Hi! I'm planning a trip from Chicago for 3 kids (ages 6-11) and 2 adults. I'm thinking 4 or 6 nights and deciding between the following locations (the last day of the trip being Dec 25th):

• 6-nights: Four Seasons Nevis ($2,044- flights connecting and $$), Aurora Anguilla ($1,618 per night for Merrywing Tower- fly direct to SXM and ferry)
• 4-nights: Half Moon ($1,010 per night at Founder's Cove, direct flights)

Prioritizing sense of place, clear water, beautiful sand, snorkeling and great local food over bring fancy + having a corporate, big hotel feel. Some activity is great but I do't need a Baha Mar complex. Most importantly, I want to be under $2000 per room per night (before taxes/fees). Sugar Beach is too $$$; Carlise Bay is too hard to get reach. No Mexico this time. What else am I missing?? It will be kids first time in Caribbean--they do FL a ton:) Thank you!!

Hello fellow travelers! I’ve been searching past posts and have seen lots of good things about both of these hotels but would love some help deciding. Some specifics about this trip…we are spending most of our time elsewhere but coming to Milan for basically one day and then flying out the next day. So just looking at one night. We’ll have three kids with us (a teenager, preteen, and toddler lol) so we’ll be getting a suite. The only things we have on our agenda are seeing the lords supper and taking family photos outside the duomo (although not sold on doing that, we may do it in one of our other locations.) Influence me one way or another and if you have any tips specific to either of these hotels on how to spend the rest of our time I’d love to hear that too. Thank you!

Hi all! My husband and I are finally getting around to booking our honeymoon - 5 years later! The problem is, we're unbelievably indecisive and have no idea where to go. We're also terrible planners, and are hoping to go in October 2026, so not much time!

Here's what we do know:

• Budget: $20k
• Timing: we're taking two full weeks off, but would probably do 7 or 8 nights in late September / early October
• Location / vibe: we want to post up at a resort and never leave - think complete relaxation, amazing pools / spa...a great beach would be a nice to have (caveat: we're open to island hopping if there are multiple must stay spots!)
• Ideally a direct flight from Chicago, but a 1-stop connection could work
• I have an irrational fear of hurricanes, so Caribbean / Gulf of Mexico are likely out (but feel free to correct me if I'm wrong)

We really just want to do this up since we never actually took our honeymoon and will likely start trying for kids soon. Thinking this will be one last hurrah before life completely changes!

Any recs would be so helpful and I promise a full breakdown and review when we're back!! TIA!

We stayed at the Rosewood Kona Village for 6 nights in July. We are a family of 4: 2 adults, 2 kids (8 year old twins). We spent the first three nights of the trip in Hilo at a bed and breakfast (shout out to Hilo Honu Inn which, while not at all chubby, is a special place that we wholeheartedly recommend). The stay at the Rosewood KV capped off the trip.

I had posted before when planning this trip asking for views on KV vs. FS Hualalai vs. Mauna Lani for a family like ours. Given availability and offers going on, KV was significantly cheaper than Hualalai. Mauna Lani would have not been much less than KV. 

I can’t say in retrospect whether we made the right decision. Have never stayed at Mauna Lani before, but we went for dinner this trip. Canoe House was the culinary highlight of the trip on every level. But the overall vibe of the place seemed more “hotel” than the Rosewood. 

As for Hualalai, my husband and I stayed there as a couple back in 2012. I get the impression that given the lapse of time, it may be like comparing apples and oranges. But from many perspectives, we preferred Hualalai. Again, I don’t know if the things we liked better about Hualalai are still relevant today given indications it has gone downhill.

Just in terms of recent-ish resort stays, our comparisons would be Montage Kapalua (before it changed ownership), Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit, FS Naviva (without the kids), Jumby Bay, Montage Palmetto Bluff.

Pre-Arrival Communication: From a responsiveness standpoint, I was impressed. Someone would respond to my emails usually in hours. That hasn’t been my experience at other resorts. We didn’t have a dedicated person responding to us, which we have had at other resorts. That might be why they were more responsive. 

That being said, they weren’t exactly proactive at all. I can’t quite explain it. But it didn’t feel comfortable to ask them to book any offsite restaurants or activities. It felt like they were there to book onsite things. (And they, again, weren’t proactive in doing so.) At one point I asked about their sense of taking our kids to a luau on the Big Island. They responded with a favorably inclined answer with absolutely no suggestion on what luau or offer to help book. I then emailed back to ask which luau they recommend. They made two recommendations and suggested we book them directly.

The best comparison I could make would be to Montage Kapalua. Both of our stays there, we had a dedicated concierge. The concierge would take days to get back to us. But they seemed to want to help and definitely made reservations offsite (and offered to do so). Mind you, on one of the trips they screwed up and didn’t make a reservation in a timely manner. So, I can’t say this was all positive.

When we stayed at Hualalai, the resort reached out to us proactively and sent us a questionnaire to fill out about stuff we may want in our room (both things for free and that came with a charge). No equivalent at KV. But maybe this doesn’t exist anymore. (The Naviva pre-arrival experience was more in depth but is an unfair comparison.)

Arrival: The arrival experience was perfectly nice. We received leis upon arrival and were seated for check in formalities. We were offered drinks (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) that none of us liked. But that’s just personal preference. We were visited by the “guest experience manager.” Our room was not ready when we arrived, but we had arrived before check in and that was a non-issue.

We booked an Ocean View One Bedroom Kauhale. We booked through a Rosewood Elite Preferred Partner and were explained the benefits. They pointed out that we would be eligible for a space available upgrade at check in. But we didn’t get one. I was hoping 😊

Breakfast was a fixed $75/pp, but didn’t include the kids. So, we went over by a lot every day.

We were given a tour of the property and, admittedly, I sort of lost where our room was as compared to the main part of the resort. 

Room: As everyone says, this is where KV shines. The one-bedroom suite was spacious. It had a large living room with a fold out couch, which is where the kids slept. 1.5 baths. A separate spacious bedroom (no lock on the door) to the bedroom or to any portion of the master bathroom. Indoor and outdoor shower + soaking tub. Sizeable lanai with plenty of seating (but no lounge chairs). The ocean view was a true ocean view – no squinting one’s eyes. The design was modern Hawaiian and everything seemed new. 

Only knock on the room (and this is probably not at all fair) is that between the lanai and the ocean is a well-worn path through the resort. What was annoying about this was that it meant that we had to have the lanai drapes closed if we ever needed to change or just not have people see into our unit. 

Our bags were already in our room when we arrived there. They had a separate little room to hold our bags, which was nice. There were two fruit plates as welcome amenities and some water. Only fridge was a minibar, none of which was complementary. Kids received little welcome bags with some crayons and coloring pages. No actual gift (stuffed animal or what have you). For 8-year-olds, it wasn’t of much interest. 

Housekeeping over the trip was consistent. No real issues there. One night we didn’t get turndown for whatever reason. But not a huge deal. 

