All Set in Massachusetts

The Reefs - Bermuda's Best Hotel?

Over Labor Day weekend, we made our first trip to the island of Bermuda. The direct Delta flight from Boston was GREAT - only 1 hr. 40 mins. to paradise! Overall, the island is beautiful and very lush, even at the end of a scorching summer season. Poverty is almost non-existent, and the island's hillsides are dotted with multi-colored estates.

After much debate, we stayed at The Reefs hotel in in Southampton. The hotel is about 30 minutes from the airport and 15 minutes from the capital city of Hamilton. This lovely pink hotel is built into the cliffs and features a stunning pink-sand beach. The water is a beautiful turquoise blue, and the beach has striking coral and rock formations - making for some excellent snorkeling.

The staff at the hotel is friendly and accommodating. We enjoyed a complimentary rum swizzle upon our arrival, and received great drink service on the beach and in the hot tub. The concierge helped arrange much of our taxi transportation, as well as a day boat rental. Our only issue was when the guy manning the towel stand at the beach told us to only take one towel each due to "supply issues." With the amount we were paying per night, we should have been able to get two towels (not to mention more comfortable beach/pool chairs)!!

The infinity pool was slightly small but had beautiful sunset views of the beach and cliffs. The hot tub was right next to the pool and could be used at any hour. Our room overlooked the pool and hot tub with the ocean as a backdrop. We enjoyed the spacious patio off the room, although it didn't give us much privacy as it faced directly out to the pool. We were in room #305 (appropriately named "On the Rocks"). The bedroom was fine, but the bathroom was somewhat outdated. Also, our king-sized bed was actually two twin beds pushed together. Although certainly not ideal, it was still quite comfortable.

The hotel rate included breakfast and dinner. We had breakfast served on our patio most mornings, which was absolutely wonderful. For dinner, we dined twice at Ocean Echo, once at Coconuts, and once at the Pompano Beach Club. We were divided on whether Ocean Echo or Coconuts is better, but both of us agreed that the Pompano Beach Club was not worth the trip (although the sunset views are spectacular). Try the rockfish at Ocean Echo!

The Reefs is an interesting hotel to try to rate and review. On the one hand, it had one of the prettiest beaches and some of the most spectacular views of any hotel we've ever stayed in. The natural beauty and the friendly feeling of a boutique hotel couldn't be beat. On the other hand, it lacked some of the service and accoutrements that you would expect to find in a five-star hotel. With some basic improvements, it could be unparalleled.

We loved Bermuda for its convenience, cleanliness, and pristine beauty. However, be warned that it is very expensive! We hope to go back and check out some of the other hotels we'd considered such as Elbow Beach (a Mandarin Oriental property) or the Fairmont Princess Southampton.

 

View from 18th floor Hotel on Rivington

Katikies, Santorini - A Magical Experience

During our recent vacation to Santorini, we stayed at the Katikies hotel in the quaint mountainside village of Oia. Before the trip, we spent a lot of time debating whether or not this hotel was worth the expensive room rate. It came highly recommended by both friends and travel magazines, but the limited photos on the web site didn't give us a clear indication of what the rooms or property would actually be like. However, when we arrived at the hotel, we quickly realized that no photos could do this hotel (or the absolutely stunning panoramic views from Oia) justice.

The hotel is literally built into a cliff, and to get to it, you need to descend down a set of steps to reception (and even more steps to the rooms, pool and hot tub). Upon arrival, you are greeted with a glass of champagne, and, soon after checking into your room, the staff delivers a bottle of white wine and a fresh fruit platter. The turn down service, complete with gourmet chocolates, each night only adds to this hotel's exemplary service.

We booked the most affordable room available at the hotel, and quickly realized that you can't go wrong with ANY of the rooms at the Katikies. They all have semi-private balconies that overlook the cliffs and the ocean. A full breakfast (along with a glass of champagne) is included in the room rate and served on your balcony - giving you time each day to fully soak in the views before heading to the pool, into town, or out to explore the Island. One morning, we slept through the breakfast time period, and the hotel readily accommodated us by serving it anyway. We nicknamed our room "the cave" because it's literally a stone cave with rounded ceilings built into the side of the cliff. Although it wasn't enormous, we thought it was really cool, and, most importantly, very quiet. The queen-sized bed was surprisingly comfortable, and we got great rest all three nights that we were there.

