A weekend in Wynwood is just enough time to take in the blocks of street art, shops, museums, and dining. The best place – and only luxury hotel to stay at is the Arlo Wynwood, an experience-driven hotel that opened on November 1, 2022. 

Located in the heart of Wynwood, the hotel is the first in Miami’s preeminent creative and cultural district, currently home to the world’s largest concentration of street art. We quickly checked in to the 217-room, nine-story hotel, marveling at the outdoor mural, soaring lobby, and digital wall art.

Designed by Nicholas Architects, a distinguished Miami-based architecture firm with over 55 years of experience in the hospitality sector, Arlo Wynwood draws on the neighborhood’s curated artistic nature and an eclectic industrial aesthetic of organic meets modern. Meyer Davis was responsible for the exceptional interior design of the building, contributing significantly to its overall appeal.

The sleek elevator has a bullet-proof security entry system that whisks you to your floor; artist Brooke Einbender designed each of the elevators with 3D decals that reflect the intersection of where art and technology meet. 

Once in the room, we liked the metal hat rack and slatted wood cabinet with a well-stocked coffee and snack station. The king-sized bed had luxe white linens and a padded headboard with various lighting setups. A huge TV is anchored on one wall. The white and gray tiled bath is modern and stocked with products and towels. 

The best feature is the balcony with two seats and a grand view of the sprawling, colorful city. From the 7th floor, it was a clear shot of the bay and the gleaming towers that defined the new Miami skyline. Watching the city change from day to night, with views of courtyards and penthouses, was a thrill.

After checking, we returned to the lobby to eat at MaryGold’s, led by James Beard alum Chef Brad Kilgore. Their modern American cuisine pulls from Miami and the melting pot of flavors that make up the country’s culture. Kilgore, a James Beard “Best Chef: South” nominee and Food & Wine “Best New Chefs in America” alumnus, has been credited for helping define the Miami dining scene. We scanned the menu of locally caught seafood, homemade pasta, and numerous small and large plates.

Brunch has beignets with dipping sauces, salads, brioche French toast, egg dishes of benedicts, frittatas, and something called eggs in purgatory. Super delicious blueberry muffins were warm and fruity, and the almond latte was one of the best I’ve ever had. Later, we feasted on prawn cocktails, ravioli with creamed sweet corn, and spicy brown butter for dinner. Desert was chocolate cake and sorbets.

We made our way up to the pool to check out the 360 view with cabanas and lounge chairs. Arlo’s 76-foot-long heated pool is the property’s crown jewel, with resort vibes in the city’s heart. A full-service menu has Asian beef skewers, roasted chicken wings, tuna poke guacamole, and more to go with wine, beer, cocktails, juices, and soft drinks. 

Art is everywhere—the hotel has more than 250 works of art throughout. On the serene yoga deck, Florida-based collage artist Ari Robinson created a plexiglass mural featuring overlapping organic shapes of varying sizes and hues.

The property’s exterior walls feature works by Miami-based artist Hoxxoh, known for his “spheres of life” that illustrate the motions of space and time, and MILAGROS Collective, whose co-founders Felici Asteinza and Joey Fillastre created site-specific work that explores the history of the community through striking arrangements of color and lines. 

Photo Gallery

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Venturing out to see the top attractions in the area, we visited Aliona Ortega Fine Art gallery, whose current show, “Songsforstarlings,” was of elegant dark, moody paintings by Psychedelic Furs singer / visual artist Richard Butler (who prefers to call himself “a painter who sings”). A black and white video of him singing and painting his visage runs on a loop in the back.

“When I was a child in rural England, starlings would flock in the thousands on telephone wires. It presaged the beginning of winter, and it invoked a certain sense of melancholy. I would like to think the paintings do the same — a certain sense of beauty, yet sadness simultaneously,” Butler says of the show.  

Ortega says, “I try to stay with art, not street artists per se. I work mainly with painters, sculptures, photographers, and designers who create functional art.”

“It was scary to start a gallery in Wynwood back in the days,” she says. “But I’ve been in the art business a long time. I’m working with new artists that have joined the gallery. I just finished a solo exhibition by Luis Garcia Nerey, whom I’ve known for a long time.  On view through Miami Art Week is Butler’s show, and afterward, I’ll have a group exhibit. I enjoy doing group shows because you make your own story with different art, creating a dialogue between the works of artists that are very different. It’s an enjoyable, curatorial exercise.”

“We built our business around second Saturday art walks here. It was always a new show, always crowds guaranteed that came to see the galleries. There were more than 80 at one point. Around 2017, landlords increased the rent so galleries couldn’t survive. Many went north to little Haiti or west to Alapattah, but then came back as more upscale places like condos and offices opened here.”

Ortega says a lot of people from New York are now here, along with the new high-tech businesses. 

“I’m happy that we’re still here; I enjoy the fact that people are walking around this neighborhood, and there’s the sea and major museums close by.”

Other top attractions are the Museum of Graffiti, Wynwood Walls, art galleries, the Oasis shops, and Panther Coffee with fun 3D art by Mark Diamond.

