I spent several hours yesterday afternoon with four fellow passengers from Tauck's ms Grace as we biked 27 km along the Rhine River from Boppard to Bacharach. That's about 17 miles. The late-October afternoon was quite chilly, and it got downright cold once the sun descended behind the western wall of the Rhine valley ... but it was good to get outside, stretch some muscles, and burn some of the excess calories consumed during our cruise.
A paved path dedicated just to pedestrians and cyclists went the full length of our journey, so there was no sharing the road with cars and trucks. We stopped at appropriate places to learn the stories behind the many castles perched high above this section of the mid-Rhine.
town along the mid-Rhine (c) 2021 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved
As we biked faster than our ship was sailing, we made it to the cute little town of Bacharach before the ms Grace, this despite a coffee and pastry break midway ... and a wine break at the end of our ride. Alas, we gained back some of (all of?, more than?) the calories we had so virtuously burned off — or, as friend and fellow cruise passenger Tom Carroll put it, we were “maintaining caloric equilibrium.” Such is the nature of roughing it when you are a guest of Tauck River Cruises. Coffee, pastries, and wine were all paid for by Tauck.
If you find yourself on a Tauck tour, I highly recommend taking advantage of any opportunities to bike!
copyright (c) 2021 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member.
early morning on Jenny Lake (c) 2021 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved
It was an intriguing opportunity — we were invited to enjoy a one-week stay at any Four Seasons at which I'd not previously stayed. Out of 125 total Four Seasons hotels and resorts around the world, we selected Jackson Hole for our one-week vacation last month. Our many compelling choices not yet visited included Four Seasons on the beautiful Caribbean island of Anguilla, in vibrant Montreal (a francophile's dream), and in the historical Renaissance city of Florence. Of all the world-class choices, we chose Four Seasons Resort and Residences at Jackson Hole.
In the winter, Jackson Hole is a skier's paradise boasting the longest vertical drop in North America, 4,139 feet. Four Seasons, right at the base of the ski slopes, offers ski concierge services and true ski-in, ski-out accessibility. Their spa is wonderful, and their pool, heated year-round, attracts guests even in the snowiest days of winter.
In the summer, Jackson Hole is a gateway to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Pro Tip: get a lifetime National Parks Passport and bring it along. We spent one full day with clients who have a summer home in Jackson, and they showed off beautiful sights including Mormon Row. We spent another day with tour guide Darcy Lagana of Yellowstone Teton Tours who spotted a lot of wildlife for us to watch.
Our hike around Jenny Lake was the highlight of the week. We got up early that morning and drove away from Four Seasons at 6 a.m., reaching the Jenny Lake Visitors Center before 7. Parking was plentiful then, but by the time we returned from our hike, we saw cars circling the parking lot looking for empty spaces. So arrive early morning, not only to find parking but — more importantly — to take advantage of cooler temperatures and the soft, beautiful light of early morning.
We hiked counter-clockwise around the lake, starting north up its eastern shore. Gazing across the lake, we were rewarded with stunning views of the peaks on the other side of the lake, illuminated by the rosy glow of the morning sun. Continuing around the top of the lake, we hiked south down Jenny Lake's western shoreline. When you finally reach the boat landing, look for signs for Hidden Falls, totally worth the extra steps. Then take the boat back to the Visitors Center for $10 each, saving you 1.5 miles of hiking.
Hidden Falls (c) 2021 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved
Four Seasons Jackson Hole is a beautiful resort with a totally informal vibe. You'll never need anything fancier than jeans. Our Suite was spacious and wonderful, and there are good restaurant options in-house or in the center Teton Village, less than a 5 minute away. We especially enjoyed Il Villaggio Osteria.
copyright (c) 2021 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member.
Ourisman Travel had this exchange with a traveler named Dustin. Angela, a valued member of Team Ourisman, had posted photos on Instagram during her recent trip to St. Barths. Dustin had come across her gorgeous pictures of Cheval Blanc, Eden Roc, and other resorts on this very five star island, and that inspired him to ask a question: "Of all the St. Barths hotels you visited, which do you recommend most?"
