Blog — Trip Styler

Hidden Vancouver Gems

celebration of light 2007 - vancouver, canada, fireworks[trip style = urban]

In the wake of the 2010 Olympics, Vancouver's in the spotlight, but when the crowds leave this popular city will continue to thrive as an urban and outdoor adventure gateway. If you want to experience a little of the real Vancouver, here are some suggestions from a local:

Do

Eat Since Vancouver is known worldwide for its culinary creativity and fusion, it's hard to only pick one or two options for each meal, but here's a starting point: - breakfast: waffles with chocolate lavender sauce at Cafe Medina - lunch: check out Iron Chef Rob Feenie's creations at the Cactus Club or have a sandwich at Meat and Bread - dinner: suburb eatery with a view: Fraiche or famous for its drinks and Chinese food with a mod twist: Bao Bei - dessert: chocoholics beware, you'll be heavily tempted at the Sutton Place Hotel's Chocoholic Buffet - drinks: a regular haunt for vancouver's savvy, the Opus Bar is the see-and-be-seen locale for a drink, just avoid weekends

Sleep - vancouver's newest luxe hotel, Fairmont Pacific Rim (from $250) - only a 5-min walk from the Fairmont a chic boutique hotel: Loden Vancouver (from $200) - stay in the heart of Vancouver's entertainment district at Moda Hotel (from $104) * Most Vancouver hotel rates fluctuate between $100 - $250 during low season, yet savvy travellers can often find these prices in high season as well.

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Winter Heat Palm Springs Cool

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winter heat, palm springs cool[trip style = sun]

Earlier this week in the 'dead' of winter, Palm Springs temperatures reached 27 degrees Celsius {81 Fahrenheit} while the town's cool and feelgood vibe is as fresh today as it was when Audrey Hepburn enjoyed a nightly scotch on the rocks at the Raquet Club.

From the moment you set foot in the Palm Springs Airport {PSP}, your stress decompresses. After passing a few small stores and carts selling juice and pastel-colored hats with "Palm Springs" text written across the front, you end up in an open-air, landscaped courtyard with seating areas, grassy patches, flower beds and free wireless---what a way to begin and end your trip.

Stepping out of the airport, there's a skyline of snow-crusted peaks. Yes, the environment is inviting, as well as the bronzed locals whose eyes mirror the town's resorty vibe.

Everything is close. After a 10-minute drive, I check into the Ace, a hotel that's comes highly recommended by my pop culture-immersed and knower-of-anything-cool sister.  I'm there to enjoy the facilities to the full because I not only get to hang by the pool, but attend a wedding on-site. The hotel has me at hello.

It's modernism week, a long weekend and there's a wedding on-site, yet the Ace's staff maintains their cool---with a slight air of angst. Since it's only 11am, my room isn't ready, so I embark on a self-guided mod mission {modern map -$5 from the Visitor Centre} to dazzle my eyes with the area's mid-century modern masterpieces.

After ticking off about 20 of the 80 selections, I race back for the wedding. Reminiscent of a high-end campsite, the Ace is cool (aka air conditioned), canvas clad and minimalist. The wedding takes place at the quiet pool, which just so happens to have a adjacent, concrete-floored room with garage doors to host the reception.

The next morning, I need to de-caffinate {I like the taste of coffee but can only have decaf}, so I walk across the street to Koffi, a local coffee shop which must be good seeing as the line-up is 30 people long. Go here for the people watching alone. The coffee is good too.

Apres my cafe, it's time to soak in the rays. By 10am the sun seems to be at full strength, thank God my sunscreen is too. Now, I can fully relax...

In the wake of my taster vacay, I am already planning my next jaunt to: a) see the other 60 sights on my modern self-guided tour b) get some more vitamin D c) vacation with my dog @nachoking (who will probably fit in more at the Ace than I do) d) pick up one of those pastel hats at the airport.

[photo via @heatherlovesit]

Travel Like a King for Peasant Prices

travel like a king for peasant pricesMany people think travel is too expensive, but if you know when, where and how to book, you can travel like a king for peasant prices!

