Travel Horizons: Belmond

Showing posts with label Belmond. Show all posts

11.12.2019

a Grand Tour of Europe with Belmond

If you're traveling to Europe in 2020, Belmond's Grand Tour is probably the best combination of luxury and value that you can find. Here are three reasons why this is the promotion to go for...

(1) A selection of the world's finest hotels ...

in Italy

Belmond Hotel Cipriani (Venice)
Belmond Villa San Michele (Florence)
Belmond Hotel Splendido and Splendido Mare (Portofino)
Belmond Castello di Casole (Tuscany)
Belmond Hotel Caruso (Ravello)
Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo and Villa Sant'Andrea (Sicily)

on Mallorca

Belmond La Residencia (Mallorca)

on Madeira

Belmond Reid's Palace (Madeira)

(2) Seven nights at a flat rate

Low Season (March & April; October to January)

7 nights in a room — 4774€
7 nights in a Junior Suite — 8008€

High Season (May to September)

7 nights in a room — 6699€
7 nights in a Junior Suite — 11,704€

Extra nights are available at a pro-rated price.

(3) Full American Breakfast included daily. You'll receive the Virtuoso amenities and be blocked in the best available room on arrival.

P.S. — I've stayed at La Residencia in Mallorca, an absolutely gorgeous resort (click to read my article) ... and at the iconic Cipriani in Venice where you can wander the winding streets of Venice by day, then escape the crowds to your own private island each night.

Fine print: At least two Belmond properties must be booked, but stays can be non-consecutive within 45 days of first arrival. No deposit required; payment made at check-out. Cancellations within 14 days incur a 50% penalty, within 7 days a 100% penalty; travel insurance is highly recommended. Blackout dates ... Splendido, Caruso, La Residencia - not available July and August. Cipriani - not available June and September. Reid's Palace and Timeo - not available 28DEC-1JAN.

copyright (c) 2019 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

3.28.2018

the magic of Belmond

Every time I stay at a Belmond hotel or resort, I feel blessed to be at such a special place. My Belmond stays include Charleston Place, Bora Bora Lagoon (before its sad destruction in a cyclone), Maroma Resort on the Mexican Riviera Maya, Jimbaran Puri in Bali, the Cipriani in Venice, La Residencia in Mallorca, the Governor's Residence in Yangon, and now El Encanto in Santa Barbara. I've also seen La Residence d'Angkor in Siem Reap and Hotel Caruso in Ravello.

Belmond has an unique philosophy — it does not build hotels. Belmond purchases historical properties that reflect a very strong sense of place ... and restores those hotels to a state of five-star luxury wonderfulness. I recently enjoyed one day at the Belmond Governor's Residence in Yangon, and you can read and see about that visit in my Facebook post.

I've just finished a three-night stay at El Encanto. Unlike the other luxury options in Santa Barbara, this is definitely a boutique resort. The views are phenomenal. The weather has been perfect. I felt the water in the swimming pool — heated to 85º year round — and although I didn't have time to get in, this is the perfect temperature for someone, like myself, who doesn't like the shock of cold water. I had a great spa treatment yesterday afternoon. I enjoyed a trolly tour of Santa Barbara, and our group enjoyed dining both at the resort and in two excellent Santa Barbara restaurants.

Santa Barbara is close to Central California's Wine Country. Yesterday morning, we visited the incredibly cute little town of Los Olivos, enjoyed an excellent lunch at the Wine Merchant Cafe, and spent an hour wine tasting and shopping.

There are three great resort options in Santa Barbara. If you want a full-featured luxury resort by the beach, you have the wonderful options of Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton. If you prefer a very personable, small boutique resort in the hills, I would not hesitate to recommend El Encanto ... and I just loved the Deluxe Premier bungalow in which I stayed (#1701), a freestanding adobe style bungalow with a large bedroom with fireplace and a perfect bathroom.

copyright (c) 2018 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit our website.

3.26.2018

sunrise at Belmond El Encanto

Sometimes a blog post requires no words, and this is one of those posts. I woke up at 6 a.m. so that I could capture the sunrise. This photograph was taken on the terrace behind Belmond El Encanto, about 500 feet above the blue waters of the Pacific. Today begins with a cloudless, brilliant blue sky. Those are silhouetted eucalyptus trees. On our schedule: a trolley tour of downtown Santa Barbara and a whale watching cruise.

