Search results for

As with many things in Zurich, it took an Auslander (foreigner) to raise the bar on local gastro cuisine. Run by Australian chef Fabian Spiquel, arguably the city’s most creative, this splurgeworthy eatery is located in the Hasidic Jewish neighborhood of Manesseplatz. It was awarded its first Michelin star in 2014 and a second in 2016. Inside, whitewashed brick walls and hanging lighthouse lanterns lend the space a contemporary urban feel and offer a refreshing change of pace—many Swiss restaurants are overly refurbished or fastidiously “cozy” with weathered wood and stained glass. Typical dishes on the gastro menu include sliced duck with pumpkin, beef tartare with jalapeño oil, and morels with wildflowers. Given the restaurant’s emphasis on fresh produce, the seasonal vegetarian tasting menu is always a standout.

Why we love it: A historic hotel where Old Florida elegance meets contemporary style

The Highlights:
- Unique amenities like a tennis complex, golf course, and private marina
- A wide range of dining options to suit everyone’s tastes
- A prime location near Tropicana Field and The Dalí Museum

The Review:
A member of Historic Hotels of America, the Vinoy Park Hotel opened in 1923—a Mediterranean Revival property overlooking Tampa Bay, designed for America’s elite. It served as a training facility for the Army Air Corps for a brief time in the early 1940s, but reopened as a hotel in 1945 and continued operations until 1974, when it closed in disrepair. Following a $93 million restoration and expansion in 1992, the hotel reopened once again as the Vinoy Renaissance, complete with a new guest tower and an 18-hole golf course designed by Ron Garl.

Today, the Vinoy also features 360 guest rooms and suites, complete with well-lit workspaces, pillowtop mattresses, and Aveda bath products, as well as two swimming pools (one heated), a spacious tennis complex, a 5,000-square-foot fitness center with complimentary workout classes, and an elegant spa offering massages in poolside cabanas. Thanks to the hotel’s waterfront location and private marina, guests can even charter a boat for the day and explore the bay. Dining options range from sushi on the Veranda Patio to farm-to-table fare at Marchand’s Bar & Grill. The culinary standout, however, is Paul’s Landing, named for a Navy carpenter who once fished, farmed orchards, and cured meats and seafood along the St. Pete waterfront. Don’t miss the citrus-glazed shrimp and grits, or the crispy Brussels sprouts with key lime.

Secluded and service-oriented are the adjectives that best describe Rosewood Mayakoba, a resort in Playa del Carmen that opened in 2008. At 1,600 acres, the resort is expansive, offering plenty of room for guests to feel that they have their own space. Rooms, too, are spacious and have either tile or wooden floors, comfortable beds and chairs, and a layout and design that draws guests to outside spaces such as patios and balconies. The sense of privacy is reinforced by special en suite features, including private plunge pools, garden showers, and sundecks. Service, which includes butler, concierge, and valet support, is first-class. Staff can facilitate or organize a wide range of experiences, both on the hotel property and in the surrounding area. These range from horseback riding on the beach and ocean kayaking to private dining and aerial tours of the Mayan site Chichén Itzá.

From Top Chef: All-Stars winner Richard Blais comes this Little Italy favorite, a fast-casual spot specializing in humanely raised chicken and eggs. Here, the fried chicken is crispy and not too greasy, and sandwiches like the Malibu Barbie Q (chicken thigh, cornmeal onion ring, pineapple mustard) are addictive. An almost entirely outdoor spot, the Crack Shack features a walk-up window, bocce ball court, and cocktail bar. For something more traditional, head next door to Blais’s second concept, Juniper & Ivy, where you can enjoy an ever-changing menu of seasonal shared plates. From time to time, the restaurant hosts a Farm Dinner centered on a special ingredient like lamb from a local purveyor, making for one of the best splurge meals in the city.

There has been a market in Place Maubert since the 1500s. These days it gathers three times a week -- Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. The Maubert-Mutualité Metro stop is just under the square. It’s surrounded by very French specialty shops: patisseries, boucheries, poissonneries, etc. Cafes, bars, restaurants. A lively street life. Exactly what you imagine Paris to be.

Great Wolf Lodge Colorado Springs is a family vacation resort and conference center whose showcase feature is a 50,000-square-foot water park, heated to a humid 84 degrees Fahrenheit (a treat in the middle of the high Colorado desert). It’s next to Interstate 25, just north of Colorado Springs. Though the water park is accessible exclusively to guests at the hotel, the Adventure Park is open to the public, with completely dry activities including a ropes course, climbing wall, mini-golf, gem-panning, bowling, arcade, and several hotel-wide scavenger hunt games. Meals are not included in the room price, but there are restaurants on the property, including healthy options, allergy-friendly kitchens, and, exclusive to the Colorado property, Barnwood, a farm-to-table restaurant and bar in the lobby, which sources as many local ingredients as possible. To avoid crowds and lines, the water park at Great Wolf Lodge Colorado Springs is only open to guests of the hotel, which has 311 suites, differently configured, themed, and sized to accommodate families of all sizes; rates begin at $199 per night and include access to the water park. In celebration of the grand opening, they’re offering discounts of up to 30 percent on multi-night stays through the end of March. Pro tip: bring your own bathrobe and flip flops.