The beautifully white-washed hotel offers many wonderful features, highlighted by the infinity pool. In addition to the main pool area (which sometimes becomes crowded), there are two other pools, including one that is build into a partially enclosed cave. There are also plenty of comfortable lounge chairs with umbrellas near all of the pools. After the hot sun went down, we typically enjoyed a dip in the hot tub, which was also situated cliff-side on it's own level with an outdoor canopy bed for "resting." No one was ever in the hot tub, so it felt like our own private oasis.

We had a private wine tasting at sunset, which we will write up in a separate post.

All in all, the only way to describe this hotel is magical. And you truly have to see it to believe it.

A&T Ranking: 10/10    

Avoid Parking at the Clift

Don't ever make the mistake of parking at the Clift hotel in San Francisco. In August 2005, I parked there instead of the lot across the street. Big mistake! Guess how much for one night?

$45 PLUS Tax of $6.30

One night of parking for $51.30.  Thanks to the Morgans Hotel Group for ripping me off. I just canceled a booking I made at the Sanderson because I recalled how you stuck it to me. And don't forget about the overpriced drinks at the Hudson Hotel bar. On a postive note, I love Asia de Cuba.

Weekend Escape to Marblehead

This weekend, we took a much-needed break and headed to the nearby seaside town of Marblehead, Mass. This quaint community north of Boston is filled with winding roads, historical homes, and luxurious yachts docked in the Harbor.  We stayed at the Harbor Light Inn, a charming bed & breakfast only steps from numerous restaurants and shops. Our room (#4) was spacious and nicely appointed with a comfortable queen-size bed, a "living area" with a love seat and cofee table, a jacuzzi tub with plenty of room for two, and a large, private deck (with pool access) with lounge chairs and a table with an umbrella. Inn guests have access to several common areas in the home, including an elegant fireplaced livingroom and a formal dining room. Breakfast is served daily in the dining room - although you can take trays back to your room. While the staff proudly claims, "breakfast is worth getting up for," we didn't find it all that exceptional -- although the creme brulee french toast was pretty tasty!

We managed to eat at several local area restaurants over the course of the weekend. The best was probably Red Rock, located right on the water in Swampscott, where we had lunch today on our way home. We ordered a lobster roll and fried scallops from the takeout window.  Both were divine! The lobster roll was a grilled bun stuffed with fresh meat without too much mayo, and the scallops were large and tender. We also had a great Indian lunch on Saturday at Zaika. Read a review. Last night, we dined at Pellino's in Marblehead - supposedly one of the best Italian restaurants on the North Shore. We'd highly recommend the oven roasted egglplant appetizer. The homemade lobster ravioli with baby shrimp was also tasty, as well as the Veal Siciliano - veal medallions in Marsala wine sauce. The wine list is fairly extensive, and we selected a "best buy" Italian red, which was big but complemented the meal nicely.  Friday night's dinner at The Landing was our most dissapointing meal of the weekend, although the outdoor harborside ambience was wonderful. While they may sound tempting on the menu, the "stuffies" appetizer amounts to a heap of breadcrumbs with very little clam or anything else. The swordfish was overcooked, while the steak with lobster and asparagus was decent but not exceptional.

Ti Kaye Village

Ti Kaye Village truly is a magical place. We stayed there the last four nights of our trip to St. Lucia in February and were amazed that this tranquil piece of paradise comes at such an affordable price. Ti Kaye is literally located in the middle of nowhere - partway down the west coast of St. Lucia. You will undoubtedly have to traverse St. Lucia's windy, mountainous roads to get to the resort, so carsick travelers beware. We DO NOT suggest renting a car - you'll be much safer with the cab drivers who have navigated the roads many times before. Once you arrive at the entrace to the resort, you will travel down a bumpy dirt road (with an unbelievably steep hill) before you get to the hotel. However, once you're there, the relaxation begins immediately. Instead of having to waste time checking in, the staff sends you directly to the open-air, large square bar, where you're treated to your choice of cocktail. We suggest the Pina Coladas - the best we had in St. Lucia (although not as good as the ones in Hawaii).

