Boston’s Newbury Hotel to Debut in April

The Newbury Hotel to Debut in BostonOne of the first assignments I received after moving to Boston in 1996 was to pen a story for Town & Country magazine on Boston’s grand dame of hospitality, the venerable Ritz-Carlton. Located at the end of Newbury Street, across from the Public Garden, the Ritz occupied one of the most enviable locations in the city and played host to such luminaries as Winston Churchill, Charles Lindbergh, and Rin Tin Tin since its opening in 1927. When it changed ownership to the Taj Boston, I was called back to the property to write a story for Boston Globe Magazine about the new General Manager. Tragically, he had lost his entire family when Pakistani militants stormed the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai, where he had worked previously. He now has a beautiful new family and resides in New York.

In other good news, the latest iteration of the Ritz, called The Newbury, will be making its debut next month. Part of the Highgate Hotel Group, which includes both James properties in Manhattan, The Newbury has aligned themselves with master chef Mario Carbone. Carbone runs the Major Food Group, the hospitality company behind such restaurants as Carbone, The Grill and Sadelle’s in New York, Hong Kong and Las Vegas. For the Newbury, he has plans for a fine dining restaurant on the roof and a bar off the lounge called The Street, that will be the perfect place to congregate after shopping Newbury Street or grabbing a Swan Boat ride across the street. With tulips in bloom, the early spring has always been one of my favorite times of year to visit the Public Garden. Now with the opening of The Newbury, I have even more incentive to head downtown.

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Hotel Week Returns to Rhode Island April 17-30

Hotel Week in Rhode IslandTop hotels and inns around the Ocean State have significantly discounted their rates April 17-30, just in time to welcome visitors in need of a quick getaway or school vacation trip. The Second Annual Hotel Week features flat rates of $100, $200, and $300 per property as well as packages. For example, your family can spend the night at Newport’s Hotel Viking for $100 and enjoy the indoor pool. Or treat yourself to a cozy room with a fireplace and balcony at the Shelter Harbor Inn in Westerly or a junior suite with breakfast at the Stone House in Little Compton for $200. $300 a night will get you a master junior suite and hot breakfast at the Auberge Collection property, The Vanderbilt in Newport, or a midweek night at the Weekapaug Inn in Westerly, which Travel & Leisure named “One of the Best Hotels in the World.” If you need help with what to do in Rhode Island, pick up a copy of my latest book, New England in a Nutshell, where I include more than 75 entries on Rhode Island.

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Lark Hotels to Manage Camden, Maine’s Historic Whitehall

Last January, we spent my wife’s birthday at one of my favorite places to stay in the Portland area, the Pomegranate Inn. The 8-room B&B is run by Lark Hotels, who manage seven boutique properties in New England, with an 8th on the horizon. The newly renovated Whitehall, which originally opened its doors to vacationers in 1901, will drop the “inn” from its name and welcome guests back to its rambling front porch in May 2015. Similar to the Pomegranate, art will play a vital role in the interior design, with a revolving collection of works by local Maine artists found in the 36 rooms. Anchoring the property will be Pig + Poet, a restaurant whose menu will be crafted by acclaimed chef Sam Talbot. Focusing on Maine’s farmland, fisheries and game, the restaurant will feature a raw bar and Talbot’s fresh take on lobster rolls, chowder and blueberry-sweet corn cobbler just to name a few items. A charcuterie bar will also offer sausages and cheese selections.

 
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Africa Week—Extending Your Trip to Cape Town at Grootbos Private Nature Reserve

Lisa just returned from the We Are Africa conference at Sundance in Utah, where she met close to 100 suppliers and property General Managers from across the African continent. This week, I’d like to discuss the 5 contacts that got her the most excited. While the wine country of Stellenbosch/Franschhoek and Cape of Good Hope appear in all of our itineraries to South Africa, we rarely place clients in Hermanus, which is best known for its whale watching. That will change now that we know about Grootbos, a Nat Geo lodge and private game reserve located about 2 hours southeast of Cape Town, just off Cape Nature Walker Bay. Spend 3 days at this eco-resort to go on nature walks and see more than 100 endangered plant species and rare birds, whale watch and dolphin boat rides on the ocean waters, horseback ride through 2500 hectares of forest, even sign up for scenic flights and great white shark cage dives. Then head back to the lodge for gourmet meals, washed down with all that excellent South African wine that never leaves the country. Lekka, mon!  