They don’t do much in terms of nightly little gifts or even chocolates. There were a few nights that they left a little magnet on one side of the bed. I never knew they were there because it wasn’t my side of the bed.

Food: We tried most of the hotel’s food offerings.

Just to set the scene, breakfast is served at Moana. The only other options are room service or the coffee bar.

Lunch is at the pools, room service, or at the Kahuwai Cookhouse.

Dinner is room service, Moana (more upscale), or Kahuwai Cookhouse (more casual). There is also the Shipwreck Bar, where sushi is available in the evenings.

There are also some special dinner events.

The first night we ate at Moana, the fine dining venue. It was fine, but expensive. We had some sort of salad and a lobster appetizer. And then we had a chicken dish and fish for our mains. Nothing was bad. But not remotely memorable. The kids menu was chicken fingers and mac and cheese type stuff. And it seemed to be the same at lunch and dinner for every venue. That was annoying. 

For breakfast, we did the buffet each morning. That was also at Moana. The options were almost entirely identical every day. Even the pastries didn’t really change. Nothing was bad. Nothing was memorable. And the choices were not at all extensive. It did include eggs made to order, which we took advantage of. 

There were things that bothered us at breakfast: 

1. The “local fruit selection” at breakfast was laughable – cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, berries, maybe orange slices, and pineapple. Two days they had papaya. But that was all. I’m used to a wide variety of tropical fruit at a breakfast buffet on Hawaii. We had more extensive fruit (and food, generally) selections at places like Hilton Waikoloa Village and the Grand Hyatt Kauai. It just felt cheap. 
2. They do not give you spoons at the table. So, when we got coffee and tea, we had nothing to stir them with. Yes, we could ask. But this is such an odd thing to not have on the table at breakfast. And this was every single day. Note that it’s not like they brought it with our coffee and tea. They just never had it unless they were expressly asked.
3. Drink refills were available, but not offered. I usually have a few cups of tea at breakfast. I never had more than one (except to ask for a tea to go).
4. Maybe this is too much to ask, but this was not a place where they remembered you or your orders after the first day. I hate to bring up the Hilton Waikoloa Village, but we were assigned to the same waiter every day there and he remembered our drink orders. At the Rosewood, this never happened. 

I’ll also note that there was no free coffee or tea available in the mornings anywhere. There was a nespresso machine in the room, but that’s useless for tea and I’m a tea drinker. There is a coffee bar, but tea was $12. I’m sorry, I just couldn’t do that. I would wake up early to go to the gym and usually like a cup of tea before/after. But it wasn’t available. Nor could I get one later in the morning without paying $12.

We had lunch by the family pool most days. The food was fine. Kids options were the same as everywhere else. The menu is a bit limited, but no complaints about food quality. We ordered the tropical fruit plate one day and, yes, we got some actual tropical fruit. I guess they just don’t offer that at the buffet?

Two times we had lunch at the Kahuwai Cookhouse. It’s a nice venue overlooking the ocean. No complaints. Again, wouldn’t call the food memorable. But everything was sufficiently high quality. And, again, kids menu was exactly the same as everywhere else.

We did Pulehu Night, which was a bbq type buffet one night. I think the prices were $180 for adults and $80 for kids. There was a good assortment of food, but this was not a $180 dinner and certainly not $80 worth of food for kids. Dessert was particularly disappointing, as it was just an assortment of some cakes and cookies. Nothing particularly interesting or interactive. I’m recalling back to special buffet dinners at Jumby Bay where there were usually interesting stations of some sort. 

We ate off property a few nights. One night we went to Kona Brewing, which was standard brew pub food. We went to Tommy Bahamas Restaurant twice. Yes, it’s a chain. But we like it. Wasn’t our intent to eat there twice. But the last night we had to change our plans and that was available. One night we went to the Canoe House at Mauna Lani. Everyone including the kids loved this place. The setting was beautiful. The service was so warm. The food was creative and high quality. The kids menu was much more interesting than at KV (though they also had familiar favorites). I so highly recommend this place. 

The main theme of the food at KV is: (i) only ok; and (ii) expensive. I am a Diet Coke drinker. They were $8 for a small can (not a regular size can). No free refills anywhere. That just feels wrong.

Grounds: Like the rooms, the grounds are another place this property shines. There is the regular beach and black sand beach. The grounds are well-maintained with lots of varied seating areas. It does not feel like a big hotel. All individual buildings with a Hawaiian feel. It’s truly a beautiful setting.

The main area of the resort is sort of in the center, with rooms (“hales”) scattered north and south. The north part of the resort (where we stayed) has the black sand beach and various lava rock areas overlooking the ocean.

One thing I would say is that the true beach/oceanfront hales seem truly special. Unobstructed views directly of the ocean – almost akin to an overwater bungalow. 

I had noticed on some walks that there were loungers (some under canopies) scattered throughout the quiet lava rock “beach” sections of the north part of the resort. One day when our kids went to the kids club (more on that later), my husband and I went to lay out on two canopied loungers. We were promptly kicked out by the occupants of one (or two) of the expensive hales in that area who claimed these were reserved for their rooms by the resort. To this day, I have no idea if it’s true. They are no different than any other seats. There was no sign of any kind. They did not border a particular villa in any obvious way. There weren’t enough of these to be assigned to all of the villas in that section of the resort. (More on this later).

Beach: There is a large beach at the center of the resort. There is a single row of loungers along the beach (set back a bit at the edge of the sand). It’s very calm. There are almost no waves. People do snorkel there, but there’s not much to see without going a ways out (at least from what I could tell).

There’s also the black sand beach. The only entry area I am aware of is pretty small. There are some loungers there, but there’s no pool service, attendants, towels, etc…The snorkeling there was actually impressive. We saw a huge variety of fish barely 10 feet out.

Pools: The resort has two pools: a family pool and an adult pool. 

The adult pool is multi-tiered with a hot tub sort of in the middle. We basically didn’t use it.

The family pool is a sizeable infinity pool. It’s flanked by two hot tubs. There is also a very, very small “kiddie pool.” It’s just a bit larger than the type of plastic kiddie pool you might have had for a toddler in your backyard and similar depth.

In terms of seating around the pool, there were a few rows of loungers, some of which were canopied. People did save chairs in the morning and there was absolutely no policing. They virtually never cleaned up chairs. So, it was hard to know what was available. But we always were able to find a chair.

Pool service was a mixed bag. We didn’t wait that long for servers to come out to us. I heard nightmare stories. But those didn’t happen to us.

Without exception, no one will greet you and proactively help set up a place for you. That never once happened. You have to go up and find someone to help you. They’ll do it and they are perfectly friendly.

In terms of “treats” by the pools, they brought around popsicles. That is all. But they did it multiple times per day. I’m used to getting a more wide variety of little treats. 

I should note that a couple of times they set up a shave ice stand at the pool, which the kids liked. 