Instagram does not provide the best medium in which to work our magic as Travel Advisors. Before we can recommend a resort, we need to know more about you. Tell us about the vacation you enjoyed most: Where did you stay? Why did you love that resort? Tell us about your aesthetic tastes: Do you enjoy contemporary interiors or do you prefer traditional Caribbean settings? Do you want to be right on the beach? Is a resort pool a must? Some guests want resorts where the pool water is heated, so is that a factor? Are you traveling with kids? Would a kids program that gives you free time while your children are off making friends be a plus? And last, but perhaps the first question to ask: what is your budget?
There's a great vacation for every traveler. Our job is to ask about your preferences and learn your budget. Armed with that information, we can make the best recommendation for you. If, as Dustin wrote, "the rates were absurd" in Anguilla and St. Barths, we are able recommend a better island for you! For the 750€ per night Dustin was spending at Villa Marie, there are likely some much more compelling values right on the beach ... and not a 10 minute drive away which I'm sure he must have grown to resent.
But Instagram is not a place where we can consult with you about your travel plans. Reach out to us at Team@OurismanTravel.com to plan a vacation at the beach or in the mountains.
copyright (c) 2021 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member.
The trip was un fait accompli. The client had already booked her family's tickets, round-trip flights to Rome. She emailed a description of the itinerary she wanted to plan, the hotels where they wanted to stay, and the tours they wanted to take. But the email began with a logistical detail she wanted help with.
We arrive FCO 7/7 at 10:35am. We would like to go straight to Venice (train-shortest time and first class)
Before I go any further, have you noticed the big "OOPS" in this request?
Providing a second pair of eyes to look over an itinerary is an invaluable service. The client had messed up big time by booking round trip flights to Rome. She planned to begin her family vacation by taking the train to Venice. Assume the best case scenario... their flight arrives on time and they make it through immigration and customs in an hour. They hop on an 11:40 a.m. train, change to another train in Rome, and arrive in Venice at 4:40 p.m. Best case scenario is 5 hours on a train after 8 hours on a jet, the first day of their vacation essentially wasted.
Now consider the worst case scenario. They've bought the least expensive (non-flexible) train tickets because that's our instinct when we purchase things on the internet. Their flight arrives late, or Italian immigration is not especially efficient, or their bags don't appear on the carousel, or they have trouble finding the train station ... and they miss their train to Venice. If this happens, they're screwed. The hundreds of dollars they've spent on First Class train tickets have gone down the drain.
Any good travel advisor obsesses over logistics. If you want to book your own air, that's absolutely fine with me. But do you know the difference between round-trip and open-jaw itineraries? Do you know how to search for "Multi-City" instead of "Round Trip" flights? If you don't, do yourself a favor and call your travel advisor before you buy your tickets.
And the coup de grâce? A savvy travel advisor could likely have saved hundreds or thousands of dollars on her Delta tickets by booking bulk fares through Delta Vacations.
But everyone loves a happy ending, and this story has one. I advised her to call Delta and change their outbound flight from Rome to Venice. She was able to make the switch, for exactly the same fare ... so instead of searching in the fog of jet lag for the train station in the Rome Airport, someone from A&K will meet them at baggage claim in Venice, porter their luggage, and escort them straight to the private water taxi that will be waiting for them.
copyright (c) 2021 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member.
There are many different kinds of luxury, and adventure travel is one of them. We in the 21st century have the capacity to discover the wilds of nature, all in perfect comfort. While you will experience some trade-offs — even the most well equipped tent will never duplicate the elegance perfected by world-class hotels like the George V or Ritz Paris — you can enjoy privileged encounters of a different kind. While there are too many possibilities to list here, but you might start by thinking about...
an all-inclusive excursion cruise to Antartica or to Iceland & Greenland
a tented camp in Tofino (BC), Chiang Rai (Thailand), or Rajasthan (India)
a luxurious safari resort in Africa, a base for discovering the Big Five
It costs nothing to indulge the dream. Click here to browse the May/June issue of Virtuoso Life. Dubbed "the adventure issue," you'll read about possibilities like those mentioned in the bullet points above. Finally, contact your Virtuoso travel advisor to orchestrate your travel dreams and bring them to life.
copyright (c) 2021 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member.
