Portrait Suites are Classic, Contemporary and Chic

The Portrait Suites is located in the heart of Rome's eternal city and is within a short walk of many of the most popular attractions. Close to the Spanish Steps and slap bang in the middle of the boutique shopping streets (think Bond Street, London) the hotel is perfectly situated.

It is owned by the luxury brand, Ferragamo, and is situated on top of one of their stores, opposite Hermes. Both the entrance and building are discrete, and not even many of the taxi drivers were aware of the hotel's existence! As you would come to expect with such a high end luxury brand, the interior is classically designed and perfectly executed with its own photo gallery in the public areas (staircase) and in the suites.

The purpose of my visit was a short city break to celebrate my birthday. It was my first trip to Rome and I wanted a small luxury well placed hotel. I booked the first category room at the Portrait Suites (and would have been very content with that), however on arrival we were greeted to the most exquisite red carpet treatment I have ever experienced in my life. Our room was upgraded and we were presented with a suite with its own balcony and a bottle of Prosecco ready and awaiting our attention.

The bedroom leaves nothing to be desired. Our room featured a beautiful king-size bed and walk-in wardrobe. Every Portrait suite includes a state of the art kitchenette, of the type you have never seen and so discretely placed. In addition the room was spacious enough to contain a desk and a seating area, as well as a large bathroom (with a separate shower for two) and all the gorgeous Ferragamo toiletries. The furnishings, facilities and décor in the suite were all of the highest quality and super modern, adding to the classical, but understated and sexy atmosphere created by the interior designer.

Being a 14 suite boutique hotel please do not expect the usual facilities of a large chain hotel. The hotel does not have its own restaurant, for example, however your own concierge can arrange for any take out you may wish to enjoy. There is no gym or pool, however for those staying in the top end suites, gym equipment can be arranged. I did not find the lack of these type of facilities a hinderance. Our breakfast (which was included in our rate) was served in our room at the time of our choosing, each morning and we were wholly satisfied with the continental options we picked each morning. The breads and pastries were particularly delicious.

One of the highlights of the hotel (apart from the excellent staff) has to be the roof terrace. Despite the fact it was cold and at times wet (December 2012), we were there every evening for our aperitivo enjoying excellent cocktails and taking in the stunning views over the Spanish Steps. I was even treated to a birthday cake and another bottle of ice cold Prosecco on the night of my birthday by the staff!!

The facilities and overall five star plus customer experience was off the scale impressive, and I thoroughly enjoyed celebrating my birthday in Rome. I plan to stay at the Portrait Suites on my next visit in 2013.

Room Tip: We stayed in room number 653, which was away from the lift. 

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Five Wonderful Asian Festivals

Just try to imagine a simpler basis for a party than chucking buckets of water at people’s heads. That is the essence of Songkran, the giant water fight that embodies Thailand’s national ethos: sanuk (fun).

Along with Songkran, this post takes a sideways glance at several other weird-and-wonderful Asian festivals. Irrespective of religious overtones, many have a touch of anarchy about them. They serve up pure primal fun that makes the likes of Christmas and Easter look solemn and staid.

1. Songkran

If Songkran ever got off the ground in Australia, the US or UK, you can guarantee that health-and-safety clipboard drones would step in and ban it. Songkran is mad. It boils down to party-minded people in Thailand and Lao PDR blasting water at each other’s faces. Some participants use buckets, others water pistols, still others, high-powered pump-action water rifles. The catch is that rather a lot of motorbike riders get drenched and take a tumble. But that’s the spirit of Songkran. Anything goes at the traditional New Year's Day bash that technically lasts from 13 to 15 April. Anarchy.

2. Holi

Holi is a spring religious festival celebrated by Hindus and Sikhs. Holi unravels in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, plus assorted other countries with a heavy Indian influence, which is plenty of places – the likes of Guyana, South Africa, and the UK. Celebrants treat Holi as an excuse to hurl colored dye at each other. Call it ‘Technicolor Songkran’ or, as it is widely known, the Festival of Colors. The ritualistic rainbow splurge gets boisterous. ‘Women, especially, enjoy the freedom of relaxed rules and sometimes join in the merriment rather aggressively. There is also much vulgar behavior connected with phallic themes,’ one blogger remarks, adding that pollution and obscenity are briefly allowed -– standard social and caste constraints vanish. Again, anarchy.

3. Golden Week

The inspiringly named Golden Week is a top fixture in the Japanese festival calendar, comprising an entire week of national holiday. Some companies shut down completely and give their employees time off and for many Japanese workers, it's the year’s longest holiday. On May 5, as part of the festival, people observe tango-no-sekku, a day to pray for healthy growth of boys. Families of boys festoon the outside of their houses with lucky carp streamers (koinobori). Families also display samurai dolls called gogatsu ningyo (May dolls), which presumably symbolize something similar, only with manly gung-ho overtones.