Arlo Wynwood has partnered with internationally recognized L.A.-based artist and painter ThankYouX, a leader in the NFT space who is bridging the gap between the traditional art and crypto worlds, to create a brand-new mural on the rooftop called “Want to Be Reminded.” ThankYouX’s creation will showcase the energy and movement around the city by incorporating unique color schemes that represent both the hotel and the neighborhood. The mural will be unveiled on Wednesday, December 6, during a free event – open to the public – from 6-9 p.m.

Online at www.arlohotels.com. On Instagram: @arlohotels @marygoldsbrasserie 

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All Andy Warhol- and Keith Haring-style prints, bold patterns, primary colors and mid-century mod design, the structure DePiazza has designed looks and feels like a museum exhibit dedicated to all of those cultural influences.

Oh, and then there’s the fact that it’s all housed in nine shipping containers — proudly rusted out, mind you, as far as DePiazza is concerned. The display certainly stands out in this sedate residential neighborhood populated mostly by modest old Florida stuccos or split-level ranches off U.S. 1 in St. Augustine.

Converted container homes, with their utilitarian and stark industrial aesthetics, have been catching on in communities all over the country.

When DePiazza first built the home at 1369 Prince Road, he intended for it to solely be his family home, a replacement to the residence he’d lived in for more than three decades adjacent to the property that was destroyed by Hurricane Irma in 2017.

Since the structure was completed in February of this year, he considered sharing his creation with others and renting it out on Airbnb.com whenever he travels. After getting the proper permitting in place, the listing is already up on the short-term rental website.

“A lot of people are always very curious about it, especially what it’s like on the inside,” said DePiazza.

They’re not alone.

According to a recent survey by Airbnb.com, 21% of travelers said different kinds of accommodations appeal to them: out-of-the-ordinary spaces like farms and yurts, tree houses and, yes, shipping containers.

In the first half of 2021, nights booked at unique listings grew 45% compared to 2019, and the number of searches for unique listings grew 94% compared to the same period in 2019, according to Airbnb.

For $350 a night, guests at what DePiazza calls his PRCH (Prince Road Container House) get 1,600 square feet of living space with room to sleep six, including a landing-pad lounge; a restored 1957 jukebox; retro-style dining booth/counter; BOSE sound system; Viking gas range; and a large collection of art.

Guests can also take advantage of the PRCH’s unusual deck space, which includes a barbecue, as well as kayaks to launch in the waterway nearby.

For several years, DePiazza played with the idea of a shipping container home. With the help of friend and architect Stephen Bender, he figured out the logistics of the project.

The longtime owner of Screen Arts, DePiazza has operated a successful graphics screen-printing business in West Augustine for years. The space has also acted as an art gallery as well, showcasing local and national art pieces known for their edginess and innovation.

In the process, DePiazza’s own love for collecting pop-culture art has helped him amass a large collection, which he wanted to creatively display in his dream home.

His daughter, Gisella, 19, a sophomore at the University of Florida, also played a part in giving her dad ideas and he said their collective vision for the space “just brought it all together.”

As far as the final result, Gisella said, she and her friends think it’s “really cool; people are just really interested in places that are kind of different,” as she stopped to point out some of the original raw surfacing of the shipping containers that is still visible within the walls of the house.

Wanting to travel more in the near future, DePiazza said, he decided to take a chance and put the property up on Airbnb. Just a week later, he’s already received a number of confirmations upcoming stays.

A condominium that sleeps six in a similar area of St. Augustine to DePiazza’s listing typically goes for between $150 and $200 a night on Airbnb, while a single-family residential home in the vicinity is upwards about $250.

DePiazza said he’s hoping to have the reason to both go off exploring new destinations on his own while getting to share the house-slash-museum he’s taken so much pride in building and that others might enjoy as well.

It appears others agree.

The PRCH is already booked for the holidays.

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St. Augustine Airbnb shipping container a hit with ’60s pop art

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Some simple pre-departure tasks are crucial to a happy homecoming. These include: tidying up, putting your mail on hold, stocking up on frozen or non-perishable food (or scheduling a grocery delivery for when you get home), unplugging appliances, turning off the water supply, putting fresh sheets on the beds and giving a spare key to a friend.

“It’s awful to come home to a cold and messy home,’’ says Amy Panos, home editor of Better Homes and Gardens. “It’s definitely worth it to clean up before you go. Think about what you want to come home to …. Take out the trash, and if there’s food in the fridge or on the counter that will spoil before you get back, get rid of it.”

Jacqui Gifford, editor in chief of Travel and Leisure, says she travels about once a month and has set routines before each trip.

Some tips from the experts:

Tidy Up: Take out the trash and dispose of perishable foods, Panos says. Make sure your home looks neat and welcoming.

Make it Welcoming: Make sure you have groceries on hand to make an easy meal when you return, says Gifford, who suggests things like frozen foods or pasta with sauce as easy fixes for the travel-weary and hungry. Panos says it’s also nice to have fresh-made beds waiting for you when you get home.