Exciting news, thanks to my friend Ben at One Mile at a Time... JetBlue has announced its Mint service from JFK to London. One daily flight starts 12AUG to Heathrow, and a second daily flight starts 30AUG to Gatwick.
Here's the outbound schedule to London:
dep JFK at 9:48 p.m., arr. LHR at 10:10 a.m.
dep JFK at 7:48 p.m., arr. LGW at 7:55 a.m.
Here's the return flight back to New York:
dep. LHR at 6:10 pm., arr. JFK 9:35 p.m.
dep. LGW at 12:10 p.m., arr JFK 3:43 p.m.
Round-trip in JetBlue's lie-flat Mint class seat starts at $1,979, per the airline's website. Combined with a comfortable lie-flat seat and JetBlue's great catering, this is quite a value.
When you're ready to plan luxury travel to London, we can accessorize your flights with stays in five star luxury hotels ... with Virtuoso amenities including daily complimentary breakfast for two + a $100 hotel credit towards F&B or spa, all at the same price you'll find on hotel websites.
London has some of the world's best hotels. Have you been thinking about a trip to England in this fall?
copyright (c) 2021 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member.
Eiffel Tower at Dawn (c) 2021 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved
E.U. Set to Let Vaccinated U.S. Tourists Visit This Summer .
It's been way too long. I was last in Europe in the autumn of 2019 when we took a Baltic cruise on Windstar, a luxury small ship cruise line that can get into smaller ports that cannot accommodate the large ships. We loved the cruise and enjoyed out-of-the-way destinations as well as highlights like Gdansk, St. Petersburg, Helsinki, and Stockholm. We finished up our tour by flying to Paris (my favorite city in the world) for a few days before flying home.
A lot has happened since 2019. Covid-19 struck with a vengeance in March 2020, forcing me to cancel a trip to the Big Island of Hawaii to see the brand new Mauna Lani as well as inspect the new room product at Four Seasons Hualalai. I held out hope that things would settle down by April, letting us visit Amsterdam during tulip season, then board our Tauck River Cruise from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland ... but little did any of us know 13 months ago. Covid sadly necessitated the cancellation of that trip.
But Europe promises to be back this summer for vaccinated U.S. tourists. Anticipating its reopening, I was able to rebook my Tauck River Cruise three months ago and was able to score a pair of business class "Saver" award tickets on United. I received my second Pfizer vaccine on Feb. 19th, and Claire got hers on April 5th, so we're all set to go.
Getting vaccinated is your ticket to ride. I can't offer medical advice because I'm not a M.D., but if you're feeling a strong desire to travel the world again, vaccines offer the path forward to satisfy your wanderlust. If you're curious about the remarkable scientific advances that enabled the development of RNA-based vaccines, I highly recommend Walter Isaacson's recent book, The Code Breaker. A well-told story and a good read, the book provides an accessible introduction to the technology that led to the creation of the highly effective Pfizer and Modern vaccines.
copyright (c) 2021 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member.
We are spending the weekend at The Ballantyne Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina. A member of the Luxury Collection, guests can receive STARS amenities by booking through a travel advisor affiliated with a STARS agency. This gets you daily breakfast for two and a $100 resort credit, all for the same "regular" rate you can book online. We have been upgraded into a lovely Executive Suite on the top floor with a prime view of the 18 hole golf course, soon to be transformed into a vast public park with a lake and recreational offerings for guests and local residents as well.
