Lucy's Blog

Things to do for Kids in London

2010-11-12T13:13:00.000-08:00

Go to Regent’s Park to see the swans. They are considered “royal” in England, and belong to the queen. They also have Open Air Theatre there, and you can see Shakespeare outside! Good playgrounds and tennis courts, too.
Do you like Sherlock Holmes? He lived not too far away from the park at 221b Baker Street. He has a museum, where you are greeted by a policeman (bobby in England) and shown the house by people in costume.
At the London Canal Museum, you can see where children worked in the 19^th century when they were only eight years old! It is on New Wharf Road, near Kings Cross.
Watch the street performers and musicians at Covent Garden. Then shop for toys at Hamleys, or go The Kite Store and try your luck! They also have really cool markets there.
The Tower of London is where people stayed before they got their heads cut off. The Crown Jewels are there too-you can see the biggest diamond in world there!
If you want to know what it is like to be tortured and live in a dungeon, try the Clink Museum. It is near the London Bridge, which is not falling down like the rhyme says.
Take a picnic from Fortnum and Mason’s food store to Potter’s Park, right near the Design Museum. Afterwards you can take your parents there. They have wonderful high tea, too………
The Natural History Museum has really big dinosaurs and a whole Creepy Crawlies House. You can even stand in an earthquake stimulator!
Kensington Gardens is where the book Peter Pan started. In the Serpentine nearby, you can rent boats, or go horseback riding in Hyde Park.
Visit Blenheim Palace, outside of London. That is where Winston Churchill was born! Then you can go see the Cabinet War Rooms, in the Westminster area. That is where made all of his decisions during World War II.
If you go to the Tate Museum, pick up a picture trail map at the Front Desk. They have lots of activities for kids there, and there is an Art Trolley with games for the whole family.
On the weekends, you can go to the Greenwich markets. There is a really big comic collection there, too. If you go to the Old Royal Observatory, you can stand with one foot in the Western Hemisphere and one foot in the Eastern!
At Harrods store in Knightsbridge, they have pets, toys, kid’s books, and four restaurants! Good fish and chips………
Go to Notting Hill after you watch the movie. They sold the red door at an auction to some Japanese collectors! There is a really cool market there, and antiques on Saturdays.
Want to see where Princess Diana lived? Go to Kensington Palace and take a tour. You can see some of her clothes, too. Visit the Princess Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens.
They have been locking the Tower of London every night for 600 years at the Ceremony of the Keys. Book in advance………spooky!
Hyde Park riding stables for those missing their pony!
Battersea Dogs Home is the largest dog rescue home in the world.
Pantomime Season at Christmas is the best-famous male actors dress up as women! Good for the whole family.
The old medical operating theatre – St. Thomas’ – Lots of blood and gore!

Favorite Hotels (Well, Some of Them)

2010-11-12T13:12:00.000-08:00

$ = Under $100

$$ = $100 - $200

$$$ = $200 - $300

$$$$ = $300 - $500

$$$$$ = $500 plus

I am often asked what my favorite hotels are. It is a tough question – “Chacun a son gout” as the French say, and what is heaven to some is hell to another. There are so many fabulous hotels; it really depends on your mood. Foie gras? Burgers and fries? Or a simple grilled fish? And who are you traveling with? Girls weekend, elderly parents, family reunion…

Here are a few highly biased examples of hotels I return to again and again:

Europe - $$$ - $$$$

Paris – The Victoria Palace. Low-key, huge rooms, and in a decidedly non-chic cul-de-sac. Great service, very personal, family run, and in the heart of the most desirable area of Paris – the 7^th in the Left Bank. I love the Meurice, L’Hotel, Duc de Saint Simon, The Four Seasons Georges V, but I come back to the VP every time I am in town. $$$$

Rome – La Posta Vecchia. Nothing to do, nothing to see – just a world class hotel on a rocky promontory with great food in a Roman villa owned by the Getty Oil family and filled with priceless antiques. You will never sleep more soundly. $$$$$

Amalfi Coast, Italy – There are so many spectacular options here – an embarrassment of riches, really. However, my heart belongs to Le Sirenuse – I was married here and it combines familial hospitality with a crack managerial team and historical memorabilia from the 15^th century. The Sersale family has owned the property for what? Three or four hundred years? and is very much a presence. Kind of like staying in a private villa if they had room service and were related to Popes. Perched vertiginously over the Positano Coastline, it is a tiny jewel. $$$$$