It would be hard to find a more idyllic spot for recharging than Naïa Resort and Spa, Placencia’s newest (and, we’ll say it, most comfortable) resort. Stay in your own studio, one-, two-, or three-bedroom beach house, all of which come equipped with floor-to-ceiling front windows, a kitchenette, a deep tub, and an outdoor shower (trust us: once you’ve had the luxury of an outdoor shower, you’ll never want to go back to the boring, indoor version). Every beach house is just that: a beach house. You’re never more than a short walk from the shores of the Caribbean Sea, and the Naîa’s watersports center can get you off the sand and into the water on a kayak or paddleboard. (While you’re there, ask for Stony, whose a pleasant man to talk to and the guy you’ll need to open a fresh coconut from one of the many palm trees on the property). The resort also staffs expert concierges, who can recommend the best tours, spa treatments, and in-town experiences.

The spa, as expected, is one of Naïa’s best features. Located a short golf cart drive away from the lobby, Naïa’s spa feels like a secluded oasis. Lillypads sit calmly on the surface of still ponds, and treatment rooms—all housed in small, individual wooden buildings—overlook the vegetation. The masseuses will alleviate you of all pent up stress with expert hands and sweet-smelling lotions exclusive to the resort.

The town of Placencia is only a short drive away, and the Naïa can shuttle you wherever you need to go. Eat and drink at Barefoot Bar or Tipsy Tuna, walk along the paths near the beach to find handmade treasures to take home, and hang out by the docks and watch the fishing boats come and go. Then go back to your little slice of paradise on the Caribbean shores.

Conveniently located less than a five-minute walk from Sainte-Anne Beach, the Village Artisanal is a partially open-air, ground level strip mall lined with arts and crafts boutiques. Vibrant colors bounce off the walls from all the beachwear, sarongs, handcrafted jewelry, traditional madras clothing, and household items, as well as the rhum bottles and souvenir trinkets. There’s a small snack bar on-site where you can sit and take a break between shopping runs.

The setting of Felina Bar feels somewhat like hanging out at a friend’s apartment: all vintage chairs and couches, with low lighting and jazz setting the scene. Don’t rush the bartenders, who mix drinks with great attention and will happily tell you about spirits and the burgeoning Mexico City cocktail scene.

This stylish wine bar, bottle shop, and all-day restaurant is the brainchild of two food and wine world forces: Jessi Singh, the chef from San Francisco and New York City’s acclaimed Babu Ji, and James Beard Award–winning sommelier Rajat Parr. Opened this year, Bibi Ji, which takes its name from an Indian term of endearment, pays tribute to the women in the cofounders’ lives who cultivated their love for food and hospitality. The seafood-focused menu with Australian and Indian influences changes regularly, depending on what’s available at the Santa Barbara farmers’ market. Oysters are accompanied by pickled green mango butter, sea urchin is featured in the uni biryani dish with fried rice, and the seafood coconut curry can include prawns or vegetables. The presentation is almost so pretty you don’t want to disturb it, but let that moment pass and dig in. Pair your meal with any of the limited-run, small-keg draft beers; the rotating new beers in the beer fridge; wine from the bottle shop—or surrender to the experts and let them do the pairing for you. Whether you sit indoors or outside, the California spirit blends with Singh’s and Parr’s beloved India, making the restaurant what the owners call a “good-time place.”

Narrow, deep, and steep, the Royal Gorge—also known as the Grand Canyon of the Arkansas River—is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Colorado. This 10-mile canyon near Cañon City, about an hour from Colorado Springs, is one of the deepest in the state, dropping 1,200 feet from the rim to the river below. The Royal Gorge Bridge and Park draws families and thrill-seekers alike. Built in 1929, the 1,260-foot-long bridge is the highest in the country, stretching 955 feet above the river—and it’s extremely popular with tourists, who walk across it to take in the fantastic views. It’s also the centerpiece of the city-run amusement park, where those looking for a bigger thrill can strap into the Royal Rush Skycoaster for a 50 mph free fall into the depths of the canyon or glide across it on a gondola or zip line. And if you’d like to experience the gorge from the bottom, the Royal Gorge Train departs from Cañon City, offering several classes of trains and service, with open-air and bar cars.

