PRINCEVILLE, KAUAI – I almost thought I was in the wrong place. My wife and I recently pulled up in front of 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay on the lush north shore of Kaua’i. I stayed at the property eight years ago when it was a St. Regis hotel. I have a pretty good memory for places and hotels, but this didn’t look remotely familiar. As it turns out, there’ s a very good reason for that. The former hotel, which featured a pretty, enclosed lobby with a nice Hawaiian feel, was purchased by Starwood Capital in 2018 for USD$225 millon. Read more
luxury travel
The travel boom continues for most of the world, and 2025 is shaping up to be a great year. But where to go? Well, that depends on what you like and what you want to pay and how tolerant of crowds you are. If you like Europe, please go. But don’t visit in summer when it’s packed with tourists. Instead, go in spring or mid-to-late fall. If you want to go to a place where the Canadian dollar is relatively strong, try Australia, Japan, or New Zealand. Of course, flights there can be expensive, so you have to take that Read more
It wasn’t the luxurious, immense room. It wasn’t the attentive service. And it wasn’t the Shakespeare dresses from Stratford plays. Heck, it wasn’t even the cute bunnies scampering along on the green grass near our patio. No, if you ask me the thing I’ll remember most about my recent overnight stay at Stratford’s The Bruce Hotel it will be the cookie hotline. Some hotels have fresh cookies waiting for you in the lobby when you come home from dinner, and that’s nice. But the Bruce takes it a step further. If you take a look at the phone in your Read more
A new study has revealed that Las Vegas is the best city in America for partying on spring break. Having just returned from a two-day visit to Vegas on Thursday night, albeit one with rather limited partying, I can certainly attest to the action that never ceases to stop in the city. Research by online casino reviewer, The Casino Wizard analyzed multiple factors that people may consider important when planning their nights out. These factors include the number of bars, average hotel prices, average drink prices, activities available, the weather, and a few other metrics. The study analyzed the top Read more
Canadians are some of the highest spenders in the world for travel, and they’re itching to explore, a new Amex Travel study says. Canadians rank as the second highest global market for anticipated average trip spend and are prioritizing spontaneous, bucket list, and once in a lifetime vacations. American Express Travel released its 2024 Global Travel Trends Report today, highlighting the inspiration and trends driving global travel bookings this year. “The Global Travel Trends Report highlights the continued desire for Canadians to prioritize unforgettable travel, from spontaneous trips to once in a lifetime experiences,” said Vanessa Crooker, VP of Brand, Partnerships and Read more
