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Lark Hotels to Debut The Break in Narragansett, Rhode Island

Yesterday, I wrote about one of my favorite places to stay in the Portland area, the Pomegranate Inn. The 8-room B&B is now managed by Lark Hotels, who manage six boutique properties in New England, with a 7th on the horizon. They just announced the opening of their latest lodging, The Break, set to open in June in the surfing community of Narragansett. In the off-season, the waves at Narragansett’s Town Beach provide local surfers with enough action until their next trip to Rincon. In the summer, the beach is a bit milder, attracting families who can walk easily from The Break and restaurants like the Coast Guard House, where you can dine on Point Judith calamari and native littleneck clams on the outdoor deck. 

 

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New Brunswick Week—The Reopening of the Algonquin Resort

First opened in 1889, the Tudor-style Algonquin Resort is one of a handful of classic resorts built by the Canadian Pacific Railroad, alongside other gems like Chateau Frontenac and the Fairmont Banff Springs. Based in the charming seaside town of Saint Andrews by-the-Sea on New Brunswick’s Bay of Fundy, the Victorian grande dame was in dire need of a facelift. Thankfully, New Castle Hotels and Southwest Properties came to the rescue, purchasing the hotel from the provincial government in 2012 intent on restoring the national treasure. After being closed for 18 months, the resort officially reopened yesterday with a celebratory ribbon-cutting. Unfortunately, I missed meeting the New Brunswick Premier because I had to first make a pitstop.
 
Talk to any local from St. John or Fredericton and mention that you’re on the way to St. Andrews and they’ll tell you to get off Route 1, Exit 45, for lunch at Ossie’s. The lobster-in-the-rough joint is known for its lobster rolls, fried clam plates, and extra-thick milkshakes. Being the Jane and Michael Stern fan that I am, there was no way I was going to miss this opportunity. The lobster roll was a mere ten bucks, with mounds of fresh lobster toppling out of the perfectly toasted bun. After devouring it in a matter of seconds, I drove down the road to another New Brunswick favorite, Oven Head Salmon Smokers. Taking advantage of the salmon farms found in the Bay of Fundy, owners Debbie and Joseph Throne have been smoking salmon since 1986. At President Obama’s inauguration, the smoked salmon came from here. I tried the smoked salmon, salmon jerky, and salmon pate and all were exceptional, the reason why people call with orders from as far as Japan. 
 
Less than 30 minutes later, I arrived at the Algonquin and its signature red roof, which never looked better. Inside the long lounge area and adjacent Braxton’s Bar, there’s now a sense of style that was sorely lacking. Toronto designer Robynne Moncur has added fireplaces, modern chandeliers, and innovative touches like century-old floor plans hanging from the walls. The rocking chairs are still found on the long verandah, now next to outdoor lighting and fire pits. On the second floor, spacious balconies have been added to 16 Patio Suites so that the chaise lounges can be bathed in morning sunshine. Across the street is a large indoor pool, new fitness area, and 3-story water slide. Complimentary bikes are available for a spin and Starbuck’s coffee is available in the gift shop for free. Add the signature 18-hole golf course, outdoor pool, and, of course the exemplary restaurants, boutique shopping, and whalewatching St. Andrews offers, and you understand why folks are excited about having a world-class resort back in town. It’s no surprise that The Algonquin is Canada’s first Autograph Collection hotel, Marriott International’s upscale portfolio of independent hotels.
 
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Summer Family Package at Amanyara

Singapore-based Amanresorts group has announced that their lone Caribbean property, 

Amanyara in the Turks and Caicos, will unveil a new family package this summer called 
“Season of Discovery.” Visit the property from June 1 to October 31 and book the 
Two-Bedroom Pool Pavilion Suite or Villa and you’ll be entitled to slew of family-friendly offerings:
 
• private family movie night in Amanyara’s screening room, complete with popcorn and canapés
• guided family snorkeling trip
• family eco-hike with a resident naturalist from Amanyara’s Nature Discovery Centre
• tailor-made, naturalist-led daily program for kids at the Nature Discovery Centre
• Special poolside ice cream social around guests’ private suite or villa pools. 
 
