Dreaming of the perfect wedding getaway? These hotels aren’t over the top, gaudy, or flashy. They’re breathtaking, inviting, and just right. Aruba, Jamaica (Oh I wanna take ya)…
First up:
1. Half Moon, Montego Bay, Jamaica
Drawing everyone from Queen Elizabeth to 50 Cent, Half Moon strives for timeless, understated luxury (even at the swim-up bar). Stretching over 400 acres (including 2 miles of beach), the 400-room resort offers attentive service, quality cuisine, and seemingly limitless activities like golfing and horseback riding.
Half Moon, Jamaica
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If you’re citified but like to hike, a foodie but ride your bike more than your car, or use your Patagonia Solar Wind Jacket for a city blizzard, you can consider yourself Urban Rugged by Oyster’s standards.
These destinations and hotels are rustic-chic with lots to do, whether it’s hiking, cycling, shopping, going to art galleries or eating in top notch restaurants. At these eight hotels, you can always tap into your natural — and metropolitan — side.
The Travaasa Hana hotel overlooking Hana Bay delivers rustic luxury in the middle of Maui’s lush, secluded east coast. It has incredible service, a long list of stuff to do and only 70 rooms on acres of uncrowded property. The rooms are large, clean, sleekly furnished — and stripped of TVs, clocks and radios. Though it’s hard to reach, it’s worth the trip. The gorgeous, secluded location near hikes, waterfalls and beaches, excellent cuisine using local products, one of the most beautiful spa facilities on the island and unmatched personalized touches make this hotel one of your best choices in Hawaii.
Travaasa Hana, Maui, Hawaii
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by Hilary on September 21, 2011
It’s football season and the MLB playoffs are around the corner. These hotels accommodate the loudest, rowdiest, most competitive fanatics out there. Give us an outrageously over-sized flat-screen TV and dem’s fightin’ words, and we’ve got just the right atmosphere.
Ouest, The Lucerne, New York
This isn’t your typical sports bar – it’s a high-end French restaurant with a cozy, Old-School New York twist. Although the menu is a bit pricey, the food (by Tom Valenti) will not disappoint – roasted salmon, braised beef short ribs, and juicy pork chops. The interior is covered in red leather, dark wooden accents, and white linen table cloths. With an outstanding bartender and fabulous drink menu, this place gets packed regularly, and (perhaps most importantly) a large flatscreen TV perches directly above the bar – making Ouest a great alternative from the typical sweaty, messy sports bar.
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by Hilary on September 9, 2011
We’re visiting the best, trendiest hotel bars to find you the tastiest summer cocktails in NYC. Not only have we got the photos, we’ve got the recipes — directly from the bartenders — so you can make them at home. Grab your martini glass and hit the deck, you’re having a cocktail party.
This week, we’ve got New York Central at The Grand Hyatt, New York. Previously, we’ve bar hopped at: XVI at Hilton Garden Inn Times Square, The Maritime, The James Hotel, Hilton New York Fashion District, and The Standard Hotel.
Scene at New York Central at The Grand Hyatt, New York
Drink #1: Mr. Big
Mr. Big, at New York Central at The Grand Hyatt, New York
Ingredients:
- 2oz Ceres Guava Juice
- 1/2 Lime Juice
- 1oz Combier Orange
- 2oz Death’s Door Vodka
To make
Build, ice, shake vigorously and strain into Martini Glass
Garnish: Star Fruit
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by Hilary on September 8, 2011
Make September your friend. Look forward to fall by looking out of your hotel window or balcony at these breathtaking views of the leaves.
View from the Central Park Suite at Jumeirah Essex House, New York
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If every Friday is set aside for the same ho-hum dinner-and-a-movie, “date night” will repeat like Groundhog Day and eventually become a grind. That kind of drudgery can derail even the most starry-eyed-in-love couple (think Prince William and Kate Middleton).
The good news: It’s not that difficult to turn up the heat. The trick, experts say, is finding new and exciting ways to bond with your honey — and trying to be a little spontaneous about it.
Fairmont Heritage Place, Ghirardelli Square, San Francisco
Our friends from SELF asked Tina B. Tessina, Ph.D. (aka “Dr. Romance”), psychotherapist and author of The Unofficial Guide to Dating Again, for five ways to bring back the spark. Oyster experts picked the best places and environments to rejuvenate your relationship, whether you’re on vacation or it’s just another night.
Get nostalgic. Think back to when you were first dating. Go back to the place where you first met, watch a DVD (complete with popcorn) of the first movie you saw together, hit Happy Hour at the bar near your old job or wander through the park with a picnic lunch.