Florence – It doesn’t get better than this – the hotel situation in Florence, that is. From The Lungarno Hotels to The Savoy to The Helvetia and Bristol, everyone is as good and as unique as its neighbor. However, JK Place feels like home to me. Located across from Santa Maria Novella Church, one of my favorites, it feels like home if your partner was a world class interior decorator, no check in, no lobby, doesn’t even have great views - but when you walk in you are handed seamlessly a prosecco or a scalding cappuccino when it is raining. The general manager was the youngest Clef D’or concierge around (the highest possible accolade) so any possible wine tasting or private tour can be arranged. $$$$ - $$$$$

UK – Stafford Hotel – London – Again, throw a rock in London and you will break the window of a fabulous hotel. Whether boutique, traditional, or modern, London has superlative accommodation to fit all tastes. I love the Stafford because the staff is idiosyncratic – they tell you what they think – and are so welcoming that I have the illusion of owning a historical home in London. A two minute walk from Green Park, this is the kind of hotel that greets you by name, remembers what you drink, and is not above bringing a cup of tea unannounced and unsolicited to a chilled guest on a typically blustery London afternoon. Close enough to walk to the theatre, with a killer bar frequented by The Royals. Add to this the most lauded concierge team in London, multiple winners of awards by Frank Laino and his staff. $$$$$

Mexico -

Cabo Surf Hotel. Just what it sounds like – great surf at a family owned hotel on a decent swimmable beach, a rarity in the Cabo San Lucas area. Fabulous local seafood, very plain but clean rooms, and a surf shop with waves easy enough to learn on. A cheap spa, really tasty margaritas, and water warm enough and safe enough to walk right in. No design, no renaissance frescos, just all the necessary elements. $$

The Inn at Monzanillo Bay. A room above a good restaurant with a view of the surf, hammock, and a patio at $100 a night? Check. Bungalows down by the beach for 2-3 at $130? Check. Tide-pooling and great surf? Yep. Salty margaritas around a pool with a waterfall and tropical landscaping – DID I MENTION THE SURF? Yep, point break out front. Great for families, surfers and budget travelers who like a more “luxe” vibe. Fly into Zihuatanejo on Mexico’s Pacific Coast and cab or drive 40 minutes worth. $ - $$.

Ah, Capri

2010-11-12T13:02:00.000-08:00

The most famous hotel on the island is the Quisisana. It literally looks like it was decorated from Grandmother’s garage sale before she moved to assisted living. White and gold furniture, flowered bedspreads and coffee tables with fake columns. All of this would be absolutely fine if it was 1970. On the positive side, it is tranquil, immaculately clean, and has a nice garden right in the middle of the touristy hordes of Capri’s pedestrian alleys. So if you need to be in the heart of the action and have money to burn, the Hotel Quisisana will suit perfectly. If you don’t have mobility issues and bad design is bothersome then the so-called “Quisi” will not work…It is a bit like being stuck in a late 60’s Capri time warp minus the chic of Jackie Onassis and the humor of Austin Powers.

A bit farther from town is their two sister properties, the Casa Morgana and the Scalinatella. These are mini-versions of the Quisisana design theorem – including, and I jest not, a blackamoor draped with pearl at the doorway of the Scalinatella. One wonders at the political correctness of it all. On the bright side, the private terraces off the rooms in both hotels are gorgeous sparkling clean, with calendar perfect views of Capri and the sea beyond. In the shiny white and blue tile, potted plants and slating arrangements in each private balcony there is much to be admired. The problem for me is the price – high season rates run from 700 to 1300 euros for these accommodations at the Casa Morgana and Scalinatella. I cannot imagine what the Hotel Quisisana charges, nor do I want to know. If these were three star hotels with three star pricing, I could recommend them without reservation. However, views and charm alone do not compensate for the design issues and cramped quarters.

J.K. Place, not in the town of Capri, but by the harbor, has similar pricing with stunning design and views, extraordinary service, a beach, a spa, and a full sized pool. I don’t know what I am missing, but there seems like no comparison. Again, I suppose there are those who wish to be within shouting distance of Lacoste and Prada, but with balconies with stunning sea views, a swimmable beach, great pool area, and décor reminiscent of a private house in the Hamptons with Italian flair, why wouldn’t you stay there?

The staff is attired in light blue seersucker jackets (like an Aman resort, you never sign a bill), the rooms have a complimentary mini-bar, ample storage space, great lighting, and terrific bath products.

Greenwich Hotel NYC

2009-11-13T14:47:00.000-08:00

If the new Crosby Street Hotel is about fun, whimsy and buzz, the Greenwich is about having your own private club. Dimly lit, filled with eclectic antiques and original period light fixtures, its sign is so discreet I took three visits to find the door.

