All posts filed under: boutique hotels

day 7 – travel journal – french riviera – cannes

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I love this part of our trips to Europe, the stop in the French Riviera. We took the slow train from Genoa (not intentionally) that was how RailEurope site booked it for me when I did my point to point reservation and within four hours pulled into the Cannes train station. I gladly jumped off the cart and walked to our hotel, which is always across the street from the train station. I prefer it that way. We wasted no time in freshening up and running to the promenade to walk along the shore before heading into old Cannes to have dinner. Cannes is an amazing place to stay, it has everything you need and not as chaotic as Nice is during the busy Summer season.  You can spend the mornings, shopping, then in the afternoon sunbathing at a number of public beaches and then get dressed up and go to dinner at any number of indoor/outdoor restaurants along the promenade, followed by a walk along the shore.  It’s definitely designed for the over forty …

day 4 and 5 – travel journal – cinque terre,italy

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On day 4 we took the train from Florence to Genoa to get close enough to Cinque Terre so that on day 5 we could spend the entire day trekking (maybe) through the five fishing villages. We woke up early on day 5 to catch a seven a.m. train to Monterosso, which was the suggested first stop by the agent at the train station. The train ride from Genoa to Monterosso costs 6.10Euros per person one way on the regional train, (which meant way too many stops until we reached our destination. So, after two hours on the train experiencing delays and stops, we finally reached Monterosso and got off the train without realizing we had no idea what to do next. Although I read many tour books and online suggestions on how to get around the five villages, nothing prepared me for adventure we were about to experience.  Thankfully the agent at the train station spoke enough English to explain our choices. Either purchase a day pass for unlimited train/bus rides from one village …

day 2 – travel journal – day trip to roma, italy

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There is no way for me to travel through Italy without stopping in Rome, even if it’s just for a day. So, while plotting out this year’s trip abroad, I decided to make Firenze (Florence) my base and take day trips via TrainItalia to Rome, Venice, Pisa and hopefully Verona (will see how that goes). We took an early morning train (7:00 a.m .to be precise ) from Firenze S.M.N. station and arrived in Roma Termini within 2 hours. Upon our arrival we wasted no time taking our walking tour of the city.  The point to remember is that, the suggested independent walking tour  is not recommended for a first time visit to Rome, it’s just intended for people like me who have been to Rome  a dozen times but just can’t get enough 🙂 So, in our case, we started the walking tour with: The entire trip took us twelve hours on foot, with an hour break for lunch and one hour rest break at the Spanish Steps. The train ride back to Florence …

boutique hotel pick – Hôtel La Résidence De La Pinède -St. Tropez, France

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St. Tropez is a destination I include in  every trip to France. Although it is  very difficult and time consuming to get to the small fishing village from most anywhere in the world, it is truly a wonderful place to experience when daydreaming about the high life. I normally stay in Nice and take a train to Saint Raphael and then a bus to St. Tropez, totalling approximlately 2-3 hour travel time. It is the most ecnomical way to get there but also the longest, especially if there is traffic during the high season (May-Sept/Oct). There are also ferrys leaving from Nice and Cannes and Saint Rapael, but I have found those to be an inconvinience due to their unpredictable schedules (plus I cannot deal with motion sickness very well) There is also driving along the Riviera in a rental car and without traffic you can reach St. Tropez within an hour and half from Cannes. Of course having your very own personal yatch also helps, but that is a story for another day.   The most …

boutique hotel pick – hotel yountville – napa valley, california

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I realize that most hotels I picked in the past  are ones I want to escape to outside of the US, but I had forgotten about the ones I don’t mind escaping to even for the weekend and those I want to recommend to my foreign followers. I don’t need to sell Napa valley to anyone visiting the great state of California, but I do want to remind those not familiar with the region, Yountville is the place to consider when choosing a hotel to stay in,  while visiting one of my favorite wine regions in the world – Napa Valley. Lucky for me it’s in my back yard.  The hotel is called   Hotel Yountville, and is ideally located almost in the center of Napa Valley. There are several restaurants to choose from for your dining pleasure and plenty of shops and boutiques and an outlet to keep you busy. There is also a golf course directly across the freeway from Yountville for those not interested in indulging in our California wines. While in Yountville, be sure to dine at my favorite …

italy vacation hot spot – lake como

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I love to travel and could probably do so, ten or so months out of the year. But what I love the most about travel is discovering new places or frequenting ones which have left an unforgetable impression. One place in particular which I could actually travel too as much as George Clooney does, is Lake Como. I have grown to appreciate the region not only for it’s beauty, but also for it’s peacefulness and tranquility. Lake Como is an ideal place to hide from the world while trying to get the much needed rest and relaxation from everyday life.  There is no pressure to play tourist and the most stress I experienced was having to leave the place. There are many ways to get to Lake Como which are detailed here, and many things to see which are also detailed here. Just remember to bring a good pair of walking shoes, a camera and the desire to experience one of the most memorable and romantic vacation spots in your lifetime.

boutique hotel pick – le meurice – paris, france

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There is a certain charm  to Paris which most  woman understand and appreciate and  although we learn of this at a young age, some take almost a lifetime to figure out.  Those who understand, once Paris is mentioned in conversation,  immediately come alive while exchanging  thoughts of the allure of the city. For those woman who have not yet had the opportunity to truly understand Paris as it should be, convince your travel partner to stay at Le Meurice hotel, even if for a night and I can guarantee, the ambiance will surely set the stage for an experience you will never forget. {Recommended classic reads to understanding Paris – click on photo}

interior or exterior design: doors with a statement

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There are many components to a home which, like fashion, either make or break (in this case), the flow. And although I appreciate interior decor as much as the next person, I also admire interior or (in this case) also exterior design: Doors. As a result of my passion, I have taken over a thousand photos of doors during my travels and here in San Francisco and when I come across one I admire in a magazine or the internet, I click and save it. :). Here are some of my favorite doors