Star Travel writer honoured/Hazelton's $199,000 package/Jamaica Jaunt.ca deal

It’s quite the honour.

Long-time Toronto Star travel writer Heather Greenwood Davis has been named a “Traveler of the Year” by National Geographic Traveler magazine.

They’re the only family on the list and the only Canadians, Davis said. Davis and her husband, Ishmael, visited 29 countries during a full 12 months on the road with their two young boys, Ethan (10) and Cameron (8). The boys were 8 and 6 when they left home in June 2011.

They rode elephants in Thailand and India, toured the Galapagos Islands and visited the Eiffel Tower in France during what Davis describes as a life-changing experience and education of a lifetime for the whole family.

We're pretty excited," says Greenwood Davis. "We wanted to do this trip to live a dream and to show the kids that there was more to life than the neighbourhood they were growing up in. To be honoured by National Geographic Traveler in this way is incredible icing."

The trip, which started in June 2011 and wrapped earlier this year included  visits to orphanages in China and Mumbai, a harrowing moment outside a Chengdu China train station and moments of complete disbelief as they walked through Tahrir Square in Egypt.  The family says while they left home with some trepidation about some of the world's hot spots, meeting the people in cities like Cairo, Bogota and Sharm el Sheikh quickly changed their views.

Now that they're home and the boys are back in school, the family is readjusting to "normal" activities like making dinner and (soon) shoveling snow, but already planning their next world adventure.

"We figure we'll go again in about six years," Davis says. "The kids will be older then so there may be less movement but the goal will be the same: Time together as a family doing what we love."

It's a hugely impressive feat to undertake, let alone accomplish. I find it hard to organize MYSELF for a two-week trip; I can't imagine two adults and two kids around the freaking world over a year's time. Good on you, Heather. And welcome home.

Now, don't you have a story to file for me on Monday?

GOT A SPARE $199,000? THE HAZELTON HOTEL HAS A DEAL FOR YOU

The posh Hazelton Hotel isn't taking the invasion of the Trump, Four Seasons, Shangri-La and Ritz Carlton Toronto hotels lying down. The Yorkville property the other day introduced a $199,000 "bespoke holiday season shopping package."

Yes, lottery winners, you read that correctly. 199,000 shiny loonies for a deal at what's labelled as "Toronto's Most Exclusive Hotel," and it's not a bad label when you've got such heavyweight competition I think.

The deal, and I hate to use that word in this instance, is called "shopping at its very, bespoke finest," said GM David Mounteer.

The package includes private jet transportation from your home to Toronto, two nights accomodation in the Hazelton's Bellair Suite, which includes one of those wildly expensive Haastens beds), all meals catered in your suite's private dining room by ONE Restaurant at the hotel, a luxury sedan with drive at your disposal and added amenities. (I would hope so. I would also hope they'd expect you to take the shampoo from the bathroom. And maybe some of the furniture in the suite, too).

There's also three separate shopping trips. The man in the party (they're assuming something here) gets a private shopping experience at Louis Black, the watch store at the Hazelton that's billed as Toronto's most exclusive watch shop. (THey have one watch on-site called "Black Kite" that sells for $135,000).

The woman in the party (again, assuming something here) gets a stylist at her disposal for an afternoon of shopping in Yorkville, helping find unique items.

Both parties will get a personally escorted tour of Toronto's art galleries from the Hazelton's Art concierge. The concierge will "discuss their personal tastes in advance"  and select galleries that best reflect their wishes. Presumably this is the case even if, like me, you lean towards even if you like Elvis and Bob Marley and poker-playing dogs on velvet.

Oh, by the way. The Bespoke Holiday Season Shopping Package STARTS at $199,000. Plus tax. And the price is based upon factors such as watch selection and art purchases and the city you're flying in from. You might save a bit if you're coming from Oshawa, or it could cost a bit more if you're arriving from Australia.

For information on package and the hotel, go to www.thehazeltonhotel.com.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

 

The folks at Jaunt.ca, a subsidiary of Torstar, have a good deal going for a four-star resort in Jamaica, wiith a savings $676 per couple. Here's what you get 

• BONUS: ACV Privileges offer exclusive check in/late check out (subject to availability), 4 guaranteed à la carte reservations per week, 20% spa discount, nightly turn down service and more!
• All-inclusive 7-night stay at the 4-Star Grand Bahia Principe Jamaica, located in Runaway Bay, Jamaica
• Includes return airfare from Toronto, Montreal or Ottawa to Montego Bay, and round-trip airport/hotel transfers in Jamaica
• Accommodations in a Junior Suite, featuring 1 king or 2 double beds and private balcony or terrace. Max. occupancy: 3 adults and 1 child or 2 adults and 2 children
• Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner, and unlimited domestic alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on the following departures:
  Toronto: Feb. 5, 6, 7, 8 & 12, 13, 14, 15, 2013
  Montreal: Feb. 2, 6, 9, 13, & 20, 2013
  Ottawa: Jan. 26 & Feb. 2, 2013
• This is an exclusive offer brought to you by Air Canada Vacations
• Valid passport required for travel from Canada
• Pricing (Rates are per person):
  