The lobby is tile, with potted palms, antique hand worked screens, leather club chairs, and British art pottery. It has the feeling of a latter day Explorers Club or the eccentric compilations of a very serious collector.

Each room is different-not cosy per se, as the floors are hard wood and the art is minimal-but supremely comfortable with hidden amenities and a box filled with childhood sweets. The tubs are Moroccan tile, and your hanging clothes are hidden in antique armoires.

Room service is provided by the restaurant off the lobby, Locanda Verde. It bills itself as “rustic Italian cuisine”-full flavored salads with hazelnuts and pear, ravioli with sage butter, or grinders with Italian sausage or a starter jalapeno/crab crostini. It is noisy, buzzy, and bistro -ish with a lively bar scene and some inventive house cocktails.

The downstairs spa and pool are romantic and Asian in feeling-lounge chairs of bamboo, stairs made of hand hewn wood and rope. The spa treatments are unique, and available only to the guests. The gym is very well equipped-I kept feeling like the next hot thing would be working out there to get in shape for a movie or two.

This is place to meet good friends, have a drink, play cards, not so much to see and be seen. The atmosphere is purposefully discreet and quiet.

The Crosby Street Hotel

2009-11-13T14:35:00.000-08:00

The Crosby Hotel opened in the heart of New York’s Soho a bit over two months ago. The facade is white – dramatic – relentlessly chic in a neighborhood of red brick.

Opened by the darlings of the London Hotel trade, the Kemps, it has been an immediate success. Kit Kemp is known for her wide ranging reinterpretation of English design. She whimsically mixes tapestry chairs with pop art-ish paintings of Queen Elizabeth, 1960’s lamps, driftwood, and African artifacts. The effect is of a rather charming collection of an eccentric uncle in London. Walls are painted shades of saturated green, ceilings are very high, and the light is fabulous. Each room is individually decorated and different from the rest.

The restaurant is a combination of striped banquettes, a wall of telephones, and hanging lamps in hot luminescent colors. The food is an inventive remix of old standards – Maine lobster roll, fish and chips, club sandwich, steak tartare – and some “nouvelle” choices like sheep's milk cheese panini with roasted vegetables.

Service is surprisingly good for such a new hotel-the concierge department is very well versed, room service is smart and efficient, and the attitude is personal without sacrificing professionalism.

Nouvelle India

2009-10-09T16:05:00.001-07:00

At the annual Virtuoso Travel Symposium in Las Vegas, there were a number of provocative and unique travel experiences that caught my eye…
India has had an explosion of luxury products in the past couple of years. The challenge with India is the sheer size and unpredictability of transport. Two new concepts that handle this issue are: itineraries by private plane and a new luxury train. Private plane travel allows clients to discover the palaces, forts and high mountains of the north while enjoying the sun, beaches and distinct culture of the south. Itineraries are surprisingly affordable- around $5400 per person-not bad for private plane travel.
The luxury train will cover both the Taj Mahal and safaris to view India’s tigers. It has ensuite bathrooms with all gourmet meals and private excursions with sumptuous staterooms at $800 per person per day.

Hotel updates Espana!

2009-08-24T17:12:00.001-07:00

Madrid continues to amaze as a capital of art, food, and architecture.......unfortunately the Ritz Hotel there needs a major update. Great location, amazing management, incredible old fashioned but delicious fine dining.....however the old girl needs a bit of a lift and we are not talking eyes only.

For some reason two of the other "Grandes Dames" in Spain have similar issues: the Maria Cristina in San Sebastian, close to Bilbao and the Basque Country, and the Alfonso XIII in Seville. The Alfonso is the biggest offender: not only does it need an update but the staff are surly and push the most expensive rooms. Least you think I am being too harsh this report has come from three different clients.

Sales galore

2009-06-10T13:20:00.001-07:00

Big time sales in the travel industry right now........The Standard in NYC and Miami is cutting rates in July and August, ditto the The Raleigh in Miami.....Hawaii is way down in terms of occupancy and hotels are offering commensurate savings.........Abercrombie and Kent in Italy has a nine night deluxe hotel and tour package for the price of six nights!

Cavallo Point, San Francisco

2009-04-29T15:27:00.000-07:00

Right across the Golden Gate Bridge is a lovely historic property called Cavallo Point. Gorgeous views from the wraparound deck; a perfect place to watch the sunset and have a glass of wine and an appetizer. Nice restaurant. 10 minutes from Sausalito, 20 minutes from downtown San Fran, great hiking/biking and another 30 minutes to Stinson Beach along a scary but panoramic two lane highway.

