TreehouseTravlR

Hi all,

So far this year I've booked the following:

March

Hilton Tallinn
Relais & Chateaux The Three Sisters Tallinn
Hilton Helsinki
SLH Hotel Telegraaf Tallinn

June

Kempinski Hotel Corvinus Budapest
Hilton Budapest

July

Four Seasons Prague

August

Waldorf Astoria Trianon Palace Versailles

LM225

Enjoy. Would love to hear your impressions of MO Tokyo.

bhrubin

2017 is shaping up to be one of my busiest travel years ever, both for work and leisure.

Already done:

Jan/Feb:

The Lodhi Delhi (review posted)
Taj Umaid Bhawan Palace Jodhpur (review forthcoming)
Oberoi Udaivilas Udaipur (review forthcoming)
Taj Nadesar Palace Varanasi (review forthcoming)
Oberoi Amarvilas Agra (review forthcoming)
Amanbagh (review forthcoming)
St. Regis Dubai (review forthcoming)
St. Regis Bahia Beach Puerto Rico (where I am now, review forthcoming)

Still to come:

Feb:
St. Regis San Francisco
New York Edition

March:
The Liberty Boston
Ritz-Carlton Boston
The Chatwal NYC
(Plus non-luxe stays at Le Méridien Arlington, Le Meridien Philly, Sheraton NYC, Le Parker Méridien NYC, Renaissance Providence, Courtyard New Haven, Le Méridien Cambridge, Sheraton Hartford, etc.)

April:
Ritz-Carlton Charlotte
St. Regis Washington DC
The Liberty Boston
(Plus non-luxe stays at Le Méridien Arlington, Le Meridien Philly, Sheraton NYC, Renaissance Providence, Le Méridien Cambridge, Sheraton Hartford, Courtyard New Haven, Hilton Mystic, Westin Charlotte, Carolina Inn Chapel Hill, Westin Richmond, etc.)

May:
Park Hyatt Sydney
The Louise Barossa Valley
Peninsula Beverly Hills

June:
St. Regis New York
(Plus non-luxe stays at Le Méridien Arlington, Le Meridien Philly, Sheraton NYC, Courtyard New Haven, Renaissance Providence, Le Méridien Cambridge)

August:
The Nines Portland
The Allison Willamette Valley (full solar eclipse!)

Sept/Oct:
St. Regis Rome
The Imperial Vienna
Prince de Galles Paris

Nov:
The Nines Portland (Phil Knight basketball tournament)
St. Regis San Francisco
W Los Angeles/W Beverly Hills

Dec:
St. Regis San Francisco
St. Regis Mexico City
W Los Angeles/W Beverly Hills

offerendum

So few hotels bhrubin Really impressive list.

bhrubin

I know, I know. I'm actually dreading a few of those luxury leisure stays that otherwise should thrill me...because it's just too much overall IMO. I'm already debating the Portland basketball tourney over Thanksgiving...since I'll already be in Portland for the August solar eclipse.

I'm particularly excited for The Louise in the Barossa since I'm such a wine nut. And the Prince de Galles in Paris--I've arranged a surprise birthday dinner for my hubby there at La Scene with a dozen or so friends already committed. I normally prefer the Vendome area (even the Westin) but wanted to enjoy the beautiful PdG again before Marriott perhaps ends my suite upgrade chances!

I also am dying to see how the renovations came together for the StR Rome. I hear it's looking spectacular.

mumum17

Bhrubin,

you our my hero I wish I could afford all that time to go to all these places. I'll settle for your great reviews.

so far,

March : Mukul

May/June: Peurto Rico
Dorado RC
St. Regis Bahia

June: still thinking b/w
(1) Le Toiny or Cheval Blanc in St. Barts,
(2) Malliouhana or FS Anguilla or Amanyara

GetSetJetSet

Just left the Ritz-Carlton D.C. (M St not Georgetown). As for this list, don't get your hopes up for the Telegraaf, I stayed there 1-2 years ago and was very underwhelmed. In Helsinki, consider the Hotel Kamp, it's my favorite in all of Scandinavia. For Budapest the 4S and Ritz are head and shoulders ahead of the Kempinski, have never been to the Hilton.

bhrubin

Thanks--but aside from the India and Australia trips, most of those other getaways are tied to my excessive work travel. Even this last 3 nights at the StR Bahia Beach Puerto Rico was a work trip...for which I decided to spring for a more luxe stay.

