You Say St. Martin And I Say St. Maarten

Before you jump in and shout, “Let’s call the whole thing off!”, let me quickly point out we are both correct . . assuming we are both talking about the enchanted Caribbean island located at the northern end of the Lesser Antilles.  St. Martin is the common English spelling and St. Maarten is the traditional Dutch spelling.  St. Morton is a complete mauling of the name and indicates you probably have way too much salt in your diet.

Christopher Columbus discovered St. Maarten on November 11th, the holy day of St. Martin of Tours, and thus named the island after him.  If I had known back in college days that all you had to do to get an island named after you is become a saint, I might have behaved a little better.   I am not suggesting by the picture below that this constituted Christopher’s mode of transportation.  I remember from zoology class that there are such things as sea horses but I am relatively certain these are not examples.

One of the peculiarities of this tiny island is that it is shared by two sovereign nations, Holland and France.   This fact no doubt explains the provocative phrase the tourist board likes to bandy about. “Where European sophistication and raw island passion have fallen in love.”   Another way to say it is St. Maarten is a “Caribbean Paradise with European Panache”.   Suffice it to say that there is a lot of “Old World” charm on this “New World” isle.

I could ramble on about the myriad activities (take horseback riding on the beach, as a random example), the splendid and variegated beaches, the night life that never ends (can you say 14 world-class, Vegas style casinos) and the dozens of dazzling places to dine but, as you no doubt have observed from past posts, I am a humble man of very few words.  You haven’t noticed?

I would much rather husband our brief time together and tell you about an amazing resort located on this Caribbean gem.  I am referring to none other than the incomparable

La Samanna

The name of this resort comes from the owner’s three children:  Samantha, Natalie and Amanda.  It’s fortunate he wasn’t more prolific or the resort might be unpronounceable.

In the words of the The ID Travel Group brochure, “La Samanna, an Orient-Express hotel, lies in 55 acres of lush, tropical gardens, overlooking Baie Longue stretch of white
sand beach.”  This property is ideally suited for anyone looking for a place to relax and let the gently lapping waters of the bay gingerly wash away the accumulated cares deposited there by a frenetic lifestyle.  If stress is the poison that kills, La Samanna is the antidote that revives.

That doesn’t mean that resuscitation has to take only one form.  An exuberant toast shared by new-found friends under a canopy of stars can be just as invigorating as an afternoon nap in a gently swaying hammock.   A sumptuous dinner in an elegant bistro famous for their French cuisine, with apologies to Shakespeare, can serve as well to “knit the raveled sleeve of care” as a restful night’s repose.

Here is one of those insider tips we love to share in these “Incredible Isles” posts.

 “For a couple looking to dine at the most exclusive and romantic table on the island, Le Cave is the spot.  Located in the wine cellar of La Samanna, guests can arrange a private dinner with a customized tasting menu and wine pairings.  It is the most amazing setting for a special occasion.” –Jennifer Molloy, Reservations Manager.

If even these prescriptions are insufficient to straighten out the kinks in your tortured psyche, then there are always the nine beckoning spa treatment rooms where the combination of Asian transcendental music and lightly dancing magical fingers will have you slithering out of the treatment room like a great gray slug.  OK, not one of my more gentile metaphors but, you have to admit, it does evoke a powerful, if rather slimy, mental image.

I know you will be completely shocked when I tell you, I just happen to have a very special offer should you at this point be gathering up possessions to sell so you can experience La Samanna for yourself.  I am not going to give you a lot of details because 1) that is not what we do here and 2)  if I did, I would have to add a couple of hundred words in mice type of legal disclaimer.

So let me just hint that my little offer includes upgrades, paying for less nights than you stay, some free insurance and such.  If you are intrigued, contact me and I will quite gladly send you the offer . . . along with the mice type disclaimer . . . suitable for framing!

