Two Seasons Hotel Boracay: From East to West, The Perfect Place for a Rendevous in Paradise
January 23, 2009 by Si Si for TravelBig
Filed under Award-Winning Hotels, Boutique Hotels, Hot Destinations, Vacations
Meet Me at the Two Seasons Sky Bar for a Patron Cocktail
Take Over-Extended Manhattan Exec A, who loves spending her holidays slowly parboiling in SPF 8 by the sea. Take one long-distance Laguna Beach Boyfriend B, who can do that almost all year round and prefers a frenzied holiday of soft adventure. Put them together to decide their first winter getaway. Let’s gloss over the inglorious argument and move on to the glorious compromise: the gorgeous new Two Seasons Boracay.
With its convulsive and rugged coastline - a thousand islands spraying from it like a meteor trail - The Philippine Islands offer a dizzying combination of history and sun-drenched beaches. The jewel in this archipelago crown is certainly Boracay, with its unrivaled Pacific setting. The Two Seasons is located in the heart of the more upscale Station 1, far from the island’s bustling charming side streets.
Yes, there are other beaches where you can stretch out in golden, bone warming heat and swim in healing saltwater sea that feels as sweet as a baby’s kiss. There may even be bars with the same sexy Polynesian architecture, delicious Patron Mojitos and captivating views as The Two Seasons Bar Lo. But there’s nowhere else you can spend a lazy afternoon and watch your boyfriend play EVERY water sport under the sun: para-sailing, scuba diving, kite sailing, snorkeling, jet ski, wake boarding etc… all the the relaxed atmosphere of The Two Seasons prime time spot on the beach. Hey, you got points for going sailing that day…
The Two Seasons is built on exceptional client care and guest relations. The management has paid close consideration to the guest-to-staff ratio. You’ll find yourself hard pressed waiting for any service longer than five minutes - weather it’s a second cocktail or house keeping attention. The staff is friendly, upbeat and professional - unlike service in the rowdier hotels in the down trade Station 3.
Sip a cocktail at the bar, then dip into the crystalline, body temperature waters for the full Two Seasons experience. Explore nearby coves and whisper-silent private inlets, from where the gentlest of swims unveils a jaw-dropping view of the island’s landscape. Venture up to the Two Seasons’ vibrant SkyBar for the best panoramic Mai Tai-hued sunsets in the Pacific.
You need a devil-may-care attitude and a crate of St Tropez not to feel self-conscious in Miami Beach, but in Boracay there’s no such thing as judgmental. If you can afford to be there you’ve earned it and the cabana boys dispense towels and sunbeds on a first-come-first-served basis to everyone regardless of how many entries in the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame they have.
It’s 6 AM. The ocean is a mirror, perfectly reflecting the sun rising over the Sulu Sea. The white, palm-fringed beach stretches out of sight and I shift contentedly in my cabana. I marvel at the palate of rosy natural hues and warm tones that grace this unique property. I was given a set of nail polishes when I was 14. In varying shades of coral, they were named after exotic island destinations: Bora Bora, Boracay and St. Barts. Boracay was the pinkest and prettiest of them all and in my mind became synonymous with glamour.
Our routine of morning swims and days spent reading and chatting by the pool makes the week fly by. Suntanned and happy, I think I’ve proven the merit in my method of choosing holiday destinations. Bora Bora and St. Barts are calling …
Yes, The Two Seasons delivers above and beyond in the most vital categories - prime beach location, gracious hospitality, beautifully appointed suites, cabana massages and great amenities. But how to satisfy that ravenous water-logged, sun-kissed hunger? Is the Two Seasons kitchen up to snuff? The short answer is, most definitely.
The traditional pan-fried fish breakfast is a perfect ten - crunch, spicy and aromatic. Savory prawns are plump, gorgeous and simply fabulous. My dinner entree of roast pork so perfectly cooked and the flavors so well married that I considered suggesting the dish be renamed, “Sexy Loins.” It was seriously awesome. The pork was infused with a grilled and smoky flavor. What a dish.
A Two Seasons highlight not to be missed is the out-of-this-world massage treatments by senior therapist Miss Flor. She is a one-stop passport to bliss and a great asset to this stunning new hotel.
Anna Kournikova: Tennis Star Lives At the Top of Her Game in Miami
August 13, 2008 by TravelBig Admin
Filed under Award-Winning Hotels, Boutique Hotels, Luxury Hotels, South Beach Miami
A Place Where Sun-Kissed Divas
Don’t Have to Worry About Bronzer Application
Miami resident, tennis bombshell and K-Swiss fashionista Anna Kournikova loves her South Beach lifestyle. She ran the Nautica South Beach Triathlon as part of a HOTTIE celebrity relay team that included Olympian Dana Torres (swimming) and model/triathlete Katya Myers (biking). Kournikova and boyfriend Enrique Iglesias obviously thrive in the sunny climate of SoBe:
“I just love the area and the water and the weather and the people. I travel so much for work that when I come home, it’s like I am on vacation. I like the relaxed lifestyle and being able to wear flip-flops and shorts. In a city like New York you can’t go outside and relax, and I don’t have time to worry about how I look. And I like that it’s a small community. I just like everything about it.