Fave Booking Sites I'm always able to find what I want, when I want with the following websites. Kayak - use this metasearch engine to research flight, hotel, cars, vacations, cruises and more. When you find what you're looking for, you're taken to the travel co's site to complete the booking process. - note that kayak does not include some discount carriers like allegiantair.com Hotwire.com - book a hotel/flight/car/cruise in the geo area you want with the amenities you want for a discounted price. The catch?  You see the price but not the hotel/flight name.  You find out your specific hotel or airline once the booking is complete. - what most people don't know: there's a science behind hotwire's results.  With the help of betterbidding.com, 99% of the time you can predict the 'result.' Priceline.com - book a hotel/flight/vacation/car/cruise just like you would on expedia or travelocity. The catch?  You can go one step further and bid on the geo area and star rating you want.  If your price gets accepted, you're told the name and details of your hotel, car or flight. - also look to betterbidding.com for insight into how much to bid and what selection you'll likely get for the area & star rating you want.

Low-Season = Great Price If you want to travel like a rock star on a roadie budget, think 'low season.' For example, travel to: - ski destinations in nov, april or may - sunny destinations in spring or fall - europe in late spring, late fall or winter - Canada or US urban cities in mid-to-late sept - Australia in 'our' summer (their winter)

It's the Little Things

fairmont masai mara welcome gift[Welcome gift at Fairmont Masai Mara]

Travel Proprietors Take Note Beyond the regular in-room amenities hotels or vacation rentals provide, it's ultimately the little extras I remember---and change my opinion from "my vacation was good" to "oh.my.gosh. it was amazing."  For example, I'm not going to look back and thank my lucky stars that my room in Venice had shampoo and conditioner because I expect that. It's the unexpected that makes me remember each destination I visit in an ultra-special way.

Here are some recent examples of small gestures that went a long way in terms of welcoming, acknowledging and personalizing each experience beyond the destination itself.

The Little Things

  • Hot chocolate wake-up = Masai Mara
    • Every night at dinner our server at the Fairmont Mara Safari Club would ask us what time we wanted to be woken up and what beverage we wanted: hot chocolate or coffee.  Adding to the whole sleeping-in-a-lux-canvas-tent experience, the next morning someone would come to the tent with hot chocolate and a biscuit to wake us up.  It was different and novel, and made you feel like you were 'in the bush.' But let's be honest, it was totally glamping!
  • Welcome wine bottle = Sonoma
    • In true wine country form, each guest who stays at the Faimont Sonoma Mission Inn receives a bottle of wine, presumably to start their wine tasting adventures off on the right foot.
  • Nespresso cappuccino maker = Scottsdale
    • I was more than ecstatic (and even tweeted about it) when I discovered my in-room Nespresso Machine at the Fairmont Scottsdale.  Since most hotel coffee makers offer sub-par coffee, this up-scale offering was almost euro-esque.
  • Cruising aboard Princess Grace's honeymoon yacht & manicure = Jamaica
    • During our honeymoon, my husband and I stayed at the now foregone Grand Lido Negil (now Grand Breezes Negril).  Our experience was excellent---in fact it was the best all-inclusive we've ever experienced---but what made it more special was the not-so-little extras.  The option to cruise in Princess Grace's Honeymoon Yacht at sunset, or the complimentary manicure offered at the spa were incredible.
  • Signature Floral Smell = Mandalay Bay
    • Although this is not personal in any way, from the moment I walked into Vegas' Mandalay Bay, I was pleasantly surprised by the gentle, floral smell that permeated the entire hotel.  If I ever go back to Vegas (which seems inevitable at some point in my life) the floral smell alone would make me re-book at Mandalay, especially given the unfortunate array of aromas that usually flood your nose in Sin City.
  • Included Food...in Economy = Hawaiian Airlines
    • Even though it's ironic, Hawaiian Airlines serves Italian-style food on its mainland to Island flights.  In the wake of crazy airline cut-backs, at least they are still providing an actual meal--and one that's decent! Coupled with their excellent customer service, if I'm headed to the Islands, Hawaiian is my first choice!

Take-Away Creating a welcoming, genuine, sense-of-place makes guests feel comfortable; while the following gestures will create a sparkle in their eye: - being acknowledged - ie. "welcome back" - a personalized experience - ie. hotel stationary with their name - anticipating their needs - ie. welcome champagne or hot cloth for face and hands after long flight - localization - ie. giving wine in wine country

Travel iPhone Apps :: Postman

Forget the days of browsing through postcards, only to find cheesy aerial shots or bikini/speedo-clad shots with your destination's name in pink neon.  Now you can send personalized, virtual postcards via email, or upload them to Facebook, Twitter, etc...

Postman Travel App Details

  • $2.99
  • take a pic, choose one from your library or use a Google map image of your location
  • add a greeting
  • multiple postcard templates to choose from
  • send

Other Travel iPhone Apps we've Reviewed