CHICAGO – This is a town – and a country – that knows how to throw a party. Folks attending the International Pow Wow (U.S. tourism) event here were the recipients Sunday of the kind of treatment usually accosted only to members of the International Olympic Committee. First came a morning reception at the top of the John Hancock Tower/observatory, a 94 th and 95 th floor extravaganza with killer views of this magnificent city on the shores of Lake Michigan. When you’re up here this high, you get a real sense of how wonderful a job they’ve done of Read more
Jim Byers photo The Hotel Valley Ho is a wonderful, mid-century design in Scottsdale, Arizona. Great for lovers of the Mad Men TV show! SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA – A couple days back, I told you about the wonderful Four Seasons Troon North resort in this desert city. It’s a great spot in the hills about a half hour north of downtown, with all low-rise buildings and a real desert feel The Hotel Valley Ho represents a near about-face from the Four Seasons. And in a very good way. The Valley Ho, a trippy 1956 property designed by a disciple of Read more
JIM BYERS PHOTO Check out some of the world’s largest sea cliffs in Slieve League on the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland. Jump into Ireland and drive the new coastal route, called the Wild Atlantic Way . Or check out the seacoast, the mountains and the villages of New Hampshire, a surprisingly diverse spot that’s easy to get to. The folks from both destinations brought their displays to Toronto this week to show travel folks some of what’s new and what’s on offer for 2014. And both made some great points. For Ireland, one of the big stories this year is the Read more
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA – The Four Seasons is known as a posh hotel chain. But their product in the Arizona desert outside Phoenix sneaks up on you. There’s no big stand of palm trees at the entrance of the Four Seasons Troon North . No fountains or fancy pools. Instead, as you drive along Alma School Road in the northern part of this lovely resort town, you see a simple brown sign for the hotel. Once you’re on the grounds, there’s a similar vibe. There’s no waterfall or towering banks of flowers, but a natural-looking desert environment that’s true to nature. Read more
LAS VEGAS – Maybe I’ve changed. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s 25 degrees here this time, and not 5 degrees like when I came in November one year. Whatever the reason, I’m finding this a very different Las Vegas trip than my last one a few years ago. Yeah, I’m having a great time. I’ve got a great room at the MGM Grand . I’ve had incredible meals that are as good as any place I’ve visited in the world. And I saw an utterly fabulous show last night by the highly entertaining Matt Goss. I even got to Read more
It’s a touch late for booking that trip to Dublin or Galway (or anywhere else in Ireland) for St. Patrick’s Day. On the other hand, there are great locations right here in North America to go green come Monday. I can’t think of many better places than St. John’s, Newfoundland, which seems more Irish to me than parts of Ireland. They’ll be having a grand old time in town on Monday, for sure. Also awesome would be Cape Breton or Halifax in Nova Scotia, where you’ll find a serious Irish influence and great dancing and music. Of course, you could always Read more
Americans like to watch TV. Chinese folks have a bath or shower. UK residents read a book. And Russians are the most likely to have sex. I saw a great study from the Four Seasons hotel group the other day about what folks do in their hotel rooms before heading to bed. And the cultural differences are quite something. The study was done by the hotel group as part of their new Four Seasons Bed program, which will allow guests to personalize their sleeping experience. The Four Seasons Bed, a collaboration between the Toronto-based hotel group and bed manufacturer Simmons, Read more