The Perfect Weekend Itinerary
Blink your eyes, the saying goes, and Miami changes yet again. Yesterday’s dollar store pedestrian mall becomes today’s concourse for Parisian perfumeries. The international crowd’s moved in, the city has reinvented itself, and it’s the season for a new wave of galleries and hipster haunts.
The Shore Club in South Beach
Five Things You Must Do:
1. Sip a sidecar at the freshly minted and restored Art Moderne jewel, the luxurious South Beach Ritz Carlton. Since its inauguration, the SBRC’s enjoyed the instantly smitten loyalty of socialites and starlets alike. 1 Lincoln Road (305) 793-8268
2. Make an appointment to view the renowned Margulies Collection of contemporary art. 591 NW 27th Street 305-576-1051
3. Check out Art Basel Miami Beach in December. This is an A-List affair. www.artbaselmiamibeach.com
4. Spend a highbrow afternoon at the austere Wolfsonian Museum. The collection explores the persuasive power of design in the modern world, giving Miami a cultural oasis of international importance. 1001 Washington Avenue (305) 535-2626
5. Meet up with friends at the Shore Club. With such asset franchises on site as Oribe and Nobu, the hotel rivals The Delano as the name-dropper’s destination du jour. 1901 Collins Avenue (305) 695-3100
Where to Find Your Dream Ottoman:
The Miami Design District occupies an 18-block area centered at Northeast Second Avenue. Alongside 125 high-end showrooms, the drowsy 1930s factories now house vibrant galleries, restaurants, and clubs. When galleries hold opening receptions, the area explodes into a sophisticated block party. Holly Hunt is a chic 25,000-square-foot mecca of contemporary home furnishings by the likes of Christian Liaigre and Rose Tarlow. Kevin Bruk Gallery has an impressive mix of blue chip such as Ed Ruscha.
To Book this Trip visit the official tourism site for Miami.
Catch Me If You Can: Hollywood Loves Quebec City
July 21, 2008 by TravelBig Admin
Filed under Award-Winning Hotels, Boutique Hotels, Luxury Hotels, Set-Jetting is the New Jet-Setting
Catch Me If You Can exceeds the stylistic and thematic ambition of Minority Report. The film is not merely a glib look at a real man’s life filtered through the forgiving, kaleidoscopic lens of Hollywood. It’s an enduring and evocative portrait of one man’s unique gift in a time that precedes the casual technicalities of modern police procedure.
Spielberg’s exhilarating pursuit that ennobles our own idiosyncratic search for identity amongst our peers. From the stylish credits and John Williams’ jazzy score, the incredible story of opportunist con artist Frank Abagnale Jr (Leonardo DiCaprio) bounces along at a fast-pace and with a Spielbergian theme of distant fathers.
Ricocheting around the USA from ‘Florida’ to ‘Louisiana’, the movie was shot largely around Los Angeles, and in Quebec (the ‘French’ scenes).
Montreal and Quebec stood in for ‘France’. Place Royale, Quebec City, with Notre Dame des Victoires in the background, stood in for the square of ‘Montrichard’ where Abagnale is arrested.
Auberge Sainte Antoine: The Most Romantic Hotel in Quebec City
The Perfect Place to Pop the Question…
Auberge Saint-Antoine, in the cradle of Old Québec City, sits on a property dating back to the 1600s. Owned by the prominent Price family, this hotel perfectly blends Old World charm with 21st century luxury.
Why the concept’s so fresh: If you’ve ever fantasized about sleeping in the Smithsonian, you’ll love waking up in your suite. With a Chinese porcelain fragment embedded in your night table, you’re the Indiana Jones of Le Petit Champlain. Each guest floor is dedicated to one of the original owners of the property, and each room is named after an artifact from that period. In 2002, Saint-Antoine underwent a $16 Million expansion that uncovered priceless historical artifacts. Over 5000 objects found on the archaeological site were restored by the Centre de conservation du Québec, and more than 250 of these significant finds contribute to owner Llewellyn Price’s boutique hotel-meets-Musee des Beaux-Arts concept. Saint-Antoine honours its distinct history by showcasing relics in stunning museum vitrines throughout the hotel.
Why you’ll never leave your room: You’ll lather up like a rock star in the Olympic-sized deep soak bath, acoustics blazing on the in-suite Bose sound system. With a true snuggle bunny’s bed of luxury linens, goose down duvets and pillows - a Cinderella sleep is guaranteed. Many suites boast private terraces and fireplaces. All suites feature dramatic throw-open windows, high speed Internet, heated bathroom floors and no-fog mirrors.
Where to pop the question: After sampling Chef Francois Blais’ rustic take on traditional French Canadian cuisine, coax your beloved to the secluded vaulted study next to the elegant bar. There’s a perfect romantic symmetry to this space. If you need a little roar in your arsenal for the night, I can attest that Blais’ wild boar delicacy is the most exquisite game I’ve tasted in Canada.
Most Explosive Architectural Feature: The conservation of a 17th Century cannon battery that slopes through the lobby.
8 Rue Sainte-Antoine, Québec City 1-888-692-2211
