Bota-Bota, spa-sur-l’eau A floating oasis of tranquility on the shores of the city, this contemporary spa is cleverly housed in a former ferry boat anchored at the Quays of the Old Port. Go for the luxurious treatments, of course, but also go to enjoy the unique atmosphere enhanced by a sublime view of the Saint-Lawrence River and urban panorama that affords a wonderful opportunity to sit back and relax on deck, sip a glass of your favourite … [Read more...]
An Island Beach Where Three Could be a Crowd
I mean really, where did this crowd come from? We are at White Beach on privately owned Guana Island in the British Virgin Islands, a blindingly bright half-mile stretch of sand that Caribbean Travel and Leisure once dubbed one of the BVI's best beaches. Besides us, there are five people here, two to our right in lounge chairs, two at a small beach bar, and one swaying in a rope hammock beneath a giant tree. To our left - nothing but … [Read more...]
Luxury stays in Thailand
I had the happy occasion to be in Thailand in spring 2011, staying first in downtown Bangkok, then up in Chiang Mai, luxuriating in two hotels that were two of the most glorious and well appointed I'd ever enjoyed. In the thick of downtown Bangkok is Lebua at State Tower, a five-star, all-suite luxury hotel that towers over the rest and offers stunning views of the city and Praya River below. It is a massive place of glass and stone, and … [Read more...]
Thailand: One man’s virgin tour
Dried fish at a Bangkok street market I wake up at 5:30 a.m. on the 57th floor of the Lebua at State Tower, an upscale hotel in the thick of Bangkok, the Praya River snaking by below. I stand and listen, hearing a throaty growl seeming to gather steam in the distance and figure it has to be an airplane leaving the city from Suvarnabhumi Airport. But how can that be? For one thing, the airport is 19 miles away. For another, the sound doesn't … [Read more...]
Esotouric Black Dahlia Weekend
Go deep inside L.A. crime lore with LAVA's Phil Spector / Black Dahlia weekend Event #1: Saturday, April 16, 12-4pm - Esotouric presents "The Real Black Dahlia" crime bus tour (departs from The Millennium Biltmore Hotel, 506 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90071, $58/person) INFO/RESERVATIONS: Event #2: Sunday, April 17, 2-6pm - Professor Donald Johnson, in association with LAVA and Esotouric, presents a fundraiser lecture/tour … [Read more...]
Massachusetts launches Autumn Website
MASSACHUSETTS OFFICE OF TRAVEL & TOURISM LAUNCHES AUTUMN WEB SITE FOR TRAVELERS LOOKING FOR BRIGHT COLORS, TASTY HARVEST EVENTS AND SEASONAL FALL ATTRACTIONS Site Helps Travelers Plan for A Quintessential MA Fall Experience BOSTON, September 14, 2010. The Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT) announces the launch of new efforts to highlight the Commonwealth's beautiful fall foliage and autumn events. For consumers, a … [Read more...]
Made in Holland: Old Masters from a private collection in America
Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis, The Hague November 4, 2010 - January 30, 2011 www.mauritshuis.nl (The Hague, August 5, 2010) A selection of highlights from the remarkable art collection of Eijk and Rose-Marie de Mol van Otterloo will be on display at the Mauritshuis in The Hague in the Netherlands this autumn. The exhibition Made in Holland: Old Masters from a private collection in America features 44 masterpieces produced by Dutch … [Read more...]
Alive & Well: Experience The American Automobile Industry Through Factory Tours
As everybody too acutely knows, the American automobile industry has been driving on fumes lately, along with the rest of the world economy. However, while some notable factories have recently closed, it would be a mistake to think that car-making in the United States is completely in the breakdown lane. While the industry may need a tune-up and a refilled tank (along with an electric battery or fuel cell), the great American tradition of the car … [Read more...]
Matanzas
So here's the idea: We had been trying to get out of the hotel for weeks, and finally, an opportunity presented itself. We were going to Matanzas, a town in the countryside of Cuba. It was the center of the slave trade in the time of its existence and in keeping with the trend of that trade, it created some of the most intriguing musical and cultural styles of the area. It is also completely untouched by tourism and it came highly recommended … [Read more...]