But I'll work on those reviews, I promise!

I'll be very curious to hear your thoughts on the choice between the RC Reserve Dorado and the StR Bahia Beach. My impression is that the RC Dorado is a bit nicer and more plush (also being much newer) but is a good 90 min drive west of San Juan...while the proximity of the StR Bahia Beach (just a 30 min mostly highway drive east of San Juan) makes it a lot more convenient. Anyway, can't wait to hear what you think!

Have a blast at Mukul. Hopefully it won't be nearly as windy for you as it was for us last Jan 2016.

stimpy

If the RC Dorado is anything like the RC San Juan, stay far, far away. Hopefully it is completely different.

bhrubin

The RC Dorado is a Reserve property, one of the absolute best in the RC portfolio, and supposedly one of the best properties in the entire Caribbean. The RC San Juan is just a tired old luxury hotel that happens to share the same branding...just like the StR Houston or the FS Sydney.

MikeFromTokyo

I really like the R-C Reserve concept, after my very good experiences at Phulay Bay.

Look for NYBanker's reviews of both properties, including the dreadful R-C San Juan. I once stayed due to a flight cancellation on AA that left me stuck in SJU. It was the worst R-C I have ever experienced, and I don't even think it should be flagged as a Marriott.

mumum17

The R-C reserve concept, as mentioned, is at another level. It's aimed to compete at the highest level.
we were fortunate to stay last year at their Phulay Bay location in Bali ( actually ended up combining it with Ravayadee per MikefromTokyo recommendation). That was a great experience all around and the R-C reserve truely went the extra level. The next time I return to Bali, I'll try there newest one there that's being getting great reviews from other FTers as being the place to stay.

DSI

Bahia Beach is pretty nice, but nothing super great. We've been several times and honestly I'd say it is very well suited for young families, with young children. Something about the layout I think, how the pool and the beach area seem to flow openly together. We were upgraded to the St. Regis Suite last time, but I don't think we'd return despite the ease of getting there from our local airport.

Its really the type of place if you have a few of their mediocre cocktails you'll enjoy yourself, but if you don't, you'll see tons of flaws.

The resort charge seems entirely reasonable since the hotel occupies a highly exclusive area (Bahia Beach) and you get access to some of the things like the boat house and even can golf on the course (with a fee), so the hotel is the weaker link of the area.

Be sure to go to Marmalade and have their white bean soup!

Do NOT order room service there.... It was bad last time I remember.

The W at Vieques, with their highly ranked beach, is where I am most interested in visiting around that area next.

TreehouseTravlR

Thanks for the advice GetSetJetSet. Much appreciated.

bhrubin

I ordered rooms service at the StR for every meal over 4 days except one dinner at 1919 at the Condado...and it was fantastic. I think our experiences are wildly different for the same property...and everyone knows me to be a pretty tough judge. Room service for me was fabulous...with prompt delivery, hot meals, and excellent food and set up on every occasion.

There also were a lot of families and children by the pool, but we enjoyed our pool day with our private cabana despite that--and the kids were surprisingly well behaved and not loud around our cabana area. I do think the pool layout isn't my favorite, and I do think there should be an adults-only pool...but despite those reservations, I had a fantastic time by the pool and on the beautiful Bahia beach. It was a very beautiful, wonderful swimming beach. We walked down and swam quite a bit out despite the yellow flag warning that day.

For me, there were very few flaws, something I can't even say about all Aman properties. It was a fantastic StR experience, complete with tremendously good service, fantastic F&B, and a wonderful location. I also was upgraded to a suite (only a garden suite, which I'd previously indicated I was fine with to my Ambassador before my arrival) despite the resort being almost sold out.

The resort fee is ridiculous, I agree...but that didn't diminish my near perfect stay. Facts are facts, and I had a near perfect stay at the StR Bahia Beach.