North Carolina is renown for its furniture industry, and we stopped at Hickory Furniture Mart on our drive to Charlotte. Four floors of furniture showrooms under one roof, they promise "North Carolina pricing with incredible discounts of 65-80% off most standard retail pricing" ... and in fact we got great pricing. We shopped at Amish Oak and Cherry (the store pictured at the bottom left of the photo above) and were impressed with the quality and pricing of their furniture. We bought some pieces that were priced at about 50% of retail with an additional 15% discount. Most everything they sell is hand crafted for you, constructed with your choice of wood (cherry, maple, oak, walnut, etc.), finished with the stain and varnish of your choice, and customized with the drawer pulls you choose.
copyright (c) 2021 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member.
use a name badge holder to keep your vaccination card safe
I just heard this pro tip today and wanted to pass it along. I had been planning to get my Vaccination Card laminated ... but I just got the news that some airlines and cruise companieswon't accept vaccine cards that have been laminated.
Another reason not to laminate ... if and when we get booster shots, there's no way to update a laminated card.
Tips to protect your vaccination card —
keep it in a protective plastic sleeve, the kind you use when you attend a large convention or trade show
take a photo of each side of your card and save them on your cell phone
Your ticket to go! A completed vaccination cards is an extremely valuable document. It means you're largely protected from the very nasty Covid-19 virus ... and in time, it will be your ticket to travel, reopening the world to you.
copyright (c) 2021 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member.
Aman New York, located at the corner of 5th Avenue and W. 57th Street in the Crown Building (originally built in 1921, one hundred years ago). With an enviable location in midtown Manhattan, the hotel is just two blocks from Central Park and Fifth Avenue shopping. While the exact opening date is yet unknown, I've just gotten a first glimpse of the hotel's room product.
Suites have generous dimensions, a large living room adjoining a master bedroom. Room rates are yet to be announced ... but Aman New York promises to be a bucket list destination for Amanjunkies around the world.
copyright (c) 2021 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member.
Place de la Concorde, Paris (c) 2021 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved
It wasn't the primary purpose of our meeting. I was in my banker's office taking care of business with our checking account. As soon as our business was concluded, my banker wanted to talk about travel. He spoke of the Viking river cruises he had enjoyed with his wife and how much he loved traveling to Europe. He shared his plans to travel with his parents this summer to London. His parents being first-time visitors to Europe, he feels they will feel more comfortable visiting where English is spoken.
But it would be a shame, he thought, to go all the way to London without setting foot in Paris. He talked about his plans for their final day, a day trip to Paris. They'd take the Eurostar to Paris in the morning, spend several hours seeing some of the major sights in the City of Light, then take the train back to London in the evening.
My mind immediately saw the problem with this scheme. It's doable to take the Eurostar round-trip in single day, but it's not ideal. You'll be spending four-and-one-half total hours on trains. It will take added time to get transfers to train stations ... and even more time to get processed through French passport control going ... and UK passport control on the return. This day trip will require probably 7 total hours of traveling time. It will turn out to be quite an exhausting day.
So I shared Plan B. Don't buy round-trip flights to London. Book an open-jaw itinerary (fly outbound to London, return from Paris). The cost is virtually the same. Spend your entire last day in Paris.
Begin the day taking an early morning train to Paris. Arriving at perhaps 10 a.m., you have time to spend an entire day in Paris. Invest in a great local guide who can work with you in advance to plan an itinerary that will let you experience Paris the way you want. Then celebrate your trip with a final dinner, perhaps in a typical French bistro such as Chez Janou. Spend the evening in a cute Left Bank hotel such as Relais Christine, then leave for the Paris airport the next morning.
I wasn't trying to sell travel services to my banker, but with my mention of open-jaw tickets, he saw possibilities he hadn't considered. We live in a plan-it-yourself, google-can-be-my-travel-agent world, but think about the value of working with an experienced travel advisor, someone who will sweat the logistics, create an itinerary you can sit back and enjoy, and help you make the most of your precious time, money, and energy.
copyright (c) 2021 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member.