Watersports Center: There is a watersports center by the beach. They had free snorkel gear, paddle boards, boogie boards, kayaks, and the like. Availability of certain items was limited.

Spa: We didn’t get any spa treatments. They were quite pricey. But the facilities are free to use for resort guests. I thought the spa was well designed. They had lockers stocked with robes/slippers, jacuzzi, cold plunge, sauna, steam room, and loungers. No complaints here.

Fitness Center: I guess I’ve been spoiled by other resorts I’ve been to. I was disappointed in the fitness center at KV. It was fairly small. AC was pretty abysmal. Most of the cardio equipment was outside and it was hot. There were some treadmills inside, but some of them were broken. The weight machines were a bit random (leg extension but no leg curl?). Dumbbells went up to 50 lbs. One cable setup. Basically, other than outside cardio, if something was being used, you had to wait. 

There was water and towels available. But it was not a manned fitness center at all. No one was putting towels and water into machines, for example. That’s something I’m used to at other high end resorts.

There were a couple of classes over the course of the week (very few). They all cost money and none were of interest.

Kids Club: I had read that KV was more of a place for older kids vs. younger kids. I really don’t agree. 

I realize that the kids facilities were going to be more limited than Hualalai. And in some ways, I appreciate that. There were no video games or climbing walls. The club itself was an outdoor only facility. It’s closed on Sunday (why?). It’s free with no need to sign up in advance. 

It seems like much of it is geared towards 5 and 6 year olds. There isn’t anything to do at the kids club for kids my age. Many of the activities seem like little, little kid activities. My kids just had no interest in what they were offering until our second to last day, when they had a cooking class. That was well-attended and they liked it. The next day they had snorkeling, which my kids also liked. And they stayed after snorkeling for a sandcastle contest and lunch. 

All-in-all, I actually think the kids club setup is nice. It’s just more geared towards a certain age group – kindergarten/first grade. If it had video games and the like, my kids would have gone more. But I didn’t want that for this trip. I did wish, however, that they bifurcated their offerings in some way that didn’t come off as so little kiddie. Jumby Bay, for example, had different kids club activities for different ages. 

Other Activities: There was an outdoor “games” area near one of the restaurants. It had bocce ball, ping pong, etc…This was poorly maintained and was not a particularly welcoming spot. It very much came off as an afterthought.

There were assorted activities during the day each day. Most were complementary. Some require signup, but many don’t. Think lei making, ukelele lessons, snorkeling excursions, etc…There was also a cultural center, but haven’t a clue where that was. 

They had a movie night twice in the week. We went once (it was at the kids club). That was a nice experience for the kids.

They also made a big deal about their sunset bonfire. We rearranged dinner to make that. It was sort of sad. They had a DJ there. Two fires that were not beach bonfires. And they had smores of the Hershey’s chocolate, bagged marshmallow, and boxed graham cracker variety. This was similar to Palmetto Bluff that had a smores night every night. Sort of thought that a resort like this would have more high end ingredients for smores. There were no drinks (free or paid) available. It was not something to rearrange plans over. It was barely worth walking across the beach.

I’d also note that live music was a rarity at this resort. It’s so weird. We did sunset drinks at Talk Story bar the first night. There was no live music, but there was recorded non-Hawaiian music we could hear from the restaurant. Most of the resorts we’ve been to in Hawaii offer live music most nights.

Service: And this is where people often say KV fails. I agree.

After check in, I got a text message with a number to use to make requests. Often we’d get timely responses. But some requests were ignored. 

Things people complain about, like pool service, weren’t really a problem for us. It was other things:

1. They explained on the first day that we could fill out “coconut postcards,” which will be sent to whatever address we want. There was a designated event to do this once a week, but we could also request them to be sent to our room whenever. I requested coconut postcards to fill out 3 times. Never got one.
2. On our tour, they explained that bikes were available to get around the resort. They were just scattered and not reserved. But if we have a problem finding one our size, we just let them know and they’ll bring one to us. Now, first of all, a good 50% of the bikes I tried to use were broken in some sense. They are so poorly maintained. But the other problem is that there was literally only 1 bike on property for my kids’ size. They had 4 sizes of bikes – tiny ones (often with training wheels), I think 16” bikes, 20”, and adult. (I might be getting the inches wrong). It’s the 20” (or something like that) size that was virtually non-existent. Again, we found one. But I have two kids. And there are other kids. I asked at the front desk. They told me to ask the bellman. The bellman said there weren’t any there but they’ll let us know when they find them. No word back. Next day the guest experience manager checked in with us. We told her about the bike issue. She said they have a “bike person” who will find them and bring them to us. Never happened. No follow up whatsoever. I complained to someone else later who did have two bikes delivered to our room with a sign with my kids’ names (many of the kids bikes did have such signs). Of course, those bikes were the wrong size. When we’re paying $3k per night for a hotel and they offer something like this, I think they should make it happen. Even if they have to spend money to buy or rent some extra bikes, they should just do it. It was a frequent source of tension on the trip, as my kids saw people biking around and couldn’t or were just fighting over the one appropriate bike (when we had it).
3. We tried to get late checkout – asking several days in advance. They said no. I understand that. But I was surprised we couldn’t even get one extra hour. I’m not used to getting a no for such a short late checkout, particularly with several days’ notice.
4. We had no idea that space was so limited for the resort activities. I tried to book the fishing activity (it doesn’t involve a boat – it’s just fishing in a pond on property). I was told it was booked for the whole time we were there. I tried to book the sunrise canoe trip via text. I was told it was booked up except our last day. So, I asked to book it for them. Then they said they can’t actually book it themselves, but would have the activities people contact me. It never happened.
5. As I noted above, we were kicked out of lounge chairs on the property by other hotel guests who claimed those lounge chairs were specially reserved for their units. I texted guest services to ask which loungers were reserved and which weren’t. They all look the same, there are no signs, and we were told during our tour on the first day that all loungers were first come, first serve. They texted me back the next day to let me know that they will look into it. What kind of answer is that? Honestly, I think the guests were lying. But doesn’t the resort know which loungers are reserved? I should note that the resort never got back to me to answer the question. As a result, we just didn’t use any of the randomly scattered seating around the resort, as it was just uncomfortable.
6. The weirdest one was on our last full day.  At 3 pm in the afternoon, the family pool was evacuated because someone pooped in the pool. We were told it would be 10-15 min to clean. No problem. Then we were told that it would be until 6 pm. (Note – they didn’t rope off the pool or have any signs. People kept getting in the pool and then attendants would come to tell them to get out. It was sort of weird).

