travel souvenirs — part 3

We are still sheltering in place in Northern California. With foreign adventures off the table, I've been fondly recalling some of my favorite travel experiences over the past few years. Looking at souvenirs I've brought home has been a great a way to remember the many wonderful places I've been privileged to visit.

One afternoon, after lunch in Adelaide, Australia, we had time to look (and shop) at the arts and crafts exposition right by the restaurant. Thank you to Swain Destinations for arranging this stop on our 2016 trip. A leatherworker was on hand, making and selling kangaroo leather belts. I thought the belt shown above was quite attractive. He sized it exactly for my waist, and I've been wearing it ever since.

But the best souvenirs are always photographs that I take myself. I combine my best photos each year in a book of travel photography that I give family members for Christmas. On the cover of my 2019 book is a shot of the Sydney Opera House. We stayed at the Park Hyatt Sydney for this return trip. The hotel, located directly across the harbour from the Opera House, is the perfect place to stay if you want to go to the harbour at 5 a.m. to capture sunrise images.

I'd love to return to Australia for a third visit. Melbourne is high on the bucket list for my next trip.

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copyright (c) 2020 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.

three reasons NOT to book this online rate...

Online bookings can be a big mistake, and this article will highlight one of the pitfalls of using expedia, hotels.com, or other online wholesalers. This information is based on a mock booking at the beautiful Park Hyatt Sydney — a one-night stay on 14FEB for the lead-in room. The screenshot above is from expedia.com, and the rate is displayed in US dollars.

It would be a mistake to book this rate online. Here are three reasons why...


Reason One — expedia's rate is non-refundable

Take a careful look at the small print at the top center of the screenshot, just above "Free WiFi," you'll see the words Non-Refundable. Click on the question mark icon, you'll find this explanation.

Reason Two — expedia's explanation is deceptive

"This specially discounted rate?" Expedia seems to justify the non-refundable rate with the claim that they're somehow saving you money ... but they're NOT.

The Hyatt website shows a rate $983 with tax included. Hotel rates in Australia always include tax, but Expedia is hiding the room tax. You won't know about it unless you click the "price details" link. Or until you book the room and learn that your card has been charged a non-refundable $983. (By the way, the rate on hyatt.com is refundable.)

Reason Three — you're missing out on an even better value

For the same $983 USD, you can book the same room through your Virtuoso travel advisor, make no prepayment, have the freedom to cancel up to 48 hours before arrival, and receive additional Virtuoso amenities that will definitely save you money.

• Daily Full Breakfast for two per bedroom, served in The Dining Room
• One way airport transfer in BMW 7 Series (includes tolls)
• an upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
• Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability
• Complimentary Wi-Fi

Do you enjoy being your own travel agent and booking on the web? At least book through the Virtuoso website to score these amenities! This link will take you to the Park Hyatt Sydney page on Virtuoso.com. Fill in your dates, select a Virtuoso travel advisor, and take advantage of the best luxury value out there!

copyright (c) 2020 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.

where to stay in Sydney, Australia

reflections at the Park Hyatt Sydney (c) 2019 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

I have stayed at three different hotels during my various visits to Sydney, Australia. During the most recent visit (earlier this month), we spent three days ensconced at the beautiful Park Hyatt Sydney. We were fortunate to be upgraded to a Deluxe Opera room, really the size of a Junior Suite. Our room boasted a direct view of the iconic Sydney Opera House. Large and beautiful, it was decorated with the cool contemporary styling you'd expect of Park Hyatt. Ask for #343, located at the section of the building's curve with the best, dead-on view of the Opera House.

I'm partial to staying in or near The Rocks, the neighborhood of Sydney in which the first British settlers built their homes and businesses. As you can see in the picture to the left, Four Seasons Sydney is adjacent to The Rocks. I highly recommend booking a Premier Opera House room here, twice as large as Deluxe rooms for just a small premium in price. You'll love the panoramic views — the Sydney Harbour Bridge at your left and the Opera House on the right. If you visit during Vivid Sydney, you'll enjoy the colorful light show right from your room.

Highly recommended is the Langham Sydney, also located in the Rocks. The Langham features a more residential, less corporate feel. It is set on an historic street in the midst of dozens of original houses and shops. Its interior has recently been renovated, and guest rooms feature the largest King beds I've ever seen. While you will not have an opera house view from any of the rooms, I loved the sense of place and the pleasure of stepping out the front door into the most historic part of town.

