Walking into my guestroom at at the Grand Hyatt Santiago was a rather impressive experience. The gently curved windows provide a wide-open, sky-high view of the soaring modern towers that populate the upscale Las Condes district in Santiago de Chile. The Grand Hyatt Santiago is, in fact, one of the areas most recognizable modern towers…
Tag: luxury hotels
HOTEL REVIEW: The Aubrey, Santiago de Chile
I’m staying for four nights as a guest at Santiago’s hottest new boutique hotel: The Aubrey. Set in a mansion built in the 1920s in Santiago’s now Bohemian Bellavista district, the Aubrey (which just made Conde Nast Traveler’s 2010 “Hot List“) sits at the foot of the Parque Metropolitano’s funicular railway and just around the…
7 Interesting Hotels in Uruguay
During my recent visit to Uruguay on a trip with Borello Travel & Tours, I checked out a bunch of noteworthy and interesting small hotels set in various interesting locations — many in and around Punta del Este, the chic, sun-drenched getaway that’s sometimes called the St. Tropez of South America. Here are a few…
Montevideo’s Architectural Treasures: Headed for Landmark Status?
The glistening tower of the Comando General de la Armada, with the Mercado Central in the foreground. Uruguay’s capital city may be smaller than Buenos Aires and carry less of a jet-set image than Punta del Este, but it’s laden with interesting and diverse architecture that some feel should warrant UNESCO World Heritage ranking. Peek…
HOTEL REVIEW: Trompe L’Oeil at the Novotel Buenos Aires
You’re not seeing things: Patio 378, the restaurant at the Novotel Buenos Aires. If perhaps you’ve had a few drinks at the hotel bar, you might be forgiven for thinking that you’re seeing things when you stroll over to Patio 378, the restaurant at the Novotel Buenos Aires. But what you see is what you…
HOTEL REVIEW: Faena Hotel + Universe (part 2) After Dark
El Bistro. On Friday night, the Faena Hotel + Universe proved to me that you don’t need to leave the property to have a night out on the town (and also why locals and celebrities alike flock to this stylish hotel; recent guests include Beyonce and Cold Play, and we’re missing the arrival of Guns…
HOTEL REVIEW: Faena Hotel + Universe (part 1)
The dramatic entry gallery. It seems like there is a reason why Faena Hotel + Universe calls itself not just a hotel, but a “universe.” It is, at the very least, a different world. I checked in yesterday afternoon, as part of a group with Borello Travel & Tours, and from the start you can…
VIDEO TOUR: Cartagena Hotels & Dining
The center of Cartagena, Colombia, is more than just a place to explore historic sites. It’s also home to stylish small hotels set in landmark buildings, as well as a variety of tempting cuisine. Check out my latest video for some great visual samples of what’s in store for you here.During my recent visit, I…
VIDEO TOUR: Cartagena Hotels & Dining
The center of Cartagena, Colombia, is more than just a place to explore historic sites. It’s also home to stylish small hotels set in landmark buildings, as well as a variety of tempting cuisine. Check out my latest video for some great visual samples of what’s in store for you here.During my recent visit, I…
VIDEO TOUR: Cartagena Hotels & Dining
The center of Cartagena, Colombia, is more than just a place to explore historic sites. It’s also home to stylish small hotels set in landmark buildings, as well as a variety of tempting cuisine. Check out my latest video for some great visual samples of what’s in store for you here.During my recent visit, I…
VIDEO TOUR: San Juan Condado, Part 2 – Nightlife & Shopping
If you need inspiration for nightlife and shopping in San Juan, check out this video! It’s Friday night along Ashford Avenue, and at the trendy open-air bars and restaurants that sit along the park called Ventana al Mar, members of San Juan’s young, beautiful elite are gathered, enjoying exotic drinks. Just across the street, patrons…
VIDEO TOUR: San Juan Condado, Part 2 – Nightlife & Shopping
If you need inspiration for nightlife and shopping in San Juan, check out this video! It’s Friday night along Ashford Avenue, and at the trendy open-air bars and restaurants that sit along the park called Ventana al Mar, members of San Juan’s young, beautiful elite are gathered, enjoying exotic drinks. Just across the street, patrons…
VIDEO TOUR: San Juan Condado, Part 2 – Nightlife & Shopping
If you need inspiration for nightlife and shopping in San Juan, check out this video! It’s Friday night along Ashford Avenue, and at the trendy open-air bars and restaurants that sit along the park called Ventana al Mar, members of San Juan’s young, beautiful elite are gathered, enjoying exotic drinks. Just across the street, patrons…
VIDEO TOUR: San Juan Condado, Part 1 – Hotels, Sun & Dining
When I first started visiting Puerto Rico in the late 1980s, I wasn’t that impressed with Condado. Sure, it had its beaches and sure, it had some decent hotels and nightlife. But it always seemed grimy, and just a bit behind the times. Today, happily, that has changed. Hotels have been relaunched with the best…