United States and Canada Luxury Travel

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes” – Marcel Proust The ability to travel and experience new places is one of life’s greatest gifts. I have had the opportunity to visit some of the most beautiful destinations in the world, and I recently discovered that one…

“Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have” – Eckhart Tolle Humans are drawn to the sea. Precious few of us reside in its powerful proximity, and we are therefore taken to daydream about future visits, and reminisce about those days where the tide reached out to meet our feet, and the…

“When we feel known, it changes who we are” – Annie Downs Bucolic byways and welcoming hosts have been Southern fixtures for centuries. Well, I’m pleased to report that Southern hospitality is alive and quite well at the Mandarin Oriental Atlanta; where guests are welcomed in the warm embrace and luxurious intimacy of a Southern…

“Las Vegas looks the way you’d imagine heaven must look at night” – Chuck Palahniuk The Las Vegas Strip – a dramatic upsurge of shimmering glass and steel, bathed in an energetic luminosity – must be experienced with an enthusiastic reverence for the entrepreneurial vigor which powers its vitality. Of course, despite all of these…

“I followed my heart and it led me to the beach.” – Unknown The beach conjures all manner of thoughts, feelings, and memories – an almost spiritual renewal when bare feet push into the warm, soft sand. I simply need to be in close proximity to the water to experience its fiercely restorative properties. Oceanside…

“A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.” – William G.T. Shedd My guest blogger Sara recently visited the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel, Baltimore. I’m excited that I can feature the work of my guest bloggers, but there is always a slight pang of jealousy in realizing that I will…

“When I admire the wonders of a sunset, or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in the worship of the creator.” – Mahatma Gandhi I have a tendency to scan the world for the most luxurious places to visit, but more often than not, beauty is right around the corner. In this case, I…

“Beauty appears when something is completely and absolutely and openly itself.” – Deena Metzger One of the most rewarding parts of writing about luxury travel is that I learn about properties that I most likely would never have discovered without my blog, and then having the ability to share these properties with my readers and…

“The desert is a natural extension of the inner silence of the body.” – Jean Baudrillard   Set in the heart of the southwest’s wondrous Grand Circle, Amangiri reveals a spellbinding confluence of light and inspired architecture – a grand amphitheater of angled concrete conferring upon the observer a luxurious composition of windswept stone and…

“Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” – Miriam Beard   I was born and raised in bucolic New Hampshire, and I recently returned home for a family event, with a quick one-night stay in Boston. There was no…

“We travel, some of us forever, to seek other places, other lives, other souls.” – Anais Nin   I recently had the chance to visit Miami, a city for which I have a great deal of affection having spent much time there in years past. Miami is a city long associated with luxurious oceanside views,…

“To awaken alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world.” – Freya Stark   Our country is a traveler’s paradise. One could spend decades visiting our many states, cities, and regions, and I am forever amazed as to the variety of luxury destinations to be enjoyed. I recently had…

“And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul” – Unknown There are few things more exhilarating than getting on a plane, and traveling to a place you’ve been thinking about visiting for some time. Not long after I started to post my travels on social media, I stumbled upon…

“I love New York, even though it isn’t mine, the way something has to be, a tree or a street or a house, something, anyway, that belongs to me because I belong to it.” – Truman Capote   There is no place like New York City, especially for a lover of luxury hotels. I had…

“In the middle of it, there’s joy” – Unknown I live in Scottsdale, Arizona, and while I absolutely love to travel, there’s nothing quite like coming home. And every once in a great while, I am extremely fortunate enough to have the opportunity to visit and write about a hotel in my part of the…

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” – Marcel Proust   This is a most special post, and something I never thought possible. When I first started writing about luxury traveling a few years ago, I wanted simply to show other people the places I visited,…

“There’s a vastness here and I believe that the people who are born here breathe that vastness into their soul. They dream big dreams and think big thoughts, because there is nothing to hem them in.” ― Conrad Hilton   There’s no place like Texas. And Houston is one of those special American cities where…

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things” – Henry Miller   This quote resonates with me the more I travel. I think less of places on a map, and more of how I feel when I visit and eventually, when I return. This visit to Deer Valley, Utah was…

“I want to be with those who know secret things, or else alone” – Rainer Maria Rilke   One of the guiding concepts that has served me best in travel is to seek out places and experiences that have been overlooked by the masses; and it has served me quite well. I mention this because…

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” –Mark Twain   One of the questions I’m asked the most is:…

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson   I believe strongly in the power of gratitude, which includes being in awe of…

