Category Archives: Destination Travel

Embassy Suites St Augustine Beach Oceanfront Resort

We recently spent a long weekend at Embassy Suites by Hilton St Augustine Beach Oceanfront Resort and loved our stay. The oceanfront hotel opened in December 2018 and looks like a brand-new property. It’s modern yet comfortable and the staff is attentive and friendly. There is great signage with social distancing and mask requirements and the hotel ensures Hilton’s CleanStay cleanliness protocols are adhered to.

The resort offers gorgeous views of St. Augustine Beach and spectacular sunrises (see photo below) and is mere steps away from the sand. Old Town St Augustine and popular attractions like Castillo de San Marcos are easily accessed, 10 minutes away.

Sunrise on the Hotel Beach

Embassy Suites St Augustine Beach Oceanfront Resort would be appropriate for couples’ getaways, family vacations and even meetings and events as it provides over 25,000 square feet of meetings space.

Hotel exterior from the pool area

Accommodations

The resort features 175 guest studios and suites. There are even suites with bunkbeds for the ideal family accommodations. We stayed in a 2-room suite with partial ocean views. Our suite had a balcony with chairs that were perfect for reading my book and relaxing.

The hotel is working on an expansion with the addition of a new building which will house 44 new rooms on the north side of the property. While there was construction while we were there, it was contained and didn’t bother us and wasn’t loud. The project is expected to be completed by June 2021.

Amenities

As is true of Embassy Suites properties, this resort offers free breakfast and complimentary evening socials. The hotel offers valet parking with in and out privileges for $28 a day.

Seating at Castaway Cantina

The property features a great ocean-facing outdoor pool, a hot tub, a fitness center and a business center.

The expansive lobby is light and airy and provides comfortable couches and seating. There are even firepits with seating in a space between the lobby and the pool area where we sat in the evening and relaxed.

Hotel lobby

Food and Beverage

The hotel showcases several food and beverage options.

Harvest & Reel – this modern and inviting restaurant specializes in farm-to-table dining and in fresh seafood. It’s an open kitchen concept and popular with guests of the hotel and with locals. The space is used for the complimentary breakfast in the mornings.

Rhum Bar – this is the lobby bar and, as the name implies, it features a variety of rum-based drinks and other tasty libations. It has indoor and outdoor seating.

Firepits near Rhum Bar

Castaway Cantina – this is a combination of pool bar and an outdoor Latin-inspired dining venue. We enjoyed the setting with a long bar area and with table seating when we had lunch a couple days. There is also poolside service and we tried several frozen cocktails and some local beers.

Drinks at Castaway Cantina

Provisions of Ponce – the convenience market is open 24/7 and provides an array of sundries, food items and beer and wine.

Starbucks Coffee Bar – the hotel offers a full-service Starbucks adjacent to the lobby with all the favorites.

Location

Embassy Suites St Augustine Beach Oceanfront Resort is located at 300 A1A Beach Boulevard, St Augustine, Florida 32080, USA. Less than 10 miles from St Augustine Airport, 57 miles from Jacksonville International Airport and 45 miles from Daytona Beach Regional Airport.

Happy travels,

Veronique

I’m a travel industry veteran currently employed by Hilton. The views and contents of this post are my own and in no way in partnership with my employer. I wasn’t compensated for writing about this subject and these accommodations weren’t complimentary.

Conrad Tokyo – Japanese Luxury at Its Best

I recently had the pleasure of staying at the beautiful Conrad Tokyo and can’t say enough about the accommodations, the service and the amenities of the Tokyo luxury hotel. Prior to arrival, I was able to use the Hilton Honors app to communicate with the concierge team and to secure various activities during my stay, including reservations at Michelin starred restaurants I couldn’t have booked on my own.

Conrad Tokyo Exterior

Immediately upon arriving in the lobby, we were warmly and professionally-greeted by the staff. Service at this property is likely the best we’ve encountered of any hotels we’ve ever stayed at. Throughout our vacation, we enjoyed the help of the concierge team who was incredible and took great pride in the service provided.