One&Only Reethi Rah, Maldives

First things first.  The title of this blog does not contain any typos.  To demonstrate it we need to journey back to your freshman English class with Ms. Pringle and parse this title.  Don’t memories of parsing sentences, declining nouns and conjugating verbs just make you tingle all over?  OK, first you have to stop thinking about the girl who used to sit in the row ahead and two seats over.  She is now twice divorced, sixty pounds overweight and has a drinking problem, so try to get a grip.

Element One:  One&Only

This is an absolutely incredible collection of resorts in some of the most beautiful locations in the world.  We are talking places like Dubai, Mauritius, and Cape Town.  At the risk of contributing to the delinquency of hormonally charged teenage guys around the blogosphere, this is one of the rotating pictures on the One&Only website homepage.  My own hormones, sadly, are a mere shadow of their former selves and yet I confess my opinion of hanging basket chairs has just skyrocketed exponentially.

I also have to admit that to call a resort chain One&Only seems a little incongruous to me. Shouldn’t a chain called “One” & “Only” have only one link?  Aren’t you glad your mind doesn’t work like mine?  At any rate I am very glad this particular chain has several links because every one of their resorts is in a class by itself.  As they like to put it, each of their resorts “delivers a distinctive experience born of its environment and local culture.”

Element Two:   Reethi Rah

I know it sounds like a pep squad cheer from some small Ivy League school (Reethi Rah, Sis Boom Bah)  but it actual means “Beautiful Island” in Dhivehi.  I will take their word for that because, while my English may not be all that stellar, my Dhivehi is non-existent.  Reethi Rah is an all-villa resort with 130 of the “most luxurious and spacious villas in the Indian Ocean.”

All the One&Only Resorts, Reethi Rah included, are known for their signature Spas by ESPA.   Apparently you can dash from a steamy sauna directly into a stimulating ice fountain which honestly sounds a tad too stimulating for my taste.  I am more of a “tranquil, one-hour, full-body, please don’t hurt me massage”,  kind of guy.

You need not fear that your palate will have to take a back seat to all that pampering.   I know you will love the international cuisine and spectacular wine cellar at The Reethi Restaurant.  The Tapasake serves tapas-style Japanese dishes in an over-the-water setting and Fanditha is a “boho chic” beach restaurant offering Mediterranean cuisine. I have always believed if you are going to be chic, you might as well go the whole nine yards and be boho chic.  Not to sound immodest but I have been told I pull it off fairly well.  Wait, maybe that was bozo chic.

Here is a little insider tip about the property from Nancy Brassem, Destination Specialist at ID Travel Group.  “The courtyard situated before accommodations features a chaise lounge.  At the base of each couch, the resort provides a warmed foot bath and foot massage before your even enter your room.  What a welcoming, relaxing start to your trip!”

Element Three:   The Maldives

The Republic of The Maldives, also called the Maldives Islands, is an island nation located in the Indian Ocean southwest of India.  It is a double chain of twenty-six atolls.  You are probably wondering how the heck does one get there.  One excellent way is to fly Emirates from any one of several US Gateways to Dubai.  Stop off a couple of days and experience the United Arab Emirates.  Next, hop an Emirates non-stop flight to Malé International Airport.  Then comes the fun part.  Take One&Only’s luxury yacht for the 75 minute boat ride to the North Malé Atoll and the Reethi Rah. 

Piece of cake, right!  Come on, where is your sense of adventure? Just think.  When friends ask where you got that glorious tan you can shake your pom poms and shout, “Reethi Rah, Sis Boom Bah!”

At Secrets The Vine, The Wine’s Divine (3)

I hate to begin this post on a negative note but I must admit my faith in your wisdom and judgment, beloved reader, is a little shaken.  At the end of my last post, I gave each of you a perfectly good opportunity to cry uncle (or any other relative of your choosing, for that matter).   Yet, in overwhelming numbers, relatively speaking of course, you actually begged me for more.