We were then escorted to oceanview cottage "J", our home for the next four days. Upon setting foot in the cottage, we were immediately charmed. It had a large wooden front porch with a hammock and views of the water framed by the lush vegetation. The double glass doors opened into the bedroom with a bed covered in flower petals and complete with a mosquito net. When you're lying in the bed, you can literally see panoramic ocean views - it's fantastic. There's no indoor shower/tub in the cottage. Instead, the bathroom opens to a small patio with tropical plants and an outdoor shower. (One of our few complaints about the resort is that the shower's hot water did not last much longer than five minutes).There's an amazing sense of privacy in the cottages - perhaps because of the way they're strategically situated on the hillside - and we definitely recommend getting a detached cottage. We didn't splurge for the plunge pool room, but we're sure they're wonderful as well.

The restaurant is fun and lively and the hotel staff makes a point to learn your names. Keep an eye out for George - the hotel's "utility player" who always has a smile on his face! Hot breakfast is included with the room rate, and you're given a choice between American, English, and St. Lucian breakfasts. The dinner menu varied each night. Our first night (Wednesday) was a buffet with a lot of traditional St. Lucian food - including green figs and saltfish salad and grilled fish skewers. We had our best meal the last night - fresh-caught tuna that was seared rare (other restaurants on the island way overcooked their tuna). The wine list wasn't very extensive, but there were some decent bottles. La Crema seems to be a favorite wine on the island! There's live music and entertainment several nights at week at Ti Kaye, and we even got involved in learning some of the island dances. Romance is in the air in the outdoor dining room, and many couples (including us) got up to dance on the moonlit terrace.

The pool at Ti Kaye is nothing special, but there are nice sunset views from the lounge chairs by the pool. There are also a ton of steps to the beach, but you get used to it. The beach itself was quiet and tranquil - it reminded us a bit of Gilligan's Island. There's excellent snorkeling in the cove, and many large boats from Sandals and other hotels bring dozens of snorkelers throughout the day, which can get a little annoying. The beachside restaurant is convenient but nothing special. Don't order the cheeseburger!

One of the greatest things we did through Ti Kaye was sign up for the "Land and Sea" tour. We took a water taxi to Soufriere, where we met up with Earl - an excellent and knoweldgeable tour guide who took us to for a tour of the botanical gardens and drive-in volcano, lunch at the Ladera Hotel, and a dip in the hot springs.

The Ti Kaye Village is the perfect way to escape from every day life. Nothing beats reading in the hammock, showering beneath the stars, or watching the sun set over the Caribbean sea. Just be prepared to be removed from society - there's no television, Internet access, or cell phone service that we we're aware of. You're also miles from other restaurants and stores, so you have to rely on what the hotel offers. Ti Kaye is perfect for a 4-5 day stay - a full week might be a little long.

Royal by Rex- St. Lucia

In February, we traveled to St. Lucia - our first trip to the Caribbean together. We spent our first four nights at the Royal by Rex hotel in Rodney Bay Village. When we first arrived at the hotel, we were impressed by its open air lobby with marble floors, arched ceilings and lovely floral arrangement. As we checked in, we were handed a rum punch drink so strong that it was barely drinkable - but a nice touch nonetheless.

Our room was spacious with separate sleeping and living areas and - our favorite part - a large balcony overlooking the pool, the ocean, and the mountains. As far as we could tell, every room in this hotel has an oceanfront view, so you can't go wrong. Translation: book the cheapest room. Although don't expect a free upgrade - there's no such thing on St. Lucia, even when the best rooms are vacant. The room's decor was tropical/beachy and somewhat outdated. Our favorite feature of the room was the shower with side jets - a unique feature that we've never seen before. The bathroom itself was fairly large with double sinks.

The hotel is situated right on Reduit Beach - the nicest beach on St. Lucia (according to just about anybody you ask). There's no walk at all to the beach - it's right next to the pool.  While the water isn't the same turquoise blue you find in other parts of the Caribbean or Bahamas and the sand wasn't powdery white, the beach is still fantastic. The water is a pretty blue and the perfect temperature for swimming, and the beach is wide, sandy (no rocks at all), and gently slopes into the ocean. Plus, you've got amazing scenery with the hills, the lush vegetation, and views of Pigeon Island. The thatched umbrellas on the beach are great for protection from the hot sun, and the lounge chairs are comfortable. There's supposed to be beach-side service, but don't count on getting your food or beverage quickly.