The property is so new that landscaping is at a minimum; but I loved the modern houses created behind the historic buildings. Modern art, fireplaces, large terraces, views to die for, especially from the 51 block of rooms. Not for the Four Seasons/Ritz hot and cold running butler crowd. There is a fire pit area in the rear which is nice on the frequent foggy nights.

Dogs are allowed (well behaved ones ONLY) in the historic rooms in the main house, not in the more modern stand alone suites on the hill. Go for a cheap American beer at the dive bar on the wharf across from the hotel.

New (sort of ) hotel in Del Mar, California

2009-04-28T16:06:00.000-07:00

The hotel L’Auberge Del Mar has totally changed its look-less of a high rise hotel, more a collection of craftsmen style buildings around a central pool. It is shaped in a U, facing outwards towards the sea. It is important to note that while the views are lovely, there is a condominium development and also a parking lot actually between the property and an unobstructed ocean view. The best vistas are on the south wing of the hotel, facing north, towards the end.

You approach the hotel into a roundabout. The porters are well attired in Panama hats and palm embroidered uniforms. Entering a large lobby/reception area, it is completely open to the ocean in the distance, with sliding glass that opens on to a deck. The hotel is decorated by Barclay Butera in a Hollywood-meets-beach-chic style-dark wood, beveled mirrors, animal print pillows, and shell motifs. Two gorgeous shell decorated credenzas are on either side of the lobby doors. The feeling is a bit of toned down minimalist beach cottage. There is a bar on the left as you enter, the reception is on the right. Dining when I was there was outside, with hardwood planking on a magnificent deck.

There is another beach bar on a lower level overlooking a small central pool. The bar has a fire pit and couches, very cozy. In high season, (mid-June to the first week of September) the pool area could get really crowded and there were plenty of kids splashing around while I was there. Cabanas decorated in white with black regency style trim line the rim. The Jacuzzi is nearby with a nice view of the water.

Rooms are not huge but nicely decorated in tones of brown and green. Not fussy, but handsome and pared down. Bathrooms are in white and grey marble, most have showers so be sure to request a bathtub if so desired. Rooms are equipped with flat screen TV’s, docking stations, and all the modern technological comforts. The primary difference in the room types is view. While the rooms have terraces, each view is different and so it is very important to be specific in your request. I did not have an opportunity to observe the service, but there were some signs of less than perfect housekeeping-hallways were already nicked and need paint after only four months, room service dishes and laundry left somewhat haphazardly. My guess is they have a ways to go before reaching the perfection in service that is the Relais and Chateaux Rancho Valencia, only 10 minutes inland.

The location is great fun-across the street from Del Mar Plaza with shops and restaurants, a three minute walk to the beach, right in the center of it all! Good restaurants in Del Mar include Pacifico for fish and Epazote for margaritas right across the street, Bullys up the street for a local dive serving roast beef, and Market on the way to the freeway. Movie theaters are ten minutes away at the Flower Hill Mall.

In Rancho Santa Fe, try Delicias or the fancier Milles Fleurs, and the dining room at Rancho Valencia in between Rancho Santa Fe and Del Mar is superb.

Hotel Reviews Rome from our clients

2008-05-21T12:07:00.000-07:00

A big poo-poo to the Hotel St. George, a new property not far from the Piazza Navona.......or actually it is a ten minute walk, though they don't advertise that.....and oh! By the way, the concierge barely knows where the train station is, let alone how to book a ticket...........pretty bad behaviour from a five star hotel. On the Tiber side of the river, constant Vespa noise all night long........Clients prefer Hotel de la Minerve, their sister hotel nearby.

Right on the Borghese Gardens, the Splendide Royal is a traditionally styled very foofy decor, amazing location. Incredible views of the gardens from the rooms with opulent drapes and fabrics.........not much of a lobby, but a one star Michelin restaurant with a great chef, sommelier, and panoramic views of Rome from the terrace as you are dining.

Located near by the busy Spanish Steps, the Portrait Suites is more of an apartment pied a terre in town than a hotel. The very young staff is willing and able to secure train tickets, vintage Ferragamo, and direct you to the Bulgari outlet store. (on the way out of town) Very pretty roof garden, hot in the middle of summer, where you can enjoy cocktails from a fully stocked honor bar and enjoy the shade of an umbrella. Rooms are complete with mini-kitchens. A bit too gray for my taste, but chic and wonderfully located. Quiet.

