Hi!  I am still here!  I’ve just been busy moving to my new place in Southwest Portland.  After days of lifting and heaving and pushing and dropping all of my belongings, nothing sounds better to me right now than a morning at a luxurious spa followed by an afternoon on the beach.  Isn’t it lucky for me that The Ritz-Carlton Hotels in Mexico and the Caribbean are offering some great specials right now for summer getaways!

I like my new place and all, but I’d definitely rather have this view right now, at The Ritz-Carlton, San Juan:

Right now at The Ritz-Carlton, San Juan and The Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa Resort, Rose Hall, Jamaica, you can reserve four nights for the price of three.  And at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas, pay for four nights and get a complimentary fifth night.  It’s the perfect excuse to treat yourself to a luxurious long weekend.  Ritz-Carlton hotels feature the finest luxury accommodations, plus five-star spa services and unforgettable vacation activities — whether you’re looking for romance, family fun, or just the ultimate in relaxation, these destinations will deliver.

Visit www.ritzcarlton.com or call 1-800-241-3333 to make reservations and take advantage of these special offers.

Lots of hotels try to pass themselves off as friends of the environment, but for the vast majority, all that means is that they don’t change your towels daily.  Sure, that helps conserve energy and water, but this policy requires absolutely no effort on the part of the hotel.  It’s nice to see more hotels that are environmentally conscious, but I don’t consider a resort to be green unless I see proactive environmental policies in place.

Southernmost on the Beach, a luxury resort in Key West, Florida, embraces the latest in green technology, setting an example I’d like to see other hotels follow.

When we checked in, the front desk clerk explained one of the green features of our room — the keycard-activated electricity.  Right next to the door is the keycard slot pictured here.  In order to adjust your thermostat, you have to insert your key.  When you leave the room, remove your key, and the thermostat goes into “efficiency mode.”  It’s ridiculous for an air conditioner to work at full blast all day when most hotel guests aren’t in their rooms at all — this simple innovation is a major energy saver, and you get the added bonus of not losing your key somewhere in the room — it’s always right by the door for you.

I found several more green touches in the bathroom.  The complimentary toiletries are from the BeeKind line by Gilchrist & Soames — organic products packaged in eco-friendly paper bottles that reduce waste by up to 92% compared to hotel toiletries packaged in standard plastic bottles.

Southernmost on the Beach conserves water with dual-flush toilets in the guest rooms.  Most of the time, all you need is a light, low-water flush.  These commodes let you use only the water you need.  And of course, the towels are only replaced if you ask.

When a hotel embraces green policies and technology, that’s great for the environment, but it’s also great for the bottom line.  Saving energy and water means lower utility bills for the hotel — savings that they can pass on to guests with lower room rates.  Southernmost on the Beach is constantly updating its guest rooms and facilities to include more green innovations.  It’s a beautiful resort, and true friend of the environment.

The first thing I noticed when I stepped into the lobby at the Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas was the exceptionally satisfying click my heels made on the elegant marble floors.  The high domed ceilings surely helped the echo, but the real key was the absence of other noise.  To open any door in this town and not hear the ding-ding-ding of slot machines is a rarity.  One of few non-gaming hotels on the Las Vegas Strip, the Four Seasons Hotel is a true desert oasis.

Vegas is perpetually bright and busy, but inside this hotel, you’d never know that you’re just steps away from the hustle bustle of the Strip.  The hotel lobby and meeting rooms are on the first two floors, but the rooms and suites are high above the city, occupying the 35th-39th floors of the Mandalay Bay tower at the far south end of the Strip.  Strip view rooms offer spectacular views of the entire Strip — you can literally see all the way up to the far north end — but you’re far away from the noise and the hurry of it all.

A stay at the Four Seasons is not, however, the anti-Vegas experience.  You’re still on the Strip, connected to Mandalay Bay and its casino and amenities, and a short walk or ride from many more Vegas sights and sounds.  But those sights and sounds can be overwhelming when you’re surrounded by them all the time, which makes the Four Seasons a blissful escape.

While you’re here, you’ll definitely want to visit the spa, where every treatment is customized to your specific needs and wishes.  I recommend the Vitality of the Glaciers Facial, which uses mineral rich glacier water to cleanse and rejuvenate your skin, or the Four Seasons Desert Oasis Body Treatment, a sensory massage treatment using different essential oils each season.

The Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas is the perfect place to stay when you want to be in Vegas without being surrounded by Vegas.  When you’re vacationing, you crave two things — entertainment and relaxation.  The Four Seasons offers the best of both.

