by Editor | Oct 3, 2011 | New Articles
Article and photos by Elena del Valle
Our Iberia airplane at the gate in Barcelona
Soon after Iberia inaugurated its new service from Miami, Florida to Barcelona, Spain I flew the route in the airline’s luxury cabin. The best part about the Iberia flights from Miami to Barcelona and back was that they were direct and non stop.
On board, Pilar Rumbero, a crew member
The advantages of the Business Plus service began with expedited security lane access at Miami International Airport. After passing through security I waited for the flight to depart in comfort at the American Airlines and Iberia shared airline lounge and, on the way back, at Iberia’s Miro Lounge in Barcelona. On board, courteous service, clean bathrooms with no wait, a varied Spanish wine and spirits selection, a check-in luggage allowance of three suitcases and a spacious cabin were added advantages. The nose section had only 24 seats and an intimate feel.
My aisle seat in Iberia Business Plus
The seats with lie flat horizontal capability and extra space between rows were comfortable, allowing me to arrive in Spain and back to Miami minimally crumpled. Overall I liked the Iberia Business Plus service very much. Based on the Miami Barcelona round trip experience I will keep Iberia’s luxury service on my short list for international flights in the future. Visit the Simon & Baker Travel Review for more about my Iberia Business Plus experience.
by Editor | Sep 12, 2011 | Accomodations, Ecotourism, Food and Wine, New Articles
By Elena del Valle
Photos by Gary Cox and Elena del Valle
The suite at Boulders featured a stunning view of the bush
We ended our visit to South Africa’s premier game viewing area earlier this year with three nights at the Singita properties in the Sabi Sand Reserve. We spent the first two nights at Singita Ebony and the last night, the first night they were open following a soft refurbishing closure, at Singita Boulders. Our experience was superb.
The master bedroom and private pool at Singita Boulders
The master bedroom at Boulders featured a wood burning fireplace
At Ebony we enjoyed an informative and fun wine tasting with Francois Rautenbach, the company’s wine manager, in the lodge’s cozy cellar. During the hour long event, shared with four other guests, we heard about South Africa’s varied wine regions and the wines they produce, the evolution of the country’s wine industry and some of the salient wines that are garnering international recognition.
Francois Rautenbach, Singita’s wine manager
During the tasting, we had a chance to sample four wines, selected by the staff, before our tasting menu dinner. We began with a 2008 Director’s Reserve White from Tokara in Simonsberg-Stellenbosch made of 85 percent sauvignon blanc and 15 percent semillon and a 2009 Aeternitas Wines Blanc from Voor-Paardeberg made of 90 chenin blanc, 5 percent viognier and 5 percent grenache blanc.
The Singita shop carried wine and related merchandise
Next we had two 2003 wines, a Sequillo Cellars blend of syrah, mourvedre and grenache from the West Coast and Paarl regions and a Rij’s Private Cellar Bravado blend of 21 percent cabernet, 7 percent cabernet franc, 12 percent merlot, 35 percent shiraz and 25 percent pinotage from the Tulbagh Valley.
Singita staff prepared an eco-friendly meal by lantern light
At Boulders we joined fellow guests and the lodge staff, at the same time as guests and staff at Singita’s nine lodges in three countries, in an Earth Hour global event organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature on the last Saturday of March every year. The idea is to make it through one hour in the early evening without electricity to raise awareness about climate change.
The dining area on the main deck prepared for Earth Hour
The local staff regaled us with a singing and dance performance and the kitchen made sure our dinner, prepared on the deck and served by candlelight was splendid. A company executive and a local news media team were on hand to share the moment with viewers across the country. Visit the Simon & Baker Travel Review for more about Singita Boulders and our visit to the Sabi Sand Reserve and Singita Ebony.
by Editor | Jun 6, 2011 | Accomodations, New Articles
Hotel de La Trémoille
Hotel de La Trémoille, a small hotel minutes away from the Champs Elysees in Paris, France offered a good option for accommodations. The multistory hotel on a quiet street offered comfort and luxury accommodations with modern touches and friendly service. Our team’s junior suite was comfortable and warm in winter with a view, from the balcony, of the famous Eiffel Tower and excellent internet connectivity.
The junior suite was on two levels
Visit the Simon & Baker Travel Review for additional information on Paris and the Hotel de la Tremoille.
by Editor | May 16, 2011 | Accomodations, New Articles, Restaurants
By Elena del Valle
Photos by Gary Cox
The common areas in Hotel de Crillon
Location, location, location. There is much truth to the saying in a city like Paris, France. Being in a good neighborhood means easy access to many of the attractions that make Paris one of the most alluring cities in the world.
From a tourist perspective the Place de la Concorde is a great location. While the Place itself is attractive it offers the added advantage that within walking distance or a short taxi ride from the Place there are many tourist points of interest like Tuilleries Gardens, Rue de Rivoli, Louvre Museum, Place Vendome, Place de la Madeleine and Champs Elysees Avenue as well as shopping venues and gourmet restaurants.