Either 1) I am a much better writer than I thought I was, 2) you are all closet, or in this case poll booth, masochists or much more likely, 3) some of you who voted have a vested interest in the pecuniary success of said property.  In which case, the margin of error for my little poll is probably plus or minus 100%.  But hey, if politicians can claim a mandate after every election, so can I.  Thus, here is the third and final installment (please hold your applause until the end) of this particular series.

However, to add another little quirk to the proceedings, in order to read the final installment of this scintillating series on Secrets The Vine, you are going to have to join me on a little jaunt through cyberspace.  (I know it is a little scary out there but just stay close to me and you will be fine.)  Here is the reason.  If you think your judgement is suspect, a popular website called IgoUgo, which has like a kazillion unique visitors per month (give or take a zillion), has invited me . . . OK, more like relented under duress . . . to write a guest post on their site.  I know what you are thinking.  You’re thinking, “What the heck were they thinking!”

So if you are ready to travel to another galaxy where I am told blog posts actually get read, all you have to do is click here.

OK, if you are still reading this you did not click.  What part of click here do you find confusing?  Go ahead, I promise it won’t give your computer the internet equivalent of the bubonic plague.  Since you are still here, however, when you do arrive over there, don’t even think about booking travel there!!  I would have to consider such infidelity grounds for digital divorce.  I hope we have established by now that all your travel should be booked at Travel Leaders / Main Street Travel.  Otherwise, I might have to go get a real job, God forbid!

At Secrets The Vine, The Wine’s Divine (2)

I promised in my last post that, unlike last time, I would actually relate my comments to the subject suggested by my title. How very novel!  You will recall, unless you were very naughty and did not read my previous post (need I remind you Santa takes note of such grievous transgressions this time of year), I mentioned there are now, or to be precise will be two days from now, an even dozen Secrets resorts.  Having personally sampled a few, I can only say, “May their tribe increase!”

They range in location from various beach destinations around Mexico, to Jamaica, to the Dominican Republic.  Each has a unique name and a flavor to match.  Someone at AMResorts, the parent company, has my admiration for conjuring up such names as Silversands, St. James, Wild Orchid, Marquis, Aura and our subject today, The Vine.   To be blunt, there are quite enough hotels in Mexico in the Grand Royal Imperial Sun Palace Beach Oasis Resorts & Spas genre, thank you very much.

So what do you suppose is the unique theme of  Secrets The Vine?  Need a hint?  It rhymes with vine and can be divine.  Need a little more time to call your lifeline?  I hope I have not been casting my pearls before swine.  Still don’t have it?  OK, OK, it’s wine. Come on folks, try to keep up now!

Just remember, at Secrets The Vine it’s all about the wine.  How so?  Let me count the ways:

1)  The Enoteca 

Be honest, you don’t have a clue what I am talking about, do you?  Don’t worry, even a Kung Fu black belt master of the English language like your humble servant had to look that one up.  An “enoteca” is a wine repository.  The lobby features a wine wall with 3000 bottles of wine callously sealed beyond reach behind thick glass.  (You pack a few beach towels and a couple of dozen toiletry items in your suitcase and suddenly your reputation is in tatters.  So unfair.)

2)  The Vine Bar

I find this particularly cool (which is what we used to call things we liked back in the day).   The resort has created an area called The Vine Bar which is a designated wine tasting area for guests.  Here you can enjoy sommelier-led wine tastings and pairings for the most discriminating palate.  I happen to think discrimination is a terrible thing so I personally guzzle, I mean sip, pretty much any wine within my boarding house reach.  But then I am assuming you haven’t seared your tender taste buds with a lifetime of stuffed jalapenos garnished with Habanero sauce as I have and can tell the difference between a vintage wine and kerosene .  Take notice of the handcrafted wood table that seats up to 14 guests.  Very classy!

3)  The Vine Gourmet Experience

Here is where we separate the pretenders from the pretentious!  For a mere $285 per person you can have the ultimate Vine Gourmet Experience.  You can click here for a complete listing of all the inclusions but it does encompass truffles, tequila and a chef’s apron to take home to name a few items.  Let’s just say if you aren’t feeling vastly superior to the great unwashed masses back home after this experience you don’t know jack squat about “snooty”.  I’m feeling suddenly sophisticated and all I did was read over the list of inclusions.

