Great news out of Western Canada, Europe and the Caribbean today. The iconic Fairmont Banff Springs, Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge and Fairmont Chateau Whistler all re-open today after being closed since April 10 due to COVID-19. Greece re-opened its borders today, as well. And Jamaica will do so June 15. FAIRMONT RESORTS RE-OPEN OUT WEST One hundred and thirty two years ago today, the iconic Banff Springs Hotel opened its doors to guests for the very first time. So it is fitting that Fairmont Hotels & Resorts in Canada’s Western Mountain Region – Fairmont Banff Springs, Fairmont Read more
Jamaica
You may need to ask permission to use the bathroom on an airplane as the world recovers from the COVID-19 crisis. My Future of Travel blog also looks at when various Caribbean countries may open again for visitors and checks out improving booking numbers for several major airlines. I also have a roundup of improvements for Aeroplan rewards members. AIRLINES: A CHANGE IS GONNA COME “Excuse me, Mrs. Smith, but can I please use the bathroom?” I had to say that a lot in Grade Two/Second Grade as a kid, but I never thought we’d have to do that in Read more
With most of the world unable to travel right now, I’m re-posting some of my old travel blogs in the hope it may inspire folks to get back out and explore this (usually) fantastic world of ours once we can safely do so. Here’s one from 2013. Jamaica is such a wonderful and diverse island. Rum bars filled with colourful locals in the highlands, glorious beaches, waterfalls you can climb and romantic river rafts. Of course, there also are swanky resorts and infamous spots such as Hedonism, where just about anything goes, including a lot of bathing suits and normal Read more
Another busy year in the old rear-view mirror, with fabulous memories of cliffside walks on laid-back Molokai to terrific tours of Wrigley Field and buttery biscuits in Chicago. Not to mention a wonderful Bordeaux wine cruise, crazy beautiful mountains in the south of France, awesome ice cream in North Carolina and one of the most memorable meals of my life on the border between Napa and Sonoma counties in California. Here’s a look at my favourite experiences and photos from the U.S. and the rest of world for 2017. Best Hawaii hike: A short walk along the cliffs of northwest Read more
Canadians are checking out the beauty of Brazil, the marvels of Montego Bay and the lush nature on Kauai, says a new study from KAYAK. A look at the top trending destinations (those with the biggest increase in traffic) for the upcoming holiday season shows a whopping 53% rise in interest in Montego Bay, Jamaica; the largest percentage increase of any destination in the study. Next was Kauai, perhaps the most lush and natural of the Hawaiian Islands, and vibrant Sao Paulo, Brazil, both with a growth of 49%. Not only does KAYAK keep track of the destinations Canadians are Read more
