker Wins At Home And Away
Candace Parker Candace Parker/NBA TV
When the NBA All-Star Game tips off in Charlotte on February 17, all of the sport’s best players won’t be on the court. Candace Parker, one of the most accomplished ballers — male or female — of all-time, will be watching the action from the sidelines.
“I’ll be working All-Star,” clarified Parker, a five-time WNBA All-Star, a two-time WNBA MVP and the 2016 WNBA Finals MVP, all with the L.A. Sparks. “We’ll figure out the specific role and what exact events I’ll be covering. It’s my third straight All-Star. I was in New Orleans with my first ever, L.A. last year and Charlotte this year. I’m getting excited about it because, as a kid, that’s what you dream of — going to the NBA All-Star Game. So, now to be there and be a part of that means a lot.”
If you’ve watched NBA TV’s primetime coverage this season, you’ve likely seen Parker more than hold her own as a panelist on the popular Players Only alongside male contemporaries like Chris Webber, Isiah Thomas and Kevin McHale.
Regular show viewers also know that when Parker says she’ll be “working,” that means she could be doing some play-by-play commentary, breaking down in-game nuances or interviewing a player. And you thought the 6-foot-4-inch Chicagoan was just versatile on the hardwood.
Forbes Travel Guide recently chatted with Parker about her growing media persona, the WNBA’s direction and where she’s headed next for vacation. The mother of a nine-year-old daughter, Parker was also game to share some insight into how she juggles a hectic travel schedule with family time.
Read on to see how she wins at that and, seemingly, just about every other aspect of her life.
Parker’s Game Face Candace Parker/NBA TV
You live in L.A., shoot NBA TV programs in Atlanta and travel to places like Charlotte. Does all the packing and unpacking ever get old?
This is my first time being in the States at this time in the last 11, 12 years, so I will take all the packing I have to do to be here. You know, it’s always been tough because I’ve played in Russia, China and Turkey [during the WNBA offseason], so we’re kind of traveling like this — just overseas. We’re gone pretty much once or twice a week anyway.
So, to be able to sleep in my own bed for five nights out of the week and do something that I love [is great]. What’s better than playing basketball and talking about it for a living? I think I’m pretty lucky and blessed with this job.
Packing and unpacking, I’ve gotten pretty good at it. I don’t check a bag. I go through security pretty quick. So, there’s no complaints here.
Are you able to slide through airports without being detected?
LAX is great. I mean, nobody cares in L.A. Coming through and going back and forth, you get hellos and stuff [but that’s about it]. Atlanta is a little bit more fun, just in terms of the people that recognize me. I went to college in the South. So, it’s always fun for me to meet people who watch what I’m doing now and have followed me since Tennessee.
To me, sitting in the airport and people recognizing me for different things is always cool. Fans say, “You play basketball,” or “Oh wait, you’re on Players Only,” or “You were on Kevin Hart’s Cold as Balls.”
Candace Parker Candace Parker/NBA TV
How do you keep communication strong with your daughter when you’re on the road so much?
From the time she could remember, we’ve always been on the go. And she has always been everywhere with me. That’s my thing. I don’t go a long time without seeing her or her being where I am. So, that means she’s been in Russia, China, Turkey and all the way across the world.
But before she could understand time and days, we would do a sleep calendar. Kids understand sleep. They know their sleep schedule. I would say, “There are two sleeps before I come back and see you.” So, the night before I would leave, I would always make sleep calendars. I’d sit down and I would draw mine and she would draw hers. Then, on FaceTime, we would cross out the days until we would see each other. It kind of helped when she was younger and didn’t really understand.
Now, I can talk to her. She knows the schedule and she knows I’m gone two days out of the week, but the other five I’m there. I’m fully there. I take her to basketball. I take her to soccer. I do all the activities and all the events at school. So, you know, I just try to talk to her and make her understand that there are sacrifices at every point and this just is one of them. The other five days you have 100 percent of me. There’re not many jobs that allow parents to do that. So, we’re fortunate.
