clients choice awards — top five

Hualalai beach tree at sunset (c) 2019 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

Travel magazines such as Conde Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure post annual Readers Choice rankings of the best hotels in the world. I don't know the magazines' methodology, but their results are sometimes laughable ... such as the time a "nice enough" luxury hotel just off Times Square won the designation of Best Hotel in the World.

I'll be totally transparent about my methodology. Though I'm semi-retired, I do continue to work with a select group of Ourisman Travel clients. These are their top five choices ranked in order of the volume of sales to these hotels and resorts.

#1 — Four Seasons Hualalai. My personal favorite resort in Hawaii, Hualalai is the top resort in the world of all Ourisman Travel clients. Hualalai is the antithesis of the "big concrete box by the beach" that so many beach resorts tend to be. Luxurious and newly renovated guest rooms are located in detached two-story buildings arrayed along four beachfront crescents and around the green of the 18th hole of the golf course. I love Hualalai for its casual luxury. Guests enjoy great food while dining right by the beach where flip-flops are perfectly fine for that "sand between your toes" experience even at dinner. Click here for my slide show explaining the crescents of Hualalai.

#2 — Dorado Beach, Ritz-Carlton Reserve. My personal favorite resort in the Caribbean, I actually vacationed here as a teenager back in the 1960's when Dorado Beach was a part of Rockresorts. Like Hualalai, Dorado Beach is not a "big concrete box by the beach." Guest rooms are found in detached two story buildings, each with a direct ocean view and some with private plunge pools. West Beach rooms step out right onto the beach while East Beach rooms feature the sound of the waves crashing up against the beach rocks... what a restful sound when going to sleep. The beach is great ... soft, white sand and swimmable ocean water.

#3 — Four Seasons Maui. If you catch the trend, beach resorts are tops on our list ... and Hawaii is our clients' favorite destination. Maui was Four Seasons' first resort — set on a wide, sandy, swimmable beach with snorkeling — and it continues to be a popular draw attracting a trendy, cosmopolitan set of guests. High end shopping is available nearby at The Shops at Wailea. The biggest difference: while guests dine by the beach at Hualalai wearing flip-flops, many guests at Maui arrive for dinner with the ladies fashionably dressed and sporting high heels.

#4 — Le Meurice, Paris. The trend continues — I sell what I love — and Le Meurice is my favorite hotel in my favorite city in world. Paris has the world's greatest collection of "over-the-top" luxury hotels, but Le Meurice is not about being "over the top." The smallest palace hotel in Paris, Le Meurice exudes a warm, personable, and comfortable luxury while offering the best possible location in Paris, especially for first-time visitors. Step out the front door, cross rue de Rivoli, and you're in the Jardin des Tuilleries, the beautiful formal gardens in the very heart of Paris. Walk across the gardens, and you'll be at the Musée d'Orsay in 10 minutes. Or turn to the left, and you're just 10 minutes from the Louvre. Le Meurice, ideal for first-time visitors, its guests keep coming back, y compris moi.

#5 — Peninsula Tokyo. Japan has become the hot travel destination for 2019 and 2020. The 2020 Olympic Games have shined the world's focus on Japan, and I recommend booking a customized land tour or a cruise that circumnavigates this island nation. You'll want to begin or end your trip in Tokyo, and of all the great luxury hotels in Tokyo, my clients have most often booked The Peninsula. Why? Perhaps it's due to the hotel's location next to the Imperial Gardens, or because of its thoughtfully designed guest rooms (with such features as nail polish dryers in the bathroom), or even because my PEN Club clients benefit from totally flexible check-in and check-out times.

I can offer the following amenities at all of the above hotels through Virtuoso, Four Seasons Preferred Partner, STARS, Diamond Club, and PEN Club. While the details differ slightly by property, you'll receive at least the following at each of these top five hotels:

• daily breakfast for two
• $100 hotel credit towards incidental expenses
• room upgrade if available
• early check-in and late check-out if available
• complimentary internet

In some cases, the credit is more, the room upgrade is confirmed at booking, and the early check-in is guaranteed. Get in touch for the full details!