  Toronto
  Single: $1749 plus tax
  Double: $1299 plus tax
  Triple: $1239 plus tax
  1st Child: $849 plus tax
  2nd Child: $459 plus tax
  Tax: $377
  
  Montreal (+ $50 for Saturday departures/ Feb 2 & 9)
  Single: $2126 tax included
  Double: $1706 tax included
  Triple: $1656 tax included
  1st Child: $1256 tax included
  2nd Child: $866 tax included
  
  Ottawa
  Single: $1599 plus tax
  Double: $1199 plus tax
  Triple: $1139 plus tax
  1st Child: $849 plus tax
  2nd Child: $459 plus tax
  Tax:$371
• This offer is 100% non-refundable

View the terms that apply to all Jaunt offers

TRUMP TRUMPS THE COMPETITION?

Speaking of Toronto hotels (don't you just love a good segueway on a Friday morning?), the folks at TripAdvisor have included the Trump Toronto as one of the world's ten hot new hotels of 2012.

Here's what they had to say: "In the midst of Toronto's financial and entertainment districts stands this stunning 65-story hotel.

Travelers can unwind at the luxurious spa and wellness facility, take a dip in the indoor saltwater pool or enjoy a mouthwatering meal at the restaurant and lounge located on the 31st floor.

"Everything from the service to the rooms was just phenomenal," said one TripAdvisor traveler. Average nightly rate is $456 and up."

 

 

Air Canada push into Asia...Venice under water...WestJet self-serve bag tags

It's being called Air Canada's biggest international expansion ever.

The airline today announced a huge push into Asia, which has been on just about everybody's radar the last couple years. Air Canada said it's launching a new, non-stop route between Toronto and the booming Korean city of Seoul (see photo below right), beginning service to Istanbul, Turkey, subject to government approval, adding seven weekly departures to Beijing from Toronto and Vancouver and upgrading its Calgary-Tokyo Narita route to provide daily service (up from five a week in summer).

"Air Canada is seizing the opportunities of the Pacific Century with the most far-reaching international expansion of its schedule in its 75-year history," said Ben Smith, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer. "Our new routes embrace the world from Istanbul to Seoul and deepen our already extensive Asian service. With our Asia expansion alone, we will be flying 11 daily departures or more than 43,000 seats a week across the Pacific Ocean this summer - a commitment of up to 14 widebody aircraft valued in excess of $2 billion. Our service to Istanbul, the bridge between Europe and Asia, adds an exciting destination to the Air Canada network with easy connections throughout Turkey and points in Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa with our Star Alliance partner Turkish Airlines."

Highlights of Air Canada's 2013 summer schedule include:

• Non-stop service to Istanbul beginning June 4. Subject to government approval, Air Canada will begin flying three-times weekly, year-round to the historic city which also serves as a gateway to other destinations in Turkey, Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Flights will be operated with a Boeing 767-300ER aircraft. It will be the only early evening departure from Toronto to Istanbul.
  
  
• The launch on June 2 of a new Toronto-Seoul service operating three times a week, creating a fifth Asian destination from Air Canada's Toronto hub. The year-round service, operated with a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, will complement existing Vancouver to Seoul service by providing daily departures from Canada to Seoul.
  
  
• An addition of three more weekly departures between Toronto and Beijing starting June 1, bringing the total number of departures from Toronto to Beijing to ten a week. The flights will be operated with a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft
  
  
• Four additional departures each week between Vancouver and Beijing starting June 1, for a total of 11 weekly departures, including a new late night flight timed to be convenient for business travellers. The flights will be operated with a Boeing 767-300ER aircraft.
  
  
• The upgrading of our Calgary-Tokyo Narita service starting May 1 to offer daily departures, up from five a week last summer. The flights are operated with a Boeing 767-300ER.

Seoul is particularly hot right now given the Gangnam Style song performed by Korean singer Psy. It's a huge internet sensation, which you must know unless you're living in a cave in Macedonia. In which case you probably wouldn't be reading this...

Very solid stuff, indeed for Air Canada. And don't forget Air Canada next year is supposed to start up its new, discount carrier with expanded options for the Caribbean and other popular spots. WestJet also will be starting up its new, regional carrier, called Encore, sometime around June of 2013.

In a related note, I read a Bloomberg report the other day that said Philippine billionaire Andrew Tan plans to spend $1.5 billion to triple his Alliance Global Group Inc's hotel rooms and become the nation's largest hotel owner; part of the Philippines' attempt to lure more tourists.

Philippine Air Lines is launching new service between Manila and Toronto as part of that push...

VENICE SUBMERGED?

Around 70 per cent of central Venice is underwater with heavy rain and winds resulting in the sixth highest tide levels since 1872, according to Travelmole.com.

Italian news reports said north and central Italy was also affected with some 200 people evacuated from
their homes in Tuscany. Tourists in Venice were resorting to waterproof "Wellie" boots and swimwear while most tourist hotspots were deserted.

The water levels rose to critical levels at the weekend with reports that 70% of central Venice was under water as the high tide mark reached more than 150cm, reports the Daily Mail.

