all the dish that’s fit to print
family time by the pool doesn’t have to be local
Indagare.com just released their list of favorite indoor and outdoor pools for travelling families. Three of our Park Hyatt properties topped the list! Take a look at their fabulous details, and a few more of our personal favorite pools from around the world.
Indgare.com’s Picks:
Boasting the best pool area in the city, Palacio Duhau – Park Hyatt Buenos Aires features a large, indoor pool that is available to guests all year. The pool, which is 82 feet long and surrounded by soothing natural toned marble, is a great way to keep kids entertained or for couples to unwind after a busy day in the capital. (more…)
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promenade à paris
Paris is the ideal place for a stroll. About.com has just put out a list of the best parks in Paris which has us aching to amble through the Bois de Bologne and picnic in the Parc Montsouris. New York may have The Highline, but Paris has the Promenade Plantée. This narrow park also inhabits a forgotten railway track and is covered in cherry blossoms, bamboo, and vibrant flowers. La Coulée Verte, as it’s called by locals, runs from the Bastille all the way to the Bois de Vincennes. Lucky guests at the très chic Paris hotel Pavillon de la Reine are just minutes from this sprawling railway garden.
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solo adventures for the exploratory traveler
Take a chance, maybe step outside your comfort zone and depart on a journey of self-discovery. Although it can be scary to deal with all of those little problems that always seem to arise, like a lost passport or mortifyingly funny language barriers, solo travel is our favorite way to experience the world. Skip the inevitable fight over dinner or directions and treat yourself to an individual adventure. Of course you will want to make sure where you are going is safe, and that the people are friendly and helpful. Travel + Leisure have put together a helpful guide of the best countries to travel solo in.
Number 9 on the list is Switzerland, a beautiful and tranquil place for a vacation. The Swiss Rail allows for easy traveling around the country, especially if you are in the mood for a picturesque hike in the mountains. Interlaken is the perfect base for a weekend trip to the countryside with its beautiful lakes and mountain ranges. A really great hiking root is an easy one hour hike from Grütschalp to Mürren that follows the railway and offers stunning views of the Lauterbrunnen valley. It is the perfect way to see the country without breaking a sweat!
Coming in at number 3 on the list is Bhutan. This is one of the most peaceful destinations in the world, and also one of the most expensive due to its policy of charging visitors a minimum of $200 a day to stay. However this means that there are far less of those pesky tourists! Nestled in the Himalayas, Bhutan also offers scenic and dramatic views that are perfect for a day of hiking. One particularly intriguing hike is the Tiger’s Nest High Pass Day Trek. Experience the ancient beauty of Bhutan and the Tiger’s Nest monastery on this 7-8 hours day hike through the Himalayas! Or just walking around the charming villages is also perfectly acceptable for those who are less inclined to long hikes on vacation.
So… pack your bags, and get ready to conquer the world!
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happy birthday, barack!
Celebrity sightings are all the rage these days, but let’s not forget about government’s royalty. In honor of Obama’s birthday, we’ve rounded up a few locales where you’re likely to run into an off-duty lawmaker or two. Who knows? Maybe you’ll get the chance to bend their ears about your political views over cocktails…
Bern, Switzerland
Bellevue Palace, in the capital city of Bern and right next to the Swiss Parliament, has long been a meeting place for politicians, royals, and dignitaries the world over. As the only 5-star hotel in Bern, the hotel’s luxury is renowned, as is its statesmanlike discretion, making it a natural host for world leaders. During WWII, Bellevue Palace was the picture of political neutrality, as was its famed restaurant, La Terasse, serving guests from Axis nations meeting in one half of the restaurant, and those from the Allied Powers in the other. (more…)
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green clean
Had a little too much fun last weekend? Maybe some rum punch or more hotdogs than you can count? In honor of its reopening, the Metropolitan Bangkok’s Glow restaurant is sharing one of its coveted juice recipes filled with healthy, raw ingredients sure to help rectify any bad weekend habits. Get out that juicer and make yourself a drink.