Safeguard your home: Program your lights to turn on and off at regular intervals. Have your mail and subscriptions placed on hold so things don’t accumulate at your front door, tipping off potential thieves that you’re away. Reinforce sliding glass doors, lock all doors and windows, and leave your car in the driveway, Panos and Gifford said. You might consider waiting until you are home to post your travel pictures on social media, so you’re not advertising to the world that you’re away and your home is empty, Gifford says. Letting your neighbors know that you’ll be away is also a good idea, says Panos, so they can keep an eye on things while you’re gone.

Shut things down: Turn off the main water switch if you’ve got finicky plumbing, says Gifford, and put together a checklist of things that need to be turned off or unplugged. Set your thermostat lower before you go and, if possible, program it to heat up again right before you get back, suggests Panos. “The last thing I do before heading out the door is to unplug all my electric items. It’s good for your pocketbook because it saves energy, and can save your electrical items in case there’s a power surge. It’s also good for the environment,” Gifford says.

Leave a key: Give a spare key to a friend or neighbor, in case you realize on your way to the airport that you forgot to turn something off or need something checked on, Gifford says.

Consider extra security measures: In addition to the more basic pre-departure steps, there are other precautions to consider.

“Make sure your itinerary is left with a friend or neighbor not going on the trip, so someone knows where you are in the world and how to reach you. It’s also a good idea to leave a copy of your passport and credit cards with a family member, and also bring a copy with you that you can keep separately from your documents in case they’re stolen,” Gifford says.

If you travel frequently with children or someone with health issues, supplemental travel insurance may be a good idea, she says: “One in 30 trips ends in a medical emergency and, particularly if you travel a lot, that extra sense of security is worth it.’’

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The post Before you Travel, Take Steps to Ensure a Happy Homecoming appeared first on The Florida Daily Post.

As it turns out, not only was the offer legit, Espenscheid said she “had a blast.”

The West Virginia Division of Tourism arranged the free trip earlier this month to promote the state as a perfect fall destination. The only clues: Show up in layered clothes and hiking boots and have a sense of adventure.

Five hundred people applied; 33 were chosen. They were told to show up at a Washington, D.C., bus station at 7 a.m. for the trip that would return them the next day.

The next clues came when they saw the bus, which was labeled “Destination Unknown” but had a West Virginia license plate. The sides were covered in a photo of red, orange and yellow fall foliage, “and we’re heading west,” Espenscheid said.

That gave them a general idea, but still, what was there to do?

Plenty. And that was the point of the trip, which was open to residents of Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C.

“I had never thought ‘Hey let’s go to West Virginia for the weekend.’ Outside of Harpers Ferry, I did not know what West Virginia had to offer,” Espenscheid said.

Mystery trips have grown into their own industry, both for individual and group travel. Whether traveling by bus, train or plane, these vacations vary widely in length, expense, and destination.

Often, clients are given a general idea of where they’re going. Others aren’t told until they arrive at the airport. Some trips are even bought as gifts for others.

Mystery trip organizers can help clients who have a hard time making a decision, are overwhelmed with where they want to go or have done so much research that the excitement is gone, said Denise Chaykun Weaver, who started Magical Mystery Tours nearly a decade ago after she arranged a trip for a friend on a whim to San Francisco. Her firm now books hundreds of trips per year.

“There’s this magical thing about a mystery trip in that you don’t have control. You don’t know where you’re going,” she said. “Surprises are really fun.”

Many companies offer trips based on clients’ interests, so there’s no arm twisting. Travelers aren’t going to be sent on a skydiving trip if they’re afraid of heights.

“We definitely get a lot of ‘I want a beach, I want something warm,’” she said.

Pink Bus Mystery Trips of Fargo, North Dakota, started in 2007 as a fundraising event for ALS research and now plans vacations for women. It took groups on sold-out trips to Michigan in June and Texas in October and plans a two-week trip to Scandinavia next September.

Among other online trip organizers are Pack Up + Go and SurpriseMeTrips . Upscale vendors include The Travel Mechanic and the Black Tomato while Rustic Pathways specializes in summer group packages worldwide for students.

Espenscheid, a public speaker from Quantico, Virginia, said the West Virginia trip was especially attractive because her busy work schedule is already mapped out and involves a dress and high heels. She recently went to Miami for speaking engagements and had another one in the works to Nashville.

“How nice would it be to travel on a weekend and not have to plan it?” she said.

A few hours into the West Virginia mystery trip, her group stopped at Blackwater Falls for a gourmet lunch.

“Something out of a dream,” Espenscheid said.

There also was horseback riding and hiking to Seneca Rocks that took them nearly 900 feet above the valley floor.

The group enjoyed dinner, poking around shops, cafes, breweries and other nightlife in the former coal mining and timber towns of Davis and Thomas. They watched musical acts at a general store-turned-cafe and concert venue and spent the night at Canaan Valley Resort and Conference Center.