Although flooding is common at this time of year, this is the sixth-highest since records began being kept 150 years ago. Some holidaymakers were seen wading through nearly waist-high waters carrying suitcases on their shoulders.

WEST JET SELF-SERVE BAG TAGS

 

They're selling this as an improvement? WestJet this week introduced self-serve bag tagging for guests flying to the U.S. from Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto and Montreal; making it the first Canadian airline to introduce self-serve baggage tagging on non-stop, transborder flights.

"Self-serve baggage tagging allows WestJet guests to use mobile, web or kiosk check-in to check in for their flight and print their own baggage tags when they arrive at the airport. Guests checking in via kiosk may print their boarding passes and baggage tags at the same time. Once the tags have been attached, guests drop baggage off at the appropriate location."

A WestJet press release called the move "yet another milestone in our efforts to offer our guests additional self-serve options." A senior manager was quoted as saying guests are comfortable with self-serve options "and continue to encourage us to develop new tools to allow them more control over thier travel experience."

MORE CONTROL of our travel experience??? I want control of my in-flight entertainment. I want control of where I go. I don't want control over printing my baggage tags. Who wants that? Did people really write in and say, "Boy, I'd fly more often if I could just avoid having to have that person behind the counter print my bag tags for me."

I don't think so. Should I get ready to start hauling my bags to the plane or maybe help stack them inside the cargo hold, too? Do I have to help refuel the plane when we stop in Miami?

People don't want LESS service. They want MORE service.

MIAMI ART SHOW

A Martin Kreloff retrospective is being held at the JW Marriott Hotel Miami to usher in Miami's Art Basel week. The exhibition runs Dec. 3-9 and features portraits and a multimedia documents with photos and video.

The exhibition features portraits and photographs of the original "Miami Says ART" show in 1976, including such folks as Alex Katz and Gloria Vanderbilt.

 

Club Med comes to Canada (minus the palm trees) ... Drag queens on Carnival

Travel Pulse reports that ClubMed and Le Groupe Massif in Quebec have signed a deal to jointly operate the first Club Med resort in Canada.

You won't see any palm trees, at least not outdoors, but plans call for the resort to be built at the renowned ski hill at Le Massif de Charlevoix, in Petite-Rivière-Saint-François.

Le Massif Chairman Daniel Gauthier (of Cirque du Soleil fame) made the announcement at a Chamber of Commerce and Industry conference in Quebec City.

Plans call for a 300-room hotel to be built by Dec. 2015. Gauthier said that represents 24 per cent of the total number of units in phase one of the development project at Le Massif.

“Club Med’s interest confirms Le Massif de Charlevoix’s vast tourism potential," Gauthier said in the Travel Pulse story. “It coincides perfectly with our aspiration to offer all-inclusive lodgings at the mountain. It is nevertheless important to mention that this hotel, which will be jointly operated with Club Med, represents only a portion of the mountain’s overall lodging offer.”

DRAG QUEENS BACK ON BOARD

Etravelblackboard reportsthat Carnival Cruise Lines "will now allow guests aboard what is being dubbed as the largest gathering of drag queens at sea to wear drag during the cruise, following outrage at a letter sent to passengers advising them that they will not be permitted to do so in public areas."

The letter, sent by Carnival Cruise Lines vice president of guest services Vicky Ray, told passengers sailing on the 2 December Carnival Glory voyage out of Miami that guests who violate the policy, “will be disembarked at their own expense and no refund will be given.”

Ms Ray attributed the decision to the amount of families and children that sail aboard the ship and expressed the line’s expectation that passengers “recognise that minors are onboard and refrain from engaging in inappropriate conduct in public areas.”

Carnival Cruise Lines president and CEO Gerry Cahill has taken to social media to explain what he says was a miscommunication between the cruise line and travel agency, Al and Chuck Travel, who booked the cruise.

“When the group was presented to us we were advised that only the performers would be dressed in drag during the private events,” Mr Cahill writes. 

“However, we are now aware that this was not clearly communicated to members of the group and therefore anyone who wishes to dress in drag may do so.

Mr Cahill goes on to express the importance of onboard safety and security procedures asking passengers to keep in mind that people must still be recognisable by their government-issued ID.

ZIP AROUND VEGAS

Tourists will soon have a new way to see the lights of Las Vegas: By being spit out of the mouth of an 11-story slot machine and zinged down a five-block zip line past some of the city's oldest casinos, says a story from Associated Press.

Officials on Tuesday unveiled plans for a permanent zip line on the downtown Las Vegas promenade known as the Fremont Street Experience.

Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman said the thrill ride dubbed SlotZilla was destined to become an iconic city landmark.

"This is going to be known around the world: Come ride our Slotzilla," she said, standing beside showgirls and a scale model at the unveiling.

The monster zip line will cost $11 million to build and between $20 and $30 to ride. Construction is expected to start in January.

The attraction, expected to open in June, is an expansion of a much smaller, temporary zip line that has for two years scooted families, newlyweds and Elvis impersonators beneath a long metal canopy that displays an hourly light show.

That ride was intended to be a 30-day novelty, but it proved such a crowd pleaser the business community began working to make it permanent.

