Travel and Leisure has come out with its annual list of top destinations, hotels and resorts around the world. It’s a list I always enjoy reading, so here are some highlights to help you make your next travel decision. Travel and Leisure is a pretty high-end publication, so keep in mind that you’re not finding many casual, mom and pop places on the hotel and resort lists. The cities are another story. Below you’ll find highlights for the world, the U.S.A. and Canada, as well as specific areas I love, including Hawaii and Australia. BEST WORLD CITIES San Miguel de Read more
Asia
I think I started touting Asia as a great value destination for Canadians back around 2010. That holds true even more today, as the Canadian dollar slips and travellers look for better deals. Which brings me to the Flight Centre Canada press release I received today. The release makes the same point I’ve been making for years, which is that Asia is a tremendous value for Canadians and other travellers. Here’s what Flight Centre Canada had to say in its latest release. As the dollar dips to a 14-month low, some travellers are staying closer to home. Many more are Read more
There’s lots of news in the hotel world, and today I’ve got updates from both Fairmont and IHG. FAIRMONT HOTEL RENOVATIONS AROUND THE WORLD Driven by a commitment to ‘Make Special Happen’, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has announced that 20% of the Fairmont portfolio is undergoing transformation. This includes the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia with redevelopment projects at Fairmont Southampton in Bermuda and Fairmont Grand Geneva in Switzerland, both slated for a Fall 2026 reopening. ONGOING RENOVATIONS Fairmont Southampton– Bermuda: Embarking on the largest renovation project in Bermuda’s history. Fairmont Pacific Rim– Vancouver, British Columbia: The Wellness Club at the Read more
A new list of the top cities in the world for international travelers from the U.S. gives the inside edge to Portugal, with Spain coming in second. Coming in at number one (a tie, actually) were Lisbon, and Porto, Portugal. I haven’t had the pleasure of visiting Porto, but I love Lisbon, which has fabulous food and great neighbourhoods to explore, including the vibrant Aflama district. There also are great beaches. Spain had two cities in the top 10; Madrid and Seville. Sadly, I haven’t been to either. The authors created a list of 40 major cities around the world, Read more
A new report from Trip Advisor ranks one U.S. hotel and one Canadian property among the top hotels in the world. Here’s their top 10 for the world: G.H. Universal Hotel – Bandung, Indonesia Hotel Colline de France – Gramado, Brazil Hotel Sporting Family Hospitality – Livigno, Italy Royal Lancaster London – London, England, United Kingdom FivePine Lodge and Spa – Sisters, Oregon, United States La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa – Hoi An City, Vietnam Abigail’s Hotel – Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort Aruba – Eagle Beach, Aruba Hotel Moments Budapest – Budapest, Hungary Read more
