Ciao Bella

Last night I watched the movie "Under the Tuscan Sun" with Diane Lane, and although the book was better (they usually are), the scenery in the movie was breathtaking. It would be amazing to spend that much time in Tuscany, soaking up the scenery, the sun and, of course, the wine. Not to mention the cute Italian accents! I'd want to stay somewhere that had a countryside feel, but was still close enough to a major city. Check out the Bagni di Pisa Natural Spa Resort, listed on hotelbook.com -- it's located just outside of Pisa and seems to offer that perfect mix. The resort is actually a historic 18th century Tuscan villa that has been updated with all of the modern luxuries. In addition to the gorgeous rooms and elegant decor, Bagni di Pisa has a thermal pool overlooking hillsides of olive trees. Fantastico! Other musts while visiting Tuscany include snapping the ever-popular photo of you or your travel companion "holding up" the Leaning Tower, having a picnic near a field of sunflowers and feasting on fresh pesto, a specialty of the region. And don't forget to bring home leather goods or alabaster trinkets as souvenirs of your time spent in Italy.

And the Winner Is...

The votes are in and the Fullerton Hotel Singapore was just announced as Conde Nast Traveler's number one hotel in Asia. This is the first time that an independent hotel has won this impressive award. Built in 1928, it was once the general post office but was tranformed into the luxury hotel only recently in 2001. This hotel truly is magnificient as the pictures on hotelbook.com show contemporary, luxe and stylish accommodations set along side the Singapore River. The Fullerton Hotel definitely deserved this recognition. Congratulations!

Sexy, Stay, Sangria, Where?!

Barcelona, Spain! What an amazing city. Although it is the only city that I have visited in Spain, it is one of my favorite destinations in all of Europe. There is so much culture and life. Stores close at certain hours for siestas, families fill the fresh food markets, and kids are always playing soccer in the narrow streets. The locals are very friendly and the food is wonderful. Definitely try the Paella! There are so many amazing attractions in Barcelona that you will need at least 2 or 3 full days to see everything, but definitely take the time to walk down the tree-lined pedestrian boulevard, Las Ramblas. And let me tell you about the Sangria! With in fifteen minutes of arriving to this exciting city, some friends and I found a small cafe to sip on this famous drink. It was love at first sip and unfortunately I have yet to find sangria anywhere in America that can compare. There are topless beaches, if you want to experience true European style, and the nightlife is insane. When I visited Barcelona, as a traveling student, I was tight on cash and thought a hostel was a fun choice. Now I know how nice it would be to come back after a long day to a clean and comfortable hotel. Ehotelier.com just released an article "2005-2006 World's 100 Sexiest Hotel List". The Claris Hotel in Barcelona appeared on this list and it looks like a great place to stay. It offers 3 restaurants, 2 bars, a pool, and all the amenities to make a comfortable stay. I would suggest checking out this hotel when planning your next trip to Barcelona.

All Hail The Queen

I was looking to see if there were any good movies to catch this weekend and saw that the newest Sophia Coppola flick, "Marie Antoinette" is now playing. The life story of the infamous 18th century French queen who had total disdain for the common folk until she was notoriously beheaded has always intrigued me. A few of the reviews I read about the movie compared Marie Antoinette to a modern day Martha Stewart or Leona Helmsley, which made me think what ever happened to the "Queen of Mean" Leona?

Before there was Martha, there was Leona Helmsley, the widow of a real estate tycoon, who is a permanent fixture on Forbes list of richest people in the world. She recently donated a hefty $25 million to a local New York hospital. However her past was far more colorful. She allegedly made many a housekeeper tremble as she inspected the rooms for the faintest sign of dust or smudge on the mirror. In fact, many of the Helmsley Hotels ads depicted her as the "Queen" of her hotel palace. Her life story is rather fascinating as she was a high school drop out, middle aged single mother who over a span of 10 years managed to work her way up in the New York real estate business and marry one of the wealthiest men alive and take over a New York City hotel empire.

While Leona is less involved with her hotels today, the Helmsley Hotel chain is still a symbol of luxury and outstanding service. You can find a few of the properties such as the Helmsley Park Lane and the Helmsley Middletowne Hotel on hotelbook.