Ritz-Carlton Cancun has been in the news in the last couple of days due to the stay of a prominent family from Texas. The family has frequently enjoyed this resort and chose this week to escape the freezing temperatures back home and enjoy the warm, sandy beaches of Cancun. I honestly have to sympathize with the Dad who had to cut short his time in the sun due to work obligations back home ... but what a great way for the rest of the family to enjoy four days together being pampered Ritz-Carlton style.
The mom texted friends, inviting them to come along and noting the $309 room rate, an incredible value for a stay at a luxury resort. But she could have told her friends about an even more phenomenal value, had she only known about it!
Here's a much better value at Ritz-Carlton Cancun:
four nights in an Ocean View guest room with balcony — $300 per night + tax
complimentary daily buffet breakfast for two at El Cafe Mexicano — a $72 daily value
$100 resort credit (one time) to spend on food and beverage or spa services
room upgrade at time of arrival if available
welcome amenity
early check-in and late check-out if available
complimentary WiFi
$388 extra value, exclusively yours by booking through a STARS travel advisor.
copyright (c) 2021 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member.
itinerary of Tauck's river cruise The Rhine and Moselle
Now is the time to plan your next trip to Europe. Though most of Europe is currently closed to travelers from the USA, just as the US is currently closed to travelers from the EU, that's going to change. Here's why you should make your plans now.
COVID vaccines. I received my first Pfizer shot earlier this week, with an appointment set for my second shot on February 19. Within several months, vaccines should be available to everyone who wants them in the US, the EU, and the UK. Inexpensive, at-home COVID tests are also promised. Once a critical mass of people have been vaccinated, the travel floodgates should open up wide.
Hotel availability. With hotels are showing plenty of availability at reasonable room rates, you should take advantage. Once travel opens up, those rooms will quickly sell ... and as inventory goes down, prices will rise. If you can get a cancellable reservation with just a credit card guarantee, grab it! (You can even do it yourself on the Virtuoso booking engine for reservations with Virtuoso amenities — free breakfasts and $100 hotel credits).
High demand for cruises and tours. I just rebooked the Tauck river cruise I had originally planned to take last April, The Rhine and Moselle. Eight of the nine cruises in 2021 were already sold out, but I was able to secure a cabin on the one available sailing. I'm so excited to be flying to Amsterdam in October and experiencing Tauck's all-inclusive luxury river cruise to Basel.
Award flights. Before COVID struck, it was practically impossible to get "Saver Awards," but it can be done if you act now. I speak from experience. As soon as I booked my Tauck river cruise, I researched flights using miles in United Business Class from AVL-AMS and ZRH-AVL. I just had to make one small change to find Saver Award availability (departing for Amsterdam one day earlier). There were two available Saver Award seats for the flights I wanted, so I grabbed them!
I recommend planning travel to Europe this fall. Now's the time to contact your travel advisor while she or he has lots of time to work with you.
copyright (c) 2021 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member.
No words are necessary, this video tells the story so beautifully in just three minutes. Alice Mantaine, a guide at Angama, came upon a herd of elephants during an afternoon game drive with guests. Watch to see what happens next.
copyright (c) 2021 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member.
Many vacation destinations require visitors to submit a negative Covid-19 test before traveling to their destination. Hawaii requires a negative test taken within three days of arrival. Turks & Caicos (where Claire and I will be traveling this Sunday) requires a negative test taken within five days of arrival.
How can you get this done and what's the process like? Here's our own experience.
1. Find a test site. CVS Pharmacy is a nationwide chain that provides testing at many of its locations. CVS offers a website that will locate testing locations convenient to your zip code.
2. Register in advance to schedule an appointment. As the reason for your test is travel (rather than symptoms you're experiencing), you'll have click the link on the next page informing you of the $139 testing fee. The page you need to get to looks like this...
