St. Regis Bahia Beach

It’s balmy, breezy, full of spice and swankier than ever.  This is Puerto Rico and it will charm and embrace you.  It’s no secret that from the narrow streets of Old San Juan, you can find the essence of what the island used to be.  The history among the cobblestones and vendors, the bustle of the big city only moments away, but to be transformed and to find yourself, you’ve got to see this.  Not just one butler, but a team who are here to meet your every need, iron an outfit a day and simply pamper you to bits. Puerto Rico is brimming with diverse aspects of itself, from coast to coast, but I like what I discovered at the St. Regis Bahia Beach very, very much. I landed in San Juan and expected to be met and taken to the hotel, but what happened next was an elevating experience.  My St. Regis driver was awaiting my approach at the luggage carousel.  He knew my flight had landed and waited expectantly for me, and on this day, it was I alone in the luxury car.  He grabbed my bag, never flinching from the warmth of the afternoon, in his black suit and tie.  As he whisked me away, feeling very much like a superstar at this point– to the awaiting black car with its reclining leather seats and massaging widgets. Not my every day mode of transportation, but it felt quite welcoming. I adjusted my footrest to just the right height and we were already underway.  What on earth more could a proper arrival look like, if not this?  At this point he could have taken me all around the island and I would have been just as relaxed and open to explore. If the reception at the airport is this good, I didn’t think the resort could top it. I figured it would be on par with this experience but to top it, that didn’t need to happen, but it did. I found myself surprised, yet again.

Met by bell captains, staff bearing cold towels, another set offering refreshing beverage choices and yet others to simply greet me an escort me to the Plantation House where all my registration details were on file and simply needed my review and approval. This topped the arrival at the airport.  I was then met by my butler and taken away to the suite.  This visit I was overlooking the lush gardens filled with tropical foliage that buffered the pool from the beach.  The low-impact luxury feel was all around. Attention to detail, genuine smiles, hospitable service, an effort to go above and beyond and sabered champagne every evening at 6 pm are all to be expected on any given day at the St. Regis. I found myself expecting these services after only one day at the resort, and was never disappointed. From the beach bar called The Spot, where I had my first ever Avocado Margarita, which didn’t sound like something one would rush to order, I found myself pleasantly surprised and ordered two!.  The cocktail came out of a little competition on a slow day at the beach bar.  The bartenders decided to see what they could come up with; armed only with ingredients they had on hand. They took a tried and true recipe, kicked things up a notch and came up with this rich and creamy concoction of deliciousness. They are very creative at this beach bar!

www.stregisbahiabeach.com

Because I had it on good authority how serious Belgrade’s party scene was, my plan for the Adriatic was to begin my three location stay there with a spot of city-based celebration and follow that with a lot of what I will call serious recreation, likely termed “Recovery” by others, regardless of terminology, fantastic is the only way I can describe my stay in the region.

With my destinations, schedule and attitude set, I move on to the Karisma Hotel Group’s website for accommodations because with their variety of property types and a history of luxury, three hotels in three very different places is just what I need.

Cruising down the Amazon in what is more of a yacht than what one imagines a cruise to be. Delfin cruise lines operate three boats on this river we have all come to know from movies, the news or other sources. Few of us have managed to actually set foot in this region and experience its beauty and reality and I think it is because it is so painfully poor and outside the pale of what we would instantly consider a holiday. Ah, but Delfin is here to share their Amazon experience with you and they will be sharing it in fine style. I was aboard Delfin I, the most intimate of the three vessels. Delfin I has only 4 stately staterooms, two of which come with their own plunge pool. These rooms put any ordinary ‘cabin’ to shame. With floor to ceiling glass walls, windows that frame the most inspiring sense of nature and the richness of your interior surroundings makes this cruise down the amazon more than appealing. The staff to guest ratio is approximately two to one, leaving very little room for any of us to go without first rate attention to detail and service. Twice a day I had the most interesting artwork on my bed. The staff came in to not only attend to the room but created very special towel art upon every visit. These characters ranged from oversized bunnies to people lounging with one leg crossed on top of the other, as if they were statuary, enjoying the view from my bed. Not expecting this creative touch, my first day, I ended up laughing out loud – ok, maybe snorting a little as well.

