Sherman's Travel

As more resorts and hotels up the ante in luxury travel, guests of Hotel Fouquet’s Barriere now have the option to travel like a VIP jetsetter by hopping in a chopper in Paris and landing in Deauville, a beachside town in northwest France.

Rather than renting a car, guests of the ultra-luxe hotel can escape the hustle and bustle of the city by boarding a private helicopter for the a 45-minute ride to Deauville. The town offers visitors boutique shopping, gambling at Casino Barriere, and sunny beachside strolls. After a day at the beach, jet back to Paris for a luxurious night at the five-star hotel.

The offer – valid until December 26, 2012, and priced at about $6,432 for an Executive Room – includes one night in a room or suite at Hotel Fouquet’s Barriere, transfer via car from the hotel to the Paris Heliport, round-trip helicopter transport to Deauville, and a beach picnic prepared by an award-winning chef. A VIP welcome and breakfast at the Hotel Fouquet’s Barriere is also included.

For more trip-planning information, see our France guide, then use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rates on flights, hotels, cruises, and more travel deals.

Soar above the savannah in a hot air balloon in Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve during a stay at Olarro, a seven-cottage (plus one suite) luxury lodge. The journey starts at sunrise with a helicopter ride from Olarro to the reserve. Next, you’ll board the balloon for an hour-long flight ascending up to 12,500 feet – with stunning aerial views of lions, zebras, wildebeest, and more. After the tour, indulge in a Champagne breakfast back on the ground before boarding the helicopter to return to the lodge. The price is $700 per person, for a minimum of six people. www.olarrokenya.com

For general trip-planning information, see our Kenya Travel Guide.

It was only a few years ago that our our noses turned up (and stomachs too) at the thought of dining in a hotel restaurant. Lucky for all, the tables have turned as empty seats are now filled with guests who flock to make hotel dining reservations and to experience the celebrity chefs and talent. With hotel chefs ranking high among the best amenties, which stays (you may ask) also come with great dining? We’ve found a few to whet your appetite:

In the two years that Chef Jennifer Carroll, chef du cuisine for the 10 Arts Bistro and Lounge by Eric Ripert, was brought to the The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia, she has already attracted a solid fanbase. A Philadelphia native, Chef Jennifer’s claim to fame may be as a Top Chef fiinalist last season, but now she’s known and celebrated at 10 Arts Bistro for her 5-course dinner menu and wine pairing. Dish highlights, which always feature seasonal and organic ingredients, include braised pork belly with melon and herb salad; coriander-encrusted Hiramasa with grilled ramps and lime oil; and spring vegetables in dill sauce—which will leave you scraping your plate for more. Guests looking for an other-worldly and gastronomical experience will do well to book the Dine and Unwind package. Promising something of a triple-threat: fabulous city sights, an exquisite hotel stay, and a memorable dining experience the package includes a 5-course dinner for two at 10 Arts and a continental breakfast led by Chef Jennifer. Prices start at $369 per night, exclusive of tax and hotel fee. Rate is based on double occupancy. Reservations are based upon availability and must be made in advance. For more information and to reserve this package, please call (215) 523-8000 or visit www.ritzcarlton.com/Philadelphia.

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The cold weather months may begin to ease up elsewhere, but it’s sometimes hard to tell in Boston. It may not be the most sought after vacation spot this time of year, but there is still a lot to do in the charming New England city during the winter months. 

And with a number of hotels offering seasonal deals, the price of a trip to historic Boston makes it all the more appealing.

For those who are thinking of making it a mid-week road trip, the Commander Hotel near Harvard Square is waiting for you. Read more

With the excitement of a new destinations come the realities of the trip. Namely packing, unpacking, and packing again. We have stopped counting the number of socks or t-shirts gone missing, or the number of times we’ve had to dine in wrinkled sport coats.

But what is a busy traveler to do? You can’t just not bring a suitcase, right? Right?!

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Romantic notes and poems. An unexpected bouquet of flowers. Heartfelt gifts and gregarious displays of affection. It’s true that love is an art form. But there is a science to it as well, and the biology of it all is often overlooked. 

This Valentine’s Day rediscover the biological side with the ‘Science of Love’ hotel package from the Sheraton Fisherman’s Warf and the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. 

Do your mating displays compete with the dance of the male tarantula?

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Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live up in a bird’s nest? Yeah, we haven’t really either. That is, until we stumbled across the woven, human-size nest at the Treebone Resort in Big Sur, California.

Now it’s possible to answer that burning question that has been (or just started) fluttering around in your head: “what is life like from a birds eye view?” 

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