Currently, riders launch four at a time from a 67-foot (20-meter) metal scaffolding and land 800 feet (244 metres) away near the Four Queens casino, halfway across the pedestrian mall that features the world's largest video screen.

The new tower will be twice as tall, feature twice as many lines, and will look like a giant slot machine spitting out disoriented tourists.

With each new batch of zip-liners, the handle will dip, the wheels will spin, and the doors will open, revealing the course to the tourists on top.

"If you're going to do something here, you have to do it bigger and better than anywhere else," said Fremont Street Experience marketing director Thomas Bruney.

Officials are betting the new attraction will lure more visitors the downtown area, which has struggled to compete with the flashier Strip three miles (less than five kilometres) away.

It is intended to reflect the "vintage Vegas" vibe that characterizes the promenade, nicknamed "Glitter Gulch" for the classic casino signs that glow amid the souvenir shops and buffet signs.

Riders will be able to stop halfway, or continue to the end of the 1,700 course, landing near the Golden Gate casino. They will have the option of flying along the lines in a horizontal "superman" position, and accelerating their ride using a new "power launch" system.

Bootleg Canyon Flightlines operates the current ride. The new structure will be built by the Hawaii-based company Skyline, better known for zip lines that span waterfalls and forests.

“However, we are now aware that this was not clearly communicated to members of the group and therefore anyone who wishes to dress in drag may do so.

 

Transat Holidays has a couple new, intriguing offerings for its customers. I chatted briefly with public relations spokeswoman Lynnette Visaya on Monday about their new Family Collection vacations and their Escapade Collection trips.

The Family Collection is a group of more than two dozen hotels/resorts that are geared to families. They all have kids’ clubs or something along those lines and many have adjoining rooms or programs such as “kids eat free.”

Folks who use the Family Collection on Transat get priority check-in and free seat-selection and in-flight treats for the kids.

Family Collection resorts are located in attractive spots such as the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Mexico and one in St. Lucia, a beautiful spot.

The Escapade Collection (see photo at right) is more for folks who are looking for a cultural or nature trip versus hanging on the beach for a full week. There are nature hikes in Jamaica, a coffee/culture visit in Mexico and other programs, Visaya said.

For those who missed it, and I have to admit I’m one, Transat has begun renovating it’s A-330 aircraft and expects to have them all redone by the end of 2013. Changes include cool, new mood lighting to ease travel stress, “state of the art” touch screen consoles for passenger entertainment, full-length mirrors in lavatories, wider and more comfortable seats finished in Italian leather and slightly more leg room.

HONG KONG KUDOS

According to CNN Travel, a new report says Hong Kong was the most popular tourist destination overall among Asian tourists in 2011.

According to a study of more than 1,000 Asian consumers by brand research company Cimigo, 31 per cent of those surveyed said they visited Hong Kong last year. A full 40 per cent of respondents said it’s their favourite shopping destination.

I’ve been a few times and absolutely loved the diversity of the place. There are wild markets with cheap clothes and also expensive boutiques, fun kitchen shops and much more.

For sightseeing and relaxation, Asian tourists picked Australia and New Zealand as top destinations; also understandable given the wide variety of things to see.

The good news for tourism folks is that 61 per cent of those surveyed said they plan to increase their travel budgets and spending in 2013.

 JAMIE OLIVER LOVES NOVA SCOTIA

Well, at least his new magazine loves it. I had a copy of Jamie, the magazine, sent to me this week, complete with a cover shot of the famous British cook and a main headline that says “North American Welcomes Jamie Magazine.”

There are lots of recipes in the magazine, now apparently sold in 45 countries, and who knew?

There’s a story on how to make the perfect hamburger (a tad late for the Canadian summer, guys) and also a fine feature with lovely photos of Nova Scotia, which I visited in the spring of this year. I was happy to see some attention given to the Annapolis Valley, particularly the Wolfville region.

Featured in the magazine was the magnificent Tempest restaurant in Wolfville, as well as the fine Blomidon Inn and nearby Luckett Vineyards (see photo), where they have a British phone booth in the middle of the vines and a fine tasting room with excellent views.

Also included was a nod to the Salt Shaker Deli in Lunenburg, which has the best clam chowder I’ve had anywhere in the world by a HUGE margin, as well as the fun and tasty Ironworks Distillery in Lunenburg, where they make artisan vodka, rum, local fruit eau de vie and other treats.

 

Cyber Monday travel deals, plus Dubai's latest plan to rule the (tourism) world

Well, it's Cyber Monday. But my inbox isn't exactly overflowing with travel deals. I think there are a few to be had, so I'd advise sticking by your computer today.

The best deal I've seen so far today is from the terrific Kimpton hotell chain, a deal offering 30 per cent off on stays from Thursday to Sunday between now and Dec. 30. It's a pre-paid, non-refundable deal that's valid only at certain hotels and you need to use the word "CYBER" as your rate code.

I found a room for Dec. 21 and 22 at the Kimpton Palomar in downtown Phoenix for $139. Rooms at the outstanding Burnham Hotel in downtown Chicago, which I reviewed in the Star a few weeks ago, were going for just $140 on weekends in early December. It's a fabulous, historic hotel with a cool bar and a nice vibe in a good part of town and very much worth checking out.