3. Make an appointment. You can select available times over a three day range, the only choices being same day, next day, and the second day. I logged in first thing on Sunday morning to schedule a Tuesday morning test.
Print out your confirmation, as you'll be asked for the registration number when you show up for your test.
4. Bring required documents with you for your test. We were told to bring our photo IDs, insurance cards, and the registrations. You'll get a text message the morning of your test with the link to a short video showing what to expect. This is helpful, so be sure to watch the video.
5. Go to the test site in time for your appointment. In our case, the site provided drive-through testing. We drove up to the pharmacy's drive-through window. We were asked for our confirmation numbers, dates of birth, etc., and we were each given a plastic pouch that included the nasal swab and the vial in which to insert the swab after the test was completed.
6. We self-administered our tests. The process consisted of inserting the swab one inch into each nostril and rotating it for fifteen seconds. When accomplished, we inserted the swab into the vial, sealed the cap, and placed it in the zip-lock plastic bag. We then dropped the bag containing paperwork and our completed tests into the LabCorp drop box right next to the drive-through window.
7. I received a text message two days later informing me that my test results were available. Clicking the link took me to a webpage where I could download the test results. Both of us had (thankfully) negative results.
8. With negative tests in hand, I applied for Travel Authorizations for Turks and Caicos. Each traveler will have to complete the online form individually; the form provides fields to upload your (a) Covid test result and (b) proof of travel insurance providing medical coverage and evacuation. Turks and Caicos approves (and I recommend) Travelex Travel Select.
9. Within minutes, our Travel Authorization forms arrived by email. Print out the form for each passenger, for these will be required to board your flight and enter the country. It's recommended also to bring a hard copy of your test results and certificate of travel insurance.
copyright (c) 2021 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member.
sunset at Four Seasons Santa Fe (c) 2020 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved
We had planned to spend two evenings at Four Seasons Rancho Encantado in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I'm resuming Travel Horizons after a hiatus of about three weeks. As most of my readers will know, we have just moved cross country from Berkeley, CA to Asheville, NC. As it would take a couple of weeks for our furniture to rejoin us, we took advantage of the situation with a cross-country road trip. After delightful stays at the Beverly Hills Hotel and Auberge de Sedona, we headed north through Arizona towards I-40, then drove east towards New Mexico.
We were upgraded to an Encantado Suite, the same size as the resort's 1100 square foot Sunset Suites but located at the very top of the resort with the panoramic view pictured above. Our suite boasted a King bedroom, separate living room with pull-out queen sofabed, and a large master bathroom with dual vanities, soaking tub, and step-in shower. There was also a powder room off the living area.
Santa Fe has beautiful hiking trails. Claire and I enjoyed walking the trails pictured below. Part of the Dale Ball trail system, it's right on the outskirts of Santa Fe at the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The views were scenic with patches of snow on the ground, and the air was cool and crisp. I regretted not bringing along my good camera, but this iPhoto snapshot will give a sense of the winter landscape.
Our hosts at Four Seasons were looking out for us, and the GM personally informed us about the winter weather system forecasted to arrive early the next morning. We sadly left FS Rancho Encantado after only one night, getting out of the mountains before the next morning's anticipated snowstorm. This proved to be fortuitous advice, as the snow came earlier and accumulation was greater than anticipated. After spending a night in Tucumcari, NM, we headed out the next morning toward our next destination. Stay tuned!
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.
animal face in the rock (c) 2020 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved
Sedona is all about taking hikes in the national forest and viewing spectacular rock formations. Our hike this morning began at the Brins Mesa Trailhead parking lot, less than a 2 miles from downtown Sedona. Our route took us up the Brins Mesa Trail where we turned onto Soldiers Pass trail. This eventually linked with the Jordan and then the Cibola Pass trails, returning us to the parking lot where we began our journey. In all, it was a 5.2 mile loop, a bit more than we had bargained for! Click the link for a good description of the hike.
