Browsing: Luxury

New Zealand is a surprising wine destination, to say the least. Given that cold, rainy islands aren’t usually known for producing great wines (let’s face it, have you ever heard of a British vintage?), Kiwi wines can be shockingly good. For obvious reasons, many of New Zealand’s most celebrated wines are whites, as well as lighter bodied reds, such as Pinot Noir, which don’t require the blazing sunshine of France/Italy/California to mature properly. Likewise, New …

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Antigua’s small sister island  Barbuda is truly unspoiled Caribbean at its finest, and we were enroute to Lighthouse Bay Resort www.lighthousebayresort.com sandwiched on a thin sandbar that snakes for some 17 pristine, private miles and accessible only by air, (small plane or helicopter) or a  long ferry ride (three hours) and water taxi.  But we were arriving in high style via Caribbean Helicopters http://caribbeanhelicopters.com/, as complimentary return passage by whirlybird is included with a seven …

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In a world where camping lovers and luxury travelers collided, someone decided to do something about it. Glamping combines the best of both worlds for those who love to sleep under the stars, but want to do it in a comfortable bed; or the couple that is torn between one’s desire to pitch a tent and the other’s need to have a comfortable floor to walk on.

The whole idea of glamping is one of …

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A-listers seeking to go off-radar are drawn to this awesome oasis in droves…

Though St. Barts might be best known in the Caribbean for attracting the jet set, it also attracts the paparazzi that follow them. But Anguilla is well known among the elite as an idyllic refuge where they can totally escape the global spotlight to relax, kick back, and just be on barefoot holiday. Of course, the 33 glorious beaches of powdery white …

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Every summer, Irish Counties such as Mayo, Kerry, and Waterford celebrate the “Pattern,” or their Patron Saint feast days. Ardmore, a sea-side village in County Waterford, upholds the true Irish spirit of its yearly Pattern Festival with full pints and traditional Irish tunes.

Having been settled by St. Declan before the introduction of St. Patrick to the Emerald Isle, Ardmore is said to be Ireland’s oldest Christianised settlement. Aird Mhór, meaning Great Height, has been …

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Poperinge, a quiet little town a short drive from the Channel Ports, 175km from Brussels, is Belgium’s hops capital, and famously linked to WW1’s British war effort – it was well known to Allied soldiers who fought in the Ypres Salient. Other than its war memorials, the town also draws tourists for it’s Hops Festival each September.

The historical town square, surrounded by neo-Gothic mansions, has an assortment of taverns serving local brews and creative …

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The world is full of beautiful beaches, but some places are better than others to spend your vacation. Think about what you really want to do on that trip before deciding where to go. You will find more to do than lying by the ocean at the best beach destinations.

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Perfect blue water, white sand and beach beds (not just chairs) everywhere. It’s hard to match Punta Cana. There are many …

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When many hear of a Smoky Mountain Vacation they may picture rustic cabins, hunting or animal watching, perhaps a lazy walking trail or two, and a whole lot of peace. While peace is plentiful in many areas of the Great Smokys, there is also a plethora of highly active entertainments that will leave you with a thirst for adventure long after you make your way back home.

Affordable Smoky Mountain Family or Solo Fun

If …

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Rich in 18th century history, Colonial Williamsburg has much more to offer its visitors than just vast stores of historical knowledge. The lush landscape takes on a nearly tropical feel during the summer months and can make a visit to this lovely, educational vacation destination feel like more of a life experience than a quick vacation getaway. Family members of all ages will be able to find activities and entertainments to suit their desires …

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Couples looking for romance, privacy, adventure and luxury in the Caribbean can take advantage of a number of excellent resorts. Several companies offer couples only resorts, but Sandals Resorts offers 14 different properties throughout the Caribbean and they specialize in weddings, honeymoons and romantic get-aways. From top shelf liquors, gourmet a la carte restaurants and your own private butler, the following hotels cover all the necessary luxuries for a discreet holiday for two. All inclusive …

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A seven a.m. departure from Dover, a UK sea port, will have you across the English Channel in France’s Boulogne  just over an hour later, giving us just sufficient time to freshen up, take in a coffee (and a patisserie) and plan our morning. This ferry service is run by LD Lines which delivers its passengers to the quay at the foot of Boulogne’s town centre in just over an hour (midweek crossings are cost …

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Needing to escape the cramped, airless Mach-4 lifestyle of our giant anthill capital where nothing works properly and everyone gets in everyone’s way, I headed to Dover. I was reliably informed that other than the war-time tunnels beneath Dover Castle few outsiders ever willingly visited as the only other thing to do was board a ferry to France.

Apart from fortifications, galleries, gardens, restored structures, a nature reserve and discount shops on Wellington Dock, what …

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Anguilla lies low on the horizon as you approach by ferry, a landscape at first suggesting less variety than her mountainous neighbors of St. Martin or St. Barths. But distant, outward appearances can be deceptive. Once you come ashore here, and make the easy drive up and down the length of her terrain, you also begin to encounter the color and character of an island and people with a distinct sense of identity.

In fact, …

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African safaris are a dime a dozen, especially those in fenced in National Parks or Nature Reserves where tourists are taken on conveyer-belt type game drives. That’s as good as it gets, I thought, and as such lost interest.

That was until I recently discovered the Selinda Reserve in Botswana’s Okavango Delta where game are free to wander across its 320,000 acres of unfenced wilderness. I’d heard much of Selinda ticking all the proverbial green …

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