My next column will take a look at #6-#10 on my list.

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.

Dorado Beach | reopening October 1st

Dorado Beach, a Ritz Carlton Reserve, closed for repairs due to the two hurricanes that ravaged Puerto Rico last year, has announced its reopening. The resort took the opportunity to make their world-class luxury beach resort even more beautiful.

Every room and suite is beachfront, and the results of the renovation look stunning — clean, light, and tasteful rooms look out to the sea. West Beach rooms step directly onto the beach. Ocean waves on the East Beach side crash directly onto the beach rocks on the shoreline ... providing soothing sounds all night long, especially if you like to sleep with the sliding doors open.

One of my favorite beach resorts in the world, Dorado Beach offers valuable Virtuoso amenities including complimentary daily breakfast for two, a resort credit, and more. In celebration of their reopening, benefit from an exclusive Rediscover Dorado promotion — just $499 per night during the month of October, 2018. Or book a guest room for three nights just before Festive Season, December 16 through December 22 and receive a $1000 one-time resort credit. Click here to request more information.

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 my website.

Dorado Beach to reopen October 1st

sunset at Dorado Beach (c) 2015 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

Dorado Beach, a Ritz Carlton Reserve, closed in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, has announced that it will reopen on October 1, 2018. This is good news, although the overall repair and restoration efforts on Puerto Rico have been depressingly slow, especially in rural parts of the island.

Tourism is one of the best ways to support the Puerto Rico's recovering economy, so I bring this to my readers' attention. Dorado Beach is one of the very top beach resorts I have ever visited. It boasts a great beach and large, luxurious rooms that can comfortably accommodate your family beach vacation.

If you're looking for a place to vacation this Festive Season (December 23 through December 31), Dorado Beach has availability. There's just an 8-night minimum for stays arriving on December 24 or later. December 23 arrivals have a 9-night minimum. By booking with us, or through any Virtuoso travel advisor, you'll receive added the following added-value amenities worth hundreds of dollars over your Christmas or New Years vacation.

• Daily full breakfast for up to two in-room guests in Mi Casa
• $150 resort credit toward incidental expenses
• Upgrade on arrival if available
• Early check-in and late check-out if available
• Complimentary Wi-Fi

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 my website.

holiday travel | how do you choose your flights?

early morning guest at Andaz Maui (c) 2016 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

It's getting cold out there! Today's forecast high in Chicago is only 20º, while vacationers in Maui will enjoy sun, sand, and 80º highs ... and travelers to Puerto Rico will have it even warmer with a high of 85º. 

You want to go, but how will you get there? A recent survey asked holiday travelers how they made their decision on which flight to book. Their answers were not unexpected. 38% chose the cheapest price. 26% considered the most convenient times to depart and arrive. 17% chose the flight fewest number of stops. 10% booked their favorite airline. 5% were able to use miles for their flights.

Another way of looking at these data — 62% of travelers realized that price is not the most important consideration. The logic of internet shopping is that cheapest is best, but that's frequently not the case. Consider the following scenarios:

What if saving $20 per ticket meant you'd arrive late at night instead of midday? Isn't it worth $20 to spend your first afternoon on the beach ... instead of the plane?

What if you could save $20 per ticket, but that meant connecting in two different cities and changing planes twice? Not only would this introduce the possibility of missed connections due to bad weather, it also increases the chances of lost or delayed luggage. Any of these pitfalls would ruin your first day.

Or, considering the latest trend, what if you booked the very cheapest fare, only to find out that you'd have to pay extra to put your bag in the overhead compartment on the airplane? Yes, I'm talking about you — Spirit Airlines and United "Basic".