I was going to limit this overview to only two posts but I realize there are even more amazing features I have yet to cover.  Therefore, in the interest of promoting worldwide democracy, I will let you, the people, decide.  Just register your vote in the poll below.  I know this will feel a little strange for you folks in Chicago, New Jersey and Louisiana but please try to vote just once.

At Secrets The Vine, The Wine’s Divine

For those not familiar with the brand, Secrets Resorts & Spas is the cornerstone of AMResorts‘ memorable collection of resort properties. Other brands include Dreams, Zoëtry, Now, and Sunscape Resorts & Spas.

Through a combination of hard work and shameless wheedling (truly a lost art form), I have managed over the past several years to finagle (this is simply wheedling with a whiff of chicanery) stays at several of the Secrets properties.  I will reserve another occasion to extol the virtues of some of the other dozen Secrets such as Secrets Silversands, Secrets Maroma, Secrets Capri and Victoria’s Secret.  Oops, a little too much pool side eye candy may have caused a momentary lapse in concentration.

The view looking north from my balcony. The lagoon is on the left and the ocean on the right.

Instead I prefer to squander, I mean utilize, this two hour plus flight home to share my impressions of SecretsThe Vine, Secrets’ latest gem.  A sudden attack of free association brings to mind the homophone gym … sorry, this is how the writer’s mind works . . . so why not begin with a brief mention of the fitness center? It will of necessity be brief because the closest I came to the fitness center the past five days was an extended visit to the nearby spa.  I did learn from one of my traveling companions, who I understand upon check out was charged replacement costs for a couple of Stairmasters, that it was quite extensive. Sorry, Erin, you are a wonderful young lady but two workouts a day while on vacation qualifies as OCD in anybody’s book.  Besides, looking young, vibrant and attractive are so overrated, don’t you agree, dear reader?

Now should you want to know about the spa, however, I’m your man.  I got there an hour before my massage to savor all the facilities seeing that spa savoring is not exactly an everyday ritual back home.  After confiscating every stitch of my clothing and instantly begging me “For the love of God, man, please don a bathrobe!”, the staff led me to this wood paneled room that was hotter than Texas in August.  I have no idea where I was but I am not exaggerating when I say it felt like a sauna in there.  Any overly exuberant description of my fifty minute massage could not possibly come to a good end seeing my dear wife is an avid follower of this blog. With apologies to my masseuse, I think I will stick with, “It was . . fine.”

I wouldn’t want to leave the impression that I spent my entire stay in self-indulgent pampering.  I mean, there were a couple of rounds of golf wedged in there (pun intended) not to mention some serious seaside ceviche sampling.

For those of you paying attention, probably the minority, you may have noticed that, in spite of the title of this post, I have managed to ramble on without any mention of the relationship between the name of the property and the fruit of the vine. Unfortunately, my self-imposed standard that these posts should be short enough to read in one brief bathroom visit (I assume you have wifi in there) means that you will just have to stop by for a second installment where I shall give vino the full attention it deserves!

If you will come back, I think I can promise to shower you with equally fascinating insights and clever repartee.  My goal with this blog is always to set a standard so attainable that even I can meet it!

A Walkabout at the Westin Kierland

Last post I acknowledged the remarkable reward trips we in the travel industry are privileged to experience.  I failed to mention, at the risk of spiking the ball, that our business meetings aren’t exactly shabby either.  Now if this strikes you as rubbing salt in the wounds, to mix metaphors, go back and read the last post about the “other side of the coin” (warning:  metaphor pile-up!).  I am pretty sure a quick, side-by-side comparison of our respective bank accounts will have you suddenly feeling much better about your life.