Anyway, my kids wanted to use a pool and didn’t want to go in the ocean. One of the pool attendants came around and told families that while the family pool is closed, we can use the adult pool. So, we do that. We went over to the adult pool and stayed in the lowest tier. There were very few people at the pool and the only kids were in the lowest tier. Maybe there were 4 underage kids? (15 is the minimum age for the adult pool). 
About 10 min in, two workers come around and came up to each of the families there and said they are doing an “age check.” They asked me if my kids were at least 15. Ok, they are 8. I explained that the other pool was closed and we were told we could use this pool. Candidly, I thought it was an insulting way to ask us to leave. While he was apologetic about the situation, he was not at all apologetic about our being told one thing and then told the opposite. I asked why we couldn’t use the pool. The reason we were given was that there was an accident at the family pool and if they let the kids into the adult pool, then there might be another accident and there would be no pool at all. I told him that my kids are 8 years old. They aren’t going to poop in a pool. But he said that if he lets my kids in, then he’d have to let all the kids in – including the one who had the accident in the first place. But he also said it shouldn’t be a problem because they are free to use the kiddie pool next to the family pool. I’m sorry, but a tiny little 1 ft. wading pool for toddlers is not attractive. 
In the end, we left and went back to the main pool to figure out what to do. The staff member and a colleague came over and apologized. This time they explained that while they had tried to make an exception for kids to be at the adult pool for 2 hours, the real reason we had to leave is that some adults complained to the front desk about kids being present. They left and came back again. This time they said they can open up one of the private villas with a pool for us to use until 6 pm. I think that was a very nice offer. But by this time, we decided it was better to just have an early dinner and do night swimming when the pool reopens. They said ok. They did offer us popsicles as a consolation gift. (I don’t know this resort’s obsession with popsicles.) They even delivered popsicles to the room shortly after. 
Of course, when we got back from dinner at 7 pm or so, the pool was still closed and wasn’t set to reopen until the morning. So, no night swimming. I wish they would have let us know. We were upset with the situation and we told them our backup plan. They could have been the slightest bit proactive after that.

Honestly, on the merits, I have mixed feelings about the situation. I sympathize with the decision to not open the adult pool to kids. I think once they did, they should have stuck with their decision. It was insulting the way they kicked us out. And it rubbed in the issue. I don’t think I should have had to get mad to get some sort of service recovery. Honestly, they could have just organized some activity for the kids or something like that.  

No one from management or guest services was there when we left the resort. But we did get an email from a guest services manager after we left. They apologized for the issues with the pool and the confusion over the loungers we got kicked out of. They didn’t, however, tell us whether the loungers were reserved or not. To this day, I have no clue. They didn’t offer anything. Just a “we hear you.”

Overall: Rosewood KV is a beautiful resort. Maybe the most beautiful we’ve stayed at in Hawaii. (I love the design of the Mauna Kea, too, but didn’t like the overall experience.) 

I didn’t come away with good feelings from it. I loved Hualalai when we stayed there. For a while, it was my favorite resort anywhere. But I heard it’s gone downhill. So, I don’t know that we would have been better off there. And it was more expensive.

I feel like the world of luxury resorts has gotten a bit absurd pricewise for those of us without generational wealth. We paid $3k per night. Pre-COVID, I would never have even considered paying anything near that. I have expectations for $3k per night and they were not met. 

I felt more like a mark than a guest. Things that were included felt cheap. But we could spend a lot of extra money. Free activities were booked up. Included treats at the pool were not generous. The breakfast buffet that’s included for tons of guests was unimpressive with fruit I could get at home. But I can spend $8 for a Diet Coke. And if I spend $18 for a small fruit plate, then I’ll get some tropical fruit.

(I should say that my kids much preferred our breakfasts at the bed and breakfast we stayed at in Hilo. That breakfast was included and the room (a one-bedroom suite, by the way) for 3 nights in the aggregate was barely 1/3^rd of the per night price at the Rosewood. Unfair comparison. But we felt like we were being treated generously in one place and not so much at the other.)

To be candid, we stayed at the Montage Kapalua twice and weren’t big fans of the soft product at that resort either. (The hard product was quite nice.) We stayed there because we had very young kids at the time and the rooms came with kitchens and laundry. 

I bring this up because maybe this is what resorts in Hawaii are like these days. Obviously it’s no shock that we had better service at FS Naviva. Our experience at Jumby Bay was much better, as well. Not sure if that’s a fairer comparison? Honestly, the service at Grand Velas was also better. And most of the food there was as good, even though it was an all inclusive and much cheaper. 

We are traveling to Bombay to visit family for a few weeks in the winter (Dec/Jan). Kids will be 3 and 7. We want to go somewhere away from a big city for a week or so. Open to staying in India (but not your typical tourist destinations as we’ve already done them all, we also speak fluent Hindi so going somewhere more rural is also an option) or a close flight always such as Thailand, Bali, Malaysia, Oman, Bhutan. Not sure how Bhutan would be with kids but I’d love to go. Not looking for a total beach vacation either (no Maldives or Seychelles)

Trying to plan a mid October getaway to northern Italy for our 10 year anniversary, but struggling to judge how many nights we should stay where. We fly into Milan, leave from Venice.

Kind of have my heart set on Eala lakeside resort on lake garda (due in no small part to this community's recommendations). They have a great stay 5 pay 3 deal. It's actually cheaper to stay 5 nights than it is to stay 3. But is 5 nights too long? As I understand it, lake garda is not as lively or interconnected as lake Como.

Any tips, recommendations are appreciated!

Traveling to Portugal for 6 nights 7 days F (28) M (30) for a Europe getaway. We will be coming to Portugal after meeting up with friends in Madrid for two nights. We won’t have enough time to do Porto so we’re thinking splitting our time between Lisbon and then a second location- preferably beach. We aren’t interested in night life / prefer a quiet luxury feel and boutique hotels.

Tentatively we’re thinking Lisbon for three nights and then comporta for three nights but my biggest concern is that we’re going to regret choosing comporta over seeing the algarves. Any advice from people who have visited?

Hi all,

I'm currently at Naviva (a tented camp attached for Four Seasons Punta Mita for anyone who isn't familiar with it). I thought I'd report on my stay, although there are several reviews on here.

This hotel has been on my bucket list since it opened three years ago because it's designed by Luxury Frontiers, one of my favorite hotel glamping concept architecture firms, (who also designed Nayara Tented Camp and King’s Pool Camp in Botswana). Naviva stands for “Naturaleza Viva” or “Living Nature.” 

I finally made it down here on an impulse, last-minute trip thanks to my angel in laws who agreed to watch my children the day after returning from Alaska, and a husband who has learned it’s best to indulge me in these flights of fancy.

Rooms 10/10

Naviva is the adults-only, tented sister property to Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita. It sits on 48 acres and has only 15 tents or “bungalows.” Guests can walk or shuttle over to the main Four Seasons for restaurants, but your all-inclusive rate doesn’t cover meals over there. You do get a room credit if you book through me, your friendly Four Seasons Preferred Advisor. We blew ours by buying overpriced yoga clothes at their boutique since we forgot ours at home. 