By the next evening, Espenscheid was back home — her sister didn’t have to worry any longer.

“I would absolutely do it again,” Espenscheid said. “It got me out of my comfort zone. If I can sign up for another destination unknown where I’m not planning anything? It’s part of the adventure.”

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Going Somewhere? Some Places Offer Trips to the Unknown

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The town of Lauderdale by the Sea offers a walkable-friendly retro vibe, with one-story row of boutiques, casual seafood and Mexican restaurants, and community events. The Block Party at Anglin’s Square and Pier on Friday nights is like Key West, but a lot more chill. Another key attraction is a coral reef just 100 yards offshore, making it a popular spot for scuba divers.

My recent weekend stay at one of their ocean-front room was like being on a tropical island in the Caribbean, as my room’s spacious terrace literally opened out right onto a small grassy garden area with bright green lizards scurrying about, then beyond that, white sands leading to the ocean. A bright striped beach ball awaited on my big comfy platform bed, while the bathroom had a cool wooden slab counter, huge shower and high end herbal bath products. Modern amenities of Bluetooth capabilities, a 50-inch LED HD television, a large in-room safe, and a mini-fridge added to the comfort.

Heading to the beach, it was thrill to see so many roped-off turtle nests, a sure sign of a healthy ocean. The little hatchlings should be scampering out of their sandy nests soon. Kite surfers, paddle boarders and kids on boogie boards reveled in the quiet surf. A group was snorkeling further out, checking out the coral reef and fish. The seaweed that plagued the beaches here last summer seems to have stayed away this time.

A real little paradise feel.

Plunge Beach Hotel provides lounge chairs, umbrellas, cheery pink and blue beach towels to make that 84-degree dip in the calm ocean a delight.

And for lunch, the backflip Beach Bar sits right on the sand, the only toes-in-the-sand beach bar in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. Hmm, what to choose from –  Garlic Shrimp Tacos, Yucca Fries & Queso, Grilled Romaine Salad with avocado and toasted pepitas, or maybe the signature Backburger with Colby Jack cheese, bacon, avocado and chimichurri mayo.

But for my first meal at Plunge I opted for the tacos, served with chips, and a frozen Pina Colada with orange slices and a cherry on top because when on the beach that’s what you order.

The pool scene is idyllic too.

There are two pools to choose from, a large angular shaped pool just behind the Backflip Bar and then a smaller, quieter pool nestled in the bungalows. The scene at the large pool is lively with music wafting in from the bar, and lots of sunny and shady places to lounge. I took a leisurely swim, then plopped onto my chair, cracked open a new book and dove into another world for a while.

Later in the afternoon after a dog nap —forgot to mention the hotel is dog-friendly and I had brought my 5-month old little Greyhound with me— I took little Hallie with me over to the main lobby building across the street to check out the scene where big video screens roll with tropical images.

The front desk is just inside with a large bar to the left. Table top games of foosball and table hockey await in the back; live music was provided by a swinging blonde singer. A lively birthday party was going on at the bar as the hotel is a prime spot for special gatherings.

Two eateries are located in the lobby, Octopus Gastro Pub for lunch and dinner offering a casual vibe with elevated seafood island-style.

I tried their crab fritters with charred corn and bacon and also the lime-coconut coco mussels. I also tried their namesake octopus, served with white beans, and the server suggested the blackened mahi, done to perfection with sautéed spinach and fingerling potatoes.

In the back of the lobby by the sunny windows that face A1A, is Bean & Barnacle, the onsite coffee shop and market, to pick up fresh-brewed coffee, sweet pastries like my fave chocolate croissant or a breakfast sandwich with egg, cheese and bacon to munch on the terrace or take to the beach for a sunrise picnic. It’s also good for snacks, gelato, smoothies and juices.

While at the hotel, I pampered myself watching the sunrise in the mornings from my terrace, always pale blue turning to warm yellow as sea birds flew past low-lying clouds. No matter how many times you’ve seen it, the wonder of it all never goes away.

Outside the main doors of Plunge Beach Hotel are cruiser bikes, great for heading off on an adventure down to Anglin’s Pier to see the sweet kitschy charm of Lauderdale by the Sea.

As hidden gems go, this one’s a real find.

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If you visit, Plunge Beach Hotel is located on 4660 El Mar Dr. Lauderdale by the Sea, 33308. Find information on their services and offers here: plungebeachhotel.com.

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Plunge Beach Hotel: Lauderdale by the Sea’s Hidden Gem

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The hotel rooms and amenity uncover the perfect romantic escape. The wave patterned rug and dark to light blue ombre curtains in the suites lead to welcoming balconies with couches, lounge chairs and a table set for two.

As a glass wall allows for a seamless view of the Atlantic Ocean, endless skies and the line of cruise ships glide in and out of Port Everglades, one of the largest ports in Florida. The hotel reflects the cruise ship aesthetic with slanted bow, sailboat-shaped buildings, raised pool decks, and nautical touches that include hanging rope sculptures and glass lanterns.