Getting to the boat was almost as much of an enjoyable experience as it was to set sail down the Amazon. The first class treatment began as I landed in Lima and was driven by chauffer to the JW Marriott for a quick overnight stay. The hotel was impressive and although only there for a few hours of sleep, I can say it’s was an elegant welcome to South America. My room overlooked the Pacific and was high enough to see right into Peru’s infamous fog at this time of the year. June seems to always bring this thick cloud of water droplets to the skyline of Lima. I liked it. For me, the mystery of fog adds a bit of romance to any trip.

www.delfinamazoncruises.com

I like things that are only accessible by boat. There’s something romantic, mysterious and obviously secluded about it. Only two miles off the coast of mainland Antigua is such a place. Jumby Bay is brimming with Rosewood’s sensibility and an unmistakable sense of place.

To say that this is laidback luxury at its finest would not be doing it justice. There are absolutely no room keys to your suites. No cars here, no other hotels, no jet skis, hair braiders, and absolutely no hint of urban intrusion.

There are, however, claw-foot tubs in the garden, shower inside and out, private outdoor sitting areas in front and back of your suite that sits directly on the beachfront, and these are just the suites. The island also offers full villas ranging from modestly sized luxurious homes to those that take your breath away due to their size and design.

www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/jumby-bay-antigua

Pikaia Lodge

Mention The Galapagos Islands and you’ll incite the expected conversations about Charles Darwin, evolution, giant tortoises and even a geography lesson on where the islands are actually located. What you won’t expect? A luxury resort with one of the lightest carbon footprints of any hotel on earth.

The Galapagos Islands were slow to be discovered because of their isolated position 600 miles off the coast of South America. Even today, my journey took the better part of 24 hours – but somehow, it made the trip feel that much more like an exotic expedition. This was my chance to follow in Darwin’s footsteps to understand the theories that his visit inspired – and ultimately changed the way we human beings see ourselves and the world around us.

Land on The Galapagos Islands is fiercely preserved, with 97% of the land area is designated a national park. Traditionally, visitors have explored this region by yacht or small-scale cruise ship, as this was long considered the best way to maximize sightseeing and wildlife-viewing. However, the thought of spending a life-changing trip within the confines of small cruise ship seemed, well, less than ideal. Thankfully, the recent introduction of luxury lodge, Pikaia Lodge, is changing the game in The Galapagos.

Perched atop two extinct volcanoes on the main island of Santa Cruz, Pikaia Lodge is an intimate 14-room getaway offering 360-degree views of the vast, churning Pacific Ocean.

Guests arrive via private car, which snakes up a tree-lined driveway to reveal and the architecturally dramatic lodge in all its glory: a clean, modern style with oversized glass panes; large, arched oblong white walls, and endless open-air common spaces fusing the indoors with the magnificent outdoor landscape.

Evolution is the theme woven throughout with the lodge, from the aptly named Evolution restaurant to the outdoor DNA bar. An inviting Homo Sapiens Explorers Lounge offers nature documentaries about the Galapagos nightly. While light in its carbon footprint, Pikaia doesn’t skimp on comfort; guests enjoy access to an intimate spa, state-of-the-art gym and infinity pool with views any luxury hotel in the world would be hard-pressed to beat.

What sets Pikaia apart from other nearby hotels is its mix of land and sea excursions, the latter provided on its private dedicated yacht, M/V Pikaia I. I booked included a hybrid itinerary of land- and water-based adventures to spot The Galapagos’ version of the “big five” – the giant Galapagos tortoise, blue-footed boobies, frigates, sea lions and penguins.

Our first excursion sailed to North Seymour Island, where we spotted iguanas and frigates before changing into our wetsuits to snorkel around the area. Nearby, our guide led us to a beach where we spotted nesting sea turtles, marine iguanas, flamingos and hundreds of Sally Lightfoot crabs.

The next day was dedicated exclusively to the giant Galapagos tortoise, which was a highlight on the trip. We hiked around the island to watch them in their various habitats and captured what seemed like a million pictures before we ended at the nearby Charles Darwin Research Station to learn about their work in further studying Darwin’s theory of evolution.

Every day at Pikaia was filled with adventure – from exploring the lava fields of Bartolome to hiking Pinnacle Rock (the Galapagos’ version of the Leaning Tower of Pisa). The ocean excursions also gave rise to some of the most unforgettable moments of the trip – snorkeling with sea lions and the infamous Galapagos penguin who darted playfully around us, blissfully free from fear.

It was in these moments where I understood why humans must travel to better understand the world around us. In just a few days, the Galapagos Islands were able to turn a simple traveler like myself into a budding naturalist…just like Darwin.

pikaialodge.com