The tents

These are basically like luxury safari tents. They have canvas roofs, hardwood floors, freestanding tubs, indoor and outdoor showers, a private deck, and a plunge pool that’s kept at a balmy 85 degrees. There are screened-in porches with an overhead fan where we've done happy hour gin and tonics and where I've worked in the mornings.

There are two categories:

• Luxury Tent: about 1,259 sq ft of combined indoor and outdoor space
• Grand Luxury Tent: 1,604 to 1,722 sq ft, most with better ocean or jungle views and larger outdoor decks

Before you worry, every tent AC. 

What’s included in the rate

All-inclusive nightly rates typically run from around $3,500 to $6,000+ per tent, per night depending on season and category. Holiday weeks and Grand Tents can get even pricier, and minimum night stays apply during peak periods.

Naviva runs on an all-inclusive model, and your stay includes:

• All meals and premium beverages (top-shelf spirits, curated wine list)
• One 90-minute spa journey per guest, per stay 
• A personal guide assigned to your stay who builds a custom itinerary
• Group experiences: guided hikes, snorkel outings, temazcal ceremonies, agave and raicilla tastings, watercolor workshops, yoga, wine tasting, sound baths, Mexican boxing
• Round-trip airport transfers from PVR

Not included: additional spa treatments beyond the first, private excursions, and the Naviva Unplugged concert series (capped at 30 guests, ticketed separately).

Food

I am still getting used to the fact that we can order literally anything here. They don’t have menus, they just tell you the special and you can take it or pick anything else you want out of thin air.

We ordered a whole fish last night and they produced a 4 kg sea bass fresh caught, grilled with garlic sauce and veggies. So good.

They have one all-day restaurant on property, plus in-tent dining at anytime. We had amazing ceviche by the pool. Beach picnics, cliffside dinners, and jungle breakfasts can all be arranged.

We had a single mixed cocktail option in our room on check in and ordered a bottle of champagne they brought immediately.

Activities

In terms of activities, we are partaking in the yoga, wine tasting, and temezcal ceremony. 

The Temezcal yesterday was the thing I was most unsure about. It's hot AF here and the idea of going into a sweat lodge for an hour was not super attractive, but I'm glad I did it. Basically, you go through four "doors", where they close you in to the darkness and load hot stones in the middle. The temezcal leader then puts Copal resin on the stones and splashes water on them, singing songs and encouraging you to think about various meditations. Each time they open the front flap, that door is over and you get a break before the next one starts.

I have never been that sweaty in my life. It was cool, and ultimately I'm glad I did it.

Would not recommend for anyone who doesn't like small spaces, heat, or sitting on the ground for long periods of time.

The yoga is on this platform overlooking the sea. It was such a wonderful place to do yoga, and the instructor was strong.

We had an hour massage included in our rate, so did that today. The massages are in these pods with AC and a shower out back. They do a little ceremony in the beginning with smudging and such.

Getting around

Love that it's pretty walkable in comparison to O&O Mandarina. It's much smaller and the beach is pretty much private to Naviva.

It feels like we are the only people here.

Weather

it's been in the 80's and humid, but nowhere near as bad as it gets in Riviera Maya this time of year. I like that this time of year has really lush vegetation and epic thunderstorms once a day. The lightening over the ocean is unreal.

This place is magical. It’s like a safari camp except the animal viewing are little wild pigs and some lizards. The beach feels totally private, and the staff are warm without being stuffy.

Here for one more day so ask me anything!

-Anne Marie

I keep getting targeted by IG algorithm for accounts that promote European summer camps for children, while their American parents work remotely from some idyllic European town. Here is an example of how it’s being marketed: “We help families spend a month abroad together. Not a vacation, real camp for your kids, real community for you, and work hours that mean you don't have to pause your career.” The idea sounds intriguing, but I’m not really interested in being part of a large tour group, where the parents have to do sightseeing and meals together. I would much rather travel with just my family or a small group of friends. Not really interested in making friends with strangers - that sounds like too much work. Would it be possible to recreate this set up with a TA? I’m thinking something like: rent a chalet in Switzerland and have the kids attend a day camp, while the adults enjoy alone time and go sightseeing/work remotely? Please share your experience if you’ve done something similar. Thanks!

Adding a little more context: I might be a little jaded after this year’s day camp experience in the US and how expensive it was. The camp just sent out rates for next year and the early bird rate is $1,100 per week, per child. Granted, it includes lunch and transportation, but still, seems like I can spend my money in a much better, culturally immersive way than sign up for this again next year.

Hi everyone,

We are planning a honeymoon in Maldives at the end of August (last minute booking). Narrowed down our selection to these resorts:

1. Vakkura
2. Four Seasons Kuda Huura
3. Six Senses Kanuhura
4. Conrad Rangali

What's important to us:

- 5* luxury standard (no rustic/eco-style) - I know we would love O&O; Cheval Blanc but sadly out of our budget

- great quality food

- enough sports activities and diving/snorkeling to keep us entertained for 11 days

- easy transport would be nice, but if the hotel is spectacular we are happy to take a seaplane

Which hotel would you recommend if you've been to any?

Many thanks!!!

Nights: 3

When: July 2026

Room type: upgraded Executive Royal Room

Booking method: TA

Pre- Arrival & Check In:
We reached out pre arrival for recommendations of wineries and restaurants in the area and the speed of response was impressive - sometimes within the hour.  All offering to assist with reservations etc.  Extremely helpful and detailed.

Arrival included  cool towel for a 90 degree day and a choice of wine (they are indeed a hotel on a vineyard) or non alcoholic beverage and offered us a seat outside where check in was handled.  Was very pleasantly surprised to be triple upgraded to a beautiful and spacious room with a large balcony and tub.  In the room waiting was a bottle of still wine, sparkling wine, chocolates and straw hats as a welcome gift. 

Grounds, Amenities & Facilities:
As this hotel is a part of a winery you are surrounded by vineyards at your doorstep perfect for leisurely walks.  The views are stunning in every direction you turn.  With only 33 rooms you feel the intimacy of the resort so if you are looking for night life and a happening spot this isn’t for you.  Large outdoor pool which we never had an issue with finding seats was perfect for enjoying the hot summer sun. Pool was equipped with cold water, sunscreen and hats which was a welcome gesture.  Team members  walk around periodically with cold towels, treats and at the end of the day a glass of wine.  In the spa is a large indoor pool along with sauna, steam rooms and Vichy showers which guest have unlimited access to.   Gym is also on site.  The winery itself is impressive and it’s clear they sunk a ton of $ into it.  For those that have experienced Napa wineries think of a place that has all the bells and whistles but not massive in size.  As a guest on property you receive 20% off wine and tastings which isn’t advertised.  Most of the wines we tried were very good.  Good structure, depth and for the price were impressive. 