Virtuoso and preferred partner amenities are available at each of these hotels — meaning you'll receive complimentary daily breakfasts for two, $100 credits, and room upgrades if they are available.

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.

Sydney Opera House | take the tour

Sydney Opera House at dawn (c) 2019 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

Sydney's Opera House is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that dominates the skyline of Sydney's harbour. Our Deluxe Harbour room at the Park Hyatt Sydney (# 343) directly faced this landmark, and we were able to enjoy this sight whenever we were in the room.

If you're into landscape photography, you'll want to venture outside your room to get shots like the one above. I set up my tripod about a half hour before sunrise. The morning was still and clear, and the surface of the harbor was smooth and reflective.

during our Opera House tour (c) 2019 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

You can get tickets for a tour of the Opera House. The number of visitors in each group is limited, so book online to get the day and time you want ... and a 10% discount. Tours last about one hour and run daily between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Our very interesting guide told the story of the competition that led to the building's unique design and the challenges encountered in actually building it.

Great opera house views can also be found from guest rooms at the Four Seasons Sydney and Shangri-La Sydney, and you can enjoy significant savings (complimentary breakfasts and hotel credits) by booking through a Hyatt Prive, Four Seasons Preferred Partner, or Shangri-La Luxury Circle travel advisor.

Australia | bucket list trip

Sydney Bridge & Opera House (c) 2019 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

Australia is a bucket list destination for me. I've been once already, traveling with a group of travel advisors. I enjoyed amazing experiences — viewing hundreds of marsupials at Wolgan Valley, a koala in a tree on Kangaroo Island, sailing under the Sydney Bridge during a private cruise of the harbour. While my travel colleagues were all busy drinking wine, I was in the stern of the boat snapping photos, including the one above, one of my favourite travel photos ever.

But the Great Barrier Reef was not on my previous itinerary. As it's a place my wife has always wanted to see ... when I was presented with the opportunity to spend three nights at Lizard Island, I grabbed the chance! Here's the trip I've put together:

Cairns, the Pullman Reef Hotel — We fly from SFO to SYD, then continue on to Cairns. We're spending a night at the Pullman Reef in a Junior Suite, hopefully the one with the view down Trinity Inlet toward The Pyramid and Bellenden Ker Range.

Lizard Island — One of two Virtuoso resorts on the Great Barrier Reef (the other being qualia) Lizard Island is an adults-only 40-villa resort. Guests have access to 24 private beaches with a motorised dingy provided for complimentary use, or book diving trips to nearby Cod Hole.

Silky Oaks Lodge — a luxury eco lodge high above the Mossman River set within the Daintree Rainforest. Guests enjoy one complimentary Rainforest hike during their stay, and there are opportunities to explore the Great Barrier Reef from Silky Oaks.

Longitude 131 — I've heard amazing things about this tented camp in the Australian outback. With just 15 luxury tents, guests at Longitude 131 enjoy seclusion as well as direct views of Uluru (Ayers Rock) from their tents. I'm looking forward to photography at dawn and sunset.

Bamarru Plains — Finishing up our "wilderness" time with a safari, Bamarru Plains is found near Darwin on the northern coast of Australia. This will be my first time in the Bush. Bamarru Plains has one of the largest crocodile populations in the world, and the annual migration of over one hundred thousand magpie geese is supposed to be amazing.

Park Hyatt Sydney — Last time in Australia, I stayed at the Four Seasons Sydney in a wonderful Premier room facing the Opera House. This time, I'm looking forward to ending our trip at the Park Hyatt Sydney. Practically under the Sydney Bridge, Opera rooms at the Park Hyatt directly face the famous Sydney Opera House. Nothing is better than a room with an iconic view!

Though my trip is more than 7 months away, much of the pleasure of travel is the anticipation that builds when looking forward to a trip.

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

sydney afterglow

Sydney Opera House (c) 2016 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

Still in the afterglow of my trip to Australia, and the picture above is my favorite memory from the trip. Our group enjoyed a private harbour cruise that included lunch. Towards the end of the trip, we passed the Opera House and passed under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, providing the beautiful framed view in the picture above. Sydney is a truly beautiful city with some great hotels. I had the opportunity to stay at and/or visit three of them.

