I know there was some discussion 6 months or so ago about the various monthly luxury hotel review newsletters (Gallivanter's Guide, Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report, and the new A Rare World), and I thought it might be useful to share my thoughts on a year of subscribing to GG and ARW.

Gallivanter's Guide remains the most anticipated monthly arrival in my mailbox. No one else can touch Ms. Middlehurst's depth and breadth of experience, and after reading others' hotel reviews, I return to GG amazed by how she is able to construct each review with fresh and nuanced diction, always finding new ways to evoke the experience of a luxury property. She makes it look effortless, but I am sure that it is not--that there is a real challenge to avoid cliche and redundancy in writing about visit after visit. And her reviews go into much greater depth than others', even though there are typically fewer of them than in ARW.

That said, I am increasingly glad that I also subscribed to A Rare World, because for the past four months they have provided their subscribers with pretty astounding free stays at the top suites in top properties--so my subscription has more than paid for itself now that I've received a free stay at the Elysian (in a Premier Gold Coast Suite), Soneva Kiri (two free nights anytime in 2011), Montage Laguna Beach (in their top, stand-alone, multi-room Craftsman villa), and Il Salviatino. If any of you are planning to go to Soneva Kiri in 2011, you may want to subscribe this October since that offer is included and will more than cover your subscription costs. And on the positive side, I am very impressed with the range and number of hotels/resorts covered in each issue (October's issue: Aman New Delhi, Amangani, FS Jackson Hole, Rusty Parrot Lodge (hated it), FS Punta Mita, St Regis Punta Mita, Imanta, and Palmasola). As for how helpful the information is, I'd say it's not as helpful as the GG. It does a good job of alerting me to issues and problems at particular properties, but I trust less the positive reviews because there are so many raves without the sort of insights and nuances that would enable me to distinguish one rave from the next. That said, I'll definitely resubscribe, even if they didn't provide all the free nights, because there are enough tips and info intermingled with the cliched prose that it's definitely worth it to me.

I trust the moderator will appropriately lock this thread if it devolves into snarky attacks at one or another of these publishers. But I'm curious if any others of you are also subscribing to both, and if you feel similarly that you're benefiting from both.

at offers, wonder what T&C are

full october issue >
http://www.imantaresorts.com/media/1...Arareworld.pdf

too bad they didnt discuss service more, although they mentioned chef came from FS

aman prices, with only 5 1BR and 2 3BR (37 residential lots for sale, rental program)

http://www.imantaresorts.com/media/1..._September.pdf
article mentions amanpuri but doesnt quote anyone
http://www.imantaresorts.com/resort/...our-story.aspx
hotel site mentions thailand (amanpuri?)

also, not within punta mita development