Best Hotel in the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead, Atlanta

Description

This luxury Atlanta getaway in chic Buckhead neighborhood is directly across from prestigious shopping at Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza. A familiar landmark on Atlanta's social scene, The Ritz-Carlton Buckhead is located in the heart of the city's finest dining and entertainment establishments. The hotel is also seven miles north of downtown and the Georgia Aquarium. All Ritz-Carlton Hotels and Resorts in the USA and Canada have a smoke-free policy that applies to guest rooms, restaurants, lounges, meeting rooms, public space and associate work areas. To accommodate the needs of smoking guests, hotels will have designated smoking areas outside of the property.

Amenities

• Air Conditioning (In Room)
• Iron
• Microwave Oven
• DVD/VCR
• Safe (In Room)
• Kitchen/Kitchenette
• Newspaper (Free)
• Telephone
• Non-Smoking Rooms
• Daily Maid Service
• Coffee Maker
• Mini-Bar
• Refrigerator
• Television (Cable/Satellite)
• Television
• In Room Broadband Internet Access
• Telephone (Voicemail)

Review:

I have been a guest at the Buckhead Ritz Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia. My family has enjoyed the fantastic food during the Holiday seasons for the past several years. The ice carved center piece sculpture during Holidays, Mother's Day, etc. along with the live music creates an atmosphere that you do not want to leave. In addition, my grandson and I have spent many nights at the Ritz Carlton in Marina del Rey, California. Year after year we have had the times of our life during July 4th celebration enjoying the cook outs and watching the roasting of a pig one year. The evening fire works are fantastic. Finally, I must give many accolades to the fine group of staff who are so willing to adhere to your every request so patiently. The SUPERB service at the Ritz Carlton has kept me coming back year after year. There is nothing that I dislike about any of the Ritz Carltons I have been a quest.

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Chinatown in Kuala Lumpur

For the amount of times I’ve been to Kuala Lumpur my insider food knowledge is embarrassingly limited. Being predisposed to hanging around malls and hotels, most of my eating experience is gathered from food halls and complimentary breakfasts.

Which, I guess, still qualifies me to let you down gently if you had planned a stay in the capital that involved having bacon served to you at any time, since non-halal meats aren’t permissible by Muslim law. Turkey ‘bacon’, beef sausages and other heinous food items are offered as substitutes but if you’re anything like me, the mere existence of such things is insulting.

The last time I visited Malaysia, I was extremely poor. Staying in a hostel around Chinatown made it pretty easy to get cheap food, however, and my first stop at around 1am (thanks, budget airline) was an all-night Indian place – what you call a Mamak stall.

The eatery I hit up first was exactly opposite the bus terminal, on the same side as the fancy Jalan Petaling gate. There’s a 24-hour McDonald’s a few doors down from it and a 7-Eleven next door and you should eschew both in favour of some Nasi Kandar (a dish of steamed rice, curry and some sides). This particular Nasi Kandar involved fried chicken and fresh roti canai and came in at 6 ringgit. I don’t think I was ripped off and I was completely stuffed for 12 hours. Actually, the best meals I’ve had in Malaysia have been Indian-derived.

Also eaten in KL: boiled Cantonese-style chicken and duck from a street vendor (6MYR); Indomie Goreng instant noodles from the supermarket (less than 1MYR); a few cups of kopi – condensed milk coffee (1MYR each); Ribena juice and some pastries from a bakery (The Bread Shop? Bread Story?) in KL Sentral.

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What Do You Think About Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, Amsterdam

Description

This 5-star hotel, in the heart of Amsterdam, is set on the edge of the famous Dam Square, opposite the Royal Palace. Numerous Amsterdam tourist attractions are within easy walking distance of the hotel, including the Royal Palace, Nieuwe Kerk, Anne Frank House, Van Gogh museum, red-light district, and Heineken Brewery. Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky benefits from 2 restaurants and a fitness centre on site.Set in a 19th-century building, the hotel rooms are stylishly furnished with parquet floors and a seating area. Each has an en suite bathroom and coffee and tea making facilities for extra comfort.The hotel has a summer garden where guests can sit whenever the weather is nice and sunny. An extensive breakfast is served here as well. The ?? la carte restaurant Reflet offers French-inspired dishes. At Wynand Fockink Distillery, guests can taste and buy Dutch gin and liqueurs. The Lounge offers various tea selections and liqueurs with stunning views of Dam Square. The Golden Palm Bar serves an assortment of exotic cocktails. Several tram lines stop across the square from NH Grand Krasnapolsky. Central Station is less than 5 minutes away on foot. Schiphol Airport is 25 minutes' drive from the hotel. The city of Amsterdam imposes an extra tax of 5 percent on room accommodation rate. This tax will be charged to guests at check-out, and paid directly to the hotel.