Feel and smell amazing! Amenities in the glass walled bath is filled Bliss products, lemon scented and refreshing, but soon to be replaced by the W brands Away line. A box of snacks, beach kit, full bar, Nepresso machine (!) and other goodies complete the welcoming vibe.

Speaking of luxury, there are suites to stay in and to buy that are full two-bedroom apartments with a full kitchen and large balconies. One of the suites, called the Wow Suite, has been the site of some reality TV show filming. And the price? Well if you have to ask it’s…not cheap. A girl can dream, can’t she?

Food experience at its best!

Sauntering into the main floor lobby, the tropical Mexican aura of Stephen Starr’s El Vez restaurant lures with the promise of either indoor or outdoor dining, booths, a lively bar, and a decorative wall of Mexican beer cans. For guacamole lovers the menu is a delight with options of flavors, for example the Verde Guacamole made with leafy herbs and Meyer Lemons, is a tangy-rich twist on the jalapeno/tomato/onion standard—they have that too.

El Vez Fort Lauderdale is a festive dining space with a spacious patio with ocean view where mahi mahi tacos, burritos, ceviches, saladas, and a nacho pizza hybrid —layered with beans, cheese, olives, and peppers— pay tribute to the classic Mexican fare offered to celebrate the fresh seafood of this South Florida region. The restaurant serves breakfast (huevos rancheros and frothy cappuccino are a must-try), lunch and dinner, featuring an extensive menu with emphasis on baja-style cooking.

Other restaurants at the hotel are the classic steakhouse at beachside Steak 954 that serves dry-aged meats with delectable sides and the WET Bar & Grill which offers a variety of fresh salads, mouth-watering burgers and other casual fare.

From the Outstanding Restaurateur of the year in the 2017 James Beard Foundation Awards winner, Stephen Starr, Steak 954 looks like wallpaper that turns out to be a large tropical mural of leaves and flowers by French artist Cyprien Chabert who drew the whole work with a Sharpie marker. Past that beautiful touch is a 15-foot-long aquarium swirling with 175 jellyfish. These bizarre beauties are fed-brine shrimp and cared for by local aquarium staff.  The food is exceptional with dry-aged meats and fresh caught seafood. A one-of-a-kind restaurant experience that wows guests with its tropical feel, selection of fine wines and cocktails, and exotic food.

Away Spa

Debuted in January 2019, W Fort Lauderdale’s brand-new AWAY Spa is the first AWAY spa location, with a full beauty menu in addition to a lineup of massages and facials. As a big wedding and special event destination, the Spa has it covered. AWAY Spa is injected with amenities and treatments to detox, retox, and repeat.

After an Elixir refreshment of secret fruit juices (each spa experience begins with a complimentary Bright Elixir), a Go Deep Massage is the most rewarding treat.

Attractions

The Wet East deck, where you literally walk up into the pool from the 4th floor after watching swimmers from above, is the perfect oasis to settle into lush daybeds and sip on frozen hand crafted drinks. The Wet East can get pretty lively with a DJ and lots of people soaking up the sun and the view. For a quieter swim there’s the Wet West in the back of the hotels second tower with private cabanas, a Jacuzzi and gorgeous views of the intracoastal’s boats and homes.

One of the main attractions while at W Fort Lauderdale is kayaking the intracoastal. To do this tour, guests can use the hotel’s cruiser bikes to pedal a few scenic blocks up A1A to Blue Moon Adventures. The calm waters are an easy cruise past mega yachts, mega mansions, mangroves, birds and bridges. The tour explores the area’s most exciting attributes, focusing on history, architecture and natural developments.

On the way back from the tour, lunch at Coconuts —a nearby restaurant— proved to be a magnificent experience. The restaurant has expansive, uninterrupted views of Fort Lauderdale’s intercostal waterways and it is open 7 days a week and providing an upscale dining experience, including brunch on Sundays. Coconuts is a classic-on-the-dock eatery with vintage signs and an outstanding seafood menu. The Scoobie starters – little crab claws in a warm garlic herb broth are very delicious. The grilled swordfish steak with white bean salsa and sautéed spinach is one of the best I’ve ever had.

Cinema Paradiso, Escapology (one of the hardest escape rooms in Florida), The Classic Gateway Theatre, jet ski, segway, parasailing, and scuba diving are among other nearby attractions to enhance your stay at W Fort Lauderdale.

The W brand is proving to be insanely popular, with a hotel opening somewhere around the globe every 16 hours. It’s a world away at the W Fort Lauderdale, and summer is as good a time as any. Maybe better!

If you visit, W Fort Lauderdale is on 401 N Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, 33304. The hotel offers seasonal deals that can be found here.

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W Fort Lauderdale: Oceanfront Luxury With An Edge

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Keep in mind that availability is limited, and award charts, redemptions, transfer options and deals can change. Remaining flexible is key to getting the most out of your points and miles. Remember, too, that if you’re not careful, interest charges, late fees and careless spending on a rewards credit card could cost you more than you can save with your points.

