Florence:
The Hotel: The Lungarno, a 73 room boutique hotel, is as stylish and sophisticated as their owner, the fashion house of
Ferragamo. In the heart of Florence, the
Lungarno overlooks the Arno with great views of the river and the
Ponte Vecchio. Combining classic with contemporary, the rooms have antique furnishings, as well as pieces from the
Ferragamo Home Collection. Many of the river view rooms and suites have balconies and the
Borgo San Jacopo is one of the best traditional ‘Cucina Italiana’ restaurants in the city.
The Deal: Bear & Bear rate: 180 Euro per night
includes upgrade at time of booking, early check-in & late check-out and 10% discount at
Borgo San Jacopo Restaurant AND the oh-so fashionable
Fusion Bar in the Gallery Arts Hotel, their sister property. Tax is additional. Subject to availability. Valid until April 30, 2009.
The Diversion: San Gimignano, one of the most colorful and best preserved medieval towns in
Tuscany, is approximately 1 hour away from Florence and well worth the visit. A private wine tour and a gourmet lunch at nearby
Antinori Winery Badia a Passignano is truly special..and scrumptious! Buon Appetito!
London:
The Hotel: If you’re looking for glamour and
glamorously designed rooms, the best pool in town equipped with a bar and nightclub-worthy sound system, a very cool restaurant and an enviable location (the heart of the theatre district),
The Haymarket Hotel should be your number 1 choice. All of the 50 rooms and suites in this upscale boutique hotel are handsomely designed by
Kit Kemp with a contemporary English flair and a style all her own. They have granite and oak bathrooms featuring
Miller Harris bath products with a heavenly scent designed exclusively for the
Haymarket…how divine is that ?!
The Deal: Bear & Bear rate: £235 per night including breakfast. Tax additional. Valid until April 30, 2009. Based on availability.
The Diversion: The musical must, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, is premiering at the
Palace Theatre on Tuesday, March 24. The buzz about town is it will be the most fun since
Mamma Mia debuted. Go to the new J. Sheekey Oyster Bar nearby for a pre or post dinner and you will thank me…
Paris:
The Hotel: Hotel Montalembert has the perfect address; it is located on the left bank of
Paris right off Blvd St. Germain which is the heart and soul of
Paris, not to mention where the cool boutiques, restaurants and cafes are! This 56 room traditional style hotel with a contemporary twist has flat screen TV’s, DVD players and iPod dock alarm clocks in every room, the bathroom amenities are
Molton Brown and the General Manager is as sexy as the hotel…ooh la la!!!
The Deal: Bear & Bear rate: 225 Euro including breakfast, tax and service. Valid until April 30, 2009.
The Diversion: Le Jardin des Pate is a hidden find for lunch specializing in homemade healthy pastas made from various grains like rice or buckwheat flour to chestnut farfalle with shitake mushrooms. Nearby is the
Jardin des Plantes, the main botanical garden in
France and a lovely spot to walk off your meal. In addition to the gardens, there is an aquarium and small zoo that dates back to 1795 when it was home to the animals of the royal menagerie at
Versailles.
Puerto Rico:
The Hotel: TJ Ranch, located in
Arecibo , is a small, family run guest house on a working coffee plantation. This restful retreat is a great place to relax, hike or take in the natural beauty of the mountains and flora and fauna that surround you. There is a swimming pool, restaurant with home-cooking and it is a perfect base for daily excursions.
The Deal: $100 per night including breakfast. Tax is additional.
The Diversion: The world’s largest radio telescope with a 1000 ft diameter reflector is located in
Arecibo. It appeared in the movie GoldenEye and was used by
Jodie Foster in Contact to probe the cosmos. If aliens are your thing, this is a must-see. The restored
Arecibo Lighthouse affords you a panoramic view of the town and the
Atlantic Ocean; in season, this is a perfect spot for whale watching.
In nearby Camuy, the Caves are a uniquely fascinating site to visit.
Camuy Cavern is the only place in the world where you will find a cave system that is so massive and dramatic with an underground river running through it. Only illuminated in the last few years, you can take a descending trolley through another cave, the 170 foot high
Cuerva Clara.
Chicago:
The Hotel: Trump Chicago is the city’s newest sleek and soaring landmark hotel. Within walking distance to the exclusive shops on
Michigan Avenue and the historic sites along the Riverwalk,
Trump has the largest accommodations , the largest health club and the largest ego(after all, it’s
‘Trump’), in Chicago!. Their smallest suite is 1200 sq feet and they come equipped with full gourmet urban- style kitchens,
Nespresso coffee makers and 10 ft floor- to- ceiling windows overlooking the
Chicago River and Lake Michigan.