All rates include breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and families who book a 
stay of four nights in any pavilion, suite or villa category will receive a fifth night free.
 
 
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Skiing Quebec on a Budget

If you’re looking for a Northeastern ski area with a dose of affordable French flavor, then a visit to Quebec’s Eastern Townships is in order. With a lift ticket at Stowe reaching $115 this winter, you can head another hour north and be skiing at a quarter of the price. This is especially true with the current rate of exchange at US$1 to CAN$1.35. On the shores of Lake Memphremagog, Owl’s Head offers the best of Vermont skiing, but at absurdly low prices. For a measly US$54, you get one night lodging, breakfast, and a lift ticket! And this being Quebec, that breakfast will include freshly baked croissants, patisserie, and café au lait. Not a bad way to celebrate Owl’s Head’s 50th anniversary this ski season. 

 
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Memorable Spring Bike Rides, Biking the Shores of Keuka Lake

Known for its award-winning Rieslings, the Finger Lakes deserve its reputation as one of the best spots in America to go wine tasting. Yet, its resplendent beauty also lends itself well to adventure. At the southern end of Seneca Lake, we hiked alongside a handful of waterfalls in the famous gorge of Watkins Glen. The next morning, my wife and I kayaked through a cattail-laden marsh and saw countless herons, turtles, and a beaver. Talk about adventure—a 40-pound carp jumped out of the marsh and slammed against my arm as I shrieked. But my favorite part of the weeklong trip was a quiet bike ride along a peninsula that juts into Keuka Lake. Start your ride from Keuka College and follow East and West Bluff Roads as they pass the small waterfront cottages with cute names like Hide N’ Seek. There’s one killer hill on the 20-mile ride that takes you atop a bluff, before cruising downhill back to the college. Afterwards, we rewarded ourselves with a lobster roll and glass of semi-dry Riesling at Heron Hill’s outdoor café. We were fortunate to book the next two nights at the Black Sheep Inn in Hammondsport, on the northern tip of Keuka Lake. Owners Debbie Meritsky and Marc Rotman spent over 6 years refurbishing the rare octagonal-shaped house, which turns 157 this year.

 
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Other Tanzanian Locales to Put on Your Radar

Spending the past two weeks in Tanzania, it gave me a great opportunity to talk to locals and see which national parks and coastal destinations they love. First time travelers would be wise to do the renowned northern circuit route, which includes the slopes of Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro Crater, and the Serengeti. But Tanzania is vast and there are many wildlife corridors to choose from. Many guides I talked to mentioned Selous National Park in southern Tanzania and the boat rides along the Rufiji River to see the hippos close-up. The Rufiji flows into the Indian Ocean opposite Mafia Island, an excellent beach destination which I discussed in yesterday’s post. Nick, lodge manager at Lamai Serengeti, loved two other national parks in remote southeastern Tanzania, Katavi and Mahale. Katavi houses a vast amount of hippos, elephants, giraffes, lions, and hyenas, without the car traffic. It’s best during the end of the dry season, in September and October. On the shores of Lake Tanganyika, Mahale is home to some 900 wild chimpanzees. South of Gombe, it’s much larger and not nearly as crowded as Gombe since it’s not the residence of Jane Goodall. 

 
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Walk the Overland Track, Tasmania

Talk to any Aussie and they’ll tell you that Tasmania is the Australia of yore, an island the size of Ireland that boasts a diverse landscape of creamy sands, endless tracts of lush forest, dramatic sea cliffs battered by Antarctic gales, craggy peaks, and alpine lakes.  One of the best ways to appreciate this wilderness is on the legendary Overland Track, a 40-mile trek that links 5,069-foot Cradle Mountain with the waters of Lake St. Clair.  Now is the time to book for the popular December to April season since the number of backpackers is limited. You can either to choose to tackle the four to six day hike on your own or on a guided trek with naturalists from Cradle Mountain Huts. Spend the nights on a mattress at one of the five cradle huts, then wake up to the call of the native Karrowong bird and get ready to trample over leaves, smelling the sweet scent of sassafras, as you take in the varied landscape of mountain streams, glacial rock, and dark forests.

 

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