I also spotted a series of deals at Expedia.ca, including rooms in Las Vegas for $16, hotels in Montreal from $66 and from Vancouver from $70 and Canmore/Banff from $84. Further afield, there were rooms in Punta Cana, D.R. from $90 and a three-star spot in Paris for $107, which is quite impressive. The deals must be booked today, Nov. 26 for travel by Dec. 31.

DUBAI ON THE RISE?

I had to shake my head at a Reuters report over the weekend, talking about Dubai's latest announcement for a monstrous tourism and retail development.

I don't particularly love Dubai as a destination but I guess it's a good sign for world tourism that Dubai thinks it's gotten over the corporate debt crisis that brought it (almost) to its knees three years ago. For those who missed it, the latest plan calls for the largest shopping mall in the world to be built on the outskirts of what passes for Dubai's current downtown area. There's also supposed to be a park that's 30 per cent bigger than Hyde Park in London.

A retail complex named the "Mall of the World" will be able to host 80 million visitors a year and include over 100 hotel facilities, officials said. A family entertainment centre linked to the mall, developed with Hollywood's Universal Studios would be designed for six million visitors each year.

It's all fine for Dubai, but just because a park is 30 per cent bigger than Hyde Park doesn't make it better. Ditto for the malls. I went to the big shopping mall in Dubai a couple years ago, the one with the indoor ski hill, and was utterly underwhelmed. Aside from the cosmpolitan group of customers, it may as well have been the Mall of America in Minneapolis with higher-end stores or the West Edmonton Mall in Alberta.

The historic centre of Dubai is fun and quite interesting, and there's a nicer beach than you might think to go with some sumptuous resorts. But the downtown feels like Houston without the southern charm and the majority of the developments that march ever onward make you feel like you're in Vegas, minus the crazy guys in costumes and the wedding chapels. Also without the girls and the gambling.

Still, folks seem to flock there and it is quite safe and there's a lot to do for kids, including a fun water park I tried out a couple years ago. They're clearly doing something right to warrant this kind of tourism plan....

 

 

A tour of the luscious Beverly Hills Hotel and lunch at the fabled Polo Lounge

BEVERLY HILLS – No stars. But plenty of style.

I was lucky enough to spend a night at the famed Beverly Hills Hotel this week, that fabulous pink palace made famous by the likes of Marilyn Monroe and dozens of other celebs over the years.

It’s a fabulous place that’s pretty much everything you’d think of; a dazzling, circular lobby that was recently given a major renovation, the wonderful and fabled Polo Lounge, a great swimming pool where they play classical music through underwater speakers and those famous bungalows for the reclusive movie types.

It was a nice day so I didn’t spend as much time looking over the interior of the Polo Lounge as I should have. But they’ll soon be giving it a facelift, so to speak, so perhaps it’s just as well.

There was a piano player tinkling away as we walked through, playing the song “Tomorrow” from Annie. The menu’s are covered with photos of various stars; mine had Warren Beatty and George Burns. The waiters are in white jackets, and, yes, mine is an aspiring actor and a musician who also hails from Buffalo. Nice kid.

The patio out back is paved with bricks and huge white umbrellas under a canopy of deep green trees and flowering pink bougainvillea. A stunning location, but be aware that a plate of very good pasta will set you back $35 and a glass of wine probably $17 or so. Still, it’s worth it just to soak in the atmosphere and to, yes, say you’ve dined at the Polo Lounge.

They serve some fine salads, too, including one with quinoa, kale, faro, raisins, chick peas, feta and fresh flower petals in a lemon vinaigrette for $26. It’s as beautiful a salad as you’ll see anywhere, and quite tasty.

The hotel turned 100 years old this year and they’ve made a lot of changes. The Polo Lounge is enormously popular with many long-time patrons, and they’re quite nervous about what the owners have planned. I was told it would be mostly a “soft” renovation, with changes to things like carpeting and paneling.

They’ll be redoing the guest rooms and suites by 2014. My room was lovely, with pale furnishings and beige/pinky red accents and comfortable chairs and a small sofa. I had a huge bathroom with pink and black marble floors and a huge tub with a separate shower and lots of gold. Perhaps a tad traditional looking so a refreshment wouldn't be a bad thing. Thankfully they have “normal” lights that don’t require a degree from MIT to operate.

I got a brief tour of the bungalows. Number four was a favourite of Howard Hughes. Apparently he loved the hotel’s roast beef sandwiches and would order them during the day and ask the staff to hide them outside his room in the garden or on the branches of a tree. He’d then come out at night and root around to find his food. And to think people called him crazy.

Marilyn Monroe loved units one and seven. I got a look inside Bungalow 7, which is huge and sumptuously furnished (see photo at left). There was a beautiful bed in the bedroom and I had to run my hand along it, even though it obviously isn’t the mattress Marilyn used. I’m not much on movie stars but it was pretty cool to stand in the bedroom where she used to sleep. Or whatever.