My most recent meeting was a Travel Leader’s FAB (franchise advisory board) meeting at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Arizona.  I know what you must be thinking.  “YOU were elected by your peers to serve on an advisory board?”  I know, I was every bit as shocked as you are.  Apparently none of my constituents have stumbled across this blog and honestly, I would just as soon keep it that way.  Why disabuse them of their harmless illusions regarding my sound judgment and sterling character?

When I arrived at the resort, I had a little free time so I embarked on what the Aussies call a “walkabout”.  Granted that term may be a bit of a stretch since I am neither an Australian Aborigine nor did I spend six months tracing the paths of my ancestors.  In point of fact, I got tired after half an hour and plopped down in the Dreamweaver’s Canyon Courtyard,  sipped a Negra Modelo and gazed at all the swells strolling by.  It doesn’t take me long to get the lay of the land, especially when my favorite beer is beckoning.

Why don’t we reenact my little stroll to give you a bit of a feel for this magnificent resort?  Once I had gone to my room and stowed my gear (something I feel compelled to do in the first ten minutes upon arriving at any hotel . . . can you say OC?), I walked out a side door and this is the very first view that greeted me.  The similarities with my landscaped back yard were startling.  Or maybe it was the dissimilarities.  I would return to this very table below at Nellie Cashman’s Monday Club Cafe a little later in the evening for a delicious repast.  The resort has numerous charms but dining al fresco as the sun sets behind a bagpiper in traditional Scottish dress piping his haunting melodies is toward the top of my list.

Even the golf is unique.  Read this sentence from their website, “Only at Kierland Golf Club can a golfer – novice to experienced – enjoy innovative amenities and experiences like Segway transportation, Fore-MAX golf training, climate-controlled golfing and Scottish-themed Golf.”  As an avid golfer, I can say without the slightest fear of contraception, that is not a sentence that would apply to 99.99% of the golf courses anywhere in the world.

After a tough day of climate-controlled golf, what better way to cool off then tubing down the winding 900-foot lazy river.  How is that for a nice segway . . . I mean segue?  There is also a 110-foot water slide and even Aguamiel, a quiet retreat for adults.  But without a doubt, the feature causing the greatest waves (pun intended) is the FlowRider.

My only regret was that I arrived on a Monday afternoon and left on Wednesday afternoon which didn’t permit me to enjoy all the amenities as I would have liked.   If you happen to have the responsibility in your work life for planning meetings or incentive trips, I strongly recommend this resort as a suitable site.  Based on my brief experience, you will not be disappointed.

Have you ever stayed at the Westin Kierland and how did you find it?  No wisecracks about using Garmin or TomTom, please.  That would be way too easy!

Sandals Sans Sandals

By writing posts about the sort of trip I am about to describe,  I am not unaware that I run the risk of reinforcing the reader’s most inflated notions of the opulent not to mention indolent lifestyle led by humble travel entrepreneurs like myself.  This is owing to the fact that in the travel industry some of our key suppliers express their appreciation for our efforts with reward trips to appealing destinations.  This reality is made abundantly clear on my Fool Disclosure page.

In our industry, you had better be prepared to endure frequent comments along the lines of “Wow, it must really be rough being you.” and other equally witty remarks.  They are usually offered in a jocular vein with a nonetheless discernible tinge of jealousy.  I will be the first to admit that we in the travel business often travel like kings but our ugly, dark little secret is we are too often compensated more like kitchen help.  When quizzed about the travel business, my usual retort is “If you want to travel as if you had a lot of money, it’s great.  If you want to actually earn a lot of money, not so much.”  But enough self-indulgent whining.  Truth is, if the trade-off were not acceptable, none of us would not be doing this for a living.  And hey, when I am working as a greeter at Wal-Mart at age ninety-four, I will have incredible memories!

A few weeks back I was invited by Funjet Vacations to participate in a five day, four night stay at the Sandals Grand Riviera Beach and Villa Golf Resort in Ocho Rios, Jamaica.  One nice thing about going to a sun and fun resort, it makes packing relatively simple.  On the whole, I was pleased with the selection of clothing items I brought along with one exception.  Apparently, if you are going to go to Sandals, male or female, you must bring a pair of nice sandals.   I am pretty sure that I was the only dweeb in the entire resort who did not get the memo.