The pool isn't enormous, but it's not as small as described in some reviews. It's a nicely curved lagoon with a rock waterfall in the middle and a fun swim-up bar. However, we hardly used the pool at all because the beach was so fabulous and easily accessible. The fitness center is located in the spa and is somewhat cramped with limited equipment, but the steam room, sauna and whirlpool are great.

The staff at the hotel was friendly but a little disorganized (i.e. they scheduled a manager's cocktail reception and then moved it to a different night without informing guests). The bartenders at both the pool bar and Mistral were very entertaining - and not shy about mixing up strong drinks. If you go there, keep an eye out for our buddies, Troy and Vern!

One of the best parts about the Royal by Rex is it's location. A diverse range of dining spots -- including an Indian and Chinese restaurant -- are located right across the street, and there's a convenience store around the corner that's great for picking up assorted sundries at affordable prices. Plus, the hotel is less than a five-minute walk from the heart of Rodney Bay village, where you have your choice of about a dozen restaurants, many of which are located right on the bay, as well as several bars and nightclubs. Our favorite restaurant in the area is The Edge. Overall, this was a really nice hotel in a great location, and we had trouble finding a lot of faults with it, especially when the price was much more affordable than many of the hotels in the Caribbean.

Best of 2005 - Wine, Food, Travel

Happy New Year! As we close the book on 2005 and get ready for 2006, we thought it would be fun to re-cap our favorite hotels, meals and wines of 2005.

Here they are:

Best Meals of 2005

1) Aujourd'hui - Boston, MA: Top-notch service and perfectly prepared, elaborate dishes from appetizers through dessert. Our third visit to this outstanding restaurant didn't disappoint!

2) MIX - Las Vegas, Nevada: Unique "champagne bubble" decor at the top of The Hotel (Mandalay Bay) with amazing views of the strip. A savory spicy thai beef salad and the most tender of beef tenderloins with blac truffles and foie gras make this restaurant worth the exorbitant prices.

3) The Herbfarm - Seattle, Washington: A visit to the Herbfarm is more than just a meal - it's a culinary adventure. This evening-long experience began with a stroll through the extensive herb garden (with a few fresh samples along with way) and cultimated with the "Basil Banquet," where we enjoyed dishes infused with all types of basil - from lemon to chocolate (who knew there were so many kinds of basil!!). Each of the courses was paired with outstanding wines from around the world.

Best Hotels of 2005

1) The Phoenician - Scottsdale, Arizona: Stunning desert views from our terrace in this spacious luxury hotel room with a spa tub and extra-comfortable king-sized bed. Nice pool with good food/beverage service - and spotting the Memphis Grizzlies basketball team catching a few rays was a nice bonus! Romantic terrace bar with live music.

2) The Four Seasons - Vancouver, BC: We spent our one-year anniversary at this oasis in the heart of Vancouver. Upon arrival, the hotel upgraded us to an elegant one bedroom suite on a high floor (with two bathrooms!) and sent us complementary champagne and strawberries for our anniversary. We savored them as we watched a glorious sunset over the city.

3) The W Hotel - Seattle, Washington: We've stayed at several W Hotels and are consistenly impressed with the combination of chic style and excellent service (many hotels do one or the other well, but not both).  Even though it took us a few minutes to get our room due to late checkouts, we ended up with a nice corner room with floor-to-ceiling window views, a luxurious king-sized bed, and designer bath products.

Best Wines of 2005

White: Cakebread Cellars, 2002, Chardonnay Reserve, Carneros, Napa Valley

Red: Tremani, 2003, Pinot Noir, Hansen Vineyards, Russian River Valley

Best Wine Shop of 2005

Sonoma Wine Shop, Sonoma, California

House Befitting Heaven

The Halekulani was our final stop on our incredible Honeymoon in August 2004. After 9 nights of remote tranquility, we were ready for the action and excitement of Waikiki Beach. Due to many one-way streets in Honolulu, we had a bit of difficulty locating the hotel, but we eventually found it. Upon check in, we were disappointed that the staff was unable to upgrade our room, but that quickly faded away when we saw our room. The room itself was immaculate and stylishly furnished, but not remarkable. However, the large lanai with views of both the ocean and city was certainly impressive. As soon as we were alone, we cracked the complementary bottle of champagne and enjoyed a toast on the balcony. We were also treated to a nice plate of fresh fruit and the notorious Halekulani homemade chocolates. We can promise that they live up to their reputation!