The 1912 Bar has some fine cocktails, including a 50-year-old Scotch that sells for something like $2,800 for a single shot. Hotel staff isn’t supposed to divulge secrets about who comes to the bar or the hotel, but I was told Charlie Sheen made a point of ordering not one but TWO of the drinks and then insisting hotel staff tell everyone that he had done so. So I can at least reveal that Hollywood tidbit.

It’s a nice bar where they have live music several days a week. There’s also a cool patio with comfy sofas outside and space heaters, with nice views of the palm trees on the property and down to the lighted towers of Century City.

One of the great spots at the BHH is the Fountain bar downstairs, which is open from 7 to 7. It’s a tiny lunch counter spot that has room for exactly 19 people and feels like an old-time diner, but with the hotel's famous banana leaf motif and a splash of signature pink. A friend tells me she sat next to Chris Rock last time she was there, but I was sitting with a couple from Chicago who have relatives in Toronto. We chatted about hotels and baseball and sipped $7 glasses of some of the finest orange juice on the planet.

It’s a fun spot for lunch or breakfast and it won’t cost an arm and a leg. Definitely recommended.

The beauty and stunning serenity of the fabulous Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES - I pullup to one of the most exclusive hotels in North America in my sister’s Jeep. The guy parking cars asks my name, and by the time I get out of the car and go back to open the trunk I’ve had three people address me as Mr. Byers.

I wind past the small pond with brilliant white swans and make my way to the front desk in the stark but beautiful reception area.

“Good day, Mr. Byers, how was your drive?"

I didn’t have this many people call me by name my entire first year of high school.

But it got better. The woman at the registration desk walks me to my room to perform the check-in function, because one shouldn’t hand over one’s credit card and discuss payment issues in public. She shows me the in-room computer monitor with the telephone built in and the button to push for room service, should I suddenly feel the need for a bottle of Veuve Clicquotm or for the front desk. I glance down at it and it says, “Hello Mr. Byers.” The in-room iPad sitting next to it has a display that reads “Welcome Jim Byers” and has my room number in the upper corner, in case I drink all the Veuve Clicquot by myself and pass out and can’t remember what room I’m in when I order the caviar to go with it.

They did a huge, multi-million dollar renovation of the Hotel Bel-Air just recently, only re-opening in October, 2011. And it shows, with a sleek, marble lobby with a gas fireplace and plenty of glam.

I didn’t like all of the high-tech gizmos in my room, to be honest. I had a helluva time getting the lights to go on when I wanted them owing to a confusing set of buttons. And I didn’t see a clock radio near the bed so I couldn’t see what time it was in the middle of the night.

But the Bang and Olufsen TV was a giant affair with a great picture for watching football on Sunday. Even the telephone in the bathroom was Bang and Olufsen.

Some hotels have rain showers that deliver a trickle, but this one was closer to Niagara Falls, with a thundering cascade of water that was just fabulous. They even have two large lights mounted in the wall so you can find all your bits that need soap. Very thoughtful.

The room I had was lovely, with crème-coloured furnishings and a crème-and-black patterned carpet and marble floors and a patterned, wood ceiling that was quite different from any hotel room I’ve seen. I wouldn’t have minded some sense of Los Angeles or California in the room, but the black and white curtains were pretty as was the Asian design on the pillows on the sofa.

There was a wood-burning fireplace, which many of the units have. Plus a fabulous, deep bathtub that filled quickly and La Prairie bath products. La-de-dah.

I’ve seen a few hotel rooms that can stand up to this one. But I haven’t seen many with grounds this beautiful.

The Bel Air appeals to a very exclusive clientele, and there’s a real sense of serenity and quiet and getting away from it all. The hotel is a quarter mile or so off Sunset Blvd. in Stone Canyon and is surrounded by steep hills. You don’t get a ton of sun, at least not at this time of year, but they make up for it with the surroundings. The buildings are mostly one or two-storeys and painted pale pink with white trim. There are enormous bougainvillea trees with a profusion of deep pink flowers, plus white impatiens and lime and lemon trees and towering ferns as tall as Chris Bosh and wide around as a pickup truck and gurgling fountains that look like something out of a Tuscan villa.

There’s a pretty, oval-shaped pool that’s a great spot for morning or mid-day sun. Marilyn Monroe did a photo shoot at the pool six weeks before she died; apparently her last such shoot (see photo below).

They also have a La Prairie Spa, one of only four in the U.S. Another is at the Bel Air’s sister property, The Beverly Hills Hotel (more on that on Friday!).

I had dinner at the Wolfgang Puck restaurant at the Bel Air, which has heated floors and a vast array of space heaters because it get surprisingly cool in the dry air of Los Angeles on a fall or winter night. I had a fabulous Asian duck with huckleberries and also tasted a fine roast chicken and some lovely vegetable soup. They treated me to a fabulous spoonful of black caviar with a dash of Meyer Lemon between courses and I had some great sorbet for dessert.

In the morning they make a great brioche French toast with a huckleberry (must’ve been on sale at Ralph’s) compote.