“I am not the same, having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world.” – Mary Anne Radmacher   In a city best known for sharp elbows and power plays, the Mandarin Oriental Washington, D.C. offers a luxuriously soft place to rest your body and mind. Location Overlooking the west bank of the famous Tidal…

“People don’t take trips — trips take people” – John Steinbeck   Our nation’s capital is replete with grand and stately, sometimes historic hotels, so when I recently visited, I had some difficult choices to make. But when I began to investigate further, it became quite obvious that a luxury travel blogger’s trip to Washington,…

“To move, to breathe, to fly, to float, To gain all while you live, To roam the roads of land remote, To travel is to live.” – Hans Christian Andersen   There’s something special about travel that I’ve learned over the years – the traveler doesn’t need to travel far. Sometimes the most spectacular places…

“You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality” – Walt Disney   Every once and a while I get lucky, and discover a quote that simply and perfectly captures a visit; and I should have known that the great…

“Travel brings power and love back into your life” – Rumi As for many people, the memories of visiting Orlando, Florida as a child are some of the most important and meaningful memories I have – the wonder of getting on a plane in a snowy city and exiting the plane a few hours later…

“Luxury is attention to detail, originality, exclusivity and above all quality” – Angelo Bonati There are precious few places lovelier than Arizona in the Springtime, and one of the many reasons I adore this part of the year is that I take the opportunity to visit a number of luxury properties located near my home…

“If we sip the wine, we find dreams coming upon us out of the imminent night” – D.H. Lawrence   We Westerners are spoiled beyond imagination. Unless you’re in France, Spain, or Italy, there are few places where flavorful wine is more widespread or profoundly abundant than California. And while there are innumerable resorts and…

“Food is our common ground – a universal experience.” – James Beard   Superlative steakhouses are something quite special. The best steakhouses transport the diner to a different time and place, delivering exhilaration, luscious flavors, laughter, community, and suffused memories. We’re most fortunate to have one such steakhouse close to home – Dominick’s Steakhouse at the Scottsdale…

“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” – Ernest Hemingway   In this sense, I’m always on the lookout for the next journey – the next place. The older I get, the more I realize that to be static, is to hasten…

“To become aware of the possibility of the search is to be onto something. Not to be onto something is to be in despair.” – Walker Percy, The Moviegoer This quote perfectly captures how I feel about travel – that “the possibility of the search” is what energizes and moves me to always seek new destinations…

“Tell me once more about the eternal surf.” – Rob Bignell   Like many people, I’ve always been mesmerized by the sights, sounds, and scents of the ocean. There’s nothing comparable to standing on the edge of a cliff overlooking the undulating ocean, except perhaps gazing out at the same cliff and sea from a…

“Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow” – Anita Desai I’ve had the pleasure of visiting some of the most beautiful places in the world, and I’ve learned quickly that these places truly change who I am, how I view the world, and how I make decisions about how to spend my time…

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page” – Saint Augustine I had the occasion recently to travel to Denver, Colorado and I’m always looking for new and different places to stay. Well, there is a lovely neighborhood to the southeast of downtown Denver called Cherry Creek.  It’s…

“There is a difference between dining and eating. Dining is an art. When you eat to get the most out of your meal, to please the palate, just as well as to satiate the appetite, that, my friend, is dining.” – Yuan Mei   Dining is a very special way to experience a new place,…

“I wandered everywhere, through cities and countries wide. And everywhere I went, the world was on my side.” – Roman Payne, Rooftop Soliloquy  Most of us lead frenetic lives – phones, emails, meetings, carpools, dance recitals, soccer games, lunches, dinners, family commitments, and all of the other common responsibilities and obligations – which have slowly, at…

“Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly.” – M.F.K. Fisher The experience of dining with others is one of the most primal and quintessential human behaviors, and I’ve long considered it one of the most important components of the human experience.  We are social, communal,…

“Listen to the voice of nature, For it holds treasure for you.” – Huron I am extremely fortunate to visit and write about luxury resorts, but my recent visit to the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa in Chandler, Arizona was incredibly special because of the relationship the property shares with the Gila River Indian Community…

“Food is our common ground, a universal experience.” – James Beard The experience of dining is very special to me, and this quote reminded me of why this is so – food, and how we experience it, connects us all. I recently visited the Arizona Biltmore to write a staycation feature, and had the opportunity…

“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta This quote perfectly captures how I inadvertently became a travel writer – the sheer astonishment of experiencing new and beautiful places, followed by the compulsion to give voice to those experiences so that others may see a part of the…

“Once you decide on your occupation, you must immerse yourself in your work. You have to fall in love with your work. Never complain about your job. You must dedicate your life to mastering your skill. That’s the secret of success.” – Jiro Ono I adore sushi. I think it’s culinary poetry. The craftsmanship, the…