She understands that and she’s cool. She’s in fourth grade now. She’s got her life. She’s not worried about me.
With young stars like Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson, you have to like the direction the WNBA is headed, right?
Well, definitely. I think every generation is going to, hopefully, leave the game better than when they came into it. That’s how the game of basketball grows. That’s why I get on people judging the state of sports and things like that because you have to give a league some time and give players a chance to evolve and grow.
We were really the first generation [to play basketball]. My mom wasn’t able to play basketball in college. They didn’t do it. Title IX [a rule preventing discrimination from activities based on sex] didn’t exist. So, our generation was really the first to really play sports in college and actually have a professional avenue.
You have people 6 feet 4 inches, 6 feet 5 inches who can handle the ball and can shoot like Breanna Stewart and Elena Delle Donne. You’re seeing that more and more. I mean, the young woman who’s committed to Stanford that just had a tip dunk — Fran Belibi.
In order to do it, you have to first see it and believe you can do it. Now with social media, YouTube and all these things, there are all these different outlets for exposure for not only the players but also the fans.
I know each part of my career there have been people growing up watching me, saying they remember me from the McDonald’s All-American dunk contest. They remember me from when I committed to Tennessee. They followed my career. A lot of that is the storyline and getting attached to a player. I think the game is in great hands as far as talent and skill and passion. I’m really excited what the young crew is bringing right now. I don’t feel like I’m done, yet but I’m happy.
Los Angeles Discover Los Angeles
What makes L.A. special to you?
I was drafted here 11 years ago. And as soon as I came here, there was just a vibe that I really liked. I love that you can go get exactly what you want. I played in Russia for six years. If I want borsch, I can go find borsch. I can find that community.
I want my daughter to play on a diverse soccer team. There’s diversity. I just love the weather. I’m a beach girl. I love going out to the beach and playing beach volleyball. I’m a bike rider, so I love going outside and riding bikes. I go hiking with my dog. It just provides all of that.
And it’s just gorgeous. It’s beautiful to be here. I had my daughter here. This is really all she’s ever known — being from California. It really became home then.
Do you like traveling internationally?
I love it.
Cabo San Lucas Cabo San Lucas
Where are some of your favorite places?
Well, being in California, we go to Cabo quite a bit, in terms of vacation and things like that. But in terms of going overseas, one of my favorite cities is actually Istanbul. I love Spain. I looove Spain. Barcelona is another one [I love]. I’m kinda big into wine now, so, obviously, France is a key destination.
But when you’re playing basketball, you’re not really able to go and see all these places like you’d want to. So, I’m really excited now I have the time I can plan trips and figure out what exactly I want to do and go see those things that I missed. I’m really big into history, so every place I go I always go to the museums.
Prague is another city that is very historic. The cobblestone streets and the horse-drawn carriages and things like that [are interesting]. I really enjoy going back and seeing that type of Europe.
Is there a place that you haven’t been yet that is very high on the list?
I haven’t been to Rome yet. Rome, Italy, is a place I would really like to go. I hear it’s amazing. When I could have gone, it would have been like one or two days, and I don’t think that’s enough time, so I was like, “All right, I’m going to plan a trip there.”
Another place — and it’s really weird — I really want to go to is Iceland. I don’t know why, but I’m really into the Northern Lights. To be able to experience that, I mean, that’s on my bucket list. Those two places are kind of next on the to-do list.
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d82c53dea164d049ebb0fa00609714bf | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2019/02/20/how-peninsula-became-the-first-all-five-star-hotel-brand/ | How Peninsula Became The First All Five-Star Hotel Brand | How Peninsula Became The First All Five-Star Hotel Brand
The Peninsula Hong Kong The Peninsula Hotels
The Peninsula Manila earned its first Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star award. Most years, that would be a headline-making achievement on its own. But in 2019, the news is merely a fabulous footnote to an even bigger story: with the Philippines property receiving hospitality’s highest distinction, that means all 10 Peninsula hotels around the globe hold Five Stars. In Forbes Travel Guide’s 61-year history, this marks the first time a brand swept the Five-Star category across all of its hotels.