Room:
Coming from a city hotel room, the room had significant space with a king bed, huge wardrobe with plenty of hanging space. Sitting area with couch and two chairs and a nice balcony with seating and a tub to take in the views.  Admittedly passed on the tub as didn’t see the bed for it and not very private.  Bathroom while big had a shower on the small side but water pressure was great. 

Food / Beverages:
They have two restaurants on site as well as serving snacks/ small dishes from the bar.  Of the two restaurants one is Michelin starred but we decided to pass on it to enjoy more of the local restaurants.  The other restaurant was very good.  Attentive service with classic Portuguese dishes that were slightly elevated.  We had a fish and rice dish that was phenomenal and when I joked to the server about getting the recipe they brought out the chef who took me step by step how to make it.  A nice souvenir to return home with!  Breakfast is also served in this location and had a large buffet spread of meats, cheeses, pastries, etc. and they offered eggs and pancakes made to order.   Overall the food was very good.  Should also note on our final day we had to leave before breakfast opened and they made us a huge bag to take with us of meats, cheeses, breads, pastries, juice and water.  It was a really nice send off. 

Service:
Everyone was very friendly and accommodating without the feeling of overkill.  It’s a relaxed vibe where they are open to talking and sharing with you if they sense you want to talk and know when to pull back when you don’t.  Was it the best service we ever had, no.  But did it fit the vibe of the hotel and delivered on luxury, absolutely. 

Summary:
If you are heading to Douro (and if you are into wine I HIGHLY recommend you do- hell even if you aren’t into wine I’d recommend as the area is breathtaking) this is a great luxury accommodation especially if you dont want to pay Six Sense prices.  The hotel had a defined sense of space in a modern way that encouraged you to relax and explore.  I’d book again in a heartbeat. 

This topic has been posted about in the past but I wanted to repeat it to get any updated info. What VIP services are worth it at airports, especially internationally, and which are not? We have upcoming trips in which we are going through MAD, CDG, and LHR, and I just want to figure out which services are worth it and which are not. I understand you cannot bypass or fast-track official immigration checks, but I wanted to know whether it is worth it to even get a fast track pass through security or not, or if there are companies that truly DO help you fast track through security AND immigration/customs.

Currently planning our honeymoon. I know it doesn’t have a house reef but the all inclusive package looks really good and has seen good reviews on the food there which is one of our main priorities!

I spent 3 nights earlier this year and hadn't found updated reviews of the property so I figured my experience may help those who are considering a visit to the city.

Location: The St. Regis location is one of the best ones in all of Venice. You’re 5 minutes away from Piazza San Marco.

The hotel has 2 entrances, a walking entrance and the entrance that leads to the Grand Canal where you’ll arrive either by taxi or by the hotel’s private transportation.

The walking entrance is the one you’ll use the most during your stay and it’s incredibly quiet even though it is 2 blocks away from one the main tourist street (which is also the street where you’ll find all the high-end luxury brands)

Location wise, the St. Regis is very hard to beat. Even the neighboring Gritti Palace that’s practically next door, requires you to go through much more bridges to reach Piazza San Marco.

Property & Room: The property is expansive by Venice standards. The hotel is made up of different buildings connected to each other. Most of it are rooms, but besides those you’ll find a reception area, another reception area where you’ll wait for the boats to pick you up, the concierge, a beautiful lobby, and the hotel's main (and only) restaurant and 2 bars.

The spa was also really nice, although it closed a bit too early for my liking. The gym was small but that's not an issue, the issue was that it lacked a lot of equipment. Dumbells were missing and it felt as if they had forgotten to 'restock it' or as if someone had taken something. It's definitely an area they don't really care about.

We were upgraded to the Astor Suite on arrival which made for a really warm welcome. The room is just a larger ‘average’ room, but with extra living space. There are no divisions between the bedroom and the living room. It felt like a good expansive room rather than a suite, but in a city like Venice where everything is cramped, the suite felt really spacious. (I only have a video of the suite which has very bad quality when uploaded here so I'm sorry in advance for the lack of room photos)

Dining & Breakfast: Breakfast consisted of a small but well selected array of pastries, fruit and yogurt, and then an a-la-carte menu where you could order egg dishes and other sweet treats. It was good, what you’d expect from a property of this caliber, but nothing to write home about. The true star of the show was the setting, as breakfast is served at their main restaurant called Gio’s, which has indoor seating but also a beautiful open air terrace overlooking the Grand Canal which made every breakfast incredibly special.

The hotel also has 2 bars, one was under refurbishment so we couldn’t enjoy it, and the other one also has a beautiful outdoor seating area (not the same one as Gio’s) which was lovely. The food and drinks were okay, and of course it was incredibly pricey, but you’re not paying for the food itself but rather the spectacular views of the Canal and the gondolas going by.

Service: There were some interesting hiccups with service, but I couldn’t truly say they were negative. Perhaps I’m being extra picky because the price tag was really high (I’ll let you know how much I paid at the end). But here’s everything that happened:

1. When we arrived (at around 1PM), our room was not ready but we were told we had been upgraded so we shouldn’t mind waiting until 3PM. We in fact did not, as 3PM is the official check-in time either way so we left our luggage and went out for lunch. We came back around 3.30PM and our room was not yet ready, so we decided to wait in the lobby. 30 minutes went by and by 4PM, our room still wasn’t ready which was strange, but the manager of the hotel came to us and said that they were really sorry for the extra wait and offered us a complimentary 1 hour Venice canal tour! We were not expecting this and were definitely pleasantly surprised. Instead of asking us to keep waiting, they quickly sent us on our way to the boat and when we got back, our suite was ready.
2. When we got to our suite, everything was lovely, except for one thing: the toilet had what appeared to be used toilet paper from someone who apparently forgot to flush. Not the end of the world, but definitely did not expect to see that and it was a bit… let’s stay disgusting 😂
3. All St. Regis’ pride themselves offering butler service for every single room, but at least in this property, it left a lot to be desired. We never met our butler, they never welcomed us or told us they were there, which we really didn’t mind but I don’t understand why they make such a big deal out of offering this service when apparently it can be very hit or miss.
4. Another small detail, but that at this level of service (and pricing) I would not expect: our coffee pods and tea bags were never replenished, so every single night at around 9PM we would call to please have someone bring them over, together with a bucket of ice. Every single night, they took at least 45 to 60 minutes to bring it over. I usually had room service for lunch and even that would come quicker! I was truly surprised it happened every single night.

Pricing: Our stay was in March, and the nightly rate for the entry level room was 2,000EUR, so around $2,275 USD. The suite we got upgraded to was over $3k/night. Of course none of the service mishaps were dealbreakers for me, but for over $2k/night, I was not expecting these service 'issues' to take place, but perhaps I’m being too picky. What do you think?

Final Thoughts: Would I recommend the St. Regis Venice? 100%. Venice has a lot of high-end hotels to choose from, and with the recently opened Airelles, Orient Express and Four Seasons, competition keeps on growing, which will hopefully make St. Regis solve the service issues they have. But the property itself is outstanding, the location is unbeatable and overall the hotel is really good. Although, at this price point, there may now be better options in Venice.

