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Originally Posted by xooz
(Post 35359676)
For the prices you are paying, expectations should be high.
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Ancient Spanish Monastery
On the way back I wanted to stop at the Ancient Spanish Monastery. However, I had underestimated the traffic and so we arrived at 16:35. Since they closed at 5pm, we could not get in. There remained only a few glimpses from the outside.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b76e80a8bd.jpg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...c3fb30a1cf.jpg What I missed now? I do not know. The guidebook said that the rebuilt monastery is very impressive even for experienced travelers from Europe. However, I am not 100% sure about that. |
Gelato Bianco
On the way back to the hotel, a little hunger showed. In the end, we decided to stop briefly at the Bal Harbour Shops. Unfortunately, fast food is very rare there. In the end we went to Gelato Bianco.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...c544e7ce43.jpg We could not discover any prices in the store. GF then took a scoop of ice cream and a brownie. I opted for 2 scoops of ice cream. Can not cost the world..... Wrong thinking. When the price was called, a shock hit me. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...1e6ed550d4.jpg The best thing is to tip as well, after all, someone makes the ice cream scoop in the cup. Is hardly included in such bargain prices. Of course, I decided against it. That's what I got for my money: https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...141a50dec9.jpg Not bad, but not special either. For the price just a rip-off. |
Forget Sweden, forget Switzerland, the real expensive country is in Miami and environs.
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Originally Posted by Fabo.sk
(Post 35363499)
Forget Sweden, forget Switzerland, the real expensive country is in Miami and environs.
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Originally Posted by offerendum
(Post 35363516)
Seems so..... But please don't tell, Switzerland always wants to be at the top;)
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Originally Posted by uclabruin82
(Post 35364509)
This is not a joke. I live in Los Angeles and was in Switzerland for the holidays last December and always felt like I was getting my money's worth over there. Those gelato prices I looked at honestly seemed standard here in LA, Miami, NYC.
Aman NYC is just crazy, with $ 3000 for an entry room. Switzerland is then still quite far at the top in Europe, especially for restaurants. It is synonymous with exorbitant prices. But yes, reasonable compared to Miami. When I think of Miami I look forward to Italy in October, there I get tasting menus in Michelin stared restaurants for under 100 €. That's perfectly fine and regularly they cook much better. It's very rare to find crap like the Amuse Bouche at the Surf Club. |
L´Atelier Joel Robouchon
Miami has a restaurant with 2 Michelin stars, the Joel Robouchon. Of course I had to try it out.
The restaurant is located in a mall. Downstairs is the one star Le Jardinier, upstairs is the 2 star Atelier. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...0f430f5c69.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...869a441266.jpg In the restaurant you can choose between seats at the bar, tables and the terrace. I really did not feel like being grilled at the counter, besides I find it not very comfortable. Since the tables inside were fully booked, it went to the terrace. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...9644cd0820.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...6d7eb156c9.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...af6d3fbf20.jpg I wouldn't call the terrace mega attractive now. If you consider that two people can easily spend four-figure sums here, it's borderline. The menu: https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...bb624678ca.jpg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...cdd3cbea66.jpg The prices are without question steep. I actually wanted to take the Tasting menu, with 305 € + service that already haut purely. Since GF wanted to take it only me to love and me partly also interested in certain dishes, we chose in the end a la carte. Maybe I just did not want to get rid of $ 900 with service on the terrace today. First there was bread with butter. No matter in which Joel Robouchon I was so far, the bread was always excellent. Also very good here, no comparison to the stuff that was offered at the Four Seasons. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...28666ebe86.jpg Amuse Bouche https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...81fe726aa7.jpg Mocktail https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...8684a1bcb7.jpg Black cod with miso and tamarind, braised daikon, beets and lime condiment https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...28a640d635.jpg Langoustine https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...ce1c638db5.jpg Eggplant https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...e88215f3e7.jpg Scallop served in cilantro broth, coconut emulsion and calamari https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...2485de3a14.jpg Artichoke https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...be672ce8ee.jpg Cod https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...427568df8b.jpg Guanaja chocolate crémeux, white chocolate ice cream, Oreo cookie crumble https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...c8939d7adb.jpg Black Forest chocolate crémeux, cherries and Kirsh Chantilly https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...c7761106a9.jpg Petit Fours https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...e18859a133.jpg The bill https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...849cfa19fc.jpg It was definitely once the best meal I had in Miami. Everything was of good quality and for me definitely on 2 star level. So I am glad that I tried it. |
You Sir have really done us all a great service in highlighting these terrible hotels! I am very surprised at the standards of the Belmonds in particular. You must have the patience of a Saint as at those prices I would have been complaining dramatically (the blood on the sheets!) I am glad the FS room was nice and at least Robuchon gave you an excellent meal, despite the ugly terrace. I hope you hurry back to Europe where in my experience when you are paying the highest prices you have a much better chance of receiving what you have paid for! The gorgeous beaches and sunsets of the Caribbean do look wonderful but the general run down nature of the infrastructure is at odds with that. If I were to go I might rather do it much more cheaply, where you feel more at ease without the thought of being ripped off. Hopefully the warmth and friendliness of the locals mitigated the standards a little for you. Thanks again for such a long and illuminating report!
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Originally Posted by Tootall33
(Post 35375484)
You Sir have really done us all a great service in highlighting these terrible hotels! I am very surprised at the standards of the Belmonds in particular. You must have the patience of a Saint as at those prices I would have been complaining dramatically (the blood on the sheets!) I am glad the FS room was nice and at least Robuchon gave you an excellent meal, despite the ugly terrace. I hope you hurry back to Europe where in my experience when you are paying the highest prices you have a much better chance of receiving what you have paid for! The gorgeous beaches and sunsets of the Caribbean do look wonderful but the general run down nature of the infrastructure is at odds with that. If I were to go I might rather do it much more cheaply, where you feel more at ease without the thought of being ripped off. Hopefully the warmth and friendliness of the locals mitigated the standards a little for you. Thanks again for such a long and illuminating report!
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The prices from your Covid bunch of Italy trip reports are unfortunately long gone :(
at least we can be sure of one thing, gelato will be cheaper and better than in Miami. (speaking of Italy, I am looking at stopping by in Milano in September, could do with a nice lunch, one star level probably. Any recommendations?) |
Originally Posted by Fabo.sk
(Post 35376084)
The prices from your Covid bunch of Italy trip reports are unfortunately long gone :(
at least we can be sure of one thing, gelato will be cheaper and better than in Miami. (speaking of Italy, I am looking at stopping by in Milano in September, could do with a nice lunch, one star level probably. Any recommendations?) Believe it or not, I never ate at a 1 star restaurant in Milan. In fact I only stayed 4 nights in the city, otherwise I visited on day trips. So my experience is very limited. |
Huh! I'd expected more, seeing as Milan is an easy to reach regional hub. But, it does make sense in a way.
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Originally Posted by Fabo.sk
(Post 35376215)
Huh! I'd expected more, seeing as Milan is an easy to reach regional hub. But, it does make sense in a way.
For October, a stay in Milan is still "in the draw". However, the prices are totally crazy, I pay partly more than at Lake Como. Since I have nothing acute to do there (a visit to La Scala would be relatively stressful because of the journey), I will probably not do it. |
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