Tag: Island Hotels
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Fiji's Tokoriki Island Resort Is Little Slice of Paradise
Go with us as we escape on a private island about 75 miles off the coast of mainland Fiji that will make the shoulders of even the highest strung relax just a bit. We're talking about Tokoriki Island Resort in the outer surroundings of the Mamanuca Islands--where it takes a 90 minute catamaran ride and fishing boat transfer to reach. This boutique resort is the quintessential definition of Fiji-time because there is little to worry about since the only thing you might be late for is snorkeling.
One very important feature of Tokoriki is the staff. Arriving on the island to a hearty BULA!, wooden bead lei and a traditional island song made us feel like we had truly arrived somewhere special. Bordering a personal concierge, we were escorted to our hut and shown around the grounds. Mysteriously, it made us feel familiar, as if we had been here before; that's what Fiji does!
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A Killer South Pacific View At Fiji's Tokoriki Island Resort
Sit back, relax and soak it all in. This killer view comes to you via the mega-tropical destination of Fiji. A grouping of 333 islands that has an abundance of views like the one above at Tokoriki Island Resortand even more warmth from its people.
We hopped on a fast catamaran at the port of Denarau in Nadi, the capital and headed off the mainland to the Mamanuca Island group just about 70 miles off the coast of the island's second largest city. After 90 minutes of passing coral strips like Beachcomber and South Sea Island, we finally made it to our volcanic paradise and, instantly, our stress levels were carried off with the tradewinds.
We tendered via a little fishing boat and stepped foot on the island after wading through ankle deep sea water. Warmly welcomed with a wooden lei by staff dressed in Masi shirts and sulu skirts, we had a feeling we could get used to this. And we did. It was easy to get settled in and soak up the tropical surroundings and private beach before exploring.
Stay tuned for the full review, with heaps of photos. You wont be disappointed. For now, just imagine this is just outside your window. Disclaimer:We are traveling as guests of Air Pacific and Tourism Fiji, but rest assured all of our opinions and photos are our own.
[Photo: Rayme Gorniak for HotelChatter]
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Plane Spotting from a Private Balcony: Inside the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort on St. Maarten
For travelers who seek to scratch the Caribbean island of St. Maarten off their bucket list, and see the planes flying over the beach for which the island is most famous, there's only one hotel option. This is the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort & Casino, an all-inclusive property with the distinction of being the only large hotel within walking distance of Maho Beach; the other buildings around all all time-shares or private condos.
The Sonesta towers over the small town of Maho, and the 537-room property is one of the first things visitors see as their plane touches down to the tarmac at SXM, St. Maarten's Airport which sits just off of Maho. As it's all-inclusive, nightly rates during winter peak season aren't cheap ($450 is average), but having everything taken care of and being on Maho Beach is a huge perk to justify the rate. If you're just on St. Maarten for the excellent plane spotting, you wouldn't even need to rent a car; just take a taxi to the hotel and all necessities are within walking distance.
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Sustainable Luxury At Song Saa Resort Island in Cambodia
After a weekend of snow and cold, you might be looking for your escape to warmer temps and relaxing atmosphere. Imagine trading your snow shovel for a snorkel and boots for a bikini (or board shorts) and head to a private island off the coast of Cambodia. The ultra-luxury Song Saa Resort has your cure for not only winter doldrums, but year round stress.
Cambodia's first private island luxury resort will be setting the tone for resorts to come with their private villas perched over a marine reserve. Technically, it isn't a private island since it spans over 2 separate islands that are connected by a foot bridge, but it most definitely is private and luxurious.
Each of the 27 villas are inspired by Cambodian fishing villages, and the resort features beach-side, rainforest and over-water buildings. Unique in their own way, every one boasts thatch roofs, rough-hewn natural timbers and driftwood furnishings. Imagine waking to the gentle sound of the sea directly below your bed and soaking up the 360-degree views of the Gulf of Thailand. Yeah, this is paradise.
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Sir Richard Branson Puts the Kibosh On Plastic Bottles On Necker Island
Where: Necker Island, Virgin Islands, British
Well, now the world is saved! Okay, we’re being facetious, of course: It’s a noble thing to take a stand and do some good for the planet and, after all, we all need to do our part.
But we do have to ask: Just how much bottled water are they consuming over there on Necker Island? There are only six houses (aka rooms) holding a maximum of 28 guests. And at a cool $29,000 (single or double) for a seven-night stay during “Celebration Weeks” (the only time you can book individual rooms; otherwise it’s the whole island or nothing for $42,500 per night.
Is his British Virgin Island's nirvana really fully booked all the time to need to make a big deal of letting us know Sir Richard is trying to get green while collecting that green? Forgive us if we smirk just a tad.
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Turtle Inn: Where Sofia, Roman and Francis Ford Coppola Like To Stay
Lagoon Bungalow at Turtle Inn
Ever wanted to live vicariously through a Coppola? You know, make a film or two, become a household name, travel affluently?
Well, we can promise you only the latter, friends, as we now have the official 4-1-1 on where Francis, Sofia and Roman stay when they travel to Belize. Obviously, they're going to crash at the Turtle Inn, a 17-acre beachside property FFC bought back in 1999.
But which rooms do they shack up in?
First, let's talk about Turtle Inn. It's the only luxury resort in the fisherman village of Placencia, Belize, reachable by a 30-minute puddle jumper from Belize International Airport. There's 25 rustic villas and cottages, two salt-water pools, three restaurants, a beach bar and a memorable staff to boot (shout out to Rudy!).