 
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Weekapaug Inn Set to Open in October After a $20 Million Transformation

Even with its Relais & Chateaux designation and a ranking as the fourth finest resort in America in the latest Travel & Leisure’s World’s Best Awards, the Ocean House still doesn’t take itself too seriously. After all, how many places have their own Croquet Pro? This is a place to reconnect with the family on the beach of Watch Hill, Rhode Island. Now the Ocean House plans to apply its laid-back charm to the Weekapaug Inn, five miles down the road. Originally built in 1899, the Weekapaug has been reconfigured to 27 guest rooms and four two-bedroom suites. What I love about the location, especially for families, is that you have the choice of swimming, sailing, and sea kayaking in a shallow saltwater pond or simply walking two minutes to a glorious white sand beach on the Atlantic shoreline. Other additions include a lap pool and three dining establishments that will offer a contemporary take on New England cuisine. In the summer, they’ll also be offering boat rides over to Block Island for the day. 

 

Virtuoso Travel Week Highlights, The Debut of Miraval Berkshires

Miraval BerkshiresEvery other year, Lisa travels to Las Vegas in the heat of August to meet with hundreds of travel suppliers, hotel GMs, cruise companies, and many other faces in the travel industry for Virtuoso Travel Week. This year, we had those meetings for 4 very full days from the comfort of our office thanks to Google Meet. I have no idea how they can organize hundreds, if not thousands of meetings, at the same time without crashing. But, lo and behold, every 10 minutes we clicked on another link and had our private sessions with the people we most wanted to speak with. This week, I will present the highlights from those meetings:

The big news out of New England is the opening of the new Miraval property in Lenox. After $132 million investment, the Miraval Berkshires wellness resort and its close cousin, the Wyndhurst Manor & Club, opened in late July on the former Cranwell hilltop property overlooking October Mountain. Miraval offers 100 guest rooms and suites, while Wyndhurst has 11 rooms in the historic mansion and 35 additional rooms in nearby cottages. Now, with social distancing in place, the resort can accommodate 40 percent of total occupancy. Miraval’s “digital detox” wellness approach emphasizes outdoor programming, including guided hikes and equine activities, as well as smaller group settings to encourage social distancing for indoor programs such as yoga, fitness, culinary and meditation classes, though many of those classes will be moved outside this fall. Guests also have access to the resort’s private beach on nearby Laurel Lake, where programs include stand-up paddle, paddle yoga and kayaking, as well as meditation. Other activities include sustainable living classes, like beekeeping and raising chickens, and the much-needed spa for healing and nurturing.

If interested in a visit to Miraval this year or next, please let ActiveTravels know and we’ll check availability and pricing. As a member of Virtuoso, we can also get you a free upgrade upon arrival, complimentary breakfast, and $100 resort credit, per person.

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Chaa Creek, Belize

Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2011, Chaa Creek led the eco-friendly movement in Central America, promoting conservation and low-impact sustainable development long before green was the magic word. They also employ local artists to create the furniture in each bungalow and buy produce from local farms to ensure fresh food on the table. The 365-acre nature preserve sits on a hillside of tall mahogany and cedar trees overlooking the Macal River. The property offers two dozen deluxe bungalows, including a treetop suite with whirlpool, new spa, and a restaurant that thrives on local fare. Yet, Chaa Creek’s real forte is guiding folks deep into the jungle. Set up trips to go horseback riding through the Mountain Pine Ridge, paddle the Macal River to see the resident colony of toucans, swim under waterfalls, and visit the Mayan ruins at Caracol.  Bungalows start at $270 a night, including breakfast. 

 

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