The Wander Plan

President’s Day Visit to Monticello

thewanderplan — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 17:12:01 +0000

People may have varying opinions about recent and current American presidents but it’s hard to find someone who doesn’t agree that Thomas Jefferson was an extraordinary president and person. You can visit his home and gardens, which he designed of course, and learn not only about the author of the Declaration of Independence but also the complex times in which he lived. Fortunately for future tourists he picked a beautiful section of the country to live in. Located just outside of Charlottesville proper, it makes an easy morning trip from town. The area is also home to wineries which are fun to visit and give you a reason to drive through the stunning countryside. There’s nothing I can say about Mr. Jefferson that hasn’t been said better by someone more knowledgable than myself. Let’s just get to the good stuff. Happy President’s Day!

Monticello Home and Gardens

Above Images from the Thomas Jefferson Foundation

Photo: David Jennings

Where to Stay:

Inn at Willow Grove, Orange

Dinsmore House Inn, Charlottesville

The Clifton Inn, Charlottesville

Photo: Southern Living

Bellair Pool House Vacation Home, Charlottesville

Wineries and Food

Barboursville Vineyard

Keswick Vineyards

photo charislogia via flickr

Jefferson Vineyards

Michie Tavern, Charlottesville

Built ca. 1784

The Local, Charlottesville

Palladio Restaurant at Barboursville Vineyard

A Room For London

thewanderplan — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 22:54:09 +0000

The concept of a pop-up store is old hat these days and there’s even been a few pop-up restaurants over the last couple of years, so it shouldn’t have been a surprise that the idea would translate into hotels at some point. A Room for London is the first of such that I’ve seen and it’s pretty fantastic. This one room installation is perched on top of the Queen Elizabeth Hall along the Thames river. It is only there through 2012 and serves as a way for visitors (only allowed a one night rental) and invited artists to take refuge from the busy city and find inspiration from the unique and panoramic view of London. Designed by David Kohn Architects, it was inspired by the boat that Joseph Conrad navigated up the Congo river before writing Heart of Darkness. While this unusual lodging concept has sold out, I can’t help wonder if it will spark imitators in other cities. I’d love to see the inspiration that could result from new and temporary views of places like New York, Vancouver or Rome.

Romance in Greece

thewanderplan — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:54:46 +0000

Everyone has a different idea of what’s romantic. But while I’m sitting at my desk on this Valentine’s Day watching it hail outside my window I’m thinking that we can probably all agree that the Mystique Resort on Santorini in Greece would make for a pretty sexy getaway. Unlike a lot of “romantic” hotels, there’s no frilliness here, just a modern and relaxing design. And draw-dropping views of the Aegean Sea.

All photos courtesy of Mystique

Spotlight: Race and Religious

thewanderplan — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:07:34 +0000

With Mardi Gras parades going on in earnest this week and Fat Tuesday on the 21st, it seemed like a good time to look at one of the most unique places to stay in New Orleans. Few other cities have the power to make you feel like you’re walking through the past like New Orleans does. This city has a kind of magic that makes it seem like the past and present are existing all at once. Maybe it’s the unusual, and obviously aged, architecture or maybe it’s the existence of old traditions that make it feel like history is poking itself into your modern life. Whatever it is, if you stay at Race and Religious the past will be all around you. More of a vacation rental than anything else, this group of three buildings, including an old slave quarters, joined by the corner of Race and Religious streets date from 1836 and 1843. They have been lovingly restored over the past 30 years by owner Granville Semmes . If you want to learn about the fascinating history of these buildings I recommend reading this. Otherwise, I just recommend taking a group of friends or family and stay here.

photos courtesy of Race and Religious

Storm Watching on the Oregon Coast

thewanderplan — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:28:08 +0000

photo by Justin Larson

Ask most Portlanders when the best time to go to the Oregon coast is and they will almost always say something like “February”. You will be confused and stare at them blankly until they explain that it’s too crowded in the Summer, there are great deals to be had in the year’s shortest (and often dreariest) month and there’s storm watching. Storms are something most people do not look forward to in Winter, but in Oregon sitting around in a beach house or hotel room with a view of the oncoming gale while sipping on some hot tea or wine and playing cards is a highly anticipated activity. While there’s often rain in the cities of Oregon, it’s not usually very dramatic. It gets wet and that’s about it. So to see water-churning, rain-spitting and windy stuff you have to go to the coast. Plus, the best beach-combing happens after storms, especially if you really like kelp. Here’s some great places to stay while watching the action, although I should mention that it’s best to stay indoors. Those waves are fun to watch but they don’t care that you’re on vacation and will suck you out into the ocean anyway.

The Ocean Lodge, Cannon Beach

Heceta Head Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast, Yachats

Salishan Spa and Golf Resort, Lincoln City

Gearhart Ocean Inn, Gearhart

Vacation Home Rental, Seaside

Coast Cabins, Manzanita

Cannery Pier Hotel, Astoria

Yotel

thewanderplan — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:04:30 +0000

NYC Entrance

The first Yotel opened in 2007 at London’s Heathrow and Gatwick airports. Inspired by the first class cabins on British Airways international flights and austere Japanese designs, these hotels are made for frequent flyers. The airport hotels are currently in terminals at Gatwick, Heathrow and Amsterdam’s Schiphol. There is a four hour minimum rental for those with a layover and in need of a nap and shower, but full night rentals are available too. The newly opened New York City hotel, just two blocks from Times Square, is for those actually on vacation. The airport Yotel is a no frills operation with automatic check in kiosks and a “Galley” on every floor offering basics like coffee and fridge space. The New York hotel is a bit more traditional with a bar and restaurant, but without the usual room frills like coffee makers, you can actually stay in Manhattan with a private terrace and hot tub for a fraction of what it would cost elsewhere.

