Category: Hotels

Historic Heritage Germany Tour: Rich in History, Light on Crowds

Adventures, Food & Drink, History, Hotels, Stories, Travel
by Barbara Redding
Colorful umbrellas flying over Lübeck's old Town Hall. @Barbara Redding

If you’ve already savored the beer, brats, and big cities of Germany, it may be time to escape the crowds and dig deeper by visiting this European country’s smaller heritage cities.   At the invitation of Historic Highlights of Germany, I recently explored four northern German cities that are rich in history. Rostock, Lübeck, Osnabrück, and Münster are part of the Germany’s Historic Highlights program that introduces seasoned travelers to the country’s smaller heritage cities.   These cities also offer more than a trip back...

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Tribal Traditions Meet Luxury Wellness at Palm Springs Spa and Cultural Center

Adventures, Hotels, Lifestyle, Luxury, Travel, Wellness
by Barbara Redding

The Spa at Séc-he is more than another wellness center in Palm Springs, California. The spa is the cultural centerpiece of the strikingly modern Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza.   Located on land owned by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, the six-acre complex includes the five-star spa and the new cultural museum that immerses you in the tribe’s history in this desert oasis. The plaza is one of only a few places in the U.S. where you can soak in a hot mineral water...

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Croatia’s Impresia Collection: Luxury Hotels in Idyllic Places

Adventures, Food & Drink, History, Hotels, Luxury, Travel
by Barbara Redding
Hotel Adriatic is a luxury hotel in Rovinj on the Istria Peninsula of Croatia.

Blazing sunsets, dreamy islands, and Roman ruins lure millions of visitors to Croatia.   Fortunately, this picturesque country lapped by the turquoise Adriatic Sea can still be experienced by luxury travelers with minimal crowds. On a recent trip to Croatia, I discovered the Impresia Collection of Croatia Hotels, a group of luxury hotels scattered across the country that immerse guests in Croatia’s natural wonders, rich culture, and medieval architecture.   Impresia is not a hotel chain. Instead, it’s a prestigious mix of unique accommodations that can...

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In Wroclaw, Dwarves Add Mischief and Meaning to Historic Polish City

Adventures, Food & Drink, History, Hotels, Stories, Travel
by Barbara Redding

More than 1,000 bronze dwarves reside in doorways, atop bridges, and on street corners in Wroclaw, a vibrant city in southwestern Poland. Some made me laugh like the dwarf riding a Vespa. Others encouraged reflection, such as the dwarf with a big heart helping children in neighboring Ukraine. Most, well, just made me smile.   Some destinations capture your imagination with towering skyscrapers, prestigious art museums, or Michelin-starred restaurants. In Wroclaw, what drew my attention were the statuettes shaped like dwarves or krasnale in Polish.  ...

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Chefchaouen: Morocco’s Blue City Mesmerizes visitors

Adventures, History, Hotels, Travel, Wellness
by Barbara Redding
Photo opportunity in Morocco's Blue City.

Myriad shades of blue wash over the walls of Chefchaouen, a remote village cradled in the rugged Rif Mountains of northeastern Morocco.     Nicknamed Morocco’s “Blue City,” the town is one of the dreamiest places in this North African country. Smaller and calmer than frenzied Fez and Marrakesh, Chefchaouen’s arched doorways and maze-like alleys create stunningly blue photo backdrops.     In the heat of summer, tourists snapping selfies can overrun the medina, or old city. However, when I added a winter weekend in Morocco’s...

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Big brands, boutiques spice up the New Orleans hotel scene

Food & Drink, History, Hotels, Lifestyle, Luxury, Travel
by Barbara Redding

Seafood gumbo, crawfish etouffee, and sugar-dusted beignets entice visitors to New Orleans. Along with Mardi Gras and the Jazz and Heritage Festival, of course.   But these days, the city’s hotel scene is also getting some special attention.   Luxury hotel brands Caesars and Fairmont are set to add new properties in the Crescent City. Plus, new boutique hotels are opening, and historic favorites are being renovated.   Plus, most of the new additions include restaurants that are offering the food that’s helped make New...

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The Velvet Rope: A New Palm Springs Hotel Spins Old Hollywood Glamour

Adventures, Fashion, Food & Drink, History, Hotels, Lifestyle, Luxury, Travel
by Barbara Redding
Fancy bedroom in the Velvet Rope

The Velvet Rope, a new boutique hotel in Palm Springs, puts a modern twist on Hollywood’s heyday in this California desert town.   Nine deliciously themed suites and a speakeasy-style bar transport guests back in time to experience the mid-20th century glamour that attracted celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Elvis Presley, and Hugh Hefner to Palm Springs.   The Velvet Rope opened in December 2023. But before the first official guests arrived, I was among a group of travel writers invited to experience a few days...

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Wonders of the Sahara Desert beckon visitors to Morocco

Adventures, Family, Food & Drink, History, Hotels, Stories, Travel
by Barbara Redding

Morocco is known for its stunning diversity. The North African Country boasts windswept deserts and ancient cities, craggy mountains and lonely beaches, medieval medinas and modern mosques.   Since my visit in early 2023, I have written several stories about Morocco’s many treasures. Recently, I had the chance to talk about my trip to Morocco on Big Blend Radio with Lisa Smith.   I am excited to share my YouTube interview below with Lisa! You can also view the podcast on bigblendradio.com.   You can...

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Wine, Cheese and Chill in ‘magical’ Tequis, Mexico

Adventures, Food & Drink, History, Hotels, Stories, Travel
by Barbara Redding
El Geiser hot springs pool near Tequis. @Diane Gierisch

The charms of traditional Mexico abound in Tequisquiapan, a small city in the arid highlands of Central Mexico.   Indigenous people named it for the steaming hot springs and minerals discovered there in the 1600s. Today, the city is better known as Tequis. It’s also a popular stop on the Querétaro Wine and Cheese Route.   To learn more about this pueblo mágico, or magical town, please read my Tequis story in Rovology.  For more travel stories, visit the Rovology website–a wonderful resource for anyone who...

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Time Traveling Aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California

Adventures, Family, Food & Drink, History, Hotels, Lifestyle, Luxury, Stories, Travel
by Barbara Redding

Pictures of a robust Winston Churchill and a young Queen Elizabeth decorated my art-deco stateroom aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California.   The iconic 1930s ocean liner, now permanently docked on the Pacific Coast, has harbored movie stars, British royals, and prime ministers–as well as more than a few ghosts. In fact, Time magazine designated it one of the most haunted ships in the U.S.   I was thrilled to be one of the ship’s first overnight guests when she finally reopened in...

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