Still want to get away this winter to someplace warm and sunny? There are so many beautiful possibilities! And if you've waited this long to plan a vacation between Christmas and New Years ... good news! There's still space available at two of my favorite resorts, Dorado Beach (Puerto Rico) and Four Seasons Oahu (Hawaii) — and we can get you value-added amenities including complimentary breakfast for two daily and a resort credit at either resort!

copyright (c) 2016 by Ourisman Travel 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.

sunset at Dorado Beach

Swim, rinse, repeat... 

A colleague had asked for advice about anything she shouldn't miss while at Dorado Beach, a Ritz Carlton Reserve. In reply, I sent her a picture of a sunset with these simple instructions: "Swim, rinse, repeat..."

There now in paradise, she just wrote back, "I now fully understand your Dorado Beach instructions."

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.

Dorado Beach, a Ritz Carlton Reserve | what to do

Positivo Sand Bar at Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve

I was asked today about my own personal suggestions for what to do while vacationing at Dorado Beach, a Ritz Carlton Reserve. The question brought back some fond memories of my stay a couple of years ago. Here's how I answered:

What to do at Dorado Beach...

1. Keep pinching yourself ... you really are in Paradise!

2. The spa is wonderful.

3. The ocean water is so warm! Get in the water, rinse, repeat.

4. Did I mention that the spa is wonderful?

A very simple list. Dorado Beach is a great summer vacation idea, especially with some outstanding promotions that are combinable with the Virtuoso and STARS amenities.

• Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
• Daily full breakfast, for up to two in room guests in Mi Casa by Jose Andres
• $150.00 Resort credit to be utilized during stay (not combinable, not valid on room rate, no cash value if not redeemed in full) 
• Early check-in/late check-out subject to availability

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.

it's starting to get cold | winter vacation plans

sunset at Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve

It's starting to get cold, with colder than usual temperatures cropping up across the country. Where will your winter vacation plans take you?

The tropics offer a respite from the cold of winter. Imagine walking the beach, riding the waves, relaxing with a good book on a new iPad Mini with retina screen (I'm hoping to grab one on Black Friday), or just sitting by the pool. Depending on where you live, you might choose Hawaii, Mexico, Costa Rica, or the Caribbean as your vacation destination.

The mountains take advantage of the cold, offering days filled with downhill skiing, followed by a treatments in the spa, and apres ski socializing. Some of North America's best ski destinations are Whistler, Vail, Jackson Hole, and Lake Tahoe.

You'll find luxury resorts both at the beach ... and on the slopes. Email your Virtuoso luxury travel consultant for ideas, recommendations, and advice, not to mention the added value of free daily breakfasts, room upgrades when available, and even food or spa credits (extra amenities are different at each resort).

copyright (c) 2013 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.

Puerto Rico | luxury beach resorts

Back from a four night stay in Puerto Rico, I wanted to share some quick thoughts on four luxury beach resorts at which I stayed or visited.



Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve. This is the view from my Pool Reserve room at Dorado Beach, a stunning new resort built literally on the footprints of the old Rockresort built in the 1950's. One of the most stunning beach resorts I've ever seen, guests rooms are spacious, beautiful, and leave nothing to be desired, especially the view. Every room is beachfront with floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open wide, inviting the sunshine and the sound of the crashing waves into your living space.

Loads of recreational opportunities: long protected beaches with the most divine tropical water, two swimming pools, three championship golf courses, tennis courts, the most relaxing spa, as well as an Ambassadors of the Environment program for children. Virtuoso guests also receive daily full breakfast for two, upgrade if available from a second floor Reserve room to a first floor Pool Reserve room, and a $150 resort credit for your stay.

Just opened six months, there are still a few service issues, but the resort is committed to training staff — or hiring new staff — to achieve the service levels that Ritz-Carlton guests have come to expect.

St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, like most St. Regis properties around the world, draws on a tradition of luxury in a grand style, featuring butler service for Suite guests. Its 139 rooms and suites are found in a number of two- and three-story buildings throughout the resort, and rooms and large and attractive, decorated with a Spanish colonial flair.