The Hotel Piranesi is a perennial favorite, near the Spanish Steps and the Piazza Popolo, famed for the Caravaggio in the church nearby. Right across the street from the luxe Hotel deRussie, it boasts terraces at literally half the price of its' neighbor. Simple, friendly, very nice staff. Not cheap now that the Euro is in orbit.......and across the street the Hotel deRussie has been criticized recently for looking a bit tired.......but recent clients loved it, and the bar is such a great people watching venue, with young Italians, a contessa or two, the South American contingent and the normal quotient of Americans who look like your neighbors. Once the Russian embassy, it has a fabulous garden.

Paris to London via Harry Potter

2008-01-07T03:54:00.000-08:00

The lastest huge development in Paris and London is the faster Eurostar from Gare du Nord Paris to St. Pancras London and back. It is now only two hours and 15 minutes or so, so one can easily go for the day. St. Pancras is reknowned as the train station that Harry Potter takes to Hogwarts in the movies. Apparently they have had to block off a small portion of the platform as devotees crash into the wall, trying to emulate Harry's departure to school. St.Pancras itself is a magnificent red Victorian building, and the neighboring hotel which mirrors its' magnificence is being completely renovated over the next two years. The train is very fast and very comfortable, but they are still working out some kinks-the car park, aka garage, is very far from where the passengers let out...............

slumming in paree

2008-01-04T12:32:00.000-08:00

The fabulous part of being in Paris in the first part of January is that all of the decorations are still up but no one is there. If you are feeling flush or wish to push the boat out a bit, the sales are starting and the Michelin starred restaurants are easier to get into. Always go to lunch, not dinner, at a major restaurant like the French-it is cheaper, and then you walk off the meal in the afternoon.

The Grand Vefours, gastronomic three star hall-of-famer, is still oozing with history from its glass frescoes in the Palais Royal. After lunch you can walk through the gorgeous Palais Royal court and its' shops, passing by the famous (or infamous) checkerboard spaces and exquisite statuery and allee of trees. Sarkozy is threatening to remove the the checkerboard, as he says it is not well-maintained, and 70% of all Parisians say "oui!" Still, it is what France does so well-monumental but unexpected outdoor spaces.

All of Paris is agog and discussing the affair of their President Sarkozy and model/actress/singer Carla Bruni. My tres chic friend treated me to her Aqua Gym class at the venerable Ritz Hotel. So irate were the ladies regarding the non-presidential behaviour of their leader that there was nuch heated discussion while treading water and doing their leg kicks in the shallow end. Apparently Carla is hated for being a man-stealer; this is from the country that practically invented the mistress.

paris mon amour

2008-01-02T06:50:00.000-08:00

greetings from cold and gorgeous Paris, the time of snow and sales.........

Any news you have heard that Heathrow is a nightmare, or cauchemar as we say in Français, is highly accurate. One cannot buy duty free upon departure from the US if you are transiting through Heathrow......no liquids!! I was busted by the (very polite) security guards for exiting one plane with contraband water before taking the next. In other words don't buy Scotch in LA on the way to Paris through Heathrow-someone else will be drinking your single malt.

However I quite enjoyed the shopping at Terminal 4; rumour has it that Terminal 3 is even better. Lulu Guiness handbags were on sale at Harrod's and champagne was cheaper than the US. British Airways has a nice lounge where you can take a shower or have a quick facial.......or my next favorite thing which is drink really strong coffee at the numerous expresso bars there. Terminal 4 also has an oyster bar which is reputedly decent.

Speaking of which for lovers of the glorious and controversial mollusks I had three different kinds last night, one of the treasures of this season in Paree. If you don't like them, read no further: I had pleine mer, fines de claire and speciales from Marennes d'Oléron. This is a bit south of Brittany, and purchased from the nice oyster man at his seasonal stand on the Rue de Sevres. They were opened with one of the non-purchasable oyster electric knives that do not exist in the States:(as far as I know.) The discovery of the evening was some French gourmands pepper their oysters while eating them with rye bread and SALTED butter.

Happy New Year from Paris

2007-12-31T11:38:00.000-08:00

Greetings! Keep posted here for my freezing cold info from the City of Lights...................

First Posting

2007-05-01T15:15:00.000-07:00

We provide concierge services well beyond booking your airline tickets, hotel and rental car reservations. From keeping you abreast of local festivals, little known museums, and the least crowded times to visit the sites to making sure you wear the best shoes for walking and how to keep jet-lag from affecting you, Where On Earth Travel plans your trip with you in mind. You tell us where you want to go, and what you like to do. We'll provide you with unique ideas for a WELL-PLANNED trip with plenty of room for SPONTANEITY. Your itinerary will be custom-designed to fit your needs and budget. In addition to providing you with fine service, we are available to help you by phone, no matter where on earth you are.