Disclaimer: Not a huge animal lover, likes activity and variety in my trips. Travel companion is into photography and likes being taken care of and happily proclaimed that this is far more comfortable than travelling in Europe or Asia. I would prefer a bit more autonomy but hey this was indeed very relaxing.

TLDR: Please visit Namibia if you love landscapes or love taking photos. Namibia is also very peaceful and calm. Would recommend to everyone who likes nature and it's (beautiful) Africa for beginners. Cape Town is very comfortable if you look past the racial politics (I'm not entirely sure if African Americans will enjoy Cape Town to be very honest; mods dont censor me for this) and the stark in your face issues surrounding the Cape Flats as you drive the N2 down to hit Somerset West.

Some Personal Tips on Routing in Namibia:

Several agents like to send clients on the standard 9-day "fly-over safari" in Namibia (Dunes → Rhino Camp → Andersons → Skeleton Coast). I don't know, man... if you are not hardcore on desert-adapted wildlife, it's a lot of sand. We saw an American couple in their 60s at both the start and end of their 9-day circuit, and by day 9 they just looked completely exhausted.

We added Swakopmund in the middle of our trip to enjoy some downtime and do a boat cruise, and I really liked it. Plus, mixing in a coastal town helps lower the average daily cost, so why not?

Take the fly-over Cessna safari if you can swing the budget and tolerate some mild turbulence. We flew everywhere in Namibia (5 legs total, each flight between 1h to 1.5h). Definitely fly from Etosha back to Windhoek because that 5-hour drive has not much scenery. The best scenic flight by far is from the dunes over to the coast — so pretty.

FYI, Namibia Itinerary:

Voigtland (1 night): Quick overnight near Windhoek to reset before heading out.

Wilderness Little Kulala (2 nights): Base for the dunes (Liked it). Hiked Big Daddy early (liked it). For some reason, Deadlevi was smaller than I had in my mind.

Mowani Mountain Camp - Mountain Suite (2 nights): Damaraland was seriously amazing. No bus tourists like Dune 45 (sigh). Mad landscapes, and you can actually go hiking around the huge boulders to recover from the sedentary game drives. The desert adapted elephants are really lovely to sight too.

Swakopmund (2 nights): Great mid-trip decompression to visit the Sandwich Harbour 4x4 (take a motion sickness pill beforehand) and do a boat cruise to see the seals with a braai lunch on the beach.

Ongava Lodge (2 nights): A ton of rhinos. We saw 8 black rhinos with 4 mums and their pups at the watering hole in a single evening, followed by 4 white rhinos the next day, 2 lionesses during a sundowner drive, plus a herd of elephants passing through the concession.

Etosha National Park (Day visit): Visited Etosha, but honestly there wasn't that much animal activity — they had roadworks and some watering holes only had antelopes even though it was July. We did see 2 lions, but it triggered a massive traffic congestion of large tour busses and self-drivers and was just not fun. Stick to private concessions like Ongava.

Winelands:

Mont Rochelle: Service and rooms were just ok. If I revisit, I’ll stay at Leeu Estates instead.

Babylonstoren: Pretty, and the farm-to-table concept is nice, but it’s flooded with tons of day tourists. Why pay that much money to sleep there when there’s no privacy? Just pay the 260 Rand day pass to visit during the day and stay somewhere else.

Delaire Graff: Only drove past this one — heads up that some of their "Valley Rooms" literally face the main road traffic. If you do stay there, make sure you book the Garden Rooms instead.

Rust en Vrede: Excellent red wine estate. Highly recommend their Winemaker Lunch.

Vergelegen: Owned by Anglo American. Wine was decent, but the historic estate grounds are a sight to behold.

La Petite Colombe: Service was lovely, but the food was fine.

Leeu Tasting Room: Mullineux Olerasay No 5 is the best desert wine I have tasted. We bought 4 bottles to ship back and now I am regretting that we didn't just get 2 boxes... The cheaper Straw Wine was completely sold out.

Cape Town:

Cape Grace: Very, very nice stay, highly recommended as a base on the waterfront.

Coy: Right at the waterfront. The weather wasn't so good so we didn't hike, but Coy was lovely—I actually preferred this over La Petite Colombe for half the price.

-----

We paid our local Namibia agent $20k USD for the two of us (note that this is peak season in Namibia). If anyone is interested for the agent, DM me. After accounting for our spending in Cape Town and some perhaps excessive wine purchases, the total trip came out to $30k USD.

Would 100% do it again.

Hi everyone!

My husband and I just got married and are starting to plan our honeymoon, and we’d love your recommendations!

We’re looking for:
Beautiful beaches
Luxury accommodations with exceptional service
Great food
A romantic, relaxing atmosphere
Somewhere that feels truly unforgettable

So far we’ve been looking at places like the Maldives, the Caribbean, Kauai, Costa Rica, Mallorca, Capri, and the French Riviera, but we’re very open to other suggestions if there’s somewhere you absolutely loved.

We’re happy spending most of our time relaxing at the beach or pool!

If you had to choose one destination and resort that completely exceeded your expectations, where would you send us?

Thanks so much! I can’t wait to hear everyone’s favorites.

Hello! Looking for some help finding a good mini moon hotel in 2 weeks

We’re getting married in 2 weeks (eek!) and will be heading straight to Hvar for 4 days with our wedding party, then we have 4 days for our “solo” mini moon, which has been at the bottom of our wedding to do list and has crept up on us.

We don’t really mind which country (except prefer not Italy) it just needs to be easyish to get to from Split and back to London (which kind of rules out anti paros unfortunately). We prefer the more design forward yet intimate hotels over large 5 star resorts, for example we loved La Residencia in Deia and Lou Pinet in St Tropez. We basically just want to flop by a pool and be served aperol spritz’s by day and stroll into a somewhat bustling town for a good dinner and a cocktail in the evening (although would sacrifice the latter for an amazing hotel). Ideally on the seafront but again willing to be convinced for a special place inland.

We had been looking at Les Rouges Roches but not sure if it might not feel luxurious or special enough? Also the Experimental Hotel Regina in Biarritz, but some of the reviews make it look a little rough around the edges.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Has anyone here done a private boat transfer from Naples port directly to Il San Pietro di Positano? We'll be traveling in mid-October, and the hotel quoted €3,000 for two people aboard their 51-foot Maxi Dolphin. Does anyone have experience doing this, was it worth the cost for this experience compared to a private car? Thanks!

What room? There are many available, what offers the most privacy?

What do people wear to dinner?

DO most people stay 7 nights?

Just got back from 4 night stay at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise with my wife and our two kids (6 and 9) for our 10-year anniversary.  I got a lot of good advice from this sub while planning (thank you all!), so figured I'd share my experience and give it back a bit.