When that little groundhog told us we were in for a long winter, was anyone prepared for all the snow, snow, and more snow that’s been falling?  Everyone dreams of a white Christmas, but come mid-February, we’re back to dreaming of flowers blossoming, green trees, and warm rays of sunlight, right?  It might be a while before you see any of that at home, but it’s all waiting for you at Grand Cayman island in the Caribbean Sea.  The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman is offering a special Stingray Splash vacation package with a complimentary fifth night at the luxury hotel.

The package includes accommodations at the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, a trip for two to Stingray City, and a free fifth night of your vacation.  What is this Stingray City?  According to ocean explorer and preservationist Jean-Michel Cousteau, it is one of the best snorkeling sites in the world.  To get there, you’ll board the Intrepid motor yacht at the resort’s dock with a group of no more than 8 total visitors.  It’s a 15-minute boat ride to the shallow sandbar in Cayman’s North sound known as Stingray City.

In crystal clear, 3-foot-deep waters, guests can snorkel, play with and feed the gentle stingrays which are accustomed to human visitors.

When you’re not communing with friendly rays, there’s plenty more to enjoy at the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman:  Silver Rain, a La Prairie Spa, Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ambassadors of the Environment family program, Blue Tip, a 9-hole golf course designed by Greg Norman, and of course all the fine dining options you’d expect at any Ritz-Carlton property.

The Stingray Splash package starts at $609 per night for the high season.  Visit www.ritzcarlton.com for reservations and more information.

Valentine’s Day isn’t really known as a big travel holiday, but what’s a more romantic Valentine’s Day gift than a luxurious getaway for the two of you?  The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills is offering up an unforgettable Valentine’s Day experience this year called Everlasting Valentine’s Day.

Couples will stay in newly-renovated luxury guest rooms, dine on a romantic breakfast for two, and sip custom Valentine’s Day cocktails like the Chocolate Covered Orange Martini or the Chocolate Covered Raspberry Martini.  Here’s the everlasting part:  the two of you will meet with Opus Oils Jitterbug Perfume Parlour perfume specialist Kedra Hart in a private suite to create your own custom-blended fragrance.   Hart will work with you to select your favorite aromas and blends, and while creating your signature scent, you will learn about the history of scent in conjunction with love rituals throughout the ages.  At the end of the experience, you’ll get to take home a 2oz Eau de Parfum spray and a travel size roll on.  Your personalized perfume formula will remain on file so that you can order refills in the future.

This sounds like a truly romantic experience for any couple, but an especially great idea for couples planning a wedding.  You can create your own wedding day perfume, or give your signature fragrance as a bridesmaid gift or wedding favor.

The Everlasting Valentine’s Day Package is available Friday, February 12, Saturday, February 13, and Sunday, February 14, starting at $535 per night.

If you want to sweeten your romantic getaway even more, sign up for the Lover’s Duet Couples Massage at the spa.  Choose either a 60-minute or 90-minute aromatherapy massage for two in a private suite, complete with rose petals and romantic music.  Couples will be given champagne elixirs infused with dark chocolate and passion fruit and special keepsake items of custom blended massage oil and bath salts.  If you’d like to bring the spa experience home, ask about the 30-minute private massage instructional session for you and your sweetie.

A romantic getaway like this will go down in history as one of your greatest Valentine’s Days of all times.  Treat each other to something spectacular this year.

This week, I’m staying at the lovely Hyatt Regency Hotel & Spa in Monterey, California.  It’s really spectacular.  The rooms are outfitted with lots of comfortable furniture and plenty of luxurious pillows to go with the million threadcount linens on the bed.  It’s the kind of place a weary wanderer could really relax.  Except…

What kind of hotel doesn’t provide Do Not Disturb signs for your door?  The housekeeping staff started knocking at 8am.  That is not cool.

I’m going to let it slide for now, though, because everything else about this place is just so incredibly comfortable, but if this happens every day this week, I won’t be remembering the Hyatt Regency Monterey so fondly.

McKenzie and I had a few days to kill between our bridge tournament in Reno and a visit to Lake Tahoe (where I will attempt to learn to snowboard — you won’t want to miss Tuesday’s blog), so we found the cheapest hotel the internet had to offer in Sparks, Nevada, about 5 minutes outside of Reno.  We’re at Western Village Inn & Casino, a cheap but not grungy hotel that’s actually been quite satisfying.

When we booked the room, we were told we had a beach view — we assumed this was a typo, but whaddya know, our third floor window looks right out over a cute little lake, complete with paddle boats, a boardwalk, and even a small beach.