About the Hotel

Conrad Tokyo occupies floors 28 through 37 in the Shiodome skyscraper in the Shimbashi business district overlooking Tokyo Bay and the picturesque Hamarikyu Gardens.

The hotel offers direct Shiodome station access making it very convenient to move around the city. We could also easily walk to the fashionable Ginza neighborhood and to the outer market of the famed Tsukiji Fish Market (the commercial fish auction relocated, but the outer market is vibrant and we could have spent a day there).

The luxury Tokyo hotel encompasses 290 luxury rooms and suites featuring a contemporary Japanese design and high tech capabilities.

About the Accommodations

There are four categories of king and twin rooms and 13 categories of suites. All accommodations boast a minimalist Japanese design, the latest technology and panoramic views of Tokyo. There are also four types of executive rooms. Executive rooms and suites offer private check-in and Executive Lounge access.

King Executive Suite Bay View Bedroom
King Executive Suite Bay View Living Room.
King Executive Suite Bay View

We stayed is a beautiful King Executive Suite Bay View with a king bedroom with a separate living room, walk-in wardrobe and spacious bathroom with rain shower and modern bathtub. The suite measured over 775 sq. ft. which is sizeable for a Japanese room.

King Executive Suite Bay View Bathroom (vie from bedroom)

The living room featured a sofa and armchair and a desk with a work chair smartly-placed by the floor to ceiling windows offering breathtaking views of Hamarikyu Gardens and Tokyo Bay.

Coffee-lovers will enjoy the Nespresso machine in the living room and the very well-stocked mini bar featuring premium liquor, including Japanese whisky.

Mural Over the Bed

The suite was so large that it took us until the end of our second day to realize there was a powder room right off the living room – what a nice perk!

The bathroom could be accessed from the living room or the bedroom and had pocket doors to close off the bedroom if guests in the living room need to use the primary bathroom. There was a marble double vanity, a wonderful rain shower and a modern freestanding tub. There was even floor heating, which is a nice touch after coming out of the shower.

Walk-In Wardrobe

Since we were in an executive suite, we had access to the Executive Lounge which serves complimentary breakfast, afternoon tea, snacks and evening cocktails. We enjoyed before-dinner-drinks in the lounge where the staff made us feel very pampered.

Guests staying in an executive suite also have access to the full buffet breakfast experience at Cerise, the all-day restaurant off the hotel lobby. The breakfast buffet is extensive with high-quality food made using pristine ingredients. The offering ranges from pastries to western options and Asian favorites. Each diner was also able to order a breakfast entrée from the à la carte menu, but we were completely satisfied with the buffet. Service at Cerise is very polished and incredibly helpful.

About the Food and Drinks

Cerise is the perfect choice for all-day casual dining from breakfast, lunch and dinner to a ‘quick bite’ or late night meal. There are a variety of options ranging from salad, soup and sandwiches to pasta, steak and masterly-prepared desserts.

China Blue is an award-winning modern Chinese restaurant situated in a dining room with skyline views of the city through floor-to-ceiling windows. China Blue is open for lunch and dinner nightly.

Collage is an innovative interpretation of modern fine French dining combining the very best of European culinary style and ingredients with exceptional presentation. Collage is open for dinner nightly and for lunch Saturday and Sunday.

Kazahana treats diners to traditional Japanese dishes with a contemporary twist. Specialties are innovative sushi, kaiseki and teppan dishes.Kazahana is open for lunch and dinner nightly.

TwentyEight Lounge

TwentyEight is the hotel’s lounge situated off the main lobby on the 28th floor. The popular Tokyo bar has an extensive selection of cocktails, beers, spirits and whiskies. In the evenings, there’s live music, a large fireplace and amazing city views. In the afternoons, tea service is offered with a tempting selection of scones, sandwiches and desserts.

About the Spa and Fitness Center

Mizuki Spa is a 15,000 sq. ft. haven on the 29th floor of the Conrad Tokyo. There are 10 private spa rooms where guests can indulge in massages, facials or body treatments.

There’s also a fully-equipped fitness center with the latest Technogym equipment.

Mizuki spa offers a range of classes including yoga, Pilates and ballet.