To achieve such widespread success, you need everyone from the general manager in Shanghai to the gardener in Beverly Hills to understand the company’s mission and apply it every day. Peter Borer knows how difficult a task it is. As the chief operating officer of The Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited, owner and operator of The Peninsula Hotels, Borer is responsible for keeping everyone on the same page.
Forbes Travel Guide recently talked to Borer about his team, his nearly 40-year tenure with Peninsula and what this tremendous brand-wide accomplishment means.
The Brand’s Chief Operating Officer, Peter Borer The Peninsula Hotels
Every Peninsula hotel has earned a Five-Star honor this year. What does this across-the-board success say about your brand?
We were happy to receive this accolade. But most importantly, we’re very grateful to our staff around the world who made this happen. This is really a tribute to all our employees who, day in and day out, work hard, try to please and try to follow these exacting standards and sometimes surpass them. To me, it’s a great tribute to them and I’m very, very grateful to all my colleagues.
How is the news going to be relayed to all of your teams?
When the news breaks when we’re all in Los Angeles [for Verified, The Forbes Travel Guide Luxury Summit], we’re starting a five-day celebration in all our hotels. The employees will be invited to have a massage, a special lunch or they can bring their family to tea. We have an array of different initiatives. They will also get a special recognition from the board of directors.
The Peninsula Family The Peninsula Hotels
Of course, the hard part is sustaining brilliance. How do you keep up Five-Star excellence year after year?
Well, good service can be trained. Training plays an incredibly important part in this. Good service also comes from the heart because it has to be delivered with passion.
We’re a small company. We’re only 10 hotels. We have an incredibly wonderful ownership structure, with our chairman, Sir Michael [Kadoorie], at the head of the company. His family has been involved with this company almost since its inception 150 years ago. We work for a man who himself exudes passion for the hospitality industry. That makes it a very special place to work.
I’ve had the great pleasure of working here for 38 years. And I’d do it all over again. And many of my colleagues around the world are in the same boat.
In the long history of the company, we’ve been very privileged to receive quite a few nice accolades. But it’s important that you stay humble, and it’s important you appreciate [the honors], but you don’t let them go to your head. Once you’re at the top, you can only go one way and that’s down. And that’s not what we want.
You need to continuously train, keep the passion alive and stay humble.
You mention being with Peninsula for the past 38 years. How have things changed in the industry?
To me, luxury is in constant evolution, but the principles of luxury remain the same. If you have a choice, you’re a free person and that, to me, is the greatest luxury. Space and time are an incredible luxury. I believe that time has become an even greater luxury because the world is getting so much more connected, which is an advantage.
But at the same time, it makes our life so much faster. That’s something I ask all of my colleagues to try to appreciate. Try to have a healthy work-life balance. That’s something I wish for everyone, that we’re not on this constant running wheel that goes faster and faster.
From our guest point of view, we’re trying to adapt our product to a customer who may have different needs than they had all those years ago. Connectivity comes to mind. Health is much more in the forefront than it was all those years ago. Thirty years ago, you [only] had a swimming pool. Today you have all-encompassing spas, healthy cuisine and much broader offerings.
These are all incredibly nice developments. They’re allowing us to make our offering more complete, and they make the employment opportunities for my colleagues more interesting.
To me, evolution is a wonderful thing. I live in a city, Hong Kong, which is the epitome of evolution, reinvention and a constant drive for excellence.
If you look at the hospitality industry of Hong Kong, we’re blessed with wonderful hotels. That keeps us on our toes, and that’s a great environment to be in.
