Villa Cora is my favorite type of hotel…scandalous history, immaculate restoration with over-the-top glamour, yet unpretentious and comfortable with perfect service. Baron Oppenheimer, of the banking family which financed the Suez Canal, built this villa to impress his new Italian…
Ah Antwerp…the city of money, art and fashion. Where the first newspaper was printed, the first stock exchange established (actually a commodities exchange as stocks had yet to be invented) and Europe’s first sky scraper was built in 1932. 300,000…
Ah Madrid…where the sun shines 300 days a year, where locals are called gatos (cats) because they stay out late (or maybe because of an ancient soldier who climbed the city walls) and where you can find the only statue…
Dream location, fabulous value and Paris. What more could you ask for! The Hyatt Paris Madeleine surprises on every front. So not the American chain hotel you might expect when you hear Hyatt. Built in the 1850’s, this Haussmann building…
What makes a place a romantic? For me, it is the experience, sometimes shared, sometimes solo. Rwanda was one of the most romantic places I’ve ever visited; I went alone. 30 years ago, completely broke, John and I rented the…
Grand Hotel Imperiale is a family-owned gem on the banks of Lake Como. It was built in 1922, though the main building is quite modern; there are still a few traces of its Art Nouveau heritage. I recommend staying in…
Read More best bed: Grand Hotel Imperiale, Moltrasio, Lake Como, Italy