We then headed for a quick walk on the beach before the hotel manager's weekly cocktail reception. We savored a buffet of Asian and American delicacies and free Mai Tais and Champagne -- the perfect way to tide us over until our 9:00pm reservation at La Mer. During the reception, we met Patty Unterman, food critic for the San Francisco Examiner. She was in town as a judge for the annual Sake tasting and had literally tried hundres of Sakes that day. While the Halekulani PR person kissed her ass, we chatted with her husband extensively about our travels and interest in interactive entertainment. We learned that she will never give a restaurant a bad review until she's tried it at least three times -- a luxury we aspire to have as we grow this blog.

After the reception, we shopped in several of Honolulu's luxury boutiques (everything from Addias to Prada - I was in heaven!). We then returned to the hotel for our dinner at La Mer. The food there was absolutely outstanding - ranking up there as one of the best meals of our honeymoon - and we met a fabulous and informative sommelier. After the first evening, we didn't spend a whole lot of time at the hotel. We were too busy exploring Hanauma Bay, Diamond Head, and all that Honolulu had to offer. We did, however, find time to enjoy a sunrise breakfast on our balcony and a dip in the pool. We also relished in the hotel's strong Japanese culture. Halekulani truly did feel like an oasis, yet it was only steps away from all the charisma and action of Waikiki.

Ihilani is for (Pina Colada) Lovers

JW Marriott Ihilani Resort and Spa at Ko Olina
August 16-19, 2004
Who: Thadd and Alice

After a 10+ hour flight to Honolulu, we were eager to arrive at Ihilani – the first stop on our honeymoon. We hit terrible rush hour traffic on what was supposed to be about a 30 minute drive from the airport to the hotel (on the western side of the island) and were hot and exhausted when we finally drove through the gated entrance to the resort. Instantly, we knew that Ihilani would exceed our expectations (and many of the reviews we’d read). The lawns were perfectly manicured, the buildings freshly white washed, and the lobby constructed of elegant marble. But the view from our 8th floor room was the real treat. A large sliding glass door led to a spacious lanai with spectacular views of the pool and the hotel’s notorious three lagoons. We honestly couldn’t have asked for a better view. During our three night stay in the hotel, we often kept the sliding glass doors open, allowing fresh breezes to seep into the room. In the morning, we watched the sunlight illuminate the turquoise water in the lagoons, and in the evening, we enjoyed live music from poolside performances as we got ready to go out to dinner. The bedroom itself wasn’t huge, but it was certainly adequate - with modern beach decor (but not cheesy or cheap) and a feather king-sized bed that was extraordinarily comfortable. The bathroom was almost the size of the bedroom and featured a large tub and a marble stand-up shower (my husband’s favorite feature was the bench in the shower). The double sinks were a nice addition, although we predominantly used one of them to chill champagne.

We ate at the Japanese restaurant the first night, and while it was certainly convenient, the food was pretty average. (Note to future travelers: We found out after the fact that a Roy's had just opened up around the corner - a MUCH better option). The breakfast breakfast included fresh local fruit and juices but otherwise wasn’t memorable. The good news was that the hotel was relatively affordable overall -- the full brunch was only between $20-25, and lunch at the hotel pool averaged between $10-15/sandwich. The hotel pool food was surprisingly delicious, but the real culinary highlight of the J.W. Marriot was the Pina Colada. This was literally the best Pina Colada we’ve ever had – rich and creamy with great flavor (and just the right amount of rum). We were also impressed with the resort's spa, which was located in a separate building across from the hotel. By signing up for a single spa treatment, you get free access to the entire facility, which includes a sauna, steam room with eucalyptus (incredibly soothing), whirlpool, and needle shower. The spa was definitely a fabulous way to relax, and the long list of treatments were unique and professional.

We highly recommend this hotel to anyone who stays on Oahu. It's a bit out of the way, but it's tranquil and first-class in every respect. The staff is friendly, the guests enthusiastic, and the prices aren't completely obnoxious. The restaurants are the biggest drawback, but the ocean view rooms and nightly sunset strolls by the lagoons more than make up for it!

A&T Ranking: 8.5/10