The Peninsula Bangkok The Peninsula Bangkok
What has kept you excited about the business for 30-plus years?
There are a few key factors. Number one factor is clearly the family I work for — the Kadoorie family. It has been incredibly good to me. It has supported me all the way and given me the opportunity to enjoy a wonderful career.
On the other side of the coin, I’ve worked hard for them. I’ve helped, in a small way, to shape the company to where it is today.
I have wonderful colleagues around me who’ve been with us for many, many years.
And I live in a city that energizes me. It’s a great place for hospitality. It’s filled with people who really enjoy working in our industry and do their jobs with passion.
I had the great privilege of running The Peninsula Hong Kong for 10 years. When you go to work there every day, it’s a privilege because you have a great team, great guests and you’re running an iconic hotel. What else could you ask for?
Are you able to find a work-life balance?
I’m trying. I had to learn, but I think I’m getting better.
The Peninsula Paris The Peninsula Hotels
Peninsula has a strong presence in Asia and the United States. Where do you envision the company going in the next few years?
As you know, we’re not just managers; in most cases, we are owners or we have a stake in each of our hotels. Right now, we have three hotels under development. One is in London, one is in Istanbul and one is in Yangon. They will open within the next three years.
For us to add three hotels, when you only have 10 [to begin with], is quite a challenge. We’re working very hard but we’re very proud of these new additions. I believe that they will help to strengthen the brand image and strengthen our presence in Europe, where we currently only have the one hotel in Paris. It’s a nice progression.
And, of course, it’s very encouraging for the younger people in our company to see that there’s growth. It gives them an opportunity to have career growth, so it’s very positive.
After someone checks out from a Peninsula hotel, how do you want him to feel?
I want them to feel that they had an exceptional experience, that they felt at home, that they got good value and they have a great desire to either return to that hotel or try another hotel in our company.
We revealed our 2019 Forbes Travel Guide Star Awards. Click here to see the complete list of winners.
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009b6fda449f6e6e331337685ea06e59 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2020/12/11/3-hot-culinary-pop-ups-not-to-miss/?sh=47a37b1178ab | 3 Hot Culinary Pop-Ups Not To Miss | 3 Hot Culinary Pop-Ups Not To Miss
Employees Only will check into Maui. Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort
Culinary pop-ups allow restaurants to get creative. They get to test out different dishes, techniques and audiences, and willing diners get to be a part of the whole process. Acclaimed spots — from an NYC cocktail bar to a San Francisco fine-dining restaurant — are bringing these vibrant events to Forbes Travel Guide-rated hotels from Hawaii to Los Cabos to entice locals and traveling foodies craving a taste of something different.
Whether you want to treat yourself to an epic epicurean experience or prefer to gift one to someone special for the holidays, these upcoming pop-ups are a treat.
Employees Only at Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort
Hidden behind a psychic’s New York City storefront lies a cocktail institution. Employees Only isn’t merely a local icon — the 2004 bar was a pioneer in the now-ubiquitous global craft cocktail movement. To understand its heft, Employees Only is the only bar to land a spot in every World’s 50 Best Bars list since the coveted recognition began.
Soon the white-chef-jacket-clad bartenders will leave their West Village speakeasy and bring their shakers and bar spoons to Grand Wailea in Maui, just after Hawaii recently reopened to mainland travelers. Their early 2021 Hawaiian stint is part of the hotel’s Culinary & Cocktail Collaborations, a pop-up series that provides guests with classes and exceptional dining experiences with renowned mixologists and chefs.
“We are thrilled to welcome guests back to Grand Wailea with our interactive pop-up series,” says JP Oliver, the hotel’s managing director. “Employees Only’s highly acclaimed cocktails and industry knowledge are the perfect inaugural partner to commence this incredible guest experience.”
