Resting Your Head

Bahamian Luxury – The Dunmore Resort on Harbour Island

In January Bahamas Tourism invited me on a brief trip to Eleuthera, one of the Out Islands. While there I enjoyed beautiful beaches and warm hospitality, but also some great … Read More

Six Hotel Experiences That Surprised Me (In a Good Way)

I’m a luxury kind of guy so it’s not that unusual for me to visit some beautiful even amazing hotels and resorts. A special few though were different; they took … Read More

Milan with HomeAway Vacation Rentals – Video Overview

I’ve been experimenting a little bit with making videos lately and here is my most recent effort. It’s a look at the Milan I saw while staying with HomeAway Vacation … Read More

Emotional Cuisine – Behind the Scenes with Master Chefs (Recipes Included)

In December I had the unique opportunity to go behind the scenes at the massive and somewhat daunting kitchens of the Marriott Marquis Times Square, the flagship of Marriott Hotels … Read More

Staying Local with HomeAway

One of the best parts of any trip is getting to know a new destination on an intimate level. It’s not always easy to do but once achieved, going local … Read More

Staying at the Most Photographed Hotel in the World

The savvy traveler in me would like to say that it was the history and Old World beauty that first drew me to Quebec City, but I don’t think that’s … Read More

HomeAway Redux – Review of Short Term Vacation Rentals in Europe

Last year I wrote about my first ever experience with a short term vacation rental while vacationing in Brussels. To sum it up, we had a great experience and couldn’t … Read More

Comfort and Hospitality – The Academy Bed and Breakfast in Annapolis, Maryland

I am raising my hand now; I admit it and am ready to write about it. I am a reluctant admirer of bed and breakfasts. It’s strange really because I’ve … Read More

VIDEO: A Day in New York and a Night with the Culturazzi

I recently spent a couple of days in New York exploring the city and attending the final 2012 event in the WIRED + Marriott Culturazzi series. Since I had some … Read More

Hello Old Friend – Reimagining Marriott

When I first started my professional career right out of graduate school I immediately gravitated towards a few brands for business travel. At the time the big two for me … Read More

Social Technology and the New Breed of Hotels

I’m a sucker for a nice hotel. There’s nothing better than coming back to a stylish and relaxing oasis after a long day of sightseeing or a tough day at … Read More

VIDEO Highlights From the WIRED Insider and Marriott Night of Comedy with Funny or Die

I recently took part in an exciting event hosted by WIRED Insider and Marriott Hotels and Resorts, the second installment in their Culturazzi series of events, an evening with Funny … Read More

Hotels, Podcasts and Being Gay in Hollywood: An Interview with Comedian James Adomian

Earlier this week I was invited to the latest event in the WIRED Insider Culturazzi Series hosted by Marriott Hotels & Resorts. The events are a way to showcase some … Read More

Living Inside a Game Reserve in Zimbabwe – The Stanley and Livingstone Hotel

Imagine sitting down on a sweeping verandah, sipping your morning coffee as unknown and exotic birds twitter in the distance. Just as you set down the steaming mug after your … Read More

How to Live Like a Rock Star on Maui

Let’s face it, Maui is a pretty nice place. From the lush and relaxing highlands to some of the best beaches in the world, it is hardly a chore to … Read More

Floating Luxury in Namibia – The Zambezi Queen

Getting to Namibia wasn’t the easiest experience in the world, as I detailed in this post, but it was fun. It was fun to get out of my comfort zone … Read More

Old World Elegance at the Monarch Hotel in Johannesburg

I don’t always write about hotels, even when they host me for a night of two. The reason? Writing about hotels isn’t always the most exciting post for me or … Read More

Short Term Vacation Rental Case Study: Nox Rentals in Cape Town

Last year I had the opportunity to use a short term rental while on vacation for the first time. I was nervous in the beginning, I mean who knows if … Read More

Holistic Luxury in the Tropical Haven of Hana on Maui

The Road to Hana was a little stressful – I won’t lie. Even though it’s only 52 miles from the airport to Hana, the road takes an average of 2 … Read More

A New-Old Way to Experience Bangkok – The Mandarin Oriental

I’ve been to Bangkok before and I’ve stayed at some very nice hotels in my life, but nothing quite prepared me for our stay at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok. The … Read More

Looking for Luxury in Laos

Laos is a lot of things. It’s one of the few remaining single party Communist countries in the world. It’s completely landlocked. It’s one of the 50 poorest countries in … Read More

Hotels as Experience Curators – InterContinental Bangkok

I’ve always maintained that hotels are a lot more than just a place to sleep at night and take a shower. They can make or break a trip; their staffs … Read More

Luxury in the Sky – Five Reasons You Should Stay at the Ritz Carlton Tokyo

For our trip to Asia I partnered with several companies in order to portray an image of the region I don’t see enough of in the blogosphere – luxury. There … Read More

Exploring the Yucatan with the JW Marriott Cancun

I’ve been to the Yucatan in Mexico several times, usually as a way to quickly recharge and to enjoy the beautiful beaches. It’s hard to pass up on an opportunity … Read More

Watch With Me As I Witness the Descent of the Feathered Serpent in Mexico

There was a brief time in my life when I thought I would actually be an archeologist. I blame Indiana Jones and a fierce desire to uncover lost secrets of … Read More

A Visit to My Happy Place – The InterContinental Melbourne: Rialto

I love hotels, from the grand lobbies to the little bathroom amenities, the entire experience of staying with a high quality, luxury hotel is an event unto itself. While traveling … Read More

The No-Holds Barred Review of Dreams Resorts

PLEASE note, this review is from 2012 and is about a resort which is no longer under the Dreams flag. Last year I was approached by AMResorts, the provider of … Read More

The HomeAway Verdict – Are Short Term Vacation Rentals Worth the Hype?