Kauai with Marriott Bonvoy Points

Sheraton Kauai Resort, right on the sand at Poipu Beach, may be one of the top rewards redemption deals out there. The Bonvoy rewards program ranks this relaxing piece of paradise as a Category 5 redemption, meaning rooms there start at 35,000 points per night. From your Kauai home, enjoy boat tours of the breathtaking Napali Coast, plan hikes through Waimea Canyon or golf at some of the nearby courses.

To put that in perspective, consider that the Courtyard by Marriott in crowded Waikiki (a 10-minute walk from the beach) is a Category 6 redemption, meaning rooms start at 50,000 points per night.

Get there with miles: Fly into Lihue Airport using American Airlines AAdvantage miles on nonstops from San Francisco starting at around 45,000 miles round trip.

Aruba with IHG Points

Aruba offers a sun-drenched Caribbean escape outside the hurricane belt, making this island retreat an irresistible option for late-summer travelers. And unlike many destinations where reasonably priced accommodations are a block or three from the ocean, here you’ll find the affordable Holiday Inn Resort: Aruba-Beach Resort & Casino right on the beach, with rooms starting at 40,000 IHG points per night. From this sensibly priced base camp, you can go diving off Hadicurari Beach or enjoy Aruba’s famous nightlife.

Get there with miles: American Airlines passengers out of Dallas can find connecting flights to Aruba for as little as 25,000 miles round trip. Southwest passengers flying from Boston might find round trips as low as 23,000 Rapid Rewards points, though most dates start around 46,000 points.

Mauritius with Hilton Honors

Looking for something a little more exotic? Something far, far away? Hilton Honors members can find their slice of heaven in the Indian Ocean, about 1,200 miles off the southeast coast of Africa, at the Hilton Mauritius Resort & Spa.

The beaches and the too-green-to-believe mountain peaks are the very definition of island beauty. But even paying with points, this place is a splurge: Rooms start at around 70,000 Hilton Honors points per night at a place where a free hotel can offset the cost of ultra-long-distance flights (not to mention the psychological hurdle of committing to a vacation so far from home).

Get there with miles: Passengers departing New York’s Kennedy International Airport can find connecting flights on Air France for around 90,000 Flying Blue miles (which can be transferred to some other loyalty programs in a 1-to-1 points conversion through some issuer programs).

From Los Angeles, scant award seats for this journey are available on British Airways for upward of 100,000 Avios round trip.

San Juan Puerto Rico with Bank of America Points

For a truly unique experience, stay a few miles from the beach at the historic Hotel El Convento in Old San Juan, which was built as a Carmelite convent about 350 years ago. This historic, boutique-style hotel is your luxury home base for exploring Castillo San Felipe del Morro and cobblestone streets lined with colonial structures. Bank of America Rewards members will find rooms there starting at about 28,000 points per night.

Get there with miles: Arrive from Baltimore on Southwest Airlines starting at 31,000 Rapid Rewards points round trip.

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4 Beach Vacations that Maximize your Points and Miles

The post 4 Beach Vacations that Maximize your Points and Miles appeared first on The Florida Daily Post.

Looking for the perfect weekend getaway or a short summer road trip?

I recently had the chance to stay at a recently debuted property in America’s oldest city, The Collector Luxury Inn & Gardens. This St. Augustine hotel makes an ideal destination for families, couples, or just about anyone who could use some time in Henry Flagler’s other favorite haunt.

A smattering of historic homes, recently renovated, make up The Collector’s comfortable accommodations, consisting of 30 individually appointed rooms. The Collector has a fascinating history—which you can learn about on one of the morning walks with the property’s historian—but every room is a suite, so no need to worry about facing small, cramped quarters.

In addition, the grounds are walled in with a white picket fence, creating a haven of serenity and keeping the well manicured gardens and cobblestone brick paths exclusively for guests. Lounge by the inn’s pool or head out for a tour of the historic city, but whatever you do, make sure to kick off happy hour with a cocktail at The Well Bar, located in the middle of the property as a watering hole and gathering place for guests to mingle.

Arrive with an open mind and a confident knowledge of what you like, because there’s no menu at The Well Bar and you won’t find the usual. Instead, award-winning cocktail artist Sonny Wallace expertly crafts tipples that are custom suited to the unique preferences of each patron. Do you like citrus? Spicy over sweet? Rum, not vodka? Gin, but only the finest? Whatever your preferences, Sonny will whip up a concoction you’ve never tasted before—and may never be able to replicate again.

Somehow, Wallace creates balanced cocktails perfectly in tune with the flavor profiles that appeal to each guest. His alcoholic artistry is a highlight of any visit to The Collector.

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Another one of the major draws of The Collector is its prime location. The east side of the property backs up to St. George Street, St. Augustine’s main drag. Just a few minutes on foot will find you amongst shops, restaurants, lively bars, and plenty of things to do. From there, you can tour stately Flagler College, named for the one and only; you can take a ghost tour of the city (a must!), shop the work of local artists, set sail on the Matanzas River, head to Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, tour yourself around Castillo de San Marcos… the options are endless. In any case, stimulate your mind with stories of the area’s eventful past while enjoying the architecture and rich natural beauty of Juan Ponce de León’s 1513 landing place.

