L’Auberge Basque is famous gastronomic restaurant and hotel 7 kilometres north of the coastal town of Saint Jean de Luz and 22 kilometres from Biarritz in France. If you are looking for a place to stay in and around Saint Jean de Luz, this is it. Five years ago, Cédric Béchade, chef and owner of [...]
L’Artemise is one of the most luxurious boutique hotels in Uzès (Languedoc), an atmospheric walled town close to the Pont du Gard, Nîmes and Arles. The house in which the hotel is located, was constructed at the end of the 16th century and is set in a quiet garden with views over the Eure Valley [...]
If you travel in Sicily, and would like to stay in a winery to sample from the local wine and food than Planeta Estate La Foresteria is the place to stay for a truly “gourmet” holiday. The owners have been for years some of the biggest and best known producers of fine Sicilian wines. In the [...]
Llao Llao hotel lies 25km west of San Carlos de Bariloche in Southern Argentina. It was originally built in 1934 at the edge of a national park. It is on a spectacular setting on a ridge surrounded by lakes with the snow-capped Andes Mountain range in the background. It is an all season resort serving skiers in the winter and [...]
Copenhagen’s restaurant scene continues to capture the world’s attention for its culinary prowess: the city’s eateries impress not only for their use of fresh produce and original menus, but also for their light, airy decor and informal atmosphere. From New Nordic Cuisine to Asian and Mediterranean kitchens, Copenhagen’s best restaurants focus on sustainable living and [...]
If you are going to London for a mid-week or weekend break, check out our favorite hotels, restaurants and cafes in the Covent Garden area. (1) Neighbourhood to stay in: Covent Garden Why? Central location, walking distance to excellent boutiques, cafes and restaurants; close to theatres and museums. If you are traveling on the Eurostar, [...]
La Mirande is a hotel and restaurant located in an restored mansion at the foot of the Palais des Papes in the heart of Avignon. It is a timeless refuge that provides a dreamy, relaxing and authentic experience. The hotel is named after the famous room in the Palais des Papes, La Mirande, where the [...]
La Fleur Bleue is located in Le Crestet, a tiny village 40 kilometers northeast of Avignon, between Vaison la Romaine and Malaucène at the foot of Mont Ventoux. Owned by a Dutch couple who decorated the house in the Nordic style with Provençal influences, it offers both fine dining and accommodations (gîtes), to those seeking [...]
St. Vincent Tavern and Wine Merchant is one of the most recent restaurant openings in the Mission District of San Francisco. It is owned by David Lynch, the former sommelier at Quince and Cotogna. The chef is Bill Niles, who used to cook at Bar Tartine. What impressed me about the food at St. Vincent [...]
To celebrate Woody Allen’s latest film, To Rome with Love, here’s a romantic guide to the city with emphasis on atmospheric places to stay, untouristy places to eat and churches that most people don’t even bother to visit. Romantic boutique hotels in Rome If you want to stay in the old Jewish quarter, in a [...]
To help you make the most out of your trip to Venice, I put together this travel guide based on my own experiences in the city. Venice is an extremely touristy city, more so than Rome. The BBC reported five years ago that “there are 60,000 permanent residents, 60,000 day visitors (tourists and commuters from the [...]
There’s no shortage of restaurants in Venice but it’s easy to get trapped in one that caters exclusively to tourists who do not want to savor the true flavors of Italy. My criteria for a good restaurant in Italy are: it should have customers who are locals (and preferably who are regulars) it should not [...]