I consider myself a reasonably natty dresser but I am obviously way behind the trend in male sandals.  Note to self:  Before your next reward trip (coming up in December), scrape together a few shekels and invest in a pair of nice leather sandals.  For you fashion aficionados out there, here is a note for you.  If I am so far behind the trend that male sandals are actually now on the way out, please keep that bit of knowledge to yourself.  Once I pony up for a pair, I will be wearing them until the leather looks like Keith Richards’ face under strobe lights.

For those of you who tune in to this blog hoping to actually get a little travel insight now and again and not just my fascinating personal peccadilloes, here is my impression of the resort.

Their website describes it as a “sprawling paradise” and that is pretty accurate.  The resort consists of a series of villas spread over an entire verdant hillside but the “sprawling” part presents no obstacle thanks to the ubiquitous jitneys always flitting around.

If you are a golfer, you can play as many rounds as you like without green fees at Sandals Golf and Country Club about half-an-hour away.  (There are caddy and cart fees).  Shuttles run regularly to the course.  The property has had a recent $60 million dollar upgrade and is in beautiful condition.  The Ochi Beach Club with its babbling brooks, fragrant gardens and a great stretch of beach offers the perfect way to spend your day.

I can promise you that you will never be bored.  Take a look at the activities page here for a truly amazing selection of options.  If you want to really pamper yourself, book a private cabana where your whims will be catered to by your cabana concierge!  Then further indulge yourself at the Red Lane Spa.

A final word: if you prefer smaller, quieter and more upscale, check out the Sandals Royal Plantation just down the road.  I had a great private dinner there sitting at the same table frequented by Winston Churchill.

GrupoHabita: Chic, Unique, Boutique (2)

Last post, you may recall, we began a little trek across Mexico City by private car with our first two stops along the way the Downtown Mexico hotel and the Habita hotel.  I pointed out that the Downtown is in the epicenter of the action (perfect for those who crave excitement) and Habita is in the heart of the haut monde (ideal for inveterate people watchers.)

Today we complete our tour with two more sparkling gems in the GrupoHabita collection. I realize nearly a week has elapsed but hey, I did warn you, Mexico City traffic can be brutal.  I don’t know about you but I thought we would never get around that turnip truck!  The consolation, if you need one, is that these last two hotels are well worth the wait.

The two-fold attraction of the Condesa df hotel is its quiet, tree lined setting and its classic charm.  As to the setting, it is situated across from Parque España in what might be described as a hip, Bohemian section of Mexico City.  It is relatively close the airport and very near to the Bellas Artes Palace, the Anthropology Museum and Chapultepec Castle.   A piece of quick trivia.  My avatar, which I use for this blog, was taken from the ramparts of Chapultepec Castle with Mexico City in the background.

As you see from this picture to the right, the exterior has a unique triangular shape reminiscent of the Flatiron building at 23rd and Broadway in New York City.   (Ask me about the origin of the expression “23 Skidoo” in a comment on this post, and I will share another interesting bit of trivia in my answer.  Consider it a free bonus!)  The building is done in 20th century French neoclassical style and exudes warmth and hospitality.

The most striking feature of the hotel is the interior courtyard hosting a restaurant and bar where you can enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner.  Were I to book a stay there, I picture myself relaxing often on The Terrace which overlooks the tranquil neighborhood while sampling their specialty of succulent sushi.

You might want to take a moment and peruse Trip Advisor where you will find mostly positive comments and a few I would even call glowing.  After viewing the property, I am not at all surprised that so many reviewers were on their sixth or seventh stay.  If I were going on vacation in Mexico City, this might well be my selection.

Our final stop will be at the truly unique Distrito Capital, my own humble abode during the F.I.T.A. event I wrote about previously.  The hotel shares a high-rise building with office tenants on most floors and, on the ground floor, various retail businesses. This hotel is located in the Santa Fe area of Mexico City which is where many international and domestic corporations are based.  It is very much a business hub for the city.

