Tag: authentic luxury travel
THE Royal Wedding
Londoners get really enthusiastic about Royal Weddings Will you be there when Kate Middleton walks down the aisle? Will you see the predictably broad grin on Prince William’s face as he watches her make her way toward the altar? No? Well my invitation hasn’t arrived either, but that isn’t going to keep me from enjoying […]
Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel
Luxury travel is about relaxing and having fun – not rushing to catch a flight at the crack of dawn. That’s why – as I explained in an earlier post – I make good use of airport hotels. The Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel has always been a favorite of mine, so I was pleased to […]
Hawaii Tsunami Damage, USA
The Kona Coast of The Big Island of Hawaii took a big hit from the Tsunami that travel across the Pacific from Japan earlier this month. Most hotels are doing repairs and cleaning up, but sadly Kona Village Resort has closed “for an extended period of time.” This property was the epitome of Authentic Luxury […]
Italy’s Charming Hotels
A moat surrounds Sirmione, a resort town on Lake Garda in Northern Italy Sirmione. Lucca. Rome. We enjoyed these Italian destinations on our last trip and found great hotels with local character in each place. Hotel Flaminia in Sirmione occupies an enviable position right on the edge of Lake Garda in Northern Italy. In fact, […]
New Zealand – Hot Spas and Good Times
Majestic scenery and a clean, green environment draw visitors to New Zealand. We hike through native forests; kayak in crystal clear water; bike past picture-perfect views and, if we’re smart, we recover by soaking our bodies in water warmed by the country’s geothermal hotline. Thermal spas throughout New Zealand offer pools of naturally-heated water where […]
Authentic Luxury Travel is a winner!
Thanks to all of you who voted, Authentic Luxury Travel tied for first place in the “Luxe Travel Writer” category of The Luxury Hub’s readers choice competition. Voters were asked to choose their “favourite luxury travel writers and travel journalists, who make travelling possible from your arm chair.” The sample of my writing on the ballot was […]
Christchurch, New Zealand, Memories
Christchurch Cathedral, with its copper-sheathed spire. I wouldn’t presume to understand the emotional trauma residents of Christchurch, New Zealand have experienced this past week, as their city was torn apart by a devastating earthquake. Even I, who have merely called New Zealand my home-away-from home for the past 3+ decades, have wept at the sight of […]
Cruise The World in Luxury
Cruise ships are fun for families and provide many conveniences, but – in my opinion – they don’t really qualify as Authentic Luxury Travel. The ports that cruise ships visit are crowded with tourists, and the short stay in each place precludes any real contact with the local culture. However, I do know of one […]
What Is Authentic Luxury Travel?
What is authentic luxury travel? When I first started writing about Authentic Luxury Travel no one seemed to know what I meant. Most folks thought that ALT was synonymous with five-star resorts and high-end cruise ships. In those days, I spent a lot of time defining “authentic” as it applies to travel. But times have […]
Australia’s Top Five Experiences
Paul Hogan (AKA Crocodile Dundee) promised to “slip a shrimp on the barby” for us and Americans and others flocked to Australia in record numbers. Will Oprah Winfrey have the same impact on Australian tourism? We’ll soon find out. The four shows she taped down under will air January 18 -21, and rumor has it […]
Insider’s Guide to Peru
Machu Picchu has been on my bucket list for a long time, but the thought of being herded around like a tourist has kept me from booking a flight to Peru. I’d love to see this UNESCO World Heritage site but, until now, I didn’t know how to do it in a way that felt […]
Hideaway Report Winners
As mentioned on my last post, Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report Winners for 2011 have just been announced. These places are of interest to Authentic Luxury Travelers because they offer character, genuine hospitality, and a real sense of place. And the winners are: HIDEAWAY OF THE YEAR Il Salviatino (Florence, Italy) NORTH AMERICA Amangiri (Canyon Point, […]
Go to Heaven – Utah’s Amangiri Resort
Amangiri took my breathe away – literally. The approach to the resort is down a long, winding road with expanses of desert and huge sandstone boulders on both sides. The rocks, sculpted by wind for millions of years, resemble pieces of modern art. I was stunned. I mean I’d been driving through beautiful Southern Utah scenery for several […]
Your Travel Expert in Japan
I wish I’d known about The Real Japan when I was traveling in Asia. Instead, I tried exploring this fascinating destination on my own and ended up nearly in tears – OK, actually in tears – when I couldn’t figure out the street signs, the menus, or pretty much anything else. In shear frustration, I […]
