Where are you going next?
Sep 9, 2017, 2:43 pm
#2943
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
Maybe not but would love to hear all about it in a TR! It still will be interesting to hear your perspective knowing that you know what luxury is.
Sep 9, 2017, 11:08 pm
#2946
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Enroute to ? & likely flying in ' A ':)
Programs: TPPS, UA, EK ...; Marriott BONVOY , HH, GP, GC..
Posts: 4,217
Sep 10, 2017, 2:28 pm
#2947
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
Sep 10, 2017, 4:27 pm
#2948
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,265
Super small boutique hotel.
Sep 10, 2017, 10:28 pm
#2949
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Enroute to ? & likely flying in ' A ':)
Programs: TPPS, UA, EK ...; Marriott BONVOY , HH, GP, GC..
Posts: 4,217
Thanks for reminder to share another ' secret gem ' here .
Wonder how the roads from " new "airport are now to the lodge & main areas ..
Catching up on sleep after Wales , Le Manoir Aux Quartre Saisons ( LMAQS ) now .. glorious food too
Back to shut eye
Anyone else here too or nearby ?
Sep 10, 2017, 10:56 pm
#2950
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 1,643
Greenland was extraordinary but not for reasons which might encourage people here to book a trip tomorrow. I went on a Regent cruise ship with nearly 500 passengers, so fairly small in cruise ship terms but not an expedition ship with zodiac landing craft. I would definitely classify the whole Regent product as 'luxury.'
The scenery everywhere was spectacular - high snow-capped mountains, deep fjords, icebergs and so on. Wildlife everywhere we went was deeply disappointing - a brief glimpse of a seal and that was it. Not a single whale. Lots of seabirds, though.
We made three stops in towns on the west coast - the capital, Nuuk, then Paamiut and Qaqortoq. It was the towns that I felt were the most interesting thing about Greenland. You have this sort of image of what life might be like. It isn't. Yes, there are a few cute little houses with brightly painted wood climbing up a hillside. But most people live in vast Soviet-style blocks built on the solid rock. They are built on stilts to provide a horizontal base. And they are shocking, in various stages of dereliction. The people sit around with nothing to do as fishing and whaling has all but dried up. There's a bit of trade in seals. But mostly this is all about survival and living on hand-outs from Denmark. Everyone had a cigarette going, even children, who had lost most of their teeth. Nuuk and, especially, Paamiut were like Romania in the 1970s - I know, I went there. One of the apartments blocks was called Siberia and stood alongside Canada and Alaska. You might rename this place Grimland.
Qaqortoq was more affluent and in every way smarter. Perhaps it was more Danish and less Inuit. They are building an airport. There is a hotel with a steakhouse. There are yachts and pleasure craft. A lovely 100 year-old church. Shops. People seemed to walk with a purpose. They even said hello.
From Qaqortoq we privately hired a small boat just for the two of us and went up a fabulously beautiful fjord to see the ruins of a 14th century church called Hvalsey. It has recently been awarded UNESCO World Heritage Status. The setting was unbelievably beautiful and the weather an unbelievable 65 degrees. We had the place to ourselves.
Our last day in Greenland was a 6-hour transit of Prince Kristian Sound which cuts a corner off the southern tip of the island. It was just one of those perfect days - bright sun, blue skies and the sort of scenery that needs to be applauded, geology at its most dramatic and frenzied. This was probably the best cruise day of my life, even surpassing French Polynesia and the Marovo Lagoon in the Solomon Islands.
Yes, Greenland was amazing but for unexpected reasons.
The scenery everywhere was spectacular - high snow-capped mountains, deep fjords, icebergs and so on. Wildlife everywhere we went was deeply disappointing - a brief glimpse of a seal and that was it. Not a single whale. Lots of seabirds, though.
We made three stops in towns on the west coast - the capital, Nuuk, then Paamiut and Qaqortoq. It was the towns that I felt were the most interesting thing about Greenland. You have this sort of image of what life might be like. It isn't. Yes, there are a few cute little houses with brightly painted wood climbing up a hillside. But most people live in vast Soviet-style blocks built on the solid rock. They are built on stilts to provide a horizontal base. And they are shocking, in various stages of dereliction. The people sit around with nothing to do as fishing and whaling has all but dried up. There's a bit of trade in seals. But mostly this is all about survival and living on hand-outs from Denmark. Everyone had a cigarette going, even children, who had lost most of their teeth. Nuuk and, especially, Paamiut were like Romania in the 1970s - I know, I went there. One of the apartments blocks was called Siberia and stood alongside Canada and Alaska. You might rename this place Grimland.