The bar is a slick, beautiful affair with huge, black and white prints of Ray Charles, John Belushi, Mick Jagger and Tina Turner. There’s a pretty section outside under the trees and they serve some beautiful drinks, including one with vodka, lemoncello, thyme and lavender honey, lemon and lemon bitters that’s one of the best tipples I’ve had anywhere. And they’ll bring you home-made potato chips, huge black and green olives and a killer snack mix with spicy cashews, macadamia nuts, almonds, Chinese crackers, wasabi peas and cranberries. If you do nothing else, come here for a drink and just soak up the ambience.

I could go on and on about this place. It’s not cheap. Dinner likely will cost you $200 for two if you indulge in a glass or two of wine. But they recently advertised a deluxe room with a patio for one night for $595 and it included a $115 breakfast credit. Pricey, but not outrageous if you want to splurge and live like the reclusive star you’ve always dreamed of being.

 

"Pedal or Not" electric bike tours: a great way to see Santa Monica and Venice

There's been some stuff written lately about the veracity of reviews on Trip Advisor. I can't speak for the hotel reviews at the Cleveland Airport, but I can say that the high rating the site gives to the Pedal or Not bike tours in Santa Monica is richly deserved.

For $59 you get a three-hour tour of lovely Santa Monica and the beach and down to Venice and back again on bikes that are both "regular" and electric. Which means you can get a bit of exercise or zoom (relatively) around town with a small motor. Top speed is maybe 20 mph but it's amazing how quickly you can get from the Santa Monica Pier to Venice Beach.

They also throw in a granola bar, chocolate lollipop, a stick of lip balm and a bottle of water.

Barbara, our tour guide, was a delight; an Ohio-born woman who lived for a couple years in London, Ontario and showed no sign of L.A. attitude, not that many folks here really have it in my humble opinion.

She showed us Saint Monica's Church, which was featured in Going My Way as a pretend Manhattan church and is where NFL star Tom Brady got married. Attendees include Martin Sheen, Brooke Shields and, when they were together, Mr and Mrs. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

You pass some beautiful parks, where you can inhale the fragrance of pungent eucalyptus trees and towering pines and fresh-cut grass and ride past a variety of homes; old wooden, grey bungalows next to brightly painted stucco buildings next to steel and glass architectural designs. Then it's on to the Palisades along the bluffs above Santa Monica Beach, where you get fabulous views out to the pier and northwest to fabled Malibu and the Santa Monica Mountains (see photo at left).

Across Pacific Coast Highway you'll get a look at Marion Davies' Beach House, or what's left of what used to be an enormous beachfront property. Davies was the long-time lover of William Randolph Hearst, who was married but spent most of his time in L.A. while his wife was in New York. Davies' apparently loved the high life, with huge parties featuring the likes of Charlie Charplin and nameds like Goldwyn and Mayer and Gable, not to mention Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks.

Apparently she once decided to have a circus-theme and asked to borrow a carousel from MGM Studios. They had to tear down a wall of the place to get the carousel onto the property . Once she decided to have a circus party so she wanted to borrow a carousel from MGM. They had to tear down a wall of the place to get the carousel in. A few months later she decided she wanted another circus party. Down came the wall once again.

The property suffered earthquake damage in 1994 but the Annenberg family recently donated $25 million and it's now a community centre/event space. The old Davies' pool is still there, surrounded by marble finishes and with a fish mosaic in the bottom. It's a public pool and worth a swim if you can find the time.

There are beautiful beachfront homes along the way, some brightly coloured and one that was designed by Ontario's own Frank Gehry to look like a lifeguard tower, and then head down to Venice Beach. There's a park on the beach called Tagger Park, where folks can practice their spray-painting. You then ride past the tattoo parlours and pizza joints and bars and Muscle Beach, whre Schwarzenegger used to hang out.

From there it's down to buzzing Washington Ave. with its buzzing cafes and chic restaurants, and then on to Dell Avenue to check out the fabulous canals. They were smelly and gross in the 1970's when I loved here but they're now clean and bright and lined with colourful homes with small boats. There are some small fish and ducks about and pelicans fly in and dive for lunch, making a huge splash.

On the way back Barbara points out a medicinal marijuana shop next to a sign that says "Botox on the Beach."

Only in California.

 

 

Fabulously beautiful and fun Casa Del Mar hotel in Santa Monica California

SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA - The rooms at Casa Del Mar hotel look like your grandmother's house might look, assuming your grandmother was a rich socialite with a beach house and a flair for Spanish architecture.

This is intended as a compliment, by the way. There are a lot of super trendy spots all over the world with slick fixtures and fancy doodads and rooms that require a degree in civil engineering in order to turn off a g.d. light bulb.

Not at this place. Oh, there was a rather high-tech bath tub that actually had a drying function to it. When I got out of the bath, air started hissing out of the jets and a little panel lit up to say it was drying my tub. Because, you know, somebody might want to put fresh water in there.

That funny bit aside, I found it a stunning and beautiful property. It's an old beach house and said to be the oldest of the "grande dames" that line the beach south of the fun and colourful Santa Monica Pier.

You walk into the lobby and are greeted with ornate floor tiles in gold, blue and red and a soaring ceiling with dark wood beams and a pair of sweeping staircases that take you to the second floor check-in area/lobby. There's a huge mural of southern California's coast on one wall.