Accommodations come equipped with outdoor showers and gardens, homemade cookies (in a bottomless jar), screened porches and thatch roofs reaching up to 30 feet. The spa is fronted by Thai masseuses who can have you knackered in minutes and the new Miss Ellie dive boat that can drop you off at a deserted island within an hour.
Should you want to do the Coppola resort like an actual Coppola, you have three accommodations to choose from...
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Guess The Hotel Revealed: Hamilton Island Reef View Hotel
Last week, we showed you a lush, tropical view, and called upon your internal GPS skills to tell us where you thought it might be. We admit, it may have been a little more difficult than previous rounds of Guess the Hotel, to decipher the mystery paradise island. We gave some clues and now it's time for the big reveal.
Drum roll please...
The tropical location is Australia's very own Hamilton Island, where we recently spent a few days enjoying the laid back rhythm of island life.
One of the best things about this place is that the entire island is run by a corporation, and it's one a few resort islands that make up the Whitsundays, located on the Southern end of the Great Barrier Reef. Its location makes it a perfect location for water sports, cocktailing by the pool and just general relaxation.
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Guess The Hawt Island Hotel Where One Card Gets All!
Let's see how good you are with pin-pointing a hotel's location with another installment of Guess The Hotel!
This place has one killer view and it comes highly recommended. But if you are lucky enough to be gazing out at this expanse from your balcony, there are very few things that could get on your nerves.
Need a few hints? Here ya go:
*The island is owned by one corporation. So a room card will get you everything.
*The hotel has power outlets in each parking spot for the sole form of transportation.
*Just down the road is a resort that takes home the title as one of the Top 100 in the World.
*Since the island is prone to some nasty weather, the hotel boasts the tallest, highest-speed, external observation elevators in the country.
Think you've got the answer?Drop it in the comments below! And check back for the full reveal!
[Photo: Rayme Gorniak/HotelChatter]
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A New Luxury Lodge Grows on a Chilean Island
September 1. For most people, it'll be just another Saturday. For Chile's Chiloé Archipelago however, it's the day their newest (and most luxe) hotel debuts: the Refugia Lodge.
At only 12 rooms with all-inclusive rates starting at $530 per night, per person, Refugia will be for the traveler who knows exactly what they're looking for, namely a remote location steeped in cultural heritage with the combination of as much spa-ing, dining and wining as you'd care to do when not out one of the excursions (also complimentary).
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Up at Mackinac Island's Grand Hotel: Afternoon Tea for All
How many US hotels do you know that've reached 125 years of business? Well, The Grand Hotel of Michigan's Mackinac Island is one of 'em, as well as being one of the last surviving wooden construction hotels. Its history is long and tumultuous, but its summers are sunny. This week, we'll take a look around the Victorian property and the features and amenities that have made it a top seasonal destination for the last century-and-a-quarter.
Today: Afternoon Tea at The Grand Hotel
We may have spent nearly all week showing you the nooks and crannies that guests may enjoy at the 125-year-old Grand Hotel, but there is one very large way they welcome non-guests: with traditional afternoon tea.
Mackinac Island has its share of daytrippers and budget travelers just as it has the luxury and season-long visitors. Paying $400/night for the Grand isn't always feasible; for some it's a dream stay to work towards, but in the meantime there's always tea. The Grand Hotel charges non-guests $10 per person and enforces a basic dress code to enter the building, to prevent the place being overrun. While you're there, afternoon tea is only $25 per person (compare to $30+ in Chicago and $36+ in New York).
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Up at Mackinac Island's Grand Hotel: The Esther Williams Swimming Pool Endures
How many US hotels do you know that've reached 125 years of business? Well, The Grand Hotel of Michigan's Mackinac Island is one of 'em, as well as being one of the last surviving wooden construction hotels. Its history is long and tumultuous, but its summers are sunny. This week, we'll take a look around the Victorian property and the features and amenities that have made it a top seasonal destination for the last century-and-a-quarter.
Today: The grounds of The Grand Hotel
There's an excellent story that The Grand's historian, Bob Tagatz, tells. Hearing him deliver it is, naturally, leaps and bounds better than reading it here from us, but we're going to share it anyway.
The Grand Hotel has always been known for offering activities to fill those summer days spent lounging on the 600-foot-long porch (largest porch in the world, they claim). Today, those activities include croquet and bocce on the lawn, vintage baseball games, weekends dedicated to jazz or ballroom dancing and, always, live music. Rewind to 100 years ago—or 125. Seasonal resorts competed to draw the summer crowds by varying their entertainment, and The Grand had to keep up.
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Up at Mackinac Island's Grand Hotel: Dining and Drinking
How many US hotels do you know that've reached 125 years of business? Well, The Grand Hotel of Michigan's Mackinac Island is one of 'em, as well as being one of the last surviving wooden construction hotels. Its history is long and tumultuous, but its summers are sunny. This week, we'll take a look around the Victorian property and the features and amenities that have made it a top seasonal destination for the last century-and-a-quarter.
Today: The restaurants, bars and food at The Grand Hotel
There are signs next to the elevators, notes in the daily schedule and reminders on the lobby's bulletin board. "Seven ways to lunch," they say. "Cocktail of the day." It quickly becomes apparent that dining at The Grand Hotel—whether it's petit fours with afternoon tea or the 5-course formal dinner—is an integral part of The Grand experience.
Despite the variety of dining and drinking venues (more than you could experience with just a 2-night stay), it's actually not that difficult to enjoy several, since the majority of the room packages at The Grand are Full American Plan, meaning your breakfast, lunch and dinner and some gratuities are included.