8.31.2017

Aman Venice | stay in a baroque palazzo

Aman Venice Grand Canal

Venice is a city like none other — no cars, no traffic lights, and no modern high-rises! The canals serve as streets, and visitors get from place to place either on foot or by boat whether it be a vaporetto (like a public bus), water taxi (private boat), or gondola (the most romantic way to get from point A to point B).

Where to stay? I did site inspections five years ago and came away with my own very distinct impressions. Ca Sagrado is an authentic palazzo near the Rialto Bridge converted into a hotel with a real sense of place. Luna Baglioni, a true five star hotel right around the corner from the Piazza San Marco, feels both Venetian yet updated. Belmond's Cipriani is a resort where the jet set can escape the paparazzi; a five minute complimentary boat ride from San Marco (available 24/7), spend the day exploring Venice, then escape in the afternoon to a secluded island resort with its large swimming pool.

But for a real WOW, there's the Aman Venice Grand Canal. It was not open when I visited in 2012, but Aman has created a city hotel that transcends the ordinary. Once the palazzo (palace) of the Papadopoli family, the hotel is a meticulously restored monument of golden stuccos and previous frescoes. Virtuoso guests receive complimentary daily breakfasts and a complimentary lunch during their stay.

A must if you're an Amanjunkie — and if you're not, perhaps a stay at Aman Venice is the best way to experience the luxury and serenity of Aman for the first time.

copyright (c) 2017 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

8.25.2017

Amansara | exploring the temples of Siem Reap

Amanresorts prides itself on special connections to the history and community of their settings. I want to devote a series of blog articles to several iconic Aman properties. Amanjunkies already know about Aman's elegant and spacious guest rooms and incredibly personalized service. Perhaps these articles will tempt you to try Aman!

Amansara in Siem Reap, Cambodia was originally the guest house of King Sihanouk of Cambodia where his royal guests stayed. Aman has turned it into a resort with just 24 suites and pool suites. The guest experience includes daily temples tours and cultural walks with English speaking guides. Here are the highlights of the area...

Angkor Wat is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. A large temple complex constructed in the 12th century, its stone walls are adorned with carvings. The scale of the temple complex is immense, its outer wall being 2.2 miles in length. Come in the early morning to avoid the crowds and the heat of the day.

Angkor Thom is equally fascinating. A fortified city 4 km north of Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom is surrounded by a moat. The walkway over the moat is lined with the mythic statues pictured above. This photograph was my favorite take-away from my 2007 visit to Siem Reap.

Ta Prohm Temple, found 5 km east of Angkor Thom, is in ruins. I have vivid memories of the trees growing out of the temple ruins.

Amansara is the ultra-luxe option in Siem Reap, and the Virtuoso amenities include an upgrade to a Pool Suite if available, daily breakfast, and a 60 minute massage per room. Virtuoso guests have the choice of three other luxury options — Belmond Residence d'Angkor, Park Hyatt Siem Reap, and Raffles Le Royal, each with exclusive Virtuoso amenities.

copyright (c) 2017 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

6.25.2017

so much better than booking.com ...

booking.com quote for Le Meurice as of 2:50 p.m. PDT, June 25, 2017

Rick Steves posted a Facebook article yesterday in which he offered his alternative to making hotel bookings through online wholesalers like booking.com and expedia.com. Hotels have to pay a 20-25% commission to OTA's (online travel agencies) in return for having their rooms available online. He advises travelers to contact hotels directly and negotiate:

Those who book direct through a hotel’s website (and not through the booking agency site, thus saving the hotel about 20 percent) can be offered a free breakfast or free upgrade. Or, simply don’t book “online.” Just book by direct email or phone, in which case, hotels are free to give you whatever price they like (usually able to split the difference: charging 10 percent less and making 10 percent more).

You don't need this hassle! Over 1250 luxury hotels around the world already offer an even richer set of value-added amenities through Virtuoso, the world's leading consortium of luxury travel advisors, hotels, cruise lines, and tour companies. And we can often do even better than Virtuoso, thanks to our relationship with all the leading hotel companies in the world — Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, Dorchester Collection, Rosewood, Belmond, Peninsula, etc.

Free breakfast is already negotiated, as is an upgrade upon availability (sometimes guaranteed at booking), as is an extra amenity valued at $100, as is free WiFi... and we'll even contact the hotel to VIP your stay.