San Francisco Treat

San Francisco was just named the number one U.S. travel city by the Conde Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards, the 18th time in 19 years that the city has been given top honors! I found a great hotel there on hotelbook.com called the Hotel Union Square, located right on the famous cable car line in a historic building in the shopping district. Sounds like a good mix of history and modern luxury to me! I've always found San Francisco appealing, with its hills and winding streets. Does anyone have any tips or must-sees?

There's a Place Called Kokomo

Breaking news! I've just received notice that my dear friend Lillian is now officially off the market as her beau of 3 years, Travis, has recently proposed. It's about time! The girls got together last Thursday for her bon vogage dinner as the happy couple were leaving for a week long cruise to the Caribbeans the next day. I can't wait until she comes back to hear all of the details and, of course, look at the rock! It seems like these days, the head count amongst my single friends and aquaintances is rapidly diminishing as they're dropping like flies, left and right. Kinda makes a girl a little antsy. Maybe I should suggest a cruise or romantic getaway of my own to my boyfriend. The Accra Beach Hotel & Resort looks to be like a beautiful Caribbean paradise in Barbados. And if all else fails, I'll settle for a nice dinner at Bahama Breeze too.

"Aruba, jamaica ooo I wanna take you
To bermuda, bahama come on pretty mama
Key largo, montego baby why dont we go..."

Start Spreading the News...

TripAdvisor has just announced their editors' picks for the top 10 World's Hippest Hotels, and coming in at number one is the Hotel Gansevoort in New York City. I've seen this hotel featured in Us Weekly and on VH1's "The Fabulous Life of..." and it really does look fabulous! It's located in the super-trendy meatpacking district of NYC and many of the rooms have amazing skyline views. Also, the rooftop pool, which has an underwater sound system, is known for being a major celebrity hotspot. You can find this hotel on hotelbook.com, along with others that made the list, including the Claris Hotel in Barcelona.

Christmas in New York

Christmas in New York City, I love visiting the big apple at this time of the year! If you have never been to this city, all that you have heard about it at this time of the year is true. The aroma of roasting chestnuts on street corners, the lights and Broadway shows, the largest decorated Christmas tree you have ever seen, and the shopping, of course, is the best! New York City really is an amazing place to visit at anytime of the year. TripAdvisor just posted an article on the ten hippest hotels in the world: ehotelier. Top of this list is the Hotel Gansevoort, in New York City. This five star hotel is modern and trendy, has amazing views, and is said to be a real hot spot to be seen. Christmas time is just around the corner, and this hotel and city would make a great holiday get-away!

World's Best Hotels

My friends and I have started to tentatively plan our next group vacation together and we're still debating on whether we'd like to go to a party destination or somewhere more relaxing like a beach getaway. Either way, a pack of girls on vacation always spells trouble, but since I don't know how to swim, the idea of going near the water sounds very unappealing to me. However, I was perusing Travel and Leisure's website where it has their poll results of "All the World's Best of 2006" from hotels, destinations, spas, etc. I decided to check out some of their top hotels in Hawaii and it seems that several properties that made it onto their list are also available on hotelbook such as the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel, which is ranked 13th. Tanning on the beach with a pina colada in hand doesn't sound so bad right about now.

The City of Love

Wine and baguettes any time of the day, open cafes at every street corner full of French laughter and life, and romance in every aspect of the city are just a few of the memories that I have of Paris. I was fortunate enough to have not only visited France but to have lived the life of a Parisian for over a month through a study abroad program in college. It was amazing and I now have a true appreciation for France's history, culture, and beauty. I am now working in the real world and like most people, are looking forward to fun trips and vacations to come. I have already began to plan my "trip around the world" but when and with whom has not been decided; However, I have decided that I will be visiting Paris again and making this the destination that I spend the most time in. I have found this great place called the Montfleuri hotel. It has been totally renewed and is in a perfect location, just across the street from the Arc De Triomphe. I encourage anyone who is traveling to Europe to spend more than just a day or two in Paris, and really soak up all of it’s' beauty and culture.

London Calling

My sister just returned from vacationing in London (I'm so jealous) and it's all she can talk about. I've been listening to her stories and looking at pictures for days. She's been raving about their hotel, the Kensington House. I looked it up on hotelbook.com and it's this historic townhouse that's been remodeled in a contemporary style. It's in the perfect location for walking to great shops, cafes and museums. She also went to Kensington Gardens every day to people watch, but unfortunately never spotted Madonna, Gwyneth or any other famous Londoners. Maybe next time!