Pictured above is a beautiful statue posed in the reflecting pool in front of the entrance to the resort's lobby. Recreational activities include a golf course, tennis courts, extensive paths for hiking and biking, as well as a bird sanctuary on a secluded island that guests can visit by borrowing a kayak (complimentary). Virtuoso guests receive a daily full breakfast for two, upgrade if available, and a $100 resort credit to be used during their stay.




El Convento is in the heart of Old San Juan, an ideal place to stay for a brief pre-cruise or post-cruise visit to San Juan. Located in a former Carmelite Convent just across the street from San Juan's cathedral (the oldest in the Western hemisphere), guests can step out of the hotel and explore the colorful streets, shops, parks, and restaurants of the historic district of San Juan.

This is four-star hotel, named by Trip Advisor as the #1 hotel in San Juan, has small rooms and smaller bathrooms, but rates are extremely reasonable with a lot of value add-ons. Free WiFI, daily wine and cheese reception with eight varieties of wine, and Virtuoso amenities that include daily continental breakfast for two, upgrade if available, $25 spa credit, $75 lunch or dinner credit, and a $50 food and beverage credit for stays of three nights or more.




Consider the Ritz-Carlton San Juan for one of three reasons:

1. You have a late night flight arrival into, or an early morning flight out of the San Juan International Airport, or
2. You want a Caribbean beach vacation, at an easily reached destination, at a very reasonable price.
3. You're looking for a resort during Christmas - New Years but don't want to deal with 7-10 day minimum stays.

The resort has the look and feel of a traditional Ritz-Carlton, with economical City View rooms but also Balcony Ocean Front views that look directly over the wide beach that borders the hotel. A large central swimming pool is pictured above. Virtuoso amenities include daily full breakfast for two, an upgrade if available, and a $100 food and beverage credit.


You can get Virtuoso amenities at nearly 1,000 luxury hotels around the world just by using a Virtuoso travel consultant.

luxury beach resorts (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2013 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Dorado Beach | opening 12/12/12

The opening date for Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, has been announced — December 12, 2012. The resort is now taking Festive Season reservations, so get in touch ASAP in order to get your casita booked for this holiday season. (Website reservations probably won't go live until August).

I have the fondest memories of Dorado Beach, having vacationed there a couple of times over Christmas vacation when I was a teenager. The water was wonderfully warm, and it was a great place to meet other kids and play on the beach and in the surf. I even met Vice President Hubert Humphrey who was vacationing at Dorado Beach at the same time as my family.

For an even better deal at what will become one of the Caribbean's top resorts, book through any Ritz-Carlton STARS travel consultant for complimentary daily breakfasts and other VIP amenities.

Dorado Beach (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2012 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website. .

Ritz Carlton Dorado Beach | coming this December

Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve is aiming for a December 1, 2012 opening for the newly revitalized Dorado Beach Resort on the north shore of Puerto Rico. I have fond memories of the old Dorado Beach Hotel, as my dad took us there for two Christmas vacations back in the 1960's. (I'm dating myself). I remember the nice beach, the wonderfully warm sea water, comfortable and attractive guest rooms, and all the activities (dances on the beach, organized children's program, even one particularly lucky Bingo night at which my brothers and cousins seemed to have all the luck, winning several games).

But my most unique memory of Dorado Beach? Meeting Vice President-elect Hubert Humphrey face-to-face. This must have been after the 1964 elections but before the date of the inauguration in 1965. What a different world we lived in back then. A teenage boy could walk right up to the Vice-President elect and have a conversation, and nobody thought anything of it!

Originally a RockResort, this was a great vacation spot with 4 championship golf courses and an extensive tennis program as well. Ritz-Carlton has built a new and up-to-date resort right on the foundations of the original hotel. Every guest room is oceanfront! Dorado Beach is not yet taking reservations, but if you're looking for Festive Season accommodations for next winter, Dorado Beach is a place to consider.

As a Ritz-Carlton STARS agency, our guests will receive complimentary daily breakfasts and other exclusive amenities.


Dorado Beach (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2012 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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