Tag: hotel
My Favorite Santa Barbara Hotel (by far)
My favorite Santa Barbara hotel? That’s easy. Belmond El Encanto won my heart with gracious suites in historic cottages, beautiful gardens, and a panoramic ocean view. Spread over seven acres, the hotel feels more residential than commercial. This isn’t surprising, since the bungalows here started out as lodging for students and faculty when a state […]
Most Romantic Christchurch Accommodation
New Zealand: Christchurch accommodation comes in all shapes and sizes, but Otahuna Lodge is easily the most romantic. The stately Victorian mansion is surrounded by 30 acres of beautiful gardens, emerald green lawns, and fragrant woodlands. Seven spacious bedrooms – most with working fireplaces – are both grand and welcoming. If you’ve ever longed to […]
Lava Lava Beach Club – Eat, Play, Slumber
Lava Lava Beach Club. Isn’t that a great name? And here’s the best part: unlike many cool monikers that aren’t as great as they sound – this place is even better. Located right on the beach on the Kona side of the Big Island of Hawaii, the Lava Lava Beach club is both a great […]
Best Hotel Suites Near La Jolla Cove, San Diego
La Jolla Cove is easily the most recognized spot in my hometown – and for good reason. The lovely little beach is a mere dollop compared to the long stretches of sand in the rest of San Diego. And – because it’s sheltered by low sandstone cliffs – La Jolla Cove feels cozy. Snorkelers and […]
Amsterdam Hotels – Tips From Travel Journos
Amsterdam hotels? Really? In addition to writing about travel on this site and elsewhere, I help travelers plan their trips. Of course, I can only do this if I am well acquainted with their destination – which explains why, over the years, I’ve planned more trips to New Zealand (my home-away-from-home) than any other country. […]
Victoria Falls – Best Places to Stay in Livingstone
Victoria Falls – located between the countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe in Africa – is the world’s largest sheet of falling water. It is nearly twice the height of Niagara Falls in North America. In height and width it is rivaled only by Iguazu Falls in South America. As you might imagine, this notoriety has […]
Carmel Valley – Where to Stay and Play
Carmel Valley is a popular destination for luxury loving Californians. Resorts, lodges, and restaurants in this area two hours from San Francisco offer the food, wine, and activities that Golden State residents love. Want to connect with the local culture? You couldn’t make a better choice than to spend some time at Carmel Valley Ranch. When I […]
Sol y Luna – Enjoy This Luxury Peru Lodging
Sol y Luna was our first luxury hotel experience in Peru and it set a high bar for the rest of our trip. The rustic / chic inn is located in the town of Urubamba in the Sacred Valley – about an hour from Cusco. I enjoyed the spacious grounds, where winding paths connect 43 […]
Miami Airport Hotel – Not Fancy But Handy
Miami Airport Hotel – You already know I’m crazy about airport hotels, right? The Fairmont at Vancouver Airport (YVR) and Grand Hyatt at Dallas (DFW) are two of my favorites. Miami International Airport Hotel is never going to be my favorite, but it offers the most important quality of an airport hotel: the luxury of […]
Love this Romantic Los Angeles Hotel
Most Romantic Los Angeles Hotel? How about one that’s secluded on 12 lush acres in Beverly Hills and is positively steeped in Hollywood love affair history? You just couldn’t ask for a better backstory. The Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows The “pink” palace was built in 1912 and offers 185 rooms and suites – plus […]
Lanai Hawaii – Why You Should Go Now
Lanai is the only accessible Hawaiian Island that I haven’t experienced. I’ve stared at it across the water from our Maui vacation rental, but just never felt motivated to plan a visit – mainly because I didn’t know much about it. That all changed when I received this Lanai guest post from Elaine Masters. Read […]
Florence Italy – Grand Hotels and Palaces
Florence Italy is a favorite destination of reader Art Moldavia, so it isn’t surprising that this is the third Firenze guest post he has contributed to Authentic Luxury Travel. In case you missed the others, take a moment to go back and read Florence Cooking Lessons and a Recipe and Authentic Florence – Places to […]
Best Santa Fe Hotel – New Mexico
Which is the best Santa Fe hotel? For a fairly small city (less than 150,000), Santa Fe offers a great selection of places to stay. This reflects the special fondness that many travelers have for the destination and – to a lesser extent – the fact that Santa Fe is the capital of New Mexico. […]
Authentic Barcelona Hotel and Opera Tour
This trip report was contributed by my friend Mary Anne Curray. She and husband Joe are avid travelers. Mary Anne previously wrote about their 14-day Rovos Rail Journey in southern Africa. We stayed at an authentic Barcelona hotel when we were in Spain in March – Hotel 1898, on Las Ramblas. Loved it. Great location. Good […]