Conrad Tokyo provides one of the best luxury hotel experience we’ve had anywhere in the world.

Conrad Tokyo – 105-7337, Tokyo, 1-9-1 Higashi-Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Japan. https://conradhotels3.hilton.com/en/hotels/japan/conrad-tokyo-TYOCICI/index.html

Happy travels,

Veronique

I’m a travel industry veteran currently employed by Hilton. The views and contents of this post are my own and in no way in partnership with my employer. I wasn’t compensated for writing about this subject and these accommodations weren’t complimentary.

Paradise Found Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort

We recently stayed at the gorgeous Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort and can’t say enough about the hospitality, the amenities and the services provided. For those who’ve heard about the wild nightlife and overly touristy side of Phuket, this isn’t it. The resort is located 45 minutes south of Phuket airport in a quiet and secluded area that’s ideal for a relaxing stay.

Tamarind Outdoor Seating.
Photo by Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort.

About The Hotel

The resort boasts a beachfront location on Makham Bay. This luxury Phuket hotel blends contemporary design with understated Thai accents, making it a perfect leisure or business resort. There are 211 spacious contemporary rooms, including 28 suites and 29 villas with a private pool. Many of the rooms offer breathtaking views of the Andaman Sea, and all feature a balcony or terrace. Free high-speed wireless internet is one of the amenities that help keep business travelers connected and vacationers able to share Instagram-worthy photos.

Pullman Phuket Panwa has its own private beach featuring water sports and lounge chairs and three freeform pools with both quiet and livelier areas to please all travelers.

The Rooms

There are six room types at Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort ranging from ‘deluxe’ to ‘pool villa with Andaman sea view’. Our YOLO (you only live once) mentality had us book the pool villa with Andaman sea view and we’re so pleased we opted for the upgrade. This was the nicest room I’ve stayed in, and I spend over 100 nights a year in hotels – this was THE room. Mind you that the deluxe room is nicer than most suites at other hotels.

Villa Bedroom.
Photo by Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort.
Villa Bathroom.
Photo by Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort.
Villa Private Pool.
Photo by Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort.
View of Villa from Private Pool.
Photo by Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort.
Outdoor Terrace at Villa.
Photo by Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort.

The spacious villa with modern-yet-Thai-inflected-décor offered separate living and sleeping areas and measure 1,614 sq. ft. Large floor-to-ceiling windows provided sweeping views of the sea and of our private infinity pool. We spent a good amount of time on the covered patio and in the private pool enjoying the peace and quiet of the adjacent private garden and beach.

There was also a large work space and desk for guests needing to do some work. We used the space to map out our excursions. There’s also room service 24/7 and we would have opted for dinner on our private terrace if we’d had an extra day – the villa was that special.

The Food & Drinks

Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort features two full-service restaurants, Tamarind and Aqua, and two bars, one offering food – The Edge.

Tamarind serves authentic Thai cuisine, presented with contemporary flair with beautiful views of Makham Bay. There’s indoor and outdoor seating and we decided to take advantage of the air conditioning on the warm evening we dined at Tamarind.

We’d opted for the included breakfast for our stay and the international breakfast buffet at Aqua restaurant was outstanding. The variety of the food, the modern and creative presentation of the dishes and the friendly staff made Aqua a perfect place to start our day. There was an abundance of western and Asian dishes including breads, pastries, cereals, cheeses and fruit are accompanied by rice and noodle options and eggs made-to-order.

Aqua also serves lunch from 11AM – 4:30PM and dinner from 6PM – 10:30PM.

The Edge Pool Bar (See In-Pool Bar Stools).
Photo by Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort.

When we visited the resort’s common areas, our favorite spot was The Edge, the poolside bar with barstools in the pool. There were great happy hour specials on drinks and food and the staff was friendly and funny.

The Spa

Talay Spa is a quiet, relaxing space designed to rejuvenate and re-energize guests with a variety of western and Thai services. The spa is open from 10AM until 9PM every day. See full review of our experience here.

Talay Spa Entrance.

Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort is an amazing resort in a quiet area of Phuket that’s ideal for leisure and business travelers alike. I can only wish to visit again someday.

Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort – 44/5 Moo 8 Sakdidesh Road, Vichit, Muang, 83000 Phuket , Thailand. https://www.pullmanphuketpanwa.com.

Happy travels,

Veronique

5 Top Charleston Cocktail Bars

 

There is no shortage of opportunities to imbibe in Charleston, a city known for its fun atmosphere.

These are just five top places to enjoy a great cocktail, glass of wine or beer in the Holy City – there are many, many more.

Bar Mash is a beer and whiskey bar with an extensive list of domestic whiskeys, wine, beer and specialty cocktails. There is also a bocce ball court, shuffle board, old school arcade games and a jukebox for folks needing some entertainment along with a quality drink. Happy hour is from Monday through Friday, from 4pm until 6pm and offers wine and well liquor for $6 and beers specials as low as $2.

King Street Dispensary honors the historic South Carolina dispensary legacy with one of the widest selections of local and craft beer and liquor in the southeast. To match the extensive list of libations, a gastropub style menu is offered.

For a proper cocktail prepared by a professional mixologist, look no further than Prohibition. Reminiscent of a classic 1920s speakeasy with its old-fashion décor and bourbon barrel ceiling, Prohibition’s cocktails crafted by Beverage Director, Jim McCourt, are anything but classic.

Rooftop at the Vendue is the perfect place for an al fresco cocktail in a fun, hip spot with sweeping views of Charleston. Happy hour is offered Monday through Thursday from 4pm until 7pm and draws an energetic crowd of locals and hotel guests.

The Gin Joint offers “balanced cocktails alongside defiant bar food”. Monday through Thursday from 5pm until 7pm The Gin Joint features a $5 cocktail hour menu, a bargain for the sort of expertly-prepared drinks this place offers.

Happy imbibing!

Last Chance – Cruise for the Cure

 

Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line is offering a cruise in support of the Susan G. Komen mission on Saturday January 20th, 2018 for just $230* pp (ocean view stateroom, based on double occupancy).

$100 per cabin is donated to various local charities, with 75% of fund raised supporting breast cancer needs in South Florida and the remainder supporting various other programs.

Cruise fare includes:

  • Special Welcome ‘Perfect Pink’ drink upon boarding
  • 2 drink tickets per person for use anytime on the cruise
  • Special Komen Gift Bag
  • Opportunities to learn more about the Komen organization and how you can support
  • $1,000 hotel and merchandise savings certificate

Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line is a proud sponsor of the Susan G. Komen 8th Annual Perfect Pink Party aboard our ship, Grand Celebration. This dual ticket event allows special guests to experience this major fundraising gala, as well as the opportunity to join the 2-night cruise to Grand Bahama Island. The gala will be held on Saturday January 20, from 6-11pm while the ship is docked at the Port of Palm Beach.

For complete details, CLICK HERE.

Happy sailing,

Veronique

Christmas Village in Philadelphia

Christmas Village in Philadelphia (http://www.philachristmas.com/) is back for its 10th anniversary season. I visited the Christmas village on Black Friday and it was simply magical. The event started on Thanksgiving Day and runs daily through Christmas Eve. Philadelphia’s LOVE Park (15th and JFK Boulevard) is transformed into a traditional open-air German Christmas Market.

There’s fun shopping for international and local gifts and decorations, lots of food and drinks, live music and cool children’s activities, including photos with Santa Claus. Admission is free!!

New surprises for 2017 Holiday season:

  • Dog Fridays with specials for our furry friends
  • Meet St. Nikolaus and get your boot filled with treats
  • Guided tours through the market for senior citizens
  • New mascot Phil, the 10th reindeer of Santa
  • Anniversary weekend with a huge birthday bash and a cake sponsored by Whole Foods
  • New vendors
  • New restaurant partnerships for HoHo Happy Hour with The Little Lion, Dim Sum House, Tir Na Nog and Revolution Taco
  • Collector Mug with a new design for 2017

Theme Weekends

Theme weekends will be filled with music, performances and entertainment. Full schedules and additional info can be found here: http://www.philachristmas.com/events

  • November 25 and 26 – Opening Weekend
  • December 2 and 3 – 10th Anniversary Weekend
  • December 9 and 10 – German American Weekend
  • December 16 and 17 – Charity Weekend with Make-A-Wish® Foundation
  • December 23 and 24 – Christmas Weekend

Love Park – 1500 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102.