Green Clean Juice (one serving)
2 apples
6-8 stalks celery
2 cups spinach
1 inch ginger
1 peeled lemon
1 green pepper
½ cucumber
1 bulb fennel
1 tbl macadamia nuts, optional
1 tbl sunflower seeds, optional
1 tsp spirulina powder
Juice the first 7 ingredients. Blend with the nuts, seeds and spirulina powder
Enjoy
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godzilla strikes the mori arts center
A dinosaur-themed vacation in the city that gave us Godzilla! The Summer with Dinosaurs package at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo includes tickets to the Dinosaur Museum’s special exhibit “Dawn of the Dinosaurs” in the Mori Arts Center, which features computer graphic animation, interactive dinosaur origami, and special dinosaur modeling classes with a resident paleontologist. Located on the 52nd floor of the Mori Tower, ‘Dawn of the Dinosaurs’ features some of the earliest dino specimens knows, making the Jurassic period look futuristic. It is a great family activity that every age group will enjoy.
As part of the package, children staying at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo will receive a dinosaur amenity from the hotel, and parents can enjoy either lunch at Grand Hyatt’s Oak Door restaurant or breakfast via room service. Rates start at 38000JPY, approx $426 USD.
After a day of running around through life sized dinosaur dioramas, parents can indulge in a mini adult vacation; leave the kids with a babysitter, and pull up to the dinosaur-themed bar for some prehistoric inspired cocktails, like the herb mojito—a Triassic favorite. Grand Hyatt Tokyo also offers nightly entertainment at the Maduro Bar, a perfect after-hours reprieve after the day’s excitement. It is sure to be a thrilling and dynamic family trip!
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live every week like it’s shark week
This adage has been floating around the internet and boy lingo for a week or so in anticipation of the Discovery Channel’s famed Shark Week. Once a year, tons of shark footage is played every night for a week, terrifying and fascinating its many fans. Ever since Jaws came out, we’ve been scared of the water and mesmerized by this big, savage fish. While Shark Week might cut it for some, others may just want to dive into a cage and see the bad boys in action. Instead of the usual spots – Cape Town, Southern Australia, etc – take a trip to paradise. Felix Yeo, General Manager of Cocoa Island in the Maldives, takes guests into the sea to swim by Grey Reef Sharks and White Tip Sharks. Grab an underwater camera and you can have your own shark footage.
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gwyneth loves como
Turns out Gwyneth Paltrow loves Parrot Cay of COMO Hotels and Resorts and COMO Shambhala! It’s all in the June issue of Spain’s TELVA fashion magazine. Gwyneth says “I get lost in the private Island of Parrot Cay, in the Bahamas, and I spoil myself with a massage in the Shambhala Spa. I come out renewed!”
hotels go high-tech
Admittedly, no one can keep the innovative pace of Steve Jobs. But hotels, in their pursuit to give guests an ever-richer experience, delivered ever more quickly, are helping to push technology to its limit. We aren’t speaking of iPod docking stations in every room – those seem as de rigueur as the VCR was in the 1990s. Here’s what’s next…
Royal Mansour Marrakech
cocktail heaven
At Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme, guests are able to learn the secrets of the skilled and experienced bartenders at the famed Le Bar. Whether it is a simple gin drink or a frozen cocktail, favorite beverages will be demystified. Head barman Yann Daniel organizes cocktail classes available to anyone who is interested two Saturdays each month from noon to 2:30pm. Each class has a specific theme or main liquor that is used in all of the drinks that are made during the session. Upcoming themes are Rum, Gin, Champagne, and Whisky. The choices are endless, with a mix of classic drinks, like mojitos and cosmos, and inspired in-house cocktails, like the award-winning Park Flower or the sweet and creative lemon pie martini. Executive Chef of Michelin-starred Pur’Grill Jean-François Rouquette personally prepares tapas to accompany the long-awaited tasting of the cocktails. This is a fun and exciting way to learn how to make cocktails and mixed drinks for social events!
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