Amenities

• Air Conditioning (In Room)
• Newspaper (Free)
• Refrigerator
• Telephone
• Television (Cable/Satellite)
• Non-Smoking Rooms
• Television
• DVD/VCR
• Daily Maid Service
• Fireplace
• Safe (In Room)
• Coffee Maker
• Telephone (Voicemail)
• Kitchen/Kitchenette
• Balcony/Terrace
• Mini-Bar

Review:

The Kras was an absolute perfect location! A slight delay in checking in, but there was a huge group of us from the US. Our room was on the 3rd floor, and from my window I could see the clock tower from the church. I was also overlooking the rooftops of all the old buildings surrounding us! I just adored the view! We were able to walk to the Anne Frank house. Beautiful walk, roughly 3 blocks. Souvenir shops right outside the hotel. Don't miss Madame Tousseau's Wax Museum just across the square! The red-light district is roughly right behind the hotel, and beyond of course! That area is not for the uptight or young children!! The staff at the hotel were always helpful and friendly to us Americans!

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The Best Place to Stay in Anaheim, California

The fact that we returned to the Ayres for another stay should be very telling! We had another excellent stay for two nights surrounding a trip to Disney with the kids.

The room was spacious and included a small fridge which was great for storing milk for the kids or snacks to take to Disney. This is a small boutique hotel, with a lot of personality and individual service that sets it apart from the large chains. Th rooms were both internally (we didn't hear anything from other rooms or from the hallway) and externally (we also didn't hear anything from the street and our room faced the highway) quiet. Parking was not a problem, there is lots of space.

The breakfast is one of my favourite parts. Jose is still the chef, and depening on the day, he makes pancakes or french toast right in front of you (there is a bit of a wait, but they're fresh!) and he has hashbrowns and eggs. He was very friendly, and he's very sweet with little kids. In addition, there is fresh fruit, yogurt, cereal, juice and danishes. We were really well fed. If I had to make any suggestion at all, it would be to keep breakfast open slightly longer, maybe until 10am (it's open from 6am to 9:30am), only because after a late night at Disney, we had to wake up our four year old so that she woudn't miss breakfast, though it would have been nice to let her sleep a bit longer.

Warm cookies at a friendly check-in are also a nice touch. The staff is friendly and enthusiastic. Free wifi and free parking. Marcus the manager is also charming and friendly, and quite generally a pleasure to deal with - he even ordered us great Anaheim weather for us Canucks, which was delivered. While our entire family looks forward to a magical time at Disney (since Disney is, afterall, the main purpose of the Anaheim part of our trip), this Mom also looks forward to a luxurious and pampered stay at a beautiful hotel!

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Bondi is the Best Beach in Sydney

This one kilometer stretch of golden sand loved by all of Sydney is undeniably one of the country’s most famous beaches. The first thing that strikes you as you wind down the busy main road that connects Bondi Beach to the Eastern suburbs of Australia’s biggest city, is the improbability of seeing such a postcard perfect beach, literally fifteen minutes away from the downtown of Sydney, and surrounded by densely populated suburbia.

The name “Bondi” is an aboriginal word that means water breaking over rocks, and I guess it is the unique rock formations, found at either end of the beach that inspired the name. Like most of Sydney’s beaches, Bondi is a surf beach, and for those entering the water sans surfboard, dont even think about swimming outside of the flagged areas, where trained life guards keep an eagle eye on all those in the water. In fact Bondi Beach is where the original Surf Life Saving Club was founded, way back in 1907, and much of the life saving equipment in use on beaches all over the world was invented right here on Bondi Beach.

Clear water and white sand aside, Bondi is much more than just a beach. The thriving cafe scene, multitude of restaurants, hip bars, and regular calender of events and festivals, all combine to make Bondi Beach a cosmopolitan melting-pot not to be missed by anyone visiting Sydney. One of the most popular events to visit Bondi is the annual City to Surf Fun Run, held on the second Sunday of every August. This 14km Sydney race attracts over 60,000 entrants every year, from all over the world. If, like me, you’re more of a spectator than a competitor, don’t miss the Festival Of The Winds, Australia’s largest kite festival, held every September. Easily enjoyed with a glass of cold beer from the balcony of the famous Bondi Hotel.