The lobby is on the fifth floor and the rooms are on 25-28.  The lobby, bar, pool area and small meeting room are all on the fifth floor.  Here is a series of pictures to give you a sense of how contemporary and funky (in the best sense of that term) their public space really is.

     

          

I could not have been more pleased with my stay.  I found the accommodations quite comfortable and the food very well prepared.  The staff could not have been more accommodating.  A special shout out to Nicolle Lekare and Rafael Micha Smeke who both went out of their way to see that my requests were promptly fulfilled.

If you have marked Mexico City off your list of must see destinations, for whatever reason, I strongly encourage you to add it back.  This is simple too magnificent a world class city not to experience at least once.  Whatever your purpose in coming and regardless of your tastes and inclinations, I am certain that one of the four GrupoHabita properties I have shared with you will fit the bill.

Take a moment and let me know in the poll below which hotel strikes your fancy.

GrupoHabita Hotels – Chic, Unique, Boutique

I recently returned from five days in Mexico City attending F.I.T.A., the International Travel Fair of the Americas.  Since I was there on business and could not fully indulge my tourist yearnings, just driving around the city reminded me what a wonderful destination Mexico City really is.

I know, I know.  The mere mention of the city in some quarters prompts an immediate outbreak of hives.  Since this post, and the one following, are devoted to presenting a very unique chain of boutique hotels, I can’t spare the space here to disabuse you of any exaggerated concerns you may harbor.  I refer you instead to a previous post called Mexico Maligned that addresses my views on the important subject of security.

During my visit I was assigned (as a hosted guest) to a hotel in the Santa Fe sector of Mexico City near the Bancomer Convention Center where the event was held.   Only after talking to other participants spread among several perfectly acceptable hotels did I come to realize how fortunate I was to have landed at the Distrito Capital.   As the title of this post indicates, Distrito Capital belongs to a chain called GrupoHabita with twelve hotels spread across Mexico and even one more in New York City.  I understand there are a couple more hotels on the near horizon.

On my one free afternoon, I booked a private car and visited all four of their hotels situated in Mexico City.  In this post and the next, I will share a brief, general impression of each of them.   The old saw in real estate is that the three most important things are location, location and location.  In terms of deciding which of these hotels might suit your proclivities, location in a city the size of Mexico City is surely a critical element yet not the only consideration.  With four hotels so distinct, at least some weight should be given to style.

Let’s take a brief jaunt, sans the infamous Mexico City traffic, and find out which hotel is perfect for your next visit to Mexico City.

Are you the type of person that loves to be in the geometric center of things?  Would you like to take two steps out your front door and be engulfed by the glory that is Mexico City?  If that describes you, you need look no further.  This is one hotel whose name says it all.

When you enter off the street, you pass through a bustling restaurant and ascend this striking staircase pictured to the right.  Downtown is located in a magnificent 17th century building and is one of the oldest extant former residences in the city.  Because the hotel shares space in the edifice with several other bars and restaurants, you may be a little confused as to where this 17 room hotel ends and other venues begin.

The hotel sports a charming rooftop terrace and bar which offer a sweeping view of the busy street below.  There is even a small swimming pool on the roof.  This hotel just opened in August under the capable leadership of the fresh-faced general manager, Adalberto Reiter.   He may look like an urchin just pulled in off the street, dusted off and dressed up in a suit and tie but he actually has a few years of experience under his belt in satisfying demanding clients.

If the previous hotel was suited for those who want to be in the center of vibrant activity, the Habita Hotel is perfect for those who want to be in the heart of fashionable elegance.  This hotel is situated in Polanco district, known for trendy restaurants and chic shopping.  If your definition of a great vacation is to “shop ’til you drop” and “dine ’til you pop”, this is the perfect home away from home when visiting Mexico City.