“Life is an ocean and waves are our paths.” – Diana Matoso Maui is a very special place, and this quote speaks to me as to why we are drawn to the beauty, serenity, peacefulness, and restorative energy of the ocean – that no matter where we are in our lives, the ocean shows us where…

“Beauty – be not caused – it is.” – Emily Dickinson Emily Dickinson’s poetic verse splendidly describes Wailea on the Hawaiian Island of Maui; and it seems as if those responsible for crafting the majestic Grand Wailea Resort understood that simply being a part of unassailable beauty is a virtue on to itself. The Grand…

“My Rolex is a continual pleasure, and works admirably.” – Sir Winston Churchill This quote perfectly captures how I feel about the Rolex watch brand. I’ve owned a few Rolexes over the years, and when Upscale Living Magazine asked me to write an article about luxury watches, I jumped at the chance to visit my local Rolex…

“My favorite color… the seam of a desert horizon.” ~ Eileen Tabios It’s difficult to hide my adoration for the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North. About five years ago – before I started traveling and writing – my wife and I first visited the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale. The resort is a scant…

“I need the sea because it teaches me” – Pablo Neruda, On the Blue Shore of Silence Whenever I travel to the ocean, I think to myself, Aaron, you don’t visit the ocean nearly enough. So when we planned a trip to Maui, I decided to write about the best luxury hotels in Hawaii because visiting those properties would…

“I went to Maui to stay a week and remained five. I never spent so pleasant a month before, or bade any place goodbye so regretfully. I have not once thought of business, or care or human toil or trouble or sorrow or weariness, and the memory of it will remain with me always.” –…

“It’s the Call of the Canyon – Bell Rock, Cathedral, Mitten Ridge – It’s Sedona, Sedona – Where the lovin’ people live” – Excerpt from Sedona, by Donna Loren Sedona, Arizona is one of my most favorite places on the planet – magical, mysterious, and its beauty is impossible to describe. So when a business trip…

“Hawaii is not a state of mind, it is a state of grace.” – Paul Theroux We only experienced the Hawaiian Island of Kaua’i for one day, but our transcendent experience at the Grand Hyatt Kaua’i Resort & Spa will live on in our minds for years to come. The resort has most certainly earned…

“If only I could be a prince of every world.” – Stephen J. Carroll, A Prince of Earth This is how I felt upon viewing the resplendent and unparalleled beauty of the St. Regis Princeville – that there are certain moments in life where you yearn to experience all there is to be enjoyed, without…

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” – Virginia Woolf This is one of my favorite quotes about food, and every once and a while, a meal triggers that remote corner of my mind where that quote lingers.  My recent meal at T. Cooks was such a meal.…

“Natural elegance inspires the mind.” – Kristian Goldmund Aumann, From Poet’s Hand Truly superlative resorts cast magic powers over guests, creating a peaceful, rejuvenative, and memorable experience.  The Royal Palms Resort and Spa and it’s natural elegance infused me with a luxurious and serene sense of relaxation. Why the Royal Palms? When I decided to…

Thanks for clicking on another article in my blog series call the Best Staycation Resorts in Arizona! This article features the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North in North Scottsdale. As I’ve mentioned in other Staycation articles, Arizona resorts often feature special summer pricing, and the Four Seasons Scottsdale is offering a special “End of…

Arizona summers are notoriously and reliably hot – downright phosphorescent.  Arizona residents do whatever they can to stay cool, and try to enjoy the outside despite the heat. One of the most popular things to do during Arizona summers, is to take a “Staycation” at a local resort. So when I thought about writing topics…

Where Were We? Oh yeah! I was writing about the Best Resorts in Hawaii, and I was just about to discuss my visit to The Four Seasons, Lanai at Manele Bay. If you haven’t read Part I yet, just click here. Arrival As I mentioned, The Four Seasons, Lanai at Manele Bay is undergoing a…

When my parents told my family that they were generously taking us to Hawaii for a week, I was so excited because after a couple of past visits to Oahu and Maui, I’ve been anxious to visit one or more of the other Hawaiian Islands. And naturally, because I’m well – you know – me,…

Just a quick post with a great article on some of the background of the Four Seasons Lanai – Manele Bay beautification and enhancements.  I’ll have a more detailed article later this week on my tour and visit of the Four Seasons Lanai – Manele Bay!!!  And you’ll read more about many resorts in my…

The word “picturesque” gets tossed about with an exceeding lack of context or care.  I’ve traveled to many places and dined at some of the best restaurants in the world, and I can tell you that memorably picturesque restaurants are rare. Well, The Plantation House at Kapalua on Maui is one of those restaurants. Why the…