4.  Ati-Atihan Fiesta Parade

This Filipino Mardi Gras unfolds in Kalibo, Aklan province in the Philippines on the third Sunday of January. The Ati-Atihan Fiesta is the Philippines' wildest festival, which is saying something in a country not known for stuffy restraint. Technically, Ati-Atihan honors the Santo Nino (Holy Child), whose effigy is paraded. But the whole shebang is a bit of a riot. No formal procession route comes into play. Mimicking the dark-skinned Ati tribe, neighborhood ‘tribes’ paint their bodies black, wear jazzy costumes, and dance to the throb of deafening drums. The dancers’ energy stems fromlechon (roast pig) and oodles of booze.

5.  Ganesh festival

All over India, the elephant-headed Hindu god, Ganesh, gets the kind of reverence lavished on a Bollywood idol. No wonder: Ganesh is the god of success. And who does not want to be more successful in some way – better-looking, richer, fitter? Ganesh festival celebrants make life-like clay models of Ganesh months before the elephant god’s big day in late August or September. A model may be as short as a pepper pot or gigantic. Come the festival, Ganesh groupies put the idols on raised platforms in their homes or in ornate outdoor tents for people to view and pay tribute. The priest, typically dressed in red silk dhoti and shawl, breathes life into the idol amid a chorus of ceremonial humming. Fun! The jolly cult of the flappy-eared god extends across Asia.

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Top 10 in Japan

Tough times have befallen Japan. Weeks after the tsunami – the full impact of which is still being assessed – uncertainty still reigns about the amount of fallout coming from damaged nuclear reactors. For those intrigued by Japan's unique culture, architecture and landscapes, the unravelling drama has been especially difficult to watch.

No doubt, Japan will remain one of the most engrossing countries on the planet. A la England, despite its tiny island status, Japan punches well above its weight. Whether you want bullet trains or steam baths, Japan has just about everything. Here are 10 reasons to keep Japan on your travel itinerary.  

Japan Top 10

1. Himeji Castle (Himeji)

Reminiscent of a white heron poised over the plains, Himeji is Japan's most dazzling castle. Awash with moats, turrets, the UNESCO-listed site also features a maze of passages. It has survived near intact since feudal times.

2. Kinkaku-ji

Also called the Temple of the Golden Pavilion, Kinkaku-ji is Japan’s most famous landmark after Mount Fuji. The temple’s stunning gold-covered main hall floats like a ghost above the pond that laps its edges.

3. Saihoji

Commonly called the Moss Temple, Kyoto’s Saihoji hosts a spectacular moss garden that contains over 100 kinds of moss. Spread around a pond, they glow neon like a Shinjuku light show. Saihoji looks particularly bewitching after a rain shower.

4. Roppongi

Tokyo's hippest neighbourhood houses the new Tokyo Midtown complex, the National Arts Centre and the Mori Art Museum. If you like buzz, bustle and blinking lights, few places have more zing than Roppongi.

5. Dōgo

This onsen resort town contains Japan’s oldest and most famous public bath house. According to one legend, the springs that feed it came to light during the age of the gods when a heron stuck his injured leg into hot water streaming from a rock. The heron was miraculously healed.

6. Dotonbori

Dotonbori was earmarked as the entertainment district of Osaka way back in 1621. Now, it's one of Japan’s most enticing affordable dining hubs. If you're bold, try the fugu (blowfish) or takoyaki octopus balls. Good value.

7. Tokyo Tower

Tokyo Tower is one of Japan’s zaniest attractions: an orange Eiffel Tower knock-off that actively serves as a transmission hub and tourist magnet. When you tire of its sweeping views, you can duck inside and explore the wax museum.

8. Hiroshima Peace Memorial

Even before 1945, this art-nouveau Hiroshima building with the egg-shaped copper dome was a tourist draw. When the bomb dropped, the building got caught in the blast. At first, people wanted the resulting ruin knocked down. But then, as Hiroshima recovered, people saw what a striking memorial it would make.

9. Nagoya
The Port of Nagoya features a docked icebreaker ship used in expeditions to the Antarctica. In addition, Nagoya serves as the stage for a giant amusement park, a zoo and an aquarium among other diversions. Like the country itself, Nagoya packs a big cultural wallop in a compact space. Better yet, you can reach it by bullet train.

10. Yoshino

Set in Nara Prefecture, Yoshino teems with temples and shrines. Besides, it is one of Japan's most beautiful cherry blossom spots, quite a brag given that the nation is traditionally synonymous with this naturally-scented confetti.

