9.29.2009

Coming up: Tour of Ireland




Clark and I will be leaving on our tour of Ireland this Saturday, October 3.  I plan to Blog live from this trip, sharing pictures and stories about our trip.  So please check back often!

 We will be starting in Dublin, staying at the Four Seasons Dublin for 3 nights.



Then heading south to Killarney, staying at the Killarney Park Hotel for 3 nights.




And then off to Ashford Castle for our last 3 nights.



This will also be our first trip on Virgin Atlantic and BMI, so I plan to review their service as well.

9.21.2009

Museum Day 2009



Saturday, September 26, 2009

Enjoy free general admission for you and a guest to hundreds of museums and cultural venues nationwide.


How?
 
Present the Museum Day admission card to receive free general admission at participating Museum Day locations. The admission card is downloadable via the Smithsonian site.


9.15.2009

Allison Inn Debuts in Oregon Wine Country


Exciting news for Oregon wine country!

The Allison Inn & Spa has opened in Newberg, Ore. The first full-service, luxury hotel in the Willamette Valley wine country, the Allison features a signature restaurant, a 12-treatment-room spa and fitness studio, an indoor pool and 12,000 square feet of meeting space. The Inn is the first and only Preferred Boutique Hotel in Oregon, located 25 miles southwest of Portland. Each of the 85 guestrooms and suites features a bay window seat, a fireplace and a terrace or balcony. The rooms range in size from nearly 500 to more than 1,500 square feet. Each has a spa-like bathroom with a soaking tub and a double sink, as well as linen robes, specialty bath and grooming products, a wet bar and mini-refrigerator, a Bose sound system and other technology.

The Living Room features a wall of windows, a fireplace, original Oregon art and art glass, hand-crafted rugs, and a terrace. The spa and fitness studio offers men’s, women’s and co-ed lounges with outdoor areas; a private spa suite for small gatherings; a sauna; and a spa pool. Featuring Oregon wine country cuisine is the inn’s restaurant, Jory, is named for a soil type that produces Oregon’s Pinot Noirs. Features include two private dining rooms for 10 and 18 guests, outdoor dining terraces, a private chef’s table and an open kitchen.

The Allison is going for LEED Gold Certification with solar-heated water and photo-voltaic cells that generate 7 percent of the hotel’s electric needs. No plastic bottles or containers are used in the gym, spa, restaurant, public rooms or guestrooms. The guest wing roof is covered with a slate-like recycled material; and a sedum plant-covered “eco-roof” tops the meeting space. Settling ponds will help control run-off.

Please contact me for more details.

9.14.2009

Four Seasons Resort Maui, special Virtuoso pricing available


Discover Aloha Enchantment

Located on the sunny southwest shore of Maui, this
award-winning resort is a gracious blend of Hawaiian
elegance and tranquility. Luxurious accommodations,
oceanside dining and a wide range of activities
combine to provide the perfect escape.

Offer Includes:
• Room upgrade upon arrival, if available
• Buffet breakfast for two

Virtuoso rates from $395 per night
Offer available through December 17, 2009

NEW this summer! Experience the infinity-edge
saline Serenity Pool open only to adults.

Please contact me for more information.

9.06.2009

The benefits of working with a travel advisor.

You might ask, “Why hire a travel advisor when I can plan my trip on the Internet?” Here are a few of the many reasons that a trusted travel advisor is more important than ever:

  • I represent you!  My job is to advise you of the best properties, tours, cruises, excursions, and services for your particular interests, budget and needs.
  • I make sure the companies I work with are financially secure.
  • I can offer you experiences that you can’t Google .  I bring creativity and imagination as well as experience, knowledge and extensive personal relationships with travel  partners around the world to the planning process.
  • I often receive preferred pricing and availability and can offer you upgrades, special amenities, insider access and VIP status.
  • I work collaboratively.  I am a great listener and work hard to exceed your expectations and to create lasting memories for you and your travel companions.

9.04.2009

Labor Day, be safe!

AAA has projected that the number of Americans traveling on vacation this Labor Day weekend will be heavily impacted by when the holiday falls on the calendar. Approximately 39.1 million travelers are expected to take a trip of 50 miles or more away from home, a decrease of 13.3 percent from 2008. Labor Day fell on Sept. 1 last year allowing for a long weekend trip before a new school year started in many regions of the country; this year it's later, Sept. 8.

Stay safe this weekend!

  • Allow extra driving time.
  • Take lots of breaks.
  • Bring interesting things for your kids to keep them occupied during a long drive.
  • Play geography and road games with your kids, make them look out the window at the world and not just at their portable game systems and videos.
  • Bring water and snacks.
  • Keep your gas tank filled.
  • Don't drive while you are sleepy!