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You have Only 48 hours in London and Want to See Everything?

Well, not everything, obviously, but as much as is humanly possible, whilst not neglecting to sleep, eat, shop, and have a pint in a pub.

The best way to get an initial (and literal) overview of this marvelous city is to take a tour on an open-top bus.  Get your bearings, see all the major sights in one go, and then, the next day of your all-too-brief two-day stay in London, you can go back and visit select places in more detail.

Many companies do these tours, most of which are hop on-hop off, so you can happily spend one whole day being driven around London, and deciding when and where you want to get off, sight-see, shop, eat, and then get back on another bus, for the next leg of discovery.

Sitting atop a bus – if the fickle English weather permits – allows you to see the city’s geography from a great vantage point.

Any list of great places to hop off and visit must include the residence of the Queen, Buckingham Palace – try and time it for the daily Changing of the Guard at 11.30am, though in summer you should aim to get there much before, because of the crowds.  All the pomp and circumstance of England at its best, when the guards change duty, with lots of the obligatory marching up and down the courtyard in front of the Palace.

Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament. Monks first worshipped on the site in the 10th century, and since 1066 Westminster Abbey has been the scene for royal coronations, so the Abbey’s history is an integral part of British history.

Be sure to see the place where the monarchs are crowned, the tombs of generations of the country’s finest royalty, politicians, heroes, writers and poets.  If you happen to be in London in early November, the sea of poppies outside the Abbey, commemorating those who died in battle over the generations, is an overwhelming, moving sight.

From the Abbey, walk across the road to the Houses of Parliament with the distinctive clock tower, Big Ben.  You can arrange a visit of the Houses of Parliament and even attend a debate. Check online for timings.

And yes, Big Ben, when it chimes the hour, sounds exactly the way it does on the BBC World Service.

The Tower of London is one of those iconic places that you have read and heard so much about, and the reality is every bit as amazing.  The Beefeaters, the Tower’s guards, really do wear fabulous Tudor-style dress, complete with ruffles and a black bowler-style hat.  They are a source of stories and anecdotes, and will happily pose for any number of photos.

Be sure to see the Crown jewels, a dazzling collection of the British royal family’s collection jewelery and crowns and tiaras, some of which have delightful signs saying, “In use.”

St Paul’s Cathedral

The current structure rose from the ashes of the Great Fire of London in 1666, and is the undisputed pinnacle of Sir Christopher Wren’s talent.

Climb the steps to the Whispering Gallery, and trade whispered secrets across the vast dome, but talking to the walls.

British Museum

The British Museum is, without doubt one of the world’s great museums, an extraordinary treasure trove of history, artifacts, documents, sculpture. With over 7 million items in the collection, you can only hope to see a tiny fraction of what is stored here.  The Elgin Marbles, the Rosetta Stone, mummies from ancient Egypt – the scope of history on offer is breathtaking.  Entrance is free.

Take time out to wander around Trafalgar Square, gaze up at Nelson’s Column, and if you are not museumed-out, then visit the National Gallery.  With over 2000 paintings, from the 13-20th century, yet again, you can only skim the surface of all the gems on display.  Raphael, Rembrandt, Michelangelo, Rubens – all the major European masters are represented, as are the quintessentially English painters such as Hogarth, Stubbs, Gainsborough and, of course, Constable.

Yet again, entrance is free.

You might want to make a contribution to the many free galleries and museums you visit in London.  Upkeep is phenomenally expensive, but it’s entirely up to you whether you drop a fiver in the donations box or not.

And the Parks?  The Zoo?  Shopping on Oxford Street?  A trip down the River Thames?  A show in the West End?  Another pint in a local pub?

At this rate, you might just have to extend your stay.

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The Most Bike Rides in the World

You can often find Ron Van Dijk leading groups of travelers along bike paths in Germany, Austria, Italy and the Netherlands. As a cycling expert and the director of European operations for Austin-Lehman Adventures, he has spent years introducing people to his favorite rides. Here, Dijk shares his top 10 picks from Europe as well as the United States.