Across the parking lot is the casino part of the establishment.  It’s not a large casino, but it’s got a lot going on.  Everyone says the steakhouse inside is worth the trip, but this vegetarian stuck to the Marina Cafe.  Western Village is owned by Peppermill, which is immediately clear from the neon Lisa Frank color scheme.  The cafe menu will be very familiar to anyone who’s ever dined at the Peppermill restaurant:  a large selection of burgers, sandwiches, and ethnic dishes, and breakfast all day.  Come with an empty stomach because the portions are enormous, and the prices are incredibly low.  I recommend the omelets.

The casino itself is loads of fun.  It’s small, but there’s a lot to offer — slot machines and video games in all denominations, a sports book, and low-limit table games: $0.25 roulette, $1 craps, and $2, $3, and $5 blackjack (for high rollers).  Craps rules are okay — single roll bets pay 30-to-1, but you can only play double odds on any point.  Hey, it’s a dollar.  The blackjack rules are fantastic, though — all single deck, double down on any two, and blackjack pays 3 to 2.

The dealers here are some of the area’s friendliest.  Stop by the Western Village casino and say hi to my new friends at the craps table — Jacob, Roger, and Brian on the day shift, and Robert, Warren, and Ron on the evening shift.  These guys are a blast.  Don’t forget to tip the dealers, win or lose.  It’s good casino karma.

If you’ve got business in Reno, Western Village is just a 5-minute drive from the city, and it’s a great place to stay if you’re looking for a cheap room and good food and gaming.  When you check in, you’ll be given a pile of coupons for free drinks, free bets, meal discounts, and more.  It’s not a luxury resort by any stretch, but it’s a great value — and it’s got a beach view!



In 2009, I averaged more than three hotel stays per month.  Some were luxury five star accommodations, and others were fleabag motels.  Some stays were business, some were pleasure, some were a mix of both.  Of the more than three dozen hotels I’ve visited this year, three stand out as the best of the best.  They each serve their own niche, so I’m calling all three of these hotels the best of 2009.

The Westgate Hotel, San Diego, California

I was in San Diego for this fall’s North American Bridge Championships, which meant I spent a minimal amount of time in my hotel.  Even so, I was blown away by the service at the Westgate.  The front desk staff learned my name right away and always greeted me personally when I came and went.  I’m always impressed when a hotel offers evening turn down services, but I thought even the turn down services at the Westgate were above and beyond — leave out an unopened beer and they’ll put it on ice for when you get in at night.

The Westgate Grand Lobby, pictured here, is one of the most beautiful hotel lobbies I’ve ever seen.  The rest of the accommodations are equally exquisite.  Beautifully furnished guest rooms, elegant marble bathrooms, divine bedding — this hotel left nothing to be desired.  They even had free wi-fi in the rooms.  That was completely unexpected.

The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii

I think it would be difficult to have a bad experience in Maui, but the Ritz-Carlton took what would’ve been a wonderful vacation and made it exceptional.  The Ritz-Carlton is a luxury hotel brand that is doing everything right, from what I’ve seen.  The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua is a testament to how dedicated this company is to local culture and to the environment — two things that I believe should be top priorities for every traveler.

You could easily enjoy a fulfilling, well-rounded vacation without ever leaving the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua property.  This hotel is all about Hawaiian culture, and you’ll love the cultural education you get here.  Enjoy fine Hawaiian dining, signature Hawaiian spa treatments, and my favorite part of the vacation, the Hawaiian environment.  The Ritz-Carlton hosts a program called Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ambasssadors of the Environment, which offers several different hands-on activities for visitors of all ages to get up close with nature.  The underwater photography snorkeling adventure was without a doubt my favorite part of my visit to Maui.

The Doubletree Hotel, Charlottesville, Virginia

My experience with the Doubletree in Charlottesville is a little different, in that I was hosting an event there and not vacationing.  My husband and I co-chaired a large, week-long bridge tournament, and for seven days, the Charlottesville Doubletree was filled with our guests.  We used their ballrooms, their meeting rooms, their catering services, their restaurants, and every other service the hotel provides.  We were absolutely blown away with the service we received.

This hotel staff redefined above and beyond.  From the general manager down to the housekeeping and bell staff, everyone here was incredibly friendly and accommodating.  The playing site and the guest rooms were luxurious, clean, and comfortable.  Every request we made was met immediately, with a smile.  The staff went out of their way to make sure that all of our players were happy, and that’s not easy to do.  Bridge players are a very hard to please crowd — and yet, everyone was pleased — beyond pleased.  I cannot say enough good things about this Doubletree Hotel.  What we fully expected to be an administrative nightmare was actually a very smooth ride, thanks to their amazing staff.  Our bridge tournament was a huge success, and we can’t wait to work with them again for our 2012 tournament.