Earlier this year I innocently won a door prize at a conference, a gift card to HomeAway.com. HomeAway is the world’s leading online marketplace of vacation rentals, with sites representing … Read More

Puerto Vallarta Dreams – Photos From Paradise

A few weeks ago I was approached by the fine folks over at AMResorts to partner together on a pretty exciting initiative. AMResorts is the provider of sales, marketing and … Read More

Luxury Within Reach on the Tropical Island of Lanai

Hawaii is a place of dreams and expectations. Most people have a mental image of Hawaii whenever the destination comes up in conversation, and for the most part these conceptions … Read More

Experiencing Modern Caribbean Comfort at the San Juan Marriott

I’m a little embarrassed to say that I had never been to Puerto Rico before accepting the invitation of the San Juan Marriott to visit for a few days to … Read More

Exploring Paradise at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort

There are a lot of hotel brands I love, but for some reason Marriott has always held a soft spot in my heart. That’s why I was so thrilled when … Read More

Preserving Style and Architecture at The Rialto in Melbourne

The Rialto Melbourne I don’t usually write about hotels, unless I find something really unique to say. This post isn’t any different, I’m not going to write about how great … Read More

Finding the Best Hotel For Your Visit to Uluru

Even though I enjoyed every moment of exploring the Northern Territory’s Red Centre, the real star of course was Uluru (Ayer’s Rock). If you travel to Uluru, you will necessarily … Read More

Desert Oasis – Kings Canyon Resort Experience

I’m not going to lie, getting to Kings Canyon from Alice Springs was a bit of an event. I guess I’m just a soft city mouse, but the two hours … Read More

InterContinental Challenge – The Results

Before leaving on our two-week Australian extravaganza, I wrote this post about our InterContinental Challenge. The idea was simple, for months I’ve been highlighting InterContinental for their ground breaking apps … Read More

Weird New Zealand – Staying at the Hobbit Hotel

I’m in love with New Zealand, from the rolling verdant hills of the North Island to the soaring peaks of the Southern Alps, I love it all. But it’s not … Read More

Taking the InterContinental Challenge

A few months ago I wrote about my favorite hotel iPad and iPhone apps. My focus was on apps created by the hotels themselves, instead of third party booking sites. … Read More

Travel Case Study – What Does Luxury Travel Really Mean?

Nomads, backpackers, flash packers, DINKs, family travelers, GLBT travel, solo travel, multigenerational travel, agritravel, ecotravel, sustainable travel, voluntourism – these are just some of the many different phrases we use … Read More

A Review of Every Marriott in Jordan

Marriott didn’t pay for this post, not really. I stayed with them while on a blog trip sponsored by the Jordan Tourism Board, so I guess indirectly they sort … Read More

Courtyard Hits it Big with Airline Passengers

Last week I was traveling through Charlotte-Douglas International Airport like I have a thousand times before, connecting from one US Airways flight to another when I noticed something different. There, … Read More

Hotel Service is about the People and Not the Brand

I love hotels, from the moment I check in at the start of a new adventure, to wandering about the property and owning a piece of a dream for at … Read More

When Service Matters: Choosing the Right Hotel

In my spare time I read a lot about travel. Not only do I enjoy it, but I’m always looking for tip and tricks to enhance my travel experience and … Read More

Faster, Higher, Stronger – Hilton Announces Brand Transformation

Hilton Hotels and Resorts this week offered a sneak peek at the results of its multi-year efforts to rebrand the hotel chain into a sleeker, more modern organization. This global … Read More

Omni Hotels Joins Global Alliance and Offers Travel Experiences to Guests

A few months ago I wrote an article on the Omni Hotels loyalty program. At the time I called it one of my favorite hotel rewards program in the country, … Read More

Trends in Voluntourism: The Kokua Project – Saving Animals in Hawaii

While in Lana’i, as part of the Lana’i Visitor’s Bureau New Media Artist in Residence Program, I had the opportunity to meet a truly exceptional person, Kathy Carroll. I was … Read More

Stepping Back in Time at the Hotel Lanai

Hotel Lanai If you a frequent, or even infrequent, reader of this site, then you are no doubt aware that I was recently on the island of Lana’i as part … Read More

When Budget Travel Goes Wrong – Alcazar Hotel

I’ve always been very careful when describing the mission of LandLopers. Yes, the site is about budget travel, but comfortable budget travel. I don’t believe that you have to couch … Read More

Omni Hotels and My Favorite Rewards Program

Omni Hotel Rewards On a recent trip to the heart of Virginia in Charlottesville, we had the opportunity to stay at a charming hotel in the downtown core, the Omni … Read More

Top 7 Ways to Score Free Hotel Upgrades

Today I am very pleased and honored to share with everyone a great guest post by Amy Chan, Director of Marketing for Kiwi Collection. She was gracious enough to offer … Read More

Resting Your Head

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