The city of San Francisco never fails to impress. But she’s even prettier at Christmas, with decorations galore and plenty of holiday spirit. The “bridge to bridge view” rooms at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in San Francisco have stunning vistas, with guests able to take in both the Golden Gate Bridge (in the background here) and the Bay Bridge, with its fantastic lights. Rooms at the Mandarin Oriental, located in the financial district, also offer lovely designs and supremely comfortable beds. You’ll also find huge, well-appointed bathrooms and a renowned spa. Some of San Francisco’s famous cable cars get gussied Read more
Canadians don’t hear a lot about the Gold Rush country of the Sierra Nevada foothills, but it’s a marvellous part of California, with pine-scented hills, great driving trips, fantastic wineries and fun towns such as Angels Camp, Murphys and Sonora. Ironstone Vineyards is a popular winery in the Sierra foothills in Murphys, California. The vineyards turn lovely shades of yellow in the fall, as you can see in the photo above. The floral displays at Ironstone Vineyards are part of the draw. They have a small deli making good sandwiches and soup, and the wine shop/wine tasting room is a Read more
I’m constantly getting scrunched up faces from people at cocktail parties or dinners. I shower a lot and try to get to the laundry when I can, so it’s not that. No, what surprises some folks is that not even travel writers and former newspaper travel editors get to go everywhere they want. When I tell folks all the places that are still on m to-do list (Portugal, Poland, pretty much all of Africa, all of Central America and definitely all of South America) they look at me like I’m a little crazy. Some of it I can explain. Some Read more
How’s this for a sweet holiday treat? I’m giving away a two-night stay (count ‘em, TWO NIGHTS) for two in deluxe accommodations at the swanky, newly renovated Eaton Chelsea Hotel downtown! It’s a beautiful property, complete with a terrific indoor pool and lots of other amenities. And they’ve done a great job redoing the place and adding lots of classy touches. The deal also includes, wait for it, free hotel parking, dinner for both of you at the onsite restaurant T|Bar AND a $100 SHOP! Card to the nearby Toronto Eaton Centre. That’s a massive holiday deal. Reservations have to Read more
I love the story on the Toronto Star Travel website about the flight attendant shaming passengers. Lord knows we’ve probably all seen some pretty stupid stuff on airplanes, right? I must admit I’ve been pretty lucky. But there are a few pet peeves and a few small incidents I can recall from various trips over the years. The most annoying flight I recall was three years ago or so, when I was next to a guy of about 40 for a four-hour flight from the Caribbean to Toronto. Most of the way back he was playing the most insipid video Read more
Situation with Canadian couple that faces $1 million bill for premature birth of baby in Hawaii brings up an important issue, which is that half of all Canadians don’t buy travel health insurance. I’m guilty, too. But I won’t be in the future. The story in the Toronto Star the other day about the Saskatchewan couple who gave birth to a premature baby in Hawaii and now face a potential medical bill of $1 million is incredible. And very sad. It remains to be seen what will happen. I hope the insurance company will cut them some slack. But from Read more
Royal Westmoreland is a marvellous golf course in the northwest part of Barbados. The conditioning is superb and there are plenty of elevation changes to keep things interesting. Royal Westmoreland was designed by famed golf architect Robert Trent Jones II, so you know it’s an outstanding track. One bonus feature at Royal Westmoreland are the green monkeys that live in a nearby ravine. They’re awfully cute, unless they steal your golf ball that is. There’s a free shuttle from the villas at Royal Westmoreland to Mullins Beach, a terrific stretch of sand on the west coast of Barbados. Take a Read more