Qaqortoq was more affluent and in every way smarter. Perhaps it was more Danish and less Inuit. They are building an airport. There is a hotel with a steakhouse. There are yachts and pleasure craft. A lovely 100 year-old church. Shops. People seemed to walk with a purpose. They even said hello.
From Qaqortoq we privately hired a small boat just for the two of us and went up a fabulously beautiful fjord to see the ruins of a 14th century church called Hvalsey. It has recently been awarded UNESCO World Heritage Status. The setting was unbelievably beautiful and the weather an unbelievable 65 degrees. We had the place to ourselves.
Our last day in Greenland was a 6-hour transit of Prince Kristian Sound which cuts a corner off the southern tip of the island. It was just one of those perfect days - bright sun, blue skies and the sort of scenery that needs to be applauded, geology at its most dramatic and frenzied. This was probably the best cruise day of my life, even surpassing French Polynesia and the Marovo Lagoon in the Solomon Islands.
Yes, Greenland was amazing but for unexpected reasons.
Last edited by Pausanias; Sep 10, 2017 at 11:47 pm
Sep 14, 2017, 2:02 pm
#2954
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
SPG Luxury Fest...
Let the SPG luxury hotel fest continue...for as long as my SPG Ambassador perks remain intact before the Marriott loyalty programs merger in early 2019, at least! I clearly want to experience the most I can before it might end.
Sept 2017
St Regis Rome (suite upgrade confirmed!)
Oct 2017
The Imperial Vienna, Luxury Collection (dinner at Steirereck, suite upgrade confirmed!)
Prince de Galles Paris, Luxury Collection (hubby's surprise bday party, dinner at La Scene and Septime, suite confirmed!)
St Regis San Francisco (work)
Lodge at Pebble Beach tentative (work)
Nov 2017
St Regis San Francisco (work)
Westin San Jose (work)
Dec 2017
St Regis San Francisco (annual culinary weekend, dinners at Atelier Crenn, suite upgrade confirmed!)
Jan 2018
St Regis Punta Mita, Mexico (my bday, villa upgrade confirmed!)
Feb 2018
St Regis Bahia Beach, Puerto Rico (work)
Mar 2018
St Regis New York (work, dinner at EMP hopefully)
The Ballantyne Charlotte, Luxury Collection
Apr 2018
St Regis Washington (Easter)
St Regis Atlanta (work)
May 2018
Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho, Luxury Collection
Suiran Kyoto, Luxury Collection (upgrade confirmed!)
RC Kyoto
St Regis Osaka (suite confirmed!)
June 2018
Westin San Jose? (nephew's wedding)
Sept 2017
St Regis Rome (suite upgrade confirmed!)
Oct 2017
The Imperial Vienna, Luxury Collection (dinner at Steirereck, suite upgrade confirmed!)
Prince de Galles Paris, Luxury Collection (hubby's surprise bday party, dinner at La Scene and Septime, suite confirmed!)
St Regis San Francisco (work)
Lodge at Pebble Beach tentative (work)
Nov 2017
St Regis San Francisco (work)
Westin San Jose (work)
Dec 2017
St Regis San Francisco (annual culinary weekend, dinners at Atelier Crenn, suite upgrade confirmed!)
Jan 2018
St Regis Punta Mita, Mexico (my bday, villa upgrade confirmed!)
Feb 2018
St Regis Bahia Beach, Puerto Rico (work)
Mar 2018
St Regis New York (work, dinner at EMP hopefully)
The Ballantyne Charlotte, Luxury Collection
Apr 2018
St Regis Washington (Easter)
St Regis Atlanta (work)
May 2018
Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho, Luxury Collection
Suiran Kyoto, Luxury Collection (upgrade confirmed!)
RC Kyoto
St Regis Osaka (suite confirmed!)
June 2018
Westin San Jose? (nephew's wedding)