This is part II of my annual Jimmy Awards for best travel experiences of the year, ranging from great pasta at the Fairmont Pacific Rim in Vancouver to an incredible wine cellar in the Bahamas and an amazing (and surprising) guitar player on the Queen Mary 2. Thanks to everyone that helped along the way! BEST SAILING TRIP: A sunset cruise with the folks at the Santa Barbara Sailing Center in California. I love Santa Barbara, but this was my first time on a sailboat in the region. They do a great job, and we had a stunning sunset. If Read more
Canada
Now there are two more great reasons to check out of Toronto’s newest and nicest hotels. Hotel X Toronto, a beautiful property I stayed at earlier this year, will soon opens its doors for its inaugural New Year’s Eve party, one of the most anticipated New Year’s celebrations in the city. Boasting a wealth of amenities unrivaled by any downtown hotel, the resort style property offers guests the perfect start to 2019 with a couple’s package designed to deliver both luxury and value. Sure to be the highlight of 2019, this New Year’s Eve Gala package early booking pricing is Read more
This lucky guy has finished up another year of great travel. From classic train journeys in Canada to Atlantic crossings on the Queen Mary 2, and from Florida to Hawaii to London, it’s been another incredible year. In what has become an annual tradition, here’s a look at my some of my favourite spots and photos from the year that was. Without further adieu, I give you Part 1 of the 2018 Jimmy Awards for great/weird/fun/engaging travel. BEST RESTAURANT: I ate in some remarkable places this year, but Don Alfonso 1890 in Toronto takes the proverbial cake. Incredibly creative, remarkably Read more
A new, welcoming lobby. Refreshed suites. And a remarkable new restaurant and bar with excellent food and an interior meant to mimic the inside of a whiskey bottle. Canada’s first St. Regis Hotel opened officially in Toronto on Wednesday, promising “world-renowned, bespoke service, signature rituals and exquisite culinary offerings.” The St. Regis Toronto is at Bay and Adelaide in the heart of the booming financial district, with access to public transit and major amenities, including the Eaton Centre and Roy Thomson Hall. It was formerly The Adelaide. Prior to that it served as the troubled Trump Hotel and Residences. St. Read more
Almost half of all Canadians (49 per cent) are planning to travel for vacation in the next 12 months. But a CIBC survey finds many aspects of travel are stressful or leave folks wanting more. Nearly all respondents (93 per cent) said they would love to get through security and customs more quickly. And most (74 per cent) would like to have access to airport lounges. But more than half of those surveyed (54 per cent) think their lounge dreams are unattainable. The survey, conducted among 1,525 randomly selected Canadian adults, also found that we worry about having our credit Read more
