by Pretty Chic Travel on October 22, 2012
A sunny fall day at the Mirror Lake Inn Resort & Spa.
Last weekend we took our own advice and took a scenic fall road trip from Toronto to the charming village of Lake Placid. Located in the upper east part of New York state, you’ll find Lake Placid tucked into the picturesque peaks of the Adirondack Mountains.
By default, its landscape has made it the perfect alpine destination (we’re thinking we should come back in the winter), as proven by the fact Lake Placid has hosted not one, but two Olympic winter games (1932 and 1980). The remnants of these historic events are speckled throughout the region, including the Olympic Center and Lake Placid Olympic Museum, and the frighteningly high Olympic Ski Jumps, which you can ride up and explore.
It makes sense that this world-class village also has world-class accommodations, including the Mirror Lake Inn Resort & Spa, which we were lucky enough to stay at during our visit. A member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, this AAA-rated Four-Diamond resort recently was given the honour by Conde Nast Traveler of being the #1 resort in the Northeast, receiving 94 out of 100 points. READ MORE
by Pretty Chic Travel on October 10, 2012
We love social media — and so does Jayne Gorman — known on Twitter as @JayneyTravels, this award-winning travel blogger has founded two websites, 40under30.com, a site which chronicles her journey to visit 40 countries before she hits the big 3-0 and TravellingShopaholic.com, where she shares her insider shopping secrets from the many destinations she’s visited. Her social media expertise and love of travelling secured her a fantastic job as the Communications & Content Manager for Flight Center UK and even led her to meet her current boyfriend of two years!
We recently had the opportunity to find out just what this self-proclaimed “obsessive” traveller can’t leave home without, from must-haves on the airplane to some of her favourite hotels and experiences. READ MORE
by Stephanie on October 8, 2012
Image courtesy Colorado Tourism, Matt Inden/Miles.
When it comes to picking a favourite season, we’ll have to vote for autumn – not just because that’s when all of the new TV shows hit the airwaves, or we can layer our looks without breaking into a sweat – but it’s easily the most beautiful time of the year. Green leaves are slowly replaced by fiery shades of foliage, quietly turning the landscape into a real-life Group of Seven painting. It’s not even like the falling leaves are bothersome, in fact it just seems to add to the movie-like atmosphere of the season, probably because it channels us back to our childhood when leaf piles were designed for jumping in.
While you could catch a seat sale to Europe, we suggest you take advantage of this gorgeous season by planning a weekend road-trip that will let allow you to marvel in the changing colours. Not sure where to go? We pick 8 scenic fall drives guaranteed to inspire your inner photographer. READ MORE
by Stephanie on September 24, 2012
In case you missed it, we recently launched a new feature we’ve dubbed “Lust List,” which looks at a resort we’re dreaming of visiting. Today we’re highlighting a resort in a country we’ve never had the opportunity to visit. The Emirates Wolgon Valley Resort & Spa in Australia. READ MORE
by Stephanie on September 7, 2012
New York City may be gearing up for Fashion Week, but here in Toronto it’s all about the Toronto International Film Festival. Officially starting yesterday, the 37th annual festival runs until September 16. Not only is it the place to see one of many buzz-worthy films (there are a record-number 367 to choose from), it’s also happens to bring out the stars (we’re talking everyone from Ryan Gosling to Gwyneth Paltrow). Whether you’re in it for the films, the celebs, or maybe a little bit of both, we breakdown the scene here. READ MORE
by Stephanie on August 30, 2012
Both of us can’t imagine travelling without our smartphones. Besides being our first line of communication to just about everyone, we’re frequent Tweeters and tend to update our Facebook statuses on-the-go. That being said, besides that obvious must-have apps like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, we had to do a round-up of some of the best travel apps out there (ie. ones you need to download to your iPhone stat). Whether it’s finding restaurants around the block from your hotel or tracking your flight, these travel apps will make your trip that much better. READ MORE
by Stephanie on August 24, 2012
It’s the last long weekend before summer ends, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend your last free vacay days sitting at home watching re-runs of How I Met Your Mother or Toddlers and Tiaras — although there’s nothing wrong with that on most days. Instead we suggest you take advantage of this long weekend, find a fantastic travel deal and have fun. Don’t worry, we’ve done most of the work for you. READ MORE
by Stephanie on August 20, 2012
Hotel Adagio
For most people $200 is that magic number when it comes to a hotel rate. Accommodations around this number tend to cover all of the basics you want, plus offer a bit more when it comes to things like style, amenities and services. Even better if you’re hoping for a more luxurious getaway, you can often find five-star hotels with reasonable rates if you’re willing to book during the off-season. Sounds good right? We thought we’d look at a destination we loved exploring (especially through food), and pick five great hotels you can book for $200 a night or less. READ MORE
by Stephanie on August 13, 2012
Muskoka has always been on my map — thanks to a family cottage on Lake Rosseau that’s been around since the ‘50s — although it’s definitely become a destination for everyone from Hollywood celebs to NHL players and Torontonians looking for relief from the sizzling concrete jungle. For those who don’t have a cottage to escape to, we suggest booking in at one of these three incredible Muskoka resorts, which will give you a taste of the luxurious side of this beautiful destination.
Windermere House
Located on Lake Rosseau, Windermere House has quite a history to it. Built in 1870, it has been a landmark on the lake since it opened. A devastating fire occurred during the filming of the Hollywood movie The Long Kiss Goodnight (starring Samuel L. Jackson) and destroyed much of the resort, but they managed to rebuild the property to its original glory in 1997. Further modernizations have continued, including the introduction of The Cottages, which are available for fractional ownership, as well as Oliver & Bonacini, the resort’s exclusive foodservice provider. READ MORE
by Stephanie on August 7, 2012
A Pacific Suite at the Post Ranch Inn.
We’ve been fortunate to have experienced some fantastic hotels in our travelling career — from The Yeatman Hotel in Portugal to the Viceroy Anguilla — and we’ll fully admit we’ve been totally spoiled. We’re pretty sure we could travel non-stop for the next decade and still not experience every hotel that must be seen (although we’re going to try).
In our Hotel We Love feature, we highlight a hotel we’ve been to and well, love. Since we’re not going to pretend we’ve stayed in every villa, resort and retreat around, we’ve decided to introduce a new feature called Lust List in which we showcase a hotel we’re dying to stay at. And who knows, it could become a Hotel We Love.
For our inaugural post we’ve picked the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur, California. During our drive down Highway 1 last fall, we passed through the scenic coastal region of Big Sur that quickly reminded us of the Canadian west coast thanks to the massive red wood trees, which flanked the curvaceous highway. READ MORE