We can do so much better than booking.com for luxury hotel bookings. Say you want to spend the evening of August 4 at Le Meurice, one of my very favorite hotels in the world.

Booking.com offers the "jackpot deal" seen at the top of this article: Double Room — $963 without breakfast, $1028 with breakfast

Here's what's available to me right now as a Dorchester Diamond Club agent: I can book a Classic Room at 760€ = $850. As a Diamond Club booking, my clients receive a guaranteed upgrade at booking to a Superior Room. And there's more! You get ...

a 100€ hotel credit that can come right off your bill, so you pay 660€ = $739 with breakfast.
a full breakfast, in any venue including in-room dining, literally anything on the menu except caviar and alcohol. Tax and gratuity are included.
full premium internet access for unlimited devices.

Assuming you'll want to have breakfast at the Alain Ducasse restaurant at Le Meurice, you save $289, get personal recognition as a Diamond Club guest, get free internet, and order anything off the breakfast menu, service included!

5.18.2017

Belmond | double hotel credits

Planning a stay in a Belmond hotel? For new, 3+ day bookings made from now until July 15, 2017 (with travel completed before August 31st), enjoy a double hotel credit. This means, you'll get the added value of...

$180 hotel credit (food, beverage, spa) for room bookings (normally $90)
$400 hotel credit (food, beverage, or spa) for Suite bookings (normally $200)

There's nothing for you to join. As Bellini Club luxury travel advisors, our clients will receive the double credit along with full set of Bellini Club amenities with every booking:

Buffet or full breakfast for 2 daily
VIP welcome treats with a local taste
Complimentary upgrade based on availability at time of check-in
Complimentary WI-FI access

There's something quite special about Belmond hotels and resorts. The company does not build new hotels; they acquire iconic hotels with character — the Cipriani in Venice, La Residencia in Mallorca, Villa San Michele in Florence, and Charleston Place in Charleston, SC (among others). Every Belmond hotel with the exception of Grand Hotel Europe in St. Petersburg is participating in the double hotel credit program.

What about Belmond trains and cruises? Enjoy a complimentary one-way airport transfer when booking through a Bellini Club travel advisor.

Terms and Conditions
Valid for new bookings only, made between 10 May - 15 July 2017
Valid for travel completed before 31 August 2017
Valid for bookings at selected hotels, trains and cruises — direct hotel bookings made at the BC rate (= the BAR rate) and train/cruise bookings made at the official published rates.
For hotels, offer is only applicable for bookings with a minimum length of stay of 3 nights
Premium Bellini Club amenities apply (rather than consortia amenities)
Advance reservations required, offers subject to availability, blackout dates may apply
Terms and conditions are subject to change

5.05.2017

Belmond La Residencia | total WOW resort

Everything about Belmond La Residencia is a wow. First, its location in the artists village of Deià overlooking the north shore of Mallorca. An hour from Palma, the village's seclusion markedly lessens the influx of tourists. You can walk through the small town, visit studios of its artists (which we'll be doing tomorrow morning), and browse in the small shops.

The welcome was warm and featured the fresh lemonade pictured above — quite tart and a perfect way to welcome guests on a sunny and hot afternoon. But beyond the graciousness of our hosts. La Residencia is simply a beautiful place. Formerly the Mallorcan estate of Richard Branson, it was purchased by Belmond and has been developed into a world-class resort.

Buildings are constructed of hand-cut white stone, typical of Mallorcan architecture. My suite is extremely spacious and splashed with light. The living room has no less than five large windows, with one set of French doors leading to a private balcony and the other with a Juliet balcony overlooking the hills. Beautifully furnished in the Spanish style, walls are whitewashed plaster, the ceiling has exposed wooden beams, floors are cool terra cotta tile, and the bathroom has a soaking tub, step-in shower, single vanity, and WC.

One of the finest resorts I've ever stayed in, our guests enjoy Virtuoso and Bellini Club amenities.

8.17.2016

Virtuoso Week top ten | Belmond Cadogan

Belmond Cadogan Hotel, London

This is #2 of Ourisman Travel's top ten takeaways from Virtuoso Travel Week.

Belmond is opening a boutique hotel in London. Scheduled to open its doors in 2017, this storied hotel company is undertaking a $48 million renovation of an 1887 Queen Anne style building. With just 54 rooms and suites, I'm anticipating something very special — a must-see for my next visit to London.

