March 17, 2010Special musical events are on tap across Europe this year to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Frederic Chopin's birth, particularly in the Polish capital, Warsaw. The composer and pianist, son of a French immigrant father and Polish mother, was born nearby and lived in Warsaw for much of his early life. Polish tourism officials have gone all out to create events that highlight not only the composer's work but also serve as a draw to entice international visitors to the city. March 17, 2010The 42-unit Garza Blanca Preserve Resort & Spa recently opened just south of Puerto Vallarta on Mexico's Pacific coast. The hotel was built on the site of a long-closed property in the Mismaloya area, which is known for its coved beaches, the Los Arcos arched rock formation and as the setting of the 1964 film "The Night of the Iguana." March 16, 2010Prior to embarking on Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' splendid Hanseatic one sweltering summer Vancouver afternoon, I wasn't sure how five-star and expedition cruising could be successfully combined. But during the next 10 days, as the 8,378-ton ship navigated a northwesterly course to Seward via Alaska's most scenic and remote ports of call, my doubts quickly melted away. March 15, 2010From shoe repairers, science fiction aficionados and fashionistas to porn stars, real estate agents and Hula-Hoop lovers, conventioneers of all types come to Las Vegas. America's baseball and softball players can now be added to that list. Since Big League Dreams Sports Park opened Jan. 25, hundreds of teenage players, recreational whiffers and serious competitors have come to town to lace up the cleats and compete. March 11, 2010When analyzing Austria's performance last year as a leisure destination for North Americans, Michael Gigl, North America director for the Austrian National Tourist Office, put the numbers in perspective. March 10, 2010The charming, colonial city of Antigua has long been Guatemala's top tourist draw, and for good reason. Actually, for several good reasons, including restored, and ruined, 16th to 18th century Spanish architecture; four volcanos (two active, two dormant); a host of world-class language schools; and a First World-worthy array of sleeping, dining and shopping options. March 8, 2010The Luxe Rodeo Drive Hotel, Beverly Hills has designed the Kosher Bed & Breakfast plan for stays during Passover. March 8, 2010I am on a quiet beach in west Maui, standing in the soft sand next to a brightly painted, 10-foot-plus surfboard. There's a broken line of casually undulating sailboats moored just offshore, interrupting the gleaming stretch of Pacific between me and the distant islands of Molokai and Lanai. March 3, 2010Ahh, Costa Rica! Pristine coastlines, lush rain forests and cheap hip replacements. March 1, 2010Guests at the Trump International Hotel Waikiki Beach Walk aren't likely to spend a great deal of time on the property's ground floor. On arrival, in fact, most will probably leave the baggage-wrangling to a friendly member of the staff and take the elevator up to the hotel's open-air, sixth-floor sky lobby. February 24, 2010On select China programs that include Yangtze River sailings with Victoria Cruises, Ritz Tours is offering an Executive Suite upgrade and an early-booking discount. February 24, 2010The Barcelo Los Cabos Palace Deluxe, facing a half-mile of wide, sandy beach at the tip of Mexico's Baja Peninsula, is one of several new resort developments in the area. February 23, 2010There has been a significant rise in the number of people who, when they travel, want to stay in someone else's home. Apartments, condominiums and villas are rising in popularity as an alternative to hotels, even for relatively short stays. But there's a third option, a hybrid of sorts. February 22, 2010Visitor spending sank 11.7%, or just over $1.3 billion, across Hawaii in 2009, and for island companies selling upscale activities and experiences, travelers intent on cutting expenses have been tough on business. February 17, 2010Like many destinations in transition, Kiev, capital of Ukraine, is a city best not judged on first impressions. The wait to clear passport control is bewilderingly long, grim-faced officials are unclear on the concept of making visitors feel welcome and the airport is located on a singularly unlovely piece of real estate. February 16, 2010Casinos have long been laboratories for the latest in technology, from Bellagio's popular dancing fountains to the slot machines that double as air conditioners inside CityCenter's Aria. So it was only a matter of time before technological form -- e.g., smartphones and other mobile devices -- met function: i.e., the power to book rooms, make reservations, even gamble in the palm of your hand. February 15, 2010Looking out of my 11th floor window at the St. Regis Princeville Resort, out across Hanalei Bay toward distant Mount Makana, it wasn't difficult to see why the folks at St. Regis chose Kauai's north shore for their newest property. February 12, 2010While river cruising in Europe continues to boom, a slower, quieter momentum is building in the exotic luxury river cruise market. The newest addition to this niche, upscale segment is the Zambezi Queen, a 28-passenger, all-suite river cruise ship that launched last month on the Chobe River in Botswana. February 10, 2010Think Alaska, and the great outdoors -- soaring peaks, mile-high glaciers, native totem poles and herds of moose -- likely comes to mind. But there's more to the Last Frontier than just its spectacular natural setting. February 9, 2010St. Maarten's Sonesta Maho Beach Resort & Casino is offering the Heineken Regatta Retreat special in conjunction with the 30th annual regatta from March 5 to 7. The deal offers an extra night when a minimum four-night stay is booked by Feb. 28 for stays March 3 to 8. Nightly rates start at $290 per room, double occupancy. February 8, 2010The folks at West Maui's Kaanapali Alii resort have been busy since August both refurbishing and constructing several facilities, including a multimillion-dollar upgrade to the property's pool area completed late in 2009. February 5, 2010When I first spotted the giant pandas at Chongqing's zoo, supine on scaffolds, munching on bamboo, I could have sworn they were actually people dressed in bear suits. That's how oddly human their posture, movements and demeanor seemed. I chuckled at the fleeting, bizarre perception, which only increased my delight at the chance to observe pandas on their own turf. February 3, 2010The appropriately monikered Posada del Angel, or Angel's Inn, is a heavenly little redoubt in charming Antigua Guatemala, the small, scenic mountain town considered by many travelers to be the prettiest Spanish colonial city in the Americas. And the posada, for its part, might be one of the continents' prettiest little boutique hotels. February 2, 2010A love of food bordering on the obsessive is no small part of New Orleans' French and Spanish heritage. And whether it's refined Creole, rustic Cajun or rarefied haute cuisine, Big Easy restaurants always draw crowds of locals and visitors alike. Dining is an essential part of any New Orleans visit. |