One of the most unique features of the hotel is a split level terrace.  The pool and deck pictured here are on the 5th floor and if you climb the short spiral staircase to the left of this picture, you will find yourself on the 6th floor open air terrace and bar.  The 12 foot long fireplace will take the edge off the cool night air as you sample their wide selection of tapas and libations.

This hotel is one of Mexico City’s most popular showcases for various social events and it would be an unusual stay if you did not get a chance to rub shoulders with some of Mexico City’s glitterati.  As an added bonus, with just 36 rooms, you are unlikely to get lost stumbling back to your room after an evening of rooftop revelry with the haut monde!

Check back and next time I will take you on an armchair site inspection of Condesa df and Distrito Capital.

Rosewood San Miguel: A Jewel Perfectly Set

A heartfelt confession always makes a good beginning.  Here is mine. My knowledge of gemstones and fine jewelry ranks right up there with my familiarity with the finer points of cold fusion, which is to say, it’s within a gnat’s breath of being nonexistent.    But even someone as gauche and unsophisticated as your humble blogger knows this much:  choosing the proper setting for a stone is crucial to the design of all fine jewelry.  This observation brings me to the third precious stone in the incomparable Rosewood Mexico tiara.  (If you are a new arrival to this space, it might bore you, oops, I meant to say behoove you to take a moment and read the two previous posts.  Otherwise, the poll at the end might prove a bit challenging!)

To ask which resort among the three is preeminent is a little like asking, “Which is more important, breathing in or breathing out?”.   A rather tough choice I think we all agree.  All three properties are magnificent and project their own matchless radiance.  Were I forced to choose among them under threat of having to spend eternity in a dingy one-star hotel with neither a spa nor room service (I suddenly feel a cold shiver running down my spine), I suppose I would have to choose the Rosewood in San Miguel de Allende.  The reason relates to my opening paragraph, i.e., the setting.

For those not familiar with San Miguel de Allende, a veritable mecca for the mentally fatigued, you have no idea what you are missing.  To fully grasp just how impoverished  your life has been . . . a life which you had hitherto naively assumed was rich and meaningful . . . ,  I am afraid you will just have to keep reading this blog.   The reason being, in the not too distant future I intend to draw upon my highly underrated and, as yet, cruelly unrewarded writing prowess to paint a Monet-esque picture of  this magical place.   I know, your heart is all a pitter.  Patience, dear reader. Coming soon.

Meanwhile,  you must content yourself with a description of the resort itself.  Naturally, you are going to want to spend a great deal of your time exploring this “enchanting artists’ village nestled in the mountains north of Mexico City”.  All the more so, I’m sure, after you read my upcoming post.

1826 Restaurant

Yet it would be a huge mistake not to carve out significant time during your stay to absorb the atmosphere of the resort’s many charming venues.   The “fine” in fine dining begins with the ambiance when you enter a restaurant.  The 1826 Restaurant is bathed in old world elegance.  The name of both the restaurant and the bar across the hall commemorates the year the town adopted the name of San Miguel de Allende in honor of Ignacio de Allende, the hero of Mexican independence.  The restaurant features an open artisan kitchen and offers the choice of dining indoors or al fresco on the patio amid the vibrant gardens. Another incredible dining option is the Luna Rooftop Tapas Bar.   As a regular reader, you have likely noticed my palpable love of both lowbrow humor and tortured puns and therefore might be bracing yourself for me to make a crude play on the bar’s name.  I shall surprise both you and me by letting the opportunity pass without comment.   Goodness, I suddenly feel abnormally mature.

The climate of San Miguel is very temperate year round which lends itself to spending countless hours on the Luna Rooftop.  You will find it the ideal setting for gazing out across the sprawling village below and thinking fondly about your smug brother-in-law back home, the one who warned you against  going to Mexico, grilling bratwurst in his backyard surrounded by his little screeching, sawed-off savages while navigating nasty love notes delivered indiscriminately around the yard by the family dog.

Ah, life is good at the Rosewood!

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