Where to stay when you leave.
3/26/2007 at 9:30 AM
Tags: Miami Hotel Reviews, New York Times, Mary Billard, Michael de Zayas
How 'bout that: The New York Times must've cast an eye or two on our coverage of Miami Hotels. (Thanks for reading, Pinch!) This week, writer Mary Billard checked into The Fontainebleau Suites. So how did Mary enjoy staying in the Suites while the rest of the hotel is under renovation? Eh:
This is the anti-South Beach. Short on celebrities, hot bodies and buzz. Instead, people with a few extra pounds, as well as families. On the plus side, no pulsing bass from a sound system outside your window at night, a hazard at chic hotels with nighttime lounge areas by the pool.
The rest of the review lacks about as much pizzaz as the hotel does. (Though the Times does manage to sneak in a reference to Scarface, which is--yawn--de rigeur in any travel article about Miami Beach.) We're not ones to brag, but if you want the full scoop on the hotel, check out our Miami Beach Hotel Guide.
Related Stories:
· Check In, Check Out [NYT]
· Miami Guidebook Piggyback: The Fontainebleau Review [HotelChatter]
by pbb
10/30/2006 at 10:39 AM
Tags: Eco-Hotels, Green Hotels, Dominica Hotel Reviews, Mary Billard
The New York Times' Mary Billard writes of the Jungle Bay Resort & Spa, an eco-hotel/lodge in Dominica and it's not for the faint of heart.
Get ready for no AC, heart-pumping hikes to access your room, and a serious lack of amenities. Billard explained that although ordering room service was available, she felt too cruel to imagine someone coming up all those stairs with a big ol' tray. But on that note the Jungle Bay Resort has provided much needed jobs for the locals who have been out of work. They are ready to please as is the partially open-air spa and restaurant and then there's the scenery. For those able to get over the lack of usual hotel amenities, this place provides serenity on a real level.
As for the rooms, their goal is to allow you to become one with nature :
Rustic luxe. The 35 individual, spacious cottages are on stilts, filled with sunlight (some seeping through the floorboards), and the sounds of the hummingbirds. All have balconies and views of either the water or the rain forest and are made out of local tropical hardwoods and volcanic stone. There is no air-conditioning or television. Some guests need to be in good shape: a series of footpaths connects the cottages, the highest perched like a bird's nest up 189 steps. And the vertical is steep.
The showers are outdoor, solar heated, and as Billard claims, "sublime." This is the perfect getaway for those of you who like to rough it. If you huff and puff up one flight of stairs or love central air, don't even think about it.
Related Stories:
· Check In Check Out [New York Times]
· Jungle Bay Eco-Lodge [HotelChatter]
· Jungle Bay Resort & Spa Reviews [TripAdvisor]
by Courtney
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