Running Marriott hotels in Mexico and Costa Rica has given Dennis Whitelaw unique insight into what makes both destinations special. Here are his own personal travel tips.
Tag: restaurants
My Quintana Roo: Mexico Travel Tips from Scuba Pro Gabriel López
From the best Mexico beaches to great restaurants in Playa del Carmen and Puerto Morelos, diver & tour guide Gabriel López Silva shares his Mexico travel tips.
My Lima: Peru Travel Tips from Fabián Alata Arcila
From tasty Peruvian food to the legendary pisco sour and cool neighborhoods like Barranco and Miraflores, Fabián Alata shares his fave Lima travel tips.
Beach Day in Acapulco, Mexico
A Bali-style day bed at Playita Santa Lucía, the new beach club. It’s Saturday afternoon, and a group of five Djs, most from Mexico City, are huddled over their shared table on the beach, as well-oiled vacationers sip micheladas on white-curtained Bali day beds. I’m in the adjacent open-air restaurant, slicing up a fresh whitefish…
3 Things I Love to Eat in Acapulco (and a couple drinks to wash it all down with)
I’ve been visiting Acapulco annually for years, thanks to the Tianguis Turistico, Mexico’s annual tourism conference (and I’ve come here a few additional times when the conference wasn’t taking placeas). So over time, I’ve discovered plenty of interesting and tasty local food that I always try to incorporate into my menu while in town. I’ve…
HOTEL REVIEW: El Encanto, Acapulco
After some nine years with no new openings, the city of Acapulco has welcomed no less than three new upscale properties within less than a year’s time: The villa-style Banyan Tree Cabo Marques, the retro-chic Boca Chica (which is where I’m staying now — more on that later) and El Encanto. So even as Acapulco has…
Group Splurge: Villa Sábalo, Acapulco
Last night, I sipped tamarind-infused cocktails and gazed at the sunset from the glamorous hills of an Acapulco neighborhood called Las Brisas. It was a cocktail party hosted by the Los Cabos Convention & Visitors Bureau (during Tianguis Turístico, Mexico’s annual tourism conference), but it was a classic Acapulco experience. The locale is called Villa Sábalo,…
Cecilia Noel’s Favorite Restaurants in Lima — and What You Should NEVER Eat
If you enjoyed Peruvian singer Cecilia Noel’s recommendations for live music in Lima Peru (see my previous post), you won’t want to miss her “quick picks” for best restaurants and drinks.Noel also shares her insider tip on what you should always avoid when dining in Peru. Find out what it is in the full article…
Shopping and Sleeping in Colonia, Uruguay
Founded in 1680 by Portugal as Colónia do Sacramento, what is commonly called simply Colonia is a quick and comfortable 45-minute ferry ride from Buenos Aires, Argentina — it’s easy enough to visit that some people do it as a day trip from Buenos Aires, or else as a stopover en route to Montevideo and…
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…
The Perfect Food? Argentine Empanadas
The shape is the key to the content: (Clockwise, from top) beef, chicken, ham and cheese I’m not exactly the hardest person to please when it comes to cuisine. Often, the simplest dish will be the one that satisfies me the most. And that’s the case with the empanada — a type of pastry stuffed…
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…