There are a lot of restaurants in St. Augustine, but when hunger strikes, I’m partial to beautiful Columbia Restaurant. Stroll the length of St. George Street and you can’t miss it. The grand two-story restaurant, established in 1905, is perched regally on a main corner of the city, between St. George and Hypolita Streets. Feast on traditional Spanish food in a captivating setting. Another favorite is Gypsy Cab Co., located about a mile east of the Bridge of Lions. The food is superb, and the peanut butter pie unforgettable.

Best of all, the property is staying up on recent trends in travel by offering a package geared toward the younger crowd. A new Travelport survey reported that millennials are more likely than older Americans to take a vacation this summer, and so The Collector’s #HitUpTheTown package includes 10% off the hotel’s best available rate upon booking, a $20 Uber credit for navigating the city, and two complimentary cocktails at the on-site Well Bar. Twenty- and thirty-somethings, rejoice: this offer has all you need to kick off a fun weekend just a few hours north of South Florida.

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Get in touch with Skye at @skyesherman on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

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Weekend Getaway to The Collector Luxury Inn & Gardens

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Three experts discussed these issues and more in a Jan. 4 forum in Miami aboard the Seabourn Sojourn. The panel was moderated by The Associated Press with a live audience of Seabourn passengers. Panelists were CruiseCritic.com editor at large Carolyn Spencer Brown, Miami Herald business editor Jane Wooldridge and Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald, speaking in his capacity as chairman of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).

The forum was taped for the Jan. 24 and Jan. 31 episodes of AP’s weekly travel podcast, “Get Outta Here.” The podcast is sponsored by Carnival Corp., which also owns Seabourn.

What’s new in cruising?

Brown says there’s a “huge shift” underway to “small ship cruising,” whether luxury, river or expedition trips. “People are looking at cruising as a way to be a traveler rather than be tourists” by choosing itineraries and shore excursions “that help you meet local families or learn local culture.” Brown said another trend is how the cruise industry has embraced healthy eating and fitness “so you can continue your regimen from home or start a new one.”

Wooldridge says she’s excited about the growth in expedition ships going to “great places” (like Antarctica), though often those trips are expensive.

Donald noted that cruising is booming, with 27.2 million passengers projected for 2018. While small ships are popular, he added, “There’s also a huge appetite for the large ships.” A total of 27 new ships, big and small, debut this year, from brands represented by CLIA.

Caribbean

Donald said “five ports that are heavily frequented by cruise ships” were impacted by hurricanes, but more than 80 ports were not. At this point, he added, “Even the places impacted are receiving ships. … People are having a great time in the Caribbean.”

Wooldridge said that as a resident of Florida, she understands the stress of living through hurricanes and asked that passengers heading to a port that’s been impacted “just have a little extra forbearance and empathy if things aren’t perfect.”

Brown said “the perception of the damage is so much worse than the actual damage. … You can still go to so many islands and have a great vacation.” She said some people are reluctant to go to the Caribbean, thinking it’s “insensitive” to go back so soon in case locals were still coping with cleanup, but “what we heard on the ground especially in places like St. Martin’s, St. Bart’s, is, ‘We can’t wait for you to come back.’”

Changing perceptions

Do cruises still fight the stereotype that they are for the “newlywed, overfed and nearly dead”?

Wooldridge said the saying was once true, but no longer is. “It is easy to be overfed on a cruise, but it is not as difficult to be judicious as it once might have been because there’s been much more emphasis on healthy food, healthy eating.”

Donald noted that there are “so many different brands,” each catering to a different “psychographic” segment (referring to the mind-set of passengers rather than their demographics). He said anyone wondering whether there’s a cruise that’s right for them should “just talk to someone who has gone on one,” adding that “word of mouth is still the most powerful marketing tool” for cruises. He said research shows that millennials enjoy cruises because they’re experiential vacations, and they’re affordable.

Overtourism

Some destinations that are overrun by tourists cite cruise ships as part of the problem. Are they, and is there a solution?

Wooldridge said cruise lines “could be more proactive about working together to see that there are not too many ships in port. One of the places that really works well is Antarctica. Only vessels with 200 passengers or fewer are allowed into Antarctic waters … and the ships all talk to each other … to make sure they’re not going to be in the same place … because the ecology there cannot take it.”

Brown said cruises are trying to help by taking passengers “out of the big cities” and into smaller destinations, along with staggering ship schedules so they’re not all in town on the same day. But she added that ports “have every right to just say no” to cruise arrivals, and “they’re not.” As a result, “we’re seeing locals rise up, in Barcelona in particular. Locals have said, ‘We’ve had it.’”

