NEW YORK CITY – They’re everywhere these days; hotels that go out of their way and go way too far to try to prove they’re hip and millennial friendly. You know the ones I mean; the places with all the flashing lights, lobbies without any place to sit and goofy signs on the door of your room that say things like “Hey, dummy, the toilet is over THERE.” My wife and I recently got to spend two nights at the Kixby hotel in the lower part of midtown Manhattan (45 West 35th St.), where the attitude is a little more Read more
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NEWPORT BEACH – Stylish rooms. A killer swimming pool. And one of the most creative and tasty hotel restaurants around. The Fashion Island Hotel Newport Beach is a wonderful spot with tons of great features and a very nice location that makes it easy to explore the region. Located on a hill just a couple kilometers from the harbour, the hotel is across the road from the Fashion Island shopping centre, which features a mix of mainstream and luxury shops and is replete with towering palm trees and splashy fountains. Our room in March was terrific; spacious and beautifully decorated Read more
OTTAWA – Excellent changes to one of Canada’s top hotels. And a new wine and food experience across the river. I’ve been in Ottawa several times in the past few years, and it keeps surprising me. I’ve written a good deal about how Edmonton and Saskatoon are Canadian cities on the rise, but I think the same thing can be said for our nation’s capital, where it seems the food scene has been growing stronger by the day. It almost goes without saying that the Fairmont Chateau Laurier is one of the top places to lay your head in Canada, Read more
DUNEDIN, FLORIDA – A sleek and sexy rooftop bar with killer sunsets. Fabulously inventive food. And a cool, Jazz Age history that’s reflected all around the property. This sleepy Florida town, best known by Canadians as the spring training site for the Toronto Blue Jays spring training games, has been something of a sleepy, under-the-radar destination for years. But not any more. With the opening of The Fenway Hotel in town late last year, Dunedin is suddenly on Florida’s front burner. On a recent evening in January it was difficult to even find a place to stand at the rooftop Read more
LAS VEGAS – A beautiful hotel with spacious suites. World-class cuisine. And great, classic cocktails. The Palazzo Las Vegas has pretty much everything you’d want from a hotel on The Strip. And some things you might not expect. I recently had a 24-hour visit that I wish had been considerably long. We started things out with a classic daiquiri at Rosina, a great bar that feels like Chicago or New York, with lots of gold lights and shiny mirrors and some Art Deco elements. It’s a fairly intimate affair; designed to seat 60 guests. The idea, I was told, is Read more