Airport Premium Cabin Corridor

Airport Premium Cabin

NYC Premium Cabin

NYC Corner Cabin

NYC VIP Suite

NYC Bar

NYC Terrace

Scotland in Winter

thewanderplan — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:55:12 +0000

I took a trip to Scotland almost two years ago and can’t wait to go back. We visited during the Summer and were very lucky with warm and sunny weather the whole time, but something tells me that to truly experience Scotland one needs to see it in Winter in what I can only assume is its more natural state, meteorologically speaking. If I were to go now, I’d retreat to one of these locations with a deck of cards and some local whisky.

Galbegno Castle, Fettercairn

A six bedroom self-catering lodge located 45 minutes south of Aberdeen.

photos courtesy of Balbegno Castle

The Torridon, Highlands

A 19 bedroom luxury hotel located on 58 acres next to a loch. Not only do they offer guided Winter hikes into the nearby hills (and list a flask as part of your required equipment), but they have a Whisky bar offering tastings and over 350 whiskies to choose from. They run an inn close by if you’re looking for slightly more modest accommodations.

photos courtesy of the Torridon

Cameron House, Loch Lomond

The perfect family getaway. Not only are there amazing views, multiple restaurants, stylish bars, a spa and pools but three different “clubs” for kids divided by ages. Your littles ones can also go on guided hikes and bird watching excursions with their own Countryside Ranger. Oh, and there’s bunk beds in the family rooms. Everyone is now happy.

Dalhousie Castle, Near Edinburgh

This is the place to go if you have an interest in falconry and/or medieval fortresses, which this castle once was. You can take short falconry classes or sign up for the 5 day intensive course and there’s even classes for kids with owls. Of course there’s a spa, but there’s also a restaurant in the former dungeons.

photos courtesy of Dalhousie Castle

Beach Bay Cottage, Isle of Lewis

A romantic and private self-catering cottage in the outer Hebrides that was inspired by traditional black houses of the islands. While secluded enough for a cozy getaway, it’s also only 3 miles from the village and a few hundred yards from a restaurant.

photos courtesy of Beach Bay Cottage

Hobbit House of Montana

thewanderplan — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:55:12 +0000

I don’t know anyone who isn’t at least a little bit charmed by the Hobbits of Tolkien’s books and with the new Hobbit movie coming soon (sort of) I imagine that Hobbit fever will only increase. Best you reserve your stay at the Hobbit House soon or you may have to build your own. If you, like me, are not that industrious then this is the place to go. Located in the foothills of the Cabinet Mountains it’s a great getaway, especially with children. Fall is likely the best season to visit as this is also Montana’s huckleberry epicenter. And I imagine that Hobbits love huckleberries.

The Shire

Main House

Bilbo's House in Winter

All photos curtesy of Hobbit House of Montana

The Saguaro

thewanderplan — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:54:16 +0000

While it’s been a relatively moderate Winter so far, that doesn’t mean that most people aren’t craving a little bit of warm sunshine about right now. Unless you’ve been planning a mid-Winter vacation for awhile, a trip to Hawaii or a Caribbean island is probably not in order. But maybe a trip to Scottsdale? Not usually on my top ten list but the newly opened Saguaro hotel may just change my mind. Inspired by the Sonoran desert and contemporary Mexican architecture, it’s like a splash of cold water in the face of all of us living under the gray skies of Winter. There is also a full service spa, two pools complete with cabanas, The Old Town Whiskey Bar, and the hotel’s signature restaurant Distrito.

Parisian Vacation Apartments

thewanderplan — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:46:28 +0000

I’ve recently been planning a two week vacation to France for 5 people, including a child. The family is spending one week in Paris and after a brief discussion of hotels it became clear that an apartment rental is really the way to go. This is true for many places, but in Paris which can be notoriously expensive, renting an apartment can end up saving you money. And when families are traveling together, it’s a good idea to have a bit of space for everyone to move around and have a bit of privacy. Many apartment rentals do have a minimum stay requirement, especially during the high season, so read the fine print carefully. Now that I’ve looked at just about every apartment in Paris with a photo online, I can say that there’s an astonishing variety of options. There are many budget apartments and some truly luxurious spaces complete with full time butlers. I’ve chosen a few of my favorites, a couple from that elusive in-between category of apartments that are a step (or three) above the average but don’t cost an arm and a leg and then of course a couple that are probably a fantasy but too beautiful to omit. If you are splitting the cost between two or three couples though, even the more costly ones can be a bargain compared to hotel rooms. Of course there’s no lobby bar, but you might just have to make do with a private balcony instead.

Canal Bohemia, 1oth Arrondissement. $625/week

Petit Pont, 5th Arrondissement. $2390/week

Our Home In Paris, 4th Arrondissement. $3250/week

Peony, 4th Arrondissement. $5250/week

Marais Penthouse, 3rd Arrondissement. $6000/week

George V Suite, 8th Arrondissement. $9000/week

Palais Royal, 1er Arrondissement. $10,000/week