Where are you going next?
Oct 10, 2017, 11:42 pm
#3001
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 17,856
A few posts on safari planning seemed to be of general enough interest that I have moved them to their own thread:
How to go about planning my first African luxury safari?
RichardInSF, moderator, luxury hotels
How to go about planning my first African luxury safari?
RichardInSF, moderator, luxury hotels
Oct 12, 2017, 5:07 am
#3003
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
https://www.cdc.gov/plague/faq/index.html
Oct 12, 2017, 12:59 pm
#3004
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,900
Just bring a Rx of doxycycline or other approved antibiotic. There are rare occurrences in the Western USA...and there was a minor outbreak when we traveled to Madagascar in Dec 2014. We brought doxycycline as a precaution but never needed it.
https://www.cdc.gov/plague/faq/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/plague/faq/index.html
Thanks for the advice.
^
Oct 12, 2017, 1:35 pm
#3005
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
Oct 15, 2017, 3:41 pm
#3006
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Palo Alto, CA, USA
Posts: 3,222
A week in Oct/Nov at Las Ventanas Al Paraiso in a signature villa, bday celebration
https://www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/la...-wellness-room
Five nights in January at San Ydidro Ranch in Santa Barbara, anniversary
http://www.sanysidroranch.com/
https://www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/la...-wellness-room
Five nights in January at San Ydidro Ranch in Santa Barbara, anniversary
http://www.sanysidroranch.com/
Oct 15, 2017, 10:24 pm
#3007
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 1,644
As requested a little while back on this thread, I want to briefly report back on my trip to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
I think maybe the quick thing to say is this - don't bother. I have also come back with an appalling stomach bug and my wife isn't exactly 100 percent either. The food was almost always disgusting. When you say, 'I could eat a horse' . . . believe me, you will. We left home fit and healthy and we have come back wrecked. I have lost half a stone and I'm not someone with flesh to spare.
The distances are vast. We found the long bus trips fascinating if exhausting. The landscape was often dramatic if not quite wow factor. I loved the flat vastness of the steppe. Reminded me a bit of home in Norfolk, UK. Probably like Kansas, too.
Most of the time it seemed the collapse of the Soviet Union hadn't happened at all. Once a commie country, always a commie country. It's still there in the mindset of the people and the way the countries are governed. The old Soviet-style apartment blocks are everywhere.
I did enjoy the cities. Anyone with a taste in trophy modern architecture should head for Astana. It's trying hard to be Dubai. Almaty is the former Kazakh capital and has lots of atmosphere. We loved the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek. Lots to see there, including a huge statue of V I Lenin looking at the parliament building. Whenever I find a statue of Lenin I say, 'You couldn't have been more wrong.'
As for the hotels, well . . . only two worth noting. The Ambassador in Bishkek was very pleasant, a classic European, boutique-style place with excellent contemporary rooms. In Almaty we stayed at the Intercontinental which is a genuine five-star and was a blessed relief from the terrible places we stayed out in the countryside.
Oh, as a special aside for bhrubin, at our hotel in Astana, even with a window open and outside temperatures of 10c, we could never get our room temp down below 26c. They do that as winter approaches.
I'm pleased to have gone to these places. Like Macmyday and his super-luxury disappointments, I feel good about doing all this research for you.
I think Uzbekistan is probably the 'stan to go for in terms of major sightseeing but even there it's pretty undeveloped.
I think maybe the quick thing to say is this - don't bother. I have also come back with an appalling stomach bug and my wife isn't exactly 100 percent either. The food was almost always disgusting. When you say, 'I could eat a horse' . . . believe me, you will. We left home fit and healthy and we have come back wrecked. I have lost half a stone and I'm not someone with flesh to spare.
The distances are vast. We found the long bus trips fascinating if exhausting. The landscape was often dramatic if not quite wow factor. I loved the flat vastness of the steppe. Reminded me a bit of home in Norfolk, UK. Probably like Kansas, too.
Most of the time it seemed the collapse of the Soviet Union hadn't happened at all. Once a commie country, always a commie country. It's still there in the mindset of the people and the way the countries are governed. The old Soviet-style apartment blocks are everywhere.
I did enjoy the cities. Anyone with a taste in trophy modern architecture should head for Astana. It's trying hard to be Dubai. Almaty is the former Kazakh capital and has lots of atmosphere. We loved the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek. Lots to see there, including a huge statue of V I Lenin looking at the parliament building. Whenever I find a statue of Lenin I say, 'You couldn't have been more wrong.'
As for the hotels, well . . . only two worth noting. The Ambassador in Bishkek was very pleasant, a classic European, boutique-style place with excellent contemporary rooms. In Almaty we stayed at the Intercontinental which is a genuine five-star and was a blessed relief from the terrible places we stayed out in the countryside.
Oh, as a special aside for bhrubin, at our hotel in Astana, even with a window open and outside temperatures of 10c, we could never get our room temp down below 26c. They do that as winter approaches.
