Hotel Les Mars European-style hotel in Healdsburg, California wine country

Looking for romance in California wine country?  Hotel Les Mars was opened in 2005 by the Mars Family. Europeans will feel right at home at Hotel Les Mars. From the 16^th century Flemish tapestry hanging in the lobby, to the one-of-a-kind 18th and 19th century antiques decorating the hotel, the Relais & Chateaux 16 room property whispers understated elegance.

Hotel Les Mars king room features 20 foot high, beamed ceilings, with 18th & 19th century antiques

Mansion king #304, rented for $700 on this March afternoon. ( Check the website for the best rates, as pricing varies with seasons.) All rooms include Bvlgari soaps, Voss bottled water imported from Norway, and a charming two piece box of Le Belge Chocolates, handcrafted in neighboring Napa Valley, left on the bed in the evening.

For my money, I recommend the Estate King room, it offers the 20 foot beamed ceilings and Bainultra Hydrotherapy tub that is so high-tech it actually air dries itself after draining, but is slightly smaller than the Mansion king, thus offering a lower price tag.

Hotel Les Mars Continental Breakfast

Breakfast in bed at Hotel Les Mars

Included in my stay was a French continental breakfast of coffee or tea, juice, granola, yogurt, fresh fruit and pastries from the local French bakery, served in room. In the evening, between six and seven, several local wines were paired with artisan cheeses and served in the library. There was also a pool on property and exercise room for working off the fabulous dining options that abound, steps from Hotel Les Mars.

Wine is a predominant attraction in Sonoma County and Healdsburg is no exception – with more than 20 tasting rooms offered in town. For the wine connoisseur, Hotel Les Mars has a special relationship with Chalk Hill Estate, allowing for exclusive benefits for hotel guests. Check the website for package deals for the Art Lover, Classic Car Buff, Equestrian, or Wine Connoisseur.

Hotel Les Mars

Insider Tip:

There is no private off-street parking for Hotel Les Mars guests. Take advantage of the valet service. Afterall, there is a daily $25 service charge for concierge, bell man and valet services, so take advantage of these offerings.

Social Media

For additional insider tips follow Luxury Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown on Twitter and follow Hotel Les Mars  on Twitter @HotelLesMars and like them on  Facebook.

Greetings from Hotel Les Mars - wish you were here

If You Go:

Hotel Les Mars (707) 433-4211

27 North Street, Healdsburg, CA 95448

Article written by, YouTube video and photos courtesy of  Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip, Travels from Northern California. I was a guest of Hotel Les Mars.

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Take your pick of three swimming pools at the Hyatt Regency Curacao Golf Resort, Spa and Marina

Caribbean Vibe with Dutch Hospitality

When traveling in other countries, sometimes I am embarrassed by the lack of foreign languages that I speak.  The Europeans routinely speak three to five languages to my two, if you count my rusty  high school and college Spanish.  On a trip to Curacao, I learned that the locals spoke Papiamentu, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and English. While flip flops and sandals were the preferred footwear of choice over wooden clogs from the Netherlands, there was a strong Dutch influence on the island of Curacao in the Dutch Caribbean.

Located at Santa Barbara Plantation, the Hyatt Regency Curacao opened in April of 2010 and is a full-service Dutch Caribbean resort, situated on 27 acres  between the Caribbean Sea and Spanish Water Bay. The largest island of the Caribbean trio universally referred to as the ABC Islands, Curacao is located only 35 miles from Aruba and Venezuela. Curacao’s southern coast, with its vibrant blue waters, offers scuba diving, snorkeling and sailing.

Relax at Hyatt Regency Curacao's private Barbara Beach on the Spanish Water Bay

The snorkeling at Curacao was top notch. I have snorkeled in Hawaii and many places in Mexico, including Paradise Reef in Cozumel, Mexico – one of Jacques Cousteau’s favorite dive locations.

Hyatt Regency Curacao open air lobby

Gourmet Dining to Family-Friendly Activities at Hyatt Regency Curacao

If you are anything like my family, you’ll have a golfer, shopper, swimmer and horseback rider in the group, all wanting to go in different directions. The same thing applies to food choices; one likes seafood, while the other prefers steak and potatoes. While you won’t find any  Stroopwafels on the menu, I did see  Bitterballen, a Dutch fried meatball, offered on the room service menu. I ordered the Saffron Risotto, with shrimp, scallion and pecorino and was not disappointed. Impressive quality and speedy service is what I have come to expect from Hyatt Regency Resorts, and once again, the Hyatt delivered. If you enjoy seafood, the open air SHOR restaurant, over-looking the Caribbean Sea, is not to be missed.

The Hyatt Regency Curacao, with its golf course, swimming pools, private Barbara Beach, tennis courts and Camp Arawak Kid’s Camp (ages 3-12) will keep everyone happy. I spent a lovely morning visiting downtown Willemstad and had lunch at Marshe Bieuw at the Old Market. Joining me at the communal table was a Curacao police officer. With the low crime rate in Curacao, I would feel comfortable sending my teenagers together on the downtown shuttle to Willemstad in the day time – $12 per person roundtrip.

