The Fourth of July weekend is officially here, and that means last-minute getaways. Here are some of the top hotels I’ve stayed at in various part of the United States. TEN GREAT PLACES TO STAY IN THE U.S. New York City: The Conrad by Hilton in downtown New York is a former Embassy Suites, so you can expect super-large rooms and luxurious touches worth of the Conrad designation. The on-site restaurant, Atrio Wine Bar, is terrific, and the rooftop Loopy Doopy Bar is a fun spot for a cocktail. Lower New York is filled with cool architecture and great shopping. Read more
Ritz Carlton
Travel + Leisure has released its awards for best destinations, hotels and more for 2025. There are tons of categories – far too many to list here – so I’ll concentrate on some of the top awards for North America and a few world categories. WORLD’S TWENTY BEST CITIES San Miguel de Allende, Mexico Chiang Mai, Thailand Tokyo Bangkok Jaipur, India Hoi An, Vietnam Mexico City Kyoto Ubud, Bali Cuzco, Peru Florence Seville Granada Istanbul Siem Reap, Cambodia Mumbai Cape Town Rome Santa Fe Agra, India I was quite surprised to see Mumbai rated so highly, as I haven’t heard Read more
National Hawaii Day is today, July 5. To mark the occasion, yours truly, a 35-time visitor to the islands, is offering up some thoughts on special hotels and resorts you should consider for your next trip. Remember to visit responsibly and respectfully. Side note: Travel + Leisure came out with their list of the top 20 resorts of Hawaii on Tuesday, July 9. I believe eight of their top picks are on my list below. O’AHU Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina: Resting alongside the Aulani Disney resort outside of Honolulu, this is a chill spot overlooking a pretty Read more
If you’re one of my American friends and are looking for a last-minute option for the Fourth of July, here are some of my fave places in the U.S., including California, New York State, Hawaii, Texas and Florida. VERMONT – Lovely villages with brilliant white church steeples and pretty mountain scenery. Also likely to be cooler than many U.S. destinations in July. Burlington is a great city to check out. DENVER – Not sure being a mile high will keep you cool, but there are always the nearby mountains to explore. Try an electric Tuk Tuk ride of downtown Denver Read more
The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA) has launched new targeted campaigns as part of its global marketing and visitor education efforts. The purpose of these initiatives is to reinvigorate responsible travel demand from key markets around the world to the Hawaiian Islands. “We are being more assertive in our messaging strategy with inspiring campaigns that spotlight Hawai‘i’s people, culture and experiences unlike anywhere else in the world,” said Mufi Hannemann, HTA board chair. “We need to ensure that the Hawaiian Islands stay top-of-mind among travelers amidst the competitive global market, especially as we head into the summer and fall.” “The Read more