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Top Five of Golden Triangle

Southeast Asia’s March earthquake was tiny compared to the one that shook Japan. Still, the quake rattled Myanmar and Thailand, lopping the tops off temples and killing dozens of people, mostly in Myanmar.

Although the area known as the Golden Triangle is earthquake-prone, it normally radiates peace and mystery. The Mekong-spliced spot where Burma, Thailand and Laos brush shoulders was once the world’s most lucrative opium smuggling route.

The trade may have faded, but the Triangle remains an intriguing slice of Asia. Witness some of its most mysterious sights scattered around the two main Thai-side towns: Chiang Rai and Chiang Saen.

Five reasons to visit the Golden Triangle

1.      White Temple

Thailand’s answer to the Taj Mahal, the White Temple stands on the fringes of the northwestern Thai town of Chiang Rai. A one-off, the temple’s main draw is its dazzling exterior and eccentric sculptures including a sea of hands. Inside, you will find a provocative anti-oil mural that visitors are forbidden from photographing, which is irritating, but boosts the mystique. Admission is free.

2.      Khun Kon waterfall

Just down the road from the White Temple, Khun Kon is huge: 70 meters high. Khun Kon has no fancy tiers but it oozes raw, unbridled power. To get there you need to be reasonably fit. Set in Khun Kon Forest Park, the waterfall stands at the end of a winding leafy track. The walk takes about 30 minutes.

3.      Train Library

Set in downtown Chiang Rai, the Train Library is just what its name suggests. The books it stocks are in Thai, but the library is worth a wander and a snap or two. The Train Library feels like a slice of conceptual art but functions like a dusty conventional civic library built from brick.

4.      Opium Hall

Meant to be a warning against the dangers of opium, the Opium Hall is also a whiz-bang blast of entertainment. Among other provocative exhibits, the Hall that stands on Chiang Saen’s fringes, hosts a ‘Gallery of Excuses’. Extraordinarily innovative, the Opium Hall even offers villas for visitors who want to linger. www.tatnews.org/new_products/1620.asp

5.      Golden Buddha lookout point

From this Mekong-side spot marked by a gleaming giant Buddha, with your feet planted in Thailand, you can see Burma and Lao PDR. Gazing out from the lookout situated in Chiang Saen may make you feel giddy. Where else in the world can you get a handle on three countries at once?

Must-eats

While you're here, you may as well get stuck into some Isaan food, heavily influenced by Burmese flavors.  Head to Chiang Rai's night bazaar for everything in the one place, including falang/foreigner food.

1)      Fried insects. Locust, water beetle and tiny frogs.

2)      Kao Soi. The local spicy curry soup topped with crunchy noodles (kind of like a Burmese version of laksa). Comes in pork (kao soi muu) and chicken (kao soi gai) versions. 

3)      Som tam – spicy papaya salad. Best tempered with sticky rice/kao niaow.

4)      Khaeng khanoon – spicy curry with jackfruit.

Sai ooa – Laos spicy sausage. Good hot or cold.  

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Ciqala Suites is Great place, People and Food!

I researched places to stay for the last night of our honeymoon and found Ciqala Suites did not disappoint! We had a rental car and made use of the free and secure parking garage. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the friendly Glen. (Again, the Puerto Rican hospitality is out of this world!)

We stayed in a 1 bedroom suite in the penthouse, which had lovely furnishings and 2 swans made of towels waiting for us on the bed - a nice touch! I enjoyed the soft linens and rug. In fact, I joked to my husband that instead of exploring San Juan, I was just going to spend my night walking barefoot on the soft area rug. The room was spacious, elegant, and quiet. The mini-fridge was full of affordable goodies. The front desk was also staffed with a friendly employee 24 hrs/day. An early morning flight prevented us from enjoying the "american breakfast" but we did grab some nice pastries from the buffet.

We enjoyed our stay at the Ciqala Suites for an entire week this past June. The hospitality of the staff was remarkable, the complimentary breakfast prepared by the hotel chef was hearty and delicious and the hotel room was spacious and comfortable. The complimentary beach arrangements (shuttle/chairs/umbrellas) were an added bonus. In walking distance to the local bars, marina and even old San Juan (about an hour walk) Ciqala suites made our first experience in San Juan a memorable one.

Ciquala, an excellent launching pad to explore Old San Juan, had very attentive staff who called us a cab ($15) and we were off to explore. 

In summary, Ciqala was the perfect place to spend the last night of our honeymoon due to its beautiful accommodations, excellent service, free secure parking garage and superb location.

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Top Five Obscure Asian Attractions

Nobody talks about the 'mystique of the Orient' any more. It’s just not PC. What’s more, parts of Asia have been so heavily developed that there's little room left for mystique. Bali's governor recently opined that his lush birthplace might soon become a concrete jungle.