Already a member of Virtuoso through its participation in the Virtuoso Preview program, amenities have not yet been announced... but these are the standard Bellini Club amenities:

Buffet or full breakfast for 2 daily
Complimentary upgrade based on availability at check-in
Complimentary Wi-Fi access
$90 hotel credit per stay for a room booking
$200 hotel credit per stay for a suite booking

Convenient location for shopping at Harrods or visiting the Victoria and Albert Museum.

copyright (c) 2016 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

8.31.2015

#VirtuosoWeek top ten | Langham Sydney

This is number seven of my "top ten list" from Virtuoso Week.

Remember the Observatory Hotel, the former Orient Express (Belmond) hotel in Sydney? After Belmond sold the property, it came under Langham management and was renovated in 2014. While Sydney has a number of great hotel choices, The Langham should be your choice if you're looking for a boutique hotel with a residential feel.

Most of the Sydney hotels are large — Four Seasons has 531 rooms, Shangri La has 563, InterContinental has 509, all extremely large by Virtuoso standards. It's difficult to provide personalized luxury service in a large hotel with half a thousand guest rooms..

The shining jewel of Sydney Harbor is the Park Hyatt, with a manageable 155 rooms and a stunning direct view of the Opera House from the best rooms in the House. For guests with the budget to afford the best view in Sydney, go for the Park Hyatt.

But if you'd prefer to be just a short walk away from the action on Argyle Street in a quieter, residential neighborhood whose cobblestone streets are lined with restaurants, go for the Langham Sydney. Priced midway between the Four Seasons and the Park Hyatt, Virtuoso guests enjoy great value with a daily buffet breakfast for two, upgrade if available, and one Afternoon Tea for two in the Palm Court.

copyright (c) 2015 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

4.25.2015

when is a Ritz not a Ritz?

rotunda of the Ritz London

This column is inspired by yesterday's announcement that Four Seasons will cease management of the Ritz-Carlton Chicago effective July 31st. On that date, Ritz-Carlton Chicago will become a Ritz-Carlton. Did you know that there are currently five (5) Ritz properties that are not managed by the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. They are:

Ritz Paris — one of my favorite hotels anywhere (I've stayed twice), the Ritz Paris has an enviable location right on the place Vendome. In the heart of Paris's 1st arrondissement, it's easy walking distance to anywhere in the center of Paris and is steps away from high-end shopping opportunities. The Ritz is in the midst of a quarter billion euro renovation. Expected to reopen by the end of 2015, I definitely want to visit when it reopens.

Ritz London — a very British hotel right on Piccadilly and on the northeast corner of Green Park (Buckingham Palace is on the opposite southwest corner, I enjoyed my 2009 stay at the Ritz. Come for the Afternoon Tea, and enjoy your stay in a very reasonably priced, traditional London hotel. Deluxe rooms and above, request a room on a high floor with lots of natural light, and for a real WOW, book a 1BR Deluxe Suites overlooking Green Park.

Ritz Lisbon — a Four Seasons hotel in the heart of Lisbon, Portugal, I enjoyed my stay here in 2009. A tip: it's relatively easy to score a room upgrade into a Deluxe room here. Just book through a Four Seasons Preferred Partner travel consultant for priority status on the upgrade list ... as well as enjoy a rich set of FSPP amenities. Email me for full details on FSPP amenities at over 90 FS hotels worldwide.

Ritz Madrid — the Ritz Madrid is owned by Belmond (formerly known as Orient Express), and it's located in central Madrid next door to the Prado Museum. The Ritz is an older, traditional elegant hotel with great service. While I had to wait in line for concierge service at the Westin Place across the circle, two concierges approached me as soon as I walked up the Concierge desk at the Ritz.

Ritz-Carlton Chicago — still a Four Seasons Hotel (until July 31st), I can provide you with Four Seasons Preferred Partner amenities up until then ... and Ritz-Carlton STARS amenities afterwards (which include a complimentary daily breakfast for two, free internet, and more). I expect the hotel will remain a member of Virtuoso after the Ritz-Carlton take-over.

I can provide added-value amenities at each of the above hotels, including complimentary daily breakfast for two, upgrades if available, and extra amenities that differ by property. Contact me for full details!

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