The Deal: Book a deluxe room at the Bear & Bear rate of $245 per night and receive an automatic upgrade to a 1 bedroom suite. Valid until April 30, 2009.
The Diversion: If you’re looking for a side of
Chicago most people don’t get to see, we work with a professor of Art & Architecture at the
Art Institute of Chicago who is quite adept at mixing
Frank Lloyd Wright and Mies Van Der Rohe landmarks with
Al Capone and the secret Jazz Era haunts of the North Side of
Chicago.
Sundra is the hottest new restaurant in Chicago . The owner,
Rodelio Aglibot, is the former chef of LA’s popular
Koi restaurant and his Asian-inspired cuisine is an instant success at his new home. You heard it here first…
Boston:
The Hotel: Not only is the
Eliot on Conde Nast Traveler’s 2009 Gold List, it was ranked one of the best 100 hotels in the
U.S. by Travel + Leisure Magazine. Located a stone’s throw from fashionable
Newbury Street shopping, Copley Place and
Boston’s major art galleries and cultural attractions, this handsome 95 room boutique hotel is designed to feel like you’re staying in someone’s home, and an elegant one at that! With flat panel, high definition TV’s, wireless internet, down comforters, designer throws and signature bathrobes in each room, this is a good indication that you will be pampered throughout your stay.
The Deal: Bear & Bear rate: $195 per night for a deluxe room and a $10 per person breakfast credit per day. Valid until April 30, 2009.
The Diversion: The North End is the
NY equivalent of, ‘Little Italy’ and it is chock full of authentic Italian restaurants and cafes. Two of the best cafes in that area (and
Boston, I might add) are the Modern Pastry Shop and
Café Vittoria. Both are on Hanover Street, both are award winning and both have the most scrumptious Italian confections imaginable!!
Montreal:
The Hotel: For a chic, unique boutique (try saying this 3 times quickly)! experience, check into the
Opus. This 136 room hotel is luxuriously modern and minimalistic, but it is minutes away from
Old Montreal so the contrast is interesting. All rooms have 27 “ LCD TV’s with integrated computers and high speed internet. There is a 24 hour fitness center with personal trainers and the
Opus is home to Koko, an Asian fusion restaurant + bar. FYI:
Opus recently opened Suco Lounge which has an amazing DJ and attracts a local, more underground crowd.
The Deal: Bear & Bear rates: 149 CAD(approx $117) per night for a Privilege King and 169 CAD(approx $132) per night for a Privilege double bedded room. Valid unti April 30, 2009.
The Diversion: If you’re staying at Opus, L’Avenue du Plateau is a must for breakfast. They do not accept reservations and sometimes there could be an hour wait(I guess they didn’t hear of the word, recession) !, but the coffee is better than great and the french toast, french crepes and french fries are magnifique!
Lemeac café bistro is the perfect choice for dinner serving classic French cuisine with a modern, simple approach. Add to the mix an elaborate wine list, a chic décor, a great crowd and a take- out store selling their homemade products.
Washington, D.C.:
The Hotel: The Ritz Carlton Washington D.C. has so many things going for it that it may be the only thing in
Washington that doesn’t need any more stimulus! It’s 10 blocks from the
White House, near the Smithsonian Institute and
U.S. Capitol, 4 blocks from Georgetown , is child and pet friendly and has
Westend Bistro by Eric Ripert, the 3 star Michelin chef. If that weren’t enough,
LA Sports Club, the 100,000 sq ft luxury fitness and spa, is next door...it is the largest sports club in
Washington D.C. Bigger is really better!!!
The Deal: Rates start at $299 per night including complimentary breakfast and upgrade upon availability.
Bear & Bear exclusive: when booking a 1 bedroom suite, complimentary access to
LA Sports Club and complimentary internet access.
The Hotel: Hotel Rouge is funky , fun, colorful in design and playful in spirit. This 137 room boutique hotel is conveniently located near
Embassy Row, Dupont Circle and the trendy U Street Corridor.
The Chill rooms feature 2 plasma TV’s, Sony PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii
and a DVD player. The Chow rooms feature a kitchenette with a microwave, refrigerator and a full set of dishware.
The Steal: Cherry Blossom package starting at $199 per night for a deluxe room including continental breakfast and valet parking.
The Diversion: Owned by a collective of American family farmers,
Founding Farmers restaurant promotes the products and services of family farms, ranches and fisheries. Not only is the food wholesomely fresh, good and good for you, but
Founding Farmers is environmentally friendly and a
Certified Green Restaurant.
Contact Bear & Bear for details
info@bearandbear.travel