Still, Asia has its share of uncanny and sometimes quite odd attractions. Here come five. Prepare for 'pinch me' Alice-in-Wonderland surreal-ness.

1.     Erawan Museum, Bangkok

Bangkok’s Erawan Museum is housed in a massive 43-meter-high three-headed elephant sculpture. Yes, the opulent three-storey museum exists inside the bronze elephant’s belly. The museum owes its existence to Thai mogul Lek Viriyaphant, who needed somewhere stylish to keep his huge collection of Asian treasures. Erawan is the Thai name of the legendary Hindu elephant, Airavata. The museum is indeed an amazing sight and worth the 25 kilometer journey outside the city center.

2.     Dwarf Empire, Kunming

Set in the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming, the Dwarf Empire would never make it past western censors. Which is a shame, because it seems like a lot of fun.  It consists of little people busting kung fu moves, prancing around in medieval knight costumes and generally playing up for the shutterbugs – up to 400 people per sessions on national holidays. The park's performers are paid relocation fees to work there and receive free room and board, plus a monthly wage – something that's difficult to come by for little people elsewhere in the country. The Dwarf Empire is part of the World Ecological Garden of Butterflies – also worth a visit.

3.     Prony the python, The Philippines

Prony is said to be the Philippines’ largest captive reticulated python, captured on October 21, 1996. Since then, she has been growing steadily and in 2008 measured a whopping seven meters in length, weighing in at 250kg. She's still growing and is expected to reach monstrous proportions. Prony lives on the island of Bohol at the Python Sanctuary, where she can be visited and photographed with. Even more amazing, Prony has her own Facebook page where she has posted her 'herstory' and rebuts rumours of her death. Go, Prony!

4.     Sisaket bottle temple, Thailand

Way back last century, the Heineken Beer company toyed with reshaping its beer bottle into a handy building block. When the beer brick failed to materialize, Buddhist monks from Thailand's Sisaket province plugged the gap, amassing a million bottles to build the Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew temple. Even its washrooms and the crematorium are made from bottles: a blend of green Heineken and brown local Chang beer.

5.     Plain of Jars, Laos

The 'Plain of Jars' sounds banal, like a nickname for your grandma's kitchen shelves. Somebody should rename this strange northern Laos space because it radiates mystery. The Plain of Jars is actually a plateau studded with thousands of giant megalithic urns of uncertain origin. Were they burial vats or rice wine tubs? Or what?? As with many megalithic artifacts, speculation abounds. Nobody knows the truth about the Asian Stonehenge.

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Hotel El Convento is Perfection in every way!!!!

El Convento deserves 5-stars for location, history, ambiance, ammenities, and service, all of which have been highlighted in other reviews. 

Among the features we particularly enjoyed was breakfast in the beautiful El Patio del Nispero. All food was expertly prepared extactly to order. We loved the delicious Caribbean eggs benedict, with mashed plaintains and delicious roasted pulled pork in place of the usual English muffins, which was a hearty start to our days of walking, walking, walking.

Service throughout El Convento was prompt and friendly. Everyone, housekeepers, bellhops, front desk staff, and servers, greeted us warmly and seemed truly delighted that we had come to stay. Each day we looked forward to seeing Carolina, the breakfast and lunch manager at El Patio del Nispero, who went out of her way to insure our happiness. Carolina provided marvelous recommendations, including hand drawn maps with detailed directions, to guide us through our first visit to Old San Juan and to Puerto Rico, and facilitated our dinner reservations for top restaurants in the San Juan area.

I give El Convento 4 stars instead of 5 stars only because of a surprise disappointment with our rooms. Six+ months in advance of our visit we had booked two "Queen Vista" rooms, stated on the website and in the confirmation emails to be "Luxurious accommodations with a Queen Size Bed, Beautiful Spanish Furniture and Spanish Louver Doors that open to a veranda with a magnificent view of the San Juan Bay." 

Our fouth floor rooms were comfortable, clean and quiet, sufficiently luxurious, albeit with minimal drawer and closet storage, and offered easy access to the lovely dip pool and deck. Unfortunately, the "veranda" was nothing more than a railing to prevent us falling out the window when we opened the French "doors" onto the "magnificent" view - directly into utilitarian roof tops (with AC units, vents, and other necessities), one of which (not the fault of the hotel!) had a nasty fungus growing where the area stayed damp from an AC vent. An obstructed glimpse of Isla Verde across the bay was available over the roof tops, but we kept the French doors and louvers closed except when requiring natural light.

In conclusion, El Convento is a jewel of a hotel and a magnificently revitalized piece of Caribbean colonial history. El Convento's location is perfect, the common areas are beautiful and welcoming, and the service is first rate. I looked forward to staying at El Convento in the future, but I will lower my expectations for the guest rooms.

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