Just when I thought that we couldn’t top our Day 1 in Maui, Day 2 was an all-timer! We again found some of the Best Places to See in Maui! Brunch I really make an effort to visit new restaurants and resorts when I travel for the simple fact that there so many amazing places…

Welcome to my series of blog articles called “Best Places to See in Maui”!  My aspiration is to post daily, but I don’t want Miss Details to divorce me, so we’ll see how that goes! We arrived in Maui yesterday and the island is even more beautiful than my memories of our visit a few…

I’ve had a few followers and readers ask me to talk about the best restaurants in Scottsdale, so I’ve decided to start a blog series called, most originally, “Best Restaurants in Scottsdale” The beauty of having your own blog is that “Best” can mean whatever you’d like for it to mean, at any given time;…

I have a chronic weakness for “Comfort Food,” but I have an emotional moment with my food when Comfort Food is redefined, yet prepared with traditional ingredients. I know, it’s an odd way to begin a Dining Review, but it’s the only way I know how to begin this review. I’ll return to this train of…

As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, rating and comparing steakhouses is a Fool’s Errand.  These high end restaurants are more akin to pieces of art where the artistic beauty, craftsmanship, and experience is in the eye of the individual experiencing the restaurant.  So, it makes more sense to describe the experience than to attempt…

Full disclosure, one of my preferred hotel and resort brands is the Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG). I love the brand, their people, the elegance and charm of the properties, its consistency, the loyalty program, and lots of other things. I don’t know where I would be as a business traveler without my IHG loyalty program.…

On a recent trip to NY City, I wanted some great shellfish, which I thought might be a difficult find considering the likely numerous spots with high end seafood in my area. But after a few Google searches, it became quite clear that I needed to visit The John Dory Oyster Bar, and now I…

Located in Bandon, Oregon, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort offers the tagline: “Golf as it was meant to be . . .” Full disclosure, my golf game is not so much a game, but more of a dumspter fire – though not even as remotely interesting to watch. So, it’s safe to say that my review…

We recently traveled to Toronto and we’d heard a lot of great things about dbar by Cafe Boulud at the Four Seasons Toronto. It did not disappoint. Outstanding cuisine, stellar ambiance, and exemplary service. We entered through the main entrance of the Four Seasons, which lived up to our expectations for a Four Seasons. We…

We recently visited Toronto for the first time. A friend who lives in Toronto met us for drinks and he recommended that we meet in the Lobby Bar of the Shangri-La Hotel. Wow, we loved this place. Our friend has recently moved to Toronto after a promotion at work so we had lots to celebrate!…

I’ve had the fortune and pleasure of staying at some of the most beautiful hotel and resort properties in the world. And much like great restaurants, comparing these properties is virtually impossible. That said, I’m human and I have my favorites – and the Intercontinental Toronto Centre (ICTC) ranks among my most enjoyable hotel stays, and…

I hate to compare steaks and steakhouses. I really do. It’s inherently flawed and hopelessly impossible. There are so many variables – how you feel on a particular night, how many drinks you’ve had, the company at the table, the ambiance, the wine you paired with the steak, etc, etc. There’s also something called the…

Strangely enough, it took an out-of-town guest’s recommendation for me to finally visit Virtu Honest Craft in Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona. I feel like I’m slipping that it took me so long to try this amazing restaurant that had been garnering rave reviews locally and nationally.  And thank the Good Lord that my California-based business…

Absolutely loved our visit to The Four Seasons – Westlake Village, California over this past Christmas holiday. This Four Seasons did not disappoint.  The mountain views are lovely, the staff is exceptional, and the on-property dining and entertainment is among the best of all the resorts we’ve visited. The main pool and spa are stellar,…

Jackson Hole, Wyoming Wow, we have stayed at some of the most beautiful resorts in the world, and we were incredibly fortunate to stay at two incomparable resorts in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.  This picture is of the pool deck at the Amangani resort.  As you can see, the view is breathtaking.  And the staff and…

The Four Seasons is one of the world’s premium luxury resort brands for good reason – it is simply consistently exceptional. For our first visit to Jackson Hole, I scoured the Internet for the top resorts and The Four Seasons Jackson Hole emerged as one of the most enjoyed Jackson Hole properties.  After arriving to…

If you’ve never visited Homer, Alaska, you need to – soon. Full disclaimer. My uncle owns the Good Karma Inn Bed & Breakfast in Homer, Alaska.  We visited because we continued to hear about Homer’s beauty and food scene, and we were dazzled. What a place.  It changed my life. There is something incredibly special…