Looking directly onto the turquoise and emerald sparkle of the Atlantic Ocean beyond a ribbon of powdery white sand, The Melia Nassau Beach - All Inclusive is in a prime location on Nassau’s beautiful Cable Beach. The property features bright and modern rooms and suites on, all with private balconies, and either pool or ocean views. There are also three pools with waterfalls facing the sea, one of which is adults only, and two hot tubs. Seven restaurants and four bars round out the all-inclusive offerings. When booking, there is an option for THE LEVEL, which is the property’s elevated services and amenities package, and guests have access to an exclusive beach area, private lounge, premium top shelf liquors and preferential dining bookings. The property is also very family friendly and there is a children’s pool as well as a Kids’ Club offering daily activities for children 5 to 12 onsite, so parents can get some downtime. On a recent visit to see the newly renovated LEVEL rooms (these are on the 8th and 9th floor and have the most direct ocean views) this writer was seriously impressed by the quality of food at the Melia Nassau Beach - All Inclusive. It’s often the low-point of an all-inclusive experience, but this wasn’t the case here, where there is plenty of variety, and a lot of fresh and healthy choices. Another plus were the strong drinks, which were not watered down as often happens at all-inclusives. With six included restaurants, the variety of what you eat is also awesome. And while the seventh restaurant, Black Angus, isn’t included in any of the packages, it is worth shelling out the extra bucks for — in fact, it’s a popular choice with locals, who book for diner. The steaks here are massive and cooked to order, and the fresh line fish is an excellent pescatarian selection. The lobster mac and cheese is also delicious. Even if you don’t dine at Black Angus, the included restaurants still have you eating around the world: Nikkei serves Japanese and Peruvian fare, including show cooking on Teppanyaki tables and a fresh sushi bar; Cilantro is focused on fresh Mexican and tequila (note some of the speciality cocktails do have extra cost associated with them, but it’s clearly noted in the menu); and O’Grille, which is an American grill. There are also multiple bar options and different entertainment - try the karaoke - depending on the night of the week. Right on Cable Beach, the location is fabulous with water you won’t want to get out of -- it’s the most beautiful color of turquoise, warm, calm and crystal clear, and the hotel offers complimentary floats, SUP boards and kayaks to enjoy it. Should you tire of the vitamin sea, you can hop on the free shuttle to the Baha Mar development, whi-ch includes a casino, 18-hole, par-72 golf course, dining venues and shopping.

Just about every aspect of the farm experience comes to life at Long Meadow Ranch’s public-facing facility in St. Helena. The relaxed destination includes an outdoor café, a restaurant named Farmstead, and a general store with wine- and olive oil–tasting bars—as well as an open-air pavilion that is perfect for events. Start mornings at the café, where you can enjoy a cup of Stumptown coffee and freshly baked goods at picnic tables in the shade of a giant blue spruce. Later in the day, hit Farmstead for a lunch of salads made with vegetables grown on-site or for a rack of the restaurant’s signature Heritage St. Louis ribs. (Pro tip: The “brick chicken,” or chicken cooked beneath a brick, can’t be beat.) If you’re visiting in the early afternoon, go to the general store to sample flights of Long Meadow Ranch wines or olive oils or to stock up on such artisan provisions as locally made cheese and salumi. Executive Chef Stephen Barber also hosts regular lunches and dinners at a chef’s table inside the property’s historic Logan Ives House. These meals can include a walk through the culinary garden, followed by a multi-course meal paired with Long Meadow Ranch wines.

It’s an unforgettable experience: Getting up at the crack of dawn in mid-winter, walking through the large municipal park on the Pest side of town, checking in to the Széchenyi Thermal Bath (mostly with Hungarian pensioners because tourists usually arrive later), and slowly easing into one of its three large outdoor hot spring pools, surrounded by the golden yellow neo-Baroque palace—built in 1913 for the baths—while old men playing chess in the water. Then watch as the sun rises slowly, and your breath dissipates into the cold, crisp air. The spa has 15 indoor baths, too, as well as 10 saunas at various temperatures. This spa isn’t about being posh, it’s about easing into the kind of everyday self-care that Hungarians have known and avidly practiced for centuries. Just join them.

New York is definitely one of the food meccas of the world, every restaurant, a living proof of the fusion of cultures that make up this amazing city. One thing you will find here is that some of the best restaurants are not obvious to the eye. Many have hidden entrances or disguised doors. While La Esquina is also an evident fast food restaurant, the real treasure lays hidden in the basement underneath. Behind a door labeled “employees only” a set of stairs takes you down to much larger room with rustic decoration and attractive murals that evoke the Aztec theme and welcome you to your next best meal! The food is a testament of the fusion of flavors of Mexico... the tostadas (bite size crisp tortillas) de pollo and cangrejo with the spicy mango relish or the taquitos are a great way to start! Then go for the juicy marinated Carne Asada with a hint of garlic and the classic mojo or the Camarones a la Plancha and pair them with the green beans and the rice for a meal to remember!!! and please... leave room for dessert, the Crema Cocida, a velvety panna cotta with a mexican twist, or the Torrejas Brulee, a moist bread pudding with bits of pinnaple, give you the perfect level of sweetness to end a superb meal! If you go with large group (>9) they will require you to do a family style menu for a fair value, which I highly recommend!! Trust me, there will be plenty of food and I promise, it will be a feast you will never forget!