Where to do it: Picnicking in New York’s Central Park is something special, anyone who has done it will tell you. The beautiful escape in the middle of a bustling metropolitan city has a unique and exciting feel; the setting ignited an appreciation for life’s simple things. Perfect for surfacing old memories that make you both smile, Central Park has got it all. The Excelsior Hotel on the city’s Upper West Side is just a block from the park, located in a quiet, residential neighborhood.
Central Park, New York
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It’s not impossible to squeeze in a last-minute family trip before the kids are back at school. We’ve rounded up the most affordable, family-friendly vacations filled with some extra bonding moments for the end-of-summer-blues.
Orlando
Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge
Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge, Orlando
Average Price: $226/avg. night
Pearls: Rating: 4.0 Pearls
Location: Disney World, Orlando
From the gazelles and giraffes freely roaming the grounds to the enormous pool with a waterslide, the safari-themed Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge was designed to amaze and delight children. Throughout the day, staff members lead (free) educational activities for children like craft-making, African drumming, or mini-lessons about the where giraffes come from. Here, even the learning is captivating.
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Cold summertime cocktails. So hot right now. We’re visiting the best, trendiest hotel bars to find you the tastiest summer cocktails in NYC. Not only have we got the photos, we’ve got the recipes — directly from the bartenders — so you can make them at home. Grab your martini glass and hit the deck, you’re having a cocktail party.
This week we’ve got The Standard Hotel. Previously, we’ve taste-tested The James Hotel and Hilton New York Fashion District.
The Standard, New York
DRINK #1: Whiskey Punch
Whiskey Punch
Ingredients
- 2 oz rye whiskey
- 1 oz lemon juice
- ½ oz orange juice
- 1 oz simple syrup
- Prosecco
To make
Pour all ingredients except Prosecco into mixing glass with ice. Shake and strain into tall glass with crushed ice. Add Prosecco.
Garnish with an orange twist.
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Craving something sweet but don’t want to break the bank? Whether we’re talking food or hotels, we’ve got the perfect solution for you.
Our friends from SELF found the treat: satisfy your sweet tooth without guilt with these Plush Puffs fat-free marshmallows from DylansCandyBar. No fat, just flavors: Vanilla or caramel-swirl marshmallows step up s’mores; lemon meringue enhances tea. Or enjoy them plain for about 70 calories. (And you get five per serving.)
And as for hotels, the list is endless. But, we’ve picked our favorite budget-friendly hotels that will make you feel like a million bucks.
Hotel: Grano De Oro, San Jose, Costa Rica
Price: $130/avg. night
Pearls: Rating: 3.5 Pearls
This former Victorian mansion turned intimate, 40-room hotel features large, homey rooms, a rooftop Jacuzzi, and a renowned fine dining restaurant. Antiques, tinkling fountains, wood floors and artful flower arrangements make it feel like you might be staying in the home of a wealthy colonial-era plantation owner. But it lacks the features a larger hotel — there’s no business center, fitness center, pool or spa.
Grano De Oro, Costa Rica
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While vacation is a time to relax and let loose, keep your healthy goals in mind without throwing them in the gutter. A simple morning walk, leisurely bike ride, or a personal trainer are all fair game when it comes to getting away. Remember, exercising releases endorphins, and endorphins make us happy (as said by the Elle Woods — for all you Legally Blonde fans), so come on, let’s get happy!
Destination: Miami
Save: Viceroy fitness classes
From Zumba to yoga flow to boot camp, the Viceroy offers a huge range of ways to burn some calories during your stay. If you want something more hardcore, head on over to Canyon Ranch Miami, where your entire experience will be about health and wellness. If you’re looking for more of a combination of healthy fun, Viceroy is your pick. With a plethora of classes and a convenient schedule, this hotel makes staying fit fun. For only $15, hotel guests can enjoy some great workouts.
The Viceroy Miami
Splurge: Canyon Ranch Miami Beach
The Wellness Spa features a number of innovative treatments, from Chinese medicine consultations to prenatal massages to Turkish body rituals. Such treatments must be scheduled in advance, and don’t come cheap. Frustratingly, the voluminous treatment book in my room didn’t list prices. But the spa does feature a number of complimentary offerings. The most amazing one is Aquavana, a European thermal suite with a Finnish sauna, a crystal steam room, a foot spa, an herbal laconium, an igloo, and Experiential Rains treatments. The Experiential Rains, are like special effects showers — guests press buttons to choose from Atlantic Storm, Caribbean Monsoon, or Polar Mist, each a choreographed shower with sound effects, changing lights, and different water textures and temperatures. The huge fitness center is equally impressive. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer ocean views from dozens of cardio machines. There’s also a rock-climbing wall. Every day, some 40 free fitness classes are offered throughout the property, from Sunrise Yoga to Beach Conditioning.
Canyon Ranch Miami Beach
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