Donald said “overtourism is a legitimate issue,” and the cruise industry has “to be part of the solution,” but he noted that all the ship “cabins in the world don’t add up to 2 percent of hotel rooms.” He said cruises get blamed for overtourism in places like Venice because the locals see a big ship in the harbor and “it becomes a symbol” even if it’s “not where most” of the crowds originate. Still, he said, the industry can be part of the solution by staggering ship arrivals, sending passengers to a variety of locations on shore and helping guests understand “correct behaviors” when in port.

Decline for formal wear

A member of the audience asked why ship dress codes seem to be “dumbing down. … Was it a conscious trend in order to attract people or was it just a reflection of where the world is going?”

Donald said it’s a “conscious” move driven by guest preferences, though he noted that Cunard ships like the Queen Mary 2 will “stay formal.”

Brown said passengers still love the chance to dress up, citing “formal nights” held on the Regal Princess ship that had everyone onboard “excited” about looking their best for a special occasion.

Solo fares

An audience member noted that solo travelers often feel they’re overcharged because most cruise cabins are priced for double occupancy. Why is that?

Donald said it’s the reality of shipbuilding: “You think about the square footage and the revenue to recover the investment, so single rooms often become a tough economic factor to make work.” Design-wise, single rooms are sometimes tucked in when public areas of the ship don’t leave enough space to build a full cabin.

Wooldridge advised looking for fall cruises, a slow season when many brands waive the single supplement fees.

Brown said solo fares are a “huge issue” for CruiseCritic readers and advised passengers to “make a fuss” to get policies changed.

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Listen to the discussion about cruising on the AP Travel podcast “Get Outta Here!” First half: https://apnews.com/afs:Content:1762250007 and second half: https://apnews.com/afs:Content:1777860057.

Experts talk about cruising, trends, issues and tips. What are the latest cruise trends? Should consumers worry about Caribbean cruises after last year’s hurricanes? Three experts discussed these issues and more.

The post Get it from the Experts: Cruising, Trends, Issues and Tips appeared first on The Florida Daily Post.

So they improvised, using luggage tags and airmail envelopes to create wall hangings. They found a fun suitcase to display in the room, and decoupaged a table with maps and travel-oriented scrapbook paper. The look came together pretty easily and inexpensively, said Smuzynski, who gave birth to daughter Avery in February 2015.

“It was more budget-friendly than if we had gone with a pre-assembled theme. This reflected who we are,” said Smuzynski, who wrote a blogpost about the effort on her website, parenthoodandpassports.com. “Travel has always been a significant part of our lives.”

In just a few years, the trend seems to have taken off. “When I go into Hobby Lobby, there’s an entire section that looks exactly like her room,” said Smuzynski, of Oklahoma City.

Many interior decorators, home goods manufacturers and trend spotters have embraced the travel theme. Some people decorate with pieces they bought on vacation or that remind them of past trips. Others simply go to the store for furniture, lighting and other elements that evoke the look and feel of places they’ve visited.

It’s all part of a trend toward making decor personal and customized, said Donna Garlough, style director for Wayfair, an online home goods store.

“These days, people crave homes that speak to them and their interests rather than one that was decorated in one fell swoop. And travel is one of those things that can really shape you, so it’s no wonder people want to reflect their favorite memories and destinations in their home’s décor,” said Garlough, whose book, “Your Home, Your Style” (Rizzoli USA), will be published this spring.

Laura Casey of Laura Casey Interiors in Charlotte, North Carolina, designed a dining room inspired by a zebra photograph that clients had purchased during a trip to Africa. She incorporated complementary colors, textures and patterns, using Moroccan-inspired tiles to help the room feel travel-inspired and eclectic.

Wall hangings are an easy way to add travel elements to a room, Casey said. Consider framing one of your photos or buying a print or art piece while traveling, she said.

“One of my clients has family photographs from many countries they have visited. In their kitchen and den we made small gallery groupings to represent each trip,” she said. “It keeps the room casual and family-friendly, while also allowing the family to be reminded of their adventures.”

Souvenirs are an obvious way to reference your travel, said Danielle Whitburn, a freelance writer for Home-Designing.com. But there are other options, as well.

“I love pieces that make a subtle nod to another place or memory — a bicycle bookend that reminds you of riding by the shore, for example, or a pillow that reminds you of the color of a certain lake or sea,” said Whitburn, who lives in Auckland, New Zealand.

Garlough agrees. “Rather than collecting souvenir spoons and refrigerator magnets like their parents and grandparents, today’s shoppers are incorporating their travel memories in bigger ways, such as an abstract landscape that reminds them of a hiking trip, or whimsical pillows with a beach motif,” she said. “It’s a subtle, constant reminder that they can appreciate every day.”

Of course, it’s also possible to achieve this look without ever leaving home. Moroccan leather ottomans, Persian rugs and Mexican artwork are distinctive elements that evoke a sense of place and can be bought online or at a store, Whitburn said.

As for souvenirs, today’s travelers often have a more global approach than in the past.

“As travelling increases (in) popularity, we are seeing more pieces outside the traditional tourist haunts in Europe and North America,” she says.

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Travel Has Become a Prime Inspiration for Home Decor

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