Weekender’s Food Guide to Providence

 

I’m excited to say that my article about food hot spots in Providence, Rhode Island was published by Hilton for its #HiltonSuggests helpful compilations. Here’s the fun article:

Weekender’s Food Guide to :

Have you been to this great town?

Safe travels,

Veronique

5 US Hotels with Museum Grade Artwork

 

On a business or leisure trip without much time to spare yet wanting to take in some arts and culture? Some hotels in popular travel destinations are home to very extensive art collections worthy of top museums.

Here are Five U.S. Hotels with Museum Grade Artwork.

Photo Credit: Boca Raton Resort

Boca Raton Resort and Club, A Waldorf Astoria Resort – Boca Raton, FL

The Boca Raton Resort and Club, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, in partnership with the Baker Sponder Gallery, established a collection of museum-quality sculptures by internationally renowned artists.  Works by artists like Fernando Botero, Lynn Chadwick, Jim Dine, Claude Lalanne, George Segal, Manolo Valdes, Boaz Vaadia and Bernar Venet can be viewed throughout the property. Each sculpture features a sign with interesting facts about the artists and with a telephone number that guests can dial to listen to additional information. Sculptures are continuously-rotated and are available for purchase.

Conrad New York – New York, NY

 

Photo Credit: Conrad New York

The Conrad New York, in downtown Manhattan, features over 2,000 works of art throughout its public spaces and in over 463 luxury guest suites. From commissions such as Sol LeWitt’s amazing Loopy Doopy (Blue and Purple) in the Atrium and Pat Steir’s Topsy Turvy at the Gallery Ballroom, to the more intimate, specially commissioned Mary Heilmann, Elizabeth Peyton and Sara Sosnowy lithographs in the guest suites, the Conrad New York exhibits a remarkably diverse collection by some of the world’s most prominent contemporary artists.

Hilton Anatole Dallas – Dallas, TX

 

Photo Credit: Hilton Anatole Dallas

Hilton Anatole Dallas is known for its extensive collection of art and antiques – the largest ever assembled in an American hotel. This unique collection includes pieces that have graced the palaces of kings, emperors and czars. Guests can plug into AnatoleArt.com on their cellphone or tablet to enjoy a variety of art exploration activities like a walking tour of the hotel’s 100 most iconic pieces, including the kinetic sculpture Nebula. The hotel also offers a new dining experience called The Anatole Art Dine-Around where 15 of the hotels’ most iconic art pieces have been paired with savory food and beverage items from their country of origin.

The Curtis – Denver. CO

 

Photo Credit: The Curtis

The Curtis, a Doubletree by Hilton in Denver is a vibrant destination for pop art with an eclectic mix of artworks created by local Colorado and nationally renowned artists. Guests are treated to pop art throughout the lobby and the halls. There are fun guest rooms themed after TV Mania, Sci-Fi, One Hit Wonders or Perfect Pair. All Together Now is a 42-foot high sculpture by nationally renowned artists Roberto Behar and Rosario Marquardt. Inspired by the famous Beatles song, the piece is a stack of steel 3-dimensional building blocks in a variety of vibrant colors spelling out “All Together Now.”

Hilton Cleveland Downtown – Cleveland, OH

 

Photo Credit: Hilton Cleveland Downtown

The Hilton Cleveland Downtown features artwork throughout its public spaces, specifically, nearly 200 original works from mostly all local artists. Highlights include pieces from Cleveland native and Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Michael Cartellone, along with the metal sculptures in the lobby. There’s also what’s thought to be the first crowd-sourced hotel mural composed of 2,800 selfies depicting all that’s great about Cleveland.

Do you have favorite US hotels with museum grade artwork to tell us about today?

Safe travels,

Veronique

I’m a travel industry veteran currently employed by Hilton. The views and contents of this post are my own and in no way in partnership with my employer. I wasn’t compensated for writing about this subject.