Hyatt Regency Curacao Waterview King, Room #1306 faces the Caribbean Sea

ACCOMMODATION
• 350 guestrooms, including 15 suites, 16 Sea Traditions rooms, 195 kings,
128 doubles, and 12 accessible rooms
All accommodations offer:
• Full balcony or patio
• Hyatt Grand Bed™
• Voice mail, telephone with message light, wireless and wired Internet access port
• Flat-screen plasma television with remote
• Electronic lock
• In-room safety-deposit box
• Deluxe bath amenities
• Tea pot
• Iron / ironing board
• Mini refrigerator
• iHome® alarm clock radio

Sea Traditions Suite #3101 with spa bathroom perfect for honeymooners

SERVICES & FACILITIES
• 1-800-CHECK-IN®
• Concierge
• Business center
• Car rental desk
• Multilingual staff
• Assistive devices for persons with disabilities
• Safe-deposit boxes at front desk
• Airport Shuttle service available at a nominal fee
• Valet and self-parking
• Gift shops
• In-room dining
• Tour desk

RECREATIONAL FACILITIES
• The property features  the Old Quarry Golf Course, an 18-hole, par 72 golf course designed by Pete Dye.
It is approximately 7,200 yards, includes a driving range, a 3,000-square-foot pro
shop and the 5,000-square-foot Shor restaurant. Lessons and caddies are available
• 4,500-square-foot ATABEI Spa has four treatment rooms, including a couples
treatment room
• 24-hour Hyatt Stay Fit fitness center features state-of-the-art fitness and
weight-training equipment
• Three full-service restaurants (Shor, Medi & Swim)
• Four lounges
• Three outdoor pools
• Four clay tennis courts
• Camp Arawak

Activities include:

• Bicycling and jogging trails
• Diving
• Golf
• Snorkeling
• ATABEI Spa
• Swimming
• Tennis – four  clay courts
• Beach Volleyball
• wifi (additional charge)

Connect with Social Media:

Hyatt Regency Curacao Golf Resort, Spa and Marina  is on Twitter and you may friend the resort on Facebook.

If You Go:

Hyatt Regency Curacao Golf Resort, Spa and Marina

Santa Barbara Plantation, Porta Blancu, Nieuwpoort ,
Curacao, Dutch Caribbean

Photos courtesy of  Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip, Travels from Northern California.

I was a guest of Hyatt Regency Curacao Golf Resort, Spa and Marina.

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Curacao Hotels

Travel the globe with Queen City Cookies and regal elephants such as the Duchess of Roux

Food and travel

Food and travel go together like salt and pepper – the two should never stand alone in my mind. When I plan a trip, I look forward to eating the local food, as much as the travel experience itself. With that in mind, I walked the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco looking for foods with a travel theme. Dialing it down, I found two cookie companies that transport me; one to Africa and the other to Scotland.  Both companies make a butter-filled shortbread cookie; one in the shape of an elephant and one in the shape of a Scottie dog.

Travel on safari by elephant with Queen City Cookies

Queen City Cookies – Talisman to exotic worlds

“I think of Queen City Cookies as talismans to exotic worlds. Linger over our nautical variety pack and suddenly you’re in the South Seas, wind in your sails, mermaids shimmer as fish leap from the air. Relax, and feel the warmth of India. A cup of warm chai is the perfect guide to convene with our Ganesha, Mendhi Magic, Regal Elephant, Hindu Sun Wheel or Shakyamuni Buddha cookies. Next stop, Paris. Our Eiffel Tower cookie shimmers like the City of Lights. Each Queen City Cookie is a journey into memories past and longings for future travel. A little imagination, and the time to savor our edible artistry, and it’s possible to travel the globe with cookies that taste as good as they look,” says Peggy Shannon, owner of Queen City Cookies.

Walkers Shortbread Scottie Dogs

Walkers Shortbread has teamed up with the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) to raise funds for the non-profit organization’s animal welfare initiatives across the country. Throughout 2012, Walkers Shortbread will donate 10 cents from the sale of every package of its ‘Scottie Dog’ products sold in the U.S. – including its Scottie Dog cookies and tins – to the ASPCA with a minimum guaranteed donation of $25,000.

Walkers Scottie Dog cookies honor the Scottish Terrier, one of five breeds of the Skye terriers that originated in Scotland.

Walkers Shortbread teams with the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®)

Walkers takes Scottie dog cookie for run

“The adorable Scottie Dog cookies convey our affinity for this beloved breed, and working with the ASPCA is a great way for us, as well as our customers, to show our appreciation for animals,” said Jim Walker, managing director of Walkers Shortbread. “Over the next year, Walkers is dedicated to helping the ASPCA raise awareness of the issues of animal cruelty and homelessness and will support the valuable work they do for animals across the U.S.”

Social media enthusiasts may follow Queen City Cookies on Twitter and  Walkers Shortbread on Facebook.  You may also follow Nancy D. Brown on Twitter for the latest travel news. Article and YouTube video  courtesy of Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown. Photos courtesy of Queen City Cookies and Walkers Shortbread.

Queen City Cookie flowering tree design by Lisa Ballard

Where to Buy

Queen City Cookies

513.591.0022

Historic Findlay Market

124 West Elder Street

Cincinnati, OH 45202

Walkers Shortbread

Aberlour House
Aberlour on Spey,
Scotland, AB38 9LD

Walkers Shortbread Inc.,
170 Commerce Drive,
Hauppauge, New York,
N.Y. 11788, U.S.A.

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Cincinnati