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Tag Results: Romantic Getaways
A day trip to Oia certainly inspires oohs and ahs. But only by sleeping here, in the Greek Islands’ most iconic locale, can you really understand the true psyche of the Cycladic islands – the brilliant sunlight, the sensual sunsets, the braying donkeys, the mellifluous church bells, the hushed laughter, the tipsy footsteps, and the silence. Once the cruise ships are gone, this gravity-defying hodgepodge of whitewashed traditional houses, clinging to steep cliffs that tumble down to an ancient caldera filled with the deep blue Aegean, truly becomes one of the most mesmerizing spots on the planet. As a result, it’s chock full of luxury resorts commanding upwards of $700 per night in season. On a recent visit, I opted to think small and stay in an intimate and affordable three-room inn set on one of the town’s most enviable perches: 1864 The Sea Captain’s House.
The Bachelor in Switzerland: Majestic Interlaken & Zermatt
The just-finished season of the ABC series The Bachelor, resulting in the on-again-off-again engagement of wine-maker Ben Flajnick and model Courtney Robertson, certainly had its share of controversy. But there’s no doubt about one particular aspect of the two-part finale: the incredible scenic beauty of Switzerland.
The country most associated with the majestic, snow-capped Alps hosted Ben and his final three Bachelorettes (Courtney, Lindzi, and Nicki) in two of its most famed mountain hamlets: Interlaken, which sits between two alpine lakes, and Zermatt, with its incomparable views of the Matterhorn. Here’s a look at the five-star hotels where they stayed and played (with a memorable rail journey in between) and at a special Bachelor-inspired package for travel to both destinations – plus a sweepstakes that you can enter to win a week-long stay.
What’s Your Santa Monica Hotel Style?
Los Angeles is such a sprawling patchwork of neighborhoods – from haute Beverly Hills to shabby-chic Venice Beach – that choosing where to stay during a leisure visit can be a bit perplexing. I like to suggest that couples consider Santa Monica, a beachside community that offers a bit of everything, from eclectic dining (such as The Misfit for a terrific small-plate menu and neighborhood happy hour ambiance) and shopping (along the pedestrian-only Third Street Promenade and in the new Santa Monica Place mall with its rooftop dining deck) to walking/jogging/biking (on the paved beachfront path that runs to neighboring Venice Beach) and even kitschy fun on the world’s only solar-powered Ferris wheel (at Pacific Park atop the historic Santa Monica Pier, shown above at left). Plus, the sunsets from the cliff-top park that spans Ocean Avenue are always spectacular. I recently toured four hotels in Santa Monica, each offering a very different style and all worthy of a stay during your next visit.