Our Summerlin Vacation Rental Home

 

We just went on a family vacation to the Las Vegas area. Since we were 7 guests and had two kids ages 11 and 13, we didn’t want to stay on The Strip, so we opted for a vacation rental home in nearby Summerlin. Here’s a link to the house we rented for a week.

There are several things we loved about this rental, including:

  1. We liked that it was near enough to The Strip but far enough from it also. The neighborhood was quiet but near major highways. It was also close to tennis courts and great golf courses. For me, it was near a renowned spa where I took a $6 Uber to get a massage.
  2. The backyard was ideal for a large family getaway. The pool is super with its diving board and slide – kids loved it. At night, there were lights that changed colors in the pool and hot tub that were so relaxing! The kids are avid basketball fans and the court was the greatest for them. My golf-crazed hubby practiced his putting on the brand new putting green. There were plenty of pool toys, basketballs, putters and golf balls also.
  3. The kitchen was huge and included everything this cooking aficionado could have dreamed of. From pantry items like spices, coffee and paper goods to small appliances like a crockpot, a blender and even a toaster oven, this was a dream kitchen and I enjoyed cooking and grilling almost every night (there are numerous restaurants nearby and delivery menus if cooking on vacay isn’t your thing).
  4. The amenities were super like premium bedding, plenty of towels – both bath and pool, tons of pillows and more. There was laundry detergent and we did a bit of laundry during our stay.
  5. There is a double car garage with a remote door opener where we could park our car to keep it cool(er).

We could not be happier with our stay in this ultra-clean home. The host was there to greet us, even with our flight being 2 hours late. She walked us through how things work (TVs, pool, hot tub, etc…) and was great at communicating with us during our stay.

We highly-recommend this house and look forward to staying here again.

Cheers,

Veronique

JadeWaters Resort Pool Complex at Hilton Anatole

View from Conference Room

I recently stayed at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, TX where I learned of the recent opening of its $20 million JadeWaters Resort Pool Complex. Since I was at a business function, this was my view of the amazing-looking complex!

About JadeWaters at the Anatole

Exclusive to hotel guests, JadeWaters features:

  • 4,000 sq. ft. Leisure Cove Pool (adults only on weekends)
  • Beach entry family pool
  • Splash zone for kids
  • 630-foot long lazy river
  • Two 180-foot winding water slides
  • Private cabanas and daybeds
  • 23-seat swim-up bar
  • JadeWaters Grill & Bar

JadeWaters offers scheduled activities for families on the weekends, such as cooking experiences, duck races, gold plunges, family movies on Friday and Saturday nights and s’mores parties.

Hours of Operations

2017 Summer Season — May 26 – Sep 4, 2017 (Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day)

JadeWaters Resort Pool Complex: Open daily from 9:00am – 9:00pm

JadeWaters Grill & Bar: Open daily from 11:00am – 8:00pm

Visiting JadeWaters

JadeWaters Resort Pool Complex is an exclusive amenity for Hilton Anatole guests. Per reservation, guests receive:

  • Up to two wristbands per King guest room
  • Up to four wristbands per Queen double-bed rooms or guest rooms with King and sofa bed

*Guests will receive wristbands at the hotel, which will be required for daily entrance into JadeWaters.

*Up to an additional two wristbands per room are available for purchase for $25 each per day.

Cabana and Daybed Rental

Cabanas and daybeds are available to hotel guests for daily rental at JadeWaters during the summer season.

Cabanas — $325 per day and include:

  • 4 reserved chaise lounges
  • Table and chairs
  • 55-inch TV
  • Mini-fridge
  • 8 bottles of water
  • Locking drawer
  • Ceiling fan
  • 8 towels
  • Tropical fruit platter

Note: $425/day Friday – Monday on following holiday weekends: Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day

Daybeds — $195/day, with seating for 2-4 guests.

Hilton Anatole – 2201 North Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, TX 75207.

Happy travels,

Veronique

I’m a travel industry veteran currently employed by Hilton. The views and contents of this post are my own and in no way in partnership with my employer. I wasn’t compensated for writing about this subject.