When we planned this trip to Italy, we focused on the north, as we have visited Rome, Florence, Amalfi and Sicily in the past. Specifically, we wanted to check out the Dolomites and selected Backroads to take us through them. Backroads has many tour options that are either single activity or multi-activity. We chose to do a hiking tour, but they also have other multi-activity tours that include biking and kayaking. We were extremely happy with choosing Backroads as the tour

We arrived by water taxi from Venice Airport to the Baglioni Hotel Luna in the early evening hours. Despite exhaustion from our trip, we were happy to enter our home for the next 3 nights. We booked a deluxe standard room which was very comfortable and very Venetian. What do I mean by Venetian? Lots of silk.... silk drapes, wallpaper, bedding with Murano glass fixtures, all elegant and tasteful. Our room did not have much of a view as it was on a courtyard, but we got morni

Santorini, part of the Cyclades islands in the Aegean Sea, experienced a volcanic eruption in the 16th century BC that dramatically altered its terrain. The island's two main towns, Fira and Oia, feature whitewashed, cube-shaped houses that cling to cliffs above an underwater caldera. These towns offer views of the sea, small islands to the west, and beaches covered with black, red, and white lava pebbles. We stayed in Oia at the Katikies Villa Santorini. Since Fira is a pop

The Aria Hotel is a trendy and chic establishment, though it might have overdone the piano-themed décor, such as the keyboard pattern woven into the carpet in our room. The room was comfortably sized and as stylish as anticipated, but I found the bed slightly too soft. We enjoyed a nice terrace for relaxation, and the staff was both attentive and pleasant. Budapest boasts many renowned luxury hotels, so if you decide to visit, there are numerous choices. We usually prefer sma

We stayed at The Charles Hotel , which is part of the Rocco Forte hotel chain. I believe it is one of our favorite reliable hotel groups, consistently offering elegance, great style, and excellent service. In the past, we have stayed at their hotels in Edinburgh, The Balmoral , and in Sicily, Verdura . They truly embody the 5-star experience and do it exceptionally well, earning my highest recommendation.

Our hotel, SO/ Berlin Das Stue, was a boutique establishment adjacent to the zoo and a large park known as the Tiergarten . We enjoy boutique hotels for their smaller size and interesting design elements, and this one certainly met our expectations. Notably, it was originally the Royal Copenhagen Danish Embassy, constructed in the 1930s but left vacant during WWII. It was converted into a hotel around 2008. The hotel is stylish and the staff were attentive. Berlin is a larg

We stayed at the Relais Chateau Hotel Bulow , which didn't meet our expectations compared to the Andaz Prague. It was somewhat disappointing, as we've previously enjoyed other Relais Chateau hotels, but this one could use a bit of refreshing. We discovered a fantastic bakery just half a block from the hotel called Elias . The bread and pastries were excellent. Starting the day with a sourdough baguette, serrano ham, arugula, and a double shot cappuccino was perfect! Scotty, h

We flew direct from San Diego to Munich and then on to Prague on Lufthansa. Our flight was as expected, on time!! Luggage arrived first on the belt which is always a good way to start a trip. We love those “Priority” tags when they work!!!  I think the business class on British Airways, which is our other alternative to getting to Europe out of San Diego is a bit more comfortable as Lufthansa does not have discrete pods. Food on BA is a bit better also. On the flip side, Muni

When I booked the hotel, I had a few parameters including a place that was small, stylish and had twin beds for myself and Lauren. I was challenged in trying to find a decent hotel that had twin beds which surprised me, but it is also not a parameter that I am usually looking for when looking for a place to stay. ln retrospect, Next time, I probably will stay at the Four Seasons in the center of the City because the Six Senses is located 90 minutes by ferry from the center of

I knew immediately after landing in Lamu and saw that our taxi was a dhow (traditional sailboat with a motor) to take us to our hotel, that this was going to be a magical place to hang for a few days.   Lamu Island is a port, city, and island just off the shore of  Kenya  in the  Indian Ocean approximately 150 miles from  Mombasa.  Lamu was founded in the 12th century.  Lamu Old Town is a World Heritage Unesco site and is the oldest and best-preserved Swahili settlement in