MORE FOR YOU9 L.A. Hotels To Visit This Summer
The visiting bartenders will curate a menu of about 10 cocktails at Grand Wailea’s open-air Botero Lounge. You can expect to sip Employees Only staples like the Amelia (vodka, fresh lemon, elderflower liqueur and blackberry puree) and Besos Calientes (blanco tequila, fresh lime, EO grapefruit cordial, habanero shrub and garnished with pink peppercorns and charred rosemary), and the drinks will have locally sourced ingredients.
Take the opportunity to join the tipple trailblazers’ interactive mixology masterclass. It will cover the four major spirits (whiskey, brandy, rum and gin) along with the history of the American cocktail. Reservations are not required.
If you can’t make it to the three-day pop-up, you can still sample Employees Only’s talents. The bartenders will leave a cocktail inspired by Hawaii’s tropical flair and island setting on the Botero Lounge menu as a parting gift.
Try eggplant and caviar with baladi bread at this pop-up. The Restaurant at Meadowood
The Restaurant at Meadowood at Ojai Valley Inn
September’s Glass Fire engulfed 67,484 acres in Napa and Sonoma, including The Restaurant at Meadowood. It burned down the esteemed Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star restaurant at Meadowood Napa Valley. But the foodie favorite beloved for its imaginative dishes and artistry is rising from the ashes with a winter pop-up at Ojai Valley Inn.
“While planned well before the Glass Fire that devastated The Restaurant at Meadowood, our time in Ojai will serve as an opportunity for the TRAM team to continue to cook and work together,” says Meadowood chef Christopher Kostow. “We look forward to crafting menus that encompass the divergent terroir of the valleys of Napa and Ojai, and to sharing our work with a new audience.”
The Restaurant at Meadowood Winter Residency will take place January 6 to February 28, 2021, at The Farmhouse, a 30,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor culinary facility that debuted in 2019.
Kostow and his team will offer a taste of The Restaurant at Meadowood’s bucket-list-worthy parade of plates at Ojai with six courses spotlighting California ingredients that thrive in winter. The produce was sourced from The Restaurant’s own 3.5-acre farm as well as artisans and growers in Napa and Ojai. The meal will be accompanied by wines from Napa, Sonoma, Santa Barbara, and the Central Coast. The intimate but socially distant dinners will occur Wednesdays to Sundays.
“This culinary residency is very special for our team as the design inspiration for The Farmhouse began with a trip to Meadowood, where we met with chef Kostow and architects Howard Backen and Silvia Nobili to develop the Farmhouse concept,” says Chris Kandziora, general manager of Ojai Valley Inn. “It is an honor to welcome The Restaurant at Meadowood and provide a place for their team to continue their culinary brilliance as they plan to rebuild.”
Xavier Salomon and Dominique Crenn are cooking up a pop-up. Montage Los Cabos
Atelier Crenn at Montage Los Cabos
To celebrate renowned San Francisco restaurant Atelier Crenn’s 10th anniversary, co-owner and master chef Dominique Crenn will come to Montage Los Cabos for Casa Crenn, a one-of-a-kind intimate pop-up.
The epicurean event kicks off June 15 and unfolds across six days with a series of dinners, cocktail parties and other delicious activities. Crenn will be joined by Atelier Crenn chef pâtissier Juan Contreras (who was born in Mexico) and Montage Los Cabos’ executive chef Xavier Salomon, along with only 16 guests in one of the hotel’s luxurious Casa villas.
The highlight will be the 10-course menu of Five-Star Atelier Crenn’s signature French dishes using local Baja ingredients along with wine pairings. During the cozy dinner, there will be plenty of opportunities to mingle with Crenn and the other chefs. You will leave with a signed copy of the menu and an autographed apron.
Casa Crenn is the latest offering from Los Cabos hotel to help build its reputation as a culinary destination. Montage launched a similar series in 2019 — one event drew a slate of Maîtres Cuisiniers de France and the other featured Southeast Asian American chefs — but this is the first that focuses on a single toque.
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