The lobby is enormous, with several sections for privacy. The main area has deep, comfortable sofas and a huge fireplace (hey, it was raining and around 16 degrees Celsius when I arrived Saturday night. Off on one side is a small library area and there's a big, beautiful bar that commands attention and is open and inviting. I didn't get a chance to try it out due to a coughing attack that I'm sure had the wait staff at the restaurant ready to call 911....

Behind the bar is a large sitting area for drinks or coffee or just gazing out the enormous windows that front Santa Monica beach and the Pacific Ocean. Bikers and skaters and people walking their dogs stroll past and you get fine views of the sea and the Santa Monica Pier and up north and west to fabulous Malibu and the craggy Santa Monica mountains.

My room was suitably posh but not over the top, with a nice, clamshell-shaped archway and an old-time looking shelving unit that held books and gleaming pieces of white coral and seashells. On the desk was a small, colourful Ferris Wheel, meant to invoke the real one I could see on the pier outside my window (see photo at left). And the light fixture in the bathroom had a base in the shape of a starfish. Better yet was the small green soap bar shaped like a turtle and the rubber ducky next to the tub, complete with a tiny mask and snorkel.

Fun, fun, fun.

The main restaurant, Catch, makes an unbelievably tasty pork belly with hardly a trace of fat and a fabulous black cod in mustard and balsamic like poached and soft enough to cut with a feather. A nice wine list, too. Be aware a waffle with local berries and a wild honey mascarpone will set you back $17 at breakfast. But it's a beautiful, sunny room overlooking the beach so why not live it up?

More to come from Santa Monica and L.A., including a great Santa Monica/Venice bike tour with the folks at the Pedal Or Not bike tour....

 

You have to think they’re not hockey or basketball fans. Or soccer enthusiasts, for that matter.

The folks at Travelzoo Inc. released its 2012 Travelzoo Awards list on Thursday and there was a rather large surprise in the category of “Best Overall Provider of Entertainment Experiences in Canada.” The winner? Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.

I had to give my head a shake. At first I thought it was an award for “best condo builder.” But no. Then I thought it was “most outrageously profitable entertainment experiences where fans are continually hosed by owners who don’t care if their teams win.” But no. It was “best overall provider of entertainment experiences.” IN ALL OF CANADA!!

MLSE? The folks who struggle to put even a mediocre product on the ice and the basketball court and the soccer pitch? The laughingstock of North American sports? The organization that's part of a league that isn't even playing this fall?

You gotta be kidding me. Yes, Real Sports is a great sports bar. Yes, the Raptors dance pack features some pretty hot routines. And yes, the Raptor himself continues to dazzle (I think, I haven’t seen a game in a couple years).

But this is an organization that has run Toronto FC into the ground and can’t field a hockey playoff team and a basketball team that's consistently below average with a general manager that is riding on his success in Phoenix a century or two ago.

Good concerts at the ACC? Maybe that’s what did it, but not if you judge that category by the feedback from fans at this week’s mysterious Bob Dylan show.

The other Canadian categories in the Travelzoo awards were for best overall provider of Airfare (Porter), best overall provider of hotel deals (Sutton Place, Vancouver, which is often on sale on various websites) and best provider of vacation and cruise packaging (Cruise Connections, Inc.).

 

QUEBEC CITY HOTELS KICK BUTT

Congrats to Quebec City for having the highest rated hotels in the U.S. and Canada.

CheapHotels.org released a survey this week of 30 destinations north and south of the border. It was based on evaluations written by customers over the past 12 months following their stays.

To ensure proper comparisons, the study was based only on 3-star hotels (the kind most of us stay in most often) in the city centre. Two booking sites, Expedia and Priceline, served as the aggregator from which reviews were drawn.

The winner, with 75 per cent positive reviews, was Quebec City. Next was Washington D.C. at 73, followed by Chicago (72) and a tie between Boston and Montreal at 71. So, good on La Belle Province for a great showing.

The bottom five were Las Vegas (61), Honolulu (59), Ottawa (a terrible 57 score), Atlantic City (56) and, at the very bottom, Miami at 54.

Sounds like theirs food for thought down Florida way….

For the record, Toronto was pretty much in the middle (slightly above average) at 67, one spot behind Niagara Falls (68), although the study doesn’t say whether that’s the U.S. or Canadian side of the falls.

New York City was at 65.

 

THIS AND THAT

Fairmont is opening its first-ever property in the Philippines, which seem to be getting more and more travel press these days. The Fairmont Makati opens Dec. 3 in Metro Manila. Fairmont Makati will have 280 rooms and suites with a Filipino design. The tower housing the Makati also is home to the 32-room, all-suite Raffles Makati and to condos under the Raffles Residences brand. Raffles is a sister brand of Fairmont under the parent company Fairmont Raffles Hotels International … Kudos to Cabot Links on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia for being named best new golf course by SCOREGolf. It’s a no-brainer, really, as it’s by far the best new course opened in this country in some time. It’s a true links course, the only one in Canada, and it’s absolutely marvelous.