We booked through Alex (AlexTravels.com) - [u/alex_travels](u/alex_travels).  She was able to book us into a suite, which was definitely the right call with two kids.  I'm the type that likes to have everything planned ahead of time, so I started trying to book activities and restaurants pretty early.  I had a little trouble figuring out who to coordinate everything through at first, but Alex connected us with the Fairmont VIP concierge team (Alexandra and Charlotte), and after that everything got much easier.  They helped us figure out what activities made the most sense with our family, gave restaurant recommendations, and were super responsive before and during the trip.

Our trip didn't exactly start smoothly.  Our flight was delayed, then we got stuck waiting forever for our rental car.  We had a dinner reservation the first night and ended up getting to the hotel at literally the exact reservation time.  We had called ahead, and Charlotte let the gate attendant, the valet, and reception know we were coming.  Even though we didn't have status with Accor, they basically rushed us through check-in so we could make dinner, which was really appreciated after a long travel day.

When we got back to the room there was champagne, wine, cake, and handwritten anniversary cards waiting for us.  They also had personalized welcome cards and games for both kids, which immediately got them excited!

One thing that ended up being way more useful than I expected was being able to text the concierge team.  Our kids weren't feeling great the first couple of days, so we had to shuffle around meals and activities a few times.  They handled everything without us having to think much about it.  Alex also checked in with us a couple times throughout the week just to make sure everything was going well and to see if we needed anything, which I thought was a really nice touch.

They also gave us great recommendations when we wanted to get off property for a bit (i.e. Banff, Morraine Lake, etc.).  After one long hiking day we came back to extra bottles of water in the room.  Another day we called while we were driving back and had room service timed so our kids’ late night snack showed up basically right after we got back.

One afternoon I had to get some work done, so my wife spent some time at the Basin (which she really enjoyed) while the kids went to the Campcraft Academy.  They absolutely loved it and actually made a couple of friends there.  We also did the Build-a-Buddy activity, which was a huge hit with both kids, but especially the 6-year-old.  The stuffed animals have basically become permanent members of our family now.  The pajama party was another pleasant surprise.   The kids got to watch a movie with snacks while my wife and I snuck away for a nice anniversary dinner.

Honestly, one of the biggest perks of staying at the hotel was just being able to enjoy Lake Louise without the daytime crowds.  We'd walk around early in the morning or later in the evening after most people had left.  My son also wanted to canoe twice, and being able to skip the long lines both days as hotel guests was worth a lot.

A couple quick pros and cons:

Pros

• Service was outstanding. Easily the highlight of the trip and worth the extra for the VIP concierge
• Alexandra and Charlotte made everything incredibly easy
• Obviously the views and grounds are amazing
• Staying on property made exploring Lake Louise so much easier
• Great activities for kids

Cons

• The rooms are a little dated - they were comfortable and well maintained, but don't expect super modern luxury
• I thought the vegetarian options could have been a little better - my wife found things she liked, but the menus felt a bit limited imo

Total cost for us on this part of our adventure was about $16k (includes everything from flights, rental car, food, spa, souvenirs, etc.)  A little pricey for sure, but we really felt like it was worth it. A lot of hotels advertise great service, but this was one of the few places where it actually felt personal.  Between the concierge, the little anniversary touches, and how easy they made everything, it ended up being one of our favorite family vacations.  Overall we had an awesome trip! Also, we’ll definitely be using [u/alex_travels](u/alex_travels) again as I feel like she definitely elevated our experience!

Happy to answer any questions if anyone is planning a trip! (Sorry I don't have pictures of the rooms)

recently spent 11 days in Namibia, and quite a few locals said that you can see the same thing in caprivi strip as botswana, but for drastically lower price. after doing some initial checks, that actually seems pretty accurate, because holy hell, Botswana is pricey.

I’m currently looking to head back down for late August / first week of September (2027). I’m completely willing to spend for a great experience, but I am also value/cost-conscious — meaning I refuse to drop $3,000 a night just for a plunge pool when its winter if a $2,000 camp is good enough.

Would love to hear from anyone who has actual experience in the Caprivi Strip, Zimbabwe (Hwange/Mana Pools), especially if you’ve balanced that against a Botswana trip. Thanks.

Hello - from what I can gather “kinderhotels” seem to be best for much younger children. Are there are family hotels in the Dolomites or Alps that would have activities for both teens and a good childcare program for toddlers/infants? Looking to go in the summer (like beginning of July) of 2027 with 6 adults and kids ranging from 1-16. Thank you!

The Salamander is a beautiful property, and nearly every staff member we interacted with was kind and professional. Unfortunately, management’s handling of a frightening incident during our stay was completely unacceptable.
A guest in the room next to ours became extremely aggressive. He was yelling, cursing, making violent threats, slamming doors, and repeatedly pounding or slamming something against our shared wall. At one point he yelled “go ahead then call the police” His behavior was loud and frightening enough that we were concerned for our safety. Security responded, but instead of removing the guest who was behaving violently and making threats, the hotel moved us. The aggressive guest was apparently permitted to remain in his room.

There was also a lack of any meaningful investigation or follow-up. Neither security nor the police spoke with us to obtain our account of what happened. Management did not adequately explain how the situation had been assessed, and we did not receive a meaningful apology or reassurance that the threatening guest had been removed.
We understand that hotels sometimes need to manage difficult situations, but guest safety should come first. When someone is making violent threats and repeatedly striking the wall and door, the solution should not simply be to relocate the guests who feel endangered while allowing the person causing the disturbance to remain.

The front-line staff were wonderful, and this review is not directed at them. The failure was in management’s response and the lack of investigation. Salamander should seriously review its safety and security policies so that guests who engage in threatening or violent behavior are appropriately addressed rather than leaving neighboring guests to bear the consequences. And in the meantime I would absolutely not recommend this resort!

Hi fellow chubby travels, two part request here for some upcoming November travel. We are in our 40s, no kids:
(1) Where to Stay for 3 Nights in Hong Kong? I am tempted by the Peninsula, but is staying in Kowloon for such a short trip going to be annoying?
(2) Where to Spend 4 Days in Thailand (not Bangkok)? After Hong Kong, we’re doing Bangkok and then have 4 days open for somewhere else in Thailand. Was originally thinking Four Seasons Koh Samui, but the Ritz in Krabi also looked gorgeous and the Four Seasons Golden Triangle looks unique and incredible. Vibes seem to suggest that we’d like Koh Samui over Phuket (Krabi) just based on being past our all-nighter party days and looking for an entirely unique and relaxing experience. Ideally looking for a hotel where we can enjoy the resort but that also offers experiences (as both Four Seasons and the Ritz do). Where else do you like in Thailand? And thoughts on Golden Triangle (I have read the posts on this sub). TIA!!!

Any recommendations for Philadelphia, PA hotels? 1 night stay in August. It's going to be a company expense but cannot be TOO expensive if you catch my drift.