The Baccarat crystal elephant in the salon outside Les Ambassadeurs
On the Place, the Hotel de Crillon, part of a project commissioned in 1758 by Louis XV, became a private residence and was converted to a hotel in 1909. Over time the hotel has been the temporary home of United States Presidents Herbert Hoover, Theodore Roosevelt and Richard Nixon, Emperor Hirohito of Japan, Reza Shah Pahlavi of Iran, King George V of England, King Juan Carlos and the queen of Spain, Madonna, and Elizabeth Taylor among others. The historic building is to this day a luxury hotel. We stayed there during a holiday trip to the City of Lights.
For those who need to combine business with pleasure the hotel, located across the street from the United States Embassy, is in central Paris. Although the facade was under renovation and there was scaffolding covering the front of the building, inside there were many features that made the hotel worth a stay for business and leisure travelers. Our suite had a living area with a desk that was convenient for personal and business meetings and there was excellent internet connectivity for both of our computers.
The dining room at Les Ambassadeurs
Over the years the marble filled historic building has been well maintained. Our spacious and handsome Presidential Suite looked onto Rue de l’Arcade and a building that may have been part of the embassy complex. We liked the well known entrance from the Place de la Concorde and another more discreet entrance on Rue de l’Arcade leading to Rue Saint Honore, a popular shopping street. As guests we had access to a fitness center, two restaurants and a bar within the hotel; we could also walk for exercise and dine at one of the myriad restaurants within a short distance of the hotel.
A place setting at Les Ambassadeurs
For years Les Ambassadeurs, the hotel’s gourmet restaurant, has stood out among the thousands of dining venues of the city. Its beautiful dining room and prized location on the Place de la Concorde have been among its attractions along with talented chefs and capable restaurant staff. During our stay at the hotel we dined at Les Ambassadeurs, which had undergone a change in management and chef, to rediscover the restaurant.
Pierre Jung, the restaurant manager at Les Ambassadeurs
We were pleasantly surprised to see Pierre Jung, the new manager and a familiar face. We knew him from his time at the well known Senderens restaurant in the nearby Place de la Madeleine. Christopher Hache, the promising new young chef, who we met briefly that day, also had experience at Senderens (and as it was formerly known Lucas Carton). Our delicious and well served tasting menu was a success. We plan to return to the restaurant when next we are in Paris.
Dessert at Les Ambassadeurs
We thoroughly enjoyed our most recent stay at the Hotel de Crillon, especially our Presidential Suite and indulgent meal at Les Ambassadeurs. Visit the Simon & Baker Travel Review for information about the restaurant Les Ambassadeurs and Hotel de Crillon in Paris, France.
by Editor | Jan 17, 2011 | Accomodations, New Articles
Article and photos by Elena del Valle
The courtyard area of the Rest Detail Hotel
It took many hours of travel and connections in two airports to arrive in Bangkok from the United States. When I arrived late in the evening the rain was pouring so hard we had to wait a few minutes to deplane because rather than parking directly at the terminal the airplane had parked on the tarmac and we had to be bussed to the terminal building. Except for the rain the transfer was all too familiar. It was necessary for us to descend the airplane staircase and cross over onto the bus partly in the rain then wait for the bus to be loaded before riding for what seemed a very long time to reach the airport building.
The breakfast room
I felt tired from the long flights with uncomfortable seats, indifferent service and bad airline meals, most of which I left untouched. Getting wet on arrival and the 11 hour time difference didn’t help matters. I was disillusioned as I exited the customs area eager to find my driver and leave the airport only to discover he was nowhere in sight (the same driver dropped me off in the wrong part of the airport on the return). I called the Rest Detail Hotel in Hua Hin and instantly felt reassured. Tar, the young man who answered, was patient and understanding. An hour and several phone calls later I managed to locate the driver. Within minutes we were on the road in the rain to Hua Hin.
Flowers in the common area
The air conditioned car was clean and comfortable and the only noteworthy item during our drive was the military check point we encountered along the road on our way to the hotel. Once at the hotel everything was right. Tar was waiting for me. He welcomed me with a warm smile and took me straight to my suite. The rest of my stay was a pleasure. My luxurious beach facing suite and the hotel’s quiet ambiance, service orientation, and tasty meals provided the restful environment I sought to recover from the long trip and adjust to the time difference. Visit Simonandbaker.com to read about Thailand and the Rest Detail Hotel where I stayed.
by Editor | Dec 13, 2010 | New Articles, Restaurants
Doorman at the hotel wearing traditional Khmer costume
One of our team members was recently in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Among the places she visited was Le Grand restaurant, the gourmet restaurant of the Raffles Hotel in that city. The quiet restaurant in the lobby of the historic hotel was known locally for its wine collection, Royal Khmer cuisine, and romantic setting. Visit Simonandbaker.com for more about Siem Reap and Restaurant Le Grand.