Four Seasons Sydney is perfectly located right at the entrance to the Rocks area of Sydney — full of shopping and dining possibilities. A beautiful city hotel, Four Seasons has two categories of guest rooms, Deluxe and Premier. You should definitely go for the Premier category! Though the Deluxe room (280 sq. ft.) will suffice for a single traveler, it may feel cramped for a couple or for someone staying more than a couple of nights. The Premier Rooms are double the size (a very spacious 570 sq. ft.) and not very much more. Looking at rates for 28JUN, 2016, Deluxe Rooms range from 275 AUD - 355 AUD depending on view. Premier Rooms begin at 375 AUD. Double the space for just $73 USD ... it's a no-brainer! These rates include the Four Seasons Preferred Partner amenities; though contractural obligations prevent me from listing the amenities (such as the complimentary breakfasts and other perks you'd expect), email me for complete details; you won't be disappointed.

What about views? I actually found the view from the City rooms to be quite interesting, especially from the higher floors, but the splurge to book a Full Harbour room is worth it. My view from an "09" room looked directly at the Opera House; check out the view of Vivid Sydney as photographed from my window.

Langham Sydney is the boutique choice in Sydney, just 98 rooms and suites. Formerly The Observatory, an Orient Express (now Belmond) property, Langham has totally renovated the property. Rooms are much lighter, the original dark wood paneling now painted in shades of off-white with pastel accent colors. The interior style of guest rooms is more feminine than the other hotels I visited in Sydney, and The Langham would be a good choice for couples who prefer a less corporate-feeling hotel.

What about location? The hotel is located on an attractive residential street lined with two-story historical buildings. Just a 10 minute walk from the Rocks area of Sydney, the one thing you won't get is a view of the Opera House from your room. Some rooms have a Western Harbour view. I can provide Virtuoso amenities at the Langham which include an upgrade if available, daily buffet breakfast for two, $100 F&B credit, and complimentary WiFi.

Park Hyatt Sydney is a recently constructed low-rise hotel right on the harbour with a direct view of the Opera House. Though more expensive than the other two hotels, you will not be disappointed with a stay. I recommend booking a room with a direct, uninterrupted view of the Sydney Opera House — either the Opera Room (430-485 sq ft) or an Opera Deluxe (807 sq ft).

Truly a WOW hotel, book the Harbour Suite for a most incredible view. Virtuoso amenities include an upgrade if available (but not from room to Suite), full breakfast, and $100 spa credit.

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.

scenes from a harbour cruise in Sydney

Opera House under the Sydney Harbour Bridge (c) 2016 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

Today, I officially fell in love with Sydney, a photogenic city like few others on earth. My day began by climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It's an easy climb, though a bit windy up there. Operated by a private company, BridgeClimb Sydney, it's a very fun (though somewhat pricey) way to spend a few hours. You'll need to purchase tickets in advance, as all groups climb under the supervision of a guide. It was a pleasant experience — I felt no fear whatsoever — and the safety precautions are significant. You take no objects onto the bridge, including cameras and even wristwatches, and you're strapped onto a tether that ensures your safety.

But the best views came afterwards when our group enjoyed a private four hour lunch cruise of the harbour. We headed back towards the bridge around 3:30 p.m. when the sun was getting low in the sky to the west. Passing under the bridge afforded the view seen above.

Sydney Opera House at sunset (c) 2016 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

Sunset brought the most memorable moment of all. I had finished my site inspection of the Park Hyatt Sydney (in a word, WOW!) and was walking back to the Four Seasons Sydney and captured the image above with the pink glow of the sunset.

Not a bad day when I can remember moments like those in the two photographs I took!

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.

Park Hyatt Sydney | the best view of the harbour

If a picture's worth a thousand words, what's the value of a video? This video has been shared by one of my clients who writes the following:

The Park Hyatt Sydney is really the hotel in which to stay in this wonderful city. Even more, now during the VIVID SYDNEY Festival, with illuminating the Sydney Opera House every evening from 6 p.m. until late. The balcony of my hotel room [an Opera King] is probably the best place to observe it.

Any Virtuoso travel consultant can provide you with the following added-value amenities at the Park Hyatt Sydney.

• Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
• Daily full breakfast, for up to two in room guests
• $100 USD Spa Services credit, to be utilized during stay
• Early check-in/late check-out subject to availability

copyright (c) 2014 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.