Your Favorite Hotel,Where and Why?

Old Dec 16th, 2003, 06:19 PM
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mr_go

"Singing songs and drinking wine until 3:00 in the morning"

Do you ever do such fun things in the U.S.? Just wondering because we do that almost every night when we are back with family in Italy but have never had such heartfelt fun here in CA with any of our friends. A stuffy bunch!
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Old Dec 16th, 2003, 06:34 PM
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Let's see...
The Grand National Lucerne (fabulous view) wonderful place to have a stroll along the lake; very stately hotel

La Palma Au Lac in Locarno Switzerland (on Lago Maggiore) so peaceful, great view, good shopping, great Italian food within walking distance

The Peninsula Hotel in Bangkok.. love to sit outside by the river having a long relaxing breakfast; wonderful service!

Villa Royale on Kata Beach, Phuket Thailand... exotic, fabulous food and wine at Mom Tri's Kitchen and the Boathouse! Large villa suites... 0nly 6 on the whole property soooo very quiet... you would hardly know anyone else was there!
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Old Dec 17th, 2003, 05:50 AM
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This is so interesting - please add more.
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Old Dec 17th, 2003, 06:31 AM
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Does no one have a 'favorite' that is NOT a deluxe/luxury level hotel? No fave B&B's, country inns, family-run establishments? No place that you return to time after time, because it's your home-away-from-home?
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Old Dec 20th, 2003, 04:53 AM
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Travelnut! Didn't you read my message? Affectionately, J. (Hi, Grasshopper)
 
Old Dec 21st, 2003, 05:21 AM
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Yes, JMW, I did read your post, but you must have been the only one to offer that!

I haven't yet found the neighborhood or hotel that I need to return to again and again. I know that I like the Leidseplein/Museumplein area of Amsterdam best. I've been trying different spots in Paris, and have enjoyed every one of them. Those places constitute the most revisited - all the other places where we have stayed build the list of all the places we'll have ever wanted to see at least once.

So - I like to hear when someone has found "their" hotel in the city or village where they return again and again. That would be how I'd define my "favorite" hotel.
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Old Jan 1st, 2004, 02:27 PM
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Kona Village Resort - Kona, Hawaii (during the months of May or September, "hideaway / romance months")
Peaceful; no phones, tv's, cars. No agendas or schedules. Gorgeous grounds, sandy, torch lit paths to walk. Incredibly beautiful beaches with hammocks in the sand and a hypnotizing pounding surf. We wake up 5:am, walk out to our favorite hammock with a pillow & a cup of tea, watch the sun rise, then nap on the beach until breakfast. Days are filled with books, sunshine, snorkeling, napping, foo-foo rum drinks, loving... (not necessarily in that order.

www.konavillage.com

It's our little spot in paradise. Loved it so much we were married on the beach there.

However, that doesn't stop us from discovering other new, fantastic spots. Just one of our favorites.

You might also check out this house in Sayulita, Mexico, where we stayed last year in May/June:
http://www.mexicanhideaways.com/frame.html
Pretty darn gorgeous! (Only drawback was the bugs at night. I don't do bugs well.) Aside from that, it was spectacularly beautiful & wonderful.

Gosh, with 39 degree, rainy, cold weather here in northern California, wonder why I'm thinking about the tropics?!




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Old Jan 1st, 2004, 06:34 PM
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In Paris I like the Rond Pont D'Champselyseeeee. Not luxury, but good location and v. friendly staff! One of the quirkiest, fun places I have ever been was a restaurant called Petite Yvonne. A friend of mine and I saw through a window a large group having a great time so we went inside. I think it may have been a private party, but they welcomed us in, poured us some champagne and we danced until 3:00am. The owner Yvonne ended up dancing ontop of the tables wearing trash bags and a feather boa. We were the only Yanks in the place and it was a blast!
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Old Jan 1st, 2004, 08:58 PM
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Our favorite hotel in the world is in France, in the tiny medieval village of Le Poët-Laval; the closest town is Dieulefit. The hotel Les Hospitaliers is small, perhaps 20 or so rooms, and has an outstanding restaurant. What makes it so special is the atmosphere: the owners began with a ruined village that was once a stronghold of the Knights of Malta and little by little, using original stone, restored part of the village and added buildings that perfectly match the setting. There is a wonderful Roman-tiled pool with a great view of the surrounding countryside.

The rooms have original art, as the owners were once dealers in Paris and kindly share their collection. There is a small art gallery with special exhibitions during the summer, along with a recital hall for concerts.

In summer guests dine outside on a terrace that overlooks the valley and the mountains in the distance, and it's quite magical. The food is marvelous, and the portions are very generous and beautifully presented.

We've been back to the hotel quite a few times and always hold our breath in case it's all vanished, like Brigadoon. It's a great relief to turn the final corner of the road, look up, and see it waiting for us on the hill.
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Old Jan 2nd, 2004, 12:03 AM
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We don't really have ONE favorite hotel, but four come to mind:

Bellevue Syrene in Sorrento.

L'Calendal in Arles.

Hotel Victoria in Budapest.

The Maximilian in Prague.

All are excellent locations, staff pleasant and helpful, better than average breakfast included, rooms more comfortable than most.
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Old Jan 3rd, 2004, 01:42 AM
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Forgot to put the Hotel Claris in Barcelona in my favorites. Wonderful hotel and service.
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Old Jan 3rd, 2004, 08:53 AM
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Years ago I came up from my ship docked at Marseille and was billeted at the Hotel Richemond, down by the lake in Geneva, Switzerland. I just plain stunk of diesel oil, sweat, and smoke. The utter luxury of hot, fresh-water showers, scented soap, cloudlike bath towels, and hours of uninterrupted sleep followed by breakfast of wild strawberries, omelets with real eggs, and hot coffee. The memories remain long after the war is forgotten.
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Old Jan 3rd, 2004, 09:37 AM
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1. Hotel 71 Nyhavn, in Copenhagen. It's a converted warehouse on the waterfront. My room (one of the less expensive ones) was a bit small, but was cozy, comfortable and beautifully decorated (blue and yellow), with a lot of character. Great value for the money (about 90 pounds, I think). The neighbourhood was great - I could just step outside to find the cafe culture (it was the first warm spring day and everyone was enjoying it), a 10 minute walk away from shops and parks, etc. The desk clerk gave me a perfect restaurant recommendation (I'd asked for a "moderate splurge" - to celebrate my birthday - where I would also feel comfortable dining alone, and I got exactly what I asked for).

2. Hotel Rua, in Salamanca. I was desperately searching for a substitute for the horrid little flat the language school had booked me into. I was at the tail-end of a 15-month trip abroad, and was incredibly homesick (and cranky). Every hotel seemed fully booked. By chance, I ran across this hotel (about a block from the central plaza) and asked if they had a room. I was shown a very attractive, recently decorated room in modern style, with an extraordinary bathroom (marble, with a gigantic bathtub) and a small kitchen, and a comfortable desk. For 50 euros a night! No restaurant, but it didn't matter. There were cafes everywhere. The staff were incredibly friendly and very helpful. I was so happy to escape my flat and spend my last two weeks abroad in this little oasis.
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