France's Dordogne Valley

Route: between Argentat and Beynac (110 miles)

This is one of my favorite regions of France, for its authenticity, peace, great food, old Romanesque churches, castles and history (such as the Hundred Years War between France and England). Make sure to divert from the valley every now and then to visit villages like St-Céré, Autoire, Loubressac, Rocamadour, as well as the lively town of Sarlat.

Italy's South-Tyrol

Route:Reschen Pass to Merano (50 miles)

Starting at the top of the pass, it's almost all downhill for about 50 miles on bike paths, and you're surrounded by some of the most majestic mountains of the Alps. Pass by villages, lakes, meadows, apple orchards and end your ride in the noble spa-town of Merano.

Spain's Rioja Vineyards

Route: Between Logroo and Haro (35 miles)

This is best done in the fall (October), when the leaves are turning. The colors are incredible in every direction you look and you've got the roads to yourself. Villages and towns to include are La Puebla de la Barca, Laguardia, Navaridas, Elciego, Baos de Ebro, San Vicente, Rivas de Tereso, and of course Haro. Prepare yourself for some hills, and be sure to visit some tapas bars in Haro for an unforgettable and fun meal while mingling with the locals!

Germany's Mosel Valley

Route:Trier to Koblenz (132 miles)

You'll need four days to do this stretch. Every couple of miles you'll pass another quaint wine village, each tempting you with its delicious Riesling. Throughout the trip, you ride by the river and are surrounded by steep hills covered with vineyards. It's a gentle, downhill trip with winds at your back. You'll find numerous Roman buildings in Trier and a hilltop castle or ruin around every bend of the river.

Austria's Salzach Valley

Route:Gerlos Pass/Krimml to Salzburg (115 miles)

This could very easily be the most scenic of all the routes listed here. With the snowcapped Grossglockner and many other mountains by your side, enjoy lots of downhill and flat meadows (and a few ups) as you descend from Gerlos Pass (1628m = 5340 ft) to Salzburg (443m = 1450 ft).

Austria's Danube Valley

Route: Linz or Enns to Krems (80 miles)

Easy cycling along the wide river makes this an unforgettable experience. The stretch through the wine region Wachau, between Melk and Dürnstein (23 miles), is some of the most pleasant cycling you’ll encounter anywhere in Europe. Be sure to visit the Baroque Abbey of Melk: it’s a masterpiece!

Holland's Tulip Fields

Route: Gerlos Pass/Krimml to Salzburg (115 miles)

This could easily be the most scenic of all the routes listed here, with the snowcapped Grossglockner and many other mountains in sight. You'll enjoy lots of downhill and flat meadows (and a few uphills) as you descend from Gerlos Pass at 5340 feet to Salzburg at 1450 feet.

South Dakota's Mickelson Trail

Route: The Mickelson Trail (110 miles)

The Mickelson Trail–South Dakota's first rail-to-trail project–follows the abandoned Burlington Northern line that took trains from Edgemont, South Dakota up north to the Black Hills and gold mines of the Deadwood area. At approximately 110 miles, you'll see a lot of different country, ranging from unique granite rock formations to hay bale-dotted farmland. A few highlights are riding through blasted hard-rock tunnels and over 100 converted railroad bridges. Careful of the wild turkeys crossing the path!

Washington's San Juan Islands

San Juan Island offers a great 20-mile loop with a variety of places to stop along the way. San Juan routes are challenging but the views, history and wide-open space make it worth the work. The famous Pig War “Crisis” of 1859-1872 was on the island. Both the English Camp and American Camp are a must-see for history buffs. Lime Kiln Point State Park, a.k.a. Whale Watch Park, is a great spot to look for orcas in the open waters and learn about the history of the lime kilns and the nearby lighthouse. Lastly, a ride around the island wouldn't be complete without a stop off at Pelindaba Lavender Farm, where you will find some calming views (and wonderful scents) of rows of lavender.

Route: 20 miles around San Juan Island

Montana's Glacier National Park

Route: The Going-to-the-Sun Road (50 miles)

Biking the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park is perhaps the most exhilarating and challenging way to see one of the United States' most precious natural gems. Winding around curves and pumping your legs as you crawl up the Continental Divide at Logan Pass will give you a new found appreciation of the only road that runs through the heart of the national park. When you reach the turning point, stare for miles around at the jaw-dropping views in all directions, take pride in knowing you conquered the pass, and smile when you know an epic downhill is waiting for you on the other side!

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