I'm pleased to have gone to these places. Like Macmyday and his super-luxury disappointments, I feel good about doing all this research for you.
I think Uzbekistan is probably the 'stan to go for in terms of major sightseeing but even there it's pretty undeveloped.
Last edited by Pausanias; Oct 15, 2017 at 11:26 pm
Oct 15, 2017, 10:30 pm
#3008
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,900
I am using my 3 night voucher for the SSZP. Those flights are booked and non refundable, so I need to start there.
However, I am going there during holiday season.
All the other comparable hotels
Raffles - Awful
banyan tree/4S - $$$$
Extended stay 6S - $1800 euro/night
Hilton Labriz - I mean, I could, but do I want to?
Fregate/North out of budget.
So now Im ???? I need to start at Seychelles. Mauritius doesn't look great, but Im thinking of just flying to Maldives and staying at the new Park Hyatt Villas. The rates are incredibly good right now, even during holiday season. The flights arent bad either - $500 in biz via CMB.
Any other suggestions for areas ? Need private pool + privacy. The other resorts in MLE are mainly booked, so I need to decide soon.
Oct 16, 2017, 7:19 am
#3009
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
I want to briefly report back on my trip to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
I think maybe the quick thing to say is this - don't bother.
The distances are vast. We found the long bus trips fascinating if exhausting. The landscape was often dramatic if not quite wow factor. I loved the flat vastness of the steppe. Reminded me a bit of home in Norfolk, UK. Probably like Kansas, too.
I did enjoy the cities. Anyone with a taste in trophy modern architecture should head for Astana. It's trying hard to be Dubai. Almaty is the former Kazakh capital and has lots of atmosphere. We loved the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek. Lots to see there, including a huge statue of V I Lenin looking at the parliament building. Whenever I find a statue of Lenin I say, 'You couldn't have been more wrong.'
As for the hotels, well . . . only two worth noting. The Ambassador in Bishkek was very pleasant, a classic European, boutique-style place with excellent contemporary rooms. In Almaty we stayed at the Intercontinental which is a genuine five-star and was a blessed relief from the terrible places we stayed out in the countryside.
Oh, as a special aside for bhrubin, at our hotel in Astana, even with a window open and outside temperatures of 10c, we could never get our room temp down below 26c. They do that as winter approaches.
I'm pleased to have gone to these places. Like Macmyday and his super-luxury disappointments, I feel good about doing all this research for you.
I think Uzbekistan is probably the 'stan to go for in terms of major sightseeing but even there it's pretty undeveloped.
I think maybe the quick thing to say is this - don't bother.
The distances are vast. We found the long bus trips fascinating if exhausting. The landscape was often dramatic if not quite wow factor. I loved the flat vastness of the steppe. Reminded me a bit of home in Norfolk, UK. Probably like Kansas, too.
I did enjoy the cities. Anyone with a taste in trophy modern architecture should head for Astana. It's trying hard to be Dubai. Almaty is the former Kazakh capital and has lots of atmosphere. We loved the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek. Lots to see there, including a huge statue of V I Lenin looking at the parliament building. Whenever I find a statue of Lenin I say, 'You couldn't have been more wrong.'
As for the hotels, well . . . only two worth noting. The Ambassador in Bishkek was very pleasant, a classic European, boutique-style place with excellent contemporary rooms. In Almaty we stayed at the Intercontinental which is a genuine five-star and was a blessed relief from the terrible places we stayed out in the countryside.
Oh, as a special aside for bhrubin, at our hotel in Astana, even with a window open and outside temperatures of 10c, we could never get our room temp down below 26c. They do that as winter approaches.
I'm pleased to have gone to these places. Like Macmyday and his super-luxury disappointments, I feel good about doing all this research for you.
I think Uzbekistan is probably the 'stan to go for in terms of major sightseeing but even there it's pretty undeveloped.
Oct 20, 2017, 10:45 pm
#3011
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
Oct 22, 2017, 6:13 am
#3012
formerly known as deathscar
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: Virtuoso | Four Seasons Preferred Partner | Rosewood Elite | Hyatt Prive - and more
Posts: 2,096
Oct 23, 2017, 6:20 pm
#3013
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC E75K, Amex Plat, NEXUS, Aman-user (not really a -junkie)
Posts: 1,721
FS Lanai...even better on a conference rate, although I do have to work in the mornings for a few hours. I like when CME conferences are at nice places...
Oct 23, 2017, 7:15 pm
#3014
formerly htang333
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Wi-Fi
Programs: Virtuoso, Top Ranked: Four Seasons (Top 25 Advisor), AMAN (Top 50), Rosewood, Hyatt Prive, etc.
Posts: 1,455
Just got back from it last week. You're going to love it! It's great...if you have time, hop on over to FS Hualalai...Love hanging with the sea turtles everyday and their King's Pond has 4,000 fish and a sting ray for you to snorkel with and feed.