My recommendation: stick to the Brins Mesa Trail. It was the most scenic part of our hike. After ascending to the mesa (altitude 5100 feet) and enjoying the panoramic views, just turn around and go back (downhill) to the parking lot. If you take the hike during the morning hours, the eastern sun will illuminate the rock faces. Well worth doing ... you'll be well rewarded with enchanting views.
sunrise view from our Vista Cottage at L'Auberge de Sodona (c) 2020 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved
Where to stay in Sedona? We are spending our two nights at L'Auberge de Sedona where we were upgraded to a beautiful Vista Cottage. With 470 square feet of space, a jetted soaking tub, and both indoor and outdoor showers, choose this room for the red rock views. The photo above gives an idea of the view I enjoyed this morning as the morning sun illuminated a rock formation in the distance over the autumn leaves.
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.
Breakfast prices can sometimes seem frightening when staying at luxury hotels. Pictured above is a page from the room service menu at one of my very favorite hotels, the Beverly Hills Hotel. Many guests would want to order the American breakfast — for instance, two eggs with sausage, toast and a pastry, a fruit plate, a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, and a Cappuccino. The price is $55 plus $3.75 pp for room service delivery, and 20% service. With sales tax, that's $75 per person. $150 for breakfast for two? That's too much!
Here's how to enjoy the same breakfast for free! Don't use the hotel's website, but reserve your stay through a Virtuoso travel advisor. He or she will book the Virtuoso rate (typically the same as the best available "regular" rate on the hotel's website). These are typical Virtuoso amenities at nearly 1500 luxury hotels and resorts around the world:
daily complimentary breakfast for two
an additional $100 hotel credit (usually for food & beverage or Spa services)
one category room upgrade at check-in if available
Virtuoso amenities are available at nearly 1,500 luxury hotels and resorts around the world. And even better than Virtuoso amenities are the preferred partner amenities a well-connected travel advisor can score for you at luxury chains. For instance, at the Beverly Hills Hotel (whose room service menu is pictured), my Diamond Club amenities will get you a confirmed upgrade at booking (up to the Jr. Suite category), a full breakfast in any venue including gratuities, and your $100 credit can come off the room rate room rate, if you wish.
You can check out Virtuoso amenities and book many Virtuoso hotels on virtuoso.com. Your Virtuoso travel advisor will be informed of your booking and will follow up by VIP'ing your stay with their contacts.
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.
A Medjet membership is a gift few people would think of. Imagine a traveler who has to be hospitalized while on safari in Africa ... or who suffers a life-threatening illness halfway around the world in Asia or Europe. A Medjet membership provides them with air medical transport all the way back to their hospital of choice in their home country — it's included with the membership. Here's how Medjet describes the benefit:
Regardless of medical necessity, if a member is hospitalized 150 miles or more from home, Medjet will arrange medical transfer to the hospital of their choice within their home country with no pre-existing condition exclusions (under age 75), health questions, deductibles or claim forms. There are no monetary limits to the program's benefits and no restrictions on the amount or type of travel taken annually.
Put Medjet on your shopping list for Cyber Monday.
Cyber Monday Sale — $50 off an Annual Individual Membership, $75 off an Annual Family Membership.
When can you take advantage? Only on Monday, 30NOV. The sale begins at 12:01 a.m. and extends until 11:59 p.m., Central Standard Time.
Limitations — The sale applies to NEW memberships only, is available online only, and excludes Diamond memberships (age 75-84).
To give Medjet as a gift, you'll need to know the full names and birthdays of the recipients, their home residence address, and the date you'd like the policy to take effect. Medjet can mail the Membership Cards to you so you can present them as gifts.
(P.S. — You can also take advantage of the sale for yourself and your family)
The Medjet website will ask, "How did you hear about Medjet?" Please write that you heard about it here, from David Ourisman of Brownell Travel.
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.
This video needs no words. It poignantly makes the point I've often stated — New Zealand is one of the most beautiful places in the world, especially the Queenstown area of the South Island. Just sit back and enjoy!
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.
